Schoolies: Qld Government can’t say whether 2020 celebrations will go ahead in coronavirus crisis
School leavers have already booked accommodation across the Gold Coast – but there’s still no confirmation whether Schoolies 2020 will even be allowed to go ahead.
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SCHOOL leavers have booked accommodation to celebrate graduating on the Gold Coast but the State Government says it will “act accordingly” based on health advice at the time.
Bookings site Schoolies.com at this stage says it’s “business as usual” while a State Government spokesman on Tuesday said it “doesn’t organise Schoolies” when asked what the outlook was for the event.
The revelation thousands of school leavers are still planning to descend around the November-December celebrations comes after the Bulletin revealed on Monday the organic event was still set to go ahead.
Red Frogs founder Andy Gourley said the volunteer organisation which keeps an eye on the celebrations each year has been preparing for Schoolies to proceed.
But he was waiting to hear more from Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young.
“It’s very much a week by week, month by month proposition at the moment,” he said.
“We’ll base a lot of that (our response) on the chief health officer and the advice at the time too. The safety of our workers is obviously first.”
Mr Gourley said many school leavers had already booked accommodation.
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“Because the hotels are booked, we’re planning to be there as well. We’re sort of all on the edge of our seats listening to the chief health officer at the moment,” he said.
It follows a novel suggestion by Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate for school leavers to gather online, which raised eyebrows across the country, including on morning TV show Sunrise.
“You’re the technology people. Maybe you use Zoom or whatever it is, social media, to do Schoolies like that from home,” he said.
“If (chief medical officer) Dr Jeannette Young says it’s not on, it’s finished.”
Meanwhile, Surfers Paradise MP John-Paul Langbroek joined a chorus of Gold Coasters calling for the government to block this year’s event.
Mr Langbroek said his “instinctive reaction” was it could not proceed.
“I just can’t see that an event of the nature of Schoolies would be appropriate in the current climate we find ourselves in,” he said.
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“People in those buildings (where school leavers stay) are already worried. People in the current circumstances would just be freaking about it (Schoolies).
“I was perplexed to see any speculation that it could be on given everything else coming up later in the year has been cancelled anyway.”
Mr Langbroek was concerned rowdy school leavers “wouldn’t be inclined to social distance”.
Facebook users appeared shocked Schoolies was on and called for the government to step in.
“Schoolies should be cancelled. Why is the dollar worth the loss of common sense?” one commenter said.
“Parents that let their kids attend Schoolies this year … I am lost for words if they do. Cancel schoolies for everyone’s sake.”
Another commenter said: “I mean in all fairness, we can’t even get most of them to stop climbing out on the bloody balconies 10-plus stories (sic) above the ground which seems pretty common sense, what chance of getting them to follow Covid Safe Plans?”
The Bulletin asked Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk whether Schoolies would go ahead and how social distancing and other coronavirus measures would be enforced if it does.
Ms Palasczcuk was also asked how the government would stop revellers gathering and whether the future of the informal event should have been made clear earlier.
A spokesman said: “The Queensland Government does not organise Schoolies.”
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“The Palaszczuk Government will continue to listen to the latest expert medical advice and act accordingly. As we have seen, circumstances can change very quickly and no one can predict what may or may not happen in November,” he said.
“Because Queensland is continuing to manage the health response, we have already started delivering Queensland’s plan for economic recovery and that includes the easing of some restrictions when safe.”
Centralised booking site Schoolies.com states: “At this stage it’s ‘business as usual’ for 2020 Schoolies as there are currently no restrictions that have been put in place by government over the dates of your holiday that will restrict you from celebrating Schoolies with your friends.”
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