Stranded Queenslanders in Murwillumbah helped by Australian Red Cross

The Australian Red Cross has stepped in to help desperate Queenslanders still stranded in northern NSW despite the introduction of a new home quarantine system.

THE Australian Red Cross has stepped in to help desperate Queenslanders still stranded in northern NSW despite the introduction of a new home quarantine system.

The charity has provided psychological and financial support – including for food and clothing – to people unable to return without abandoning their cars, caravans and pets.

Thousands of travellers, some of whom live in the southern Gold Coast, were locked out of Queensland when borders were shut to NSW and Victoria in July.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Monday announced that fully vaccinated travellers from Covid hotspots would be able to enter Queensland and home quarantine from 5pm – but only by air.

Asked about the stranded travellers at a press conference in Burleigh yesterday, Ms Palaszczuk defended the measure.

“They can only come by air. That is a protection mechanism to keep Queenslanders safe.

“But when we hit 80 per cent, double-dosed people will be coming by car.”

Queensland is expected to reach the 80 per cent fully vaccinated mark by December 17, although Ms Palaszczuk said it may happen a few days earlier.

“It could come a week earlier, but I don’t want to get people’s hopes up,” she said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk speaks at a press conference in Burleigh Heads on Monday. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)

Australian Red Cross NSW director Poppy Brown said travelling by plane was not an option for the people the organisation had helped at the Murwillumbah Showgrounds.

“There’s a number of reasons for people to have to wait it out,” Ms Brown said.

“Often they’ve got medical issues or they’ve got pets ... and don’t want to leave them behind.”

Ms Brown said one of the biggest problems people faced was financial stress.

“It is a costly situation for people. They’ve got homes to go to in Queensland.

“We have a chat with people. We find out what they need. Either we provide that ourselves or we connect them with groups that can actually support them.

“We have provided some food support, we have provided financial support to people. It’s whatever they need.”

Tweed MP Geoff Provest. Picture: Nigel Hallett.

Tweed MP Geoff Provest said the NSW state government had activated its emergency management team to help people he said had been “very much forgotten” by Ms Palaszczuk.

“A lot of these people are elderly and they want to do the right thing,” he said.

“They’re experiencing both emotional and financial stress. And in some cases they live just five minutes over the border.

“I think it’s been appalling the way she’s treating these Queenslanders.”

Among those the Red Cross has helped is Glenn Venner, 62, who became trapped when relocating from Tasmania to a property he owns in Bundaberg.

The organisation is paying for a room in a Murwillumbah motel for Mr Venner, who said travelling to Queensland by air would mean abandoning his dog Bronte, which there was “no way” he could do.

“I’m one of the refugees,” Mr Venner said.

“I was living in my ute, sleeping in the front seat, for a few months.

“... then I came to the Murwillumbah Showgrounds, which is the best thing I did, because they’ve all been just so generous.

“The Red Cross put me up in this motel until the border opens.”

Glenn Venner in Murwillumbah with his dog Bronte.

Another traveller, Ross, who didn’t want to give his surname, said he and his partner had been waiting at the border for months with their motorhome.

He said there were “thousands” in the same situation, but they had been overwhelmed by the support of local people. “People coming in with food hampers. Other people coming in to wash clothing.

“... Schoolkids came around with boxes of fruit and veggies. It was really good quality, a really well thought-out box of food. It was just amazing.”

Currumbin MP Laura Gerber said the state government’s announcement did nothing to help travellers stranded over the border.

“Queenslanders are still required to ditch their cars or caravans and fly into the state on a crowded plane,” Ms Gerber said. “It makes no sense when they are parked just over the border and could safely drive home.”

Opposition leader David Crisafulli also called for stranded travellers to be allowed to return by road.

“You can’t tell me that it’s a ‘protection mechanism’ to ask somebody to jump in a fully boarded plane when they could drive home without stopping,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“We want the government to show a bit of compassion and a bit of common sense and get Queenslanders home.”

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