Thousands turned back at Gold Coast checkpoints in first week of new border bubble

One week on from the formation of the border bubble and more than a thousand of people have been turned back.

MORE than 1000 people have been turned away in just a week of the border bubble.

But it has come with controversy with a loophole exploited that allows New South Wales people to freely enter the bubble on the southern side of the border and interact with those who can then travel into Queensland.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced two new coronavirus cases in Queensland on Friday, one a returned traveller from Sydney in hotel quarantine and the other sitting off the coast of Townsville on a cargo ship. Another nine cases were announced in NSW.

Concrete barriers have now been placed at the border crossing on the M1. Picture: Jerad Williams

There are further worries either side of the border that emergency service workers including police, doctors, nurses and firefighters would not be able to get to their jobs if a hard border closure was enforced.

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Gold Coast Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler said police were working on a plan to help frontline workers and would not be splitting families to get the officers into Queensland.

“The chief health officer announced Monday that people need to consider what it means for them and their families if they live in the border zone and there are further restrictions, and we’re no different,” Supt Wheeler said.

“Police interact with a lot of people, it’s acknowledged that police are probably in a risk category as well. We are planning for all contingencies, including what it will mean for us if the ability for our staff to travel across the border to come to and from work is restricted.

Concrete barriers placed along the road on Miles St at Coolangatta. Picture: Jerad Williams

“We won’t be requiring any of our staff to leave their family and we’re in consultation with the union and consulting individually with each officer that resides in NSW and works on the Coast.”

Those 1091 turned around at the border, and four yesterday at the airport, include returning Queenslanders and those from NSW who had been in declared hot spots, forced into quarantine south of the border, until they are allowed to return.

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In the previous four-week period, from July 10 to August 7, police on the Coast turned around 1196 on the road and 14 at the airport.

“This is about keeping COVID-19 out of Queensland,” Supt Wheeler said.

“We think the vast majority of the community is doing the right thing, but there will always be that small percentage of people who don’t care about anyone else, the rules, the laws and they do things to suit themselves.”

Supt Wheeler hosed down speculation about an impending border closure after the arrival of concrete barriers on the M1.

Gold Coast Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Steve Holland

“Particularly on the M1 and the Gold Coast Highway, we felt the need to be able to separate the lanes, a lane for people without the close scrutiny and then the inspection lane, for people who require closer scrutiny, or to be turned around.

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“We felt it was necessary to strengthen that up. We put in over 300 metres of concrete barrier on the M1. It’ll be a safer environment for police and partner agency. It will also reduce any risk of people sent down an inspection lane to try and avoid an inspection. Once they’re in there, they’re locked in there.

“We had planned on doing it for some time. We just had to find the right time to do it and it went in on Thursday night.

“I think it also signifies that we are nowhere near finished. We are going to be there for some time to come.”