Tough new rules for Gold Coast backpackers

Backackers are facing tough new rules to stop the spread of coronavirus as Gold Coast locals raise concerns about large groups of tourists moving into unit towers.

BACKPACKERS looking for farm work have been issued a warning by the federal government, following concerns about transient groups spreading the coronavirus.

The news comes as Gold Coast locals in some of the city’s apartment complexes raise concerns about the parties taking place in their towers.

Described as a “new phase of virus suppression” Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced measures that require those on working holiday visas to immediately self isolate where they are before they move to regional areas to take up farm work.

“They (working holiday makers) will be required to self isolate and to go onto Australia.gov.au and register for self isolation, and do that where they are now for a period of 14 days before they transfer to another part of the country, out in a rural or regional area,” Mr Morrison said.

Those on working holidays will need to self-isolate for 14 days before they are hired to work in a rural area, under strict new coronavirus rules. Picture: Ros Cannon

MORE NEWS

Incredible drone footage of eerily quiet Gold Coast

Long border queues as cops turn cars away

Police cameras capture unbelievable arrests

“At that time their employer will be looking to see if they conducted that self-isolation before they would be employed in that work.

“This is important to ensure we don’t get a lift up of the virus that might be in many metropolitan areas.”

The PM said the measures are in place to ensure that producers can still get work done but communities who don’t yet have the virus are protected.

Local councils will also be checking work accomodation to ensure it is up to safety requirements.

“You can’t have six backpackers in a caravan, up out in rural parts of the country,” the prime minister said.

“That is not on, not going to happen.”

The news comes as Gold Coast apartment residents claim they are seeing an increase in large groups of holiday-makers staying in a single bedroom units.

“We are seeing more and more large groups of backpackers coming in,’ a Chevron Renaissance resident told the Bulletin. “

People are dropping their rates to get any business they can.

“I wouldn’t mind if they followed the rules but you have eight to ten people going into a one or two bedroom apartment.

“I have raised it with some landlords but everyone is just worried about the bottom line.”

The resident said given the number of elederly people in the building he was concerned about how often these groups were moving from room to room and holding quiet parties.

“I think there is a sense that if you are all staying at the same place you are a household, but that doesn’t work if you move every two days.”

Online backers living locally seem unperturbed by restrictions, sharing their plans to travel to different farming jobs in the coming days and searching for room-mates.