Palaszczuk Labor Government refuses to admit border block hurts businesses

A gobsmacked Gold Coast business leader has labelled the state government’s position as “ludicrous” after it refused to admit the border closure is hurting businesses. WHAT DO YOU THINK? VOTE IN OUR POLL

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Tony Martin

THE State Government is refusing to admit in the High Court its controversial closure of the Queensland border is causing financial hardship to suffering Gold Coast business.

That is the state’s stunning defence to a small business legal challenge aimed at overturning the border block.

The legal argument comes after the Queensland Treasury department last week conceded to the Bulletin it “has not modelled the impact of the Queensland border closure”.

Told last night of the State Government’s defence, gobsmacked Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce president Martin Hall said: “That is possibly the most ludicrous thing I have ever heard.”

Martin Hall: “Possibly the most ludicrous thing I have ever heard.” Picture: Glenn Hampson

The development in the High Court challenge to the controversial border lockdown could stall the case by forcing business owners involved to prove how much revenue they have lost since restrictions.

MORE NEWS

Coolangatta hotels: border block ‘is killing us’

‘This makes you want to rebel’

No crowds at Qld NRL, AFL games despite no new cases

The group of business owners and individuals challenging the border lockdown will today attempt to force the Queensland Government to hand over documents used to justify the interstate travel ban.

In a defence argument filed in the High Court, State Solicitor-General Sandy Thompson QC revealed the Government “do not admit” the business’ financial hardship is a result of the border restrictions.

The streets of Surfers Paradise have been almost deserted. Picture: Jerad Williams

The document appears to contradict comments from Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk acknowledging the disastrous financial impact of the restrictions on tourism businesses and workers. On May 19, she told parliament the state’s $12 billion tourism industry was dealt a “crippling blow” during the pandemic and it had been “absolutely heartbreaking to witness”.

“It has been heartbreaking to make tough but unavoidable decisions; for example, the decision to close our borders and place hard restrictions on the industry knowing they would hurt, while at the same time understanding they were absolutely critical to save lives.”

She said the impact was something “I never imagined I would witness in my lifetime”.

Previous estimates have put the potential blow to tourism at $5 billion if the border remains shut until September.

An estimated 7500 Gold Coast businesses have shut, with an estimated $310 million lost to the economy every week that the city is strangled by border closures and social restrictions. Picture: Jerad Williams

Ms Palaszczuk has said she will not consider opening the borders before a review of the measure at the end of June.

The companies – Mount Ommaney Travel agency Travel Essence and the parent company of Reefinity Adventures which runs a charter service on the Great Barrier Reef – argue they continue to suffer financial hardship as a result of the border closure.

Linen hire company – Super Services Group – says it has been unable to grow outside of Queensland and NSW due to the restrictions.

The case is scheduled to return to court today at noon for an urgent directions hearing into access of the documents the Government is relying on to keep the borders closed.

The Government yesterday failed to meet a deadline to hand over the documents, a move they opposed last week on the grounds the subpoena seeking the advice had been invalidly lodged.

A separate constitutional challenge to the border closures being brought by billionaire businessman Clive Palmer’s flagship company Mineralogy and others is expected to be heard in the first week of July.

Asked about the challenge facing Coast businesses, Mr Hall said: “Listen to the genuine stories from small business owners across the Coast feeling the loss compared to this time last year.”