The travel bubble that could bring down Qld border block

Queensland’s Health Minister says he’s happy to start discussions about opening our borders to certain states, but he won’t be ‘bullied’ by Prime Minister Scott Morrison who wants the state opened by July.

THE Queensland Government is open to having discussions with other states which closed their borders and suppressed COVID-19 levels about allowing people to travel between them.

Health Minister Steven Miles this afternoon said it would be a two-way decision.

“We’d certainly be willing to discuss with the other states who closed their borders and have managed to suppress and contain the virus whether we would allow travel between their states and ours,” he said.

“Obviously that’s a two-way decision but we would be very open to have those discussions.”

It comes as Mr Miles took aim at Prime Minister Scott Morrison, claiming the Government wouldn’t be bullied into opening the borders.

Mr Morrison this morning urged Queensland to open its borders in July, warning if the Government left the decision too late, tourists would fly elsewhere.

But Mr Miles pointed to how successful Queensland had been at containing COVID-19.

“We want to lift the border restrictions as soon as we possibly but safely can and that’s what that assessment at the end of this month and indeed every month will tell us whether it is safe to lift those border restrictions and we’re not going to be bullied by Scott Morrison into putting the lives of Queenslanders at risk,” he said.

The State Government will review the borders at the end of June, with its recovery roadmap pointing to a possible mid-July opening.

However Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk recently said the border may not open until September.

‘TOURISTS WILL FLY ELSEWHERE’

PRIME Minister Scott Morrison this morning urged Queensland to get its borders open in July, warning if they leave the decision too late, tourists will fly elsewhere and Virgin airline jobs will be lost.

While Queensland initially had a July 10 provisional timeframe for state borders to reopen, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has since flagged it could be as late as September.

When we could be flying again

Premier allows state travel but remains firm on border

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he wants to see state borders open again in July. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

Mr Morrison said he hoped she relented and moved back towards the original July date.

“When we set out the three-stop process together, July was when interstate travel was supposed to be up and running again,” he told 2GB.

“We never said there should be border (restrictions). That was never the health advice, that was never the agreement.”

The Prime Minister said if Queensland did open its borders sooner than September, tourism operators and would-be holiday makers needed to know sooner than later.

“If they leave it to announcing it until July, people who might book a holiday for July will have already booked it somewhere else,” he said.

“They may be booking it in New Zealand if they’re not careful.

“It’s really important we get the planes flying again. The more planes flying means more jobs.

“Virgin’s success depends a lot on routes opening up again. If I get planes flying between Australia and New Zealand, I want planes flying between NSW and Queensland and Western Australia and South Australia.

Virgin Australia plane departing from Brisbane Airport. Picture: David Clark Photography

“Those jobs in Virgin depend on ensuring we open up our aviation industry and this is a blockage to that.”

Tourism industry figures were hopeful Ms Palaszczuk was softening on the September date after she opened up travel within Queensland to unlimited distances.

Ms Palaszczuk has been reluctant to open the borders while COVID-19 cases continue to NSW and Victoria.

Originally published as The travel bubble that could bring down Qld border block