Coronavirus Qld: Border closure a ‘body blow’, Gold Coast business leader says

The return of border blockades is another body blow for Gold Coast businesses who feel like they’re in a ‘rolling boxing match’, a local corporate leader says. HAVE YOUR SAY IN OUR POLL

The return of border blockades is another body blow for Gold Coast businesses who feel like they’re in a ‘rolling boxing match’, says a local corporate leader.

Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce president Martin Hall said the hard border closure was not unexpected given the worsening Covid crisis in the southern states but it would not lessen the pain for local business owners.

“It was probably a foregone conclusion - it was inevitable really - but it will continue to wound us,” he said.

“It’s just been a rolling boxing match really.”

Mr Hall said the return of border checkpoints at Coolangatta was probably necessary ‘but the timing is always interesting around these decisions’.

“You’ve got footballers’ wives getting moved around the state,” he said, referring to the relocation of NRL teams and their families to Queensland.

“Unfortunately, we’ve just got to adapt and make it work. It just saps confidence and snuffs out any glimmer of hope we had.”

It will be the third time concrete barriers and checkpoints have been erected on the border in just over a year.

Queensland will close its border to NSW from 1am on Friday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Gold Coast Mayor said the hard closure was ‘not what we want’ but had to happen, and urged residents to support local businesses doing it tough.

“It’s not what we want ... it’s not what businesses need but we have to protect our residents,’ he said.

“The State Government has made this decision based on health advice.

“I’ve long called for a Tweed-Gold Coast border bubble and I am confident the police and state officials are working on making that happen.

“Right now, I urge Gold Coasters to buy local in every way they can to help all our businesses, particularly the southern border businesses.’’

Originally published as Coronavirus Qld: Border closure a ‘body blow’, Gold Coast business leader says