Queensland woman forced to cut short visit to sick mother

A Queensland woman who travelled to South Australia for what she thought would be a last visit to her ailing mum has slammed ‘senseless’ border closures after she was forced to cut her trip short and take up a hotel quarantine spot that could be used by someone who needed it more.

A Queensland woman in hotel quarantine has blasted the state government over “senseless” border closures, after she was forced to cut an emergency family trip to South Australia short.

Gold Coast local Annie Fuller said she believed the borders to South Australia should be reopened after it was revealed a lie had led to serious concerns about the potential for the virus to spread through the Adelaide community.

As South Australia began to relax some of its tough restrictions and the Northern Territory announced it would reopen it borders to the state, Ms Fuller said she was still forced to spend another 12 days in hotel quarantine, at a cost of $2800.

Annie Fuller is now in quarantine on the Gold Coast after returning from South Australia.

Ms Fuller arrived in Adelaide last Sunday, making the costly trip to see her sick mother.

Heartbreakingly, Ms Fuller said she had thought it could be the last time she would ever see her.

“I landed last Sunday afternoon, then I woke up the next day to see the new cases in the state,” she said.

“By lunchtime, all the state’s borders were closed again, and we were given no time to prepare to get home safely.”

Unable to get a flight home in time to beat the Tuesday quarantine lockout, Ms Fuller said she couldn’t trust “the sporadic government border decisions” and had to risk heading straight home.

“I was thinking of staying south in NSW for the two weeks, but Annastacia has been so inconsistent with her border decisions, who knows if she’d close them again,” she said.

“I wanted to try and explain my situation, I’ve emailed and called both offices (premier and health minister) three times this week – and nothing.

“And now seeing the NT and Victoria ease their own borders to South Australia, why can’t Queensland do the same?

“I’m taking up quarantine space that could be going to other Queenslanders, even overseas travellers, who need it more.”

A Queensland Government spokesman said: “Queensland’s border policies are a result of the Chief Health Officer’s advice. Those actions continue to keep Queenslanders safe.”

Originally published as Queensland woman forced to cut short visit to sick mother