Annastacia Palaszczuk threatens lockdown as NSW says no to ‘moving’ border

Gladys Berejiklian risks restarting the Covid-19 interstate border wars after shooting down a request from Queensland.

Frustrated and locked out border residents have been dealt a major blow after NSW officially rejected a Queensland government proposal to temporarily move the border.

Thousands of Coolangatta-Tweed residents are stuck either side of the border and unable to commute to businesses and even schools after Queensland slammed the border shut because of a major Covid-19 outbreak in NSW.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk requested the border checkpoints be allowed to be set up at the Tweed River, effectively quarantining a section of NSW off from the rest of the state. There are no recorded Covid-19 cases in the zone.

It would allow border businesses and residents to move and operate more freely.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s request to move border has fallen on deaf ears. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

The request came as Ms Palaszczuk announced border measures would tighten and all essential workers who cross in either direction would have had at least one vaccine dose by Friday and 100 Australian Army troops would assist at checkpoints from next week.

However, a representative from the Premier’s office confirmed on Thursday that NSW had officially declined Queensland’s request to move the border.

Earlier on Thursday, NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro made it clear moving the border 7km south would not be approved.

“The border cannot move and should not move because there would be unintended consequences that would actually have worse and more negative outcomes for the broader part of the Northern Rivers,” he told reporters.

The Queensland Premier has doubled down on her threats to lock down the southeast yet again if northern NSW residents don’t do the right thing.

While on Thursday Queensland recorded its second “double doughnut” day in a row and is easing restrictions from Friday, NSW is expected to record high case numbers after Wednesday’s record-633 cases.

As health authorities and police seek to redefine who is an essential worker allowed into Queensland from northern NSW, Annastacia Palaszczuk said it would only take one person to enter her state with the virus and “all bets are off”.

Every single car entering Queensland from NSW is being stopped by police, with only a select few allowed to enter. Picture: John Gass / NCA NewsWire

Ms Palaszczuk reiterated that the entire state of NSW, including northern border towns like Tweed Heads, were under stay-at-home orders, and that’s “what they need to do”.

“I make no apologies for keeping Queenslanders safe. The sooner they (NSW) can get on top of their issues, the sooner we can get back to some sort of normality.”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Health Minister Yvette D'Ath have warned of the dire ramifications of a case entering the state from NSW. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said the concerning growth of cases in NSW, as well as in the ACT, Victoria and New Zealand, was a cautionary tale for Queenslanders.

“It could be in our community any day now,” she said.

“Please, go out and get vaccinated and keep coming to get tested.”

If a case crossed the border, the Gold Coast would be plunged into lockdown. Picture: John Gass / NCA NewsWire

Ms Palaszczuk warned if the virus did cross the border into the Gold Coast, she would have no choice but to lock the city down.

“Businesses don’t want to see that,” she said.

“It’s a very tough situation, but everything we are doing is to keep Queensland safe.”

At least 100 Australian Defence Force personnel are expected to be sent to the border in coming weeks to support Queensland Police.

Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski on Thursday said there had been an increase in the number of vehicles coming across into Queensland, but police only had to turn around 317 cars.

“For those persons that are able to come across, question whether you really need to make that trip,” he said.

“Just because you’re authorised to come in, it doesn’t mean you should.”