Coronavirus Australia: $4000 fine for Victoria visitors sneaking into Qld

Queensland is set to reopen its borders to all except visitors from Victoria, and if they try to sneak in they’ll be in for an expensive trip.

People who try and sneak into Queensland who have previously been in Victoria could face a hefty fine under the state’s new border rules

Yesterday, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the state’s border restrictions would come to an end from July 10

From then on, anyone travelling to the state from other parts of Australia will be able to enter Queensland without having to undergo enforced quarantine.

The exception is for people travelling from Victoria where the rules will actually be toughened up with further restrictions coming in from this coming Friday.

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RELATED: Victoria banned, other states allowed into Qld from July 10

It follows a spike in new infections in some Melbourne suburbs. Victoria has almost 300 active coronavirus cases compared to just two in Queensland.

From Friday, July 3 anyone who has been to any local government area in Victoria in the two weeks prior to arrival into Queensland will be barred unless they undergo two week’s hotel quarantine at their own expense. That includes Queenslanders returning from Victoria.

Queensland residents are being urged not to travel to Victoria.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has said the state border will remain closed to Victoria but reopen to other states on July 10. Picture: Glenn Hunt/AAP

The restrictions are far more strict than New South Wales, which has never closed its border to Victoria, although residents there have been urged not to travel to the Melbourne suburbs included in the new lockdown.

“We just can’t risk removing border restrictions for people coming from areas of Victoria right now. These are very big concerns,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

Actually preventing people who have been to Victoria from entering Queensland could be tricky. If they are determined enough, they could change planes in another state or simply drive up the coast.

The border reopens on July 10. Picture Glenn Hampson

‘HEFTY FINE’

However, the Premier has said there will be penalties for those who break the rules.

Speaking on Channel 9’s Today show this morning, Ms Palaszczuk said when borders for other states came down on July 10, anyone entering Queensland will have to fill out a declaration saying they have not travelled to Victoria in the last 14 days.

If you’re busted, it could be an expensive jaunt to the sunshine state.

“Hopefully everyone will do the right thing. If you falsify the document it‘s a $4000 fine. It’s a pretty hefty fine, we are expecting everyone to do the right thing,” she said.

The Premier said the declaration was necessary to discourage people from other state popping to Melbourne and then heading up to Queensland soon afterwards.

“We now have the crossover of New South Wales and Victoria school holidays,” she said yesterday.

“Our concern is people from New South Wales going into Victoria and then choosing to come to Queensland.

“That is why we now have the border declaration that must be declared. And if you falsify that document, it‘s $4000.”

COVID-19 restrictions within Queensland will be further relaxed on Friday with more people allowed to mingle within homes and at bars and restaurants.

South Australia’s Premier Steven Marshall has scrapped plans to open the state to Victoria, NSW and the ACT on July 20, saying the spike was a too greater risk to residents.

“We know that this is going to be very difficult for some people who were planning around the 20th,” Mr Marshall told media on Tuesday.

“Our number one priority is the health, safety and welfare of all South Australians. I know that this is tough. I know that there are many families who are dislocated because of the border arrangements.

“But we have worked so hard to get ourselves into a very enviable position and we are not prepared to go backwards.”