Qld border closure: Karl Stefanovic calls Palaszczuk government arrogant

The Queensland Government is in hot water once again, after denying that the state’s border closure is creating financial hardship for businesses.

The Queensland Government has been slammed after denying that the state’s border closure is creating financial hardship for businesses.

The Courier Mail reports a High Court challenge to the state’s border lockdown could be stalled as business owners involved prove how much revenue they have lost since restrictions came in.

The renegade business owners and individuals challenging the border lockdown will attempt to force the Queensland Government to hand over documents used to justify the interstate travel ban.

“This is about arrogance,” Today host Karl Stefanovic said this morning. “I’ve never seen this before from a public official. It defies belief to me, and more importantly reality.”

“This is just arguing against the absolutely bloody obvious, and what is really concerning is not just that arrogance, but the Queensland Government listening to the people,” added Queensland senator Matt Canavan.

A group of business owners and individuals are challenging Queensland’s border closure in the High Court, arguing the measure is “irrational” and causing them financial harm.

Six plaintiffs have accused the government of implementing discriminatory and unnecessary policies to limit the spread of the virus.

Sydney barrister Guy Reynolds SC, who is representing the group, said the border closure was “irrational” and had possibly been made for an “improper purpose”.

RELATED: MP launches billboard against Annastacia Palaszczuk over border wars

Karl Stefanovic has slammed the Queensland Premier as arrogant.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is standing firm on border closures. Picture: Matt Taylor

“There were irrelevant factors taken into account and a failure to take into account relevant factors,” he told the High Court last Thursday, according to The Australian.

He argued the border closure was discriminatory because it introduced relatively lenient rules for Queensland residents, while the restrictions on nonresidents were tougher.

But the Palaszczuk government has denied the border closure is creating financial hardship, saying health risks assoc­iated with COVID-19 are a substantial threat to the safety of the state and its people.

“The purpose of the border restrictio­n direction is to protect persons within Queensland from the health risks associated with COVID-19,” their defence document says.

Tuesday, 9 June – coronavirus cases in Queensland:

• 0 new confirmed cases
• 3 active cases
• 1,062 total confirmed cases
• 224,050 tests conducted

Sadly, six Queenslanders with COVID-19 have died. 1,051 patients have recovered.#COVID_19 pic.twitter.com/4ys83g68mA

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) June 9, 2020

According to The Courier Mail, the High Court challenge to the state’s border lockdown could be stalled as business owners involved prove how much revenue they have lost since restrictions came in.

The renegade business owners and individuals challenging the border lockdown will attempt to force the Queensland Government to hand over documents used to justify the interstate travel ban.

Earlier this week, State Member for Burleigh Heads, Michael Hart, took the fight to reopen the borders to the sky – by installing a giant billboard pleading with the Queensland government to reopen to borders, or cost the state more jobs.

Michael Hart MP (closest camera) unveils a new billboard campaign calling on Labor to end the border shambles and get more flights into the Gold Coast. Picture: Glenn Hampson

The billboard, which has been installed at the Reedy Creek and Bermuda Street intersection says “planes equals jobs” and asks the government to “open Queensland’s border”.

It’s the second billboard in as many weeks to be launched against the Premier, who is standing firm on the border closure despite reporting zero cases in the past 24 hours, and the state having just three active.

Appearing on Channel 9’s Today show, Mr Hart said it was time to start considering jobs, especially within the tourism industry, which on the Gold Coast alone is bleeding around 310 million each month.

Mr Hart said it was time to start considering jobs, especially within the tourism industry. Photo: Supplied FOR PAUL WESTON

“I’m hoping the billboard will send a strong message to the Premier that the people of the Gold Coast want to see planes flying back into our airport and a time frame for our borders to be open,” Mr Hart told host Karl Stefanovic, who labelled the closure as “beyond ridiculous”.

“The Premier told us in another road map it would be 10 July (to reopen the border). Then she has come out just willy-nilly and said maybe some time in September, maybe later.”

Mr Hart said the Gold Coast will not survive without tourism, and that jobs in cafes to taxi drivers, theme parks and hotels were sitting empty because of the continued closure.