Qld border closures: Victoria banned, other states allowed from July 10
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has made the decision on when her state will reopen the border, and it’s bad news for Victorians.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced tough new border restrictions on Victorians, and also announced when other states and territories will be able to enter the Sunshine State.
Speaking to media on Tuesday, Ms Palaszczuk said that after careful consideration, a tough new travel ban will be put in place on Victorians from midday on Friday, July 3.
“The border with Victoria will remain closed and will be strengthened...tougher measures will apply,” the Premier said.
“Anyone who has travelled from Victoria, including Queenslanders, will be prevented from entering or will have to quarantine at a hotel at their own expense for two weeks.
“We just can’t risk removing border restrictions for people coming from areas of Victoria right now. These are very big concerns.”
The Premier said other states – including residents from Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia, New South Wales, Northern Territory and ACT – will be allowed to enter Queensland from July 10 after filling in a border declaration.
“This border declaration is to ensure that no-one has travelled to Victoria in the past 14 days,” she explained.
“If you falsify a document, you will face strict penalties and fines up to $4000.”
Speaking alongside Ms Palaszczuk, Deputy Premier Steven Miles said Queenslanders should not travel to Victoria.
“They have more than 288 active cases right now compared to just two in Queensland, and seven in New South Wales,” he said to media.
“These new, stricter rules will ensure that we contain the virus in Victoria. Our message to Queenslanders is please do not go there. Our message to Victorians is please do not come here. We do not want to bring those cases here.”
Earlier today, South Australia’s Premier Steven Marshall 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 said to 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.”
Ms Palaszczuk said last week the rise in infections across Melbourne was of “national concern” and infections have risen sharply since then, with 75 new cases yesterday.
She said she Queenslanders have stopped her in the street and asked that the borders remain restricted to stop a second wave in the state — which has recorded no new cases in the past 24 hours and has just two remaining active cases.
On the flip side she has faced pressure from businesses that rely on interstate tourism to stay afloat.
In addition to changes in border restrictions, Queensland will also implement changes to gathering limits and rules around pubs and restaurants lifted.
From this Friday limits on private gathering will increase from a maximum of 20 to a maximum of 100 people.
This means weddings, funerals, house parties and fitness classes will all be allowed to have 100 attendees.
“From Friday, Queenslanders will be able to order a beer at the bar, play the pokies, order a counter meal or go to the casino. Kids’ sport will be back,” Deputy Premier Steven Miles said.
“Contact sport will be back. As well as spectators. I know many parents like me who will be looking forward to busy Saturdays racing from one soccer field to another.
“In hospitality, pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes, the limit of 20 people per space will be lifted.
“There will be no maximum of number of people per space or venue provided they have four square metres of floor space per patron.”
The pressure to open the state border continued yesterday when Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Sunshine State needs to open borders sooner rather than later, before serving a simple message to Ms Palaszczuk’s government.
“The people who would be the biggest losers from that border not opening up are the people of Queensland,” he said on Monday.
“The people of Queensland need their economy to re-fire.
“There are Queenslanders who aren’t in jobs who need their borders open and I have been very consistent and advocating to all the premiers and chief ministers, regardless of what side of politics they come from, that it is important to get these borders open.”
However, Queensland has been told by the Australian Medical Association it would be justified in keeping its border closed for another week, if not two, because of a COVID-19 resurgence in Victoria.
“There would definitely be good reasons to wait a week or two to decide what is happening,” the AMA’s Dr Chris Moy told AAP.
“And maybe the case … I totally understand a decision not to open up the borders.”
One of the ideas on the table, that could have potentially pleased everyone, was a travel bubble to lock Victoria out and allow other states in, but that now looks very unlikely.
Ms Palaszczuk has raised it with the Prime Minister in the National Cabinet, but he was opposed to the idea.
Football is also being hit by the restrictions as Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young announced new quarantine rules. It means that Queensland AFL, NRL and rugby players will have to undergo 14 days of quarantine after playing Melbourne-based teams.
The same goes for games played in other states against clubs that were recently in Melbourne.
“This is about protecting Queenslanders,” Dr Young said. “We have seen hundreds of COVID-19 cases in Victoria in the last two weeks and there is sustained community transmission there.
“These restrictions are temporary while the situation in Victoria unfolds.
“Should the situation improve, then Queensland would of course revise the requirements.”
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