Qld borders: Prediction Queensland will reopen after October 31

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says NSW will need to meet a pretty tough figure of community transmission cases before her state reopens.

Insiders say Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk won’t reopen border until October 31. Picture: Dan Peled/NCA NewsWire

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has set a pretty tough target for the NSW government to meet in order for the Sunshine State to reopen their border.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she had a “positive and constructive” conversation with the Queensland Premier earlier today about the state of their border, but predicts Ms Palaszczuk will not “relax” their borders any time soon.

Ms Berejiklian said Queensland’s stringent protocols for reopening its state borders would mean NSW must record zero community transmission cases for an extended period of time.

“The guidelines that have been sent by the Queensland government in relation to when they will reopen their border is a pretty tall order.”

“I don’t know if we’ll ever get to that case, that number,” she said.

RELATED: Queensland border spat gets ugly

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is being accused of playing politics with the border closure. Picture: Dan Peled/NCA NewsWire

Premier Gladys Berejiklian says the target set by QLD is a tough one to meet. Picture: Justin Lloyd

On Thursday, NSW recorded 12 new cases of COVID-19, while Queensland had two more cases.

Speaking to media on Thursday, Chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young says NSW must have 28 days of no community transmission for the border shutdown to be reversed.

“The trigger to open the border to NSW is when they have had two incubation periods of no community transmission,” she said.

“They had one case so [they] are getting there but if they were to have 28 days of no community transmission, that’s the current definition to open the border.”

The target comes just 24 hours after Ms Berejiklian told 2GB radio that the Queensland Premier was being unhelpful when it came to relaxing some restrictions at the border, and claimed she had made decisions without consulting NSW.

“I’ve tried to establish a positive relationship, but it’s a bit difficult when decisions are made without them even telling us,” she told radio host Ben Fordham.

“Can I be absolutely frank? She has made a decision and isn’t willing to talk about that decision and is refusing to budge.

“It’s not for want of trying.”

Queensland may not open to NSW while there is community transmission. Picture: NCA NewWire / Dan Peled

Some NSW leaders believe Ms Palaszczuk’s border closure is more about her re-election bid than considering the welfare of NSW residents, with the Sydney Morning Herald reporting her party has told supporters there will be no change to the border policy until after the October 31 poll.

In emails sent to Labor supporters and obtained by the publication, state secretary Julie-Ann Campbell told Queenslander’s there was “60 days to keep Queensland’s borders safe”, referring to the October 31 election.

“By putting Queenslanders first and closing the borders to COVID-19, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk made the necessary and difficult decisions needed to keep Queenslanders safe,” Ms Campbell reportedly wrote in the email.

Ms Palaszczuk has knocked back any suggestion her decision to keep the border closed to NSW was politically driven, standing by her defence that all decisions on the opening and closing is based on the health advice of chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young.

Earlier this week, the Queensland Premier announced the border would remain closed throughout September.

Currently, Queensland considers all of NSW a hotspot for the purposes of travel. Some exemptions are in place for certain postcodes, however, there is no ban on Queensland residents moving freely into NSW.

Queensland will keep its border closed throughout September. Picture: Scott Powick

Despite Ms Berejiklian’s claims of trying to have a conversation with her counterpart, Ms Palaszczuk rejected the comments and said the NSW Premier had not called her.

“That’s ridiculous – she hasn’t made any calls,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“I don’t have any issues working with any of my colleagues around the country; in fact we all have very good working relationships,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro told the Today show on Wednesday that Ms Palaszczuk should “show some heart” with people’s lives on the NSW side of the border.

“Reading this morning that the AFL Grand Final announcement will happen in Queensland, 400 AFL officials out of coronavirus central, which is Melbourne, will go across the border into Queensland, yet a young family can’t get emergency healthcare across the border,” he said.

A report suggest a reopening of the border after the Queensland election. Picture: Nigel Hallett

“I think Annastacia Palaszczuk continues to show politics trumps good policy, and I think she is undoing all her good work.”

Mayor of Moree Plains Shire Council Katrina Humphries also slammed the border closure as an act of “muscle flexing”.

“It is the most un-Australian, disgraceful bit of muscle flexing, desperate behaviour that I have ever seen,” Ms Humphries told Nine News. “We are so sick of it.”

The state’s border closures and how state leaders define a ‘hotspot’ will be key issues at Friday’s National Cabinet meeting. It is expected Prime Minister Scott Morrison will encourage the states to phase out border controls and embrace a national approach on when Australians will be able to cross state borders.