Neighbours star Charlotte Chimes slams Queensland’s decision to allow WAGs across the border

A television actress has blasted a “scandalous” border restriction while launching a public search for a footballer boyfriend.

A television star has taken a swipe at Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s recent move to allow NRL players’ wives and girlfriends into the state despite its border shutdown, calling upon single footy players to “slide into her DMs” so she too can get an exemption.

Neighbours actress Charlotte Chimes revealed her mother is battling breast cancer but cannot see her daughter due to Queensland’s strict border restrictions barring entry to residents of covid hot spots.

The 27-year-old has applied for an exemption numerous times, only to be knocked back despite providing proof from doctors of her mother’s serious health status.

“Even though I’m a Queensland resident and my mother is going through cancer treatment right now, I can’t get an exemption,” she said.

Roughly 100 NRL family members and officials landed in Queensland from Sydney on Monday night with Ms Palaszczuk’s personal blessing, prompting immediate backlash from stranded Queenslanders interstate.

The state has a two-week pause on arrivals from domestic hot spots to lift pressure on quarantine hotels.

Ms Palaszczuk faced heavy criticism this week for her “scandalous” policy decision to ignore her own government’s health protocols to grant special entry for NRL players’ families into the state.

Sky News host Peter Gleeson ripped into her, which prompted an immediate apology shortly after.

“I mean I’ve never seen a more bizarre, scandalous, stupid, dumb decision to allow players’ wives to come in while denying Queenslanders the opportunity to come back and reunite with their families,” he said.

“Today she’s copped so much heat over it. Today she’s come out with a little bit of a concession; she had to change the narrative.”

Neighbours actor Charlotte Chimes is one of many Queenslanders who couldn’t get an exemption to enter the state, despite showing proof her mother was battling breast cancer and needed support.

"Leadership isn't about what's the right look, it's about doing what's right and this was a dud decision," Opposition leader David Crisafull said, slamming the government for prioritising “football families over Queensland families”.

Ms Palaszczuk said she accepted the decision to deny entry to anyone not dating an NRL star was “not the right look”.

The state government originally defended the decision to allow the NRL entourage in by saying it hired its own hotel and did not strain the already packed state quarantine system.

“I apologise, it was not the right thing to do when we had the pause, it shouldn‘t have happened, unfortunately it did happen, I extend my apologies to the public about that,” she said on Friday.

Queensland has come under fire for prioritising “football families over Queensland families”.

“We‘ve been working very hard over the past week, police and health, to get that pressure cooker of the hotel caps down so we can actually now have more families be able to come into Queensland.”

Ms Palaszczuk confirmed 50 hotel rooms would become available tomorrow for people who are stranded across the border.

“As we know we did have a pressure-cooker situation, having that week respite has been really good,” she said.

“We are trying our hardest, we have put a proposal to New South Wales to have those checkpoints, to keep those communities closer together.

“But unfortunately, there does not seem to be movement from the New South Wales end.”