Coronavirus: Queensland to welcome New Zealanders into state from December 12

Kiwis will be able to travel to the sunshine state without undergoing quarantine, says Annastacia Palaszczuk.

The Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern and Annastacia Palaszczuk

New Zealanders will be able to visit Queensland under a significant easing of travel restrictions in the state.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed the news on Friday, and said Australia’s trans-Tasman neighbours will be able to enter the state from 1am on Saturday.

BREAKING: Queensland's borders will open to New Zealand from 1am Saturday 12 December.

More New Zealand citizens call Queensland home than any other Australian state.

With Kiwis able to travel to Queensland from tomorrow, families can finally be reunited in time for Christmas. pic.twitter.com/c60q73OLNj

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) December 10, 2020

“I was advised late last night by Dr Jeannette Young that New Zealanders from 1:00am tomorrow morning are welcome to come to Queensland,” Ms Palaszczuk told the ABC.

“So that‘s excellent news especially in the lead-up to Christmas and the holidays,” she said.

Ms Palaszczuk announced the welcome news for tourism operators and residents alike as the state prepared to throw open it’s borders to all Australian states and territories from midnight tonight.

Adelaide and nearby suburbs are currently the only remaining areas in Australia declared COVID-19 hot spots according to Queensland Health, but from 1am tomorrow South Australian residents will be able to travel to Queensland.

Ms Palaszczuk said it was “wonderful news” the state would soon welcome kiwis, but Australians from all over the country too.

We’ve had 86 days without community transmission in our state, so from 12 noon on Monday 14 December, you'll be able to dance indoors at Queensland pubs, clubs, nightclubs and other venues. #dancing #covid19 pic.twitter.com/r3Fl9CcjQd

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) December 10, 2020

“We will be welcoming people from New Zealand into Queensland … That is the one-way travel, from New Zealand,” she told the Seven network’s Sunrise.

“It will mean so much to families that have been missing loved ones for such a long time.”

The possibility that New Zealand would also welcome Australians without a two-week quarantine period was also flagged by Ms Palaszczuk.

“Hopefully in the not-too-distant future the New Zealand prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will actually stop that inbound quarantine, which means we will be free flying between the two countries,” she said.

“Fingers crossed that will be the next step, but I think this is welcome news that anyone from New Zealand who wants to come to Queensland and visit their family and friends can do so from 1am tomorrow morning.”

The announcement will be welcome news for tourism operators in the Sunshine state, after Ms Palaszczuk closed the state’s borders to Victoria and Sydneysiders in a bid to stop the spread of COVID-19.

“What we are seeing is a great up turn in tourism, a lot of bookings, people from around the nation thinking where should we go on our holidays and they’re booking Queensland,” she said.

“All the way up the coast from the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, it’s getting pretty packed.

“Right up to the Whitsundays and Cairns. So there’s still spaces in Cairns and Port Douglas if people are thinking where else we can go.”

Queensland closed it’s borders to Victoria on initially on July 10 and opened them up again on December 1.

Ms Palaszczuk also slammed the borders closed to Sydneysiders from August 1, but opened them on December 1.