Coronavirus: Scott Morrison appeals to premiers for uniform guidelines on borders

Scott Morrison will press state and territory leaders to break the border deadlock at today’s national cabinet meeting.

Scott Morrison has spoken with several premiers about tensions over border closures and is frustrated at the number of cases referred to the federal government. Picture: Getty Images

Scott Morrison will personally ­appeal to state and territory leaders to break the border deadlock, which has sparked a new crisis over medical emergencies, agriculture and aviation, following ­increasing calls from families and businesses for the federal government to intervene.

The Prime Minister will press for uniform agreement at a national cabinet meeting on Friday on guidelines and rules for the states to address the medical treatment of people living in border communities, farmers with properties that cross state boundaries and other hardship cases.

Mr Morrison has previously been forced to ­intervene on behalf of families seeking access to cross-border emergency services.

The national cabinet meeting comes after Qantas group chief executive Alan Joyce called on Queensland to allow planes in after he revealed the airline’s second biggest loss, $2.7bn, in its 100-year history.

The move to stem the economic and social border crisis follows growing anger from farmers and business over premiers’ refusal to relax restrictions where there is no community transmission.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Thursday refused calls from her deputy, John Barilaro, to reopen the border with Victoria as Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk signalled she would make her border closure an election issue.

In a scene-setting speech just two months before the Oc­t­ober 31 poll, Ms Palaszczuk acknowledged her decision to enforce a strict border shutdown was “contentious” but necessary to “stop importing the disease”.

The Australian understands Mr Morrison has spoken with several premiers, including Ms Palaszcuk about escalating tensions over border closures and has been growing increasingly frustrated at the number of cases that are being referred to the federal government to resolve.

It is understood the majority of premiers and chief ministers are on board with setting guidelines on how to deal with special border cases. However, there is an expectation the Palaszczuk government — which has closed borders to NSW, Victoria and the ACT — will resist.

“The national strategy needs to be focusing on Victoria to get all of their cases under control and NSW so that all of Australia can open up,” Ms Palaszczuk said. “We will always take the advice of the chief health officer to keep Queenslanders safe. I’m not going to bend to anyone.”

Mr Joyce on Thursday issued an urgent request for Queensland to allow some domestic travel in but was quickly rebuffed by the Premier who said the national airline was free to operate within her state and in others where borders were open for interstate travel.

Peak business, tourism, aviation and hospitality groups are also demanding a circuit breaker at Friday’s national cabinet meeting on ad-hoc border closures.

They argue a new COVID-19 recovery road map must urgently be introduced, amid warnings the future of the federation is at risk of fracturing. In the first proposal of its kind, the Australian Chamber of ­Commerce and Industry and the Morrison government have drafted a “COVID risk” system similar to the fire danger ratings used around the country. There would be five or six categories, ranging from zero cases to wide community spread, which would inform Australians the risk they faced in their particular location and how they were required to act.

While the working paper is still being finalised, the lowest risk category might lead to no border restrictions and a higher risk category could include face masks and lockdowns.

ACCI chief executive James Pearson said: “An arrow or ‘category’ would tell me how careful I need to be that day. Australians are used to this stuff.”

Restaurant and Catering chief executive Wes Lambert said some states were in holding patterns and that was driving down consumer and business confidence.

“We’re calling on national cabinet to release a new road map that provides some benchmarks, some bandwidth around the suppression strategy so that both consumers and businesses can better plan for the next six months of COVID,” Mr Lambert said. “We need a road map or we’re going to see a rash of closures in the new year regardless of stimulus.”

Virgin Australia Group chief executive and managing director Paul Scurrah joined Mr Joyce in appealing to national cabinet for a clear set of rules for the safe reopening of borders.

“While timelines will be unpredictable, we need to better understand the criteria by which border decisions will be made by governments and the circumstances under which they will re-open or close again,” Mr Scurrah said.

Mr Joyce said border closures between states with no cases of COVID-19 made little sense, with the restrictions becoming political and costing jobs.

Wesfarmers managing director Rob Scott said there were about 30 Victorian employees at the Mount Gambier Bunnings store in South Australia who were unable to drive to work. “There is no question that ­restrictions are required, but it is also clear that the way restrictions are being set up is causing enormous hardship both personally and at a business level that is having a negative impact on the economy and many individuals,” Mr Scott said.

Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox was against national border rules, saying they could legitimise restrictions. But he said national cabinet should agree on an exit strategy from the current closures. “NSW has shown the way with their approach, which does not require a statewide lockdown,” he said.

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said the national cabinet meeting would be a ­flashpoint for the future of the federation, warning that recent announcements to fix cross-border issues had not gone far enough in unshackling regional communities from unnecessary restrictions.