‘Apparent selfishness’: Mayor blasts couple accused of Covid breach

A regional mayor has said he is greatly concerned for the residents in his region after a Covid-positive couple made several stops in the area on their way to the Sunshine Coast.

Discussing the border are (from left) Queensland Police Superintendent Mark Kelly (left) Goondiwindi Mayor Lawrence Springborg and Assistant Commissioner Mike Condon at Goondiwindi's old Macintyre Bridge.

Goondiwindi Regional Council mayor Lawrence Springborg has lashed out at the “apparent selfishness” of a couple who skipped Victorian lockdowns and passed through Goondiwindi and Toowoomba on their way to the Sunshine Coast.

The pair stopped at Goondiwindi McDonald’s and Caltex on the corner of James and Ruthven Streets in Toowoomba on the way to the coast before they both tested positive for Covid-19.

“This act of apparent selfishness has not only inconvenienced our community, but put us all at risk and reinforces the need for constant vigilance and compliance with health advice,” Cr Springborg said.

The couple also visited a number of border towns as contact tracers scramble to find out the extent of their reach.

Mr Springborg said Queensland Health was conducting Covid testing at the Goondiwindi Hospital, and was in the process of establishing a vaccination clinic for Goondiwindi.

“Goondiwindi Regional Council is concerned about what appears to be a flagrant breach of Covid Hotspot protocols and unauthorised access to Queensland,” Mr Springborg said.

“This breach potentially puts not only Goondiwindi Region residents, but also Queenslanders in general at risk, as well as our friends across the border in NSW.

“While of course I have concern for the staff and patrons of Goondiwindi McDonald’s which was visited by the infected couple, I am particularly concerned by the potential of infection caused by the extended period of time that the couple spent in Moree.”

If you have been to any one of the exposure venues, Moree or elsewhere, and are now in Queensland, it is a requirement that you follow Queensland Health directions. This means you must:

- Immediately travel by private transport directly to your home or accommodation and quarantine

- Complete the online contact tracing form (link below). If you are unable to complete the contact tracing form please call 134 Covid (134 268).

- Get tested at the earliest opportunity