Police to man border checkpoints after travellers bring Covid into Queensland
In a bid to protect Queensland from a Covid outbreak, police have returned to the New South Wales border and will be stopping travellers to ensure they have not visited a hotspot in recent weeks.
Police & Courts
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Darling Downs police are back on the NSW border, stopping travellers and checking that they have the correct permissions to enter Queensland.
Goondiwindi police Senior-Sergeant Richard McIntosh and officers returned to the border over the weekend.
He said most travellers were doing the right thing.
“We are having a high rate of compliance,” he said.
“There have been a number of changes over the weekend which has made it hard for some people.”
Police will man every major border crossing, from the coast to southwest Queensland, and complement those checkpoints with random patrols on the smaller roads.
There is no indication that the border will snap shut.
“All of the bridges are open,” Sgt McIntosh said.
“All travellers from hot spots in NSW and Victoria need a border pass to enter Queensland.
“If they don’t have one, we have them apply online before we let them into the state,” Sgt McIntosh said. ‘Or we turn them back.”
The change comes after police and two $4000 fines to a Melbourne couple that lied on their border passes when they crossed into Queensland at Goondiwindi on June 5.
The pair later tested positive for Covid.
All travellers from a state or territory with a declared COVID-19 hotspot (currently Victoria and from 1am Saturday, June 19 also New South Wales) are required to complete a Queensland Border Declaration Pass prior to entry.
From 1am Saturday, June 19, anyone travelling to Queensland from a state or territory without a COVID-19 hotspot within Australia or from New Zealand will be required to complete the new Queensland Travel Declaration.
Anyone who blatantly fails to provide a Queensland Travel Declaration could receive a Penalty Infringement Notice of $1,334.
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