Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au

Aaron Bunch
Qld border challenges return to High Court

Two High Court challenges against the constitutional right of the Queensland government to keep the state’s borders closed are expected to return to court.

June 12, 2020

Lawyers challenging the Queensland government’s constitutional right to keep the state’s borders closed amid the coronavirus crisis are set to return to court.

Billionaire businessman Clive Palmer and a group of tourism operators named Travel Essence launched separate proceedings in High Court after the borders were closed in March.

Currently, school students, workers and freight drivers can enter the state without an issue, but Queensland is closed to anyone else because of COVID-19.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has previously refused to buckle to pressure to reverse her decision to keep the borders closed, saying she’s keeping Queenslanders safe.

She has flagged a potential September re-opening, however, this is under a monthly review and could be pushed forward.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has accused the Palaszczuk government of ignoring an earlier agreement to open to interstate travel in July.

He said there was no medical advice to support their extended closure.

Mr Palmer is also challenging the Western Australian government’s right to close the border.

Legal teams for both of Mr Palmer’s challenges and the Travel Essence case are expected to appear in court on Friday for a directions hearing.

Earlier, Chief Justice Susan Kiefel refused Travel Essence’s application for access to the information Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young assessed when the decision was made to close the borders.

She said it was a “fishing expedition” the court would not be a party to.

All three cases could be heard by a full bench of the court as early as June 29.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has also threatened legal action in the High Court if borders aren’t reopened.

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