Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
Qld to re-close border to NSW, ACT
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says Queensland’s border with NSW and the ACT will shut this weekend because people are dodging mandatory quarantine.
August 5, 2020
QUEENSLAND WILL CLOSE ITS BORDER TO PEOPLE FROM NSW AND ACT:
* The Sunshine State will close its border with NSW and ban ACT residents from 1am on Saturday.
* Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young has declared NSW a coronavirus hotspot. ACT is included because it borders NSW.
* Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the high number of people trying to dodge the state’s mandatory quarantine rules influenced the decision.
* Road access will be blocked to all vehicles except those from border communities and carrying essential workers.
* Anyone else will have to travel by air or via the Northern Territory border.
* Queenslanders returning from hotspots must quarantine in an assigned hotel for two weeks at their own expense.
KEY QUOTE
* “I will not risk the safety of Queenslanders and I will not risk our economy.” – Annastacia Palaszczuk.
QUEENSLAND’S EARLIER BORDER RULINGS:
* The state’s borders closed at midnight on March 25 for the first time in more than a century.
* They reopened on July 10, with thousands of travellers pouring into the state by and road and plane.
* However a ban on non-Queenslanders travelling from coronavirus-hit Victoria remained and still does.
* Sydney and 34 other localities in NSW were declared hotspots in July and early August.