[DJR-351]

Queensland borders to reopen but remain closed to Victoria due to the state's coronavirus spike

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-...toria/12397720

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced borders will reopen from July 10 to visitors from all states and territories other than Victoria.

Anyone who has travelled from Victoria and enters Queensland from this Friday, including Queenslanders, will have to quarantine at their own expense for 14 days.

If there are further outbreaks of community transmission elsewhere, Ms Palaszczuk said the State Government might review its decision.

She said the Government was also bringing forward "some aspects" of stage three easing of restrictions.

From Friday, 100 people will be permitted to gather in homes and at weddings.

The Premier urged Queenslanders to think carefully about travel plans.

"Please do not go to Victoria," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"We cannot risk removing our border restrictions for those people coming from areas in Victoria right now."

Ms Palaszczuk said anyone entering Queensland from midday this Friday would be required to fill in an online declaration stating they had not been in Victoria in the past fortnight.

From that date, anyone who has been in Victoria would be required to pay for their own two weeks of quarantine in a hotel that the Government would assign them.

Ms Palaszczuk said anyone found to have made a false declaration on Victoria would be liable for a $4,000 fine.

"We cannot risk removing our border restrictions for those people coming from areas in Victoria right now," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"To do so would jeopardise everything we have all sacrificed so much to achieve and could be catastrophic to our entire economy."

'There's no interstate rivalry here'
Queensland's borders have been closed since late March.

Business and tourism groups had been lobbying the State Government for an easing of restrictions to help the state's financial recovery.

The border reopening has come with Queensland recording no new cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours.

Victoria has recorded another 64 cases of coronavirus overnight, the 14th consecutive day of double-digit case growth in the state.

Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles voiced concern about the level of community transmission of COVID-19 in Victoria.

"They have 288 active cases right now," he said.

"I want to emphasise that there is no interstate rivalry here — it's up to all of us to stem the outbreak.

Mr Miles said Queensland had sent its deputy chief health officer to Victoria to assist in the state's efforts to stem the recent surge, and had called for 40 expressions of interest from nurses so they could be deployed there.

Police Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said people could expect to see a heavier police presence at border checkpoints, along with personnel from the Australian Defence Force.

"The work that we need to do to make sure this system works effectively is already underway," Deputy Commissioner Gollschewski said.

"It will make things run smoothly if people undertake to understand what's required of them before they travel.

"It really comes down to one key issue, which is don't go to or come from Victoria [to Queensland]."

Easing of restrictions fast-tracked
Ms Palaszczuk also announced an accelerated easing of restrictions across Queensland from this Friday, a week earlier than planned.

"Churches and places of worship — I know how important this is — families will be able to sit together as well," Ms Palaszczuk said.

From this Friday, the four-square-metre-per-person rule will be applied to businesses, cafes, restaurants, RSLs, museums, art galleries, libraries and historic sites.

The eased restrictions will allow:

Up to 100 people at funerals, wedding ceremonies and receptions and private gatherings in homes

Nightclubs, casinos, gaming and gambling venues and food courts to reopen
Contact community sport, both indoor and outdoor, to resume with an approved COVID-safe plan

Events with more than 10,000 people with a COVID Safe Event Plan approved by the Chief Health Officer

Up to 25,000 spectators or 50 per cent capacity at Queensland's major sporting facilities

Up to 50 per cent of capacity at concert venues, theatres and auditoriums, or one person per four square metres

Office workers to return to their place of work

Posted 2 hours ago, updated 12 minutes ago