Queensland could soon ease NSW border controls

Queensland is set to make a decision on easing controls for NSW border communities after the southern state announced it would lift regional lockdown.

People talk to each other over the barriers at the QLD/NSW border, Tweed Heads, Gold Coast, on 2 September 2021.

People talk to each other over the barriers at the QLD/NSW border, Tweed Heads, Gold Coast, on 2 September 2021. Source: AAP

Queensland will soon make a decision on easing road border controls, with the NSW government set to lift lockdown in the regions.

The border between the two states had been closed since July 23, creating huge difficulties for people who live in border communities.
The NSW towns of Tweed Heads, where there have been protests against the hard border, and Mungindi, in the far west, are among the hardest hit.

One hour before the NSW government announced regional lockdown would lift from Saturday, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was ready make a decision on easing border restrictions.

"We stand ready to respond," Ms Palaszczuk told reporters on Thursday.

"It depends when they lift, if they lift any restrictions. We'll wait and see what the big announcement is, but we'll be working through those (border controls) very quickly."

The Queensland government has paused an exemption allowing locals to cross the border to work, go to school or university, obtain healthcare or to provide care for 48 days.

At present only certain essential workers who have had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine are allowed to cross into Queensland from NSW.

Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said she would assess the border based on the NSW lockdown decision.

She said border closures had always been in place in line with the NSW government's own COVID-19 restrictions.
"The reason I was concerned about all of those scenes (protests) that were going on in Tweed is NSW thought the issue was so serious that they asked everyone who lived in Tweed to stay at home," Dr Young said.

"So they had made that decision, and then you saw that disregard of that requirement and that's what concerned me: that NSW had made a decision, and people weren't following that decision.

"So yes, I've always seen other states make decisions and those are the decisions that I put the most weight on."

The border bubble set up earlier in the year allowed the residents of 16 local government areas in regional NSW to travel to Queensland for essential purposes.

Queensland residents were also allowed to travel across the border and back for the same purposes.

The NSW government will lift lockdown for the border bubble local government areas of Ballina, Byron, Clarence Valley, Inverell, Glen Innes-Severn, Gwydir, Kyogle, Lismore, Moree Plains, Richmond Valley, Tenterfield, Tweed and the Unincorporated Far West.

However, the NSW border LGAs of Bourke, Brewarrina and Walgett will remain in lockdown due to active COVID-19 cases.

"It depends what they do and what local government areas that are covered and, of course, I'll be looking at that," Dr Young said.


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Source: AAP, SBS


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