As up to 250,000 southerners wait to stampede across the border and into Queensland, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has a warning ahead of the state’s 12pm opening.
Appearing on ABC Breakfast , the Queensland Premier gave a stern warning to drivers planning on heading to the Sunshine State on Friday, advising they could be sitting in traffic for around 3 hours as they wait to cross the newly-reopened border today. Authorities say there could be queues of up to 20km long heading through Tweed Heads and through the border.
Ms Palaszczuk, who shut the Queensland border in March, will reopen to the whole country – except Victoria – from midday on Friday, July 10, 2020.
The Premier said there will be lengthy delays heading into the state, and warned that anyone feeling unwell should be cancelling their trip.
“Patience will definitely be a virtue today,” she said.
“We know there will be lengthy delays. I have been saying all week to everybody, please plan your journey. Don’t be rushing across the border today because you will be sitting in the traffic for hours. If you can delay your journey, delay it.”
RELATED: Big hitch for holiday-makers entering Queensland
Ms Palaszczuk said police will be checking border declaration passes, which every person entering the state by air or road will need to complete. Anyone from Victoria will not be allowed into the state, nor will residents who have spent time in the Garden State over the past 14 days.
“Don’t think that you’re going to be able to get through here if you are going to be lying or declaring a false declaration you will be fined $4000,” the Premier said.
Her warning comes as concerned Queenslanders have been reporting sightings of Victorian number plates on cars and caravans travelling through the state.
In a Facebook post which has gone viral, one social media user claimed they’d heard a Victorian caravaner in the town of Woodgate “bragging about getting over the QLD border on back roads”.
“Hope they are caught out and fined. Please be careful everyone, there are very irresponsible people moving around our area,” the post on the Crime Watch Bundaberg Facebook page read.
According to the ABC ,the post has been investigated however local police claim they have not been able to verify the report, with the comment instead creating unnecessary hysteria.
“Just because someone sees a vehicle with a Victorian registration plate travelling down the highway doesn’t mean to say that they should not be in the state,” he said.
“We conducted patrols of the Woodgate Caravan Park. We spoke to the management, and we were able to verify that all of the vehicles in that park with Victorian plates were lawfully in Queensland,” he said.
While the Queensland borders will be able to enter the state of Queensland from midday, the welcome mat will not be rolled out to Victorians or anyone who has been to the Garden State in the past fortnight.
For anyone entering the state from midday today, a border declaration pass must be filled out for each person hoping to travel to the state – including residents who have spent the day in NSW – and quarantine rules still apply for some.
The application is a short online survey that determines your eligibility to enter the state and the quarantine conditions you will be required to meet.
The first question asks applicants if they have spent any time in a COVID-19 hotspot over the past two weeks, which the form describes as “currently the entire state of Victoria”.
If you elect yes and cannot provide a valid reason for wanting to travel to Queensland – you are a resident, a student, fleeing harm – you will not be eligible for a pass.
Applicants must then enter their personal details, and declare they will get a coronavirus test if they develop symptoms.
Lying on the form is an offence and could lead to a fine between $4004 and $13,345.
– with Hannah Morre, NCA NewsWire
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMipgFodHRwczovL3d3dy5uZXdzLmNvbS5hdS90cmF2ZWwvdHJhdmVsLXVwZGF0ZXMvaGVhbHRoLXNhZmV0eS9xbGQtYm9yZGVycy1yZW9wZW4td2FybmluZy1pc3N1ZWQtYXMtdHJhdmVsbGVycy1mbG9vZC10by1zdGF0ZS9uZXdzLXN0b3J5L2Q2N2ZkZGU3MWIzNmViMGI3ZDc5OGQ4ZDBhYTdjNmVl0gGmAWh0dHBzOi8vYW1wLm5ld3MuY29tLmF1L3RyYXZlbC90cmF2ZWwtdXBkYXRlcy9oZWFsdGgtc2FmZXR5L3FsZC1ib3JkZXJzLXJlb3Blbi13YXJuaW5nLWlzc3VlZC1hcy10cmF2ZWxsZXJzLWZsb29kLXRvLXN0YXRlL25ld3Mtc3RvcnkvZDY3ZmRkZTcxYjM2ZWIwYjdkNzk4ZDhkMGFhN2M2ZWU?oc=5
2020-07-09 23:40:58Z
52780910544068
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Qld borders reopen: Warning issued as travellers flood to state - NEWS.com.au"
Post a Comment