Queensland’s Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will reopen the border to Victoria from December 1, after the state recorded 24 straight days of zero new coronavirus cases or deaths.
“During the forthcoming Christmas school holidays, I think we will see now with the borders opened to New South Wales and Victoria, we will see the Gold Coast and places like Cairns and the Whitsundays now doing a roaring trade,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told ABC News Breakfast on Wednesday morning.
“That is great for Queensland businesses, it’s great for Queensland tourism, it’s great for our theme parks.
“I encourage people, there’s no better place to spend your Christmas holidays than Queensland.”
Daniel Andrews said he encourages Victorians to travel to the Sunshine state.
“Of course, I’d encourage people only to go to Queensland and New South Wales if they have to,” he said.
“There’s lots of great ways to stay at home this Christmas and this summer and support Victorian businesses.
“But look, this is a triumph for the people of Victoria. We had a clear strategy. Everyone made sacrifices. We stayed the course and now we have no active cases, no new cases.”
It comes a day after Ms Palaszczuk announced travel from Greater Sydney will be permitted from the same date – but held off on a decision on South Australia.
“Can I say to NSW, we welcome you to Queensland from the first of December, we know how tough this has been on families,” she told reporters on Tuesday.
“We know how important it is that the airlines are able to plan, and people are able to plan for their holidays as well.
“Queensland is good to go. We absolutely want to see our tourism industry continue to flourish and prosper.”
Queensland requires jurisdictions to record 28 days of no unlinked community transmission of coronavirus before re-opening its borders to them.
Ms Palaszczuk said that, all things going well, Queensland would open to Victoria from 1 December as well.
“I think it’s great news in the lead-up to Christmas, but once again, that timely reminder for everybody – we need to make sure that we continue to keep up our social distancing. Our good hand hygiene as well. That is really important.”
Chief health officer Jeannette Young said they were carefully watching the recent outbreak in South Australia, and would soon make a decision on that border.
“South Australia – we’re still waiting to see how their outbreak unfolds,” she told reporters.
“It’s been really good so far. They’ve had only small numbers. We just have to see what happens in that first incubation period.”
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Tuesday said she hadn’t been notified in advance about Queensland opening the border.
“I haven’t, except that public reports that (Ms Palaszczuk) would announce something this afternoon,” she told the ABC.
“I would be thrilled if that is the case.”
With AAP.
