Qld: medical exemption for border closing

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

The Queensland Premier, Anastasia Palaszczuk has now announced exemptions to the closure of the Queensland borders, to include medical treatment. It is not known how this would be enforced- even though it is coming into force tomorrow night at midnight.

Qld joins the NT, SA, WA and SA whose borders all close tonight. A key difference between the Qld closing and that of the other States is that many patients who live in the Northern Rivers, including the Tweed and near Byron Bay, access medical treatment, including IVF clinics, on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane. Although it is across the border, Brisbane is in effect the regional capital.

Here is the Premier’s media release:

Media Statements

For the first time in more than a century, Queensland will restrict access at its border.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said it was essential to slow the spread of coronavirus on the advice of the Chief Health Officer Dr Young.
“Extra-ordinary times call for extra-ordinary measures,” the Premier said.
“They are not directed at our border communities who cross to shop or work, attend medical appointments and return to their homes.
“They are to stop holidaymakers leaving southern states and risking the spread of this virus through Queensland.”
Measures take effect from midnight tomorrow night and include:

Border road closures and police checks on vehicles on major highways
Advice to aircraft passengers at departure point that travellers to Queensland will be required to self-isolate for 14 days
Travellers arriving at Queensland airports to be met by police and other officers
Termination of rail services

Exemptions include:

Freight
Emergency vehicles
Emergency workers
Those travelling to and from work
Court orders including family court
Compassionate grounds
Medical treatment

Anyone travelling to Queensland, not usually resident in Queensland, for any other reason will have to agree to self-isolate for 14 days sick or not.
Penalties include fines of up to $13,345.
Police are developing methods to identify vehicles in border communities to make frequent essential border crossings easier – such as a permit.
The Queensland/New South Wales border last closed at the end of World War One to contain the Spanish flu.
The Premier said the better the community observed measures to restrict travel, avoid personal contact and stay in their homes and suburbs the sooner the virus spread could be contained.
“People should stay in their own states and in their own suburbs,” the Premier said.
“That applies to Queensland as well.
“People in the south-east should not travel to other parts of the state.
“Do not go on holidays. Do not travel unless absolutely necessary.”