Queensland closure tested in court

PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk has no idea how much Queensland’s tourism industry is suffering while the state’s border is closed, according to a business owner challenging the state’s lockdown in the High Court.

Retail Services Group owner Sue Jeffreys said it appeared the State Government was “pulling numbers out of … their a--es” to justify the continued shutdown, but it was destroying business.

“The impact Annastacia Palaszczuk’s having on businesses, I don’t think she has any idea what she’s doing,” she said, adding Ms Palaszczuk might understand how business owners felt if she didn’t get paid for six months.

A spokesman for Ms Palaszczuk did not directly address the pending High Court challenges yesterday, but said the Premier had been “clear that she understands the hurt and impact restrictions are having on people”. Retail Services Group is one of five plaintiffs taking the fight over Queensland’s border closures to the nation’s highest court, labelling the restrictions “irrational” and unconstitutional.

The border renegades argue the travel restrictions are inconsistent with free trade provisions of the Constitution.

UP to 90 per cent of this year's bookings at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre have re-signed to appear next year.

The lucrative conference industry was another big loser in the coronavirus fallout, cruelled by social and travel restrictions. Most bookings were cancelled, hurting thousands of jobs in the hospitality and accommodation industries.

Conferences to be rebooted next year include the Australian Cotton Conference and the international Eco Summit.

GCCEC bosses are now hoping for certainty on the reopening of the border so this year’s spring and summer bookings can go ahead.

Sales and marketing director Michelle Mann said 85 to 90 per cent of conferences cancelled this year would be on the Coast next year.

“They (the conference organisers) have been quite good,” she said. “If we can’t get the exact date they have been flexible enough just to move into the gaps we do have in the calendar and it’s been like playing Tetris to be honest.”

Ms Mann said other organisers were unsure of being able to hold their conferences at all.

“It has been a moving target,” she said. “We have had some international conferences that have cancelled and can’t see a date for international borders opening.”

Ms Mann said the NSW border closure was also an issue for Australian conferen