Region awaits its fate Premier mulls options

THE North’s last-ditch effort to accelerate the region’s coronavirus recovery has landed on Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s desk.

A detailed plan, which tourism representatives from Mackay, the Whitsundays, Townsville, the Outback and Cairns have painstakingly worked on since the Premier floated the idea last Saturday, offers up three options for relaxing restrictions in the region.

Under the proposed model, come June 5, a North Queensland travel bubble, a North and Central Queensland travel bubble or a whole-of-state, excluding the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and Gold Coast, travel bubble could be introduced.

Ms Palaszczuk said North Queensland advocates would have an answer at the end of the month.

Tourism data shows the region’s economy is losing more than $90 million each week domestic travel is prohibited.

The plan details that North Queensland’s tourism sector provides up to 25 per cent of the state’s tourism economic contribution, despite having just 15 per cent of the population.

“Getting this industry back on its feet will be pivotal to reducing the burden on the Queensland taxpayer and reigniting the wider Queensland economy,” it said.

Townsville Enterprise CEO Patricia O’callaghan said the organisation was pleased to meet with the Premier on Wednesday and table the proposed reopening options.

“Option one is the ideal scenario we are urging the government to consider,” Ms O’callaghan said.

“This option extends the Outback travel bubble across all regions north of Mackay with the same travel and gathering allowances of 50 persons from June 5, followed by whole of state reopening and select interstate travel.

“Increasing venue patronage allowances is just as important as increasing travel boundaries and this is a key component of the modifications we are recommending.

“The disparity in population between the south and the north of the state cannot be emphasised enough.

“It’s simply unrealistic to expect the same recovery measures appropriate for Toowong are appropriate for Townsville.

“We’ve tabled several responsible measures that align with the Government’s phased reopening which will ease the economic strain on businesses in North Queensland sooner rather than later.”

Ms O’callaghan said the group looked forward to the Premier’s answer on Sunday.

The tourism advocates have offered up options for further reduction of restrictions on June 12 and July 10.

On June 12, options one and two suggest travel within all of Queensland would be feasible with gatherings of up to 100 people. Option three includes interstate travel with select states.

From July 10, interstate travel would open up between selected areas in options one and two, with the full return of interstate travel as part of option three.