PREMIER, GIVE US A CHRISTMAS PRESENT

GOLD Coasters have built a city, its tourism and its reputation on a can-do attitude. Every piece of infrastructure or major event has involved a dogged determination to see it through, either in gaining approval for an entrepreneur to go ahead and realise a dream or in convincing governments of the merit of big ideas and to climb on board. Today we salute the visionaries, which include the State Government, but also appeal to that same government to reset its thinking and acknowledge the rest of the country has also done a great job at last in arresting the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is time to move on, open up and allow our tourism industry to get back to work. The “get on with it’’ attitude was evident yesterday as Magic Millions announced its famous yearling sales and race day are set to go in January. Boosting that was the announcement a special Pan Pacific Masters Games will be held next year, pumping millions of dollars that were lost with the cancellation this year back into the economy.

The Government has played its part in resurrecting the event. But today we appeal again to the Premier to move on from the hard-line stance on border restrictions and their monthly review, and to accept the rest of the nation is opening up. We need them coming here for the summer holidays. The Premier yesterday dangled a carrot, saying Queensland could reopen to Victoria before Christmas – but then retreated to her wait-and-see approach. This helps no one. Families, airlines and the tourism industry need certainty now.