SYDNEY VERGING ON ‘HOTSPOT’
SYDNEY’S rising number of coronavirus cases is putting it in danger of being declared a hotspot and its five million inhabitants blocked from visiting Queensland.
In what would be a major blow to interstate travel, police on Queensland border patrol are bracing for Sydney potentially being added to the noentry list with Victoria, a top police source claims, adding: “All of Sydney would definitely be a consideration given what’s happening there.”
Meanwhile, Police Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski is blasting those trying to sneak into Queensland as Victoria keeps battling to control the virus spread, prompting extra tough border checks.
A TOP cop is taking aim at those “recklessly” bluffing Queensland’s coronavirus border and quarantine checks as other police tip the entirety of Sydney will be blocked if cases keep going up.
Police Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski is blasting those trying to sneak into Queensland as NSW and Victoria battle to control the virus spread, prompting extra tough border checking measures aimed at halting the virus getting into the sunshine state.
Police manning border checkpoints are bracing for more COVID-19 hot spots to be declared in NSW, including possibly the whole of Sydney.
Sources say a complete closure of the border is not out of the question if coronavirus cases in Victoria and NSW keep gathering momentum.
“There is no way more hot spots are not going to be declared, and all of Sydney would definitely be a consideration given what’s happening down there,” a police source said.
“If the situation continues to deteriorate, I honestly don’t see how we wouldn’t look at closing the border entirely.”
Deputy Commissioner Gollschewski said “the system has been tightened” in response to a minority flouting border and quarantine checks. “It is very disappointing there are small amounts of people who selfishly and just recklessly decide they’ll roll the dice on the system.”
He warned border checks would be in place for the foreseeable future: “We’ll continue to do this as we see things unfold interstate. We know Victoria’s not in a good place and things are looking pretty grim. You can expect our border controls will be with us for some time.”
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed his state had two deaths and 484 new cases, up on its record daily hike of 428 on Friday. Supermarket chains have warned Victorians they cannot shop without a mask.
Mr Gollschewski said since July 3 in Queensland more than 855,000 border declaration passes had been issued, 372,725 vehicles intercepted, 5583 vehicles turned back and 9308 people refused entry.
Since the start of border checks, 80,000 passengers have been processed at domestic airports with 8307 in quarantine, while 10,904 international travellers have been in two-week Queensland hotel quarantine.
Since March, more than 13,000 self-quarantine notices have been issued to people returning to Queensland from hot spots before the recent border rules blocked them entering. More than 60,000 calls have been made by Queensland Health to check their compliance.
Of those, 2381 cases were referred to police for follow-up inquiries – and police found 387 of those people were not complying, 125 had left Queensland before their quarantine ended and 17 were found at alternative addresses. Out of that, 35 people were located and hit with $1334 fines. All up 25 had given a correct address but left their selfquarantine location and had not been found.
A total of 185 people believed to have provided false information, deliberately or inadvertently, had not been found.
Earlier on Wednesday, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian scuttled a bid by her Queensland counterpart Annastacia Palaszczuk to shift the border blockade south.
Ms Berejiklian also warned NSW was at its most critical pandemic stage since unprecedented lockdown restrictions imposed back in March.
“There is so much at stake,” she said. “We are not out of the woods, quite the opposite. We have some level of anxiety regarding the extent of community transmission.”
Ms Palaszczuk said Ms Berejiklian knocked back moving the border south after instead suggesting checkpoints could go further north into the Gold Coast.
“That (moving checkpoints south) has been met with a no response,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“All I wanted was to make it
VICTORIA’S NOT IN A GOOD PLACE, THINGS ARE LOOKING GRIM. YOU CAN EXPECT OUR BORDER CONTROLS FOR SOME TIME
STEVE GOLLSCHEWSKI
easier for commuting of those border communities.
“I tried. I appreciate she has other matters to deal with.”
Ms Berejiklian said her state was on heightened alert and 16 new cases had been confirmed.
Queensland had one new case on Wednesday, a Defence Force member back from overseas who was quarantined.
Ms Palaszczuk said: “I do have concerns when the NSW Premier says they are on a heightened alert in NSW – that means I am on a high alert.”