I will not hesitate to bar Sydney: Premier
QUEENSLAND Premier Annastacia says she won’t hesitate to block five million Sydneysiders as coronavirus cases keep climbing in southern states and more NSW areas are declared “hotspots”.
“If we have to declare further hotspots, we will declare further hotspots,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“And if there is an outbreak of community transmission in NSW like we have seen in Victoria, we will not hesitate to take swift and quick action.”
Late on Thursday, she added Fairfield in Sydney’s west, home to almost 20,000 and 27 different suburbs, to a COVID-19 hotspots list that includes 77 southwestern Sydney suburbs across Liverpool and Campbelltown plus all Victoria.
Ms Palaszczuk’s update on how the state will guard itself from the outbreaks in NSW and Victoria came as the latter recorded an alarming 403 new COVID-19 cases and five deaths, the youngest a man in his 50s.
Four children are in hospital. NSW recorded 19 new cases.
Ms Palaszczuk did not confirm on Thursday that the border could completely close again if a second wave in the southern states continued to worsen, as police sources have flagged.
“We’re monitoring (the border situation) every day and as I said, I’m absolutely determined to keep Queenslanders safe,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“I have regular meetings with the Deputy Premier, who’s our Health Minister, and also (Chief Health Officer) Dr Young and I’ll be getting further updates today.”
Queensland recorded no new cases; three remained active. One case was added to the total of 1074 confirmed cases since the pandemic arrived, a historical diagnosis from March. In total, 1061 patients across Queensland have recovered and six have died.
Ms Palaszczuk said she was disappointed NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian knocked back requests to move the border south. “It was about making their life easier and it’s disappointing, but they’re NSW residents and there’s nothing I can do,” she said.
“We’re trying everything we possibly can (to ease congestion). We’ve got police, emergency services, we’ve got our firefighters down there, we’ve got Australian Defence Force personnel. It’s a big job but this big job is about keeping Queenslanders safe.”
She urged Queenslanders to keep up a “mighty effort” of social distancing and good hygiene.
It was revealed on Thursday that a Queensland doctor was fined $4003 after returning from Melbourne and allegedly providing a misleading border pass.
This week, the Queensland Government said almost 200 people entered the state and provided false contact details or flouted quarantine orders.
Health Minister Steven Miles said the 38-year-old Rockhampton doctor’s actions were “disappointing” and “nobody is above these rules”.
“This isn’t good enough from anyone, let alone a health professional, someone who should know the risks,” he said.
IF THERE IS AN OUTBREAK OF COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION IN NSW LIKE WE HAVE SEEN IN VICTORIA WE WILL NOT HESITATE
“They should know these restrictions are in place to keep Queenslanders safe, to keep them safe, to keep their patients safe.
“The police are checking and if you lie, if you break these restrictions, the penalties are very significant.”
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said his state was seeing a worrying trend – about 25 per cent of COVID-19 cases recorded since the beginning of July were aged in their 20s.
ANNASTACIA PALASZCZUK