SAFE, BUT BORDERING ON HEARTLESS
A Three-year-old boy has become the latest heartbreaking face of the Queensland Premier’s “heartless” border closures.
Memphis Francis left the Fraser Coast in early July to visit his grandparents on a cattle station south of Griffith, in rural NSW, and has been unable to return home.
Queensland put up a strict border with NSW on July 23, meaning Memphis has been unable to return home to his parents and younger sister Paisley after multiple exemption knock-backs.
His grandparents are doing their best to keep him amused, but his family say Memphis is desperate to go home. Speaking to 2GB on Thursday morning, Memphis’s mother, Dominique Facer, said eight weeks without her “little mate” had “almost killed” her.
“We miss him. We want him to come,” she said.
Grandmother Alex Facer said Memphis Facetimed his parents daily but often descended into tears, confused as to why he was unable to go home.
“Something has to be done, we need these kids home,” she said.
“We’ve said we’ll drive him to Goondiwindi and his parents will meet us there and they’ll go straight home.
“They’ll isolate at home for three weeks, a month, whatever. We don’t want him to go into a hotel and catch Covid there.”
Memphis’s parents and grandparents say for children such as Memphis, being separated from their families is a bigger risk than Covid.
Annastacia Palaszczuk was criticised this week for allowing 100 NRL partners and family to enter despite the rules for other people.