LOCKED OUT

FAMILIES SPLIT APART BY BORDER CLOSURE

A TOWNSVILLE mother is pleading with the state government to have some compassion as she prepares to go without a hug from her son for potentially six months, as he locks down in Covid-ravaged NSW.

Kaycee Thomas kissed her son,nate goodbye on June 20 as he left for a surprise school holiday trip to Orange to see his grandparents. She expected to pick him up in a couple of weeks but almost three months later Ms Thomas has no idea when she’ll see her son again. Meanwhile Herbert MP Phillip Thompson has offered to drive the family of soldier Brendon Payne from the border to attend his funeral in Brisbane.

The soldier, along with Ryan Leslie, died on Monday when an army vehicle rolled over west of Townsville.

Mr Payne’s grandmother Denise, 73, and aunt Leanne, are pleading with the government to allow them to attend the funeral.