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‘A bit rich’: Blame game between premiers ramps up over border closures

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has defended the decision for tough border restrictions over Christmas and said criticism from NSW was  a “bit rich”.

Dec 23, 2020, updated Dec 23, 2020
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian with the state's chief health officer Kerry Chant. (Photo: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian with the state's chief health officer Kerry Chant. (Photo: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)

Queensland has put in place a hard border excluding arrivals from Greater Sydney until at least January 8.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian had accused Queensland and Victoria of overreacting by opting for hard border closures, saying the decisions had caused unnecessary suffering.

“If there hadn’t been the cluster outbreak in the northern beaches, well no one would have had to take these measures and everybody would have been seeing their family and friends over this Christmas and new year period,” Palaszczuk said.

“I think it’s a bit rich for New South Wales to start blaming Queensland and Victoria and whichever other state and territory she wants to blame.

“This has happened in NSW, it has happened in the northern beaches, and we wish them all the very best, but we do not want our lifestyle compromised.”

Queensland conducted 13,000 Covid-19 tests in the past 24 hours as the state continues a testing blitz while enforcing a hard border closure.

There was one new case recorded in hotel quarantine overnight, and it has now been 99 days without a case of community transfer.

“We are looking at having Christmas as near to normal as we possibly can,” Palaszczuk said.

Queenslanders who have been in Sydney since December 10 were given until 1am on Tuesday to get home with those arriving after being required to be tested and go into self-isolation.

Speaking from Townsville, Opposition Leader David Crisafulli asked Sydney residents to “keep the faith” of a Queensland holiday being possible in coming months.

He described advice for people to cancel their bookings as “absurd”.

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“To suggest that people should pull the pin on heading north is the most absurd statement at the worst possible time,” he said.

“Don’t pull the pin on January, February and March, if we continue to see the progression that we have seen in Sydney, the opportunities for domestic tourism remain alive and kicking.”

Berejiklian announced a four-tier system for Christmas gatherings across NSW would be implemented from Thursday until December 27, when the current restrictions will be reimposed.

Restrictions for regional NSW will remain unchanged, while up to 10 people and unlimited children aged under 12 will be permitted to gather on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day across greater Sydney.

The northern beaches, meanwhile, will be split into two for Christmas restrictions.

Residents north of the Narrabeen Bridge, where most COVID-19 cases have been acquired, will be allowed to host up to five people in their homes – however they must only be people from the local area.

On the southern end of the peninsula, in suburbs such as Manly, up to 10 people will be permitted to gather, but locals may not leave the area. They are only permitted to welcome other locals.

“The less mobility there is, the less risk of the virus being transmitted throughout the community further,” Berejiklian told reporters.

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