Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the state may not reopen to visitors until September, as New South Wales jostles to ease travel restrictions with its northern neighbour.
Speaking to ABC News Breakfast this morning, Palaszczuk said it might take a few months before she is prepared to loosen the state’s coronavirus precautions.
“Look, I have to get the advice of the chief health officer,” she said.
“I would say that things would look more positive towards September,” adding that she doesn’t want to “rule anything out.”
Further updates can be expected at the end of May, she said.
In a little hint of good news, Palaszczuk also suggested that QLD may eventually consider entering a kind of “bubble” arrangement with the NT, WA, and SA, three regions with a lower number of confirmed cases than NSW and Victoria.
Her statement comes one day after NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian publicly called on QLD to open its borders to visitors, saying there’s “enormous potential” for tourism and travel to kickstart the nation’s flagging economy.
The roadblock to all of that is, of course, the virus itself.
Both states have begun winding back the harshest lockdown restrictions, allowing local businesses to ease back into action – and prompting health authorities to call for continued vigilance against the virus.
Queensland recorded no new cases yesterday, maintaining the state’s total of 1,055 confirmed infections. NSW tallied one new case, bringing the state’s total to 3,076.
All eyes are on the transition back to normal life, but it’s still a pretty bloody fragile situation. And, if you’re in charge of Queensland, it looks like you’re trying to ramp things up as gently as possible.
