Queensland shuts the border: Sunshine state seals itself off from the rest of Australia to slow the spread of coronavirus
- Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the state cabinet’s decision
- It comes after WA, SA, TAS and NT have all announced border closures
- Providers of essential services such as food supplies will likely be exempt
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Queensland will shut its borders to slow the spread of coronavirus.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the state cabinet has made the decision to seal Queensland off from the rest of Australia.
She did not say when the closure would start and added that more information would follow.
The ban will likely mean that anyone entering the state will have to isolate for 14 days.
Providers of essential services such as food supplies will likely be exempt.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (pictured) announced the state cabinet has made the decision to seal Queensland off from the rest of Australia
It comes after the Northern Territory, Western Australia, Tasmania and South Australia made the decision to shut their borders.
The West Australian border will be closed in coming days and Rottnest Island may be turned into a COVID-19 quarantine zone, Premier Mark McGowan has announced on Sunday.
Mr McGowan said entry to WA would be restricted via road, rail, air and sea from 1.30pm on Tuesday, with exemptions for essential services and trucking.
‘These are extreme steps but these are extreme days,’ he told reporters.
South Australian Premier Steven Marshall announced that anyone entering the state would be subject to a mandatory 14-day isolation period.
The border lockdowns will not affect the states’ essential services, including the supply of food.
‘The health of South Australians is unquestionably our number one priority and that is why we are acting swiftly and decisively to protect them from the impact of this disease,’ Premier Marshall said.
‘We do not make this decision lightly but we have no choice’.
South Australia’s borders will be monitored 24 hours a day and anyone entering the state will be forced to sign a declaration agreeing to self-isolate.
State authorities moved to declare a ‘major emergency’ on Sunday, triggering the shutdown.
But Police Commissioner Grant Stevens admitted authorities were limited in their ability to enforce the isolation orders.
SA Police have been checking on those who have already been ordered to self-isolate after disembarking international flights.
South Australia Premier Steven Marshall (pictured) announced the state will close its borders from 4pm on Tuesday