Queensland Will Completely Ban Victorians From Entering State

Queensland will be shutting its border to Victorians from tomorrow (Friday July 10) to prevent the spread of coronavirus cases.

While there will be millions of Melburnians in Stage 3 lockdown from today (July 9) and therefore unable to leave their homes, the Sunshine State wants to make sure that no Victorians head north.

They won't even be allowed to enter the state if they quarantine for two weeks.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the border will be closed until the recent spike in coronavirus cases is brought under control.

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"Given the developing situation in Victoria, Queensland is hardening its border," she tweeted.

"From noon, July 10, visitors from Victoria will no longer gain access or be able to quarantine in Queensland. They will be turned around."

Hundreds of cases have been recorded over the past two weeks and the state government hopes the Stay At Home Orders will bring the number of new cases down.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles added that while the decision will be devastating for people who were hoping to leave Victoria, it's essential to ensure the rest of Queensland is kept safe.

Mr Miles said that Queenslanders who are returning to the state after visiting Victoria will have to pay for two weeks of quarantine. People who have visited Victoria in the 14 days since the border is closed will be blocked from entering.

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He said: "We can't afford to import that risk from other states. For people who have been in Victoria, or live in Victoria, within 14 days, they will no longer be able to travel to Queensland.

"We will strengthen, we will be much stricter, in applying the exemptions and allowing people to travel here.

"We have seen a number of people attempt to travel from Victoria, and willingly go into that mandatory hotel quarantine where they have to pay for the cost of that hotel quarantine, because they are making the decision that that two weeks and that cost is worth it to get out of Victoria. And so we don't want that to continue."

Truck drivers will be allowed to cross the border but they will have to travel with a pass that has to be renewed every seven days.

Topics: News, Australia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

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