Tuesday, 22 September 2020.
Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall has today welcomed the announcement by the Queensland Government that the entire Glen Innes Severn local government area will be added to its COVID-19 travel zone, but questioned why the Inverell and Gwydir Shires were left out.
From 1am on Thursday, 1 October, residents from Glen Innes will be able to apply for a border pass to travel into Queensland.
Mr Marshall said while the change was good news for Glen Innes residents, he was left scratching his head as to why Inverell and Gwydir Shires were again overlooked.
“If there is one thing which can be said for the Queensland Premier, she likes creating work for herself,” Mr Marshall said.
“Unlike the Inverell and Gwydir Shires, none of the five Local Government Areas (LGA) included in today’s border announcement – Byron, Ballina, Lismore, Richmond Valley, Glen Innes Severn – share a border with Queensland.
“While this is great news for them, why include them and leave out two areas which actually border with Queensland?
“You can’t tell me that a tourist hotspot like Byron Bay, which attracts visitors from right across NSW, has less potential for a coronavirus outbreak than Inverell, Warialda and Bingara, it just doesn’t make sense.
“I know by the volume of calls to my electorate office already, how frustrated and fed up legitimate border residents are of not being able to conduct their regular business with Queensland.
“Again, I have written to the Queensland Premier and Chief Health Officer appealing for them to include Inverell and Gwydir Shires, bringing into force a border zone which matches what has been called for since the hard border was reestablished in August.”