Grey nomads are watching closely as the debate about when state and territory borders should be re-opened plays with increasing animosity.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is no fan of the restrictions and has insisted they should be ‘removed as soon as possible’ .
“The National Cabinet has never agreed that there should be borders closed in Australia,” Mr Morrison told the Today show. “That was never the medical expert advice that came at any time … Premiers and their governments in states, whether it is South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, Queensland, have all made their own decisions and so they have got to justify those decisions.”
While legal challenges to the closures are being threatened in some jurisdictions and tourism operators and organisations are decrying the damage being done to their industry, the main protagonists appear to be digging in.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has insisted the borders will remain closed until the southern states have had no Covid-19 cases for a month.
However, the state government has confirmed this benchmark could change before its monthly review of border restrictions.
In WA, more regional intrastate travel restrictions will be lifted tomorrow. but the state’s hard border with east is staying.
“Based on health advice, Western Australia’s hard border with the rest of the country will remain in place, and will likely be the final restriction lifted,” said Premier Mark McGowan.
The NT’s Chief Minister, Michael Gunner has said its borders would not open until ‘the rest of Australia is as safe as the Territory’.
Similarly, South Australia appears in no major hurry to welcome interstate visitors.
“We have formed the opinion that we are better off as a state, in starting up businesses and getting people back employed if we keep that strong state border in place a little bit longer,” said Premier Steven Marshall.
Meanwhile, Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein has said he will wait until at least July before making any decision on when the island state’s borders will be opened.
“We’ll be guided by public health,” he said. “I would just encourage all of the premiers around the country to stop what appears to be this game of one-upmanship,” he said.
The Premier said it made sense to remain cautious.
“If this was a football match, we’re now in the last quarter,” he said. “The wind is at our back, but it ain’t over ’til it’s over.”
These premiers have a lot to answer to regarding these border closures, they continually trot out the safety reasons for keeping borders closed, but they never provide any evidence that there are in fact any safety reason to do this. As per all rhetoric that these power crazed politicians come out with, it has nothing to do with the public and their safety, it has everything to do with “hey look at the power i can wield over the people of my state”. Hopefully the people of these states remember this come election time, all of the states that are closing and keeping their borders closed will be the same states asking for hand outs when their regional businesses start to close because of no tourists. These excuses were the same that they used for not playing golf or fishing or kids at school, all the evidence from overseas and most other health officers told us that having kids go to school was the best place for them, but it was only the state medical health officers that said it wasn’t, so i wonder where their paychecks were coming from.
why is it that qld is copping the bashing over its border yet there are other states not willing to open theirs
Not only is the Qld Premier stopping interstate travel, but also intrastate. She is a power mad hypocrite. She will allow football teams to cross the border & allow football teams to travel from Coolangatta to Townsville, but will not let Qlders travel more than 150 km. & not stay overnight. Bring on the elections.
The SA state govt has got us this far with a case history we can be proud of – I for one am confident we can trust our future safety in their hands. This comment is not intended to down play in any way those unfortunate enough to have been directly impacted by Covid-1 my heart goes out to you.
The only thing I can’t work out is QLD still having their borders closed , but the Premier still held her election back in March when the virus was really in high numbers She didn’t worry about QLD people health then , I don’t think people are targeting the people of QLD just their Premier
Corona virus, like the flu…will be with us forever..!
Bit like the politicians..a bloody nuisance.
Get used to it..!
There will always be active cases breaking out here and there.
I can’t get home to my part of the country. Just have to be patient mate..it will still be there..!
I called several Victorian caravan parks about staying after the 8 June. One lady said that her park has over 100 sites available. She sounded a bit upset and on further inquiry admitted that her park is in danger of going out of business. She thought that business would pick up after the fires but then the virus shut it down for months. I admitted that I am a bit concerned about the reception we will receive in out travels as a lot of small towns may see grey nomads as a threat.
I fully support the Premier’s of WA, SA, Tas and QLD. Stay strong those Premier’s.
I am very concerned about the self quarantine fee NT is imposing on caravaners and mobile home owners.
We are self sufficient, doing 14 days self quarantine in Alice Springs big 4 McDonnel ranges caravan park. We have an ensuite site, not sharing public toilets, showers, laundry. NT Government wants $5,000.00 A couple or $2,500.00 single person. As permanent caravaners we live on a strict budget. I am on Age pension, my partner is unemployed but too young to receive a pension.
Why should we be made to pay this money, supposedly to cover 14 days in a motel, 3 meals a day, laundry, medical and other miscellaneous costs.
Our costs to stay here at an ensuite site only cost us $490.00. We stocked up on all requirements prior to leaving SA. We also put an online food order and paid online to woolworths today. Food delivery will be dropped at our caravan site tomorrow.
We are not using any NT Government services, paying for everything ourselves. So why should the NT govt ask us to pay this. When they say we are liable for quarantine costs ourselves.
I was not aware that the N.T.had opened their border to people from S.A. and how far into the territory did you get before you found out about the levy ? .. Surely you had the opportunity to turn around if you had issues.. You say that the cost of staying at the park for forteen days is costing you $490.00.. $35.00 powered site with an ensuite..Cheap by any means.. You are the one who crossed over the line and now that you are asked to pay you grizzle ? Did they give you the option of staying in a motel for your $5.000.00 ?. What story did you use to get over the border, and why do you feel that you are not a threat to their health system, your the right age group.
Ruth i understand your frustration but you probably can’t expect the NT to change the rules just for you. The conditions for entry and quarantine are very prominently placed on the NT website so if you chose to enter you probably are stuck with complying with the rules.
Maybe we all need to do our research rather than just jumping in and expecting things to go our way.
Would you whingers rather be in America, or Brazil? I am most proud to be in this country with a few rules that a lot of us do not like. Just be patient children and all will be well!
I agre with you my old country is uruguay and they are doing very hard because of brasil many brasil nationals try to cross the borders running away from brasil and bringing the problems to a small country who are doing the right thing closing the frontera
Yeeha Gerry spot on mate people have to look at the big picture and endure a bit of inconvenience once in a while
Gerry, simple fact is we are not in Brazil or USA so stop comparing us to them, that comparison is just plain ludicrous. You are starting to sound like these power crazy premiers that believe that them and only them know what is best for us all. We cannot be treated the same as the people in Italy or any other country overseas. Deal with the facts at hand and stop living off the unfortunate situations of countries that have an older, less healthy society. The simple facts are, we closed our external borders and this prevented, in general a glut of infected people entering our country, therefore the risk is minimal compared to others so stop comparing us to less fortunate countries and start to get the economy running again before we become a socialist country like China where we are dictated to by our governments. Democratic Governments are supposed to serve their people not dictate to its citizens how we are supposed to live. There is no evidence available that shows that opening the interstate borders will increase coronavirus, if you feel unsafe to travel then that is your choice exactly the same as if you would normally travel during the flu season similarly to 2 – 3 years ago when we had close to 3,000 people in Australia die from influenza. If you practice your safe distancing and other hygienic practices you will be fine. Whilst ever everyone continues with this hysteria the state premiers will see this as an opportunity to seize more of your liberties so they can control what you do.
Recs.I totally agree with Shane.
Well said Shane
Very well put Gerry.
Well said Shane
This vehicle is my primary place of residence and while I am aware of the current State “rules” and “border closures”, those same “rules” and “border closures” have forced myself (and over 68,000 other Australian Citizens who also reside and travel in their vehicle therefore having no fixed address), into a situation that is defined by Commonwealth Law as ‘untenable’. In this instance the Constitution requires that State Law be superseded by Commonwealth Law (Section 109 of the Constitution provides that when a law of a State is inconsistent with a law of the Commonwealth, the latter shall prevail, and the former shall to the extent of the inconsistency, be invalid). Neither the Commonwealth Biosecurity Act (No. 61, 2015 – Compilation No. 8 Including Amendments up to Act No. 22, 2020 Registered 9th April, 2020), the Commonwealth National Health Act, (National Health Act 1953, No. 95, 1953, Compilation No. 133, Compilation date: 1st January 2020, Includes amendments up to: Act No. 121, 2019, Registered: 31 January 2020), or the Biosecurity Determination 2020, (Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) (Emergency Requirements for Remote Communities) Determination 2020 made under subsection 477(1) of the Biosecurity Act 2015 Compilation No. 2 Compilation date: 24 April 2020 Includes amendments up to: F2020L00466 Registered: 5 May 2020), have any provision for State Border Closures. Section 92 of The Australian Constitution is also specific in that trade, commerce, and intercourse among the States, whether by means of internal carriage or ocean navigation, shall be absolutely free. I can provide a Commonwealth of Australia supplied copy of The Australian Constitution should you require it for referral purposes.
A State Premier standing in front of a bank of microphones and cameras proclaiming that they are closing their state borders does not constitute an enforceable law. In the absence of a High Court Ruling to endorse the claimed border closure(s), Section 92 of The Australian Constitution applies and any attempt to enforce an unlawful proclamation will be treated as the unlawful instruction that it is. Should a State Government obtain a High Court Order supporting their border closure proclamation and you wish to use this in support of preventing a border crossing I will require you to provide for inspection a certified copy of the High Court Order and a certified copy of your Certificate of Authority to enforce the said High Court Order.
It is also noteworthy that the Commonwealth Deputy Health Minister has, in a recorded interview, stated that there is no valid Health based reason for individual states to prevent crossing of any state border.
Ray your either a constitutional lawyer or a bloke who goes on Facebook too much. If your sure your right and the Premiers are wrong you should just have a run at the borders and see how that works out.
I just go with the fact that my Premier was elected by the majority of voters so until that changes I will comply with the rule changes. That and the fact that Aussies and Kiwis have weathered this incredibly well by going early, going hard and having good support from the majority of the population. So lucky we don’t have a Donald or a Boris running the show.
Bloody hell , stop with the whinging !! there are people in our age group ,in their 60s, 70s,80s, 90s plus who put their lives on hold for years to fight for us in 2 world wars,the Korean war ,the Vietnam war ,Afghanistan and sadly many of them paid the ultimate price. They will never return to their “normal lives” what is a couple of months in comparison ? Lest we forget !