Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has taken a swipe at her New South Wales counterpart Gladys Berejiklian over hotel quarantine and criticism of border closures.
During a fiery press conference on Wednesday, Ms Palaszczuk said the nation needed to be absolutely strict when it comes to handling returning Australians.
She added it was a bit rich for Ms Berejiklian to slam other states and territories for implementing border closures ahead of the Christmas/New Year period. We know that with more and more people coming in, returning home from overseas, there is a higher chance of more cases in hotel quarantine, which is what we are seeing, Ms Palaszczuk said.
The threat of full-scale lockdown ruining Christmas has been looming in NSW
Covid rules have been eased for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day
Greater Sydney residents allowed 10 adults plus children under 12 on those days
Many holiday travel plans have been halted after borders were slammed shut
New Year s Eve celebrations are still hanging in the balance due to the outbreak
Hundreds of cops are being forced to spend Christmas in makeshift campsites near border checkpoints after states and territories implemented draconian closures.
Victoria police deployed to patrol the New South Wales border have even had to bring their own meals and sleeping bags with them, the police union claimed.
About 700 police are manning the border, with special campsites containing small, individual tents set-up to house officers. It is very difficult to deploy meals at those (more remote) locations, Victoria s police union chief Wayne Gatt told The Age.
Hundreds of cops are spending the Christmas period patrolling border checkpoints. Pictured, A car is stopped at checkpoint at Coolangatta
NSW motorists are bypassing QLD s border lockdown by crossing side streets
Every state and territory shut to NSW midnight Sunday due to Sydney outbreak
Footage shows cars freely driving through a gap in a median strip to enter QLD
Greater Sydney residents must quarantine for 14 days if travelling to QLD
All other NSW residents now require a border pass to enter the Sunshine State
Date Time
Are you travelling into Queensland? This is what you need to know
Anyone travelling to Queensland from New South Wales is being urged to keep up-to-date with current border restrictions which require travellers to obtain a border declaration pass to enter the state.
Queensland checkpoints have been reinstated at the border with officers checking all border passes.
This is what you need to know:
The Queensland border is closed to anyone who has been in a COVID-19 hotspot in the last 14 days. The current New South Wales declared hotspots can be found here.
Anyone travelling to Queensland who has been anywhere in New South Wales at any time since 1am Friday 11 December must complete a Queensland Border Declaration Pass before they enter Queensland.