QLD Border Restrictions

QLD has put out a new Direction that will take effect as of this Friday (tomorrow) noon, 10 July 2020.

In brief:

• It allows people from other states and territories to enter the state without having to undertake mandatory quarantine, provided they:
  • Have a valid Queensland Border Declaration Pass (must be applied for within 7 days of the travel to QLD), which will include:
    • A declaration that they have not been overseas / a COVID-19 hotspot / had contact with a confirmed case / had symptoms consistent with COVID-19 / been diagnosed with COVID-19
    • Providing personal details including name, date of birth, phone number, address and email address, and where the person intends to stay while in Queensland
  • Provide an undertaking that the person will present for a COVID-19 test if the person develops symptoms consistent with COVID-19 within 14 days of entering Queensland

Regarding any travel from any part of Victoria (or other COVID-19 hotspots as they are identified by the QLD Govt):

• The QLD Govt has hardened their approach with this new border declaration, stating that anyone who has been in a COVID-19 hotspot in the 14 days prior to entering Queensland must not enter Queensland unless they are exempt. Exemptions are specified in the Direction and include QLD residents.
• QLD residents who have been to VIC may enter the state, provided they undertake mandatory quarantine at a quarantine hotel at their own cost
• The new Direction appears to have removed construction from what QLD considers ‘essential activity’, meaning that QLD residents who return to QLD after performing construction-related work in VIC would also have to enter mandatory quarantine.
• This is a significant change to all previous QLD Directions throughout the pandemic in which construction has been considered essential and exempt from mandatory quarantine. I will confirm this once the Border Pass Declaration has been updated with the new particulars as of noon tomorrow.

Queensland Health will declare coronavirus hotspots in several areas of New South Wales, namely Liverpool and Campbelltown, from midday today.

The below strict quarantine rules that QLD has applied to VIC at present will apply to people travelling from these NSW hotspots.

It is expected that QLD will continue to clamp down on any areas like this where community transmission starts to occur.

Just to confirm below, there is now no provision for ‘construction’ or ‘FIFO’ under the exemptions list for people travelling from VIC into QLD. The wording of ‘time critical specialist’ has also been updated which no longer broadly covers people in the construction industry.

People from other states and territories may enter QLD without needing to quarantine now, provided they have a valid border pass and have not been in VIC in the last 14 days (or any of the reasons listed below).