Queensland and NSW MPs unite over clearer guidelines for border crossing

Southern Downs MP James Lister and Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall have both called on the Queensland Government to review the guidelines for locals to cross state lines.

Currently, the responsibility of judging which reasons for crossing the border are valid lies with Queensland Police Service officers.

However, in a letter to Queensland Chief Medical Officer Dr Jeanette Young, Mr Lister has called for an overhaul of the system and clearer guidelines about what reasons are valid for crossing the border.

"It has been brought to my attention that Queensland Police officers assigned to supervise border checkpoints are required to decide the essentiality or otherwise of workers and contractors, who are in possession of the required pass, before allowing them to cross the border into Queensland," Mr Lister's letter read.

"I wish to respectfully express my objection to this arbitrary system, which is unfair to police, to individual workers and contractors, and the businesses which rely upon them.

"I have been contacted by concerned continuants, and police officers who advise me that police are required to make on-the-spot value judgements about the essentiality of cross-border workers' employment, even when such judgements concern matters in which police do posses the required expertise.

Read more: Mungindi hospital access: residents Leslie Carley, politicians Adam Marshall and Mark Coulton furious over QLD border closure to residents on NSW side who need the hospital

"This is resulting in inconsistent decision making at border crossings, including the refusal of entry into Queensland for essential workers and contractors on questionable and erroneous grounds."

Mr Lister's letter comes after many border community locals took to social media to share their stories of being denied entry to the sunshine state.

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Examples included residents intending to do grocery shopping and needing agricultural supplies being turned around and refused entry, despite having the relevant border passes.

Currently, residents of the border zone can enter Queensland to carry out essential work if they have a border pass, have had at least one COVID-19 vaccination, or returned a negative COVID-19 test in the previous three days and have not travelled outside of the border zone in the previous 14 days.

Mr Lister doubled down on his letter in a social media post saying border communities were "paying a very high price for the benefit of the rest of Queensland".

"Our border region communities don't mind taking their share of hardship for the common good, and we get why the border has to close, but we are being forgotten, ignored and disproportionately disadvantaged," the post read.

"We are entitled to far, far better than this."

The issues come after a recent change in border regulations cut off the NSW side of Mungindi from the community's hospital, which sits on the Queensland side of the town.

"Mungindi is an outlier with the hospital and that is just absolutely criminal and we are working to rectify that, this is a separate issue aside from the issues with the border crossings," NSW Agriculture Minister and Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall said.

"The issue is, people in my electorate have complied with the border zone they have had their vaccination or proof of a negative COVID test within three days, correct documentation and still get turned around at say Goondiwindi, but then be allowed through at say Texas no questions asked.

"It is so inconsistent because you can be doing everything exactly right but it all depends on which law enforcement officer you get and their interpretation of the rules.

"When you are working in the freight or agriculture industries where time is money, these sorts of inconsistencies can cost you millions of dollars down the line."

Mr Marshall said he was hopeful he and Mr Lister's calls for clarity would be heard.

"Being a politician or a minister it can be frustrating when you know what the problem is, know what the solution is and you are trying to convince your own people to help you fix that problem, but when it is a different government causing all of the pain and problems, the solution is completely outside your reach," he said.

"Unfortunately it seems like they don't want to budge, which for me is incredibly infuriating.

"However, we will continue to chip away at them to hopefully get some common-sense solutions."

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