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Chaos at Brisbane airport after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk incorrectly tells Kiwis they won’t have to quarantine when they enter the state today
- Annastacia Palaszczuk said her border would open to New Zealand on Saturday
- Kiwis touched down in Brisbane on Saturday and were plunged into quarantine
- The first quarantine-free flight from NZ is due to arrive in QLD on Wednesday
Chaos has ensued at Brisbane Airport after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced Kiwis would no longer have to quarantine when flying into Queensland.
Ms Palaszczuk said visitors touching down in her state from New Zealand would not be required to undergo two-week hotel quarantine from 1am Saturday.
But when the first flight touched down in Brisbane at about 10.45am, passengers were whisked away in buses to begin their 14-day stint.
A spokesman for the premier said the travellers had arrived on a ‘red’ flight which included passengers from other countries.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (pictured) said visitors touching down in her state from New Zealand would not be required to undergo two-week hotel quarantine from 1am Saturday
A couple hug at Sydney Airport after the Trans-Tasman travel bubble opened in October
‘So all the passengers on that plane have to go into hotel quarantine because you had Kiwis sitting next to people from the United States, for example,’ he told AAP.
Passengers from NZ on the flight were told they would need to quarantine before takeoff and had the option to wait for a ‘green’ flight with only locals abroad, he said.
The confusing information was a devastating hit for family and friends waiting at the airport on Saturday.
Ronel Van der berg, who was at the airport in anticipation, told Sky News she was supposed to be reunited with her 70-year-old mother, who has now been plunged into quarantine.
Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the first quarantine-free flight from NZ was due to arrive on Wednesday.
‘There is a national protocol that Queensland has adopted, which splits people on flights who have only been in safe travel zone countries, versus those who have also been in other countries,’ she said.
Travellers on the first commercial flight from New Zealand landed in Sydney on October 16 after borders were shut for seven months due to coronavirus
Anyone who travels on a quarantine-free or green flight – where every passenger has been in NZ for at least 14 days – will not need to quarantine on arrival.
‘Anyone who doesn’t travel on a quarantine-free flight is still subject to 14 days mandatory quarantine,’ Dr Young said.
‘The risk is simply too high to end their quarantine early.’
Queensland has not had a locally-acquired COVID-19 case for 88 days.
There was one new virus diagnoses in hotel quarantine reported on Saturday, with 23 active cases in the state.
On Friday Ms Palaszczuk said travellers from NZ would able to travel to Queensland from Saturday and ‘families would finally be reunited in time for Christmas’.
Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the first quarantine-free flight from NZ was due to arrive in Queensland on Wednesday. Pictured: Returning travellers are seen at Brisbane Airport during the coronavirus pandemic
‘I know that is going to mean so much to families that have been missing loved ones for such a long time,’ she said.
The decision to lift travel restrictions for travellers from NZ came after the country clocked up 28 days without a locally-acquired virus case.
Queensland also reopened to travellers from Adelaide from 1am Saturday meaning all Australians will be able to freely enter the sunshine state for the first time since March.
There were more than 200,000 Kiwis living in Queensland in the 2016 census, making them the largest group of foreign-born residents in the state.
With the easing of coronavirus health restrictions, Queenslanders will also allow socially-distanced dancing at indoor venues from 1am Monday.
Travellers on the first commercial flight from New Zealand landed in Sydney on October 16 after borders were shut for seven months due to coronavirus.
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