Arrivals from Brisbane will need to follow isolation rules, says Acting Premier

NSW will not close its border to Queensland following the state government’s announcement that Greater Brisbane will enter a three-day lockdown from 6pm on Friday, January 8. But, arrivals from the Brisbane area are expected to abide by isolation rules.

Addressing media during a NSW COVID-19 update, Acting Premier John Barilaro said the government will be applying the same level of restrictions to those who are coming or those who are in NSW who have come from the Greater Brisbane area.

“At no point during this pandemic have we ever had a knee-jerk reaction or treated the border like a light switch,” he said.

“If you are in the midst of travelling from Brisbane, as we speak, into NSW and you come from those areas, we expect you to abide by the isolation rules that would have applied to you as if you were in Brisbane.

“If you have visited Brisbane and you are on your way to NSW, those isolation rules will apply to you. If you are already in NSW and you have travelled to New South Wales from those locations since … 12.01am on the second of January, we expect you to again stay isolated.”

During the NSW government’s daily pandemic briefing, Health Minister Brad Hazzard confirmed that the northern beaches area of Sydney was on track to leave its lockdown after midnight on Saturday.