‘They are trying to give us advice over borders…seriously?’ WA premier accuses Gladys Berejiklian of BULLYING over border closure row and makes a barbed remark about the Ruby Princess fiasco
- NSW and WA premiers are at loggerheads over state borders remaining closed
- WA is keeping its borders shut because of the ongoing coronavirus threat
- But premier Gladys Berejiklian said such closures are 'hindering' the economy
- Mark McGowan responded by accusing Ms Berejiklian of 'bullying' his state
- It comes as Queensland's tourism industry begged the premier to open borders
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
An extraordinary war of words has broken out between state premiers over their vastly different approaches to ending coronavirus border restrictions.
Western Australian premier Mark McGowan made a series of barbed comments about New South Wales' call for cross-country travel be resumed.
He expressed his shock to reporters that NSW, which was home to the Ruby Princess fiasco, would offer other states advice on how to deal with the outbreak.
It comes after NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian called for Australian holidays to resume, accusing other states of 'hindering' economic recovery.
But WA is standing firm with its border closures, after taking the country's most extreme stance to travel, even splitting the state up into sectors.
'New South Wales had the Ruby Princess — I mean, seriously?,' he remarked.
Friends are seen enjoying beers in Fremantle, Western Australia, on May 18 (pictured) after restrictions were lifted - but travel to the state is still banned
'And they are trying to give us advice on our borders, seriously?'
The Ruby Princess disaster saw thousands of passengers leave the COVID-19 infected cruise ship in Sydney on March 19.
It has since been linked to 22 deaths and around 10 per cent of Australia's overall coronavirus cases.
Accusing NSW of 'bullying' other states, Mr McGowan said travel wouldn't resume until community transmissions were down in states such as Victoria.
'It's odd, New South Wales is saying don't catch public transport in Sydney,' he told reporters on Wednesday.
A couple are seen enjoying dinner in Bunbury, Western Australia on May 18 (pictured) but travel into the state remains banned due to coronavirus restrictions
The Ruby Princess (pictured on April 23) has become the source of around 10 per cent of Australia's coronavirus cases
'They're restricting the number of people who can go to a restaurant or cafe far more than Western Australia is, yet they're saying 'why can't New South Wales people fly to Western Australia'.
'Their message is totally inconsistent.
'We're not going to give in to that sort of bullying by the New South Wales Premier or anyone else — we are going to protect the health and the economy of Western Australia.'
The row deepened after Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said there was 'no medical reason' for borders to remain closed.
'From a medical point of view, I can't see why the borders are still closed but as I said that's for the states and territories to decide when that time is right for them,' he said.
The tourism industry in the Gold Coast (pictured on May 16) is said to be suffering badly because of coronavirus restrictions
Cyclists exercise past a closed section of Surfers Paradise Beach on the Gold Coast on April 16 (pictured) with guests from outside Queensland still not allowed to visit the state
Over in Queensland, the tourism industry and some local politicians have also been lobbying for borders to be open.
Tourism body Destination Gold Coast has warned the city's economy is 'on the edge of collapse'.
Pauline Hanson is even launching a legal battle with premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who has insisted the state remain closed off.
The state's chief health officer Jeannette Young explained there could be 'terrifying' consequences if the border was opened too soon.
'When we saw that curve going up, it was just going straight up — it was no different to what was happening in New York, or Spain, or London or Sweden,' she said.
'We have only just lifted those restrictions — we are now going to have to see what happens.
'If there are cases out there that we haven't picked up, now they will start to spread.'
Swimmers are seen enjoying the surf at Bondi Beach on May 17 (pictured) as restrictions prepare to be lifted even further in NSW
Mark McGowan (pictured) accused NSW of 'bullying' other states by saying borders should be opened
In NSW, regional travel is being opened for to residents and interstate travellers, in a move the premier has described as 'best' for the state and Australia.
Ms Berejiklian announced recreational regional travel within the state will be allowed again from June 1 when libraries, art galleries, and museums will also re-open.
The state will also cautiously reopen pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes for 20 people to dine in - doubling the current patronage limits - within a month.
Under current NSW public health orders, regional travel for holidays is banned.
Ms Berejiklian said that lifting the ban will be a unique tourism opportunity for NSW as Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and Queensland still refuse to open their own borders.
Swimmers are seen enjoying a chilly dip in the ocean at Bondi Beach (pictured) on May 17
New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) announced people will be able to travel within the state from June 1
'Sydney will also be a major tourist attraction for people from all around Australia, we've got no restrictions,' she said.
'And they will have presumably no restrictions going back to their home state, they'll have to prove to their authorities that they are from that state.'
However she warned that holidays would be different with coronavirus social distancing still in place.
'Even though restrictions are being eased, the message is that the virus isn't any less deadly or contagious, it just means we have to live with it,' Ms Berejiklian told Wednesday morning's Today Show.
Ms Hanson has called Queensland's decision not to open its borders 'unconstitutional' and is preparing to take legal action.
Barriers are seen in Coolangatta on the Gold Coast (pictured) on April 7, reinforcing the border separation between Queensland and New South Wales
'I raised last week that I think it's unconstitutional what the premier of Queensland is doing keeping borders closed for trade and commerce under section 92 of the Australian constitution', Ms Hanson told Sky News.
'Speaking to other people, they totally agree with me.
'I'm calling on Queenslanders who've been affected by either their families being destroyed, or inconvenience or trade.
'Those tourist operators who rely on tourists coming there have had their businesses affected.
'It's unconstitutional to do what they're doing, it's important to hold her to account and I think it's a political move what she's doing.
'In Queensland, when we've had 1,058 cases, 12 active cases at the moment and four hospitalised, there's no reason to keep the borders closed.
Pauline Hanson (pictured, right) is planning to take Annastacia Palaszczuk (left) to court over Queensland's border closures
A police officer is seen working at a checkpoint at Coolangatta on the Queensland New South Wales border on April 9 (pictured)
'And they can't give you a timeline on it, they're saying possibly it could be September - that's not good enough.
'When I see my state in dire straights, you've got communities that are dying, we need the tourists from down south coming up through Queensland.
'I want to take her on.'
Labor's Ms Palaszczuk, who says she is putting the health of the people she leads first, is also facing pressure from other states to remove the border block.
'The very, very earliest, and only if everything went absolutely perfectly, we might be able to think about opening up our border in July,' Chief Health Officer Ms Young said on Wednesday.
