Clubs face dancing fines, while Queensland nurses fly to Melbourne hotspots
Queensland nightclubs could face fines after reopening on Friday night, as the state sends almost 30 nurses to Victoria to help their counterparts manage the outbreak gripping parts of Melbourne.
The details came as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced a new round of financial assistance to get families back into local sport after restrictions eased further on Friday.
Laruche nightclub in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley will allow 100 people through the door at the weekend. (File image)
On Saturday, the state recorded another day without any new COVID-19 cases, Ms Palaszczuk confirmed, as the number of active cases in Queensland dropped to just one.
As part of the third stage of eased restrictions, which took effect from Friday, patrons were able to order drinks at their favourite pubs, bars and nightclubs, however dance floors were to remain off limits.
Ms Palaszczuk had said she hoped nightclubs would reopen despite the dance-floor ban because "young people can still sit down and enjoy a meal" and "listen to the music".
Venues later suggested punters would have to start a new chair-dancing "craze" instead.
But after footage emerged of some patrons cutting moves on their feet, Ms Palaszczuk said police would be investigating.
"From all reports, the majority of them did [the right thing]," she told reporters on Sunday morning. "But it is unfortunate that some of them did breach those rules.
"That's a matter for police."
Most clubs that reopened did so under plans approved by health authorities.
"If they have breached those COVID Safe plans, there could be fines imposed," Ms Palaszczuk said.
Under the financial assistance announced by Ms Palaszczuk to get people playing sport, about 77,000 $150 Fair Play vouchers are expected to flow to struggling families.
It was hoped that the funds would provide a "mini stimulus" for the economy and community clubs, which also reopened further under eased restrictions this weekend.
Meanwhile, the first contingent of 27 nurses will leave Brisbane airport on Sunday, with about a dozen more expected to follow in the coming days.
"I thank them for going down, and of course there will be more in the future," Ms Palaszczuk said.