Today show host Karl Stefanovic has flowers delivered to Annastacia Palaszczuk and makes a grovelling apology for criticising Queensland's coronavirus border shutdown
- Karl Stefanovic issued an apology to Annastacia Palaszczuk on Friday morning
- Today host previously slammed the Queensland Premier over the state's border
- Queensland opens its borders to Australia - except Victoria - from 12pm, Friday
Karl Stefanovic has apologised to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk with flowers after slamming her decision to keep the borders shut during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Today host was interviewing Ms Palaszczuk on Friday morning, as Queensland prepared to open up to the rest of the country - except Victoria - at midday.
Melbourne is battling a second wave of COVID-19 cases and Victorians will remain locked out of Queensland for the foreseeable future.
Mr Stefanovic was concluding the interview when he told Ms Palaszczuk he was 'sorry' for criticising her cautious re-opening of the borders.
Karl Stefanovic apologised to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Friday (pictured)
'Okay, just a few weeks ago [NSW Premier] Gladys Berejiklian, and yours truly, called your decision to keep the borders closed 'crazy' and 'illogical', among many other things,' he said.
Ms Palaszczuk interjected: 'That's right, I remember all that,' before Stefanovic continued with his grovelling apology.
'On behalf of Gladys and myself, I'm sorry,' he said.
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'Are we ever going to talk again?'
Ms Palaszczuk said she accepted the apology and Today co-host Allison Langdon offered the premier a gift on behalf of Stevanovic.
'And can I just interrupt here and say that I predicted that there'd be a little bit of grovelling taking place this morning, so on Karl's behalf, Jessica Millward and I have organised an apology gift for the Queensland premier,' she said.
Mr Stefanovic was concluding the interview when he told Ms Palaszczuk he was 'sorry' for criticising her cautious re-opening of the borders
Ms Palaszczuk said she accepted the apology and Today co-host Allison Langdon (left) offered the premier an apology gift on behalf of Stevanovic
'Premier, this is from Karl.'
Ms Palaszczuk, who was live from the QLD-NSW border at Coolangatta, was then handed a bunch of flowers.
'Thank you. This means a lot. Thank you so much,' she said.
'On behalf of the people of Queensland, Karl, we accept your apology.'
Victorians will be locked out of Queensland until they get their transmission of coronavirus under control.
The NSW-Victoria border was this week shut for the first time in 101 years due to Victoria's second spike in infections.
Ms Palaszczuk, who was live from the QLD-NSW border at Coolangatta, was then handed a bunch of flowers. 'Thank you. This means a lot. Thank you so much,' she said
In May, Stefanovic called the ban on interstate travel 'complete BS'.
'We have to get this country moving and back on its feet,' he said.
'The Berlin Walls along our state lines are staying up as our tourism industry goes down the toilet along with small businesses in their millions.
'It's complete BS from some of our premiers right now.'
The Today host redirected his attention the the Queensland premier during a similar rant in June. Stefanvoic said her decision to keep borders shut despite the pleas of local businesses 'defies belief'.
'This is about arrogance,' the presenter said.
'I've never seen this before from a public official. It defies belief to me, and more importantly reality.'
Ms Berejiklian and Ms Palaszczuk had an ongoing dispute over the borders, with the NSW premier declaring it 'ridiculous' Queensland would not open to their southern neighbours.
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