Elderly couple claim horror police bungle saw them kicked out of their home, forced into hotel quarantine 900km away and hit with $4,000 in fines over supposed Covid breach
- Robyn Anderson and Robert Legg, both in their 60s, were forced to quarantine
- They travelled from Victoria to Queensland before the latest border closure
- Police in Roma said they breached travel restrictions and ordered them out
- They were forced to travel to Brisbane and enter hotel quarantine
- Each was also fined more than $4,000 for providing incorrect entry forms
An elderly couple who moved from Victoria to regional Queensland before the state border closed found themselves forced into hotel quarantine and fined thousands of dollars for alleged Covid breaches.
Robyn Anderson and Robert Legg arrived in Roma, 470km west of Brisbane, in mid-July from Victoria to begin a new life.
Both claimed to have filled out the correct entry form to enter Queensland, arriving the day before Victoria was declared a Covid-19 hotspot by the Sunshine State.
But the pair were soon visited by police in Roma after they started 14 days of quarantine, who said they had breached entry requirements.
They were each issued with $4,003 fines and ordered to head to Brisbane to go into hotel quarantine at their own expense.
Robert Legg and Robyn Anderson in their forced hotel quarantine accommodation in Brisbane
The couple claim they were then escorted from town, despite warning police their car would not make it to Brisbane.
When the car broke down near Toowoomba, police told them to take a taxi to Brisbane where they are in quarantine at serviced apartments in Chermside.
'We believe we did everything right but we got slapped with $4,000 fines for breaching border orders, we’re now stuck in hotel quarantine and our car is in a holding yard somewhere,' Ms Anderson told The Courier-Mail.
'All our savings are gone and we’ve got rent due on both the Roma and Victorian houses.'
The couple's car broke down in Toowoomba after police in Roma told them they needed to quarantine in Brisbane, 470kms away
Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski was first asked about the couple on Tuesday but only responded at Wednesday's press conference.
He said he was satisfied that police actions in the case were appropriate.
'The investigations of the police disclosed that they had initially denied coming out of a hotspot but had, in fact, come out of the hotspot, which was a breach,' he said.
'They have been issued with a penalty infringement notice for that and the evidence exists that that's what was required.'
Ms Anderson said she would be appealing the fines.
'It has been stressful,' she told 9News. 'I know Rob's blood pressure is starting to play up.'
When the car broke down near Toowoomba, police told them to take a taxi to Brisbane where they are in quarantine
Queensland Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said on Wednesday morning that he was satisfied police actions in the case were 'appropriate'
Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli defended the couple to 9News.
'I tell you what I saw - I didn't see rule-breakers, I saw a couple of battlers trying to do the right thing,' he said.
Ms Anderson and Mr Legg are able to leave hotel quarantine on Thursday night after Queensland Health revoked the orders.
They were expected to head back to Roma via Toowoomba to collect their car.
Ms Anderson said they were looking forward to 'steak, eggs and chips' because food in their quarantine accommodation was 's**t'.
