State border closures illegal under the highest law in the country?

bigbadbyrnes

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Joined
Oct 24, 2011
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Everything is arguable in law, doubly so in constitutional law. This is a matter for the high court.

But here's my opening argument;

Section 92 of the highest law in the country sets out "On the imposition of uniform duties of customs, trade, commerce, and intercourse among the States, whether by means of internal carriage or ocean navigation, shall be absolutely free. "

Per Cole vs Whitfield 1988 "The notions of absolutely free trade and commerce and absolutely free intercourse are quite distinct". Sec92 clearly sets out the law for interstate trade, but also 'intercourse'.

And on the matter of what intercourse means, per Gratwick v Johnson 1945 it's the ability "to pass to and fro among the States without burden, hindrance or restriction".

Border closures, (and arguably although less certainly isolation requirements), are therefore inconsistent with the highest law in the country and should be set aside.

No one is talking about it, any legal eagles here explain? There's no room on the news for this at the moment, but if people start to fed up with the restrictions, it's worth getting them tested in the high court.

edit:

I think this analysis will answer all your questions: States are shutting their borders to stop coronavirus. Is that actually allowed?

Short version: if there are good public health grounds (for example states of emergency), those laws are likely to be held valid.

Could be worth testing if an individual could be proven to be not a thread to public health, but that would be the exception. Thanks MEL_Traveller for sharing the article.

/thread
 
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Reports on the ABC that AP has said Qld border won't open until NSW goes 1 month without community transfer

So it could be a very long while - particularly when it's not like Qld doesn't have its own community transmission
 
I'm sure NSW residents will be thrilled to hear the controversial QLD CHO has deemed them to be 'getting there'.... :rolleyes:

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Queensland CHO judges 'NSW is 'getting there' but border reopening not in sight

Apparently, there is only one criteria for reopening the interstate border as ruled by Queensland chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young, and that is almost a month without coronavirus community transmission in NSW.

"Yesterday [Wednesday], they had one case, so they are getting there.

"Now, if they were to have 28 days of no community transmission – that is the current definition to open the border – then that would occur probably.



 
I'm sure NSW residents will be thrilled to hear the controversial QLD CHO has deemed them to be 'getting there'.... :rolleyes:

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Queensland CHO judges 'NSW is 'getting there' but border reopening not in sight

Apparently, there is only one criteria for reopening the interstate border as ruled by Queensland chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young, and that is almost a month without coronavirus community transmission in NSW.

"Yesterday [Wednesday], they had one case, so they are getting there.

"Now, if they were to have 28 days of no community transmission – that is the current definition to open the border – then that would occur probably.


We need a face palm smiley
 
Interesting the Qld election is now looking tight.
Sportsbet with Lab at 1.80 and LNP at 1.95.

I assume this policy (helped by a conservative CHO) is helping Labor in some seats but hurting them in tourist areas in particular.
 
This qld border closure thing is getting very tresome and annoying...I think i will take my tourist $$ elsewhere even if the border to Qld eventually opens!

From the lockdown city we don't have many options at present but I have two sets of relatives from Adelaide and one set from country NSW, having possibly decided booking fares to QLD too risky, have converged in the NT and visiting Kakadu
 
This qld border closure thing is getting very tresome and annoying...I think i will take my tourist $$ elsewhere even if the border to Qld eventually opens!
Agreed. I'm on the Gold Coast - when I talk to others it seems noone wants to travel in QLD.

We are heading over the border (within the bubble) to NSW for the school holidays. Sorry Anna - spending my tourist $$ elsewhere.
 
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QLD Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk labelled ‘cruel’ over border closure to town hit by devastating fire


The mayor of a small town that straddles the NSW-Queensland border has slammed Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk as “heartless” for not letting residents cross the border after losing their only supermarket to a severe fire.

Moree Plains Mayor Katrina Humphries says Mungindi residents are now forced to drive to the NSW town of Moree, more than 100 kilometres away, to be able to get food and basic necessities.

Ms Humphries told Sunrise she had tried to approach the Queensland Government for help but was “hung up on and sworn at”.

“It’s unnecessary and cruel,” she said, begging the Queensland Premier to “please stop being so heartless” and “stop punishing people who do not need to be punished”

 
QLD Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk labelled ‘cruel’ over border closure to town hit by devastating fire


The mayor of a small town that straddles the NSW-Queensland border has slammed Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk as “heartless” for not letting residents cross the border after losing their only supermarket to a severe fire.

Moree Plains Mayor Katrina Humphries says Mungindi residents are now forced to drive to the NSW town of Moree, more than 100 kilometres away, to be able to get food and basic necessities.

Ms Humphries told Sunrise she had tried to approach the Queensland Government for help but was “hung up on and sworn at”.

“It’s unnecessary and cruel,” she said, begging the Queensland Premier to “please stop being so heartless” and “stop punishing people who do not need to be punished”

This was the one I mentioned a couple of pages ago. It was the day the AFL GF was announced. She was asked as to whether there would be any exemptions for them - maybe it was even in the same press conference - and she laughed and said no way. Quite heartless in the situation.
 
QLD Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk labelled ‘cruel’ over border closure to town hit by devastating fire


The mayor of a small town that straddles the NSW-Queensland border has slammed Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk as “heartless” for not letting residents cross the border after losing their only supermarket to a severe fire.

Moree Plains Mayor Katrina Humphries says Mungindi residents are now forced to drive to the NSW town of Moree, more than 100 kilometres away, to be able to get food and basic necessities.

Ms Humphries told Sunrise she had tried to approach the Queensland Government for help but was “hung up on and sworn at”.

“It’s unnecessary and cruel,” she said, begging the Queensland Premier to “please stop being so heartless” and “stop punishing people who do not need to be punished”

As stories like this gain traction the strong possibility of a reverse boycott of Queensland is forming in my mind.
 
It's worse than that though.If they travel to Moree to get the groceries they have gone out of the border bubble therefore will have problems accessing their usual medical care.Having travelled outside the bubble they would be unable to get an exemption for another 14 days.
The Mungindi Health Service and general Practice is in QLD.Though it appears that it is a nurse led practice with visits from a doctor in Dirinbandi.

They would refer patients to Goondiwindi where there are regular visits by specialists from Brisbane.A Sunshine coast surgeon used to regulerly visit as well.
The nearest hospital in NSW that would offer more than GP services would be Tamworth about 390 KM away.Goondiwindi is 167 Km and Brisbane is a bit further at 515Km but closer than Newcastle which is ~ 630Km away.


Another problem with the border closures is that many in north NSW send their children to boarding schools in Toowoomba or Brisbane.Now they can come home for the September school holidays but then can't get back to school.
But there are also some in Southern QLD whose families have sent their children to boarding schools in Sydney.They can't get home for the September school holidays.They would have to do 14 days compulsory hotel quarantine.
 
From the lockdown city we don't have many options at present but I have two sets of relatives from Adelaide and one set from country NSW, having possibly decided booking fares to QLD too risky, have converged in the NT and visiting Kakadu
That's the sort of thing we are looking at - we are in the ACT and family is in QLD and we are looking closely at SA or NT for a meet up.
 
Moree Plains Mayor Katrina Humphries says Mungindi residents are now forced to drive to the NSW town of Moree, more than 100 kilometres away, to be able to get food and basic necessities.

Not sure what is driving Moree Mayor, but she appears not to have a map of Qld, or of the border bubble, which was extended a couple of weeks ago. It was previously absurdly narrow but now takes in Thallon (40k away with the nearest shop I can find), Dirranbandi (105k) and St George (125k), and they can also get to Goondi without leaving the bubble.

Awful situation for those in Mungindi, and it means the many in Mungindi NSW have to go through the border pass rigmarole to get to a shop, rather than the few in Mungindi Qld.

cheers skip
 
They should tie opening the state borders with the opening of international travel. If we can't cope with a handful of arriving passengers, how can we manage tens of thousands of people crossing the border? (The international ban has been extended to December it seems :()
 
They should tie opening the state borders with the opening of international travel. If we can't cope with a handful of arriving passengers, how can we manage tens of thousands of people crossing the border? (The international ban has been extended to December it seems :()
There does happen to be one heck of a lot more cases outside Australia's borders than within them.
 
They should tie opening the state borders with the opening of international travel. If we can't cope with a handful of arriving passengers, how can we manage tens of thousands of people crossing the border? (The international ban has been extended to December it seems :()
These days risk assessment is a science and it's really depressing to see the total lack of application when it comes to Covid. If ever a situation lent itself to analysis, it's Covid-19!
 

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