Crackdown On Truck Drivers Entering Through Queensland Border

The Queensland Government will impose stricter rules for truck drivers passing through the border region, after police found an alarming number of people without the correct travel forms.

The crackdown comes following another 46 people found in the pat 24 hours who didn't have travel declarations on them. 

With the NSW removalists sparking known outbreaks across the nation, harsher penalties and mandatory protocols will now be adhered to.

Drivers must show a negative COVID-19 result before entering the state, after countless drivers from known hotspots were intercepted at the Queensland border.

One of these was placed into immediate hotel quarantine after failure to show legit forms, says Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski.

"That particular driver had completely falsified records, was not cooperative with our investigation and in fact had come out of a hotspot," Mr Gollschewski said.

Queensland recorded one new case overnight, a woman from Mareeba who returned from Melbourne had been infectious for several days before being tested.

The woman is in isolation, and has been fully vaccinated. However, each of the Sunshine Coast, Cairns and Mareeba now boast new exposure sites.

Queensland requires freight motorists are to be tested every seven days, Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the rules must be followed even if case numbers are low.

"I can understand why that lapsed when there weren't any cases anywhere in Australia, but it's important that the requirement is immediately back in place," she said.

"It's important that requirement is immediately back in place so that any freight driver who arrives in Queensland from any declared hot spot, which today is all of Victoria and Greater Sydney... has had a test done in the seven days prior to them entering."

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