Border Issues...

Well some more  people have been caught trying to evade our border issues with southern states here in Australia.

 

As Delta ravaged New South Wales battles yet another outbreak a superyacht crew thought they would evade our waters and, as stated in the newspapers, tried to slip into Gold Coast waters. It was just to see a rugby game in Brisbane. They tried and were successful, that is, until the authorities caught up with them for not being truthful with their paperwork and were fined for making a false border application pass.

 

The Dreamtime superyacht which arrived on the Gold Coast last week could so easily have spread the virus here. There were more than 17,000 other spectators in attendance at the said rugby match. Just imagine is they were contagious! Luckily enough...so far..they are not and have all returned negative tests.

 

The superyacht  charter has caused much consternation and anger to Queensland Health, and the police, for placing thousands of peoples lives at risk.

 

Greater Sydney remains in tight lockdown with an average of 100 cases of the virus a day.

 

If we had a higher rate of vaccinations here in Australia there wouldn’t be this problem but with under, at this stage, 10% of the population fully vaccinated caution is the name of the game. Other countries that are now more freer than us here in Australia have upwards of 60/70% fully vaccinated.

 

So the men, though testing negative, have been placed in hotel quarantine on the Gold Coast for two weeks and fined $4000 each. I’m sure that wont affect their pockets very much as the charter is $20,000 a day..but at least they will have to continue paying the charter fee while in quarantine I guess for a couple of weeks. That could amount to a very expensive rugby game to attend indeed.

 

The message remains clear from our Chief Health Officer...”If you cross our maritime border you will be intercepted and face the consequences!”

 

Two other boats were caught the same week one turned around and another the skipper was placed in quarantine.

 

With this virus and our low vaccination levels there can be no chances taken and I am fully behind the authorities for their strict adherence to the rules until our vaccination levels are up where they should be.