Outback tyres slashed as Queensland 'nomads' flee virus For our free coronavirus pandemic coverage, learn more here. By Nicholas McElroy March 27, 2020 4.11pm
People surging to remote parts of Queensland in an attempt to avoid the coronavirus outbreak have reportedly been met with vigilantism in some outback towns.
Tyres have reportedly been slashed in some cases amid panic travellers may be spreading COVID-19. Federal Queensland minister David Littleproud has spoken of reports of vigilantism in outback Queensland towns.
Federal Queensland minister David Littleproud has spoken of reports of vigilantism in outback Queensland towns.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
The influx of visitors to south-west Queensland, defying orders from authorities to stay home, has followed the state borders being shut on Thursday.
This has created anxiety for some residents of remote communities, says drought and emergency management Minister David Littleproud who is calling to tighter regulations on travel.
Mr Littleproud says he has written to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk calling for calm and to further mitigate risks of virus spread.
Another 62 Queenslanders test positive, state total now 555
"As the borders have been shut we've seen a surge of 'grey nomads' ... to south-west Queensland to hide from the virus," Mr Littleproud told media on Friday.
"Unfortunately this action could turn caravans into the cruise ships of the outback if someone is infected and spreads it in small communities with the health resources to support them.
"There's is panic out there in some areas to the the extent that we're seeing vigilantism where tyres have been slashed of people who are out there."
Mr Littleproud, who's electorate of Maranoa takes in much of south west Queensland, said all levels of government needed to make sure residents are calm and safe in those areas. People's tyres are reportedly being slashed in remote and regional parts of Queensland. (File image)
People's tyres are reportedly being slashed in remote and regional parts of Queensland. (File image)
Meanwhile, rural doctors have reminded those who live in isolated communities their towns aren't protected from the spread of the virus.
Dr Adam Coltzau is leading the COVID-19 response for the Rural Doctors Association of Australia and Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine.
"Cases of coronavirus have already been confirmed in numerous rural communities," he said.
"But some rural Australians are still walking around in La-La Land, thinking COVID-19 is only a big city issue.
"This couldn't be further from the truth."
Dr Coltzau said people should self-isolate at home and work from home wherever possible.
North Queensland federal politicians have also written to Ms Palaszczuk calling for the region to be closed to slow the spread of coronavirus.
She was sent the letter on Thursday, which cited a lack of resources the region had to deal with an outbreak.
Federal members George Christensen, Phillip Thompson, Michelle Landry and senator Matt Canavan signed the letter.
-- Edited by PeterX on Saturday 28th of March 2020 09:33:46 PM
-- Edited by PeterX on Saturday 28th of March 2020 09:44:27 PM
Gundog said
06:24 AM Mar 29, 2020
David Littleproud and his know it all mates, don't have clue of the real picture. Yes there are thousand of caravaners who are in various parts of Australia who were out there before covid-19 was an issue.
We are one of them who live full time in our van, we crossed into Queensland before any hint of boarder closures, there are people say we should go back to our home state, our registration etc is our postal address, my pension card says "No Fixed Address", be then the quandary do we turn around and travel 1500 kilometers South though 3 states, or do we travel 900 kilometers north to our intended destination where we will stay for six months?
A couple of anecdotes that may just bring a bit of reality, a couple from Brissy who have been touring since Feb, our frightened that if they were return to their home they would be at a greater risk than staying in the out back. Two couples are stranded in central southern QLD, they cannot go home if they do, they have to go straight home and self isolate for 14 days, no big many will say but think about it ! At the SA boarder you have to sign up address etc etc but the government numbnuts don't consider they need to traverse 60% of the state to get to their home on the Eyre Peninsula, requiring stops for fuel, fuel and rest, then when the get home they will need to stock their home for a 14 day isolation.
Our own choice was to continue north, we had advice that there will be restrictions put on caravan parks in the coming days from the Police, we made the decision to make a made dash of almost 900 kilometers from Roma to Proserpine, we left at 6am Sat morning , 11 hours later we are at our intended home base. We past many police vehicles on the the way, not one of them stopped us because e had interstate number plated.
We took the most direct route Roma to Blackwater from there to Dingo, up the VRD to Nebo drop down the Eton Range to Eton, bypass Mackay going via Mairian to Kuttabul then on to Prossy..
We have not met with any agro about being in QLD, it's the exact opposite everywhere we have gone we are made most welcome.
The Belmont Bear said
12:59 PM Mar 29, 2020
Although I understand Qlanders are concerned about travellers, even if the report is true doing things like slashing tyres is rather extreme and unnecessary. I bet that Mr Littleproud and his fellow Qld politicians will be the first ones crying out for the grey nomads and tourists in general to return and support their struggling economy once it's all over. Shutting down borders is a matter for governments to decide it doesn't really worry me one way or the other as we are planning on sitting it out at home. I almost got caught in South Africa last week because the Federal government decided at short notice to stop all overseas travel - great idea but it did people scattered around the world no favours in trying to get home. The same can probably be said for those travellers who were scattered around Australia when the state borders closed. This has nothing to do with politics it is around allowing people to get to a place where they can follow the social distancing guidelines. If Queenslanders were fair dinkum they would probably get just as much of an impact by isolating south east Qld from the rest of the state but that's their problem to sort out..
Cheers BB
-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Sunday 29th of March 2020 01:00:36 PM
Magnarc said
01:24 PM Mar 29, 2020
Have I missed the point here? Why would you slash the tyres if you wanted them to move on??????
dogbox said
02:12 PM Mar 29, 2020
so when the word gets out people avoid the place
yobarr said
03:48 PM Mar 29, 2020
Magnarc wrote:
Have I missed the point here? Why would you slash the tyres if you wanted them to move on??????
Too much thinking involved perhaps? Cheers
Magnarc said
07:10 PM Mar 29, 2020
Now why didnt I think of that. Put it down to my age folks!
yogi said
10:28 PM Mar 29, 2020
roads int mareeba are now closed you cant get here so give it a miss
stoney123 said
08:06 AM Mar 30, 2020
If the govt could pull it's finger out and start testing then there would be no problem. But they are saving the test kits for boarding schools, where rich kids go. Huge private schools with only a few boarders are allowed to test.
Fail a test, self isolate or govt put you up so where nice your phone used as a tracker so police can monitor you, no phone then slap an ankle GPS.
dogbox said
08:21 AM Mar 30, 2020
stoney123 wrote:
If the govt could pull it's finger out and start testing then there would be no problem. But they are saving the test kits for boarding schools, where rich kids go. Huge private schools with only a few boarders are allowed to test.
Fail a test, self isolate or govt put you up so where nice your phone used as a tracker so police can monitor you, no phone then slap an ankle GPS.
not enough test kits
stoney123 said
02:11 PM Mar 30, 2020
David little proud Is a new one would think he shou!d know better than to denigrate a sector of the community. Especially when it was his govt that allowed by dress of flights and a dozen cruise ship to unload infected people without checking
traveling bob said
03:25 PM Mar 31, 2020
All roads into Mareeba are open.
dazz49 said
05:55 PM Mar 31, 2020
stoney123 wrote:
If the govt could pull it's finger out and start testing then there would be no problem. But they are saving the test kits for boarding schools, where rich kids go. Huge private schools with only a few boarders are allowed to test. Fail a test, self isolate or govt put you up so where nice your phone use tracker so police can monitor you, no phone then slap an ankle GPS.
A bit rich isn't it Stoney saying boarding schools are where rich kids go. I know plenty of country people who went with out to give their kids a good education. I for one. Obviously you are prejudiced or envious that you never did. And please quote your evidence when making such an authoritative statement. Its possibly only hearsay from other uninformed sources.
google grey nomads tyres slashed
They think these caravans could become the cruise ships of the outback
https://www.google.com.au/search?sxsrf=ALeKk01n-JXE1FMZBeqXnbNKbQ1cmUYlHw%3A1585391340195&source=hp&ei=7CZ_XtWBCdub4-EPxdKw8AM&q=grey+nomads+tyres+slashed&oq=grey+nomads+tyres+slashed&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQAzIFCAAQxAI6BwgjEOoCECc6BAgjECc6CAgAEIMBEJECOgQIABBDOgcIABCDARBDOgUIABCDAToHCAAQFBCHAjoECAAQAzoCCAA6BAgAEA06CAgAEAgQDRAeUJERWKc9YOo_aAJwAHgEgAGvBogBkTmSAQ0wLjQuNC4wLjIuNC4zmAEAoAEBqgEHZ3dzLXdperABCg&sclient=psy-ab&ved=0ahUKEwjVp6P9-rzoAhXbzTgGHUUpDD4Q4dUDCAc&uact=5
ie From Brisbane Times site ....
Outback tyres slashed as Queensland 'nomads' flee virus
For our free coronavirus pandemic coverage, learn more here.
By Nicholas McElroy
March 27, 2020 4.11pm
People surging to remote parts of Queensland in an attempt to avoid the coronavirus outbreak have reportedly been met with vigilantism in some outback towns.
Tyres have reportedly been slashed in some cases amid panic travellers may be spreading COVID-19.
Federal Queensland minister David Littleproud has spoken of reports of vigilantism in outback Queensland towns.
Federal Queensland minister David Littleproud has spoken of reports of vigilantism in outback Queensland towns.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
The influx of visitors to south-west Queensland, defying orders from authorities to stay home, has followed the state borders being shut on Thursday.
This has created anxiety for some residents of remote communities, says drought and emergency management Minister David Littleproud who is calling to tighter regulations on travel.
Mr Littleproud says he has written to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk calling for calm and to further mitigate risks of virus spread.
Another 62 Queenslanders test positive, state total now 555
"As the borders have been shut we've seen a surge of 'grey nomads' ... to south-west Queensland to hide from the virus," Mr Littleproud told media on Friday.
"Unfortunately this action could turn caravans into the cruise ships of the outback if someone is infected and spreads it in small communities with the health resources to support them.
"There's is panic out there in some areas to the the extent that we're seeing vigilantism where tyres have been slashed of people who are out there."
Mr Littleproud, who's electorate of Maranoa takes in much of south west Queensland, said all levels of government needed to make sure residents are calm and safe in those areas.
People's tyres are reportedly being slashed in remote and regional parts of Queensland. (File image)
People's tyres are reportedly being slashed in remote and regional parts of Queensland. (File image)
Meanwhile, rural doctors have reminded those who live in isolated communities their towns aren't protected from the spread of the virus.
Dr Adam Coltzau is leading the COVID-19 response for the Rural Doctors Association of Australia and Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine.
"Cases of coronavirus have already been confirmed in numerous rural communities," he said.
"But some rural Australians are still walking around in La-La Land, thinking COVID-19 is only a big city issue.
"This couldn't be further from the truth."
Dr Coltzau said people should self-isolate at home and work from home wherever possible.
North Queensland federal politicians have also written to Ms Palaszczuk calling for the region to be closed to slow the spread of coronavirus.
She was sent the letter on Thursday, which cited a lack of resources the region had to deal with an outbreak.
Federal members George Christensen, Phillip Thompson, Michelle Landry and senator Matt Canavan signed the letter.
-- Edited by PeterX on Saturday 28th of March 2020 09:33:46 PM
-- Edited by PeterX on Saturday 28th of March 2020 09:44:27 PM
Although I understand Qlanders are concerned about travellers, even if the report is true doing things like slashing tyres is rather extreme and unnecessary. I bet that Mr Littleproud and his fellow Qld politicians will be the first ones crying out for the grey nomads and tourists in general to return and support their struggling economy once it's all over. Shutting down borders is a matter for governments to decide it doesn't really worry me one way or the other as we are planning on sitting it out at home. I almost got caught in South Africa last week because the Federal government decided at short notice to stop all overseas travel - great idea but it did people scattered around the world no favours in trying to get home. The same can probably be said for those travellers who were scattered around Australia when the state borders closed. This has nothing to do with politics it is around allowing people to get to a place where they can follow the social distancing guidelines. If Queenslanders were fair dinkum they would probably get just as much of an impact by isolating south east Qld from the rest of the state but that's their problem to sort out..
Cheers
BB
-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Sunday 29th of March 2020 01:00:36 PM
Have I missed the point here? Why would you slash the tyres if you wanted them to move on??????
Too much thinking involved perhaps? Cheers
Now why didnt I think of that. Put it down to my age folks!
roads int mareeba are now closed you cant get here so give it a miss
not enough test kits
All roads into Mareeba are open.
A bit rich isn't it Stoney saying boarding schools are where rich kids go. I know plenty of country people who went with out to give their kids a good education. I for one. Obviously you are prejudiced or envious that you never did. And please quote your evidence when making such an authoritative statement. Its possibly only hearsay from other uninformed sources.