They say opening borders is necessary to start businesses and get people back to work, and that Queensland needs to learn to live with the coronavirus rather than isolate it.
“We want to see Australians meet with their loved ones after months of separation and we want to see local businesses, and the million people in the tourism industry return to work,” said an online petition filed by Qantas that accompanies the ad campaign.
“We are calling for decisions on local border closures to assess risks against an agreed set of medical standards and a common definition of what constitutes a hotspot for coronavirus.”
This coincides with the Queensland government’s “Make Queensland Great” campaign that will encourage people to shop locally, with the same goal of supporting local business and economic growth.
However, Qantas, Virgin, Hilworld and the aviation hub say they cannot deliver an economic recovery while Queensland adheres to its tough border policy.
Prime Minister Anastasia Palachuk and her government said they remain committed to the state’s strict border controls, with Deputy Prime Minister Stephen Miles refusing to confirm this morning whether the border will open by Christmas.
