Border closure rules pose 'a serious threat to federation'

Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell says the stance the premiers of Queensland and Western Australian have taken on border closures is “the most serious threat to federation since the start of the pandemic.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison will be pushing for a nation-wide definition on a COVID-19 hotspot at this Friday’s National Cabinet meeting.

The push to define COVID-19 hotspots comes as part of the Morrison government’s border closure agenda to encourage states and territories to open interstate bounderies and ease restrictions in regional areas that have very few of no COVID-19 cases.

“With the words of the Queensland and WA premiers today saying we are not moving on hard borders, even before this national cabinet discussion on a hotspot definition tomorrow, the whole hotspot scheme seems pretty doomed,” Mr Clennell told Sky News host Andrew Bolt.

“The intransigence here, of these states, Queensland and WA, and both of them are facing state elections and both of them have popular policies, is starting to become a serious concern for Scott Morrison.

“How is he going to get them to change their minds?

“It doesn’t appear he can."

Image: News Corp Australia

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