Queensland Parliament passes a bill meaning travellers from coronavirus hotspots caught lying on border declarations upon entry into the state can now be jailed for up to six months.
People caught breaching coronavirus health restrictions could be sent to jail for up to six months, after harsher penalties were passed through Queensland Parliament.Health Minister Steven Miles says he doesn't want Queensland's hard work to be undoneHealth Minister Steven Miles said the prison sentence could be imposed by the courts in serious cases of people flouting the state's public health directions.
The increased penalty followed a number of people trying to illegally enter Queensland, after having been in areas designated as COVID-19 hotspots. "We take the health of Queenslanders very seriously and our public health directions are in place to limit any potential spread of COVID-19," Mr Miles said.Coronavirus latest: Follow all the latest information in our COVID-19 live blog
"We don't want to see all our hard work undone, and we are very serious about enforcing our public health directions." The prison penalty will sit alongside already hefty fines of up to $13,345 for people and businesses caught breaking the rules.Six people were fined a total of more than $24,000 for lying on border declaration forms while trying to enter Queensland at the weekend.
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