Police seething over border tweet as 1000+ turned away

Mr Shelton attracted the ire of police after posting on social media about his exploits, but detectives from Taskforce Sierra Linnet, the official police response to the state’s border management strategy, ascertained there had been no breach as the Christian lobbyist had avalid border pass.

However, his actions left police seething, with the Gold Coast’s top cop, Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler, particularly unimpressed.“It is disappointing to see comments like in this instance indicating that this is some sort of joke,” he said.“I can assure everyone that police and everyone working on our borders, airports and quarantine hotels do not consider this to be a joke.“The next time people are sitting stuck in traffic jams at border checkpoints wishing there were more police there (to make things move more quickly), remember we are also dealing with people who are breaching the Chief Health Officer’s directions or doing things thatare either irresponsible or selfish.”He said police were on the look-out for those trying to bypass checkpoints by simply walking across the border.“Regular patrols are being conducted to ensure that pedestrians are following the CHO’s directives and we have written tickets for people who have done exactly that.”As of 6am on Monday, more than 1000 people have been turned away from hot spots at the Queensland border since checkpoints were reintroduced the week before Christmas.Almost 750,000 people have applied for border passes in that time.Police tweeted in response to Mr Shelton that they were aware of his claims and investigating. The former managing director of the Australian Christian Lobby group has since said he has spoken to police.“There were no checkpoints for joggers, walkers or lizards. I have not visited a COVID hotspot. There is a valid debate re borders, but I respect the role of our police,” he said in another tweet.

Under the current Queensland Health guidelines, if you visit NSW you must obtain a border pass to get back into the state.It comes after five people from Sydney were fined more than $20,000 after returning across the border last week without a pass.They were marched out of their holiday unit on the Gold Coast and placed into hotel quarantine.

Lighter barriers will be installed around the Tweed Heads checkpoint on the Queensland – New South Wales border in an effort to stop travellers skipping lines and illegally entering the state.

Download the Courier Mail app