Remote Queensland councils are facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in border checkpoint costs, but the State Government says it can't directly foot the bill.
When the border closed in response to the pandemic, the Paroo Shire Council immediately stepped up, helping with costs like wages, accommodation, fuel and equipment.
But as the closures wore on, the council said it cost around $300,000 to staff the checkpoint at Barrningun on the state's southern border.
Mayor Suzette Beresford said she had asked the State Government to help.
"I don't think at the time anyone realised that the borders would be closed for the length of time that occurred," she said.
"It's in excess of $300,000.
"At this stage the State Government has indicated that there's no avenue for recompense."
Ms Beresford said it could mean cuts in other areas of the council's $51 million budget.
"So it looks like councils may be bearing the brunt of the costs of this," she said.
"There was no provision for this expenditure in our initial budget."
Goondiwindi checkpoint costs
Southern Downs Regional Council wants the State Government to pitch in too.
Mayor Vic Pennisi said the bill for the checkpoint at Goondiwindi could be in the millions of dollars.
"We've run up a bit of cost in relation to that barriers and gates at the borders," he said.
"We're asking the State Government if they can reimburse that."
Mr Pennisi said it would have serious implications to the council budget.
"COVID was nobody's fault. It wasn't a state government's fault. It wasn't our fault," he said.
"We're in this together. We're happy to stump up, and, and help where we can."
State offers alternate funding
But the State Government said its hands were tied.
The State Government said it could not pay the invoices directly as there was no process to do so.
But a spokesperson for the Deputy Premier and Local Government Minister Steven Miles said councils were receiving other COVID-related support.
"The $150 million special COVID-19 round of Works for Queensland is supporting jobs and providing economic stimulus to local economies," they said.
"Paroo Shire Council has received over $1.14 million in COVID Work for Queensland funding."
The Government said the Goondiwindi Regional Council would receive $1.35 million from the fund.
