The NSW Cross-Border Commissioner says there have been "positive" discussions with Queensland officials about changing arrangements for border communities despite "substantial misalignment" on some matters.
Commissioner James McTavish and Queensland State Disaster Coordinator Steve Gollschewski met on Sunday morning to discuss whether restrictions that have split communities across the border can be addressed.
Mr McTavish said, "there's still some substantial misalignment between the New South Wales and Queensland thinking".
"But I'm pretty confident we will see some change and that some change to be reasonably rapid," he said.
Unless a slim number of exemptions are granted, Queensland's strict border restrictions prevent all but 'critically essential workers' from entering the state, leaving many unable to reach work or return to family.
Bubble vs checkpoint change
NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro said on Saturday that the NSW Government "vehemently opposes" shifting border checkpoints south to the Tweed River — an option supported by the Queensland Government.
Mr McTavish said that position had not changed.
NSW has urged Queensland to implement a border bubble, but in a statement issued last week, Queensland Health said that option came with certain risks.
"Unless the Tweed Shire can be isolated from the rest of New South Wales, a border bubble poses too much risk due to the movement of people in the border zone," a spokesperson said.
Potential solutions
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the Queensland government was "being genuine" in negotiations and was "throwing everything at it".
"The fact still remains that New South Wales has a stay at home order," she said.
"They would have to lift that stay at home order for those communities living in that Tweed part of New South Wales."
Mr McTavish said possible steps for interconnected communities like Mungindi, the Gold Coast and Tweed Heads, could include increased testing requirements, more sewage surveillance and higher vaccination rates.
"These people in these border communities have worn it for the better part of 20 months," he said.
But Mr McTavish said community expectations should be measured, with "a substantial difference in risk appetite between New South Wales and Queensland".
"I don't think anybody is expecting to go back to an open border arrangement," he said.
The ABC understands senior public health bureaucrats from both states are meeting on Sunday afternoon.
A Queensland Police spokesperson said a further meeting between Deputy Commissioner Gollschewski and NSW officials had been scheduled for later this week.
"The discussions remain constructive and focussed on achieving an outcome that best meets the needs of communities affected most," the spokesperson said.
