Queensland will close its border to NSW and the ACT this week after people continued to flout the state's mandatory quarantine.
From 1am on Saturday, returning Queenslanders will have to pay for 14-day mandatory hotel quarantine while all visitors will be denied entry, with rare exemptions.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the hard border lockdown is due to people deliberately flouting the law.
"There are people dying. This is a life-and-death situation here," she said on Wednesday.
Health Minister Stephen Miles said the border closure had to include the ACT because there had been cases of people avoiding quarantine by flying in from Canberra.
A man is accused of driving from Sydney to the ACT then catching a flight to Cairns to dodge mandatory quarantine restrictions.
Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said the man allegedly told police he was "frustrated" with the restrictions and wanted to go to work.
He is undergoing mandatory quarantine.
Queensland recorded one new case overnight after an 86-year-old Ipswich woman tested positive.
Meanwhile, three men caught trying to dodge quarantine after travelling from Melbourne have tested negative.
The men, aged 23, 25 and 29, failed to declare they had been to the hot spot when they crossed into the state at Coolangatta after allegedly spending several weeks in Melbourne.
All three have been issued with court notices and investigations are ongoing.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others.
Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
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