Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House the population density of regional areas in Queensland pose a significantly lower risk of the contagion spreading than in the large population centres of South-East Queensland, which is reflected by the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases. Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast account for over 80% of Queensland’s COVID-19 cases, at an infection rate of over double most other localities. Regional towns have much smaller economies and thus do not have the same capacity to recover financially as the large business centres in South-East Queensland. Relaxing restrictions in all areas but the major epicentres of COVID-19 will ease the social and economic effects of the prevailing government action while quickening the overall state-wide recovery.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to swiftly, methodically and logically assess the viability and positive effects of quarantining South-East Queensland separate to the rest of Queensland for the purposes of easing restrictions on businesses and social interactions in lower risk regions.