Family denied chance to say goodbye to 101 grandmother after Queensland border confusion - 9News

Born during the Spanish Flu Freda Aughton was happiest when surrounded by family.

Now 101 she's living out her final days separated by a border and bureaucracy.

"It would mean the world to her if they could just come through the border and see her," Ms Aughton's granddaughter, Mikkayla Smith, told 9News.

Ms Aughton's daughter and granddaughter had an exemption but were stopped by Queensland officials after driving 1000kms.

"Really frustrating when we got to the border because our passes were no longer valid we were told at the border," granddaughter Sharon Star told 9News.

Told the rules had changed that morning despite being from a regional town with no known COVID-19 cases they were turned around and are now driving 1000kms home.

Freda Aughton's family when they were last able to visit her. (Nine)

"We try not to get caught up in it because we just break down and cry - we just really want to get that chance to say our goodbyes," Ms Star said.

Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles today told reporters "it's important to remember these initiatives are all put in place to keep our community safe".

Yet Ms Aughton's case is another case of confusion at the border following the tragic loss of the unborn child of Ballina woman Kimberley Brown, forced to fly to Sydney earlier this month for medical care. Tonight, Mr Miles sent an urgent message to New South Wales Hospitals.

"These border restrictions do not limit the movement of patients requiring urgent or essential care," he told reporters. But even that was a change on the message 24 hours ago. 

"in the direction it very clearly says anyone can come across the border in an emergency," Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young told reporters.

Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles. (Nine)

AMA NSW President Dr Danielle McMullen said the current border restrictions "are making that very difficult for the health care systems and the patients they are looking after in those areas."

  One solution being explored is a model based on the Danish system. The strategy was discussed by Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the Danish leader Mette Fredrickson on Wednesday.

Under the model, states would be declared open if they report fewer than 20 cases per 100,000 people per week and fewer than 5 per cent of all tests come back positive.

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2020-08-29 11:02:00Z
CBMioAFodHRwczovL3d3dy45bmV3cy5jb20uYXUvbmF0aW9uYWwvcXVlZW5zbGFuZC1ib3JkZXItZmFtaWx5LWRlbmllZC1jaGFuY2UtdG8tc2F5LWdvb2RieWUtdG8tMTAxLWdyYW5kbW90aGVyLWNvdmlkMTktcGFuZGVtaWMvYmFkODU2ZmItNjg5Zi00ZGMzLTllYTYtN2ZlNDQyMDFiY2Ez0gFFaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAuOW5ld3MuY29tLmF1L2FydGljbGUvYmFkODU2ZmItNjg5Zi00ZGMzLTllYTYtN2ZlNDQyMDFiY2Ez

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