Furious theme park owner BANS Queensland premier from coming to Sea World because her refusal to open the state border has 'put his staff through hell and cost thousands of jobs'

Annastacia Palaszczuk was refused entry to Sea World for a media opportunity over speculation she will back down from her promise to reopen the state border to Sydney this weekend. 

The Queensland premier had been due to take a tour of the Gold Coast theme park on Thursday.

The tour would have happened the day before Ms Palaszczuk was expected to announce Queensland will not reopen its border with Sydney on November 1. 

Ms Palaszczuk is reportedly waiting on the advice from the state's chief health officer and is likely to only extend the Sunshine State's border bubble with northern New South Wales.   

Village Roadshow CEO Clark Kirby, who runs Sea World, Movie World and Wet 'n Wild, said he could not allow Ms Palaszczuk into his theme park knowing the border closure could possibly continue. 

'It would be reprehensible to me to walk around with a government that is going to cost thousands of jobs,' he told Gold Coast Bulletin.

'My staff have been through hell and we're starting to see a ray of light but the government is pulling that out from under us.' 

Annastacia Palaszczuk was refused entry to Sea World for a media opportunity over speculation she will back down from her promise to reopen the state border to Sydney this weekend

The tour would have happened the day before Ms Palaszczuk was expected to announce Queensland will not reopen its border with Sydney on November 1

Village Roadshow CEO Clark Kirby , who runs Sea World, Movie World and Wet 'n Wild, said he could not allow Ms Palaszczuk into his theme park knowing the border closure could be possibly continued

Mr Kirby said communication had also deteriorated between Sea World and the Palaszczuk Government in the lead-up to the scheduled media tour.

'We have had nothing despite me reaching out numerous times,' he said.

'No one in the government can give us a single answer, even talk to us, and that's the principle reason I cancelled their Sea World walk around today. Not a single person in that government can give me an indication of what is happening with the borders.'

Mr Kirby warned the uncertainty imposed by the state government had put a freeze on job hiring.  

Traditionally, his organisation employs about 500 people over the busy summer season.

'Our recruitment depends on the border opening - if it does not reopen, then hundreds of summer jobs on the Gold Coast will be lost,' he said.

Industry leaders have joined Mr Kirby and warned of catastrophic implications if Ms Palaszczuk decides to keep borders closed. 

Queensland Airports chief executive officer Chris Mills said a last minute decision to keep Sydneysiders out would be devastating.  

Flights from Sydney to the Gold Coast on Sunday are nearly at capacity, while the airport has reported 'good bookings' for the rest of the week.

Telling these passengers that their flight would not be going ahead at such short notice could cripple the industry, Mr Mills warned. 

'These are real people's jobs we are talking about – anyone from the barista making your coffee, to the retail assistant and taxi driver. Many of these people could be back at work next month if the border opens,' he said.

Ms Palaszczuk is reportedly waiting on the advice from the state's chief health officer and is likely to only extend the Sunshine State's border bubble with northern New South Wales (pictured, cars queued at the Queensland and New South Wales border at Coolangatta)

Mr Kirby warned the uncertainty imposed by the state government had put a freeze on job hiring

'To turn them away at short notice would be a real blow to the Gold Coast's recovery.'

Mr Mills estimated some 41,000 jobs on the Gold Coast and 3,000 businesses were relying on the borders to open as soon as possible.  

'We don't understand why we have to wait until two days before the potential opening to find out what is happening. 

'Airlines need time to schedule flights, travellers need to book with confidence, and employers need to be able to roster staff accordingly.'

Queensland's Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young has repeatedly said the trigger to the border reopening is NSW managing 28 consecutive days of no Covid-19 community transmission.

Queensland's stubborn premier appears poised to keep her borders closed to Sydneysiders ahead of Saturday's state election

Motorists are stopped at a checkpoint at Coolangatta on the Queensland-New South Wales border when it was re-introduced in August

Ms Palaszczuk said she would continue to make decisions based on the health advice provided to her.

On Thursday, NSW recorded four new cases of coronavirus within the community, as well as an additional case in hotel quarantine.

But the state's contact tracers have thus far been successful in monitoring and containing the virus. 

Ms Palaszczuk on Thursday said she had not yet been given her options regarding reopening her state.

She is expected to make a final announcement on Friday, one day before the tightly contested state election.

'That will come from the Chief Health Officer. That's the way the Chief Health Officer works,' she said.

'It's a matter for her. She will advise us and we will tell the public.'