Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate wants a police checkpoint erected on the M1 between Brisbane and Gold Coast to avoid future chaos in the tourist capital during border closures and lockdowns.

His call comes one day after the Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, lifted the south-east Queensland lockdown, which kept more than 3 million people at home under strict stay-at-home orders. 

Councillor Tate said a system, similar to the police operation on the Queensland and New South Wales border, could be introduced on the M1 at the Logan River.  

Last week, Cr Tate called for the Gold Coast to be exempted from the lockdown, because there had been no recent cases of COVID-19 community transmission.

"Any cars that are going back and forward [on the M1] because of a Brisbane lockdown … [I'd say] why are you driving to the Gold Coast?" he said.

"If it means you're coming back home, fine. But if it means, 'The sun's out and I want to get to the beach' well hang on, turn around."

Queensland Police Acting Chief Superintendent Rhys Wildman oversees the border operations on the Gold Coast.

He said there would have to be detailed discussions between police and the Queensland Government about the mayor's proposal.

"For us, operationally, there would be some significant challenges around trying to close the M1 and rail corridors. The flow-on implications would be quite significant." 

Superintendent Wildman said he was not aware of any discussions surrounding a possible M1 checkpoint between Queensland's two largest cities. 

"I think it would be extremely challenging," he said. 

Tom Tate said he wanted to see future lockdowns become more localised to prevent businesses from going broke.

"If a case pops up, then you've got to have the process that that area is localised and if the lockdown is in, for example, Indoorroopilly and have it that way," Cr Tate said.

"The rest of us are protected and the livelihood of the rest of south-east Queensland, and the state for that matter, continues to flourish. 

Yesterday the Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the state was "not out of the woods" regarding the pandemic.

Cr Tate said there must be a better balance between the the health response and keeping businesses open. 

"This Delta strain is with us and we've got to live with it, control it and maintain our livelihood," he said.

Relief package 

Tomorrow the Gold Coast City will vote on a Small Business Relief Package.

Cr Tate said he wanted to continue to waive fees for businesses with al fresco dining, offer parking relief for medical staff in, and around, the Robina Hospital and the Gold Coast University Hospital and defer rates and water charges for struggling businesses.  

"We've got to do everything we can. Basically, it's not a handout, it's a hand up.

"I am confident that we as a council will want to help those in need." 

Mayor Tate said the city will have to delay some of its planned projects to fund the relief package.

"We've got to live within our means. You can't increase rates," he said.

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