Conservative political activist Lyle Shelton has been questioned by police after bragging on social media about a “sneaky” run across the Queensland border and into New South Wales.
Shelton, who spearheaded the “No” campaign during the Marriage Equality Referendum, posted to his social media accounts on Saturday that he’d just completed a “sneaky run across the border” and mocked the Queensland Police while he was at it.
“Sneaky run across the border and back. Avoided the CCP virus police,” he Tweeted of his run into NSW, referring to the cops as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
On Sunday the official Queensland Police Twitter account replied to Shelton’s post and said they were making further enquiries.
“It was disappointing to see that Tweet,” Queensland Police commissioner Katarina Carroll said on Monday.
“When you see something like that, it means you have to put resources into it and we’ve done that.
“He has been spoken to. He can cross the border. I understand he has a G-pass, it was just a ‘funny’ Tweet which, in the end, is taking away resources that need to be in other places. I ask for people to please not do that.”
Queensland Police reintroduced road checkpoints at the NSW state border on December 21 to help enforce the declaration of Greater Sydney as a COVID-19 hotspot.
People who have been in Greater Sydney cannot cross the Queensland border without a 14-day hotel quarantine stay at their own expense.
NSW residents outside the hotspot can only enter Queensland through the patrolled border, using a border pass.
Shelton addressed the police investigation, saying he was “happy” to comply with questions.
“I was happy to speak with Queensland police today & explain my run along the coast from Coolangatta to the Tweed & back,” he posted on Twitter.
“There were no checkpoints for joggers, walkers or lizards. I have not visited a hotspot. There is a valid debate re borders but I respect the role of our police.”