New virus rules weigh on sports, arts

Travel restrictions imposed by the state government on Queensland arrivals have wreaked havoc on a number of sports and arts events.

The hard border, announced by Premier Mark McGowan this morning, was in response to fears of an outbreak of the highly infectious UK COVID-19 strain and will take place from midnight tonight.

It means that a number of sporting associations will be forced to make changes to their match schedules.

That includes the NBL, with the Perth Wildcats' first home game now up in the air after the league requested that all clubs stay put while it revises the start of the 2020-21 season.

The Wildcats, which flew into Queensland earlier this week for two pre-season matches, confirmed it would remain in Brisbane for another 24 hours.

The club faces a 14-day quarantine upon returning to WA unless it receives the all-clear from WA Police, via a G2G PASS.

The Wildcats is scheduled to play the New Zealand Breakers at RAC Arena on January 17.

Fellow WA franchise Perth Heat is understood to be leaving Queensland after playing three games at Viticon Stadium, against the Brisbane Bandits and Adelaide Giants. The club is flying into Adelaide this afternoon.

Its upcoming games against Brisbane and Adelaide, scheduled for January 9 and 10, have been postponed.

Meanwhile, Cricket Australia has moved three matches to Canberra's Manuka Oval, including a game between the Perth Scorchers and Sydney Sixers.

The match, originally to be held in Brisbane, is scheduled for January 16.

Changes have also been made at the upcoming Fringe World Festival, with its organiser Muse Bureau announcing the cancellation of new show BRIEFS: THE BITE, which was set to open on January 21.

Muse says there are plans to bring the show to Perth later in the year.