Echuca-Moama’s leaders have lashed out a decision by the Victorian Government to restrict the movement of border bubble residents, saying some businesses may not survive.
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As of midnight Tuesday, residents in the border bubble will only be able to enter Victoria without a permit if they are travelling for six essential reasons including medical care, compassionate reasons, work, education, playing sport or getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
The restrictions also apply to Victorian bubble residents entering NSW if they wish to return to Victoria without a permit under the border bubble system.
Businesses in hospitality, retail, accommodation and services such as beauty and hairdressing will lose out on customers from over the border.
Committee for Echuca Moama chief executive Deanne Armstrong said the situation was “getting to crisis point” for Moama businesses.
“Talking to the businesses over there, it’s going to be a huge struggle to keep moving forward in these restrictions and we need something to change for our border communities,” she said.
“They’re receiving government support from NSW but it’s still not enough to keep the businesses going.
“If we keep closing down border communities, specifically if we haven’t been affected by COVID cases, it’s just frustrating because it doesn’t make sense.
“You can’t see how some businesses will survive this . . . we need to come up with options other than closing down borders and businesses, otherwise we’re not going to have businesses here.
“The only thing we can really do at the moment is make sure we’re supporting our local businesses as much as possible.”
Murray River Council Mayor Chris Bilkey said it was a “further kick in the guts” for the NSW side of the border.
“I think it’s an over-response for dealing with an issue that’s a long way from here,” he said.
“We remain COVID-free for a significant distance from our border, so I’d be happier if they defined the border bubble more narrowly and left the access between them reasonably open.”
In July, the council had resolved to campaign for the border bubble to return to a green zone under Victoria’s travel permit system, but Cr Bilkey said it would be a “waste of breath” while the COVID outbreak in Greater Sydney continued.
“I had a conference call with some other mayors along the [Murray River] on Friday,” he said.
“The consensus was there would be little point in us advocating for changing the border bubble to green at this point, given NSW continues to be a major problem in the metropolitan area.
“Which doesn’t mean to say there won’t come a time where we will.”
Moama's accommodation businesses have been affected by Victorian Government decisions throughout this year, including a mass exodus on New Year's Eve after a border closure was announced, and during the July school holidays when the border bubble turned orange, then red soon after.
NSW Member for Murray Helen Dalton said she could understand why Victoria was being cautious given the outbreak in Sydney, but said it was extremely frustrating for border residents.
“Given we haven’t had any COVID-19 cases in NSW border towns, I’d question why this change is necessary,” she said.
“If governments are going to impose strict rules that destroy businesses and divide families, they need to provide adequate financial compensation . . . they haven’t provided nearly enough.”
Victorian Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh said the state government’s decision to “protect” Victoria’s border communities was a “pointless exercise”.
He said it was “another knife into the heart of the private and economic lives for all of us in the bubble”.
“The economics are bad enough; and we all know what havoc this will wreak the length of the river — and on both sides,” Mr Walsh said.
“But so many people in our border communities have finally had enough; you can only knock someone to the ground so many times before in the end they just cannot get up.
“Some are just giving up because they can’t visit family, can’t see grandchildren, can’t get to weddings or funerals.
“There is absolutely no reason to cripple our cross-border communities because there are cases in Melbourne 222km in one direction and in Sydney 777km in the other direction.”
Announcing the changes on Monday, August 2, Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said the government wanted to make sure the border bubble continued to operate, but for essential reasons.
“With the outbreak in NSW still growing, the public health advice is clear: we need to limit unessential movement across the border into Victoria where it is practical and possible,” he said.
“You’re not allowed to cross the border to visit a friend, go for a meal or go on a holiday.”
Travel for sport and exercise will be limited to the minimum number of participants needed to play, with travel for spectators, excluding parents, off limits.
People will be allowed to travel within the border bubble to visit their intimate partner.
“We know this will affect many border residents, but so will another outbreak of the Delta variant on our doorstep. We need to keep our border residents and all Victorians safe,” Mr Foley said.
“We are updating the settings based upon that balance and the best advice.”
People crossing into Victoria for one of the listed essential reasons will be unable to travel ‘‘further than reasonably necessary’’ for their activity, with fines of up to $5452 for non-essential travel.
“If you’re from Albury, please don’t shop in Wangaratta, Werribee or Warrnambool, if the essential reason for your travel can be attended to in Wodonga,” Mr Foley said.
Existing exceptions to getting a permit for travel will continue to apply, including emergencies or escaping family violence.
Mr Foley said the Victorian Government would continue to “work closely” with local governments, communities and industries to make sure the changes would be implemented “as smoothly as possible”.
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