WHEN the Victorian Government imposed border restrictions from December 21, police officers shipped in from across the state to man the major border crossing roadblock were accommodated in Echuca’s motels and hotels.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
But they knew they would soon be forced out by saturation holiday bookings across the town.
So now they have been relocated to Bendigo, with officers bussed in and out of Echuca around the clock – a trip adding about three hours a day in travel time for every officer.
And that’s despite thousands of beds standing empty, just minutes away in Moama, after the sudden decision to slam the door shut on December 31 saw more than 60,000 Victorians flee southern NSW in a mad exodus - gutting its holiday industry.
To date, Murray River Council has never recorded a case of COVID-19, while Victoria has gone over a week without community transmission.
One accommodation provider who spoke to the Riverine Herald, but wished to remain anonymous, said they approached Victoria Police about hosting the officers to help ease the pain of losing customers.
“I was told it wouldn’t be possible because they would be staying in NSW,” the accommodation provider said.
“Given they’re emergency services I thought it would have been a chance of happening.”
The Riverine Herald approached the Victorian Government with the following questions.
- Can you confirm how many out-of-town police are currently posted to the Echuca border crossing?
- Can you confirm if the officers stationed here are being accommodated in the local area to help offset losses caused by border shutdowns?
- Is the government aware of the impact its orange decision is having on both sides of the river at its peak tourism period?
- If police are not being booked into local hotel/motel rooms, why not?
- If police are not staying locally can this arrangement be urgently reviewed so they support the local economy in regional towns? And if not, why not?
Police and Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville offered the following response.
“Victoria Police has done a fantastic job during the coronavirus pandemic response and their high standard of service delivery to communities, no matter where you live, will remain unchanged,” she said.
“We have 700 police officers performing duties at border checkpoints across Victoria and these officers are staying in local townships when the accommodation options are close and available.
“Accommodation is always booked as close to the shift site as possible, so is often in nearby areas if the town they are in is booked out.
“We understand the challenges created by border closures, which is why we’re supporting regional towns and centres by encouraging Victorians to travel to these areas through incentives such as the Regional Travel Voucher Scheme.”
Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh said despite lessons that should have been learnt from previous COVID closures and their impact on the river’s twin towns, “once again local economies have been blithely thrown under the bus”.
“I met last week with Victoria Police assistant commissioner Rick Nugent and raised the accommodation issue with him,” Mr Walsh said.
“And I was assured every attempt would be made to book locally – locally in Echuca-Moama means Echuca and Moama.
“A/Comm Nugent said they always preferred staying locally because it cut down on time and transport costs.
“At the time I raised accommodation in the context of the twin towns, not just Echuca, because obviously it is the one community, something the government in Melbourne has still not grasped.
“My understanding is police were staying locally until forced out of the market by holiday bookings, that’s understandable – but it has been almost two weeks since the Andrews’ government’s border shutdown saw 60,000 Victorians flee NSW before being locked out of their own state.
“Surely that is more than enough time for someone to get the message the Moama half of the twin towns is being destroyed by the closure and to start moving police over there for accommodation.
“A move that would go some small way towards helping an economy shattered by COVID chaos – and make no mistake, the whole community here, both sides of the river, will pay the price for that.”
Member for Murray Helen Dalton, whose electorate area includes Moama, was just as perplexed by the decision making.
“This really is kicking border communities when they are down,” she said.
“The Victorian Government wiped out so many businesses across Moama and other border towns on New Year’s Eve.
“The least they could do is support those towns they destroyed by having their border checkpoint police stay there for the night.
“This comes on top of the news the NSW Government is providing COVID stimulus to Sydney’s Northern Beaches and nothing for border towns.”
More local news
Turn the Bubble Green: Moama Waters counts itself lucky