SUNRAYSIA does not face the same coronavirus situation as Melbourne and should be treated differently, a Mildura councillor says.
Mark Eckel, who said he wasn’t speaking from a council perspective, said businesses in Mildura that had been doing the right thing didn’t deserve continuation of restrictive measures.
Cr Eckel said he backed advocacy efforts of local federal and state members Anne Webster and Ali Cupper in recent weeks.
“We are managing the situation well and that has to be respected,” he said, noting the various agencies in the region responding to the threat posed by the pandemic.
“Don’t get me wrong — I am not advocating against the directions of the Chief Health Officer, I am suggesting that our region be considered seriously and that the Premier’s advisors listen to our local authorities and recognise the work of our health services.”
Cr Eckel said The Salvation Army and Mallee Family Care were seeing people in the region “really hurting” because of the economic fallout since COVID-19 restrictions began.
