VICTORIAN Premier Daniel Andrews has been urged to open Mildura for business when he delivers the government’s dedicated regional road map out of COVID-19 lockdown this weekend.
As part of its reopening plan on Sunday, the government will release details of its plan for regional Victoria, which Mr Andrews says will aim to provide greater certainty to communities, tourism operators and businesses that restrictions will be eased at a safe pace based on localised health advice.
Mildura Mayor Simon Clemence said the government should consider the Mildura municipality in isolation due to the region’s unique issues and circumstances and show respect for residents who had been doing the right thing for more than five months, resulting in low cases of the coronavirus.
Cr Clemence said Mildura was a “great example” of an individual circumstance that was “so totally different to anywhere else on the Murray”.
“Let us open up,” he said his message would be to Mr Andrews.
“Give us the credit to be able to say that we will do the right thing and clearly we’ll monitor and manage what we’re doing.
“If we stumble and we end up with some problems, then obviously we’re quite prepared to react quickly to lock back down or resolve the issue as required.”
Mr Andrews said on Tuesday regional Victoria had done “a fantastic job” in following the rules and slowing the spread of the coronavirus and, as the state slowly opens up, the government would do everything it could to protect that.
“Regional Victoria and Melbourne are experiencing this virus in different ways,” Mr Andrews said.
“That’s why we need a dedicated regional road map to plan for – and protect – regional Victoria,” he said.
“We want to open up the whole of our state in a steady and safe way, because no matter your postcode, we’re in this together.”
However, Cr Clemence said it was clear Mildura needed “a package, a deal, a scenario” that solely suited the region and that would not necessarily be ideal for other areas.
“States have been looking at a one-size-fits-all and then tinkering around at the edges after the fact, trying to fix the damage they have done,” he said.
“What we need is people to turn their focus on what best suits particular areas based on their individual circumstances.
“We have some unique issues — we are so isolated and we are so co-dependent with our neighbouring communities.
“There are individual circumstances that should be tailored to particular areas and this is something they should have thought about a long time ago.”
Cr Clemence said that while he supported the Premier’s dedicated approach to regional Victoria, “obviously the devil will be in the detail”.
“You can only be reactive for so long — eventually you have to start being proactive and looking at what people’s needs are and trying to tailor your response to those needs,” he said.
“I certainly think that is where we should be now and I support that happening.”
But Cr Clemence said any easing of restrictions across regional Victoria should not be a green light for Melbourne residents to holiday in the country.
“The risk there is then you may get people wanting to come up from Melbourne to enjoy the freedom,” he said.
“But obviously that would require the lockdown in Melbourne to be fairly secure and that people are properly vetted when they leave Melbourne.
“And we know that’s not happening to the level of scrutiny that it should be.”
The mayor said the easing of restrictions between Victoria and NSW announced on Tuesday further strengthened the argument for an easing of rules in regional Victoria.
The government said it would offer tailored guidance not only to different industries, but to different parts of the state.
It said discussions were under way with a range of industry, unions and community organisations to inform the final work on Victoria’s road map to “COVID normal”, including a separate road map to protect and support regional Victoria.
Minister for Industry Support and Recovery Martin Pakula said the government’s dedicated plan for regional Victoria would ensure case numbers remained low while providing support for businesses.
