MEMBER for Mallee Anne Webster has lashed out at South Australia’s “crushing” new restrictions imposed on cross-border communities, while Member for Mildura Ali Cupper has labelled the decision “shameful”.
From August 21 residents of cross-border communities will be able to enter South Australia only to complete Year 11 and 12 studies or if they are farmers needing access to their properties either side of the border.
The rest will either need an exemption for health reasons or be deemed an essential traveller.
“We understand this is going to have an impact,” South Australian police commissioner and COVID co-ordinator Grant Stevens said.
“It is deemed this is a critical step to ensure the safety of the community and to further minimise the risk of (the virus) finding its way into our regional communities and then the wider metropolitan area.”
But Dr Webster said she was horrified at what was happening.
“So we have NSW border restrictions not intelligently protective — now we’ve got South Australia, who already had a hard border, and now you can’t even buy food, go see a doctor or get medical supplies, let alone go to work,” she said.
“These premiers have no idea the decimation that is occurring in our border communities.”
Ms Cupper called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to intervene.
“State governments are out of control with these border restrictions they claim are being made on public-health grounds,” she said.
“I challenge the SA Government to present to me and my community the ‘health advice’ that shows that someone from Murrayville is a high risk to someone in Pinnaroo.
“While we continue to wait for Mr Morrison to step up on this issue, we have been in urgent contact with the South Australian Premier’s office in an attempt to negotiate some sort of compromise to ensure basic supplies are accessible to the residents of Murrayville.”
Dr Webster said the new measures went against a measured approach to tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have been told right from the get-go that prevention and protection occur with hand hygiene, social distancing, masks and that is it is being managed through tracing, testing and isolating, and that lockdowns and restrictions would be to flatten the curve, not to eradicate but to flatten the curve,” she said.
“These decisions have been made as blanket bans on communities who are now unable to live their lives rather than a targeted approach which locks down hot spots or community transmission.
“Nobody in regional Victoria is disputing the need for lockdowns when there is community spread.
“The fact people are now living with such anxiety that some people think (these lockdowns) are actually a good thing and that it’s going to prevent COVID-19.
“No it’s not, no it’s not at all, COVID-19 may well be here for two or three years, until we get a vaccine.
“These state government approaches are not measured, they are not reasonable and it’s extremely upsetting to see how it’s impacting not only the industry and the economy, it’s impacting people’s lives.”
