MEMBER for Murray Helen Dalton has accused the NSW Government of behaving like “arsonists congratulating themselves for starting to put out fires they lit” after it announced the easing of border restrictions on Tuesday.
NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro said restrictions would be relaxed over the next 10 days with the border zone extended from 2.5km back to the original 50km into each state.
Mrs Dalton labelled the announcement as a win for “people power”.
“The NSW Government are patting themselves on the back, like arsonists congratulating themselves for starting to put out fires they lit,” she said.
“But credit must go to the thousands of people who sent letters and emails to ministers demanding these changes.”
“Regional media, too, did a fantastic job keeping this issue pressure on. Local newspapers like Sunraysia Daily told compelling stories of lives ruined by these awful decisions.”
Relief is also on the way for South Australia border towns after SA reneged on its own hard-line stance less than a week after shutting out cross-border residents not deemed essential workers.
Mildura Mayor Simon Clemence said “common sense” had prevailed.
“It’s been a very difficult few days for residents in our border towns,” Cr Clemence said.
“Their livelihoods, even their health, was potentially put in jeopardy by the severe restrictions that isolated these communities.”
Cr Clemence said Tuesday’s announcement, as well as reported planned changes to NSW border restrictions, illustrated the power of a united voice among regional communities.
“When the harsher South Australian border restrictions were first announced there was stress and anxiety, but there was also a tremendous solidarity in our community,” Cr Clemence said.
Mrs Dalton claimed the angst caused on the NSW-Victorian border would never have happened if the government came to towns such as Wentworth and talked to local people.
“Let this be a lesson to the NSW Government to not make big decisions affecting country people from their offices in Sydney,” she said.
