MALLEE residents should never have to experience the intense suffering imposed on them during the COVID-19 pandemic by states intent only looking after themselves, Federal Parliament has been told.
Member for Mallee Anne Webster said the mantra “We’re all in this together” was a joke in cross-border communities which were left to feel expendable and left behind by state premiers.
“COVID-19 has unveiled a sleeping giant that has surprised and horrified many of us — the power of the states to control and determine the activities of its citizens in ways not experienced before in Australia’s history,” Dr Webster said.
“All of this happened in an 82,000-square-kilometre region where there were zero or a handful of cases for eight months, my electorate of Mallee,” she said.
“Border closures have caused extreme levels of disadvantage and suffering for families, businesses, communities and our economy.
“This unique location meant that three Premiers imposed restraint on the lives of those locals, from farmers in Wycheproof to schoolkids in Piangil, patients in Mildura, businesses in Murrayville, families in Kaniva and everyone in between.
“The people of Mallee have shared with me countless stories of hardship, frustration and grief.
“As a modern nation, we can’t allow this type of response to occur again.”
Dr Webster said that even after the Commonwealth and all state and territory governments except Western Australia agreed to a framework for national reopening, just days after the agreement several premiers reinstated border restrictions against South Australia.
“The hypocrisy is laughable, if it were not so serious,” she said.
“Until a vaccine arrives and is distributed, we cannot continue this type of reactive response.
“Border restrictions unduly impact regional communities.
“I will continue to advocate for change in the hope that we can prevent this kind of devastation being wrought on cross-border communities again.”
