REASON Coalition leader Fiona Patten has called for a national scheme to control COVID-19 border closures.
Ms Patten, who is touring north-west Victoria this week with deputy leader Ali Cupper to discuss a range of issues with stakeholders, believes the ad hoc approach to border closures is not working.
She said the impact on border communities was severe and often misunderstood by city-centric policy-makers.
“We need a system that works, and I don’t think we’re there,” Ms Patten said.
“There is no point Victoria doing one thing, NSW doing another and South Australia doing something different again.
“All that does is create confusion, frustration and ultimately has negative impacts, particularly on border communities.”
The Victorian Upper House MP has co-signed a letter – initiated by Member for Murray Helen Dalton and supported by Ms Cupper, Member for Wagga Wagga Joe McGirr, and members for Northern Victoria Tania Maxwell and Tim Quilty – to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, urging the Federal Government to intervene on the border issue.
“COVID-19 is not going away any time soon, and we just don’t know what future pandemics we might face so it is important we have governments come together and deliver a national scheme,” Ms Patten said.
