Deniliquin and Mathoura will not be a part of a new stricter border zone to come into effect tomorrow night.
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Edward River Council Mayor Norm Brennan said the news was confirmed with him today, just days after being told Deniliquin’s inclusion in a border bubble was still an unknown.
The NSW Government released new information on Sunday and today relating to the establishment of a strict new border zone, tightened permit conditions and stronger enforcement powers.
The new border zone is officially 1km from the border in both NSW and Victoria, or from the edge of twin towns like Moama and Albury.
‘‘The draft proposal initially included Deniliquin and suggested extending the bubble 50km from the border,’’ Cr Brennan said.
‘‘But there has since been a cross border meeting with all local government areas affected, initiated by the New South Wales Cross Border Commissioner James McTavish, to hear our local concerns.
‘‘The inclusion of Deniliquin was not acceptable in my opinion.
‘‘So it was announced and confirmed yesterday that the border will remain where it is, only extending 1km on both sides and to border town such as Moama and Albury that extend beyond that distance.
‘‘Not Mathoura and not Deniliquin.’’
Those people who live in the newly defined border zones may only travel in to Victoria for one of a few reasons — to go to work or attend an education institution if they can’t work or learn from home, or to obtain medical care, supplies or health services.
It is only if these residents travel beyond the set border zones they will need to isolate for 14 days on their return to NSW.
All residents outside the border zone going in to Victoria must isolate on their return, unless otherwise indicated on their permit.
NSW member for Murray Helen Dalton said further thought needs to be put in to the border zone, and how rural communities in Deniliquin and district access services.
She said Shepparton must be included in the border bubble as a minimum, as it is a health hub for the region.
‘‘We have New South Wales residents who go to Shepparton for regular cancer treatment. How are they supposed to isolate for 14 days if they have daily or weekly appointments?’’ she said.
‘‘There’s also no real process for employees who travel across the border for work.
‘‘These are some of many scenarios the New South Wales Government did not consider.
‘‘The government has downgraded health services in New South Wales towns to such an extent that we need to sponge off Victoria.
‘‘Now, our residents have been left high and dry.’’
Complementing the defined border zones is a new suite of measures giving authorities greater enforcement powers to stop people entering NSW, and to direct people who are not NSW residents to leave if they present an unacceptable health risk.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said he makes no apologies for taking these steps to ‘‘protect the health and jobs of New South Wales citizens’’.
‘‘The growing rates of community transmission in Victoria have us on high alert and the health advice clearly indicates we need to have stricter border closures in place, making it harder to get a permit and easier to cancel them,’’ he said.
From midnight tomorrow, all cross border permits issued to now will become invalid.
Those needing to cross the border have to apply for a new permit.
Mr Hazzard said the new rules will see fewer people granted permits to enter NSW, and also mandates that people must carry their permits at all times and produce it when asked.
Conditions imposed on permits for Victorians coming to NSW, from Wednesday, include:
● Require COVID Safety Plans for people entering NSW for child access or care arrangements, and freight workers;● Require other critical service workers to self-isolate when not providing their critical services;● Require people attending boarding school or universities as either staff or students to self isolate for 14 days and obtain a negative swab before attending school;● Restrict entry for medical or hospital services to only be allowed where those services are not available in Victoria or cannot be accessed remotely;● Prohibit seasonal workers coming from Victoria into NSW; and,● Require any person who accompanies a person with a permit, such as a dependent child, to also comply with any conditions on the permit, including self isolating.Border residents can check www.service.nsw.gov.au to determine if their address falls within the newly established border restrictions.