Council calls for Prime Minister’s help with SA border closure
Published on 20 August 2020
West Wimmera Shire Council has written to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, urging him to step in and help cross border residents continue to access essential services in South Australia.
From Friday, the South Australian border will be closed to all Victorian cross-border community members.
Previously, people living within 40 kilometres of the border were able to enter South Australia for medical or educational purposes or to access essential services such as food, machinery parts and fuel.
Council discussed the issue at its August meeting on Wednesday.
Deputy mayor Jodie Pretlove said the hard border closure affected every West Wimmera Shire resident in one way or another.
“This next level of border restrictions is concerning to everyone – every resident has their own story about how this is impacting them,” she said.
“Our residents have been prepared to be tested weekly for COVID-19 and are willing to restrict their lives to be totally committed to South Australia for the sake of everyone’s health and safety.
“These border restrictions are unworkable for so many families.”
Cr Pretlove said many families were now scrambling to make arrangements to keep their children in schools, to rework medical appointments and to find new doctors, dentists and specialists.
She said agriculture businesses would struggle to operate and there were many employees on either side of the border were unable to go to work.
“I have huge concern for isolated farmers – there are already struggling but now they will pushed up against a brick wall,” she said.
“Slamming the border shut will destroy these communities and tear families apart. There is a lot of hurt and angst going on and businesses are going to suffer.
“We would like to see Scott Morrison step in and help navigate this situation.”
Cr Pretlove said it was important council did everything in its power to help residents.
Along with Scott Morrison, council will also write to Premier Daniel Andrews, SA Premier Steven Marshall, Member for Mallee Anne Webster, and Member for Lowan Emma Kealy
Mayor Bruce Meyer acknowledged that a lot of work had already been done on the issue by council staff and local politicians.
“This issues isn’t going away in the next two weeks, so we are hoping it can be resolved somehow and as quickly as possible,” he said.
Council is also working on a number of other support measures to help residents affected by the border closure.
Chief executive David Leahy said council was working with the Department of Health and Human Services to set up mobile COVID-19 testing in border communities.
“Council is also working with the Wimmera Development Association, Wimmera Primary Care Partnership and other health agencies to create localised services that will assist people who are trying to navigate the Victorian health system,” he said.
He said this support would be primarily aimed at people who needed to access essential medical services in Victoria and didn’t know how to find doctors or specialists.