NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian joined the NSW cross border commissioner James McTavish and member for Albury Justin Clancy in Albury on Tuesday announcing the new wider zone which will apply from 12.01am this Friday.
At the time the Yarrawonga Chronicle went to print Ms Berejiklian said in her press conference the permit remains a work in progress.
The new permit will allow those within the border zone to travel across the Murray River to “obtain necessary goods or services”, “for care or other compassionate reasons” and “to attend work or obtain educational services (where it is not reasonable for the person to work or obtain educational services from their state of residence)”.
NSW border zone residents entering Victoria are not allowed to travel to any area outside the blue area or a COVID-19 hotspot.
Similarly, Victorian border zone residents will not be permitted to travel beyond the 50-kilometre boundary and must not enter NSW if they have been to Melbourne or a COVID-19 area of concern in their state in the previous 14 days.
The impending changes do not specify which places are within the 50-kilometre zone but the premier did say some additional locations will be included beyond the 50km zone based on advice from local MPs and the Cross Border Commissioner James McTavish.
Ms Berejiklian’s visit on Tuesday followed Monday’s announcement by Deputy Premier John Barilaro who called for a national code to allow agricultural workers to cross state borders without permits.
Mr Barilaro said agriculture was an essential industry and that it was imperative restrictions were lifted to ensure farmers had an adequate workforce for the fast-approaching harvest.
“The situation is now at the 11th hour for many producers across the state. We cannot stand by and watch farmers, crops and businesses face ruin due to the border closure with Victoria,” Mr Barilaro said.
NSW Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall took part in a national agricultural ministers’ meeting on Tuesday to seek consensus on the code.
This would allow agricultural workers such as fruit pickers to be designated “essential service” workers like freight workers, allowing them to freely cross state borders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If Australia’s agriculture ministers agree on the code it will likely go before a national cabinet meeting on Friday for final approval.
The start of the changes on Friday follows Mr Barilaro visiting Albury last week and saying a permit for daily life would be reintroduced within seven to 10 days and the border zone extended from 2.5 to 50 kilometres.
States and territories have also been urged to endorse a new definition of coronavirus hotspots as the federal government also put pressure on border closures.
Friday’s national cabinet meeting looms as a major showdown on interstate travel restrictions, with progress hinging on the advice of an expert medical panel.
Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham called on premiers and chief ministers to back the hotspot approach, which would guide restarting travel.
“We have many, many thousands of jobs being lost across our travel and tourism industries at present,” he told the ABC on Tuesday.
“We will only see more of them lost if borders are kept in place in an arbitrary manner, rather than embracing evidence and using an evidence-based hotspots approach.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has signalled the Federal government will go it alone on the new definition if the states don’t sign up.
He has floated the Danish traffic light hotspot system, which uses yellow to highlight open borders with cases fewer than 20 for every 100,000 residents in an area.
The orange alert level signals quarantine is needed when case rates exceed 30 per 100,000 people, while a red light bans travel when infection spikes occur.
Mr Morrison wants to see most state border restrictions loosened by Christmas.
But despite any easing of the border bubble there is a downside as regional Victoria remain on stage 3 restrictions only allowing residents to venture out for four reasons; work, education, health and huge disparity in their ability to do business.
“A gymnasium, restaurant or pub meal are examples where if Victorians are able to cross the border to access these, while it would be great news for locals and NSW businesses, it will be another kick in the guts to small businesses who are unable to open on the Victorian side,” he said.
“Our community has done everything that has been asked of it, we have fallen into line and ticked all of the boxes the Victorian government has put in front of us.
“We need stage three restrictions to be lifted here for the welfare of our community and to give our local economy the chance to trade.”
