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It has been almost a week since border restrictions eased for parts of regional New South Wales and regional Victoria but for border communities along the Murray River, there has been little to celebrate.
Key points:
- $1 billion and 10,000 jobs have been lost from the Murray border economy over the last 12 months
- Communities that straddle the Murray River are calling to be treated as one community
- There are fears that businesses won't survive further lockdowns
Sharon Membrey from Barham Vines is usually attending to a flurry of holidaymakers and Victorians visiting for wine tasting and hosting major events, but with border restrictions limiting movement for twin towns straddling the river, business is struggling.
“We are pretty much closed,” Ms Membrey said.
Earlier this year a report commissioned by Murray Regional Tourism showed $1 billion and 10,000 jobs had been lost from the Murray border economy over the past 12 months.
The tourism body is planning an action plan to capture government attention on the economical strain of Murray River businesses in an attempt to get extra help.
It intends to do this by providing real-time data that highlights the social and economic implications of border closures.
Border restrictions 'confusing'
Online wine sales are all the Barham Vines can rely on for the foreseeable future until its Victorian neighbours can cross over for recreation.
"[We’re] frustrated that we’re meant to be in this border bubble but Victorians can’t come in and it's really tough," Ms Membrey said.
Source: Murray River Tourism
)Border restrictions have been in effect either on one or both sides of the border since the start of the pandemic in March 2020 and each time different permits and different rules have applied.
Ms Membrey says people can't see an end in sight.
High vaccination rates
The Murray River Council area has one of the highest vaccination rates in regional NSW with 62.6 per cent of people fully vaccinated.
Mayor Chris Bilkey says the LGA's strong vaccination rate is driven by the need for border restrictions to ease so the region can start to rebuild.
"[The restrictions] are unsustainable in the short term, let alone the long term," Mr Bilkey said.
"What's made it even worse is that because the restrictions that have been lifted in our area [have meant] the Commonwealth payments to affected people and others along the river have been stopped.
"They are still absolutely defeated in terms of business, restaurants and clubs who still rely on the Victorian business."
No change in sight
Victoria's Cross Border Commissioner Luke Wilson says the decisions are out of his hands.
"Sports and recreation is not a permitted reason to cross the border under the terms of the border zone with NSW," Commissioner Wilson said.
"I have raised the issue with the Department of Health but any decision to change this rule is a matter for the Chief Health Officer."
The current restrictions allow Victorians to cross the border for essential reasons only and they are not permitted to stop for any other non-essential reasons.
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