THE Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) is calling for more COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites across northern Victoria in the lead-up to harvest.
President Emma Germano said with limited access to “freight-friendly” testing and vaccination sites in regional Victoria, the VFF were “deeply” concerned by the impact the current cross-border requirements will have on the significant additional movements of freight workers required to cross state borders.
She said that included impacts on contract harvesters, farmers delivering grain and machinery across borders and heavy vehicle operators transporting grain to stockfeed mills, bulk handlers or port for export.
Ms Germano called for increased opening times at existing freight testing sites, and for additional sites to be established.
In a letter to Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley, seen by The Guardian, she said there were very few sites accessible in northern Victoria, with modelling by CSIRO of interstate grain movements in and out of the state showing significant gaps in service.
“It is critical additional freight-friendly testing sites are created near key interstate grain freight routes such as Marong, Strathmerton and Wangaratta to ensure agricultural freight operators are able to comply with testing requirements,” Ms Germano said.
The VFF also called for targeted vaccination for agricultural freight workers in regional areas, including the provision of Pfizer vaccines for freight workers under 60.
Since September 23, freight workers entering Victoria with a specified worker (multiple entry) permit have needed to provide evidence of at least one vaccine dose.
“While the State Government has announced freight workers will be given prioritised vaccination, permit holders that have visited extreme risk/red zones in the past 14 days must book into a red zone clinic for their vaccination,” Ms Germano said.
“It is important to note that all of NSW is currently considered an extreme risk zone, and therefore any freight operators who have visited NSW recently are ineligible from accessing hospitals, pharmacies or standard state run clinics.
“All but one of these vaccination sites are located in Melbourne and not accessible for most agricultural freight operators based in regional Victoria.
“Additional freight-friendly vaccination centres are urgently required in regional Victoria near key agricultural freight routes such as Marong with 500 Pfizer vaccines allocated to assist freight operators to comply with the mandated vaccination requirements.
“Targeted government support has been provided to the construction industry to comply with vaccination requirement including opening four major vaccination centres for the construction industry for walk-ups without a booking, 20,000 further priority Pfizer appointments for the sector and unlimited access to AstraZeneca.”
Ms Germano also urged the government to extend the frequency of testing for freight operators who have visited red zones from every three days to every seven days in line with the National Freight Code if freight operators have been vaccinated.
“Victoria is the only state that requires such rigorous testing and this is putting significant physical strain on interstate freight operators who have been receiving COVID tests every three days for months,” she said.
“These workers have helped keep our country moving and fed throughout the pandemic and it’s time they are looked after.”
