MURRAY River Council (MRC) is fed-up with the NSW Government’s “disregard” for border communities after the latest Covid lockdown in Victoria.
Mayor Chris Bilkey said council continued to receive desperate calls from local business operators who had been hit hard due to the recent travel restrictions.
Cr Bilkey said this wiped key business for the NSW operators in towns like Moama and Barham.
“All decisions surrounding these outbreaks seem to disregard that border NSW and its nearby towns are greatly affected every time there is an outbreak in Victoria,” he said.
“Our NSW border region services a Victorian market, and has done for a long time, so it baffles belief that our region is just lumped in with the rest of NSW in the government’s approach to each new health alert.
“We hear about the unenviable situation the Victorian businesses have been plunged into, but who is considering the enormous impact these restrictions have on the businesses just north of the border?”
Cr Bilkey said Murray region businesses were previously kept afloat thanks to JobKeeper, but were now “sinking” with no financial support.
He said council was calling on the NSW Government to deliver a relief package for NSW border businesses similar to the business support initiative announced recently by the Victorian Government.
“We are heading into what was a fully-booked long weekend for local tourism operators to now have a wave of cancellations,” Cr Bilkey said.
“All because people can’t leave Melbourne or aren’t allowed in.
“We are calling on the NSW Government to invest in targeted relief to help ease the pressures and costs of keeping border businesses open while these restrictions are in place.”
Cr Bilkey said council also believed restrictions put in place could be more balanced, particularly considering the mental health risks too.
“As people’s financial situations become dire – whether due to temporary business closures or no shifts at work – great stress is put on their mental health,” he said.
Council said solutions could only be obtained by listening to those who lived and worked in the border region.
“As each change has been introduced, there just hasn’t been enough consideration given to the impacts felt by communities along the border,” Cr Bilkey said.
Council encouraged local businesses along the border to write to the NSW Premier and Deputy Premier demanding a better approach to managing the ongoing restrictions.
“When Covid restrictions are imposed in Sydney, Sydney businesses suffer,” Cr Bilkey said.
“When it happens in Melbourne, Melbourne businesses suffer.”
“Murray border businesses suffer when Covid restrictions are implemented in both Melbourne and Sydney, so governments need to work with us so that together we can come up with a more balanced approach to snap closures.”
