Talks ahead on border rules

THE Victorian Government will deploy a team of locally based “border brokers” to support industries and businesses impacted by restrictions on Victoria’s borders with New South Wales and South Australia.

Regional Development and Agriculture Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said towns split by interstate borders were used to living as one community “and we know industries and businesses on the border face unique challenges”.

“Local challenges need local solutions and that’s why we are establishing a team of border brokers to work alongside Victoria’s cross-border commissioner Luke Wilson,” Ms Thomas said.

“The team will include eight brokers who will work in the Hume, Gippsland, Loddon-Mallee, Grampians and Barwon South West regions, which have all been impacted by restrictions on their respective borders.”

Ms Thomas said the team would ensure local people had a key advocate on the ground and would support businesses and industry groups to address challenges.

“Border brokers will work across state and local governments and with chambers of commerce, key agricultural stakeholders, industry, regional tourism boards and community groups to identify and triage issues,” she said.

Mr Wilson said the border brokers would work with him to ensure a local understanding of the issues and that those local needs were represented across government

“Victorian communities and businesses who live along the borders with NSW and SA have done it tough in the past year-and-a-half,” he said. “This team will add further support to help them to navigate the challenges.”