C4EM calls for further easing of border restrictions

Ms Armstrong said the current zoning restrictions were holding the community back.

“I do question the statement made ‘whatever you can do in regional Victoria you can do in those [border] communities’. We know this is not the case,” Ms Armstrong said.

“What about the rest of regional Victoria? Why would regional Victoria outside the zone travel to our beautiful Murray River if they are not allowed to experience everything that Echuca Moama has to offer.

“It is only forcing them to travel to other locations. Our tourism offering is not, as you would say, ‘open for business'.

“We need the border restrictions lifted to allow all regional Victorians access to the NSW side of our border communities.

“We need action now before it’s too late for cross border communities, causing thousands of job losses and leaving businesses with no other option but to close their doors.”

Murray River Mayor Chris Bilkey said the move was needed to help tourism providers get fully back to work.

“The impacts of the border closures on visitor economy for hospitality and tourism businesses is still of concern, so it would make sense to open up the NSW border community to visitors from Regional Victoria too,” he said.

“With Regional Victorians now moving around a little more, a further easing of the restrictions would open up the opportunity for our tourism businesses to get their full services running and people back to work.”

While Campaspe Shire Council chief executive Declan Moore said he and his team would do everything they could to make the lives of everyone easier.

“Council continues to work with the border commissioners, and councils on either side of the river along the border, to advocate and make representations on behalf of our communities through to the NSW Government,” he said.

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