Yes, No, Maybe?
Border bubble life this week has seen the bizarre, absurd, and downright illogical. A visit from the NSW Police to the Barham pubs last weekend created some angst in the community with concerns that takeaway from Barham businesses was not...
Border bubble life this week has seen the bizarre, absurd, and downright illogical.
Takeaway
A visit from the NSW Police to the Barham pubs last weekend created some angst in the community with concerns that takeaway from Barham businesses was not permitted for Victorian residents.
Not entirely the case. Victorian bubble residents can purchase takeaway food or alcohol from Barham, provided it is before 6 pm – the time that critical services close, i.e. the supermarkets. This is due to the permits only being valid for the ‘essentials’.
Julie Swingler, co-owner of the Royal Hotel Barham, said “It’s been a very interesting week, from being told that we were not able to provide take away after 6pm to Vic residents, then to be told we were shut!”
The Royal is still operating seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Despite this, a visit on Tuesday by NSW Police, officers asked if the kitchen was closed.
“The officer came in and said they had been informed by the hierarchy that we are shut.
“Of course this is not the case, and we published a Facebook post in an attempt to inform our customers.
“I was completely dumbfounded.”
Julie attempted to ring NSW Police hierarchy over the concerns.
“You ring them up, and they never get back to you.”
Julie is stoic in her resolve. “We’ll push through, you’ve just got to keep fighting, just got to keep smiling.
“We’ve had fantastic support. We are fortunate that people are supporting us and doing the right thing.”
Agriculture
Primary producers up and down the border have also faced ‘interesting’ challenges.
A Victorian farmer took to Facebook this week to vent his frustration over trying to deliver hay to his sheep at Euston. A phone call to Services NSW informed him that he would have to take his 40 tonnes of hay to Melbourne and fly with it to Sydney, then self isolate and travel down from Sydney to Euston with the 40 tonnes of hay.
A similar post was also published from a sheep producer who was told to fly with their 40 sheep.
The irony of these bizarre recommendations is the places people are being directed through are hot zones, not to mention being completely impractical. What would it cost to fly 40 tonnes of hay?
The NSW Government has since announced a ‘Highly Specialised Agriculture Permit’ which will allow exempted Victorian agriculture workers who live within 100km of the NSW-Victoria border to move up to 100km across the border into NSW to help alleviate concerns.
The permits still do not allow enough movement for harvest contractors and many others in the agricultural field.
Victorian Zone/Bubble Residents
Victorian zone/bubble residents have had little reprieve by the NSW implemented rules. A Victorian zone/bubble resident who wishes to hold a border entry permit into NSW cannot leave the Victorian bubble. If they do so, they must isolate for 14 days before entering NSW again.
Here is the problem. What permit exists for a Koondrook zone/bubble resident who works or shops in Barham, who must attend medical treatment in Kerang? NSW residents can obtain a medical permit to travel across, if the medical care is not available in NSW; but I am yet to find one for Victorian zone/bubble residents to exit the bubble for medical and not be required to isolate for 14 days? If you know a loophole let us know. People are without their medical care, optometrists, physiotherapists etc.
Schools
Last week in the Border Bubble Baffle article, I made an error. Here is the correct rules on Victorian zone/bubble residents and attending NSW Schools:
As of August 21, any student or staff member in the Border Zone/bubble will be able to continue crossing the border to attend school or work as long as they stay within the border zone.
Staff and students residing within the border zone/bubble and travelling to attend a school within the NSW border zone will be able to do so with a Resident Border Permit
HSC students and HSC teachers who reside outside the border zone/bubble will be considered for an exception.
Border Infection Stats
Current active cases for Gannawarra and Murray River Council Local Government Areas is zero.
Total active cases for the whole Victorian local government areas adjoining NSW, from the coast to the South Australian border: 4
