SA’s 40km buffer zone reinstated for cross-border communities from Friday
Friday will see a range of COVID-19 restrictions lifted – including the 40km buffer zone for cross-border communities reinstated, allowing people on the SA border to go about their normal lives. The 14-day quarantine rule will also be relaxed for people entering from NSW and ACT.
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Cross-border communities are breathing a collective sigh of relief as the state’s hard border closure with Victoria, which cut people off from work, education and basic services, will be eased on Friday.
The 40km buffer zone for cross-border communities will be reinstated from midnight on Thursday, Premier Steven Marshall said after Tuesday’s Transition Committee meeting.
Home gatherings will also be increased to 50 people on Friday, while border restrictions with NSW and ACT are set to be eased within weeks.
Also from Friday, peoplecoming from open-border states who transit in airports in NSW or the ACT no longer have to self-isolate for 14 days. This covers people coming from Queensland, WA, Tasmania and the Northern Territory.
SA’s chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier said the flow of information from Victoria had improved in recent days, allowing the buffer zone to be reinstated.
Prof Spurrier said Thursday would mark 14 days since the last case in Victoria’s Glenelg Shire bordering SA.
It means Friday will see a range of coronavirus restrictions relaxed including:
THE 40km Victorian border buffer zone reinstated;
HOME gatherings allowed to have 50 people;
PEOPLE coming from open-border states who transit in airports in NSW or the ACT no longer have to self-isolate for 14 days – this covers people coming from Queensland, WA, Tasmania and the Northern Territory.
The announcement came as SA recorded no new cases of COVID-19.
The Premier also said SA would officially put forward a bid for the AFL Grand Final on Wednesday, and would speak with the AFL on Thursday.
Virginia Davis and her husband Nick own Bordertown’s Morning Loaf Bakery and Ruby Tuesday gifts and accessories shop, reporting a 60 per cent drop in sales at the bakery and 20 per cent decrease at the gift store since social distancing restrictions came into place.
“I’m just really happy for the people in our community that it’s directly affecting,” Mrs Davis said of news the 40km border buffer zone would be reinstated.
“But the whole thing was so unnecessary in the first place. They’ve been through hell and for what?”
The businesses normally receive a large part of their takings from people travelling over the border, including many of the Victorians now shut out. One woman recently told Mrs Davis she felt “like a leper”.
“The comments people are making are really devastating for them,” she said.
Kylie Holland, who lives just outside Mount Gambier, is part of the group that started the Cross Border Call Out Facebook page, which shared the stories of those most affected by the hard border closure.
It also launched a petition, signed by more than 8800 people, calling for restrictions to be eased.
Ms Holland welcomed the announcement, but said “the devil is in the detail” and her group would consider the latest direction and how it would impact locals before rejoicing.
She said apart from cross-border community members being cut off from school, work, health specialists and other services, the restrictions were having a devastating effect on mental health.
Part of that revolved around a lack of clarity on the rules, requirements for COVID-19 management plans and how long the restrictions were to be in place.
“It was the lack of knowing how long it was going to be for, and how long are people going to be out of work,” Ms Holland said.
Many Victorians gravitate towards Mount Gambier as their biggest regional centre, and Mayor Lynette Martin said she was pleased they could now “get on with their life”.
“They’re part of our community and contribute socially, culturally and economically,” she said.
“But the broader border restrictions are still in place and that’s important to safeguard our community and South Australia’s health and wellbeing.”
Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said about 67,000 people had signed up to be a COVID marshal for businesses and organisations – but expected the number to be higher, warning businesses to ensure they had someone who had done the free online training.