Wingard denies Labor claims of unfair border breaks for Gawler rail workers
The government has denied SA Health is making decisions to help the Liberal Party have a better chance of winning the election as an angry backlash over border exemptions grows.
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The backlog of South Australians desperate to come home has descended into a political bunfight.
There are about 7500 people, including returning South Australians, trying to seek exemptions to enter the state. SA Health is processing about 200 applications a day.
Opposition leader Peter Malinauskas said there were reports the government was giving special exemptions to interstate tradespeople working on the Gawler rail electrification project, which is running behind schedule.
“Why is it good enough for those workers but not good enough for so many South Australians who can’t come into the state,” Mr Malinauskas said.
Transport Minister Corey Wingard said any suggestion SA Health was “making decisions so the Liberal party has a better chance of winning government is the most absurd accusation I have heard”.
Health Minister Stephen Wade said the government is “not giving special favours”.
“If the Labor Party are suggesting we shut the door to essential workers, that would cause havoc,” he said.
Deputy chief medical officer Emily Kirkpatrick said specialist worker exemptions have been occurring for more than a year.
She also said staffing at the exemptions committee had been increased to deal with a rise in applications.
“We’re working through the backlog of applications, our aim is we assess our urgent end of life applications within a short period of time,” she said.
People should allow at least two weeks for assessment, Ms Kirkpatrick said
Willunga residents John Seymour-Griffin, 66, and wife Jacquie, 64, say they have been stuck living in a caravan in NSW, six weeks after asking for permission to come home.
“Its certainly frustrating to know there are people who can seemingly come and go, why can’t we go home and quarantine, we are both fully vaccinated,” he said.
“The problem is just being kept in the dark, no one can tell you the status of your application.”
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