Currumbin Valley residents say Tomewin border block is a ‘real economic embuggerance’

Residents of a Gold Coast community living near a border blockade say getting to work and taking kids to school has become a “nightmare”.

RESIDENTS from Currumbin Valley say getting to work and taking kids to school is a “nightmare” because of the blockading of a border road.

About a dozen people - families with young children, business owners and emergency workers - gathered this morning at the closed border at Tomewin in protest.

Queensland’s borders have been closed for two months, since April 3, in an effort to halt the spread of COVID-19.

Last week Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said it would be “highly unlikely” the border would be open before July whilst Queensland’s chief medical officer Dr Jeanette Young dubbed September “more realistic’’.

Sara Busby lives near the closed border in Tomewin with her husband and three kids.

Mount Tomewin residents protest at the NSW / Queensland Border at Mount Tomewin along side local State member for Currumbin Laura Gerber. Photo Scott Powick Newscorp

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She’s been spending hours every day taking alternative routes to get her kids to school.

“I live in NSW, about 3km (away from the border closure),” she said.

“I had to do a school drop-off this morning in Tallebudgera Valley. That took an hour. It usually takes 25 minutes.

“It’s a nightmare for my little ones who are spending an extra four hours a day in the car. I have to do this three days a week.

“I’m not at home to get dinner ready, clean, (and do) all the other jobs that I need to do at home. I’m washing clothes at night.”

Lt Col David Freeman (ret), who owns Freeman’s Organic Farm in Currumbin Valley, is having to work 85 hours a week just to survive.

“For 105 years we’ve done all our commerce and trade in Murwillumbah,” the fourth generation farmer said.

Freeman’s Organic Farm owner Lt Col David Freeman (Ret). Photo Scott Powick Newscorp

“We can’t get through (the border) so we have to drive around. It’s a whole lot of extra driving, fuel, time taken away from being on the farm.

“I’m working 85 hours a week.

“It’s a real economic embuggerance. I’m pretty frustrated.

“Everyone across the border (at Tomewin) can’t buy from us.

“We think as locals it could still be closed but have an opening, like on the M1.”

Currumbin MP Laura Gerber was at the protest to support the residents and has written to the Premier to allow people with passes to cross the border at Tomewin.

“I’m calling on the Palaszczuk Labor government to turn this hard border closure into a crossing,” Ms Gerber said.

“The residents of Currumbin Valley have been cut off from hospitals, schools and essential services for far too long.

“At the moment this border is a hard closure, which means even if you have a permit or pass to cross the border, you cannot.

“The residents have to drive around to access the hospital which is (usually) only 15 minutes away. But because they have to drive around, it takes them 40 minutes

“Police need to be manning this border. Even if it’s only between the hours of 7am and 7pm.”

Currumbin MP Laura Gerber. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

CURRUMBIN MP LAURA GERBER’S FULL LETTER TO THE PREMIER

Dear Premier,

I write in relation to the hard border closure between New South Wales and Queensland on Tomewin Mountain Road that allows no traffic to pass.

I’ve received numerous pieces of correspondence from constituents in my electorate of Cururmbin in relation to this hard border closure.

Many residents of Currumbin Valley regularly use that crossing to travel to Murwillumbah for work and to procure essential goods and services from local shops as it is faster and more convenient to travel there from many parts of Currumbin Valley.

Due to the hard border closure those who need to travel to Murwillumbah have seen their travel time more than double due to the fact that they cannot cross the border at Tomewin Mountain Road, even if they are travelling for essential purposes and possess a Queensland Entry Pass.

Premier, given you have said Queensland’s borders will now stay closed until September, can you change the Tomewin Mountain Road border closure to a border crossing point to permit those who need to cross the border for essential purposes and who have Queensland Entry Passes to use Tomewin Mountain Road as their crossing point.

I look forward to your prompt action on this issue.

Yours sincerely,

LAURA GERBER MP

State Member for Currumbin