Borders close as isolation hits home

NSW is almost entirely isolated, with Victoria following South Australia in shutting its border to NSW, and the ACT and Queensland expected to make a decision on the northern border on Monday.

The northern approach to the Sydney Harbour Bridge is deserted on Sunday as most residents stay off the roads. Picture: Julian Andrews

NSW is almost entirely isolated, with Victoria following South Australia in shutting its border to NSW, and the ACT and Queensland expected to make a decision on the northern border on Monday.

Hours before the Victorian announcement, which took effect at 11.59pm on Sunday, Premier Daniel Andrews said he wouldn’t hesitate to make all of NSW a red zone under Victoria’s travel permit system but he was waiting for advice from the Australian Health Protection Principal, stressing the benefit of national decisions.

Mr Andrews urged Victorians to return home before the announcement, saying the government had been “abundantly clear”.

“Many warnings were given about exactly this sort of outcome,” he said.

“A situation can change, border conditions can change, permit conditions can change.”

Acting chief health officer Deb Friedman issued a statement less than four hours after Mr Andrews’ press conference and said public health authorities were concerned about increasing case numbers in NSW and the risks of transmission to the Victorian community.

Under the new restriction, the Victorian border is effectively closed to NSW and the ACT – except for Victorian residents returning on a red zone permit for 14 days of quarantine, and for people with exemptions, exceptions or other valid permits (such as specified workers and cross-border residents).

Non-residents cannot enter Victoria from a red zone without an exception, exemption or other valid permit and face fines of up to $4957.

Victoria Police stopping vehicles at the Chiltern Park rest area. Picture: Simon Dallinger

A cross border bubble will continue to operate and police and Authorised Officers will patrol Victoria’s land borders and airports.

Queensland is expected to make a decision about whether to close the NSW border on Monday but urged anyone planning to travel to NSW to reconsider.

“The situation in NSW is very concerning,” Queensland Health said in a statement.

“We are continuing to monitor each day closely – in particular, the containment of spread to the Greater Sydney region.

“We continue to urge Queenslanders to reconsider their need to travel to NSW at this time.”

Under the border closure with South Australia only essential travellers, returning South Australian residents and people genuinely relocating and people escaping domestic violence, are allowed to enter the state from NSW.

Cross border community members are allowed unrestricted entry into South Australia as long as they have not left the cross border corridor (100km from the SA/NSW border) in the fortnight prior to their arrival in South Australia.

As NSW recorded 77 new cases and Victoria recorded its eleventh day without new community cases, Mr Andrews said Victorians had been in Sydney’s situation before.

“We know what Sydney is going through, second waves are very, very challenging,” he said.

“To bring it under control, you’ve got to cause a lot of pain.”

Mr Andrews said it was “very significant” that only 32 NSW’s 77 new cases were in isolation throughout their infectious stage.

“You only get one chance to act fast and you only get one chance to act early,” he said.

Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Paul Guerra said the border closure would have repercussions for some Victorian businesses.

“Our thoughts are with NSW and we stand ready to help.”