Coronavirus: Businesses on NSW-Victoria border seek a lifeline

Businesses and councils along the NSW-Victoria border are urging state governments to consider ‘postcode hubs’ of free movement for locals.

‘We’d just started to rebuild’: Mulwala Golf Club chief Peter Savey on the Murray River between the towns of Yarrawonga and Mulwala. Picture: Aaron Francis

Businesses and councils along the NSW-Victoria border are urging state governments to consider “postcode hubs” allowing free movement across borders for local residents, a concession that could give regional economies a much-needed lifeline.

As police moved to impose a hard-border blockade at midnight on Tuesday, splitting twin towns like Albury-Wodonga, Yarrawonga-Mulwala and Echuca-Moama in two, residents and businesses were growing increasingly anxious about how the restrictions would work.

The planned permit system allowing local residents with legitimate reasons to cross the border was yet to be finalised late on Tuesday, with ad hoc measures introduced to cater for urgent cross-border medical appointments. Long traffic delays were anticipated in high traffic areas around Albury-Wodonga.

Of more concern is the longer term loss of regular local patronage that is the lifeblood of many businesses in the region.

People in Albury queuing to apply for an exemption permit. Picture: Aaron Francis

Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club chief executive Peter Savy said more than 80 per cent of members and staff were resident in Yarrawonga, the other side of the hard border from the club located in Mulwala in NSW.

“We’d just started to rebuild after opening again in early June, and now we’ve already had a number of cancellations from Victorians who were planning to stay here,” Mr Savy said. “If our local members can’t get here as well, it’s hard to say what will happen. We’ve got 120 employees.

At the nearby Club Mulwala resort, chief executive officer Alan Rowe said he felt the border closure was rushed, and more consultation could have led to a better economic outcome without compromising the health outcome.

“I think they could have had a postcode hub, with people living in the Mulwala and Yarrawonga postcodes free to travel inside the area,” Mr Rowe said. “We haven’t had a case up here since March, and this way we could keep maybe half to two-thirds of our business.

“We could survive with a postcode hub. If we have to rely solely on business on the NSW side of the border, it won’t be worth us staying open, and that puts more than 100 jobs in jeopardy, I still don’t understand why people in regional Victoria are being punished.”

The mayors of Albury and Wodonga said they were also lobbying state governments for a hub approach to the border lockdown.

“A localised approach allowing localised economies to continue to do business, with residents moving freely but safely within the local zone, could be critical to how we go forward as a region,” Wodonga mayor Anna Speedie said.

Residents line up at a pop-up COVID testing clinic in Albury on Tuesday. Picture: Getty Images

“This is especially so as it now appears this border lockdown will be in place for a period of weeks rather than days.”

Businesses all along the NSW-Victorian border face similar issues. Near Swan Hill in Victoria’s northwest, Murray Downs Golf and Country Club chief executive Greg Roberts said the decision to close the border was “frustrating” for all businesses that rely heavily on Victorian clientele.

“Ninety-six per cent of our staff live in Victoria and 95 per cent of our members come from Victoria and over 90 per cent of our business comes from Victoria, so for us this is critical and closing the border will mean we will see a dramatic loss in trade,” Mr Roberts said.

“We have 140 staff panicking about what‘s happening.”

Mr Roberts said he was still to receive information on what special provisions would be given to border businesses, which had made preparing for the lockdown incredibly difficult.

“We’re just waiting on the final details on what those are to fully understand the impact of it, but it would appear on the surface that we will be severely affected,” Mr Roberts said.