Governments under fire as NSW-Vic border closure creates havoc for workers, suppliers
The NSW-Victoria border closure has the agriculture industry facing one its roughest weeks since the pandemic began. Here’s what it means for ag supply chains.
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VICTORIA’s agricultural supply chains are facing one of their roughest weeks since the coronavirus pandemic began, as the border between Victoria and NSW closes indefinitely tonight.
Mass disruption is expected at the border’s 55 crossings in the coming days as the closure is enforced, with farmers, freight services and cross-border communities still waiting to apply for exemption permits.
Permits will be granted automatically if the criteria is met – but the exact criteria still has not been released.
It comes as 191 new cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Victoria overnight; 37 are linked to known outbreaks while 154 are under investigation.
Victoria currently has 772 active cases, with 261 in regional Victoria. Of the 261 cases, 13 are active.
Two major Melbourne abattoirs – JBS in Brooklyn and Pacific Meats in Thomastown – each had a worker test positive to the virus at the weekend.
The growing number of Victorian cases has prompted NSW to shut the border from midnight tonight. The Victorian Government is rumoured to be preparing to announce a statewide lockdown as early as today.
But criticism is mounting of governments’ handling of the closure and the uncertainty it means for the hundreds of thousands of people who cross the border daily for work, school and services.
“The most frustrating thing is we shut down the country to let the governments get their s. t together, and yet when they shut down the border for the first time in 100 years, they can’t press ‘go’ on a permit system,” Victorian Farmers Federation vice-president Emma Germano said.
“What have they been doing? It’s actually a kick in the mouth for everyone who has been diligently complying with all the health orders.”
So far neither the Victorian nor NSW governments have confirmed when – or if – agriculture and its associated supply chains will receive permits as essential workers.
BORDER PERMIT SYSTEM STILL NOT RUNNING
Exemptions will be available for cross-border residents and essential workers – but the Services NSW permit application is not expected to be available online until late this evening.
Major delays are anticipated as NSW Police and defence personnel patrolling checkpoints vet every person coming through from midnight.
NSW Police commissioner Mick Fuller said 650 police were currently travelling to the border to begin the operation, with 350 defence personnel by the weekend.
Most resources will be the five primary road crossings: Wodonga Place, Hume Highway, Cobb highway, Stuart Highway and the Princes Highway.
People from border postcodes will be given easier access than other Victorians, however they will still need a permit and it will have to be for essential work.
Commissioner Fuller said the list of approved jobs was still being assessed.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said staff had been “working through the night” to set up the permit system.
“There will be queues, there will be frustration, there will be lots of questions. But we’re doing this to keep everybody safe,” NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told media yesterday.
“We always knew once we made the announcement, the first two or three days would be extremely difficult for the border communities, which is why the decision wasn’t taken lightly.”
Ms Berejikilian’s office did not respond to The Weekly Times’ questions asking for confirmation that agriculture and its supply chains would be considered essential services, and not affected by the closure.
Victorian Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes also did not respond to The Weekly Times’ queries; instead, a Victorian Government spokeswoman said: “More specific details of how the closure will operate for border communities, as well as industries who need to cross the border, are being worked through.”
CHAOTIC DAYS AHEAD FOR LIVESTOCK
The border closure has thrown preparations for Wodonga’s store cattle sale at the Northern Victoria Livestock Exchange on Thursday into turmoil.
Elders Albury livestock manager Brett Shea said with two weekly markets and the fortnightly store sale held at saleyards on the border, clarity was urgently needed regarding access to permits.
“There are weekly markets, there’s stock moved the day prior to being sold, there’ll be cattle being moved to get to Barnawartha on Thursday … the most important thing is that we can still have buyers in NSW attending Victorian store sales,” Mr Shea said.
“It’s been a very good season in NSW and southern Queensland, there’s been thousands of cattle flowing that way in the past three to four months, and it’s essential our southern cattle can still move into NSW and Queensland.
“It’s essential our commission buyers in NSW who travel to sales can still attend, and can still compete on cattle.”
Mr Shea said it wasn’t uncommon for livestock agents in Albury to move across the border up to five times a day as part of attending to client needs.
Ms Germano said Victoria’s agriculture industry was fairly confident there would be no major ongoing impact to the sector due to the border closure, as long as the permit system got up and running as quickly as possible.
“It’s disappointing that the permits weren’t ready to go,” she said.
“Everyone understands there’s a crisis to be managed but these ongoing knee-jerk reactions are frustrating.
“We need to have a clear plan and road map to recovery.”
Campaspe Shire mayor Adrian Weston said the closure would be particularly rough on cross-border communities such as Echuca-Moama, which effectively operated as one.
“It will have an immediate impact on people here, especially people who need to cross the two states for work,” he said.
“There are farmers who might not live on their farm but have property in NSW and run livestock, so we need to get those permits quickly.”
Cr Weston also raised concern about the possible delays on freight of agricultural produce, with several major crossing points along the Murray River.
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