Border community MPs call on state governments to do better

Member for Southern Downs, James Lister has spoken out against the current border situation, stating it is unfair to local communities.

By Dominique Tassell

State members on both sides of the border are calling on their governments to do better.

Member for Southern Downs, James Lister, spoke out to say that the current border situation is unfair to local communities.

This comes as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed on Friday 27 August that the New South Wales Deputy Premier, John Barilaro, had been in contact.

Member for Lismore, Janelle Saffin, had days prior called on Mr Barilaro to turn his attention to small communities on the Queensland border facing serious hardships.

Minister Lister stated that those in border communities are “paying a very high price for the benefit of the rest of Queensland”.

Minister Lister stated he had been working to improve conditions for border communities for 18 months but “the state government refuses to consult with me and on most occasions they bungle the all-important border exemptions for essential workers”.

“They don’t understand borders, they don’t understand border communities, and they don’t understand the rural economy and way of life.”

While Minister Lister says he does not object to the border closure, he does object to “the poor planning and non-existent consultation of the state government down in Brisbane”.

Minister Lister stated that border communities have suffered, from farmers losing income, to farm workers losing jobs, to businesses that support agriculture experiencing hardship due to being isolated from their staff and customers.

He questioned why border communities had not been properly consulted and why border closures had not improved over the past 18 months.

He stated that there are still seeing too few border crossing points, which he said cause ambulances and fire trucks much longer to reach heart attacks and fires in border communities.

“Our border region communities don’t mind taking their share of hardship for the common good, and we get why the border has to close, but we are being forgotten, ignored and disproportionately disisadvantaged,” he said

“We are entitled to far, far better than this.”

Minister Lister has written to the Chief Health Officer, Jeanette Young, to inquire about why police officers are being tasked with determining if workers are essential at border crossings even when they have border passes.

He said he objected to the “arbitrary system”, which he said is “unfair to police, to individual workers and contractors, and to the businesses which rely upon them”.

“I have been contacted by concerned constituents and police officers who advise me that police are required to make on-the-spot value judgements about the essentiality of cross-border workers’ employment, even when such judgements concern matters in which police do not possess the required expertise,” he stated.

“This is resulting in inconsistent decision making at border crossings, including the refusal of entry into Queensland for essential workers and contractors on questionable and erroneous grounds.”

Minister Lister requested that rules be changed so that “upon certification of essential employment by an employer in an eligible industry, a worker or contractor is, ipso facto, deemed to be essential for the purposes of establishing their eligibility to enter Queensland”.

“This would relieve police from the invidious role of unqualified arbiter, and ensure that the economic and social harm being experienced by my border communities is kept to an absolute minimum.”

Member for Lismore, Janelle Saffin, in her statement urging New South Wales Deputy Premier, John Barilaro, to step up for border communities, also highlighted the struggled border communities are currently experiencing.

“The small border community of Jennings Wallangarra is an example of the sort of ridiculous situation that exists,” she said.

“This community, with Jennings in New South Wales and Wallangarra in Queensland, shares a postcode, a general store and a pub. They are one community and residents rely on services from both sides of the border.

“However, there are now border bollards cutting of the entrance to the pub, which is on the NSW side of the border, while the general store is in Queensland.”

Ms Saffin stated that while the general store owner is a New South Wales resident, the store has a Queensland address.

She stated he may have to close the store as he doesn’t live in Queensland.

“There is a farmer who can’t get access to his livestock is in QLD, people whose small business or shop is in QLD, yet their residence is in NSW,” she said.

“There are more and many are really sad stories.”

Ms Saffin stated that she has people coming to her with these issues from across her electorate, from Tweed Shire to Tenterfield, Liston, and Jennings.

She said she is appalled that these businesses are not eligible for New South Wales Covid 19 Business Grants due to the criteria being based on the dates of the Sydney lockdown starting in June.

“This demonstrates yet again that the Government’s Sydney focus,” she said.

“Why is it that Covid 19 was able to spread from Sydney to the regions, but the financial support has stayed in Sydney?

“Deputy Premier John Barilaro managed to step up for Greater Sydney but he needs to turn his attention to what is happening in regional NSW.

“People desperately need help.”