Key changes will be made to ease restrictions on the NSW Victorian border to help residents and local businesses operate as Victoria continues to battle COVID-19.
A single border region will be reinstated that extends to around 50 kilometres on either side of the border.
The new border region and ‘border region resident’ permit will come into effect at 12:01am on Friday, 4 September.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian thanked the patience of border communities and said the NSW Government was pleased to make these changes given the reduced risk of community transmission in regional Victoria.
“We are working hard to reduce the angst and frustration caused by this border closure,” Premier Berejiklian said.
Deputy Premier John Barilaro said making adjustments to restrictions will provide more freedom to those living on both sides of the southern border.
“Last week I travelled to the southern border town of Albury-Wodonga to meet with business owners and families along with the education, health, construction, and social services industries who have been disaffected by the border closure,” the Deputy Premier said.
“In listening to the community it was immediately clear that we needed to make some changes, which included extending mobility within the 50 kilometre border region, and today the NSW Government is doing exactly that.”
Member for Albury Justin Clancy said it’s important for the border communities to have greater mobility.
“Our border communities have been challenged by events of the past two months. I am pleased that the Premier and Government have listened and responded to concerns,” Mr Clancy said.
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The new permit will allow a resident within the border region to enter NSW for the following:
- To obtain necessary goods or services;
- For care or other compassionate reasons; and
- To attend work or obtain educational services (where it is not reasonable for the person to work or obtain educational services from their state of residence).
A border region resident who is a NSW resident:
- Is authorised to enter Victoria only for the reason allowed in the permit; and
- Must not travel to any part of Victoria that is outside of the border region or is a COVID-19 area of concern.
A border region resident who is a Victorian resident:
- Is authorised to enter and remain in NSW only for the reason allowed in the permit;
- Must not travel to any part of NSW that is outside of the border region; and
- Must not enter NSW if the resident had travelled in Victoria in a restricted area (which is currently Greater Melbourne) or a COVID-19 area of concern in Victoria within the previous 14 days.
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