THE COVID-19 ROAD AHEAD FOR REGIONAL VICTORIA

Regional Victoria is diverse.

You can’t treat the whole of regional Victoria as a singular entity for COVID-19 recovery.

Re-opening the border at Mildura should not be reliant on case numbers in Wodonga.

Individual communities need to be treated based on their own circumstances – not on case numbers hundreds of kilometres away.

Making the removal of restrictions in Mallacoota contingent upon case numbers in Swan Hill, more than 800 kilometres away, would be like closing Sydney down until Melbourne’s numbers drop.

It just does not make sense.

A one-size-fits-all approach might work in suburban Melbourne. It does not work in regional Victoria.

We acknowledge the great efforts and sacrifices regional Australians have made, especially those in Victoria in recent months, to ensure their communities have remained relatively COVID-free. Our farmers have continued to put food on the table and our people have stuck to the rules. We recognise them for their efforts and acknowledge they should not be penalised for what happens in metropolitan areas.