Urgent clarity needed for border zone, says Goondiwindi Region Mayor

Mayor of the Goondiwindi Region the Honourable Cr Lawrence Springborg AM is calling for urgent clarification about cross-border travel for border zone residents.

As Queensland approaches its 80% fully-vaccinated target (on 17 December or earlier), the Mayor says confirmation about border zone logistics should be a matter of absolute priority.

“Border zone residents are heartily sick and tired of the day-to-day argy-bargy over the border and just need simple clarifications and simple changes so that they can plan and go about their daily lives,” Cr Springborg said.

“They want to know if there will be a testing requirement when Queensland borders open as planned in the middle of December. I, for one, believe that it would be costly, impractical and punitive to apply such a requirement to border zone residents, who have to cross daily for school, work and other day-to-day business, and who are already double vaccinated,” he said.

“Border zone residents need more information so they know what’s planned for our communities once Queensland hits 80%. They need to be able to prepare now for the logistics, including any potential costs, of cross-border travel as they go about their day-to-day lives in the border zone.

“From testing requirements to vaccination requirements, quarantine or any other potential criteria - our communities and businesses need to know now what they need to prepare for. Our cross-border communities have been disrupted for more than 18 months, but our residents have done the right thing time and time again,” he said.

More than 87% of Goondiwindi Region residents over 15 are now fully vaccinated, with more than 95% having had one dose.

“Our residents have already done their bit and more,” he said. “We have led the vaccination rollout in Queensland, and our neighbouring NSW council areas of Moree and Inverell are 83.5% and 89.5% fully vaccinated respectively - much higher than any area of Queensland other than the Goondiwindi LGA.

“These are highly vaccinated border communities whose vaccinated residents need to be able to get back to some sense of normality. Yet our local students are continuing to miss out on crucial learning opportunities, and residents are prevented from going to work, despite being double vaccinated and the high vaccine figures in our communities.”

Cr Springborg is continuing to advocate for a system that caters for freer and simpler cross-border movements for double-vaccinated residents in the NSW border zone, as he says they should have the same social rewards as members of our community from Queensland.

“They should have the same freedoms for their diligence and preparedness as Goondiwindi LGA border zone residents,” he said.

“The recent outbreak associated with the Moree super-spreader gatherings was largely amongst unvaccinated people, but unfortunately the outbreak has been very disruptive to the general community and again underlines the effectiveness of vaccination in containing and controlling the disease and protecting people.”

There has still been no unexplained or unlinked community transmission in Goondiwindi to date. Council is reminding Goondiwindi Region residents to remain cautious and to get tested if they experience any symptoms, no matter how mild.