Wednesday, 22 July, 2020
Pakenham
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Border challenge By Mitchell Clarke
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Premier Daniel Andrews has personally acknowledged the “challenges” facing Cardinia Shire residents, particularly those living in rural localities on the lockdown border. In a special online press conference on Friday, 17 July, the Premier spoke with 23 regional media outlets - including Star News Group - about the various issues and challenges facing regional communities amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The Gazette asked the Premier whether he had any plans to extend or reduce the current boundaries to alleviate confusion for residents living in rural towns like Bunyip and Lang Lang. “The border is in place at the moment and there are no plans to change that - as I speak to you now - but this is pretty fast moving though, so I couldn’t guarantee that the current restrictions in place wouldn’t change at some point,” he said. “Everyone is making sacrifices and doing their very best. I’m grateful to them and I do know this does present some very unique challenges in those sorts of communities.” The Premier acknowledged that the interests of many Cardinia Shire towns weren’t necessarily considered as either metropolitan Melbourne or regional Victoria. “This is really in our own hands, all of us, whether we live in the centre of Melbourne, the suburbs of Melbourne, in a big regional city or in the smallest country town,” he said. “I hope it’s some comfort to know that I fully acknowledge that it is challenging for those communities that are right on that line but we’re there to support them.” Narracan MP Gary Blackwood said towns past Pakenham were “probably locked down when they didn’t need to be”. There have been no known Covid-19 cases linked to Tynong, Garfield, Tonimbuk or Bunyip. “It’s very difficult to create a boundary but it’s much easier to deal with areas within local government areas, so from the point of view of managing a lockdown, it’s probably the best way,” Mr Blackwood acknowledged.
Modella residents Tracey and Ashley Johnson live right on the lockdown border along Longwarry-Modella Road. Ashley, left, jumps for joy in the lockdown-free Baw Baw Shire while mum Tracey keeps two feet firmly on the ground in Cardinia Shire. 211481 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS “But in this particular case, we have those small towns, which are definitely country towns, so in my view it would make sense, if it could be revisited, to have the lockdown boundary stop at Pakenham.” He said the border closures had been “really confusing”, particularly for Cardinia Shire residents who shop in Baw Baw Shire. “I completely understand why people are upset. It is a real imposition on their lives when the chances of infections found in those small towns are very limited,” Mr Blackwood said. “It’s a really tough one. I know a lot of people in that area who are doing a fantastic job in
keeping their communities safe.” Bass Coast MP Jordan Crugnale said she felt for the communities of Lang Lang, Bayles and Catani which are “small and regional in nature”. Despite coronavirus numbers being far lower in regional areas, Ms Crugnale said it wasn’t a time for any complacency. “We are in a pandemic, our focus is to track community transmission of a highly infectious virus and drive the numbers down, so you have to draw the line somewhere and local government areas were seen to be the most suitable,” she said.
“It would be difficult for any council to split up their communications into smaller areas.” Ms Crugnale likened the deadly virus to a public health bushfire, and said the ring of steel around metropolitan Melbourne was a measure to protect regional Victorians. “This is serious, and of course we want it to be over, but it is far from over and the long term social and economic impacts will be considerable,” she said. “We are in it and that is the reality, so we have to do the right thing and fight this virus together.” As of Tuesday 21 July, there were 18 active Covid-19 cases in Cardinia and 103 in Casey.
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