Eden-Monaro MP Kristy McBain has today voiced frustrations about the ongoing confusion for people in the border regions due to gaping discrepancies between between ACT and NSW health orders.
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"The lack of consistency and clear communication from the NSW Government for our border communities is infuriating. There are so many 'what if' scenarios that there are currently no answers for," she said.
She said that her and her team have been answering hundreds of questions every week from people trying to understand the complex and ever-changing rules.
Ms McBain had been lobbying the ACT and NSW Governments to allow increased movement for people located in border communities who she believed were being, "unfairly disadvantaged" by the different jurisdictions' lockdown arrangements.
She praised the announcement today, Tuesday October 11, of an exemption to the public health order that means people live in NSW that travel to the ACT for work or medical no longer have to stay at home for 14 days after they return to NSW.
This means that people from the Bega Valley can now enter Canberra for medical appointments as normal and can apply for work exemptions.
When they return to NSW they won't need to follow stay at home orders for work or medical reasons.
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The ACT Government also announcement a widening of the border bubble to include Braidwood, Cooma, Jindabyne, Tumut, Tumbarumba, Batlow, Bombala and all the communities in between.
It was announced that from Friday October 15, people from those communities could to enter Canberra for more reasons, including visiting family.
She said that while this is a win for Eden-Monaro residents, the border issues have in no way been resolved as people are still confused about how the rules affect them and their families despite wanting to, "do the right thing."
Unfortunately the widening of the border bubble, to include travel reasons like visiting family and friends, does not yet include the Bega Valley.
Ms McBain said she was working hard to get that changed as soon as possible.
"While people from NSW can enter Canberra for shopping or visiting family, the NSW Health orders mean they will need to stay at home for 14 days when they return."
Ms McBain said she would continue to advocate for a sensible arrangement that works both ways, "because our border communities can't be kept in the dark any longer."
"They deserve clarity, and they deserve to be able to celebrate like the rest of NSW," she said.