SOUTH Australia will tonight implement its strictest controls on the Victorian border since the COVID-19 virus reached Australia.
Police Commissioner and State Co-ordinator Grant Stevens yesterday said police patrols would be increased across the Limestone Coast at entry points along the SA-Vic border, also revealing negotiations were ongoing to engage the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to support border control measures.
People travelling from Victoria to South Australia will not be allowed to enter the state and quarantine unless they are a returning South Australian resident or classified as an essential traveller.
It follows Victoria recording 191 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday – the largest spike of cases in the state since the pandemic was declared.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has announced stage three restrictions for Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire, effectively locking down the metropolitan area with stay-at-home orders.
However, restrictions in regional Victoria have not changed and police and the ADF will monitor movement between metropolitan Melbourne and the regions.
Victoria’s active cases include a family of four who tested positive to the virus after visiting the western Victorian coastal town of Port Fairy for three days last week.
Adopting a hard line stance against the neighbouring state, Commissioner Stevens said the performance of COVID-19 in Victoria was a significant risk to the community of South Australia.
“Cross-border communities will be restricted to the amount of kilometres they travel when they come into SA as a crossborder traveller,” Commissioner Stevens said, although details on its implementation remain unknown.
“We know this has a significant impact on some communities but we need to be thinking about the broader health implications of allowing people to freely m o v e w i t h i n South Australia from the areas that we cannot be confident have effectively managed COVID19.”
He said stricter rules would also be in place for essential travellers from Victoria, who will have to quarantine in South Australia when not undertaking the duties which grant them essential traveller status.
“This will include the use of personal protective equipment and masks when they are interacting with the South Australian community,” he said.
“We are concerned about the impact COVID-19 has on the South Australian community given we have provided as much latitude as possible within our own community.”
Health Mi nister Stephen Wade said the restrictions were necessary to keep South Australia safe in light of the increasing community transmission in Melbourne.
“Over the last two weeks we have watched with increasing concern about the outbreak in Victoria has grown with a 10-fold increase in cases,” he said.
“Victoria is a clear threat to public health in South Australia.”
WHAT HAS CHANGED
• SA Police to increase border control measures across Limestone Coast. In talks with army for additional support at checkpoints.
• Only South Australian residents and essential travellers can enter the state. Victorians will no longer be allowed to enter and quarantine for 14 days.
• Regional Victorian restrictions remain unchanged.
Melbourne locked down. Metropolitan exit points to be monitored to protect country areas.
