By Raquel Mustillo
A COALITION of independent, Liberal and National Party members have again joined forces to urge the South Australian and Victorian Premiers, Health Ministers and chief health officers to reciprocate recognition of COVID tests undertaken on either side of the border.
In a letter addressed to South Australian Premier Steven Marshall, Victorian Premier Dan Andrews and health authorities, eight State and Federal Government MPs have called for COVID tests done in either South Australia or Victoria to be recognised by both jurisdictions.
Currently, cross-border community members and workers traversing the border are required to undertake COVID testing to comply with the border restrictions of each state.
Letter author Member for MacKillop Nick McBride said constituents had raised concerns with the requirement of travellers needing to be tested within 72 hours amid a lack of facilities and testing locations.
“This was the first time the border was closed both in South Australia and in Victoria and it really highlighted the fact that the test needs to be recognised by both states,” he said.
“At the moment, South Australians who are tested in SA and return a negative test can’t use that test in Victoria.
“One of the solutions in this could be if both jurisdictions recognise testing on either side of the border.”
The letter has been signed by South Australian Liberal MPs Nick McBride and Adrian Pederick, Federal Member for Barker Tony Pasin and Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell.
Victorian Nationals Party representatives Emma Kealy and Dr Anne Webster, Victorian independent Ali Cupper and South West Coast MP Roma Britnell are also signatories to the letter.
The letter outlines the current COVID testing opportunities are limited in regional Victoria and regional South Australia and is “costing workers time, resulting in delays, lost work and is causing significant frustration.”
“All testing laboratories undertaking COVID-19 testing are accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities,” the letter says.
“Therefore [the testing laboratories] meet all quality assurance and quality control requirements”.
Mr McBride said all MPs hoped to get a resolution on the testing issue to ease the burden on cross-border community members.
“This isn’t a panacea for answers to all of the problems facing our cross-border community, but we are chipping away at a large problem,” he said.
“If we solve it, it will just be another element that will make the process of crossing the border easier while recognising the importance of trying to keep the disease from spreading on the other side of the border.”
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