Electronic gate to be installed at border

THOSE in border communities breathed a sigh of relief when the Southern Downs Regional Council voted on Thursday to install an electronic gate at the Cullendore Rd Queensland-New South Wales border crossing.

The gate, expected to cost between $6000 and $8000, will allow residents and workers in the Elbow Valley region to electronically bypass what was previously a hard border closure that blocked all traffic with a large concrete barrier.

The change is expected to save the community dozens of jobs and thousands of dollars, according to Cullendore resident Stuart Bell, who said the decision demonstrated the strength of people power.

“The whole community was struggling and suffering,” Mr Bell said.

“There’d been 20 or 30 letters sent to the council, and a heap of people ringing the councillors regularly.

“It’s a good example of when the chips are down and the community stands together, on both sides of the border, and advocates for itself.”

Mr Bell assured the public the community still held the coronavirus restrictions in the highest regard.

Deputy Mayor Ross Bartley warned the change wouldn’t happen overnight, as council staff needed to figure out the logistics behind the US operating system.

Funds for the gate will come out of the council’s operational budget, causing concern among some councillors about the total cost, should other border communities push for gates.

Mayor Vic Pennisi said the council had 11 additional hard crossings, and if they were each to install a gate “it would come at a substantial cost”.

“That is why I wrote to the premier for (financial) support, which will be hopefully forthcoming,” he said.