Webster calls for regional rethink

Member for Mallee Anne Webster is among Federal National party colleagues urging the State Government to revise stage-three restrictions for regional Victoria.

Dr Webster said the call was based on a ‘very’ low number of cases in most regions.

She said regional Victoria understood the need for isolation of outbreak areas, but cautioned that stage-three restrictions on regional communities where cases were zero or very low and there was no community transmission would have adverse outcomes.

“I and my federal National colleagues support the excellent work of the Australian Chief Medical Officer in implementing healthcare initiatives designed to slow the spread of COVID-19 while vaccine research continues,” she said.

“While we need to learn to live with COVID-19, unnecessary restrictions weary the community without cause and threaten to decimate small businesses.

“We are urging the Victorian State Government to give consideration to how new restrictions might affect regional Victoria and ask for a practical approach to allow our communities to operate throughout the pandemic.

“While community spread has been high in Melbourne and around localised outbreaks such as Colac, the rest of regional Victoria has been able to keep the spread under control.”

Dr Webster said regional Victoria had been calling for stronger lockdown protocols around Melbourne for four weeks now as a way of protecting regional areas from the virus.

“Those calls have been ignored by the State Government,” she said.

“Now we have the virus in the southern parts of regional Victoria and blanket restrictions are being imposed as the Premier finally starts to put stronger restrictions around Melbourne.

“Regional Victoria is a powerhouse of productivity and industry, which tight restrictions and city-centric policy decisions risk damaging permanently.

“Because of the vital contribution that regional Victoria makes, and the risk to business viability, in conjunction with minimal and localised cases in Mallee, I join my Federal Victorian National colleagues and do not support these blanket bans across communities 400 to 600 kilometres away from Melbourne.

“Regional Australians are always happy to do their part to support the Australian economy and can do so while wearing appropriate personal-protection equipment, adhering to social distancing and personal hygiene requirements.

“It is vital regional industries and small businesses can maintain operations and services. We need to ensure our domestic supply chains are maintained and our export markets remain open so our commodities are able to meet international and domestic demand.”

“I join my Federal Victorian National colleagues and do not support these blanket bans across communities 400 to 600 kilometres away from Melbourne” – Anne Webster