POLITICIANS CAN ACHIEVE GOOD, IF THEY LISTEN

THE truth can be brutal. For those of us living on the Gold Coast-NSW border, the stressful reality of their Covid-lockdown working lives was given voice this week. This newspaper gave graphic accounts of the economic and social impact of the lockdown from Coolangatta to the Tweed.

Health workers, tearful about the devastation to this community united by pain but divided by a border, painted grey and often dark pictures.

“They have taken away people who clean blood from sheets,” a worker said. “They’ve taken away the hands that hold patients who are dying alone in a white room.”

The Bulletin asked all politicians to take a long, hard look at what was being called “the Gaza Strip”. To do something “right now”.

We detailed surveying by business leaders and what they called “the state of emergency” on the southern Gold Coast.

The Palaszczuk government knocked on the doors of NSW to reach a better practical compromise on the border.

On Friday, we received the first sign of light in this darkness when NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro wrote to Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath.

A “border bubble” region is being considered, creating consistent travel conditions for residents, including faster connections for essential health workers providing vital services in both states.

There could be operational improvements on the border, including more crossings and introducing an appeal process for exemptions.

Politicians can achieve so much when they listen. The next step is to act as soon as possible, move the border at least south to the Tweed River.

Then the truth can be about the triumph of combined political will.