STATE Member for Lismore, Janelle Saffin - as a member of the bipartisan Cross Border Taskforce - has added her voice to calls for double-vaccinated border zone residents to be exempt from PCR COVID testing.
Ms Saffin said the taskforce met on Monday to discuss the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 on our communities, particularly the devastating effects of the border closure between Queensland and the Northern Rivers.
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"We are now asking the Queensland Government if the current border zone arrangements can continue when the double-vax PCR test comes into play, as they have worked well to date," Ms Saffin said. "This is also in response to border communities who do not see a line between them who traverse the border regularly, some daily. The Taskforce is also asking Queensland for community sport, which has been on hold, to be allowed. And for border zone residents, we are seeking a dip sampling approach to compliance rather than every car being stopped at the border."
Meanwhile, Ms Saffin has welcomed $10 million in COVID Recovery funding for NSW border towns but believes a requirement that projects need co-investment from neighbouring jurisdictions may discourage local residents from applying.
Ms Saffin is urging NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole to rethink the guidelines of this new round of the Cross-Border Commissioner's Infrastructure Fund to make it easier to access and less tied to Queensland.
The fund now is inviting councils, community and sporting groups, and charities to apply for grants from the value of $25,000 to deliver projects over three years. Applicants are invited to contact the Office of the NSW Cross-Border Commissioner James McTavish with an outline of their proposed project. Funding is available to support infrastructure proposals in cross-border communities where there is a formal whole of government cross-border agreement in place.
Proposals require co-investment, proportionate to the benefit, from the neighbouring jurisdiction or private partner(s). The COVID Recovery round expressions of interest close on January 28, 2022.
To lodge an expression of interest and for future information about the Fund, including program guidelines, go to www.regional.nsw.gov.au/our-work/ocbc Applicants can contact the Office of the NSW Cross-Border Commissioner by email at enquiries@cbc.nsw.gov.au
