SOUTH Australia's police commissioner has ruled out Wimmera residents being able to spend time on activities deemed "non-essential", after the approval process to cross the border changes next week.
On Wednesday, the government announced the current system allowing residents exemptions from travel bans that apply to the rest of Victoria will end on Friday August 21.
On that day, a new system will come in by which border residents must apply for the same essential traveller exemptions as health workers and Victorians wanting to visit South Australia on compassionate grounds.
On Thursday, Commissioner Stevens said those that were granted the right to travel to South Australia would only be allowed to carry out the purpose of their essential travel while over there.
"This is not a licence to wander through the community of South Australia, this is to enable those critical services or requirements to be met," he said.
Commissioner Stevens reiterated South Australians who left without prior approvals or exemptions would not be able to re-enter South Australia.
Premier Steven Marshall defended the tough new measures, which have been criticised by residents and Victorian politicians alike in the past 24 hours.
"We are only doing this to keep this disease at bay in South Australia," he said.
THE FALLOUT:
"By working together with the general public owners of businesses and the government we have been able to do extraordinarily well. I am grateful to the people of South Australia for their level of support for the restrictions.
"We are extraordinarily concerned about the seeing of coronavirus into regional Victoria. Along the border the shires there at the moment I think there are something like 14 current cases.
"It is not a disease ring fenced in Melbourne... and we have to do everything we can to protect the southeast of South Australia against the coronavirus."
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Alexander Darling
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
