West Wimmera Shire Council will write a letter to the Prime Minister Scott Morrison asking if they can intervene ahead of the South Australian border closing to Victorian residents.
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This is currently set to take place from Friday.
Deputy Mayor Jodie Pretlove, of Minimay, moved the motion that the letter be written "so our essential services and cross-border community members within West Wimmera Shire be allowed to continue to operate with a commonsense approach through current pandemic.".
It was seconded by Councillor Trevor Domaschenz and carried unanimously.
Speaking after the meeting, Cr Pretlove said the intention was for the letter to go out on Thursday. She said keeping the current level of access for cross-border residents would be "a wonderful outcome".
"I don't know if he (the Prime Minister) can intervene, but I feel like local government is powerless in this area and state leaders aren't appreciating the impact the decisions they make are having," she said.
"This will leave a path of destruction on the border. We have Frances Primary School (in South Australia), which is looking like closing through the lockdown period because 15 out of its 25 students reside in Victoria, and to do online teaching with 10 students in the classroom is just not going to work. So what does this do long-term to a little community like that?
RELATED: WHAT THE BORDER CLOSURES WILL MEAN
"And the doctors and specialists here are not going to keep up with new demand from people who can't go to their normal appointments in South Australia. I don't think it's the Australian way to have a slam shut border."
During officers reports, Mayor Bruce Meyer said the border was being used as a "political football, and we are dead in the centre of it".
"We are working with all possible groups to try and get a testing station set up on the Victorian side of the border, resolve some of those issues," he said.
"Representations have been made on behalf of a lot of individuals with the cross border commissioner."
Cr Trevor Domaschenz said he thought "a lot of bad decisions are being made at the moment under a huge amount of stress".
"We are all trying to help our community and people we know. I think this last week has been my most stressful time on the council," he said.
"We are probably watching the stats too much and wondering why the active cases are not dropping off. I've talked to really strong people breaking down, just trying to help their community as best they can and not being able to do. I think if nothing happens this week, something like some civil disobedience might happen, so that we get a recognition of risk, not politics.
"I've concentrated on doing something through the upper house and the minor parties in Victoria."
Councillor Richard Hicks said after the meeting while it was a good idea to contact the Prime Minister, he wasn't sure what Mr Morrison could do without interfering without the rights of individual states.
"As far as I'm aware, he can't rule on that," he said. "Nevertheless, I think the more we can bring to bear on this whole issue it only be of benefit."
The Mail-Times contacted Councillor Tom Houlihan for comment.
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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.
