THE region's agricultural businesses have welcomed new permits to allow them access into Victoria, however they aren't pleased the Queensland border remains shut.
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New rules, introduced on Tuesday, will make it easier for businesses dependent on the agriculture sector to operate outside the "border bubble" and enter Victoria for work.
However, Moree's National Ag owner Colin Underwood said it was time the sector was able to re-enter Queensland.
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"These permits are a good start, but it's very important to our business that the NSW-Queensland border reopens," Mr Underwood told the Leader.
"At the moment, it is costing us business due to people's uncertainty of the products being delivered.
"The Victorian border reopening is very useful and while we are flat- out at the moment, we are really hoping the Queensland border reopens soon."
NSW Farmers president James Jackson echoed Mr Underwood's calls, saying the permit system must extend to Queensland.
"This is a good step in reducing the uncertainty and we strongly encourage the Queensland Government to follow the NSW leadership as we all seek to operate in COVID-Safe workplaces," Mr Jackson said.
"With a bumper grain harvest looming in the northern NSW, similar steps must be made urgently to allow the movement of workers, contractors and machinery across the Queensland border.
"We will continue to work with the Minister for Agriculture and the Department of Primary Industries to support them in pushing for an agriculture permit system to reduce any impact on an all-important grain harvest."
Northern Tablelands MP and NSW Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall said under the new rules, businesses providing a highly-specialised agricultural service would be eligible for the new permits.
"This is a sensible solution to the issues caused by recent changes and ensures our state's agriculture sector has the workforce it needs to keep powering ahead in the midst of improving seasonal conditions," Mr Marshall said.
"While this will be very welcome news, it does not solve all the problems, and in my view, is just the first step towards allowing the critical agriculture sector on both sides of border to operate freely, as it needs to.
"At my request, the health minister has committed to reviewing the Public Health Order again next week."
Parkes MP Mark Coulton said he was pushing to get the Queensland border open for health and agricultural needs.
"I know there is a lot of work being done at all levels of government," Mr Coulton said.
"No one knows better than me, as the Regional Health Minister, the importance of COVID precautions, but these restrictions are impacting a lot of people.
"Not only in the agriculture space, but in health as well, so we are really working hard to get a good outcome."
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
