Queensland border closure created frustration, but restrictions now relaxing

Queensland is less than 250 kilometres away from Narrabri but it may as well be on the other side of the world for contractors, farmers, businesspeople, students, medical patients and others who have been unable to enter the state.

New, tighter restrictions imposed by the Queensand Government on cross-border movements from NSW amid the COVID-19 pandemic have had major impacts.

Now, much to the relief of many, the border crossing rules have been relaxed.

Narrabri-based harvest contractor Richard Scilley is one of the many in the agricultural industries whose business requires them to be able to come and go into Queensland.

For the first time in years, an anticipated big harvest is on the horizon, but Richard’s ability to make the necessary pre-harvest preparations for himself and clients in Queensland was being frustrated. His services did not fit any of the categories for approval to cross the border. Now it appears the rules have been relaxed, and Richard’s previously refused application has been approved.

“We have vital repair and maintenance work to do on a header in Queensland to get ready for the harvest,” Richard said. “I have the parts here in Narrabri. I had been refused approval to make the border crossing to carry out the work.

“And I have three headers in Narrabri – I will need to get into Queensland for the harvest.”

Mr Scilley was facing challenges when his application to cross the border was refused by the Queensland Department of Agriculture.

The request for a border pass ‘did not meet the criteria for specialist agribusiness’, the Department said.

In his application, Mr Scilley cited the repair, rebuilding and maintenance of harvest equipment, plus transport of parts to Queensland for the harvest season.

In response to the section seeking information on detrimental impacts, Mr Scilley noted that without the work, the harvest would not be able to be undertaken, leading to loss of crops and essential income for the farmer.

Talwood was a small community with no local immediate access to mechanics’ services, everyone was busy and the work was becoming urgent as harvest approached.

Now, Richard has been given the green light to go north after his refused permit has been approved.

He has a busy schedule of pre-harvest maintenance and repair work lined up in Queensland.

“I have the header parts here and couldn’t get up to Talwood, just over the border, to do it,” he said.

“And we have headers in NSW we needed to get up to Queensland in readiness for the harvest.

“I’ve got a customer’s machine pulled apart up in Talwood, and I couldn’t get back over the border to finish putting it back together.

“We have the parts in Narrabri and the header is in Queensland.

“We would start harvest early to mid October in Queensland. The clock was ticking.

“The thing with harvesters is that when you are pulling them down and putting them together you find further maintenance and repair issues out of the blue.

“It could be a wet harvest and the demand will be huge.

“A lot of our work is maintenance but we normally take headers to Queensland.”

There are many stories of plans disrupted and frustrations when border access was denied.

“A bloke bought an auger here for the harvest but if he came down to get it he had to quarantine in Brisbane for two weeks when he goes back and pay for it himself.’

The relaxation of the border rules, which still require rigorous adherence to health regulations, has relieved many cross-border agri-businesses.