Border Permits FIXED

Unfortunately they got it wrong and permits advised Operators and Drivers “you will be required to self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival in NSW”.

Legally this contradicted the Public Health (COVID-19 Border Control) Order 2020 issued by Health Minister Brad Hazzard under the NSW Public Health Legislation.

The legislation in both States outlines that drivers are able to provide the critical services they do and are only required to isolate whilst in the midst of those critical services, for example, sleep in the cabin of their truck or in a hotel room, maintaining social isolation guidelines and then driving.

Having seen the confusion, anxiety and angst amongst our membership as they scrambled to keep up with the ambiguous, ongoing changes to border crossing rules. Amongst others, the TWU campaigned to have the government fix the problem.

We saw the consequences of thousands of trucks that were likely to be required to pull up on the side of the road in the south of the State creating significant safety issues if the government did not fix the problem.

To have a significant number of trucks out of commission, a lack of toilet paper would have been the least of the problems faced by members of the public.

On Thursday night, July 9, Transport for NSW through the Service NSW Website corrected the problem, creating new permits and no longer requiring 14 days isolation by those moving freight.

Queensland Borders are now restricted to Coronavirus hotspots, but their permits have accounted for critical workers, like transport workers.