Wodonga mayor Anna Speedie wants to see an easing of COVID-19 restrictions in Victoria to reflect what has been done in NSW.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Cr Speedie told The Border Mail there should be a "gentling" of some restrictions "to enable people to connect again".
"Just hearing what our businesses are saying to me, there are some out there doing well, but there are so many out there who aren't," she said.
"Even the mental health picture - if you can't visit families and close relatives.
"I know that the Victorian government has been really firm on that date of May 11 (for reviewing restrictions) and I understand why.
"But when I get young people ask me, 'Hang on, how can all my friends 10 minutes away do this, but I can't?', (or) when you try and justify it to your own children ... that makes it hard.
"Having two sets of rules when you're minutes apart makes it complex and confusing.
"We haven't seen new cases for several weeks now, and people are also getting used to social distancing."
Cr Speedie said the Victorian government had done a great job protecting people, but it was important to ease some of the pressure on the community.
"This isn't about getting a pointy finger out, it's saying 'let's take stock'," she said.
"It's just saying that being able to go fishing up our beautiful rivers, being able to go onto the golf course ... those are some of the things I think we could ease back on ... not a free-for-all.
IN OTHER NEWS:
"A gentling of some of those rules to enable people to connect again, to potentially save their businesses.
"We have had to be really nimble and react quickly, and things change, it's unprecedented, so let's keep looking at what do we really need to do as of today."
There have been no new COVID-19 cases in the North East since the beginning of April.
Over the border, there are just four remaining COVID-19 cases classed as "active" across the entire Murrumbidgee Local Health District, as tests done exceeded 4000 over the weekend.
The number of people who have tested positive for the virus remains at 45.
