WHILE the Victorian and NSW premiers have been strong on keeping their joint border open during the coronavirus crisis, there has been less harmony around restrictions.
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This saw golf and fishing continue north of the Murray River, while these were banned south of the stream.
Thankfully, uniformity on those matters has returned, but we are now faced with a disjointed approach to the resumption of dine-in trading for Border cafes, pubs and restaurants.
As of Friday, the NSW government allowed up to 10 sit-down patrons at eateries.
On Sunday Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said that in his state up to 20 people would be permitted to eat-in at hotels, cafes and restaurants from June 1.
He also foreshadowed that number rising to 50 from June 22 and up to 100 from mid-July, subject to COVID-19 cases.
Mr Andrews defended not allowing in-house dining until June 1 on the basis that hospitality industry figures had advised they needed time to prepare to ensure the safety of patrons and staff.
But Opposition MPs have criticised the delaying of introducing measures already backed by the national Cabinet.
Wodonga Retailers chief Greg Haysom noted there was merit in allowing businesses to prepare, but also pointed to eateries in his city being at a disadvantage to their Albury counterparts.
"There's that perspective that Albury is open and Wodonga is not," he told The Border Mail on Sunday.
Given both of the Twin Cities have had minimal coronavirus cases, indeed Sunday marked a month since a diagnosis in Albury, it would be fair that taverns, trattorias and tea houses were on the same footing along the Murray.
The fact they are not is a reflection of a lack of consistency between states and ignorance about how different rules play out along borders.
Eating out generates hundreds of jobs in Albury-Wodonga, but our states regrettably have been unwilling to add a dash of harmony to what they're serving our area.
