NSW-Victorian border residents will once again be able to cross the Murray River for everyday needs after NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro announced changes to the permit system.
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The Nationals leader travelled to the Albury border checkpoint on Tuesday to announce the tight blue zone would no longer apply and be expanded to 50 kilometres and allow for travel for daily life needs as existed after the initial closure in July.
"What we're announcing today and we'll work towards over the next seven to 10 days is that we will lift the border restrictions from the current tight two-and-half kilometre border zone back to the 50 kilometre border zone," Mr Barilaro said.
"(It will) give more freedom for communities on both sides of the border to work, play and actually function as a community and in itself that is a significant change to what the current restriction is."
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Mr Barilaro said there would also be quarantine hubs set up along the border in NSW for agricultural workers, some of whom had been told to travel to Melbourne and fly to Sydney to enter the state.
"We'll look at quarantine venues down on the south coast, here on the Albury-Wodonga border and out west," he said.
"We think it is a better option for people to be quarantining close to the border rather than flying into Sydney.
"Initially they will be focused on the ag workforce because we really want to make sure for those farmers who have done it tough in drought, who have struggled, want this bumper season...it's important they have the workforce so they can rebound."
Mr Barilaro also said a southern borders recovery committee would be established with member for Albury Justin Clancy a co-chair and Albury mayor Kevin Mack, the chair of the Riverina group of councils.
Victorian representatives and cross border commissioners will also be involved in the group.
Mr Barilaro was joined at his announcement by Victorian Nationals leader Peter Walsh, Mr Clancy, member for Benambra Bill Tilley, Cr Mack and Wodonga mayor Anna Speedie.