VICTORIA'S government has not allayed concerns about the validity of permits for the state's workers who have NSW bosses.
The new measure, introduced this week, requires Victorian-based employees to carry a document signed by their employer.
Workers and companies face hefty fines if they do not comply with the permit requirements.
There are on-the-spot fines of $1817 for individuals and $10,904 for organisations that breach the scheme, which covers the non-carrying of permits when travelling to and from work.
There are also penalties of $21,808 for individuals and $109,044 for organisations that fail to meet requirements, such as providing false or misleading information on permit forms.
Benambra MP Bill Tilley has been told of NSW employers refusing to sign the permits because they are not subject to Victorian law and workers therefore being stuck south of the border.
"Frankly, if I was a NSW business I doubt that I would sign one of these permits," Mr Tilley said
"There's a huge question mark about whether Victorian rules can be enforced on a NSW business and yet they're threatening them with a $10,000 fine and the worker cops an almost $2000 fine, as well."
Mr Tilley has raised the issue with Victorian Cross Border Commissioner Luke Wilson and written to state Health Minister Martin Foley.
IN OTHER NEWS:
The Border Mail put questions to Mr Foley's office on Tuesday about the legality of the permits and whether he would allow those in the border bubble to not have authorised worker requirements given the difficulties and need already for a cross border permit.
Those matters were not addressed in a one-sentence response.
It read: "Victoria has strict measures in place to limit the spread of the highly infectious delta variant in the Victorian community, particularly following recent incursions from NSW where the virus is spreading uncontrolled."
Albury MP Justin Clancy said NSW firms with Victorian workers faced a catch-22.
"The forms are requiring a declaration but in that declaration it's asking a NSW employer if they're abiding by Victorian health and safety rules," Mr Clancy said.
"They're making declarations that do not fit with their business being based in NSW."
Business NSW Murray-Riverina regional manager Anthony McFarlane said there was a "lot of confusion over the drafting of the form" but he was telling bosses to "err on the side of caution" and complete it.
A Victorian NSW worker had a call for government.
"I wish they would make a border bubble and goddamn stick to it and not chop and change it," she said.
Meanwhile, NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro confirmed he would announce on Thursday whether lockdown restrictions would be lifted in areas such as the Riverina.
He also said he did not expect there would be a further postponement to council polls in NSW after they were pushed back from next month to December.
"There will always be contingency plans but I'm almost 100 per cent certain that 4th of December will be local government elections," Mr Barilaro said after citing high vaccination rates expected to be achieved by November.
