The strengthening containment around the Shepparton COVID-19 outbreak must not keep other regional areas in lockdown any longer, according to the member for Murray Valley.
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Tim McCurdy's electorate borders Shepparton, but to date it has not had any incursions from the Goulburn Valley capital and hopes it will lead to an easing of restrictions as flagged by Premier Daniel Andrews on Tuesday.
He said opening playgrounds and allowing people to play golf and go fishing were obvious bans which needed to be lifted.
"If you can't still go and visit people and stay overnight in peoples' houses the restrictions aren't worth easing," he said.
"In this instance Shepparton and local government authorities around Shepparton might have further restrictions.
"People from Cobram go to Shepp, people from Yarrawonga, some go to Shepparton, some go to Wangaratta, some go to Albury-Wodonga.
"We're quite surprised we haven't seen anything yet in Cobram."
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Shepparton has more than 100 active cases, but importantly no mystery cases reported for the second successive day and crucial day 13 testing looming on Thursday.
Mr Andrews acknowledged "all of country Victoria is hurting".
"But getting around the Shepparton outbreak as we have, looking at wastewater and everything that is on the board, there is not a lot of virus out there known to us," he said.
"We may well have options to do more, go further or maybe faster in regional Victoria.
"But again, it all has to be balanced - you only get one chance to make these decisions."
Mr McCurdy's National Party colleague, Steph Ryan, said the ban on playgrounds came without scientific evidence they were a risk.
"Labor should immediately reverse this decision," she said.
"Playgrounds are not posing a risk to our kids and closing them is just another of Daniel Andrews' knee jerk reactions.
"Benalla's iconic rocket was one of the many fantastic spots where families could escape the house for half an hour to give kids some joy.
"But like every other playground across the region, Benalla's Adventure Park has been taped off.
"Victorians need a proportionate, target and sensible approach to living with COVID."
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