HYNAM residents Jason and Claire Law are having a hard time understanding why the state government needs to revoke the SA-Vic cross border community arrangements when there has been such high rates of compliance and COVID-19 testing - and not one single case come across the border into SA.
"It has provided a great buffer zone of testing all the way up the border," he said.
"It has allowed most businesses and people to operate at nearly 100 per cent while remaining within stringent guidelines."
And while the state government has said farmers with land on both sides of the border will be granted exemptions, under the new hardline rules the couple are not that hopeful it will extend to their agricultural service businesses.
They own veterinary practice, Rural Veterinary Services which has clinics in Edenhope, Vic, and Naracoorte and Jason is the chief pilot and operations manager of Southern Air Agriculture.
They say both businesses will be severely impacted unless they can gain permits to continue to work both sides of border.
Vic's West Wimmera region is days away from not having a large animal veterinarian with Dr Law who applied for a permit to travel in the 40 kilometre cross border zone for large animal work, declined within hours of applying. This was despite putting together an extensive COVID-19 mitigation plan.
She says it is distressing knowing she is likely to be cut off from half her clients when the nearest large animal vet is 200 kilometres away in Stawell or Hamilton- too far for many farmers to contemplate a call out.
She fears animal welfare will be the loser and can also see it taking its toll on farmers' mental health due to their strong bonds with their animals.
"If we go out to assist a calving that is not just about that day, there has been a lot going into that cow getting her in calf and if they have to shoot her or she dies it is pretty detrimental to farmers to have that happen," she said.
"Imagine if you are just over the border and your dog has taken a bait and you can get here in 20 minutes and save it or you have to shoot it because that's the advice we would have to give, the dog isn't going to make it to Horsham."
Mr Law says the decision makers need to understand it is not as simple as Vic farmers getting a Vic vet to see their animals or an aerial sprayer to cover their crops.
"It is the same for the stock agent as the spray planes as the vet, everyone has a patch and they are geared up with infrastructure and staff to service that patch only," he said.
Mr Law says they have been declined access for ground support vehicles to travel into Vic and load spray planes but may be able to launch from SA airstrips. This would however add at least 25 per cent to per hectare spraying costs.
We should be considered as the worthy and important sectors that we are, not just an acceptable casualty to buffer the capital cities
- Jason Law
Financially Mr Law says the border lock out could not have come at a worse time for them and many others on the land with spring their busiest time of the year.
"That is something that has been forgotten- if the owner of a coffee shop in Melbourne has to shut for four weeks that represents 10 per cent of their income for the year but in agriculture if it is the wrong four weeks it could be as much as 80pc loss of production," he said.
The Laws,whose eastern boundary of their 800 acre property is the SA-Vic border, fear the human and economic costs of the government's actions will be "of a scale not seen before".
"We should be considered as the worthy and important sectors that we are, not just an acceptable casualty to buffer the capital cities," Mr Law said.
A state government spokesperson said they recognised that restrictions across the nation are impacting on communities, families and businesses.
"However the state government's number one focus is on keeping the people of SA safe and strong, and our border restrictions are a major part of that," she said.
"Exemptions are considered on a case by case basis."
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