Border Bulletin

December 2020

Victorian, South Australian and borders now open

After many months, restrictions at the Victorian, South Australian and Queensland borders have now been lifted. This brings an end to a very difficult and uncertain time for many people, especially those living and working in the cross-border communities.

The NSW Cross-Border Commissioner, James McTavish, would like to acknowledge the many people impacted personally and professionally impacted by the closure. He thanks the border communities for their endurance and hopes for prosperous times ahead.

It is still important to stay up to date on the latest on Covid-19 restrictions. Keep up to date on the most recent news by visiting the NSW COVID-19 website.

Cross border agreements with and ACT now signed!

Border closures have been a defining experience for our border communities in 2020 and there is important work to be done in the new year to ensure that the lessons we have learned from the closures are not lost. However, while the closures were underway - the enduring work under cross- border agreements has continued with progress being made to build lasting frameworks for co- operation between states on cross border issues.

NSW and Victorian border communities now have a framework to work together and address cross- border anomalies with the signing of the inaugural Memorandum of Understanding for Cross-Border Collaboration (MoU). This significant agreement will assist communities and businesses to recover and thrive, after enduring the 2019/20 bushfires, drought, COVID-19 pandemic and the border closure.

The NSW Cross-Border Commissioner and his counterpart in Victoria, Luke Wilson, look forward to working together under this more formal arrangement to address issues such as business regulation, trades licensing recognition, transport connection and accessibility, as well as access to education and health services.

This MoU brings Victoria in line with the established agreements that NSW already has with the ACT and Queensland Governments.

A new ACT and NSW Memorandum of Understanding for Regional Collaboration has also been signed by the NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, and the ACT Chief Minister, Andrew Barr.

Shared priority areas for co-operation during the term of the term of this Agreement will be outlined as Shared Priority Focus Area Plans. This includes the Parkwood Urban Release Area Governance Framework. Separately, ongoing cross-border actions that fall outside of the priority focus areas will be articulated in the ACT-NSW Table of on-going cross-border actions.

This new agreement establishes an annual Senior Officials Dialogue on Regional Collaboration and will be supported by a Progress Report outlining the progress of activity against milestones, and highlighting issues and area of concern.

You can find out more about the Cross Border Agreements here.

Staying COVID safe this NSW COVID-19 Restrictions What you can and can't do under the rules summer

Keep up to date on the rules, and stay safe whether you are working, visiting family and friends, or going out.

COVID-19 travel and Covid- COVID Safe Check-in with 19 restrictions the Service NSW app The NSW Government has created a Different states have different unique, free QR code for businesses. rules - check before you travel! Customers will need to have the Service NSW app installed on their mobile to • Queensland record their visit. • Victoria It makes the check in seamless • South by sending accurate customer • information directly to Service NSW. This • Australian Capital Territory means the data does not have to be • stored by the business and it is readily • Western Australia available for NSW Health to access if it becomes necessary. Please help stop the spread of COVID-

19 by continuing to practice social QR codes for check-in distancing, good hygiene, and complying with the most up to date restrictions. Signing in with your contact details when visiting a pub, restaurant, place of worship or other business is one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself and the community against COVID-19.

Providing this information helps make contact tracing more efficient, if it becomes necessary. This helps stop the spread of infection.

Businesses and organisations that are required to collect customer details must:

• keep the name and mobile Working from home top! number or email address of the customer/visitor for at least 28 Interact with other humans days You're working from home, not the • store the moon! information confidentially and

securely Interacting with other people during the • cooperate with NSW Health if day is a good idea, even if they're not contacted in relation to a your co-workers. In fact, it's nice to see positive case of COVID-19, and another face during the day when most notify SafeWork NSW on 13 10 of your work day is solitary. 50

On the Commissioner's Desk

Funding for NSW Councils to boost summer fun

After the devastating effects of COVID- 19 on local businesses, every NSW council can sign up for up to $10,000 in NSW Government funding for free events, activities or experiences to enliven local public spaces this summer, and to encourage people to stay and spend locally.

The $1.3 million Festival of Place Summer Fun(d) program will run from December until Easter 2021. It is designed to support councils with events and ideas to draw people back to their local public spaces in order to stimulate the economy, such as innovative lighting displays, outdoor markets, micro- festivals, open-air theatre, street parties,

lawn libraries and street entertainment. Are you wondering what is coming across the Commissioner's desk? This $10,000 is in addition to the • Many many questions about relaxation of planning rules for alfresco border restrictions, permits and dining and local events and will give travel exemption requests. councils the tools they need to attract • Victorian-NSW MoU work plan people to come out, shop locally, and development enjoy our magnificent summer weather. • Queensland-NSW Agreement Councils can submit an Expression of renewal Interest (EOI) with a simple online form, • Cross-Border Commissioner in December or January, to boost events Infrastructure Fund over Christmas and during summer: assessments https://www.dpie.nsw.gov.au/premiers- • Support for NSW small priorities/great-public-spaces/festival-of- businesses in cross-border place/summer-fund communities

Do you have any cross- border issues? Send them through to us.

Welcome Kellie Urquhart!

The Office of the NSW Cross Border Commissioner is delighted to welcome Kellie Business Connect for NSW Urquhart to the team as our new Senior Project small businesses Officer. Kellie has great experience working with people on the issues that impact regional Business Connect is a dedicated and communities, including her recent work with the personalised NSW Government program Office of Drought Response. that provides trusted independent business advice and events to help you Kellie joined the team to assist in the response start, run, adapt or grow your small to the COVID-19 Border restrictions and we are business. delighted to welcome Kellie to our team as we Over 120 Business Connect advisors offer look forward to another big year working with advice tailored to your needs to support our NSW Cross-Border Communities. you to achieve your business goals and

tackle immediate and long-term challenges. Whether you own an

established business looking to grow or adapt, or you have a business idea yet to launch, there is support for you.

An online toolkit is available to small business seeking information, such as understanding a tender process or tips to opening an online store.

Launch of the Regional Job COVID-19 Cross Border Creation Fund Sport Fund

The COVID-19 Cross Border Sport Fund The Regional Job Creation Fund supports is part of the NSW Government’s regional investment and job creation by Community Sport Recovery Package, offering up to $10 million in co-funding to specifically targeting NSW border activate or bring forward regional grassroot clubs and associations that projects in engine, enabling or emerging have been impacted by COVID-19. engine industries.

The COVID-19 Cross Border Sports Examples of eligible projects could Fund will support NSW based clubs and include the: associations that are affiliated with a state level sporting organisation or • replacement, upgrade or association recognised in another adaptation of plant and State/Territory, that were not eligible to equipment at an existing receive funding under the Grassroots regional NSW business Sport Fund. • establishment of an additional Eligible applicants will be able to receive production line for an existing up to $1,000, to assist organisations with regional NSW business fixed costs incurred between March and • onshoring of activity currently June 2020, where they have not already done overseas to a regional received financial assistance or relief NSW location from Australian, state or local • development of new regional governments or others such as a NSW tourism experiences and visitor SSO or SSOD. attractions Payments to clubs up to $1,000 can be • relocation of a business used for fixed costs such as: operation from out of state to regional NSW. • insurances Applications close 5.00pm on Friday, • power 14 May 2021 or when program funding • telephone and internet has been fully allocated • fixed vehicle or equipment costs (lease, registration),

• other base operating costs including affiliation fees, EFTPOS and banking fees, IT support arrangements and essential equipment

Further information and eligibility requirements can be found here.

Applications Close: Tuesday,15 December 2020

Tweed Light Rail Study on track for delivery

The NSW Government has confirmed a Bushfire Royal Commission $1 million study will be undertaken into and Inquiries - Update the possibility of a light rail connection in Tweed Heads. The study will see NSW

identify a suitable five-kilometre corridor In the wake of the devastating bushfire for a future light rail extension from season in 2019-20, the Australian, NSW to the Tweed, including and Victorian Governments have connection to the airport and university. concluded their investigations and released a series of recommendations. The Unsurprisingly, there will investigate the corridor to the north. are numerous references and

recommendations around cross- border interoperability, including the sharing of resources and information, coordinated planning and responses, communications and public messaging. We know cross-border communities were hard hit during the 2019/20 fire season, and while some coordination did occur, we’re pleased to see the

issues formally highlighted and solutions proposed. Stay up to date with the work of Our office will continue to advocate for the NSW Cross Border improvements to ensure Commissioner better preparedness for future emergency events. You can find out more at the new Department of Regional NSW and Office of the Cross-Border Commissioner Governments will now respond to and website HERE! work towards implementing the agreed recommendations. Or follow us on LinkedIn!

Reports can be found here:

• Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements Did you receive this email from a friend? Click to • NSW Independent Bushfire Inquiry subscribe.

• Victorian Independent Inquiry into Fire Season