Michael Weatherhead, Alstonville
The whole of the Northern Rivers is in lockdown and the whole of the Northern Rivers has zero cases of COVID-19 as of 24 August. In fact, to the west in Tenterfield there are no coronavirus cases, and to the south in Coffs Harbour there are no coronavirus cases.
The Northern Rivers is 20,733km² in size and would constitute a medium sized country in Europe – slightly larger than Slovenia.
Our economy is suffering because of a problem in Sydney and now Western NSW. It would make more sense to have a hard border south of the Northern Rivers and let our economy recover. It would also make sense in terms of containing the virus.
In any case, does the Northern Rivers need to suffer because Sydney has been unfortunate? Please consider easing the lockdown as there is no problem here at all. I wish you well with managing the virus.
The weekend’s demonstration at the Queensland border shows the anger and frustration that is felt by people on both sides of the border. However, I think that a lot of the anger being directed at the Queensland government is misplaced.
f a lack of fit-for-purpose quarantine facilities, the failure on vaccine procurement, and the absolute shambolic vaccine roll out – all rest at the door of Morrison.
If these things had been implemented in an appropriate way we would not be in the position that we are today. The ‘limo driver event’ would not have happened, and coupled with the appalling reaction by the Berejiklian government to the Sydney outbreak, we now find ourselves in this position. We now find ourselves with people being angry and frustrated. And rightly so.
We now come to the last failure; the complete lack of cooperation between the
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
