Gwyn Hooper, Uki
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.
This situation has arisen because of the fundamental failures of the Morrison government: the failures of 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 Qld and NSW governments. The simple solution to this is for the Tweed Shire to be ring-fenced off from the rest of NSW.
Hard borders on the Pacific Highway and Tweed Valley Way, at Wooyung, Kyogle Rd beyond Kunghur, and a closure of the Uki to Mullumbimby road over Mt Jerusalem. This would provide the 90,000 Tweed residents with uninterrupted travel to Qld. The border communities would be able to function and the economic benefits would be enjoyed by all.
This, sadly, will not be implemented owing to a variety of reasons, but it would be the simplest solution. Simple and logical are not, however, things that spring to mind when considering state government relations.
Meanwhile the people suffer and their anger and frustrations are played out along political lines. If we had leadership, and I mean true leadership, then we would not be in the mess that we now find ourselves. Leadership, however, is not a word that we would ever relate to the Morrison government and the mantra of a simple and logical solution rarely relates to interstate relations.
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. 
