AUSTRALIAN Defence Force personnel need to be deployed to Murrayville to set up and run a temporary outlet to ensure people of the region have access to fuel.

Member for Mildura Ali Cupper said Prime Minister Scott Morrison had regularly stated anything Victoria needed would be supplied by the Federal Government to help in the COVID-19 fight.

“The people of Murrayville and surrounds need access to fuel because of the South Australian Government’s decision to further tighten its border restrictions to shut out people from border communities,” she said.

“It is unacceptable for people from Murrayville to be expected to travel to Underbool – a 120km round-trip – just to get a basic necessity like fuel.

“Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews needs to take up Mr Morrison’s offer of help and get ADF personnel deployed to Murrayville immediately to help facilitate a pop-up fuel outlet.

“ADF personnel are in place controlling closures on both the South Australian and New South Wales borders, so it is possible to get people on the ground quickly.

“The people of Murrayville and surrounds do not deserve to be disadvantaged by a decision from South Australia that is completely ignorant to how their communities work.”

Ms Cupper said she had spent days trying to negotiate with the Victorian Government to get a fuel tanker, or temporary outlet, for fuel but progress was too slow.

“The new regulations start at midnight on Thursday, so we can not let this issue be tied down by red tape. We need ADF on the ground right now.”