Member for Benambra Bill Tilley MLA wants Melbourne locked down completely to save what little is left of Border concessions.

“This obsession with NSW and saying they have to open up the Border is ignoring the elephant in the room – Melbourne has 532 new cases,” he said.

“More than two weeks after the lockdown and we getting record numbers.

“More worrying is the number of people from Melbourne who are still coming to this area, some claiming work but there are anecdotal stories of people coming for funerals last week and family gatherings at the weekend.

“Melbourne is leaking like a sieve.

“We had the Wodonga Library incident on Friday, the LED and shower head replacement workers doing the rounds, Border Heating and Cooling having to put people off work, two separate women going for blood tests after coming from Melbourne and then a compliance checking company again from the COVID capital booking appointments for rental properties.

“We have anecdotal cases of people acquiring permits in questionable circumstances.

“These are just some of the breaches we know – I think you could multiply it by 20 to get the true figure.”

Mr Tilley said there was ongoing work to help builders and those who can’t get to their jobs and businesses in Albury.

“I get the frustration of people who can’t go to work – hopefully we can overcome that this week with some further concessions,” he said.

“But for now, I’m saying ‘Play your part, just say NO to family, friends or businesses’ from Melbourne wanting to come here – whatever the reason.

“Our problem isn’t that we don’t have cases, it’s that NSW doesn’t trust the Victorian Government being able to contain the virus in Melbourne.

“At this stage I fear that the concessions for crossing the river are under real threat today.”