Victoria facing ‘enormous’ supply chain disruptions due to COVID-19 truck driver test confusion

There are fears changes to COVID-19 testing rules for truck drivers could see Victoria’s supply chains “destroyed” and cause massive disruption for the flow of good into the state.

New South Wales and South Australia now require drivers to get tested every seven days if they’re crossing state borders.

But in Victoria, testing isn’t available for people with no symptoms and if it was, drivers would have to isolate while waiting for results.

CEO of the Victorian Transport Association, Peter Anderson, says if the rules aren’t changed, it will cause “enormous disruption”.

“It would affect everybody’s lives,” he told Neil Mitchell.

“In Victoria we don’t test for asymptomatic cases … you cant get a test just because you feel like it.

“For us to comply with that, it means we would have to break that law.”

Mr Anderson said there are about 15,000 trucks travelling from Victoria into SA and NSW per day.

“We carry about 650 thousand tonnes a day across the border,” he said.

“Flour, cement, timber, general goods, air freight, foodstuffs, anything you can think of.

“It will be an enormous cost to the economy.”

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Image: Lisa Maree Williams / Getty