A regional politician claims a number of South Australians are stuck over the border because state authorities are still to process nearly 6,000 crossing requests.

Key points:

  • SA Liberal MP Nick McBride will stay with the party after meeting with the Premier over border processing delays
  • Mr McBride claims some people are waiting up to nine weeks to have crossing applications processed
  • Thousands of people have applied to enter SA

Member for MacKillop Nick McBride, who threatened to run as an independent in the SA state election on the issue, said there needed to be a greater urgency to get people home or have their applications processed after the state closed its borders as part of its coronavirus restrictions.

On ABC Radio on Tuesday, Mr McBride said there continued to be thousands of South Australian residents stuck across borders, including some who have waited up to nine weeks to have their applications processed.

According to figures supplied by the state government, there have been 11,000 applications lodged through the SA portal since August 8.

There are 5,900 applications in the portal awaiting resolution from returning SA residents and people wanting to enter the state.

Mr McBride’s electorate has been one of the hardest hit by border closures given it straddles the Victorian-SA border.

Conceding it was vital to keep COVID-19 out of SA and the approval process was necessary, Mr McBride said it was important the process and communications were improved.

“Many people have been left in the dark about their application, we need better communication,” he said. 

Liberal MP Nick McBride is asking his constituents whether he should become an independent.(

Supplied: Nick McBride

)

Following a meeting with Premier Steven Marshall on Monday, he said he had greater confidence in the state government’s processes and its commitment to Limestone Coast constituents.

He said people stranded across state borders were waiting on average five weeks to get approvals.

“They’re hoping to get that down under two weeks as an average — so that’s their goal,” Mr McBride said.

Every electorate affected

Mr McBride said the issue affected every electorate across the state.

“It’s not just the seat of MacKillop that has suffered this … every MP would have had a constituent or more that would have been trying to get back to,” he said.

The backbencher said he was committed to remaining with the Liberal Party for the upcoming state election.

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said vaccinations were “our pathway out of statewide lockdowns”.(

ABC News

)

Mr McBride said he had a productive meeting with Mr Marshall, ministers, and health officials.

“I was looking for better traction within the party, a better process, a better way of raising the issues that the area like the Limestone Coast or the seat of MacKillop were facing,” he said.

“I wanted that process to be found. I wanted [it] to be actually to be picked up by the Premier.”

Mr McBride described the 50-minute meeting as “tough”, but respectful.

Despite the positive meeting, he said he was not in a position to rule out running as an independent completely.

“Look, you never say anything like that,” Mr McBride said.

“And the meetings I had yesterday, were very positive. And so, I would rule it out.

“Because if it does go like it’s been said that it could and should, then I potentially and should be ruling it out on that basis.”

Mr Marshall declined to comment on the issue.

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