A one week trip to visit a dying friend has turned into an eight week nightmare for a Ballarat resident who is one of thousands of Victorians prevented from returning home due to border restrictions.
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Alfredton resident Allan Meers has submitted his second application for a permit to cross the border from New South Wales to Victoria after his first permit attempt was rejected.
He said he was feeling desperate, like there was no end in sight, and it was affecting the mental wellbeing of both him and his terminally ill friend.
It is just tragic what is happening to people at this point in time.
- Allan Meers, Alfredton resident
"The Victorian government just seems to block anyone from coming back regardless of their circumstances," Mr Meers said.
"It is just tragic what is happening to people at this point in time... I am amazed at how many people are in this situation."
Mr Meers arrived in Lismore in New South Wales on July 11 to visit long-term friend and colleague Nicholas Tollett who was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer.
Mr Meers has continued staying in a bedroom at his friend's house in Lismore since, with lockdown restrictions on the area since August 10 and border closures preventing him from returning home.
He said he had three COVID-19 tests since July 9 which had all returned negative results, the last one completed in the hope it would assist his application for an exemption to cross the border.
The application also included a letter from his doctor who said Mr Meers needed to return to Ballarat for a medical injection, which was now overdue.
He has also missed the appointment he had made to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and a physiotherapy appointment to address ongoing back problems.
Mr Meers' application was refused on August 20 and the response from local MP Jualiana Addison's office was to encourage him to apply again.
He said the situation was putting stress on Mr Tollett's already fragile health situation and was severely affecting his own physical and mental health.
"I am deeply distressed by what I see occurring here, not just on a personal level, but in the manner in which the Victorian Government is handling this crisis," he said.
"The myopic response to Victorians seeking to return to their own homes - while responsibly protecting public health - is deplorable."
Mr Meers said he could not understand the risk posed to the Victorian public by his journey home as a responsible citizen.
He said he would be driven from Lismore, which has had zero COVID-19 cases, to Ballina Airport by his friend after receiving a negative test result and fly to Melbourne on likely a quarter full plan.
He would then drive himself home from Melbourne Airport in his own car which is racking up thousands of dollars of fees in airport parking and then he would self-quarantine at home.
"When I think of my journey home I am at a loss to understand how I can be at a risk to anyone in Victoria," he said.
"I'm at a loss as to what to do now."
Mr Meers has started reaching out to politicians in desparation, including Senaor Sarah Henderson who has expressed her support.
His partner Joy Brisbane from Buninyong, who is desperate to see Mr Meers return home, has also written letters to local politicians.
"It has been a concern for me how he is doing mentally and emotionally," she said.
"You are left up in the air all the time... How long is it going to be before my partner comes home to me?"
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The Victorian Government said travel exemption applications were being assessed based on urgency and need, with end of life circumstances and funeral arrangements being prioritised.
"Exemptions applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis and are only granted in extremely limited circumstances," a statement said.
Thousands of Victorians remain camped on the border and throughout New South Wales waiting to be allowed to return to their homes.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said on Sunday during a press conference he would have more to say 'soon' about getting Victorians who are stranded in New South Wales home.
He said it depended on the state of the virus and consideration of home quarantine and testing programs.
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