Martin Foley won't rule out border closure as NSW COVID cases grow

Victoria recorded no new COVID cases in the past 24 hours while NSW recorded 38 cases of COVID.

When asked by media on Thursday whether Victoria would put a hard border in place with NSW to stop people entering the southern state, Martin Foley said all decisions would be made based on public health advice.

"Look, I wouldn't rule it out," he said of a border closure.

"But the Victoria Police advice is that they have also learnt a lot over the last 18 months in terms of how the most effective policing is engaged to ensure that the CHO's orders are enforced.

"Their advice has been that it is more effective for this highly visible, highly mobile, technologically driven responses.

"They continue to advise, from the reports I've seen, high levels of compliance. An increasing presence of VicPol on big road, little roads and in between roads along the border has been quite effective."

READ MORE:

Today marks one year since the NSW-Victoria border closed for the first time since 1919.

Mr Foley said the government's approach has also changed, but he called on non-border residents to avoid NSW.

"We've got a traffic light system, we've learnt and evolved that over time, that's why I use this opportunity again to ask Victorians please do not travel to NSW," he said.

"Obviously for border communities, the bubble for those people who live in the bubble will continue to apply but we want to make sure we minimise the risks associated with the continuing outbreak in NSW being transferred into Victoria."