A Victorian government minister has rejected suggestions it is time to redeploy police from the NSW border, as the states extended their local coronavirus-free streaks.
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Victorian Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt on Wednesday said it was time to bring home the 850 officers deployed to the border operation, which he described as a "huge chunk" of the force.
He noted that Victoria currently lists just one NSW local government area - Cumberland - as a red zone, with the northern state recording 10 days in a row without new community transmission of coronavirus.
On Wednesday, Victoria reached three weeks without any new local infections.
"Our members are telling us they are of very, very limited value there now based on what's occurring in NSW," Mr Gatt told 3AW.
"We have to start genuinely thinking about bringing those officers home."
But Victoria's trade, tourism and sports minister Martin Pakula defended the police border presence.
"As soon as police can be reasonably redeployed from the border ... they will be," Mr Pakula told reporters.
"We've still got one zone in NSW which is red (and) there is a still a border permit process in place for the border crossing."
There were two new Victorian cases in hotel quarantine, but Mr Pakula said neither of them were associated with the Australian Open.
He added that an element of backlash from the elite athletes in hotel quarantine was inevitable.
Spanish ace Roberto Bautista Agut last week likened the conditions to a prison. He later apologised for these remarks.
"In an environment where you've got hundreds of elite athletes who are confined to corners for a couple of weeks, there's always going to be some complaints - it's a massive adjustment," Mr Pakula told reporters.
"But those rules are there for a reason and whatever rules are in place beyond the quarantine period ... ought to be followed by the players.
"That's what Victorians expect them to do."
Testing numbers are up slightly, with 13,612 results received in the 24 hours to midnight on Tuesday despite the Australia Day holiday.
Australian Associated Press