Fatal border closure truck crash inquiry stalled

The backlog of vehicles at the border followed an afternoon announcement from SA authorities that the state would shut to Greater Melbourne at midnight, prompting a surge in travellers trying to enter South Australia before the deadline.

Shortly after the incident, Police Commissioner and state emergency coordinator Grant Stevens announced he had launched a “commissioner’s inquiry” to “examine the circumstances in relation to how we’ve been managing ourxjmtzyw border checkpoints”.

A major investigation is underway after a truckie was killed in a fiery crash east of Bordertown. One truck ploughed into a line of traffic banked up to beat the SA border clampdown. | @BrettClappis @AlanMurrell10 pic.twitter.com/Tt1DEt5E4H

— 10 News First Adelaide (@10NewsFirstAdl) February 11, 2021

He also said the inquiry would aim to “establish the full circumstances that have potentially contributed to the incident”.

Today, nearly a year later, Stevens says the inquiry is not progressing until decisions are made interstate.

“The key element in that particular matter is the fact that the Victorian major crash investigators have referred that to the Victorian Coroner’s office,” he told ABC Radio today.