On the worst day of Sydney’s COVID-19 outbreak so far, Gladys Berejiklian did not foreshadow tightening the city’s lockdown, increasing fines or throwing more police at the 5 to 10 per cent of Sydneysiders breaking clear health rules.

But the NSW Premier did, spontaneously, repeat that she is considering ways to loosen the lockdown next month, when half the adults in the state should be vaccinated.