Covid: South coast residents concerned Sydneysiders are taking advantage of holiday home Covid policy
A mayor said she’s concerned Sydneysiders are taking advantage of ‘gaps’ in holiday home policy during the ongoing lockdown potentially bringing Covid to regional NSW.
The South Coast News
Don't miss out on the headlines from The South Coast News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
South coast residents are concerned Sydneysiders are flouting what they call a loophole in lockdown regulations and travelling to holiday homes, potentially bringing the deadly virus to regional NSW.
Shaolhaven Mayor Amanda Findley said she met with South Coast Police District Commander, Superintendent Greg Moore on Monday, who said police stations were being inundated with complaints from locals.
“The police are getting hammered everyday about reports of people who shouldn’t be here,” she said.
“People need to stay home in Sydney and not jeopardise residents here.
“It just takes one carrier.”
Jervis Bay resident Daniela Angel said there were “too many loopholes” in the current Sydney lockdown restrictions.
“It‘s joke. What else is going to happen apart from spreading the virus throughout all of NSW?” she said.
NSW Health said moving between places of residence is currently considered a reasonable excuse to travel to the south coast from Sydney.
NSW recorded announced 359 new Covid cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Monday, and another tragic death.
“People who have been in Greater Sydney, including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour, since 21, June, 2021, must follow the stay-at- home rules. That means they cannot leave home without a reasonable excuse,” a NSW Health spokeswoman said.
“A reasonable excuse includes work if you cannot work from home and moving to a new place of residence including a business moving to new premises, or between different places of residence of the person, or inspecting a potential new place of residence.
“Taking a holiday is not a reasonable excuse. If you have two residences, you can move between them provided this is part of a normal routine, and providing you follow the stay-at-home rules if you have left Greater Sydney to do so.
“You cannot take a holiday in a second home.”
The spokesman said people aged over 18 leaving Sydney must carry evidence showing their address.
“These restrictions limit interaction between people from different households and reduce mobility to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 in the community,” they said.
“NSW Health is urging people to not only comply with Public Health Orders, but to make practical and sensible decisions that limit the risk of acquiring COVID-19 and keep their loved ones and the broader community safe at this critical time.”
Cr Findley said the “gaps” in the policy for holiday homes should be closed, and said the ability for Sydney homeowners in lockdown to visit the south coast for house inspections was “outrageous”.
“People aren’t silly around here and they know who lives here and who doesn’t,” she said.
“A community is about knowing everyone.”
She said with GPs predicting the Delta strain will reach the south coast by Christmas, residents should take the opportunity to be vaccinated.
“Full immunity takes weeks, so we have time to do it now,” she said.
A NSW Police spokesman said 22 $1000 fines had been handed out for restriction breaches in the Southern Region in the 24 hours to Monday morning, however the number of Sydney residents involved is not known.
South coast residents have reacted strongly to a number of breaches, including a Liverpool man, who told police he was driving to the south coast to watch the sunrise, who was handed a $1000 fine for breaching lockdown orders at the end of July.
Last week the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District urged Shoalhaven residents to get tested with even the mildest symptoms of COVID-19 after fragments of the novel coronavirus were detected in samples from the Bomaderry sewage treatment plant.
On Friday the ACT imposed a two-week quarantine on anyone entering the territory from the Shoalhaven City Council local government area.
The region is one of 14 local government areas that are now subject to ACT quarantine requirements.
The Bomaderry sewage catchment serves 18,000 people in the suburbs of Bomaderry, Cambewarra, Cambewarra Village, Meroo Meadow and some parts of North Nowra.
‘Twisted hide-and-seek’: Hunt for prison escapee enters third day
A man who escaped from a South Coast prison on Wednesday is still at large, with cops working around the clock in a “twisted game of hide and seek” to track down the fugitive.
Former transport minister not on board with Chinese bus biz
An ex-transport minister has scrutinised the Minns Government’s decision to use a Beijing-based business to spearhead a new electric bus manufacturing plant on the South Coast, saying builds should be handled on home soil.