Coronavirus Australia live updates: Pay freeze rejected by NSW upper house

Controversial laws to restrict pay increases for public servants have been reversed by the NSW upper house this afternoon.

The NSW upper house has rejected the Berejiklian Government's pay freeze plans for public servants.

 

 

The government had argued a pay pause would guarantee jobs for public servants but opposition MPs called it "an act of economic vandalism".

The wages policy was opposed on Tuesday afternoon after unions and frontline workers, including paramedics, nurses, police officers and teachers expressed their concerns.

The Premier will now likely take the issue up with the Industrial Relations Commission.

She said public sector jobs were at risk if Labor and crossbenchers blocked the pay freeze.

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Australia has recorded a total 7204 cases of COVID-19, with 3098 in New South Wales, 1653 in Victoria, 1058 in Queensland, 440 in South Australia, 591 in Western Australia, 228 in Tasmania, 107 in the Australian Capital Territory and 30 in the Northern Territory.

This is how today unfolded.