New NSW restrictions force strict limits on cafes, restaurants and pubs

New restrictions will hit restaurants, pubs and weddings from today but NSW has promised there will be no second lockdown.

NSW has vowed it’ll do everything to avoid a second lockdown as coronavirus measures for hospitality venues are reinstated today.

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet told 2GB this morning he was adamant the state wouldn’t go into a hard lockdown again, despite community transmission from bubbling under the surface.

“We can’t afford the cure to be worse than the disease. There are a lot of businesses out there that are doing it tough,” he said.

“I’ll do everything in my power to ensure that (a second lockdown) doesn’t happen.”

Hospitality venues were given a week to prepare for the coronavirus measures that include a drop in group bookings from a maximum of 20 people down to 10 and a cap of 300 people in a venue, if the one person per square metre rule can be maintained.

Venues will also need to have prepared a COVID-safe plan and there will be mandatory sign-ins at any restaurant, pub, cafe, hotel and bar.

Those final two measures aren’t much different to the ones previously enforced by the NSW government.

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A large queue of cars waiting to be tested for coronavirus at Bondi Beach. Picture: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

Large group events are also being scaled back across NSW.

Weddings and corporate events will be allowed a maximum of 150 people, as long as they can again maintain the 4sq m rule.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian last week declared there should be “no singing, no dancing, no mingling” at any large gatherings.

“We absolutely need everybody seated when they are in a venue,” she said.

“When you have smaller groups, there is less chance of people getting up and mingling. We do not want any sort of mingling.”

Funerals and religious venues will be limited to 100 people.

Ms Berejiklian said the maximum number of people was smaller for funerals due to the likelihood people would mingle at a funeral rather than a wedding.

“Weddings are seated for the duration of the event whereas at funerals, depending on religion and ceremonies, there are different aspects to the service,“ Ms Berejiklian said.

“Funerals are much more complex in how people interact with each other whereas weddings, we have an expectation that everyone comes, sits down and stays seated.”

Pictured at RFS Headquarters at Homebush in Sydney is NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian addressing media at a COVID-19 update press conference. Picture: Richard Dobson

While the limit for indoor and outdoor gatherings will remain at 20, health authorities have advised people to limit it to 10, where possible.

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant also called for residents to limit any non-essential travel.

“What we are suggesting over this next period of time, can everyone just reflect on their travel arrangements, their non-essential travel,” Dr Chant said yesterday.

“Can we limit non-essential travel for the next few weeks. Can we just reflect on the gatherings that we are going to go to or host and can we limit the numbers.

“This is a critical time because we obviously have had these transmission clusters in south-western Sydney and western Sydney and what we are attempting to do is put the fences up and contain it.

“We need everyone working together over the next … two to three weeks.”

Hospitals will also be hit with new rules, as masks are being mandated for patients, visitors and staff from this morning.

There are also new interstate restrictions for NSW residents in hot spot areas.

People from Fairfield in Sydney’s southwest, along with those from Liverpool, Campbelltown and the state of Victoria who travel into Queensland will be directed to hotel quarantine for 14 days at their own expense.

BREAKING: Queensland borders will close to another New South Wales hotspot. In response to further outbreaks – and on the advice of our Chief Health Officer – the city of Fairfield NSW has been added to Queensland’s list of COVID hotspots. #covid19aus pic.twitter.com/ZAiyUoiIme

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) July 23, 2020