Several political allies of Gladys Berejiklian question NSW lockdown extension

Anger is growing over Gladys Berejiklian’s decision to extend the Sydney lockdown, with even her key allies challenging her call publicly.

Several political allies of the NSW Premier have questioned her decision to extend the Sydney coronavirus lockdown for another week.

The Liberal MP for Manly wrote in a letter to Gladys Berejiklian saying his electorate should be exempt from the continued lockdown because of its “geography” and lack of positive cases.

And Kiama MP Gareth Ward, who spent a decade as an elected Liberal before moving to the crossbench earlier this year, said many in his electorate could safely be exempted from the lockdown rules.

The Sydney lockdown will be extended for a third week and end on July 16, Ms Berejiklian announced on Wednesday.

It comes as the state added 27 new local cases to an outbreak of the Delta variant, which has infected more than 350 people since an eastern suburbs airport driver was confirmed positive on June 16.

Stay-at-home orders are in place for greater Sydney, meaning people who live there can only leave their house for four reasons: doing essential studies or work, exercising, seeking medical care and vaccines, or doing essential shopping.

The rules also apply to anyone who has been to the lockdown area since June 21, including those who live elsewhere but work in greater Sydney.

My statement opposing the extension of lockdowns in Shellharbour and Wollongong. pic.twitter.com/DXoNjOgnsM

— Gareth Ward (@garethjward) July 7, 2021

The southern border of the lockdown area cuts through Mr Ward’s electorate on the south coast, and many who live below that line go to work above it, the MP said.

He said he was supportive of the restrictions remaining in place for parts of Sydney where there had been community transmission, and for regional residents who go to work in “hot spots”.

But Mr Ward said it didn’t make any sense to impose stay-at-home orders on people who, for example, live in Kiama and work in Shellharbour, where there have been no confirmed coronavirus cases in the past month.

The nearby local government area of Wollongong has had six local cases in the past four weeks.

Mr Ward said he had written to the government to ask for an explanation as to how the decision was made to include areas with no transmission in the extended lockdown.

The Sydney lockdown will be extended for a third week and end on July 16, Gladys Berejiklian announced on Wednesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

“When you are making a serious and impactful decision to deprive people of their liberty, which hurts businesses and throws families into confusion, you’ve got to have a justification and evidence to back it up,” he said.

“I’m asking to have that NSW Health opinion (behind the government’s decision) clarified.”

Mr Ward remains a political ally of the government, even after he resigned as Families, Communities and Disability Services Minister and left the Liberal Party in May following news reports he was under police investigation over alleged sexual violence-related offences.

He denies wrongdoing.

Manly MP James Griffin wrote in his letter to Ms Berejiklian that people on the northern beaches still felt the impact of a local lockdown that happened over Christmas.

As long as the area continued to record no local community cases, travel and activities should be allowed throughout the area, Mr Griffin wrote.

“Given our geography, easing the ‘stay at home’ orders in Manly and the northern beaches to allow free travel throughout, the resumption of business, and other activities (where appropriate) would be feasible and highly desirable,” he wrote.

The Australian newspaper also reported the NSW Treasurer opposed the extended lockdown in a crisis cabinet meeting on Tuesday on economic grounds.

According to the report, Dominic Perrottet was the only minister to dissent, saying it would hurt businesses and that the financial assistance available wouldn’t be enough.

A spokesman for the Treasurer declined to comment when contacted by NCA NewsWire.