NSW suburbs that could open within weeks to trial vaccine passport app

Some lucky suburbs will be able to open up first so NSW can trial new vaccine passport technology. Is your area on the list?

Some lucky NSW residents could be enjoying greater freedoms in just weeks as the state prepares to relax restrictions once 70 per cent of people are vaccinated.

The NSW Government wants to trial a new vaccine passport app that will confirm a person’s vaccination status once they log into a venue via the QR code using the Service NSW app.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters on Tuesday authorities would get advice from the Health Department about the best locations to trial a pilot of the app.

NSW Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello told 2GB host Jim Wilson on Tuesday afternoon that a two-week trial will likely take place before vaccine passport technology is rolled out.

He said this could see some hospitality venues, including pubs, in certain areas able to open up in early October to test the system.

“We can then start doing a two-week pilot... for the first two weeks of October.

“Around that time, we should be hitting the 70 per cent (vaccination) mark.”

There is speculation one Sydney local government (LGA) and one regional LGA could be chosen for the trial but Deputy Premier John Barilaro indicated it was not yet certain whether a trial would take place.

“These decisions haven’t been finalised or made”, he told reporters on Tuesday.

Areas of high vaccination and low Covid cases are potential options for the trial but this is already causing controversy.

The areas of Greater Sydney with the highest proportion of people who have received two vaccine doses are mostly in wealthier suburbs in the city’s north and east.

The top double-dosed local government areas were Ku-ring-gai, Woollahra, Mosman, Hunters Hill and Hornsby.

These areas also had some of the lowest numbers of coronavirus cases in the past four weeks, with all of them recording well under 100 cases. Mosman had the lowest number with just six cases.

“We haven’t worked out where they will be yet,” Mr Dominello said of the vaccine passport trials, but confirmed the passport would be available inside the Service NSW app.

“It’s basically what the industry is calling for,” he said.

“Imagine if you’re 18 or 19 and you go a pub and you need to show your ID, and then you have to check-in, and then you have to show them your vaccine certificate, by the time you actually get your first beer you’ve been waiting 20 minutes.

“That’s why pubs, clubs, major venues or airlines are saying, ‘make it simple’. If you make it easy for the people using it, they will use it.”

When it comes to the rest of NSW, Murray River has the highest double dose vaccination rate of 56.6 per cent, followed by Walcha (52.50 per cent), Kiama (50.3 per cent) and Wingecarribee (49.20 per cent).

There have been no Covid cases in the past four weeks in Muray River or Walcha and only one case in Kiama, and six in Wingecarribee.

Bega Valley, which has a population of 28,000 people, is also doing well, with 47.5 per cent vaccinated and no Covid cases in the past four weeks.

Controversy over ‘unfair’ rules

NSW Opposition Leader Chris Minns said it would not be fair to release restrictions in these areas while other suburbs in western Sydney were still subjected to curfews.

“You can’t have a situation where one-third of Sydney is under curfew but you can go and get a rosé on the northern beaches and north shore. It’s just not fair,” Mr Minns told Nine News on Monday.

Labor’s former leader and current government services spokesman Bill Shorten backed Mr Minns’ comments.

“The reality is it should be one in, all in,” Mr Shorten told the Today show.

“What destroys morale in a community is not just being locked down yourself, but a sense that there’s two sets of rules in this country.

“I mean, I think Australians, especially in the lockdown states, are running on fumes emotionally … the tanks getting empty or on empty.

A quiet street in Blacktown, which has one of the highest rates of vaccination but also some of the highest number of Covid cases. Picture: NCA NewsWire/James Gourley

“We want to see hope, with the light at the end of the tunnel. But when we hear examples of some people getting special treatment and others not getting that treatment, that really wrecks the whole sense that we’re all in this together,” Mr Shorten said.

Interestingly, suburbs in western Sydney have some of highest rates of first-doses after a vaccination push in recent weeks.

The local government areas of Blacktown has the fourth highest rate of first doses with about 85 per cent of the population receiving at least one jab.

Campbelltown and Parramatta have also reached more than 80 per cent first doses.

However, these areas also have some of the highest numbers of Covid cases.

Blacktown has recorded 2800 cases over four weeks, Parramatta had 818 cases and Campbelltown had 775.

Ms Berejiklian said the NSW average for first doses was now over 74 per cent, and she has promised to ease some restrictions once two doses has reached 70 per cent, with the state expected to reach this milestone in mid-October.

It could see venues such as pubs, hairdressers and barbers reopen.

“My strong message to the hospitality sector is dust off your Covid safety plans, things will be reopening in October,” she said.

She said the new app would be ready by the time people were allowed back in venues.

Ms Berejiklian has stressed only people who have been fully vaccinated will be able to enjoy the extra freedoms.

“I can’t stress enough how much we’re encouraging people not to get left behind,” she said.

“Those things that we all miss will only be available to those who are vaccinated.”

Will it be safe to open up?

When asked whether opening up would be the right thing to do given an expected increase in hospitalisations in the next few weeks, Ms Berejiklian said there was no doubt there were challenges ahead.

“But this is the strategy that we know will see NSW through this difficult period,” she said.

“This is part of the challenge of living with Covid and part of the challenge that every state has to go through.”

She said the worst time for hospitalisations was likely to be the time when the state opens up but this should not stop it from proceeding with what is a safe thing to do.

“We know that living with Covid is challenging for everybody around the world but we have a very planned and safe approach.

“And we are confident that the people of NSW will welcome those freedoms they’ll experience once we get to those high rates of vaccination.”

NSW will relax some restrictions this month

The state is already planning to relax restrictions on outdoor gatherings from September 13.

For those living outside of 12 areas of concern, up to five people (including children) will be allowed to gather outdoors as long as they stay within their local government area or 5km of home.

For those who live in the LGAs of concern, households with all adults vaccinated will be able to gather outdoors for picnics and other recreation for one hour, as long as it meets curfew rules and is within 5km of home. This will be on top of the one hour allowed for exercise.

They will need to download a digital certificate showing their vaccination status through the Express Plus Medicare mobile app or through myGov. This can also be added to Apple Wallet or Google Pay.

Those who can’t get online can get their vaccination provider to print out an immunisation history statement.

The 12 LGAs of concern include Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Strathfield, and some suburbs of Penrith.

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