NSW, Victoria Covid news live: Police shut down entire CBD ahead of ‘violent’ protest
Victoria Police have taken the huge step of shutting Melbourne completely as a “violent” protest looms. The move comes with a stern warning.
Hello and welcome to Wednesday’s Covid coverage.
NSW hospitality leaders are calling on Premier Gladys Berejiklian to provide more guidance around the plan to reopen pubs and restaurants to vaccinated residents, with fears owners could be exposed to a legal minefield.
It comes as the state confirmed 1259 new infections and two deaths on Wednesday.
Victoria recored recorded 423 new cases and two deaths on Wednesday and the regional city of Ballarat was thrust into lockdown.
Meanwhile, police revealed they will shut the Melbourne CBD completely on Saturday when a “violent” anti-lockdown protest is planned.
The live blog has closed for today. Below are the main talking points from Wednesday.
Victoria Police take drastic response ahead of protest
Victoria Police will shut down Melbourne’s public transport network between 8am and 2pm on Saturday when anti-lockdown protesters are expected to descend on the CBD.
Police Commissioner Shane Patton said: “We will have hard barricades, we will have traffic management points, we will have roving patrols, we will doing everything we can to prevent access to the city.”
He said essential workers entering the CBD will need to show their permits to police.
“It’s been known for a while that there’s a rally planned for Saturday. We are saying you cannot come in. It is an illegal gathering. We will be doing everything we can to prevent that gathering. Anyone who makes it in there will be subject to a $5500 fine.
“We saw on the 21st of August a large crowd of around 4-5000 people. We saw a convergence of people who were placing others at risk of potentially contracting the coronavirus.
“We can’t allow that to occur again.”
JUST IN: Victoria Police shutting down Melbourne's public transport network between 8am-2pm on Saturday as anti-lockdown protest expected. @newscomauHQ
— Rohan Smith (@Ro_Smith) September 15, 2021
Commissioner Patton said: “In addition to locking down public transport, we will also be in effect locking down the city for that period of time. We will have hard barricades. We will have traffic management points. We will have roving patrols.
“For those who do get through ... we will arrest those people and issue infringements where we can.”
He said the shutdown is not about taking away people’s freedom to protest.
“Melbourne is pretty much the protest capital of the world. We have no problem facilitating protests ... this weekend is not the place & time. This whole cohort of people who are about ‘freedom’ don’t respect the freedoms of others.”
‘Risk of getting to 1000 is real’ for Victoria
Hopes that Victoria’s Covid outbreak may be stabilising have been dashed, with the chief health officer warning the peak is yet to come.
Chief health officer Professor Brett Sutton said Victorians need to prepare for infections to keep rising.
“We haven’t peaked unfortunately. The modelling and everything we know in relation to our current vaccination coverage would suggest that cases will continue to increase,” he said.
Professor Sutton said the fact case numbers have held in the 400s for the past few days is a “testament” to the contact tracing work and everyone who has been isolating.
“But it’s a very hard number to keep under wraps and vaccination alone won’t – won’t mean that there’s a peak at the 400s,” he said.
Mr Sutton said the risk of cases rising to more than 1000 a day “is real”.
“So we have to press on with vaccinations at the fastest possible rate for that reason alone,” he said.
Andrews protecting Pfizer for Victorian teens
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews will not be following other states by offering Pfizer to over 60s. Instead, he wants to protect the precious doses for teens who have no other vaccine available to them.
Queensland and Western Australia are both offering Pfizer to those over 60 despite the preferred vaccine for that cohort being Astrazeneca.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Mr Andrews said he was not being critical of other premiers but would not do the same.
“There’s a perfectly good vaccine available for people over the age of 60,” he said.
“It works, it is absolutely effective. It’s made here ... I’m not going to be critical of other Premiers (but) I’m not going to take a vaccine that is only available for 12, 13, 14, 15-year-olds and give it to 60-year-olds when 60-year-olds have got Astrazeneca that they can access and, I’m pleased to say, many many tens of thousands have been accessing.”
Ballarat to be sent into lockdown tonight
The city of Greater Ballarat will be sent back into lockdown from 11.59pm tonight due to worrying rise in Covid-19 cases.
The region will be sent into lockdown for seven days, with Premier Daniel Andrews saying there had been a rise in cases and wastewater Covid detections.
“What I want to say to the people of Ballarat is, like the people of Shepparton, I know the people of that proud city will stick together. They will look out for each other. They will support each other. And we will be there to support them,” he said.
Mr Andrews said if the city wasn’t locked down now then there was a risk that the virus could seed into other parts of the state.
“The alternative is to let it run and then we finish up, we have no choice but to, not today, but perhaps in a week’s time, we have to close all of regional Victoria because cases have got away from us,” he said.
Mr Andrews said testing capacities would be expanded in Ballarat and additional vaccines will be sent to the area.
Chief health officer, Professor Brett Sutton, said cases in Ballarat are expected to rise and the virus is believed to have been spreading in the community for at least a week.
He said there have been positive wastewater detections in the region since September 8.
“So there are likely to be more cases and it is for that reason that going to an immediate lockdown is really the right response,” Professor Sutton said.
Curfew to lift as NSW reaches vax milestone
Residents living in the 12 Sydney LGAs of concern have been rewarded with a slight easing of restrictions after NSW hit it’s 80 per cent first dose vaccination milestone.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the 9pm to 5am curfew that is in place across those LGAs will be lifted from tonight.
“Pleasingly, after receiving advice from both police and Health, given we’ve hit the 80 per cent milestone across the state, we’re able to lift the curfew in those areas of concern from tonight and I want to thank the police, the Police Commissioner and also the health teams for giving us that advice,” she said.
“This is a whole-of-government decision based on a number of factors but I want to send this strong message. We can’t move on anything else just now. We need everybody to hold the line.
“Please make sure that if you live in those local government areas of concern that you stick to every other rule that’s in place.”
Ms Berejiklian said while there has been a stabilisation in cases over the last few days, authorities don’t want people to become complacent and see the “trend go the wrong way”.
“We still have work to do. We can all see the light at the end of the tunnel but we still have work to do and I ask everybody, especially in the local government areas of concern to hold the line,” she said.
The Premier praised NSW for reaching the “incredible milestone” of 80 per cent first dose vaccinations.
“To reach our first dose of 80 per cent is a huge tribute to everybody in the community and some of our communities in western and southwestern Sydney have vaccination rates closer to 90 per cent,” she said.
“Just an outstanding result compared to where we’ve been and where we are today.”
Businesses, individuals to face penalties for breaking unvaxxed rules
Businesses and individuals could face penalties if they ignore the rules that only allow vaccinated residents to participate in eased restrictions.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the rules around the 70 per cent double dose vaccination are “extremely black and white”.
“At 70 per cent, if you’re not vaccinated, it will be a health order and the law that if you’re not vaccinated, you can’t attend venues on the road map. You can’t go into a hospitality venue. You can’t go to ticketed events unless you are vaccinated,” she said.
When asked if it will be an offence for businesses to accept a customer who is not vaccinated, Ms Berejiklian said officials were working through compliance issues now and the penalties that will be associated with that.
“I know that business and community were looking together and all of us want to see this process as easy as possible there is a compliance regime we are going through now to ensure we haven’t left any issues unresolved well ahead of us opening up,” she said.
“When I say well ahead, weeks ahead, we can provide that uncertainty, what the penalties are for individuals purposely defying orders or a business doesn’t take enough responsibility
“But again, we appreciate that many small businesses have been hanging on by a thread. It’s got to be a good balance between ensuring everybody is doing the right thing but also making sure that people don’t cut corners because it only takes a handful of businesses or individuals to do the wrong thing and it puts our plans in jeopardy.”
Communities like Byron Bay could be locked in
NSW communities who are lagging behind in vaccinations could be blocked off from other parts of the state when things start to reopen.
“Obviously, some communities like Byron have a larger percentage of people who choose not to be vaccinated. That’s their choice but they won’t be able to participate in the activities vaccinated people will,” Ms Berejiklian said.
The Premier said as the reopening date moves closer, authorities will make a decision on how to deal with situations where some communities have a low vaccine uptake or higher Covid cases.
“It could be a situation where, if case numbers are too high when we open up the state, that if you live in a community or in a category of person who has high rates of virus, we might have to say to you for the next little while, do all those things that you’re allowed to do but within your local area,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“We have all those options and closer to that time, Health will provide us with advice, but there’s no doubt that the two issues we look at are the vaccination rates and also the prevalence of disease.
“Obviously, in parts of rural and regional NSW, it’s much easier to isolate communities or to at least provide direction for communities, because there’s a distinction between townships.
“It’s much more difficult in urbanised areas and that’s why we look forward to getting the health advice.”
1259 cases in NSW and 12 deaths
NSW has recorded 1259 new Covid-19 cases and 12 deaths in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
The deaths include a woman in her 30s, a woman in her 50s, a man in his 50s, a woman in her 60s, two men in their 60s, two women in their 70s, a man in his 70s, two women in their 80s and a man in his 90s.
NSW recorded 1,259 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) September 15, 2021
Two new cases were acquired overseas, and 36 previously reported cases have been excluded following further investigation. pic.twitter.com/BADIDtqn2Z
‘Not enforceable’: Call for tough Vic rule to be scrapped
Infectious disease experts have weighed in on the extra restrictions they believe could be eased across Victoria this week.
Premier Daniel Andrews has already promised a modest easing of lockdown rules when the state reaches it’s 70 per cent first dose vaccination target, which it is now projected to hit on Friday.
Among the changes will be an increase in the travel limit to 10km, increasing the daily exercise limit to three hours and outdoor gym equipment and skate parks will reopen.
However, some experts believe a further easing of rules will also be possible, with Melbourne University’s Associate Professor Nathan Grills saying one restriction in particular needs to be scrapped.
He told the Herald Sun the time limit on outdoor exercise was almost impossible to enforce.
“Restricting outdoor exercise times is not enforceable and its time to downgrade time limit to ‘advisory’,” he said.
“After 18 months of severe restrictions people are doing it tough. If a parent wants to go for a walk with each of their kids, walk with a struggling friend and then run 10km, then go for it.”
Deakin University’s chair of epidemiology Catherine Bennett told the publication said the safest restrictions to ease are outdoor activities.
“Walking to a local park and sitting for a while when away from others is less risky than strolling to the local shop and queuing for a coffee,” she said.
“Other safe activities, such as golf, could be considered where facilities are not open and people only play solo or with others from their own household.”
Victoria records 423 new Covid cases
Victoria has recorded 423 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases and two deaths in the 24 hours to midnight last night.
Of the new cases, just 149 have been linked to known cases and outbreaks, making the other 274 mystery infections.
Reported yesterday: 423 new local cases and 0 cases acquired overseas.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) September 14, 2021
- 41,856 vaccines administered
- 54,649 test results received
- Sadly, two people with COVID-19 have died
More later: https://t.co/OCCFTAtS1P#COVID19Vic#COVID19VicData [1/2] pic.twitter.com/SMkSBLYqyt
NSW set to reach huge vaccine milestone
NSW is expected to reach a huge vaccine milestone as early as today, which will all but guarantee the state will hit it’s 80 per cent double dose reopening target.
On Tuesday, it was revealed 79.5 per cent of residents over the age of 16 had received their first Covid-19 dose and 47.5 per cent were fully vaccinated.
79.5% of NSW has received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 47.5% are fully vaccinated.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) September 14, 2021
To get vaccinated, find a walk-in clinic or make a booking: https://t.co/Ej3FSanOoF
Let’s do this NSW! pic.twitter.com/xSjICUQtfz
When the first dose rate hits 80 per cent, it is essentially a given that the 80 per cent fully vaccinated target will be hit.
Under the reopening roadmap, vaccinated residents will be given extra freedoms when the double-dose rate reaches 70 per cent.
At 80 per cent, even more residents will be eased, including access to international travel and large events.
‘Insane’: Big issue with freedoms for vaxxed
Hospitality leaders are scared they could face major legal issues when they are forced to ban unvaccinated staff and customers when NSW begins to reopen.
As part of NSW’s roadmap to freedom, venues such as pubs and restaurants will be reopened to vaccinated residents when the state’s double-dose vaccinations hit 70 per cent.
However, some venue owners are concerned that this will leave them open to a range of legal implications if the government refuses to provide guidance and leaves it up to the owners to turn away unvaccinated people.
Celebrity chef Neil Perry told The Daily Telegraph that leaving it to businesses to face the consequences of turning away unvaccinated customers was “insane”, adding venues were begging for more clarity around the roadmap.
Pub empire heir and former federal MP Craig Laundy told the publication he had been forced to engage an independent risk assessment team to create a safety plan for his venues so he would be able to defend himself against any potential legal action.
“If I have an unvaccinated staff member catch Covid and die … I can be criminally prosecuted,” he said.
“If I say I want vaccinated staff and the staff member doesn’t like that, they can take me to the Fair Work Commission.”
Dan to reveal Victorian roadmap on Sunday
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews will reveal what the state’s next few months look like on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the Premier said plans would focus on greater freedoms and a return to face-to-face learning.
“There will be a map that talks about what we are going to do for the rest of September, October and November,” he said.
“It will be subject to all sorts of things like how many people are in hospital,” Mr Andrews told reporters.
“It will give people a clear sense of what we’re working towards.”
In Victoria, 66.8 per cent of the population has received one dose of the vaccine, with the Premier previously benchmarking a 70 per cent one-dose target for restrictions to ease slightly.
‘Breaking point’: Gladys accused of hiding
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is facing political pressure from both state and local government representatives as Sydney spends its 12th week in lockdown.
On Tuesday, mayors of the city’s coronavirus hot spots raised concerns about tough lockdown measures with the premier, while Labor and crossbench MPs attempted to get NSW parliament to resume sitting.
The premier held virtual talks with mayors from the local government areas of concern, two weeks after she reportedly snubbed their earlier requests for a meeting.
Curfews, over-policing and the strained mental health of residents were among the issues they raised.
Cumberland City Council Mayor Steve Christou said he had given the premier some “long overdue realities” of the hardships his community faced over the past three months.
“They’re already extremely frustrated and at breaking point and clearly feel like second class citizens. Our suburbs and streets are ghost towns. We’re all meant to be in this together,” he told NCA NewsWire.
“The premier definitely listened attentively. But she definitely made no promises or assurances.”
Mr Christou said Ms Berejiklian told the mayors all the decisions had been made on health advice and that she would relay their concerns to health authorities.
“Politicians are hiding behind health as a cover but not presenting how NSW Health came to its decisions,” he said.
– Additional reporting NCA NewsWire
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