Mayor blasts tough new restrictions, lockdown extension for Greater Sydney

A Sydney mayor has unleashed on the raft of new restrictions and lockdown extension, questioning whether it was really “worth it”.

A Sydney mayor has unleashed on the raft of new restrictions and lockdown extension announced by Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Wednesday morning.

Along with announcing a four week extension of the Greater Sydney lockdown until August 28, Ms Berejiklian also revealed three more Sydney LGAs would join the growing list of areas forced to live under even tougher restrictions.

From 11.59pm tonight residents in Georges River, Parramatta and Campbelltown LGAs will join those in Cumberland, Canterbury-Bankstown, Blacktown, Liverpool, Fairfield LGAs in being unable to leave their areas unless they are an authorised worker.

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NSW Police are pictured on patrol at Sydney's Maroubra Beach during the Greater Sydney lockdown. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Nicholas Eagar

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The construction ban is also set to continue in these eight LGAs, the Premier announced.

Cumberland City Council Mayor Steve Christou has hit back at the announcement, saying this decision will only put more pressure on already struggling families

“I’ve heard from many in the community that they are struggling to pay rent, mortgages and other bills. It’s devastating that the many businesses that support families will not re-open.

“The construction ban continues on our local government area – obstructing people from making a living. For many, it’s Armageddon.

“State MPs have taken the decision to lockdown people’s lives and ruin them financially and it’s taken a huge toll on mental health.”

Residents in Cumberland, Canterbury-Bankstown, Blacktown, Liverpool, Fairfield, Parramatta, Campbelltown and Georges River LGAs are currently not allowed to leave their areas unless for specified essential work.

Mr Christou questioned whether the prolonged lockdowns were “worth it”, saying the restrictions were wreaking havoc on people’s mental health.

“While state MPs are crippling our community with lockdowns, they’re tucked at home in their lounge rooms posting on social media. It’s out of touch and they’re not doing the heavy lifting they’ve demanded of us,” he said.

It comes at 177 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed, the highest number of daily infections recorded since the start of this outbreak.

The death of a woman in her 90s was also confirmed, bringing the total number of deaths linked to the outbreak to 11.

Lockdown extension, new rules announced

The state’s crisis cabinet met on Tuesday night to finalise the next steps for NSW, with media reports emerging overnight that officials had agreed on a four week extension of the current lockdown.

Along with confirming the lockdown extension, Ms Berejiklian also announced a number of changes to the current restrictions.

The changes include:

• Shopping will have the same travel restrictions as exercise, with residents only allowed to shop within 10km of their home.

• Parramatta, Campbelltown and Georges River LGA residents will only be allowed to leave their areas to undertake essential work.

• Construction will be able to resume in non-occupied dwellings outside the eights LGAs in hard lockdown. Contactless tradies will also be allowed to work outside those eight LGAs.

• Year 12 students living in the eight LGAs will be given access to vaccines.

• Remote learning for Greater Sydney will continue until August 16.

• NSW Health will be looking into rapid antigen testing for Year 12 students and construction workers

• People who live by themselves will be able to create a ‘single bubble’ with one other person. People living in the eight hard lockdown LGAs must nominate someone from within their LGA.

Ms Berejiklian has repeatedly said the lockdown will not be lifted until the number of people infectious in the community gets as close to zero as possible.

Yesterday, the Premier said she was hoping to announce some changes to the lockdown rules “as early as” Wednesday.

“I know it’s really difficult not to speculate, but … I’m hoping to make those announcements as early as tomorrow, to give people plenty of notice,” she said.

Despite it seemingly blatantly clear that the lockdown won’t be able to be lifted by the end of the week, Ms Berejiklian refused to speculate on whether an extension was on the cards.

“I would much rather have a definite position, rather than speculate,” she said.

“We’ve put in the hard yards of five weeks and we don’t want to waste all that great work we’ve done by opening too soon.”

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NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is expected to announce a four week lockdown extension. Picture: Joel Carrett-Pool/Getty Images

More financial support coming for NSW

Ms Berejiklian also announced that the federal government would be providing additional financial support for NSW residents impacted by the lockdown.

“It was made clear to us some weeks ago that Jobkeeper was off the table, notwithstanding that can I say we fought for our citizens and we have received additional funding support from the commonwealth and I do want to thank the prime minister and the federal treasurer providing that extra support,” she said on Wednesday.

“Please note that it involves extra payment for disaster payment so if you are out of work, you will get extra dollars every week and only need to apply once. Every week the money will go automatically to your account. If you are out of work or have reduced hours, please do not worry, you will get that weekly payment.

“The additional category of people to get assistance at those on some kind of payment from the commonwealth but not enough to keep them going so that gap will also be close.”

Ms Berejiklian said people on existing allowances will also get a “top-up” and businesses will also get extra support.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is set to announce more financial support for NSW. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

This was later confirmed by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who said from next week, the maximum payment of $600 will increase to $750.

The payment for those who work less than 20 hours will also increase from $375 to $450.

“In addition to that, we will be extending support to those who are on welfare payments and they will be able to receive a payment if they have lost more than eight hours of $200,” Mr Morrison said.

The promise of more support comes after the eye-watering cost of a four-week lockdown extension was revealed, with the move expected to cost the federal government a staggering $2 billion.

Federal finance minister Simon Birmingham revealed the stunning figure on Sunrise this morning, saying $500m was flowing into NSW households every week as the covid crisis continued.

“We will work very hard to avoid that (another recession),” he told the program.

“We know these are tough times for Sydney businesses and households and many people across Sydney.

“Right now we have economic support to the tune of $500m per week flowing into NSW.”