‘Vast amount of regional NSW’ to open on Saturday, September 11

Deputy Premier John Barilaro has announced a “vast amount” of regional NSW will exit lockdown this week.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro has announced that a “vast amount” of rural and regional NSW will exit lockdown from 12.01am this Saturday, September 11.

Areas deemed “low risk” and which have seen no new Covid-19 cases for at least 14 days will be afforded a range of freedoms, but will continue to operate under some restrictions as vaccine uptake continues “to ensure the safety of regional communities”.

“Today, I can announce that while unfortunately many regional LGAs will remain in lockdown due to Covid case numbers, for other parts of the state, stay-at-home orders will be lifted allowing more freedoms for those communities,” Mr Barilaro said in a statement.

“This decision is based on NSW Health advice, and the LGAs which remain in lockdown will continue to be monitored and we will update those communities on a regular basis.”

The Mid-North Coast, the north coast, the northwest, Albury, to Riverina and Murrumbidgee areas, and “parts of regional NSW” are those who will be afforded the new freedoms.

“The southern parts, southeast, the Illawarra, Shoalhaven, Hunter, Central Coast, out to the central west and parts of the far west won’t open today,” Mr Barilaro told reporters, calling it a “bittersweet day for the regions”.

“Some areas will open up to a restricted environment and other areas won’t. We will work with those communities to make sure vaccination rates go up.”

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro announced “vast amounts” of rural and regional NSW will come out of lockdown on Saturday. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Nikki Short

A map showing regions with Covid-19 cases in NSW, with darker colours indicating more infections. Picture: NSW Health

Mr Barilaro stressed that for those areas coming out of lockdown, “you are not coming back to a pre-lockdown environment”.

“There will be capacity limits for our hotels, cafes and restaurants, including the four-square-metre rule, mask-wearing, social distancing. There is rules around certain activities that won’t recommence,” he said.

“Community sport won’t be permitted yet. The opportunity to get back to retail shopping, back to work, back to enjoying time with family and friends. It is still a restricted environment.”

Parts of regional NSW currently deemed low risk and which have seen zero COVID cases for at least 14 days will emerge from lockdown at 12:01am Saturday, 11 September, but will continue to operate under restrictions to ensure the safety of regional communities. pic.twitter.com/NGpCzJ5geo

— John Barilaro MP (@JohnBarilaroMP) September 9, 2021

From 12.01am on Saturday, the following freedoms will be available to all people in regional LGAs where stay-at-home orders have lifted:

• Up to five visitors will be allowed in a home (not including children aged 12 and under).
• Up to 20 people will be allowed to gather in an outdoor setting.
• Masks will remain mandatory for all indoor public venues, including public transport, front-of-house hospitality, retail and business premises, on planes and at airports.
• Only hospitality staff will be required to wear a mask when outdoors.
• Hospitality venues can reopen subject to the one person per 4 sqm rule inside and one person per 2 sqm outside, with standing while drinking permitted outside. Retail can reopen under the one person per 4 sqm rule.
• Personal services like hairdressers and nail salons can reopen with one person per 4 sqm, capped at five clients at a time per premises.
• Gyms and indoor recreation facilities can reopen under the one person per 4 sqm rule and can offer classes for up to 20 people.
• Sporting facilities including swimming pools can reopen.
• Schools can reopen with Level 3 CovidSafe measures in place.
• Major recreation outdoor facilities including stadiums, racecourses and zoos can reopen with one person per 4 sqm, capped at 5000 people.
• Up to 500 people can attend ticketed and outdoor (seated) events.
• Indoor entertainment and information facilities including cinemas, theatres, museums and galleries can reopen with one person per 4 sqm or 75 per cent fixed seated capacity.
• Up to 50 guests can attend weddings, with dancing permitted and eating and drinking only while seated.
• Up to 50 guests can attend funerals, with eating and drinking while seated.
• Churches and places of worship to open subject to one person per 4 sqm rule, and no singing.
• Caravan parks and camping grounds can reopen.
• Carpooling will be permitted.

A Covid-19 drive-through testing clinic in Wilcannia, Australia. Picture: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

Stay-at-home orders will remain in place for the following LGAs: Bathurst, Bega, Blayney, Bogan, Bourke, Brewarrina, Broken Hill, Cabonne, Central Coast, Central Darling, Cessnock, Dubbo, Dungog, Eurobodalia, Forbes, Gilgrandra, Goulburn Mulwarre, Snowy Monaro, Upper Hunter, Kiama, Lake Macquarie, Lithgow, Maitland, Mid-Coast, Mid-Western, Muswellbrook, Narrabri, Narromine, Newcastle, Orange, Parkes, Port Stephens, Queanbeyan-Palerang, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Singleton, Walgett and Wingecarribee.

Mr Barilaro said that “it is important that we protect these communities”.

“One case is one case too many in the regions. It is no different to how we started this in the regions,” he added.

“When Orange had its first case we went into lockdown. When Armidale had its first case we went into lockdown. We will apply the same logic.”

He urged everyone who will no longer have to adhere to stay-at-home orders not to “take your foot off the accelerator in relation to getting vaccinated”.

“My call-out is to continue to get vaccinated. In the regions we are no different if we are going to beat the pandemic,” Mr Barilaro said.

“We don’t want to be locked down in the future so vaccination is our passport.”