NSW COVID restrictions ease for events, hospitality venues, churches
Restaurateurs are preparing for crowds and about 42,000 jobs will be reinstated after a dramatic relaxing of COVID rules ahead of the holidays. Find out what they are.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Tens of thousands of NSW jobs will be reinstated within weeks after the state’s most drastic reversal of COVID restrictions take effect gives a battered hospitality industry its “best early Christmas gift”.
From Monday NSW will transition to a 2sqm economy, effectively doubling the number of people allowed in hospitality, retail and worship venues.
Treasury modelling predicts hundreds of millions of dollars will be injected into the economy each month as a result, with a significant multiplier effect on supply chains and capital investment, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said.
A suite of other measures have been eased, meaning we can once again stand up for a drink outside, have 50 people on a dance floor or attend sport at a fully packed stadium.
Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said the state “probably” had “virtually eliminated community transmission”, recording NSW’s 25th day straight with no local cases.
But Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned against any public complacency, saying restrictions would return if case numbers skyrocketed.
“If there is a cluster of cases we hadn’t anticipated, we will need to go backwards,” she said, adding that she “expected” there would be more cases.
The State Emergency Operations Centre was briefed by the state’s chief economist on the economic impact of the changes.
This includes a particular reprieve for youth and female unemployment as well as an increase in full-time jobs.
“This is instant impact, it’s getting people straight back to work,” Mr Perrottet said.
Under the changes, gyms and nightclubs remain the only exceptions to the one person per 2sqm rule, staying at one person per 4sqm due to their higher risk nature.
People will also be able to have a drink while standing outdoors — although they will still need to be seated if having beverages indoors.
There will be no upper caps for hospitality venues, weddings, funerals, regional agricultural shows, corporate events and religious services.
Mr Perrottet, along with Deputy Premier John Barilaro and Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres have been instrumental in driving the changes, working closely with industry in recent months to support the measures.
Hospitality industry members, such as Wes Lambert, chief executive of peak body Restaurants and Catering Australia, praised the government for its efforts. “This is without a doubt the best early Christmas gift the Premier could have given the hospitality industry,” he said.
The R&CA said many of the 42,000 jobs that were lost across restaurants, cafes, clubs, pubs, bars, catering and function centres and hotels and takeaway food would be reinstated thanks to the new rules.
Australian Hotels Association chief executive John Whelan estimated the new rules would create 9000 more jobs in the pubs and hotels sector alone. “And after eight long months it will be great to be able to stand up and enjoy a Christmas drink with friends in your local pub’s beer garden,” he said.
Restaurateur and celebrity chef Luke Mangan said the announcement would allow him to put 30 per cent more staff back in jobs.
“The only thing we are missing is allowing people to stand and have a drink. That wasn’t announced so one would hope that comes in the not so distant future,” he said.
A spokesman for The Star said the company was “delighted” and aiming to bring back most of the staff that were still stood down.
Ramy Georges and Leda Nissan, who are due to get married on December 19 at Fairfield’s Grand Paradiso function centre, said the news has been a massive relief.
“To have more of our guests be able to dance and have all the people we love in one room with us means so much to us,” Ms Nissan said.
Under the changes, outdoor stadiums can have 100 per cent seated capacity and one person per 2 sqm for unstructured seating areas. Indoor stadiums can have 75 per cent seated capacity.
Outdoor gatherings can now host 100 people.
Outdoor ticketed events that are seated can have 5000 people and other organised outdoor events like protests or community sport can have 3000 people.
Originally published as NSW COVID restrictions ease for events, hospitality venues, churches
Plans to boost capacity after sellout Everest
After over 49,000 people flocked to Royal Randwick for The Everest, Racing NSW and Australian Turf Club are planning to increase crowd capacity in 2025.
Named: Man accused of parking meter mayhem
Paying for a car space is never fun but one man took things too far after allegedly smashing a number of parking meters in a northern NSW tourist town, causing more than $15,000 damage.