Joy as our top city roars back to life

Sydney’s revival kicked off just after midnight when a few hearty publicans opened up, because they could. Early on Monday, hairdressers began snipping, toyshops welcomed back excited, pint-sized customers and swimmers, tired of being cooped up, dived into their favourite indoor pools for a few laps. Extended families and old friends are catching up in heavily booked cafes and restaurants. It’s been a long time between drinks.

After months of lockdown, Sydneysiders and all NSW citizens have earned their freedom. More than 90 per cent of the state’s population have had one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine; 75 per cent are fully inoculated. That should stand the public in good stead as the Delta variant spreads, which it is expected to do, to some extent. The NSW government has pioneered the nation’s reopening according to the national cabinet plan. Other states are watching on.

As Melbourne Cup Day approaches, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has announced that up to 10,000 racing fans will be at Flemington on November 2, if his state’s 80 per cent double-vaccination target has been reached. Scott Morrison is right, the public’s response to the vaccination rollout has been “phenomenal’’. And, as normal life returns, states have no good reason to leave border restrictions in place.