New restrictions for Sydney ahead of New Year’s Eve revealed

The Premier has apologised for the ‘strict’ new restrictions imposed on Sydney residents ahead of New Year’s Eve.

Premium seats for frontline workers at Sydney’s iconic New Year’s Eve fireworks have been scrapped in response to the growing outbreak in the city’s northern beaches.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the scheme, designed to reward healthcare and other frontline workers for their efforts during the height of the pandemic, would no longer be going ahead as she announced restrictions for the rest of the city.

While the fireworks will go ahead, they can no longer be watched from the foreshore unless a person has a restaurant or hospitality booking with a good vantage point – and a permit from Service NSW to get into the city.

Restrictions will remain under their current provisions for greater Sydney with only 10 visitors to a home, including children.

The stay-at-home order for the northern beaches remains until January 2 for the southern zone and January 9 for the northern zone, but some relief has been given for New Year’s Eve.

Those in the northern region may only have five guests to their home on December 31, while up to 10 guests are allowed in homes in the southern region. In both cases, guests must be residents of the zone where the indoor gathering is held.

Outdoor gatherings for greater Sydney have also been reduced to 50 from the current 100.

The revelations come as NSW recorded five locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm on Sunday, with an additional nine cases in returned travellers in hotel quarantine.

While Sydney’s iconic fireworks display will go ahead, most Sydneysiders will be forced to watch it from the television this year. Picture: AAP Image for City of Sydney/Mick Tsikas

Ms Berejiklian apologised to frontline workers for cancelling their celebrations.

“For the four or five thousand of you (frontline workers), you won’t be allowed on the foreshore around Sydney, Unfortunately, we're going to have to cancel that; we think it’s too much of a health risk,” Ms Berejiklian said on Monday.

“We'll find another opportunity during the year to recognise what you have done. On New Year's Eve, we don’t want any crowds on the foreshores around Sydney whatsoever.”

Ms Berejiklian urged business with New Year’s Eve functions in the CBD to obey the one person per 4sq m rule and be prepared to record all visitors.

“Unless it’s controlled, ticketed and seated we don’t recommend those events go ahead,” she said.

“So long as the 4sq m rule is in place, and those venues have COVID-safe plans and you have a permit from services New South Wales, you‘ll be allowed into those venues in the CBD.”

Bans on dancing, singing and talking loudly at gatherings also remain.

“Please know that singing, dancing and speaking loudly and mingling really accelerate the virus spreading. We ask everybody, please be careful this year,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“We know it‘s not the New Year’s Eve all of us hoped it would be. But that’s OK and we want 2021 to be better than 2020.”

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has apologised for the tough new restrictions imposed on Sydneysiders ahead of New Year’s Eve as the northern beaches outbreak continues to grow. (Photo by David Gray/Getty Images)

Those who live in the CBD and are planning on having people over will need to obey strict conditions. There is a limit on 10 visitors to any home in the CBD, and all guests will need to have a permit to attend and log in via the Service NSW app.

“If you live in the CBD, you need to log in with Service NSW and provide the names of the 10 people coming to your home. We apologise that we have to be so strict, but this is to keep everybody safe,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“You can’t just because you feel like it jump on a bus or a train and come to the CBD on New Year’s Eve. That’s not the go. You have to be going to a specific location or being a resident of the CBD.

“Again, apologies for being so strict, but we want to make sure that we don’t have a super-spreading event on New Year’s Eve which then spoils it for everybody across the state.”

Ms Berejiklian said further announcements about the northern beaches lockdown would be made on January 2.