Bosses flag return to work in NSW for the Covid-19 vaccinated

The nation’s peak business advocacy groups have called on the NSW government to allow vaccinated people to return to work once immunisation targets reach at least 50 per cent.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian in Sydney on Monday. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

The nation’s peak business advocacy groups have called on the NSW government to allow vaccinated people to return to work once immunisation targets reach at least 50 per cent, a move they say will preserve jobs and livelihoods being routed by lockdowns.

The hospitality industry is calling for outdoor dining with limited indoor services to be restored, while the state’s leading business lobby is advocating for an ­industry-by-industry relaxation approach that would ease in line with vaccination targets.

NSW recorded one death and 283 fresh cases of the virus in the 24 hours to 8pm on Sunday, of which 106 people were known to be active in the community during their infectious period. The isolation status of another 71 cases remains under investigation.

Officials began placing numerous regional areas into lockdown to keep ahead of exposure sites emerging in some locations. The Tamworth region, in the state’s northeast, was placed into a week-long lockdown after a Covid-­positive woman travelled to the area from Newcastle.

By late Monday afternoon, the NSW government also announced that the Byron Bay, Ballina, Lismore and the Richmond Valley local government areas, all located in the state’s far north, would be placed in a similar lockdown because of a Covid-positive case identified in the region.

The man in his 50s, now in hospital, had travelled from Sydney to the area for reasons that remain under investigation; residents of metropolitan Sydney and other areas are forbidden to travel to the regions, although this is permitted in narrow circumstances.

With the lockdown of Greater Sydney due to expire on August 28, Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Monday appeared to firm in her conviction that easing restrictions would be possible for vaccinated individuals in some areas, suggesting the government was eager to implement these measures.

This has already happened in the construction sector, due to resume operations at 50 per cent capacity from Wednesday; workers from hotspot locations will be permitted to participate as long as they are fully or partially vaccinated, an edict that has angered some conservative Liberal MPs. They plan to oppose the move at a partyroom meeting on Tuesday where they will argue it is not the role of government or business to mandate workers receive vaccinations.

“Please think about the future,” Ms Berejiklian said. “If you work in an industry where you’d like to go back to serving customers … or you work in a workplace which is currently not open – please consider getting vaccinated.”

Doherty Institute modelling provided to national cabinet last week set a target of 70 per cent coverage before restrictions could be eased in a comprehensive way. NSW is tracking towards six million inoculations by the end of the month, which would amount to roughly 50-60 per cent of the state.

Ms Berejiklian said NSW would respect the conclusions of the Doherty Institute report, but it was her belief that options for easing restrictions could tentatively occur much sooner. “That report obviously allows certain freedoms at 70 per cent vaccination, at 80 per cent vaccination ... Please know that once we hit 50 to 60 (per cent of vaccination coverage), lockdown plus easing some restrictions is very different to what the Doherty report says must happen at 70 per cent,” she said.

Wes Lambert, chief executive of Restaurant and Catering Australian, said a further lockdown extension was probable, meaning flexibility for vaccinated workers and patrons would be welcomed.

The sentiment was backed by Clubs NSW chief executive Josh Landis, who said the mental and fin­ancial wellbeing of 25,000 workers was a primary concern.