Sydney suburb Pendle Hill split between different LGA rules

Residents in one local government area are enjoying far more freedom than those in the adjoining local government area just across the railway line.

Pendle Hill locals Siva Kumarasivam and Shandrani Thavarajah shopping at Abie’s Fruit and Veggie Market. Picture: Jane Dempster

One Sydney suburb has been split down the middle by the NSW government’s strict lockdown measures, with residents in one local government area enjoying far more freedom than those in the adjoining LGA just across the railway line.

When Cumberland and Blacktown were placed under the same heavy restrictions as Fairfield, Liverpool and Canterbury Bankstown on Saturday, little consideration was had for residents in suburbs such as Pendle Hill, which spans both Parramatta and Cumberland, said Cumberland Mayor Steve Christou.

“Quite frankly, people are disgusted,” he said.

There was no warning before workers – excluding those considered essential or working in emergency and health areas – were restricted from leaving Cumberland, Mr Christou said, while questioning why restrictions were not extended to neighbouring LGA Parramatta, the border to which runs along the railway line.

“Cumberland is within spitting distance of Parramatta. lt is literally a five-minute drive over the Parramatta border,” Mr Christou said.

“How they’re not declared a hot zone is beyond compre­hension. I think at some point they’re deciding who’s being locked down on the run.”

The new divide was having an effect on business at the weekend.

At Abie’s Fruit & Veggie Market on the further restricted side of Pendle Hill, business was down by almost 50 per cent on the same time last week. The store was now seeing an average of 15 customers a day said its owner, Sivakumar Kanthasamy, 40. “People are losing money,” he said.

“A lot of the shops on this side of the railway have decided to close. My produce shelves are all still full.

“We decided to open delivery but only for regular customers.”

The slowdown was enough for Mr Kanthasamy’s sister-in-law, Chandrani Thavarajah, 49, to close her Sri Lankan takeaway store Sinthu for two weeks.

“The community and some people are talking about the closure of shops,” she said. “It really is kind of hard being stuck at home, especially with my kids.”

Down the road at the Pendle Hill Fish Market, business was down almost 70 per cent.

“The area has been hit hard by this lockdown,” said full-time staff member Nidhi Santharan, 46.

Nidhi Santharan and Sarmi Piratheepan at the Pendle Hill Fish Market, where business is down almost 70 per cent. Picture: Jane Dempster

Another staff member and mother of two Sarmi Piratheepan, 34, said the uncertainty was “a ­little bit stressful. My kids are at home and they’re doing online learning, which is very hard.

“However they’re OK – kids always are,” she said.

A number of Pendle Hill venues have been listed as exposure sites, including Pendle Hill Seafood Market, Mirunas Super Take Away and Rajah Supermarket. A Pendle Hill family gathering was also linked to 18 cases on Saturday.

“Families coming together, even in tragic times, can actually, when you are naturally grieving, be a risk where Covid can easily take hold and spread among family members and then out to their households and further afield,” NSW deputy chief health officer Jeremy McAnulty said.

On the divide of stricter restrictions in Cumberland and Blacktown, Parramatta Mayor Bob Dwyer said boundaries did not mean much when it came to the virus.

“From our side, we’re obviously concerned about all residents, regardless of their boundaries and being our neighbours,” he said.

“We feel for them because it’s so close to us. You know it could be them today and us tomorrow, so we were very conscious of that.”