NSW regional areas have their freedoms restored as lockdown ends

Some areas of regional NSW have their freedoms restored, while two communities on the NSW and Qld border are in lockdown.

Another 12 regional NSW communities are set to come out of lockdown from 1pm Thursday after a successful effort to contain the spread of Covid-19.

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro announced the local government areas of Bega Valley, Blayney, Bogan, Cabonne, Dungog, Forbes, Muswellbrook, Narrabri, Parkes, Singleton, Snowy Monaro and the Upper Hunter shire LGAs will have restrictions lifted having recorded any Covid-19 cases for the past 14 days.

They join a number of other regions that had stay-at-home orders lifted last week.

“This is a good news day for regional and rural NSW,” Mr Barilaro said.

“You join other communities that have their stay-at-home orders lifted, reminding everybody that it is still a restricted environment. If you can avoid going to a local government area where they continue to be in lockdown, please do.”

This morning’s coronavirus update was not as good for residents of Lismore and Albury, who will go into lockdown for an initial seven days from 6pm tonight after new local cases were reported overnight.

NSW health Minister Brad Hazzard at a COVID-19 update in Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said on Thursday morning two local cases were reported in Albury and one case in Lismore, each case with possible links to Sydney and active in the community while infectious.

Both Albury and Lismore are located close to the borders of Victoria and Queensland respectively. Albury was one of a swath of regional communities to have freedoms partially restored last week.

“Can I say that I express my sadness to the local community that having been free of that for a little while they have to go back into lockdown but it is for your safety and the community's safety more broadly,” Mr Hazzard said.

“Health has determined that seven days will be appropriate, but I’m just warning the community that it may be longer.”

BALLARAT LOCKDOWN

Ballarat will enter a seven-day lockdown from 11.59pm Wednesday, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has announced.

It comes after wastewater tests in the regional city detected traces of Covid.

“We have a number of cases and a number of wastewater detections in the Ballarat area, Mr Andrews said.

In good news, the premier announced lockdown in the regional city of Shepparton will be lifted after three days with zero cases.

Victoria has recorded 423 new locally acquired Covid-19 infections on Wednesday as the virus spreads rapidly through the north and western suburbs.

The health department confirmed the new local cases about 9am, and also announced two new deaths.

NZ BUBBLE DETAILS UNVEILED NEXT WEEK

New Zealand will announce the future of the trans-Tasman bubble next week.

“My clear message to people in Australia is I wouldn’t be banking on the trans-Tasman bubble reopening anytime soon,” Covid-19 Minister Chris Hipkins said.

He said it was unlikely a specific day would be provided next week as to when the bubble would reopen, but instead there would be a set of “rolling decisions” - and refused to comment when asked if it would open before Christmas.

Airlines have begun selling tickets for trans-Tasman travel from mid-December anticipating the bubble would return by then.

Mr Hipkins indicated there would be enough information releases for people to be able to plan.

“That is one of the reasons why next week, when we make that decision, we will set out a lot more specific information for people,” he said.

“I don’t want to put a particular time period on it, that’s one of the things that the Cabinet will have to make a decision on if we are extending the suspension, I think that is likely,” he told a Wellington media conference.

“We’ll have to make a decision about for how long we are doing that and then, of course, there is a whole lot of decisions that flow from that ... we will have answers to that within the next week.”

The Australian Federal Government also extended the pause on its end, until at least September 21.

“The Chief Medical Officer and the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) will continue to monitor the situation in New Zealand and provide revised guidance as further information becomes available,” Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said.

YASS IN LOCKDOWN

The New South Wales town of Yass will go back into lockdown after just three days of eased restrictions.

The Yass Valley Council Area will enter a two week lockdown from 12.01am on Tuesday, after a positive case of Covid-19 was detected in the community.

The case has not yet been linked to any existing infections, forcing chief health officer Kerry Chant to issue stay-at-home orders for the community.

From Monday, fully vaccinated Sydney residents who do not live within any of the 12 local government areas (LGA) of concern will be able to gather outdoors in groups of five.

The five-person limit does not include children under 12, but people must be within their LGA or five kilometres of their home.

As the weather warms up it is expected that people will head to their local beauty spots and designated public outdoor areas for family reunions and gatherings in parks, picnic areas, and possibly beaches, if they are within the zone and open.

Sydneysiders flocked to beaches and parks over the weekend to enjoy the outdoors amid soaring temperatures, as Dr Kerry Chant emphasised that outdoors was safest.

“Outdoor environments, if people are keeping away from each other are probably the safest environments,” she said.

But as the temperature climbed to above 30 degrees on Sunday afternoon, Woollahra Council closed Camp Cove and Redleaf Beach at Double Bay as crowds overwhelmed the harbour beaches.

Redleaf Beach in Double Bay, closed due to over crowding today as Sydney heats up on the first hot day of Spring. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Redleaf is the only beach within the 5km radius of many inner-west suburbs and parts of the CBD.

Randwick council has confirmed they will not close their beaches despite the crowds and could only do if the public health order was amended.

It comes as NSW reported 1262 new local coronavirus cases on Sunday, as the state prepares for its first easing of restrictions for the fully vaccinated this week.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said 45.6 per cent of people aged 16 and over in the state were now fully vaccinated, and 78 per cent of this age group had received their first dose.

Within the LGAs of concern, households will be allowed to undertake outdoor recreation for two hours a day, as long as the adults are vaccinated.

BORDER CHANGES FOR QUEENSLAND

Students and essential workers will be allowed into Queensland from Monday but local residents will remain trapped on either side of the border after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced a slight easing of restrictions.

Ms Palaszczuk’s easing of restrictions comes as NSW recalled its lockdown in the Tweed Shire from 12.01am on Saturday after the area recorded no new Covid cases for at least 14 days.

The recall also includes Kyogle, Tenterfield and Moree Plains across the river from Goondiwindi.

Queensland closed its borders to all NSW residents on July 23, except for a very limited number of essential workers.

The hard closure has sparked fierce protests along the Coolangatta -Tweed Heads border where traffic barriers have been placed as the line of demarcation between the two states.

Residents on either side of the NSW-Queensland border in Coolangatta meet and chat over traffic barriers that divide state lines. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

Even the army was called in to assist Queensland police to monitor checkpoints at state crossings with every vehicle stopped to ensure all passengers comply with the tough entry requirements.

But Ms Palaszczuk said restrictions would be wound back to prior to the hard lockdown for 12 LGA areas in NSW where restrictions are being lifted.

“Students and essential workers will be able to travel from the 12 LGAs, where restrictions have eased, into Queensland,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“That will come into effect 1am Monday morning.”

Health Minister Dr Jeanette Young said travel into Queensland was dependant on anyone crossing into the state having not been visited by anyone from any current ‘lockdown’ areas in the past 14 days.

It was also incumbent on any essential worker travelling in either direction having had least one vaccine jab.

“It is really good news for those border communities,” Ms Young said.

“It’s going back to the setting before we had to put those tighter restrictions in place.

“Anyone who needs to cross the border to work because they can’t reasonably work from home will need to have had at least one dose of the vaccine and that applies both ways.

Chief health officer Dr Jeanette Young said all essential workers entering the state from NSW must have had at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine. Picture: Liam Kidston

“It is really important that those people in NSW have not had visitors from any lockdown areas in the prior 14 days.”

The arrangements allow travel for essential shopping for health care, to care for someone who is vulnerable, essential work and to attend school.

Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said the easing of restrictions would not mean an easing of their policing of vehicles entering the state.

He urged anyone crossing the border to have the correct paperwork to prove they have not been in a hotspot and were an eligible worker who had at least one vaccine dose.

“People need to understand what the requirements are before they come across,” he said.

“What we don't want to see, is we are pulling out people with the wrong passes and unable to come across.

“They can expect up to 100 per cent checking of the vehicles that do come through our borders.”

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro said border residents would be relieved with now being able to access work, schools and businesses.

“This will make a difference for those communities who have done it hard. We know how seamless and invisible that border is but unfortunately communities do get impacted at times when borders are closed,” he said.

NSW REGIONAL AREAS TO COME OUT OF LOCKDOWN

Parts of regional NSW currently deemed low risk and which have seen zero cases for at least 14 days will emerge from lockdown at 12:01am Saturday 11 September, but will continue to operate under restrictions.

Local Government Areas (LGAs) still seeing Covid case numbers will continue to follow stay-at-home orders and will be monitored by NSW Health with updates provided as circumstances develop.

The following freedoms will be available to all people in regional LGAs where stay-at-home orders have lifted:

Gatherings in the home and public spaces:

Up to five visitors will be allowed in a home (not including children 12 and under).

Up to 20 people can gather in outdoor settings.

Venues including hospitality, retail stores and gyms:

Hospitality venues can reopen subject to one person per 4 sqm inside and one person per 2 sqm outside, with standing while drinking permitted outside.

Retail stores can reopen under the one person per 4 sqm rule.

Personal services such as hairdressers and nail salons can open with one person per 4 sqm, capped at five clients per premises.

Gyms and indoor recreation facilities can open under the one person per 4 sqm rule and can offer classes for up to 20 people.

Sporting facilities including swimming pools can reopen.

Schools:

Schools will re-open with Level 3 CovidSafe measures in place.

Stadiums, theatres and major outdoor recreation facilities:

Major recreation outdoor facilities including stadiums, racecourses, theme parks and zoos can reopen with one person per 4 sqm, capped at 5,000 people.

Up to 500 people can attend ticketed and seated outdoor events.

Indoor entertainment and information facilities including cinemas, theatres, music halls, museums and galleries can reopen with one person per 4 sqm or 75 per cent fixed seated capacity.

Weddings, funerals and places of worship:

Up to 50 guests can attend weddings, with dancing permitted and eating and drinking only while seated.

Up to 50 guests can attend funerals, with eating and drinking while seated.

Churches and places of worship to open subject to one person per 4 sqm rule, with no singing.

Travel:

Caravan parks and camping grounds can open.

Carpooling will be permitted.

Masks:

Masks will remain mandatory for all indoor public venues, including public transport, front-of-house hospitality, retail and business premises, on planes and at airports.

Only hospitality staff will be required to wear a mask when outdoors.

Children aged under 12 will not need to wear a mask indoors.

Stay-at-home orders will remain in place in the following LGAs:

Bathurst

Bega

Blayney

Bogan

Bourke

Brewarrina

Broken Hill

Cabonne

Central Coast

Central Darling

Cessnock

Dubbo

Dungog

Eurobodalla

Forbes

Gilgandra

Goulburn Mulwarre

Kiama

Lake Macquarie

Lithgow

Maitland

Mid-Coast

Mid-Western

Muswellbrook

Narrabri

Narromine

Newcastle

Orange

Parkes

Port Stephens

Queanbeyan-Palerang

Shellharbour

Shoalhaven

Singleton

Snowy Monaro

Upper Hunter

Walgett

Wingecarribee

Yass Valley

Originally published as NSW regional areas have their freedoms restored as lockdown ends