Gladys Berejiklian has accused other state premiers of being too quick to shut their borders amid a renewed coronavirus outbreak on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
The New South Wales premier announced another 15 new locally-acquired cases of COVID-19 associated with the cluster, which now sits at 83 cases, amid a record virus testing haul of more than 38,500.
‘All I’m saying to colleagues around the country is please think about the heartbreak and please think about the facts when you’re making these decisions,’ Ms Berejiklian said.
‘Because it impacts so many people.’
Her Victorian counterpart, Daniel Andrews, as well as Queensland’s Annastacia Palaszczuk have already brought in tough rules for NSW – despite case numbers dropping on Monday and the outbreak being contained to the Northern Beaches.
Queensland slammed its border shut to residents of Greater Sydney from 1am on Monday (pictured officers check cars on the Gold Coast on Monday)
Travelers at Sydney International airport on Monday wearing face masks and face shields (pictured)
Ms Berejiklian (pictured) on Monday urged other state premiers to not rush into harsh border closures in the lead up to Christmas
‘For example, the only time that New South Wales has closed the border to anyone was Victoria,’ the premier said.
‘Their case numbers were more than 140 a day before we took that decision and it was subsequently then up to 180.’
Ms Berejiklian urged her fellow premiers to be mindful of Christmas and the fact many families have dealt with almost a year of inconsistent border closures.
‘Yes, of course, I’m concerned by what’s happening in New South Wales. But every response has to be proportionate to the risk,’ she said.
‘It impacts not just people in New South Wales, but people in your home states that may not have been reunited with family or friends or significant others for a long period of time.
‘It is a very emotional time of the year.’
She also noted that the majority of Australians arriving back from overseas have passed through quarantine in NSW before returning to other states.
‘We’re doing our bit in terms of bringing home your travelers – 45 per cent of people who come through are from other states – please consider the heavy load New South Wales has been lifting to bring back Aussies.’
From 1am on Monday Queensland shut its borders to Greater Sydney residents, while the same goes for Victoria.
Western Australia has imposed even harsher restrictions, shutting the western state to anyone from NSW from midnight on Sunday.
An officer speaks to a driver (pictured) at a border checkpoint at Coolangatta on the Gold Coast on Monday
The new cases in the 24 hours to 8pm Sunday emerged from the tests which were the highest number conducted in the state in one day on record.
‘The government is monitoring the situation almost on an hourly basis. We will consider our position in relation to what Christmas and the next few days look like beyond Wednesday … it’s an ongoing brief,’ Ms Berejiklian said on Monday.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard earlier expressed his regret Sydney residents were facing ‘a COVID Christmas’ after a raft of restrictions were imposed just days before December 25.
The government has imposed a number of restrictions on the Sydney region, including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Illawarra-Shoalhaven, which will remain in place until midnight on Wednesday.
This includes a ban on dancing, singing and having more than ten people in a household.
Victoria has banned all residents from Greater Sydney and the Central Coast from entering the state from 11.59pm on Sunday (pictured, passengers at Sydney domestic airport on Friday, rushing to leave the state)
Meanwhile, two people have been fined for visiting Manly on the northern beaches on Sunday without a lawful excuse.
More health alerts have been issued for gyms, cafes, restaurants, a nursery and a sports centre across Freshwater, Mona Vale, Newport and Warriewood on the northern beaches as well as Double Bay in Sydney’s east.
NSW Labor said the NSW government should make face masks mandatory on public transport, backed by a number of epidemiologists.
Mr Hazzard said while everyone in Sydney should be wearing masks when shopping, on public transport or when out in the general community the government had no plans to make it mandatory.
Long queues of cars wait to get through a checkpoint into Queensland on Monday (pictured)
‘If we have bus drivers having to act like police … there is already a level of anxiety for them and we don’t want to put them in a situation where they will be policemen and possibly getting into the sorts of fights that might happen,’ he told ABC TV.
Every state and territory has now moved to block Greater Sydney residents from freely entering.
On Sunday, northern beaches residents were put in lockdown until midnight on Wednesday and no-one can enter the region without a lawful excuse.
Lines for a testing facility at Avalon on Sydney’s Northern Beaches (pictured) stretched down the length of the street, with almost everyone wearing masks on Saturday
They are permitted to leave their homes for five basic reasons: to seek medical care, exercise, grocery shop, work or for compassionate care reasons.
Since Sunday people in Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Illawarra-Shoalhaven can have a maximum of 10 in their homes and patrons need to maintain a four-square metre distancing at venues.
Up to 300 people are permitted at places of worship and hospitality venues, while singing and chanting at indoor venues is banned and dance floors are only allowed at weddings.
People are also being urged to avoid visiting any vulnerable friends, relatives or aged-care facilities until Christmas Eve.
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A pop-up Covid testing clinic in Avalon was swamped with crowds on Saturday despite the rain (pictured)
