After many weeks of being treated differently to the rest of Sydney, so-called local government areas of concern, including Georges River and Bayside, are today free at last.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the easing of restrictions in the 12 affected LGAs on Sunday, which came into effect from 12.01am today, putting them in line with the rest of Sydney and putting the end to a contentious division.
According to the NSW Government, restrictions in local government areas of concern "will start to align with other lockdown areas", as vaccination rates continue to rise in Sydney's west and south-west.
Almost all extra restrictions were removed, with the main differences around authorised worker conditions and travel permit requirements, which remain in place.
Ms Berejiklian thanked all of those in Sydney's west and south-west who have come forward and received their COVID-19 vaccine.
"We are so grateful to everyone who has come forward to get a jab, helping bring first dose vaccination rates in some LGAs up to 90 per cent," Ms Berejiklian said.
"There's still more work to do to push those vaccination rates higher and everyone must continue to follow the lockdown rules until we reach that 70 per cent double dose target when further restrictions can be eased for those who are fully vaccinated."
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said it was fantastic that some restrictions could be relaxed after all the hard work of getting vaccinated and complying with lockdown requirements.
The news was welcomed almost immediately by State MP for Oatley Mark Coure, who said he "never stopped fighting" for a review of restrictions in Georges River.
"I knew how important this was for local residents and their families," Mr Coure said.
"This is a welcome change and a positive step forward as the state edges closer to the 70 per cent double dose vaccination target."
Both the Premier and Mr Hazzard urged anyone who had not yet been vaccinated to book an appointment.
The new restrictions
From 12.01am Monday, September 20, the following restrictions will ease for those who live in LGAs of concern:
- No limit on the duration of outdoor exercise and recreation (previously a two-hour limit);
- Outdoor gatherings of up to five fully vaccinated people (not including children aged 12 and under) will be allowed in a person's LGA or within 5km of home (previously only fully vaccinated household members could gather outdoors, or up to two fully vaccinated people from different households);
- Shopping, exercise and outdoor recreation can be done 5km from home or within your LGA (previously only 5km from home);
- Attend a small wedding (maximum 11 people) in Greater Sydney as a guest (previously only allowed in their LGA); and
- A person's single's bubble buddy can live in Greater Sydney (previously must have resided within 5km of a person's home). A person from a LGA of concern can also now be a buddy for someone in Greater Sydney.
