Gladys retains clamps
DANCING will remain banned, patrons will need to stay seated while drinking, and masks will still be mandatory on public transport after the latest round of COVID-19 restrictions for Greater Sydney were extended by another week.
It comes as News Corp can reveal the decision to impose the current round of restrictions was made without going to the state government’s COVID crisis cabinet. The Telegraph understands the usual process — which includes consultation with Deputy Premier John Barilaro, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet, and Jobs Minister Stuart Ayres — did not occur beforehand.
The trio of economic Ministers have been crucial to industry in consulting on restrictions and explaining new rules when they have been announced.
“It was clear that the three ministers were not consulted as their offices were scrambling for details after the fact,” an industry source told the Telegraph yesterday.
The source said there had been confusion about how certain rules applied.
Mystery surrounds the source of two new local cases which emerged last week, with NSW Health so far unable to work out how an Eastern Suburbs man was infected.
Yesterday, NSW Health announced the restrictions would be extended with Premier Gladys Berejiklian declaring they are needed to “prevent a super-spreading event” as the “missing link” hasn’t been identified.
The restrictions will stay the same, except for shoppers in retail stores who will not be required to wear a mask.