Saturday 1pm: Summary of new rules
14th August 2021
SUMMARY OF NEW FINES AND RESTRICTIONS
1pm SATURDAY August 14
EXERCISE AND SHOPPING: From Monday, you can exercise or do essential shopping anywhere within your LGA or within 5km of your home if you have to enter another LGA (such as Newcastle). This is down from the previous 10km. WORK AND VISITOR PERMITS: From August 21, anyone travelling to regional areas from Greater Sydney for work must have a permit. These permits will be available through Service NSW soon. At this stage it is not a requirement for people who travel from Lake Macquarie and into the Greater Sydney or Central Coast areas for work. REAL ESTATE INSPECTIONS: As above for all people leaving the Greater Sydney area - permit required. Only one person and that person must genuinely need a home to live in (no investment property purchasing etc). HOLIDAY HOMES: As above for all people leaving Greater Sydney area - permit required. Travelling to a second home is now only allowed if you are using the home for work accommodation or if the home requires urgent maintenance or repairs. SINGLES BUBBLES: Singles who live alone in hotspot LGAs will now have to apply for and nominate a registered 'buddy'. This does not include Lake Macquarie. Please note that the rules around providing care to a vulnerable person, such as an elderly parent, have not changed. INCREASED FINES FROM MONDAY August 16:- $5000 on the spot for breaching self-isolation rules
- $5000 on the spot for lying on a permit (criminal offence)
- $5000 on the spot for lying to a contract tracer (criminal offence)
- $3000 on the spot for breaching the two-person outdoor exercise rule
- $3000 on the spot for breaching rules around travelling to regional areas from the Greater Sydney area.
INCREASED POLICING AND DEFENCE PERSONNEL: More police will now monitor compliance with the above rules, in particular the travel rules. The Police Minister and Police COmmissioner have today also announced that compliance efforts will be boosted by 500 Defence Force personnel, and they will be targeting main link roads such as the M1 between Sydney and Lake Macquarie. LATE TEST PAYMENTS: The Government has announced that it will pay $320 to casual workers who lose work while waiting for Covid test results, but only in the hotspot areas of Sydney. This is ridiculous given the wait so many in our local community are facing. I'll be seeking an urgent extension of that payment to those in the local area.