Prime Minister Scott Morrison said anyone attending will be breaking the law, while Labor leader Anthony Albanese said the group’s defiant stance risks it losing community support.
“It’s not the appropriate way to express opinion given all the circumstances,” Mr Albanese told 2SM Radio.
“And I’d say to the organisers as well, that for people who are unable to visit older relatives in a nursing home, for people who have curtailed the way that they work and interact with family and friends, people making sacrifices out there, that such a protest should be aimed at winning support, not losing support.”
It comes as New South Wales recorded 17 new cases of COVID-19, with health authorities warning the coming two weeks will be a “critical period” for getting on top of community transmission.
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Live Updates
If a Black Lives Matter protest goes ahead in Sydney tomorrow in defiance of a court order, attendees are warned they could face time in jail.
Yesterday, authorities in New South Wales successfully sought a Supreme Court ban on the rally, to be held at midday on Tuesday.
But organisers insist they’ll go ahead regardless, ignoring pleas from politicians and public health experts.
“If you turn up on Tuesday morning, just expect that you could find yourself incarcerated for six months,” NSW Police Minister David Elliott said.
“Regardless of whatever new plans are being put forward, this particular protest on Tuesday will be considered an illegal gathering and the police response will be accordingly.”
A spokesperson for NSW Police said: “Police will not hesitate to take the appropriate action, if required.”
Premier Gladys Berejiklian repeated the warning, said police will arrest people if they have to.
All residents of two Sydney suburbs have been urged to come forward to be tested for coronavirus.
New South Wales chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said anyone in Harris Park and Middleton Grange should now get tested if they have any symptoms.
“So, residents in those communities with the most minimal of symptoms, we are asking you to come forward and get testing,” Dr Chant said.
“That is to assure ourselves we are not missing transmission in those suburbs.”
New South Sales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has issued an impassioned plea to organisers of tomorrow’s Black Lives Matter protest in Sydney.
“Please don’t,” Ms Berejiklian urged. “Please, for your own safety and the safety of your loved ones.”
Those behind the demonstration, expected to attract some 4000 supporters, say they’ll ignore a court order banning the gathering on public health grounds.
Ms Berejiklian said “many feel strongly” about the cause of Indigenous deaths in custody but that “a pandemic isn’t the time to do this”.
“Pick a different way to get your point across. Conducting a protest at this time is highly irresponsible. This is not usual circumstances.
“Please, please, all of you contemplating doing what’s now an illegal act, please reconsider. Do not breach the health orders and the ruling of the court.
“Police don’t want to make arrests but they will if they have to.”
NSW is as “a critical juncture” in the fight against COVID-19, she added.
Health authorities in New South Wales warn the coming weeks will be “critical” in avoiding a Victorian-style second wave of coronavirus infections.
There are 17 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state, with almost half of those in hotel quarantine, but the level of community transmission remains a concern.
People in Sydney are being urged to maintain good social distancing and hand hygiene practises, and to “consider the use of masks when you can’t keep your distance”, chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said.
“This is an anxious time. I think this is a critical time where we need the community to modify their behaviours, engage with public health messaging and come forward for testing.”
On masks, they’re recommended when people use public transport, Dr Chant said.
“We ask you to keep gatherings as small as possible,” she added. “Don’t travel for non-essential reasons.
“This is a critical time over the next three to four weeks. We need to all play our part.”
Of the new cases today:
– Three linked to Thai Rock restaurant in Wetherill Park
– One linked to Thai Rock restaurant in Potts Point
– Four linked to St Brendan’s Catholic Church in Bankstown
– Eight are from hotel quarantine
– One is under investigation
Dr Chant described contact tracing efforts in Sydney’s west and southwest as significant, with a huge focus on closing clusters and breaking chains of transmission.
The past few weeks has shown how “number can escalate quite quickly” once COVID-19 is loose in the community, she said.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she was “thrilled” by the number of people who continue to come forwards to be tested.
But she warned people not to “let your guard down”.
“It does not take much to have a cluster grow,” Ms Berejiklian warned. “We have to err on the side of caution.”
“(Outbreaks) have been family celebrations or condolences, whether it's weddings or funerals, or hospitality or indoor events, so we know what the highest risk areas are.
“We know that funerals are terribly emotional time for people, please unless it's your immediate household, you cannot have physical contact whether it's a wedding or a funeral.”
In news just in, 17 new cases of coronavirus have been recorded in New South Wales.
Eight of those are from returned Australian travellers in hotel quarantine.
Amid an uptick in new cases of coronavirus in New South Wales, Scott Morrison has urged the community to “stay alert”.
The Prime Minister said health authorities were working hard to get on top of a number of outbreaks of COVID-19 but warned “we’re not out of the woods”.
“There is still a bit of distance to travel,” Mr Morrison said of the situation in NSW.
“Those (new) cases are still about 20 at the moment each day, but they could raise higher than that. That’s not out of the question.
“The virus is still out there. It hasn't left the country. It is still here. It is not going to go anywhere.
“Our only defence against it is to ensure that our testing, tracing and outbreak containment capabilities are at the highest possible standard.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese has warned organisers of a Black Lives Matter protest in Sydney they risk losing community support for their cause if they go ahead in defiance of public health advice and a court order.
The rally has been scheduled for midday tomorrow but authorities successfully sought a ban in the Supreme Court due to the uptick in cases of coronavirus.
But those behind the protest say they’ll go ahead regardless, insisting that calling attention to Indigenous deaths in custody outweighs public health directives.
Mr Albanese was on radio this morning and said it’s “not the right time” to stage a mass public gathering and urged organisers to postpone.
“It's not the appropriate way to express opinion given all the circumstances,” he told 2SM Radio.
“And I'd say to the organisers as well, that for people who are unable to visit older relatives in a nursing home, for people who have curtailed the way that they work and interact with family and friends, people making sacrifices out there, that such a protest should be aimed at winning support, not losing support.”
Any mass protest at the moment “will not gain support for a cause”, he warned.
“And this is an absolutely legitimate cause. The numbers in terms of incarceration of Indigenous Australians is a stain on our national soul.
“But it will lose support, and they need to consider that because it will be counterproductive if any mass protest goes ahead.”
Speaking in Sydney this morning, Scott Morrison described the defiant stance of protest organisers as “breaking the law”.
“That is what it is. We are all subject to the law. I would encourage everybody to follow the law.”
Health authorities, police and the NSW Government have urged the group to postpone the rally.
A student from Georges River Grammar School in the suburb of Georges River has tested positive for coronavirus.
The school has been closed today for contact tracing and deep cleaning.
New South Wales Health say the child is linked to outbreaks at a number of church and funeral services in Sydney’s southwest.
Thousands of new homebuyers in New South Wales will save a pretty penny as part of a plan to support the construction sector and create jobs during the COVID-19 crisis.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced stamp duty on brand new homes priced under $800,000 will be temporarily axed.
It’s expected some 6000 first-timers will benefit from the change.
"Thousands of people will see their bank balances benefit from this change – it will help get more keys into more front doors of more new homes," Ms Berejiklian told The Sydney Morning Herald.
"It will also boost housing construction across NSW and support jobs in the building industry at a time when we need them more than ever before."
Today’s update on the coronavirus situation in New South Wales will be held at 11am, with Premier Gladys Berejiklian to speak to the media.
Ms Berejiklian be joined by Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant and Treasurer Dominic Perrottet.
We’ll bring you live updates right here.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMikwFodHRwczovL3d3dy5uZXdzLmNvbS5hdS9saWZlc3R5bGUvaGVhbHRoL2hlYWx0aC1wcm9ibGVtcy9jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy1uc3ctbGl2ZS1jb3ZpZDE5LXN5ZG5leS11cGRhdGVzL2xpdmUtY292ZXJhZ2UvMDQ0NzlhMTc0NzM2ZTA3ODY4NjEzYTc4Y2U0ZjFjN2XSAZcBaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmV3cy5jb20uYXUvbGlmZXN0eWxlL2hlYWx0aC9oZWFsdGgtcHJvYmxlbXMvY29yb25hdmlydXMtbnN3LWxpdmUtY292aWQxOS1zeWRuZXktdXBkYXRlcy9saXZlLWNvdmVyYWdlLzA0NDc5YTE3NDczNmUwNzg2ODYxM2E3OGNlNGYxYzdlL2FtcA?oc=5
2020-07-27 02:30:00Z
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