Premier Daniel Andrews has taken a dig at NSW over its handling of the current Covid-19 outbreak, saying his government’s “ring of steel” around Melbourne during the second wave last year “protected the whole country”.
Announcing the state's lockdown would be extended for another seven days on Tuesday, Mr Andrews also pointed out that he acted quickly to avoid the situation in Sydney.
”Avoiding a NSW-style long, lengthy, very challenging lockdown where we lose control of cases, we have avoided that,” he said.
“But we need more time.”
His words come after three Sydney removalists travelled through regional NSW and into Victoria, where they delivered furniture to a Craigieburn home and Maribyrnong apartment complex, before heading towards South Australia.
Victorian health authorities said the trio breached their permit conditions as they brought the Delta Covid-19 strain to Victoria, plunging the state into its fifth lockdown.
The Victorian Premier was questioned about the future once the outbreak in the state was under control during a lengthy press conference on the lockdown extension.
“It’s very much dependent upon the virus numbers in Sydney, measures that they put - may put in place,” he said.
“You know, I just remind you all we had a ring of steel around Melbourne last year and it didn’t just protect country Victoria, it protected the whole country.”
Mr Andrews made the comments off the back of even tighter restrictions to stop any positive infections travelling from Sydney into Victoria.
Red zone arrivals into Victoria from NSW will now need an exemption to enter the state for at least the next two weeks after NSW recorded 78 new cases on Tuesday.
The tougher border measures will come into effect from 11.59pm on Tuesday, with only people with “exceptional circumstances” authorised to enter the state.
“I don’t get joy of having to say to people who want to come home for the best of reasons no, you can’t,” Mr Andrews said.
“They’re not locked into Sydney, so they must be locked out of Victoria. That’s the choice I’ve had to make.”
“We don’t want to get this outbreak under control, only to see another outbreak flare up because of another incursion.”
When asked if he would like to see NSW authorities put a “ring of steel” around Sydney, Mr Andrews said it was “a matter for them”.
“I don’t want to see more cases from Sydney. Those steps are a matter for them,” the Premier said.
On Monday NSW Deputy Police Commissioner Gary Worboys on Monday said that officers were not working on a “ring of steel” to separate Greater Sydney from the rest of the state.
“What I want to emphasise today, the strategy the police are working on is not a ring of steel,” he said.
He said that instead they had thousands of officers working every day to ensure people were following the rules.
Victoria’s snap lockdown was extended until at least 11.59pm next Tuesday.
The state recorded 13 new local cases on Tuesday – nine of which were already in isolation.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMinwFodHRwczovL3d3dy5uZXdzLmNvbS5hdS9uYXRpb25hbC92aWN0b3JpYS9wb2xpdGljcy92aWN0b3JpYW4tcHJlbWllci1kYW5pZWwtYW5kcmV3cy13YW50cy1uby1tb3JlLWNhc2VzLWZyb20tc3lkbmV5L25ld3Mtc3RvcnkvZGRmMjYzZTA0MjgwZmRiZWViZWNkMGMwMjNjZGEwNWHSAZ8BaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAubmV3cy5jb20uYXUvbmF0aW9uYWwvdmljdG9yaWEvcG9saXRpY3MvdmljdG9yaWFuLXByZW1pZXItZGFuaWVsLWFuZHJld3Mtd2FudHMtbm8tbW9yZS1jYXNlcy1mcm9tLXN5ZG5leS9uZXdzLXN0b3J5L2RkZjI2M2UwNDI4MGZkYmVlYmVjZDBjMDIzY2RhMDVh?oc=5
2021-07-20 03:45:00Z
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