The new NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet held a press conference at a Sydney pub this morning where he spoke about the state opening up tomorrow. ‘Today is a big day for the state. You’ve earned it. It’s been 100 days of blood, sweat and no beers but we’ve got it, and we’re back!’
Mr Perrottet said it’s been a very difficult time for the people of NSW. ‘Over 100 days of people making enormous sacrifices and not being able to say goodbye to their loved ones, and not being able to get married – businesses closed and people out of work.
‘The efforts every single person right across New South Wales has ensured that tomorrow we can open up a cautiously safely, but really importantly, provide opportunity and prosperity to the people of South Wales.
‘That’s not on the government, that’s on every single one of our people.’
‘New South Wales is leading our country out of this pandemic –the vaccination rate and the increase that occurred over this period of time I think has been not just leading the country, but leading the world and that’s been the secret to our success. This means that we can open up in a safe way as possible.
Treat everybody with kindness and respect
‘Tomorrow, that the key message is: please treat everybody with kindness and respect. I know that there’s going to be some challenges we go through this period of time.
‘We’re the only state in the country that is going down this path early by opening up to those who are double vaccinated, and that’s been important because we know that we wouldn’t be able to open up in the same way if that wasn’t the case.
‘As I said, there will be challenges, and there’ll be young people for the first time in a long time, pulling beers and serving coffees and table service at restaurants – I just asked treat everybody like your neighbour’s daughter or son, because if we treat everybody with kindness and respect and if we take personal responsibility, we will get through these difficult times.
Business confidence is crucial
Mr Perrottet said that business confidence is crucial to getting the economy through last year. ‘But importantly, we need to do it in a safe way.
‘The rules are lifted tomorrow. It’s an exciting day for our state. But I do want to reiterate that we need to do this in a safe way. Please treat everybody with respect and kindness – that will be key as we move through this period of time.’
Recent stories, information and updates regarding COVID-19
New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Life shows life expectancy in Australia has decreased slightly for the second year in a row. An international team of researchers has found more evidence that COVID-19 came from animals in a Wuhan food market. The lab-leak theory that Covid-19 came from the Wuhan Institute of Virology – instead of a nearby wet market – was thrashed about in public recently, with the US Senate Homeland Security Committee holding a hearing into Covid-19. Eighteen schools in the Northern Rivers division of Richmond have received $25,000 each as part of the federal government’s School Upgrade Fund, Labor Member for Richmond Justine Elliot said last week. COVID-19 reversed earlier trends toward longer life expectancies. During the pandemic, life expectancies globally dropped by 1.6 years according to a new study published in the Lancet medical journal. Let’s not forget that Covid-19 is still a big issue in our community with 31,935 cases reported across Australia in the last week – an average of 4,562 cases per day. The Global Carbon Budget is about to be refreshed, giving the world a critical insight into how efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are (or are not) progressing. Masks will no longer be mandatory on public transport from tomorrow, Wednesday 21 September. SW Police are urging festival-goers at this weekend’s music festival to celebrate in a safe and responsible manner, whilst also being aware of COVID-Safety measures. The Northern NSW Local Health District reports that to 4pm yesterday, Sunday May 22, there were 40 COVID-19 positive patients in hospital in Northern NSW, with one of these in ICU.
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