Based on social media banter this morning (September 9), members of the Gloucester community have been left a bit confused about the State government lifting of lockdown announcement not including the MidCoast Council region.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
When Deputy Premier John Barilaro said that the Mid Coast was coming out of lockdown this weekend in the much-anticipated live NSW Health press conference at 11am, it was the cause of much excitement for the residents in the Mid Coast region. The confusion was caused by the government's use of terms relating to health districts instead of local government areas.
However, the details were in the fine print with it all coming down to local government areas (LGA) and where there are active cases.
The recent COVID-positive case in Booral as thrown a spanner in the works for the region.
In a press release from Mr Barilaro, the list of LGA's remaining in lockdown was finally revealed which included MidCoast Council area.
Stay-at-home orders will remain in place in the following LGAs:
- Bathurst
- Bega
- Blayney
- Bogan
- Bourke
- Brewarrina
- Broken Hill
- Cabonne
- Central Coast
- Central Darling
- Cessnock
- Dubbo
- Dungog
- Eurobodalla
- Forbes
- Gilgandra
- Goulburn Mulwarre
- Kiama
- Lake Macquarie
- Lithgow
- Maitland
- Mid Coast
- Mid Western
- Muswellbrook
- Narrabri
- Narromine
- Newcastle
- Orange
- Parkes
- Port Stephens
- Queanbeyan-Palerang
- Shellharbour
- Shoalhaven
- Singleton
- Snowy Monaro
- Upper Hunter
- Walgett
- Wingecarribee
"Mid Coast, they had the one case with minimal exposure to the community but we need longer than a couple of days to see how that plays out," Mr Barilaro said during his press conference this afternoon.
Member for Myall Lakes, Stephen Bromhead took to Facebook stating that he's extremely disappointed the Mid Coast LGA will remain in lockdown despite lobbying both the deputy premier and senior government officials.
According to Mr Bromhead's post, the government's decision not to re-open the LGA was based primarily on advice from Hunter New England Health and the risk associated with a positive COVID-19 case in Booral.
Mr Bromhead said the situation will be reviewed in a week.
"I have been advocating for us to come out of lockdown and lobbying senior figures on the matter due to there being zero community transmission of COVID in our region," Mr Bromhead said.
Mr Bromhead has been lobbying for the region to open alongside member for Upper Hunter, Dave Layzell.
It was also stated in the live NSW Health press conference that any LGA out of lockdown that gets a new active COVID case will return to lockdown for 14 days.
