Queensland wisely remains wary of effectiveness of current NSW public health response to Delta Variant Outbreak - border will remain closed for at least another 10 weeks

 

In which the NSW Berejiklian Government is unhappy to discover that the Qld Palaszczuk Government is on a drive to vaccinate its population against both the highly infectious Delta Variant of SARS-CoV-2 and Berejiklian's failed public health response which allowed COVID-19 infections to run wild in New South Wales......

ABC News, 24 August 2021:

Essential workers need to have had at least one jab to enter Queensland.
(ABC News: Cathy Border)

Queensland has confirmed that the hard border with New South Wales is likely to remain in place until at least the end of October, confirming the worst fears of businesses in the state's south.

Key points:

• Southern Gold Coast businesses are being warned they will have to take drastic measures to stay afloat over the next 10 weeks

• The NSW Cross Border Commissioner says Queensland's vaccination target and its relationship to the border closure hasn't been discussed with him

• The end of the lockdown in regional NSW will not mean Queensland's restrictions are lifted

Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young hopes the restrictions will be in place for "no longer than 10 weeks", according to the health department……

NSW Cross-border Commissioner James McTavish said despite daily meetings with government officials, NSW had not been given any indication on when Queensland's border restrictions would end.

"We've not been advised of a 10-week timeframe for these border restrictions, or a 70 per cent vaccination requirement," he said.

"This is based on the timeframe in which we hope to have 70 per cent of Queenslanders fully vaccinated against COVID-19," a spokesperson said.

The Southern Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce has written to its members warning them that stop-gap measures will not be enough to see them through.

"The only way that businesses are going to be able to salvage that is to make arrangements to go into quarantine … or to arrange for their staff to go into quarantine," president Hilary Jacobs said.

At the moment the border pass only allows a limited category of essential workers to cross into Queensland and they must have proof of at least one COVID-19 vaccination.

Mr McTavish said Queensland's response to the border situation was "heavy handed" and called for the bubble to be brought back.

"We've represented very strongly to the Queensland government that we'd like to see a reinstated arrangement for border communities — not just for Tweed, but also further afield as well," he said…...

Clarence Valley Country Muster due to be held 25-31 October 2021 has been cancelled for the second year in a row due to COVID-19 pandemic

Clarence Valley Independent, 23 August 2021:

It is with a heavy heart we have to cancel this years Clarence Valley Country Muster due to Covid-19, the second year running, but for the safety and the health of all that attend it is the only choice we can make.

Next year (2022) we will be back stronger and bigger…this event we are not giving up on.

Wendy Gordon 

All 2021 deposits/site bookings have been transferred to 2022 event dates. Those wishing to cancel can contact the organisers here.

Clarence Valley Council seeks allies in it fight to keep the Clarence River and its tributaries healthy and able to sustainably supply water to est. 129,378* people

"The Clarence River has the largest catchment and is the longest river on the NSW east coast, and our big river or Briemba/Breembia, is our greatest national asset."  [Issuu, from Clarence Valley Council - Draft Local Strategic Planning Statement, April 2020]

The Daily Telegraph, 24 August 2021:

Coffs Harbour City Council is being asked to form a united front with its northern neighbours over concerns mining in the Clarence River catchment could put our water supply at risk.

Mayor Denise Knight has put forward a motion before this Thursday’s council meeting to support Clarence Valley Council in opposition to mining in the Clarence River catchment, despite sounding far from resolute on the matter.

A vast majority of the more than 125,000 people in both council areas rely on water from the Clarence River catchment for drinking via the Shannon Creek dam.

Ms Knight would not confirm where she stood on the issue and said she was putting the motion forward as had been requested by Clarence Valley Council Mayor Jim Simmons. “I am just doing them a solid,” she said.

“It is important to listen to the debate and hear what councillors think and feel.” In his letter to Ms Knight, Mr Simmons outlined his council’s position, which is to seek a moratorium on mining and mining exploration.

Clarence Valley Council are also asking the state government to deem the catchment a “no-go zone” for minerals mining due its “unique natural and cultural values”.

“(This is being done) on behalf of the community who are concerned that mining will not only have detrimental environmental effects but also puts at risk our drinking water for the Clarence and Coffs Harbour Council area,” Mr Simmons said.

With the price of precious metals running hot in recent years, exploration licenses have been sought across the region which was once known for its mining.

In September 2020, Christopher Wilson Investments lodged a series of applications with the state government for exploration across 391sq km of land which included parts of Coffs Harbour and Grafton council areas.

The licence in Coffs Harbour covers an area of 198sq km and cuts across the Orara River in between Coramba and Nana Glen.

The increase in licence applications, along with a series of more advanced projects, also prompted local conservation groups to step up efforts to prevent mining in the Clarence catchment.

Clarence Valley Independent, 30 July 2021:

At last week’s Coffs Harbour City Council (CHCC) meeting, the executive summary regarding the reaching of an agreement between Essential Energy, Clarence Valley Council and CHCC – on ownership of water supply infrastructure – concluded, “The final step is to gain the formal consent of Clarence Valley Council and the Essential Energy Board to conclude the transaction to transfer the assets to Clarence Valley Council ownership.”

In an effort to inform the Independent’s readers about the issue, given all of CVC’s discussions have been confidential, here’s a full transcript of CHCC’s executive summary of the matter….

Read the full article here.

NOTE:

* the figure of 129,378  people is based on the combined Clarence Valley & Coffs Harbour City 2020 LGA population projections published by Idcommunity demograpic resources.

Truck driver's 30 minute pitstop on Bruxner Highway gives Ballina another COVID-19 contact tracing alert

 

On 20 August 2021 a truck driver pulled into the BP Travel Centre (left) on the Bruxner Highway at West Ballina for his only stop in the area. Sometime between 20 and 22 August 2021 he tested positive for COVID-19. The travel centre is now a listed contact tracing venue.

Northern NSW Local Health District, media release, 22 August 2021:

Northern NSW Local Health District has been notified that a confirmed case of COVID- 19 visited the BP Travel Centre at West Ballina on Friday, 20 August, 2021.

Anyone who attended the BP Travel Centre at 41 Bruxner Highway, West Ballina on Friday, 20 August from 8am to 8.30am is a casual contact and must immediately get tested and isolate until a negative result is received.

As the current situation evolves, we strongly encourage people to present for testing at the first sign of a respiratory or cold-like illness, such as a runny nose, sore throat, cough, fever or headache.

Testing clinics …….in the Ballina area include:

• Ballina 4Cyte Pathology Ballina Drive-through Clinic, 319 River Street, Ballina

• Ballina Respiratory Clinic, 92 Tamar Street, Shop 12, Tamar Shopping Village, Ballina

• Alstonville Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, 106 Main Street, Shop 2, Alstonville

• Southern Cross University Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology Drive-through Clinic Military Road, Southern Cross University, East Lismore

• Lismore Base Hospital, Uralba Street, Lismore

• Lismore Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, 62 Wyrallah Road, Shop 12, Wyrallah Road Shopping Centre

Once you have been tested, go straight home and self-isolate until you receive a negative result.

There are more than 450 COVID-19 testing locations across NSW, many of which are open seven days a week.

To find your nearest clinic visit https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/how-to-protect- yourself-and-others/clinics

COVID-19 NSW State of Play: good news for Yamba, Ballina & Lennox Head

 

NSW Health reports that results are negative after follow-up testing conducted two days after SARS-CoV-2 fragments were found in the Yamba Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP). 

Byron and Lennox Head STPs have also returned negative results. 

However, Northern NSW Local Health District is urging people in the Byron Bay area to get tested for COVID-19 if they have even mild symptoms, following the detection of fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 in the Byron Bay sewage treatment plant in a sample collected on 17 August. 

 The Byron Bay sewage treatment plant serves approximately 19,000 people in the Broken Head, Suffolk Park, Byron Bay, Wategos, and Sunrise areas.

 

There are no new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in residents of Northern NSW Local Health District.

NSW Health's ongoing sewage surveillance program has recently detected fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 at the sewage treatment plant in Bateau Bay, which serves around 39,000 people and includes the suburbs of Bateau Bay, Blue Bay, Killarney Vale, Long Jetty, Shelly Beach, The Entrance, The Entrance North and Toowoon Bay. 

This detection is of particular concern as there are no known cases in the Bateau Bay area. Everyone in this area is urged to monitor for the onset of symptoms, and if they appear, to immediately be tested and isolate until a negative result is received. 

NSW Health's ongoing sewage surveillance program has also recently detected fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 at the sewage treatment plant in Parkes, which serves around 11,600 people. Everyone in this area is urged to monitor for the onset of symptoms, and if they appear, to immediately be tested and isolate until a negative result is received.

Readers can find information about the NSW Sewerage Surveillance Program here.

Despite the pandemic construction of Iluka NSW Ambulance Station proceeds apace

 

IMAGES: The Daily Telegraph

The Daily Telegraph, 20 August 2021:

The new station is on track and expected to be operational in early 2022 after commissioning works have been completed. 

The new purpose-built facility located at Spenser Street will provide the latest ambulance station facilities to support local paramedics is being delivered under the NSW Government’s $232 million Rural Ambulance Infrastructure Reconfiguration (RAIR) program. 

The new ambulance station will have internal parking for up to four emergency ambulance vehicles, administration and office areas, staff amenities, logistics and storage areas, relief accommodation, staff parking and an internal wash bay area.

Finally, NSW Government gets serious about stopping anti-public health order protestors gathering for marches

 

Byron Echo, 20 August 2021:

In response to questions about a protest being arranged at the Jack Evans Boat Harbour over the policy for a vaccination being required for crossing the border into Queensland, police media said officers from Tweed/Byron Police District will continue conducting a high-visibility policing operation to ensure compliance of the Public Health Order.....

Hundreds of protesters descended on the [Sydney] CBD despite the police presence and warnings to stay away. (ABC News: Josh Bavas)

Multiple people being arrested. pic.twitter.com/0tpOPW4O5U

— Josh Bavas (@JoshBavas) August 21, 2021

NSW Police, News, 21 August 2021:

Police have arrested 47 people and issued more than 260 Penalty Infringement Notices in a swift and coordinated response to disrupt protest activity in the Sydney CBD and across regional NSW.

Earlier today (Saturday 21 August 2021), a high-visibility policing operation was launched across Sydney and regional NSW, to prevent, disrupt and respond to any planned mass gathering or protest activity.

More than 1500 police, including general duties officers from across the Central Metropolitan Region, assisted by specialist police from the Public Order and Riot Squad (PORS), Operations Support Group (OSG), Police Transport Command, Traffic and Highway Patrol Command and the Dog and Mounted Unit, were involved in the operation.

Additionally, police issued a prohibition notice to taxi, rideshare and passenger services from conveying passengers to the Sydney CBD, to restrict the movement of potential protesters.

During the state-wide operation, 47 people were arrested and are currently in the process of being charged.

Of note, a 32-year-old Five Dock man was arrested after allegedly assaulting a police officer at Mountain Street, Ultimo, about 12.30pm today. He was taken to Surry Hills Police Station, where charges are expected to be laid. The male constable was taken to hospital for treatment after sustaining injuries to his neck and head.

In addition, police issued 261 Penalty Infringement Notices for breaches of the public health orders.

Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott said he was disappointed that some people still ignored all warnings to stay at home and keep their loved ones safe.

“We saw the community backlash after the last protest and that was a genuine reflection of how they saw the actions of a small minority,” Mr Elliott said.

“That small minority has again chosen to blatantly ignore the very clear, repeated warnings of NSW Police, which is disappointing, frustrating and – frankly – disgraceful.

“The actions they have taken are likely to prolong the very lockdown they were protesting about…….

ABC News, 21 August 2021:

After the arrests, users inside encrypted messaging apps where the protests were being organised in real-time began to panic.

"Where are our leaders?!" one Sydney user wrote into the group.

"Where the f*** are people who promised to lead it?"

One member of the channel said they were forced to turn around after running into the police blockade another called the event an "epic fail".

The Sydney protest lost momentum after one of its key organisers, Anthony Khallouf, was jailed yesterday for breaching public health orders…..

Weekend Australian, 21 August 2021;

An anti-lockdown activist who drove from Queensland to Sydney to help organise an unauthorised protest scheduled for Saturday has been sentenced to eight months’ jail for multiple breaches of public health orders and other offences.

Anthony Khallouf, one of the organisers behind last month’s violent anti-lockdown rally, was arrested on Thursday after The Australian revealed he had travelled to Sydney and checked into a luxury hotel.

Hornsby Local Court heard on Friday that Khallouf travelled extensively throughout Sydney after arriving on Sunday, including visiting a relative in the Covid-ravaged west of the city, before being tracked down at a train station in Sydney’s north.

The 29-year-old was also convicted of “false representation resulting in police investigation” after telling followers on Instagram on Wednesday to call police because his life was in danger....

9News, 21 August 2021:

Mr Elliott [NSW Police Minister] said 38,000 cars were stopped from entering Sydney's CBD at various access points and roughly 130 tickets were issued to drivers.

"These orders are not a restriction on freedom of speech, they are a temporary restriction on freedom of movement.

"Please be aware there will again be plenty of police ready to deploy in response to any protest 2.0 planned for tomorrow and if people try to protest next weekend, we will do it all over again.

SBS News, 21 August 2021:

NSW is readying for a raft of new COVID-19 rules to become mandatory on Monday as the premier pleads with Sydney residents to "bunker down" for at least another six weeks.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Friday announced stay-at-home orders will now apply in Sydney until at least September 30 while a dozen hotspot local government areas will face harsher rules, including a curfew from 9pm to 5am.

"It is time for all of us to bunker down and take this as seriously as we can," the premier said on Friday…..