The motion to enforce further ADF backing was requested at last night’s state crisis cabinet meeting, and successfully granted.
With Greater Sydney’s lockdown failing to provide clear restrictions implemented by the government, 500 more military personnel are here to enforce the COVID-19 crackdown compliance.
Police Minister David Elliott and NSW Police Commissioner, Michael Fuller led the request at the national crisis cabinet last night, Wednesday 11.
These additional troops will be joining the current 300 ADF troops, who are already reinforcing the efforts of NSW Police throughout Sydney.
The additional troops will focus on western and southwestern Sydney to ensure COVID-19 health orders are being practised in the clustered hotspots where the virus is thriving.
It’s important to note that had lockdown restrictions been made with no room for grey areas from the beginning of the Greater Sydney lockdown, the enlistment of ADF forces would most likely not be needed.
more ADF tipped for Sydney soon. I’m sure that’ll calm things right down.
— Stephen Walsh (@steve_evil) August 11, 2021
This request follows the incident in which an infected man from Rose Bay travelled to Byron Bay to look at a property.
Now, even Byron is copping a COVID sting.
This has resulted in public health orders being strengthened to remove loopholes that permitted wiggle room to travel outside of Greater Sydney.
Commissioner Fuller will be put in charge of the crackdown.
Police Minister Elliott stated that the use of ADF personnel would create a “functional, effective and dynamic team,” to help combat the pandemic.
Elliott commented after the initial 300 ADF personnel were granted in late July:
“There is a longstanding and highly-professional relationship between the NSW Police Force and the ADF,”
“As I have said previously, support from the Army will add another line of defence to the NSW Government’s crackdown on COVID-19 compliance.”
This enforcement accompanies NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s statement earlier on Wednesday that harsher lockdown restrictions in Greater Sydney will remain intact throughout September and October for ‘at least’ 11 more weeks.
It isn’t groundbreaking news that lockdown restrictions needed to be much harsher from the beginning in order to combat the deadly Delta strain surge.
This has been outlined by numerous epidemiologists and researchers who have provided scientific modelling to support this. So, Melbourne, we envy you.
“That’s when the freedoms that we had before this outbreak are certainly going to be in place, and where we can look forward to having a normal existence,” Berejiklian said.
Yesterday NSW recorded 344 new positive COVID-19 cases, with a large portion still in hotspot areas under the toughest restrictions.
Additionally, eligibility to receive a COVID-19 vaccine has proven to be an obstacle for many young Australians.
Some people cannot receive it, and many have to wait until mid to late September to receive their first dose.
The Sydney epicentre of the Delta outbreak is in the Canterbury-Bankstown bubble.
Although these cases are levelling off, they remain the highest in Greater Sydney, while reported infections increase in Cumberland, Penrith and Blacktown.
Neighbouring council areas of Strathfield, Burwood, Inner West and Bayside are on notice for now.
“We don’t want to include you in those local governments of concern but we might have to,” Berejiklian said.
The loopholes in the restrictions that have been presented in this lockdown have also seen a much higher death toll, currently at 35.
The most recent deaths are a 90-year-old man who died at Concord Hospital, and a man in his 30s who died at Northern Beaches Hospital.
Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerry Chant, stated that the man in his 30s had underlying health conditions and was not vaccinated.
Positive cases have well and truly begun to spread out of Greater Sydney to the Hunter region, where 11 residents and three staff members were infected at a nursing home in Newcastle.
Even further in central west NSW, Dubbo, a lockdown has been implemented due to a woman and her child testing positive for COVID.
It has been suggested that in low-case areas such as the Northern Beaches, North Shore and Sutherland, there could be some freedoms returning as soon as the end of the month when the vaccination rate is at least 50 per cent.
This is looking unlikely as fully dosed vaccination rates are currently at less than 20 per cent.
All they have done is brought more ADF in. If they don’t shut businesses down, and prevent people from Sydney trotting off to the regions to look at properties, or go to parties, it’s mere window dressing.
— Hugs4friends🌱💧🌏😷🏠💉 🐀 #sewerratsunite (@southwin28) August 11, 2021
