Forum –
With the current and, no doubt, future lockdowns for the Greater Sydney region, can the Central Coast’s five State Government representatives push to exclude the Coast from being included as part of the Covid management for the Greater Sydney region?
Although the proximity of the Central Coast to Sydney is undeniable, there is a physical divide at the southern boundary of Central Coast Council’s area called the Hawkesbury River.
The main access points from Sydney to the Central Coast, including road, rail and water, can be monitored with check points and a permit system far easier than trying to monitor the boundaries to the north with Lake Macquarie and Cessnock local government areas.
Given that Sydney has the bulk of repatriations of Australian citizen arrivals to manage, as well as inbound freight, the likelihood of Sydney having future lockdowns can’t be ignored and while the Central Coast continues to be included for Covid management purposes within the Greater Sydney region, we will keep being impacted unnecessarily.
Email, July 14
Mark Townsend, Mardi
We completely agree with Mark that it is unnecessary to have anymore lockdown on the Central Coast.
We are an independent region 80km from Sydney and more then 100km.from Covid hotspots.
We are divided by a huge river and national park.
Sydney residents are not allowed here.
We have no community spread Covid and most are vaccinated, personally twice.
If we are all vaccinated here, could you explain why there are currently no appointments until sept, lucky you,got two and are you forgetting we haven’t even started on our younger people’s roll out yet, and they won’t police the coast so every sydneysider would be flocking here at the weekends, and let’s see what happens when we do get an outbreak, we are all fairly safe at the moment and should think ourself lucky
Totally agree central coast should no be in lock down
This is stupid we have not had any covid sightings on the Central Coast since and before lockdowns so enough is enough remove our lockdown and give us the freedom we deserve
I totally agree. If they cut off at hawksbury/Brooklyn that cuts out the old pacific hwy and the M1 if police patrolled putty road to windsor pretty much from the coast all the way up north will be protected thats of coarse if all police regions worked together. Our small buisnesses are suffering out local tradies, clubs, pups, resturants even pool cleaners and house cleaners etc. They are suffering because political craziness. Im not asking for full free living but full lockdawn is not fair. I would have no problem locking down fully if there was an outbreak or community transmission here.
I agree stop including central coast in lockdown put bordercontrols at the Hawksbury and let people get on with their lives
Unfortunately the reporters at the 11am Gladys show aren’t drilling her hard enough on why we’re locked down here. If it’s just to keep our Sydney neighbours from coming here, that’s a bit of a cop-out from a lazy government who could easily implement checkpoints. Surely that’d have less of an economic impact than unnecessarily shutting down an entire economy of 300000 people? Get it together Gladys.
I disagree. Literally thousands of Central Coast people go to Sydney every day for work and more. If we weren’t locked down, we’d have covid all over the Coast by now.
If we’re not in lockdown, that’s a good thing for all of the Central Coast businesses and industries. But we need to have the roads blocked off, otherwise people think it’s a free for all and will just keep coming to the area.
Neil you got it wrong buddy. we need lockdown lifted. we induct checkpoints (road and railway stations).
I agree with Neil. Yes, the Hawkesbury is a physical divide BUT there are no restrictions on travelling across it by road. You want to close the Pacific Highway and check every car? How could they manage that?
I do agree, it seems unnecessary, but we are the buffer zone between the virus and the wider state. We’ll get there! Stick with it.
Neil (8:39) and what about the many that are already on the trains that got on before Warnervale, the 1000s of cars that are still heading into Sydney from Newcastle and beyond… why is that not an issue but the CC is…? We are not part of Sydney and should not be included in their lockdowns unless there is proof of cases in our community. If we followed your way of thinking, all of Australia should be in lockdown.
Whilst I hear and respect your points of view, please remember all the first responders working here on the Coast. Our wonderful police, firies, hospitals and medical teams,from reception through to surgeons and area command. We are also in lockdown to keep them safe, to do their jobs, which is to serve us as a community. If a covid threat is here then they are at risk, which cancels many surgeries, no access to see loved ones in hospital, and a potentially crippled medical system.
I have a small business, down over 80% in the past 2 weeks but I’d prefer to be in lockdown than risk the alternatives. Hang in there for the first responders who are taking care of us all, right now, with our regular medical procedures & everyday emergencies.
Stay kind to each other, follow the orders, so we can kick-ass to covid!
Central coast is next door to Sydney and from 2010 on, it became a sydney suburb with a lot of ‘coasties’ working in Sydney.
3 people from a Sydney hotspot were caught in Mildura on Tuesday(20/7) They were able to drive the 1000km without being stopped. Open the coast, Sydney will sneak in.
I believe because central coast have been good place strict lockdown on Sydney so no one from down there can come here plz allow to lift it for us there r businesses losing money and families struggling kids wanting to be back unschool plz consider a lift for us thks