Sydneysiders coming to the Central Coast will need a permit under a new separate Public Health Order to come into effect on Saturday, August 21.
Parliamentary Secretary for Central Coast, Adam Crouch, said people would require approval, and for particular reasons, before travelling from Sydney.
He said the permit system would limit people coming from their Sydney-based primary residence to a holiday home on the Coast.
“There have been too many Sydneysiders exploiting this loophole and potentially putting our region’s health and safety at risk,” Crouch said.
“We are in the most critical phase of fighting COVID-19 since the pandemic began.
“Now is not the time for Sydneysiders to treat our community as a holiday destination.
“I have brought these significant concerns to Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s attention and thanked her for ensuring our region remains as best-protected as possible.
“The permits will take effect on Saturday, August 21, and anyone who does not comply with the system or lies to authorities will cop a $5,000 on-the-spot fine,” Crouch said.
He said the police presence on the Coast was part of the state-wide Operation Stay at Home, conducted jointly by NSW Police and the Australian Defence Force, which started on Monday, August 16.
An extra 1,400 police have been deployed across all areas of policing in NSW to ensure compliance with the strongest health restrictions NSW has seen.
Compliance with the permit system will be enforced in every way possible, including random vehicle checkpoints on arterial roads and backroads as well as other entry points to the Coast such as by rail, by ferry or private vessel.
“Any non-compliance will not be tolerated because it only takes one person doing the wrong thing for COVID-19 to rapidly spread,” Crouch said.
Permits will be accessible through Service NSW and will be required for owners of second homes, inspecting real estate or authorised workers.
Travelling from Sydney to a second home will only be allowed if the home is being used for work accommodation or if the home requires urgent maintenance and repairs.
If so, only one person may travel.
Travelling from Sydney to inspect a property will only be allowed if a person genuinely needs a home to live in.
Inspecting a prospective investment property will not be allowed.
Authorised workers, from a Sydney local government areas of concern, will now require a permit to travel to the Central Coast.
This Central Coast Public Health Order comes after tougher new rules across the whole state were introduced on Monday, August 16, with increased fines for COVID breaches and further restrictions on public movement.
Anyone who lives in the Central Coast local government area (LGA) is allowed to travel anywhere within the LGA for essential work, shopping, exercise, or medical reasons.
If you live near the border of the Central Coast LGA you are permitted to travel into the adjacent LGA (such as Lake Macquarie) for essential reasons only, however, no further than five kilometres from your home unless you have a permit.
Anyone needing to leave the Central Coast LGA to travel to another regional centre for work, inspect real estate or to attend urgent repairs at a second home is required to obtain a permit from Services NSW.
Residents are reminded to anonymously report suspected breaches of the Public Health Orders to Crime Stoppers at nsw.crimestoppers.com.au
Sue Murray
About time
I have people from Sydney who have moved next to me. And it is party time, thumping noise into my home.
I have challenged them and have been told to F off.
Its party time.
Why does a permant resident have to put up with Sydney siders creating noise?
Surely I have a right as a local to live in peace.