Turn away people from COVID-19 hotspots, NSW Premier tells businesses
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian called on tourism operators and other businesses to shun customers from Melbourne’s coronavirus hotspots as the number of active cases in Victoria continue rising.
However, Ms Berejiklian refused to bow to growing calls to close the southern border, particularly in the lead-up to the school holidays.
There was one newly confirmed case of COVID-19 in NSW on Tuesday in a return traveller. In Victoria ,17 new cases were reported, marking a week of double-digit growth in cases.
Not welcome: Ms Berejiklian said businesses can turn away customers from Melbourne's coronavirus hotspots.Credit:Rhett Wyman
On Monday Deputy Premier John Barilaro said ski resorts would want border closures ahead of the school holidays in order to prevent outbreaks in NSW.
But Ms Berejiklian, who has been consistently opposed to border closures, instead called on businesses to shun customers from Melbourne.
"I call on all organisations not to interact with citizens from Melbourne at this stage," she said on Tuesday morning.
“I would encourage businesses not to welcome anybody from those hotspots.
"Do not take the risk, it's not worth it.”
Ms Berejiklian asked residents from Melbourne’s six local government areas that have been identified as hotspots to respect calls from both the NSW and Victorian governments to stay put.
“You should not be moving around the community if you live in one of those hotspots in Melbourne,” she said.
The premier said the risk of community transmission in NSW was still real, and warned the community against travelling to Melbourne.
“If you are someone who lives in NSW you should not be going to those hotspots full stop, you should not be going to Melbourne at this time because of the rate of community transmission,” she said.
Of Victoria's new cases just one is a return traveller in hotel quarantine. Two cases are linked to a family cluster that has now lead to 13 cases, and 11 other cases remain under investigation.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said a significant number of those mystery cases would be community transmission, and the government was considering stricter stay-at-home restrictions for the at-risk areas.
"We will take appropriate action if and when we need to, and we will try and give those families and communities all the notice they need," he said on Tuesday.
In NSW, the total number of COVID-19 cases dropped to 3150 after two previously confirmed cases were excluded after further testing.
No new cases were confirmed in Queensland for the sixth day in a row, while West Australia confirmed two new cases in return travellers in hotel quarantine.
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