'I'm ropeable with her': Jacqui Lambie compares Gladys Berejiklian's lockdown to being 'half pregnant' and calls for harsher restrictions on Sydney amid debate about why Bunnings is still open
- Jacqui Lambie lashed out at NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian over lockdown
- Questioned why retailers such as Bunnings are open to public during outbreak
- The 'ropeable' senator claims NSW Premier's lockdown is 'half-pregnant'
Jacqui Lambie has unleashed an extraordinary attack on Gladys Berejiklian, likening her lockdown of Sydney to being 'half-pregnant'.
The Tasmanian senator called on the New South Wales Premier to enact tougher restrictions on 'non-critical retail' as the state's coronavirus outbreak grows.
A furious Ms Lambie questioned why Bunnings and The Reject Shop are allowed to stay open to the public as Sydney suffers through a sixth week of lockdown.
She accused Ms Berejiklian of being too slow in her response to the outbreak and called for harsher lockdown restrictions, a day after NSW recorded 233 new cases.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has been urged to 'stop mucking around' with Sydney's lockdown. Pictured are residents in Sydney's south-west on Wednesday
'You have to go into shutdown. No mucking around with this. You can't go in half pregnant,' Senator Lambie told the Today show on Thursday.
'That's why she's not getting anywhere in NSW. Shut them down.
'Unless you need a pharmacy, unless you need to eat or go to the supermarket preferably go online. Leave the tradies partly open in Bunnings. Shut it down.
'You can't have your cake and eat it too. Go into lockdown.
Bunnings was only open to tradespeople who needed supplies for essential or emergency jobs during Victoria's most recent outbreak after the Delta strain of the virus crossed the border from NSW.
Senator Lambie said NSW could learn a few lessons from Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, who plunged his state into five lockdowns since early 2020.
Jacqui Lambie (pictured) says Bunnings should only be open to tradies and not the public during lockdown
'People can go on about last year and having a go at Daniel Andrews,' she said.
'You want to see the gold plate and see how it's done. Four or five times they have been in lockdown and got out of it.
'You know what, let's go. No more 50 per cent with this Delta variant.
'She's mucking around. She came in too slow. I'm ropeable with her and I imagine those people in NSW should be too. Stop mucking around with it Gladys.'
Today Show host Karl Stefanovic agreed some Sydneysiders are angry but said the Premier also had support.
He also believes Bunnings should be closed to the public during lockdown.
'A friend of mine was in Bunnings in Sydney yesterday, he saw plenty of people browsing up and down the homewares, the garden supplies, the furniture,' he said.
'Surely this is not essential. It just sends the wrong message, doesn't it?'
There are growing calls for retailers such as Bunnings (pictured) to shut its doors to the general public during lockdown
However, 2GB radio host Chris Smith doesn't believe Sydney lockdown restrictions will be lifted on August 28 and believes it will continue until October.
'Won't happen,' he said during the three-way discussion with Stefanovic and Senator Lambie.
Stefanovic added: 'Even if you have eight or nine million vaccinations in NSW by the end of August, you won't come out with community transmission hitting 40 to 60, it's not going to happen.'
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On Wednesday, Ms Berejiklian refused to answer questions from reporters as to why retailers such as Bunnings remain open, despite continually popping up on the state's list of exposure sites
The Premier claimed NSW's lockdown rules were 'some of the harshest' the nation had seen, but admitted 'non-critical retail' such as discount chain The Reject Shop should be closed.
Jacqui Lambie said Sydneysiders should be 'ropeable' with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian over lockdown restrictions. Pictured are residents shopping for essentials in Punchbowl
