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NSW TO EASE SOME RESTRICTIONS FROM FRIDAY
NSW will ease some COVID-19 restrictions across the state from Friday, allowing for some hospitality businesses to reopen and increased outdoor activities for the public.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the changes earlier this week following assessment of the National Cabinet’s new framework to relax coronavirus restrictions and further analysis of the local conditions in consultation with state Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant.
The Premier said it was safe for NSW to ease these particular restrictions because the community was vigilant with social distancing and hygiene.
“My firm position during the crisis has been to follow the health advice and do what’s best for NSW,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Our community has demonstrated that by working together we can achieve positive results. The changes will allow NSW to fire up the economy, while allowing more personal freedoms.
“We will continue to closely monitor COVID-19 rates, especially community transmissions, to guide us towards easing further restrictions.”
From Friday 15 May, the following activities will be allowed in NSW:
- Outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people
- Cafes and restaurants can seat 10 patrons at any one time
- Up to 5 visitors to a household at any one time
- Weddings up to 10 guests
- Indoor funerals up to 20 mourners, outdoor funerals up to 30
- Religious gatherings/places of worship up to 10 worshippers
- Use of outdoor equipment with caution
- Outdoor pools open with restrictions
Regional holidays are not permitted and all other restrictions remain in place as per the Public Health Orders. The NSW Government will continue to work with business and communities during the path forward.
Dr Chant backed the move to cautiously lift the restrictions, and urged people to be vigilant.
“As we take this next step we need to continue to work together – governments, community, business and NGOs – with high rates of testing, social distancing and adherence to other public health measures like handwashing and staying at home if you show even slight symptoms."
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the COVID-19 fight was far from over.
“Without a vaccine we need to be vigilant, especially when restrictions lift,” Mr Hazzard said.
“There will inevitably be more cases, so social distancing will become even more crucial.”
The NSW Government will consider steps two and three of the plan to ease restrictions in due course. See the latest health advice and restrictions at NSW.gov.au
PLANNING TOOL TO HELP BUSINESSES
REOPEN AND BE COVIDSAFE
The National COVID-19 Coordination Commission has created an online tool to help businesses develop a plan to keep workers, customers and the community safe as they reopen or increase their activities in the weeks and months ahead.
NCCC Chair Nev Power said the restrictions introduced to control the virus affected businesses differently, and everyone needed a COVIDSafe plan for when restrictions change.
“It’s been a really tough time for business owners and their employees, and it will continue to be challenging as we head into a staged recovery. We should acknowledge the tremendous efforts of employers and workers, and make sure that we’re looking after each other as we work our way through this pandemic,” Mr Power said.
“The sooner we can get businesses open and people back in work, the sooner our lives and livelihoods can be rebuilt as our economy recovers. At the same time, as restrictions change, we need to make sure that both workers and customers are safe.”
The tool brings together information from across government on the resources and assistance available to support businesses. It takes approximately 30 minutes to complete the plan, which can then be downloaded and referred to when planning practical steps such as organising supplies and updating insurance.
The plan includes links to assistance available to help businesses reopen including support with cash flow, wages, loans and signage that can be downloaded and printed for the workplace.
“One of the key things will be to maintain our discipline around physical distancing and hygiene. Our success depends on everyone – business owners, workers, customers – keeping up our practices of handwashing, social distancing, covering our sneezes and coughs, staying home if you are unwell, getting tested if you have symptoms and downloading the COVIDSafe app,” Mr Power said.
Businesses should seek advice from their local WHS authority, Safe Work Australia, or contact the Fair Work Ombudsman to ensure they meet all their legal obligations.
The tool complements the Safe Work Australia online hub, which remains the definitive source of information for businesses to understand their work health and safety obligations.
Refer to the NCCC website for more information.
NSW OPERATORS AND EVENTS EMBRACE VIRTUAL WORLD
NSW tourism operators and event organisers continue to provide a rich tapestry of experiences and products for the public to enjoy from the comfort of home. This virtual world of travel is allowing visitors to experience all corners of the state through the phone or computer screen, and provides inspiration for future holidays in NSW when restrictions are eased. These unique offerings from across NSW have just been launched providing armchair travellers with a whole new itinerary:
Pearls of Australia: From the banks of the Hawkesbury River, Pearls of Australia are taking viewers live to the ‘Shellar Door’ of Broken Bay Pearl Farm for a virtual pearl harvest. Owner James Brook is sharing his three generations of family pearling experience to go behind the scenes of this exclusive industry and demonstrate the work that goes into cultivating, growing, harvesting and grading pearls. Follow the live broadcasts each Thursday at 11am.
Pie Time: The Southern Highlands will be celebrating the much-loved annual event, Pie Time, in Piesolation this year and everyone is invited.The festival has launched the inaugural Australia’s National Pie Day to kick off Pie Time on 1 June 2020, and the public are encouraged to bake a pie, buy a pie, order a pie from a home delivery service and share images and recipes online throughout the week-long event. Virtual activities such as pie themed cooking classes, behind the scenes pie production tours and pie and pinot masterclasses will be announced closer to the festival.
Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre: Cowra Japanese Garden is on show like never before with a virtual aerial flight over the award-winning grounds. The spectacular footage by Glenn Daley Photography captures the scale and precision of the impressive on site gardens and evokes feelings of calm and serenity as is the signature of the country NSW attraction.
Destination NSW features innovative businesses and attractions like these in each edition of Insights with the aim of inspiring other tourism operators to develop new and different ways to promote their products and experiences to audiences worldwide.
If your business has a virtual tour or online experience you’d like to share with the thousands of Insights readers please email product@dnsw.com.au.
Alternatively, if you know of other experiences not promoted here, please join the movement and share them on social media using the hashtag #LoveNSW.
Please follow VisitNSW (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter) and Sydney (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter) for holiday inspiration and a showcase of NSW’s best attractions and experiences.
VIRTUAL VISITORS NOW DREAMING OF SCENIC NSW
Destination NSW has released a new series of scenic dreaming videos that profile some of the state’s most majestic and calming landscapes.
The videos were created in response to increased public demand for mindfulness and meditation-inspired content while most people are practicing social distancing measures.
These videos encourage viewers to stop, take a deep breath and take in the scenery of iconic NSW locations and unforgettable experiences.
Produced by Destination NSW, the footage shows:
- The magical marine world of Tweed Heads and Montague Island where seals swim playfully and turtles glide peacefully
- Sydney’s spectacular coastline, from pristine beaches and ocean pools to crystal clear water
- The starry skies of Warrumbungle National Park near Coonabarabran in country NSW — home to Australia’s only Dark Sky Park and;
- A journey through NSW’s National Parks including the dazzling Blue Mountains and the waterside wonderland of Bouddi.
The content is in line with Destination NSW’s strategy to keep Sydney and beyond in the minds of housebound wanderlust warriors, so they are dreaming about their next NSW adventure for when restrictions are relaxed.
View the videos at VisitNSW.com
SMALL BUSINESSES SHOW INGENUITY - CASE STUDIES
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions faced by small business owners, the NSW Government has launched a video series of case studies showcasing small businesses who have adapted.
The business owners from across NSW quickly pivoted and have changed the way they operate in the face of COVID-19, discovering new opportunities and markets for their products and services.
The series includes a Q&A with each proprietor about “business as usual”, the impact of COVID-19, how they have adapted during disruption and the challenges in doing so.
Seven videos have been released via the Business NSW Facebook page and include:
- Maddy Barry, the owner of The Cream Patisserie in Bermagui
- Casey Castro of Sydney Yoga Collective in Bondi; and
- Atilla Yilmaz of Pazar Food Collective in Canterbury.
The videos were developed to provide inspiration to other small business owners about adapting their activities in response to the pandemic.
Tourism operators who would like further support and ideas about how to innovate in the current climate can refer to Destination NSW’s NSW First industry resources. There is a series of six downloadable guides to provide business owners with quick tips and tools to overcome challenging times, and one in particular focuses on adapting your product.
DNSW MEDIA MASTERCLASS GIVES GIN-SPIRATION
Destination NSW’s #LoveNSW virtual media masterclasses continue to make a positive gin-pression on travel and lifestyle journalists, with positive coverage generated by the digital showcase of the state’s unique products and experiences. The cocktail-making workshop series has featured gins and other distilled spirits from around NSW, whipped into a collection of signature mixes by media at home as guided by Sydney’s leading bartenders. Delicious.com.au attended one of the masterclasses hosted by specialist drinks writer Amy Cooper and founder of award-winning Bulletin Place cocktail bar Elliot Pascoe, with the article highlighting many of NSW’s leading boutique distilleries that readers may like to explore in future such as Stone Pine Distillery in Bathurst and Distillery Botanica on the Central Coast. Read the full article at Delicious.com.au. AWOL have also compiled a comprehensive guide to NSW gin cocktails as a result of the workshops - see the story at AWOL.junkee.com.
$310M BOOST TO DROUGHT ASSISTANCE
The NSW Government has announced a further $310 million in emergency drought relief to help farmers make it out of the worst drought in living memory. Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro said renewing current support measures will provide drought affected communities across regional NSW with the certainty they need to make important stock and business decisions. “My message to farmers and regional communities still battling this drought is that you are not alone. That is why we are continuing financial relief for farmers in drought by waiving onerous fees and charges and expanding measures to turbo-charge recovery,” Mr Barilaro said. The extended support includes: continuing the Drought Transport subsidy; the ongoing waiving of Local Land Services rates, Western Lands lease rent and assistance for vehicle registration costs; continuation of water licence fee waivers for stock, domestic, general and high security water users; and continuation of health and wellbeing programs. For a full list of drought support measures, go to NSW.gov.au.
SYDNEY THEATRE COMPANY BELVOIR LAUNCHES 'ARTISTS AT WORK'
Surry Hills company Belvoir St Theatre has launched a new program, Artists At Work, to put artists on staff and produce new work. Starting small with a few teams for a day a week, the company says that “with more support we can do more work”. They are considering how Belvoir can get back to the job of performing – in some new, and some old, ways. It is expected that the company will announce an online program of performances soon. The other focus for Artists At Work is a charter the company is known for, the development of new work. “Now is a good time to find new ways to tell new stories. Our theatre is dark, but we can keep working behind the scenes to turn life, crisis, change into ideas, scenes, scripts, plays. This work is slow and unspectacular, but the results can be magic – Counting and Cracking, Barbara and the Camp Dogs, Fangirls, The Wild Duck, Cloudstreet… Our goal right now is to be ready at the other end of this pandemic with more shows like these,” the company said. For more information and to see upcoming online events, go to Belvoir.com.au
