ARRANGEMENTS FOR NEW YEAR'S EVE AND UPDATED RESTRICTIONS

The NSW Government has today outlined arrangements for a COVID-Safe New Year's Eve fireworks and updated its advice on COVID-Safe restrictions for the Northern Beaches and Greater Sydney.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said today's decision was necessary based on the latest health advice and the evolving Northern Beaches cluster.

"My strong message to everyone in Greater Sydney this year is to watch the fireworks on TV," Ms Berejiklian said.

"We are also asking for a little more time from residents to help us stamp out this outbreak, especially if they live on the Northern Beaches."

The following arrangements will be introduced from midnight tonight (Monday, December 28):

For New Year's Eve Celebrations:

• The CBD frontline worker fireworks vantage point offering is cancelled. Frontline workers will be offered another opportunity in 2021.
• Hospitality venues will remain open but must adhere to the one person per four square metres rule.
• Council events may continue but they must be controlled and seated with no mingling, and record keeping requirements must be strictly adhered to.
• A short, seven minute fireworks display will continue at midnight.

Unless you have a New Year's Eve Pass through Service NSW, you will not be able to enter designated zones around Circular Quay, North Sydney and the City.

For the Northern Beaches peninsula zone (North of Narrabeen Bridge, and east of the Baha'i Temple), the following rules apply until January 9:

·         The health situation remains volatile and the current restrictions will remain in place to supress community transmission.

·         However, indoor and outdoor gatherings will be allowed for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day but will be restricted to five visitors in total from within your zone (and includes at homes).

·         Current arrangements allowing five people to gather outdoors (not at homes) for exercise and recreation, from within the same zone, continues.

·         No restaurants, cafes, pubs or clubs (except for takeaway) will be permitted to open, including for New Year's Eve.

For the remainder (southern zone) of the Northern Beaches, the following rules apply until January 2:

·         The health situation remains volatile and the current restrictions will remain in place to supress community transmission.

·         However, indoor and outdoor gatherings will be allowed for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day but will be restricted to 10 visitors in total from within your zone (and includes at homes).

·         Current arrangements allowing 10 people to gather outdoors (not at homes) for exercise and recreation, from within the same zone, continues.

·         No restaurants, cafes, pubs or clubs (except for takeaway) will be permitted to open, including for New Year's Eve.

For Greater Sydney, Central Coast and Wollongong the following rules apply:

• Gatherings in the home remain at 10 visitors in total (including children).
• Outside gatherings (such as picnics) will be restricted to 50 people in total (down from 100).

For regional NSW there is no change to current arrangements.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the efforts of residents, particularly those in the Northern Beaches, are paying off.

"This hasn't been an easy Christmas period, but our contact tracers have been able to get on top of this outbreak and the number of new cases remains low," Mr Hazzard said.

People with confirmed bookings in the CBD for the NYE fireworks should contact their respective restaurants and bars for further information now that venues will need to adhere to the one person per four square metre rule.

Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the NSW Government recognised that many businesses around Circular Quay relied on NYE customers as one of the biggest nights of the year.

"New Year's Eve is the chance for Sydney and NSW to shine on the world stage. Despite being a smaller celebration to normal, this New Year's demonstrates NSW will bring in 2021 with confidence," said Mr Ayres.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said NSW Health has worked hard to make COVID-Safe celebrations possible but it is important that the community continues to follow COVID-Safe practices, stay at home if unwell and get tested, wear a mask and follow good hand hygiene and physical distancing.

"Everyone needs to continue to be alert to the ongoing risk of transmission and to keep practising physical distancing and good hand hygiene, and most importantly to get tested and isolate if they feel unwell," Dr Chant said.