Dominic Perrottet elected NSW Premier

BY JARROD MELMETH

Treasurer Dominic Perrottet has been elected the 46th Premier of NSW following a Liberal Party room vote this morning.

Planning Minister Rob Stokes also challenged for the leadership but was only able to secure five votes against Perrottet's 39.

Tourism Minister Stuart Ayers will become the new Deputy leader of the state Liberal Party.

Liberal coalition partner the Nationals, will hold a party room meeting on Wednesday to vote for a new leader of the party after John Barilaro announced his resignation from Parliament on Monday. 

It all follows the resignation of Gladys Berejiklian on Friday after the Independent Commission Against Corruption announced it would be investigating her conduct in allocating grants, including to former disgraced Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire.

New Premier Dominic Perrottet.
Image: 7NEWS.

Gladys Berejiklian stands down as Premier and resigns from Parliament

BY JARROD MELMETH

Gladys Berejiklian has resigned as Premier of NSW.

It comes after the Independent Commission Against Corruption advised Ms Berejiklian they would be announcing an investigation into her conduct in allocating grants, including to former disgraced Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire.

The Commission is probing whether Ms Berejiklian breached public trust when she awarded the grants and will hold hearings later this month to investigate whether there was a conflict between her public duties and private interests when she was in a relationship with the former Wagga Wagga MP.

Ms Berejiklian has announced she will be leaving the Parliament all together and a by-election will be held for her seat of Willoughby.

"In order to allow the new leader and government a fresh start, I will also resign from the New South Wales Parliament once I have consulted the electoral commission on appropriate timing for a by-election given the COVID restrictions.

"My resignation as Premier could not happen at a worse time, but the timing is completely outside of my control as the ICAC has chosen to take this action during the most challenging weeks of the most challenging times in the history of NSW.

"That is the ICAC’s prerogative. Resigning at this time is against every instinct in my being and something which I do not want to do, I love my job, and serving the community, but I have been given no option following the statement issued.

"To continue as Premier would disrupt the State Government during a time when our entire attention should be focused on the challenges confronting New South Wales. I do not want to be a distraction from what should be the focus of the state government during this pandemic, which is the well-being of our citizens," Ms Berejiklian said.

Planning Minister Rob Stokes has confirmed he will running for Premier. Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres and Treasurer Dominic Perrottet have been touted as other possible candidates.

Gladys Berejiklian announcing her resignation on Friday afternoon.
Image: Dominic Lorrimer

Two new COVID-19 cases in the Hunter, as Premier outlines plans for return to school, HSC

BY JARROD MELMETH

The Hunter has recorded two new cases of COVID-19, bringing the regions total to 170 cases since August 5.

The two new cases are in Cessnock and Port Stephens. One in Kurri Kurri who was infectious in the community. The other is from Tomago but was infected at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney and remains there. The Tomago case is not a risk to the community.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro warned on Thursday afternoon that he already know of some new COVID cases in the Hunter. The news came after the region recorded its first day of zero cases.

Statewide, NSW recorded 882 cases statewide, a welcome drop from the record 1029 cases recorded on Thursday.

A new exposure site was added overnight in Windale. Anyone who attended the Windale Takeaway on Lake Street on Saturday 21 August from 5:35pm - 5:45pm is considered a casual contact and must get tested and isolate until a negative result is received.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced the details of a plan for school students to return to the class room as well as a new date for the HSC.

It follows an announcement on Friday morning from the Prime Minister that children aged 12 to 15 will be able to book in for a Pfizer vaccination from September 13 following a recommendation from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation.

Vaccinations will be mandatory for all school staff across all sectors will be mandatory from 8 November.

A staggered return of students to face-to-face learning will begin on Monday 25 October. 

Kindergarten and Year one will return from 25 October, Years two, six and eleven from 1 November and Years three, four, five, seven, eight, nine and ten from 8 November.

Year 12 students are already able to return in a limited way and this will continue for the remainder of Term 3. From 25 October, Year 12 will have full time access to school campuses and their teachers.

If stay at home orders are lifted in an LGA or region before 25 October, all students living or learning in that area will return to face to face learning under the Department’s COVID-safe schools framework.

HSC exams will be delayed until 9 November with a revised timetable and guidelines for a COVID-safe HSC to be released by NESA in early September. The delay of the HSC exams will not disadvantage NSW students when applying to university. 

UPDATE! Hunter records 13 cases as NSW goes into lockdown

BY JARROD MELMETH

UPDATE 3PM:

Hunter New England Health has advised of an update to the regions daily case numbers. At 11am 16 cases were announced, two have since received negative second test results and one is not from the local health district. This brings the daily total to 13 new cases.

Of the new cases, four are in Lake Macquarie, seven in Maitland, one in Cessnock and one in Scone.

All of the new cases are linked to existing cases while three were infectious within the community, bringing the regions total to 95 cases since August 5.

The news comes as the Deputy Premier John Barilaro announces the whole of NSW will now be subject to stay at home orders from 5pm on Saturday.

The state-wide lockdown comes as a quiet a shock, due to the nature of the announcement. With only two hours to go until the lockdown is in force, there has been no official communication from Premier Gladys Berejiklian, only a series of tweets from coalition MP's.

Meanwhile, a number of new exposure sites have been added across the Hunter including in Jesmond, Rutherford, Green Hills and Kotara.

Anyone who was at the following venues at the dates and times is a casual contact and must get tested and isolate until a negative result is recieved. Priceline at Jesmond was earlier listed as a close contact exposure site. It has since been downgraded by Hunter New England Health.

• Priceline Pharmacy, Jesmond on Wednesday 4 August between 11:50am - 12:55pm
• Sprouting Health Chiropractic, Rutherford on Saturday 7 between from 9:25am - 10:25am
• Guzman Y Gomez, Stockland Green Hills on Saturday 7 August between 2:30pm - 8:30pm, Sunday 8 August between 2:30pm - 8:30pm, Monday 9 August between 2:30pm - 8:30pm, Wednesday 11 August between 5pm - 8:30pm
• Pharmacy4Less, Kotara on Wednesday 4 August from 2:02pm - 2:15pm

For the full list of dates and times for any of the venues of concern, head to the NSW Health website.

EARLIER:

The Hunter has recorded 16 new cases of COVID-19, taking the regions total to 98. 

Concerningly, the state has had its worst day, with 466 new cases, of which at least 87 were infectious within the community.

The number of new cases in the Hunter is above the six recorded on Friday, but NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has said along the way that she expects numbers to bounce around.

Of the new local cases, three were recorded in Lake Macquarie, two in Newcastle, eight in Maitland, one in Cessnock and two in Singleton.

The results of the around 700 tests conducted on students at the University of Newcastle have all come back negative, that's off the back of the five cases originally reported from the International House on-campus accomodation cluster.

Overnight, NSW Health released a number of new exposure venues at Jesmond, Broadmeadow and Waratah.

Anyone who was at Priceline Pharmacy at Jesmond on Wednesday 4 August between 12:50pm and 12:55pm is considered a close contact and must get tested and isolate for 14 days regardless of negative result.

Anyone who was at the Home Timber and Hardware at Broadmeadow on Wednesday 4 August between 11:25am and 12:10pm or the Redeem City of David Church at Waratah on Sunday 1 August between 10am and 2:30pm are considered a casual contact and must get tested and isolate until negative result is received.

For the full list of dates and times for any of the venues of concern, head to the NSW Health website.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian also announced harsher penalties for anyone breaching the Public Health Orders including those who lie to contact tracers, checkpoints on roads, as well as 500 extra Australian Defence Force personnel will be deployed to ensure compliance with the orders. 

Anyone travelling to the regions from Greater Sydney will need a permit. The permit will come into effect from next Saturday. Police will e monitoring those coming into the regions making sure they are heading there for permitted reasons.

Police Commissioner Mick Fuller is calling it, Operation Stay at Home and says he is not apologetic about the strict restrictions and the strict enforcement.

Hunter lockdown extended as 24 cases of COVID-19 recorded

BY JARROD MELMETH

The Hunters lockdown will be extended by one week as the region records 24 cases of COVID-19.

The news hasn't come as a complete shock, with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian saying on Wednesday it is unlikely the Hunter would come out of lockdown after recording 14 cases.

Of the 24 cases recorded locally, 14 in Lake Macquarie, seven in Newcastle, two in Maitland and one in Port Stephens. Concerningly, six were infectious within the community while, 13 of the new cases are under investigation as the source of their infection remains a mystery.

Included in todays numbers are 12 residents from the Masonic Village at Edgeworth who tested positive after a staff member worked while infectious. The residents are being cared for at the John Hunter Hospital. Two other aged care facilities where infectious workers worked at Jesmond and Waratah have recorded no new cases as yet. 

Overnight NSW Health released a number of new COVID exposure sites across the Hunter including Boho Black Cafe at Glendale, Super Vape Store at Charlestown, Hunter Sports Centre at Glendale, Terry White Chemist at Cardiff, Woodrising Discount Drug Store, The Newcastle Hotel at Islington, Cardiff Woolworths and The Grumpy Baker at the Junction

For the full list of dates and times for any of the venues of concern, head to the NSW Health website.

Business Hunter has been critical of the governments decision not to announce the extension of lockdown sooner so businesses could have some certainty.

State wide, NSW recorded 345 cases, of which at least 60 were infectious in the community.

Business Hunter calling on the NSW Government to provide certainty to businesses

BY JARROD MELMETH

The Hunters peak business group is calling on the NSW Government to provide certainty to Hunter residents around whether restrictions will extend past Thursday.

On Wednesday the NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told journalists it's not likely the Hunter will come out of lockdown on Thursday.

Business Hunter says by not providing the region with clarity on the lockdown, businesses are less able to focus their concerns on things they can control and will now have growing anxiety over issues that they can't control.

CEO Bob Hawes says business are hurting and they need certainty.

"Business wants to be able submit orders, renew staff rosters, pivot the business to the restrictions; and making decisions that will keep their business afloat. 

"They can’t do this under the cloud of ‘what will the advice tell us’; when will things return to normal and at what increment; what the vaccination uptake is and how to protect their businesses from a lack of compliance by individuals still breaching orders. 

“People breaking the rules need to be acutely aware that their actions pose unnecessary risk to businesses and communities and the consequences should be absolutely clear. 

“I don’t see any issue with places of business reporting breaches in movement in our regions because some people are putting our community at risk," Mr Hawes said.

The Hunter recorded 14 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday with three cases under investigation by health authorities

The Hunters accommodation and tourism services, entertainment and arts sectors have been decimated by the restrictions. On Wednesday, it was announced the New Annual Festival in Newcastle is being postponed to 2022 due to the ongoing uncertainty around COVID restrictions. The event was set to include 500 artists, 250 event crew and 30 ticketed events. It's another blow to an industry already suffering.

Image: Forbes

Hunter COVID-19 restrictions extended

BY JARROD MELMETH

COVID-19 restrictions in the Hunter have been extended for a further 7 days, as health authorities try to contain Sydney's outbreak.

It was revealed on Wednesday morning, health officials asked for an extension of restrictions to get on top of the highly contagious Delta COVID variant.

There were 27 locally acquired cases recorded in NSW overnight.

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant says only 13 of the 27 cases were in isolation during their infectious period.

Face-to-face learning will resume in regional NSW, including the Hunter, while Greater Sydney will learn online. It's hoped all students will return to the classroom on July 19.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian says she is happy to see no positive cases in regional communities.

"I want to thank our regional communities for their patience. We have had a few false alarms and a few close calls in the regions but the community has responded by coming out and getting tested and isolating.

"Can I also say to regional communities, thank you for alerting police and CrimeStoppers when people from Greater Sydney have been coming into your community.

"You have defended your communities and we are really grateful to you for that," Ms Berejiklian said.

The Hunter will be required to continue wearing face masks in all indoor settings including workplaces and gyms, limit household visitors at any one time to five people, no dancing at hospitality venues or nightclubs, and adhere to the one person per four square metre rule.

Greater Sydney's stay at home order has been extended to July 19 also with residents in these areas only allowed to leave home for essential reasons including, essential work or education, exercise, medical, obtain food or other goods and services.