Tighter restrictions and harsher penalties will come into force as NSW battles to bring the latest COVID-19 outbreak under control.
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The entire state is now subject to the stay-at-home order, which mean people must not leave home unless for a reasonable excuse: to obtain food or other goods and services; work or education, when it cannot be done at home; exercise and outdoor recreation; or medical and care reasons.
The new rules apply from 12.01am on Monday, August 16 and include new distance limits for obtaining food or other goods and services, or partaking in exercise or outdoor recreation.
Where am I allowed to travel to?
In regional NSW, people are allowed to travel anywhere within their own local government area to obtain food or other goods and services, or partake in exercise or outdoor recreation.
But if they have to enter another LGA for shopping or exercise, they cannot travel any further than 5 kilometres from home.
The limit does not apply when leaving home for work or education, or for medical or compassionate reasons, although people should not travel outside their local area if they can avoid it.
Those that live near a LGA border who need to buy their groceries from another LGA are exempt from the 5km rule.
Stricter rules apply to the 12 LGAs of concern in Sydney.
Face masks and identification must be carried outside of a person's home
When leaving home for any of the allowed reasons, a person must carry proof of address.
When a person leaves their home, they must carry a face mask with them at all times.
Face masks must be worn in all indoor areas outside of a person's residence. Mask wearing is also required in common indoor areas of apartment buildings, including lifts and stairwells.
Face masks are required to be worn when working in an outdoor area, while waiting in outdoor queues, in outdoor markets and by school staff.
Children under 12 are not required to wear masks and are not required to have one on them.
Masks should not be worn by toddlers under 2 years of age and babies.
Who can visit my home?
A person is only allowed to visit a home if it is
- for permitted work
- for childcare
- to give effect to arrangements between parents and children under 18 or their siblings
- to assist a person to move places of residence
- to avoid an injury or serious risk of harm
- because of an emergency
- to view or inspect property to lease or purchase it.
Providing care to vulnerable people or visiting a person you are in a relationship with is permitted.
What about the 'singles bubble' rule?
A person who lives alone is permitted to nominate one person to visit their home.
Registration of the visitor is not required but they must live in the same local government area.
The visitor may bring their dependent children if there are no alternative care arrangements.
Nominated visitors are locked in and cannot visit another person.
A nominated visitor is permitted to share a car with their singles bubble partner in order to get to a place of exercise or outdoor recreation.
What are the rules around exercise and outdoor recreation?
People are still permitted to exercise outdoors with one other person from outside their household.
Those that live with more than 2 other people can exercise together.
No community sport training or matches are permitted while the stay at home rules apply.
What rules apply for carpooling?
You may only travel in a car with other people that you live with, unless it is for an emergency, a compassionate reason, to provide care or assistance to a vulnerable person or if the car is being used as a taxi or rideshare.
Carpooling to get to an exercise or outdoor recreation destination is not allowed except for those in a single bubble.
Workers who are required to share vehicles are exempt from carpooling restrictions.
How does the new permit system work?
The state government has also introduced a permit system for people from the Greater Sydney area who wish to enter regional NSW for certain reasons.
Anyone who wants to inspect a property in regional NSW (to live in - inspecting prospective investment properties is prohibited) or travel to a second home to carry out urgent maintenance or use it as work accommodation must obtain a permit from Service NSW.
This also applies to authorised workers from the LGAs of concern.
Shellharbour LGA has been removed from Greater Sydney and is exempt from the permit rule.
Weddings and funerals
Weddings are not allowed, and funerals and memorial services are capped at 10 guests.
Tougher penalties apply
Those found breaching the health orders will now receive larger penalties.
People who breach self-isolation, lie on a permit, or lie to a contact tracer will be slapped with a $5000 fine.
People who flout the two-person outdoor exercise rule can expect a $3000 fine, as can those who breach the rules around entering regional NSW for authorised work, inspecting real estate, and travelling to a second home.
Police stepped up enforcement measures with Operation STAY AT HOME, which began on Monday, August 16.
This will see more officers on the ground across the Greater Sydney region, 1400 Traffic and Highway Patrol officers conducting compliance operations on the road, and another 500 Australian Defence Force personnel brought in to assist.
Movement from Greater Sydney to regional areas, and between regional areas, will be a key focus.
For more information, visit NSW government's regional and rural restrictions website.
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