'We can't keep shutting down': Premier says NSW will NOT go back into lockdown

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has insisted the state will not be going back into lockdown, despite an outbreak in Sydney’s southwest that has so far triggered 30 COVID-19 cases.

The outbreak stemmed from The Crossroads Hotel in Casula. Of the 30 cases, 14 are people who attended the pub.

Ms Berejiklian said outbreaks were an expected part of the pandemic.

“This is the nature of a pandemic - until we have a cure we have to live with it,” she told A Current Affair’s Tracy Grimshaw.

“We can’t shut down every time we have a cluster of cases.

“We can’t keep shutting down and reopening, shutting down and reopening, that is not a good way for us to manage the pandemic because it creates chaos for people in their lives, it creates chaos for businesses who are employing people.

“And it also makes us lose confidence about the future.”

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Ms Berejiklian said it would be “unrealistic” to expected COVID cases to drop to zero in the near future, adding it is “so important for each of us to take our own personal responsibility “.

The Premier also said locking down individual suburbs or ‘hotspots’ within NSW – such as Casula and Liverpool – wasn’t being considered “at this stage”.

Surge in NSW cases connected to Victoria outbreaks

While the source of the Casula outbreak has yet to be identified, Ms Berejiklian said the investigation demonstrates there is "no doubt" the Victorian outbreak has affected NSW.

"It's highly likely that given the evolving situation in Victoria that NSW was exposed to underlying community transmission from that state," she told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday.

Residents of Liverpool and Campbelltown will be barred from entering Queensland, while Queensland-based visitors will be forced into 14 days of hotel quarantine once they return home.

Ms Berejiklian also announced a tightening of restrictions in response to the Casula outbreak with a limit of 300 people at pubs and hotels, and group bookings to be capped at 10 people.

It will be mandatory for pubs and hotels to download and register the COVID-19 safe plan and take down contact details of all patrons.

Venues with a capacity of more than 250 people will be required to have a full-time marshal on site to enforce COVID-19 safety guidelines.

The changes don't apply to clubs, restaurants or The Star casino and will come into effect from 12.01am on Friday.

- with AAP

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