Most of NSW will turn green from 6pm tonight, under Victoria’s coronavirus traffic light system, freeing hundreds of police from border duties.
Victoria is easing its travel restrictions with NSW, in a move that should free up stretched police resources on Victoria’s borders.
So-called “red zones” in NSW will be eliminated from 6pm AEDT on Friday, with the area of Cumberland to change to the only designated orange zone.
All other parts of NSW will be designated green, the lightest level of restrictions, which only requires travellers to watch for symptoms and get tested if they become symptomatic.
Premier Daniel Andrews said people travelling from the Cumberland area should still get tested.
“We’re extremely happy to see the last red zone in NSW be downgraded,”
Premier Daniel Andrews
People who travel from an orange zone have to self-isolate on arrival in Victoria and get tested within 72 hours of arrival, remaining in isolation until they get a negative result.
Victoria has reached 23 days with no new local coronavirus cases, and 27 cases confined to hotel quarantine, including one new case on Friday.
Freeing up Victoria Police
Police Minister Lisa Neville said on Friday the changes will mean Victoria Police can start scaling back their duties on the NSW border.
Several hundred Victoria police have been on border duty, leading to debate about whether they are being spread too thinly.
Thursday’s Bourke Street driver incident heightened those concerns.
But Ms Neville and Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius said police numbers in the Melbourne CBD had been unaffected, also noting the incident was sparked by a number plate check.
“I’m very happy that our standing footprint to cover the city is sufficient,” Mr Cornelius said.
“But look … the COVID emergency and the threats posed by COVID to public health and community safety is in fact our priority.”
Ms Neville said more than 800 police were involved in hotel quarantine and that would increase to more than 1000.
She said the state government was seeking more Australian Defence Force help with the quarantine program.
Source: AAP.