PM rejects Victorian Premier’s call to put ‘ring of steel’ around Sydney

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has rejected Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews’ call to enforce a “ring of steel” around Sydney.

The premier said there was a “national responsibility” to contain the out-of-control Sydney coronavirus outbreak otherwise the “whole country will end up in lockdown”.

“Sydney is on fire with this virus and we need a ring of steel around Sydney,” Mr Andrews said.

“There is a national responsibility to do everything possible to contain it where it is now. Not to see it spread.”

Mr Andrews raised the issue at today’s National Cabinet meeting of premiers and the prime minister.

But Mr Morrison today rebuffed the views of the premier, insisting it was up to NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to manage lockdown measures.

“The only view that matters on this is the view of the New South Wales Premier because they are responsible for how they manage the lockdown in New South Wales,” he said.

“There is nothing light about the lockdown in Sydney, I can assure you. My family are in it.

“I’m quite certain that people living in Greater Sydney do not feel they are under loose restrictions.”

Currently Victoria, South Australia and the regional NSW town of Orange are also under stay-at-home orders.

During Melbourne’s lockdowns last year, police were stationed around the edge of the city stopping people from travelling to regional areas without a valid reason.

In line with the restrictions on Fairfield, Liverpool and Canterbury-Bankstown, workers in Cumberland and Blacktown will no longer be allowed to leave those communities unless they are health and emergency workers.

Mr Andrews today implored for stricter measures after NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant described the situation in the state as a “national emergency”.

The Victorian Premier said NSW seemed to have “crossed a threshold” with a surge in COVID-19 cases.

“How many more states do we want locked down?” he said.

“We did it last year to protect country Victoria and our country, and the same must occur in relation to Sydney.

“There is a national responsibility to put a ring of steel around Sydney.”

Police, authorised officers and ADF personnel could help man the proposed border to protect the virus from seeping into other states, Mr Andrews suggested.

New South Wales recorded 136 local COVID-19 cases today, 53 of which were infectious in the community.