Gabriel Metcalf, CEO of the Committee for Sydney, provided mixed reactions to Friday’s announcements.

“We’re encouraged to see the Premier begin today’s press conference with the strong growth in vaccination numbers – this is a cause for real hope and a long awaited shift in emphasis. There’s no question vaccination is our path out of these gruelling lockdowns and that’s where the focus should be. I’m also encouraged to see Qantas and NSW Health starting to require vaccines for their employees – that’s a good start.

“On the other hand, we continue to have grave concerns about the over-policing of people in public space outdoors. To date, we are not aware of any evidence of significant transmission of Covid in outdoor spaces. Unless that has changed, these measures are a stop in wrong direction. We need outlets for life to get through a gruelling lockdown. We should be encouraging people out of doors, not locking them inside.”