• - Auburn Gallipoli Mosque/Facebook

Most Australian state capitals are currently under lockdown in order to contain fresh outbreak of the highly contagious Delta variant of the COVID-19 coronavirus first detected in India in February that has now gone global. 

All mosques in greater Sydney are closed and Friday congregational prayers suspended today and next Friday 9 July while the NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has urged people to stay at home unless absolutely necessary.

NSW has recorded more than 150 cases since 16 June leading to Greater Sydney’s lockdown for at least 2 weeks till midnight on Friday 9 July.

Perth began a four-day lockdown starting  midnight Tuesday 29 June till Saturday 3 July, Brisbane a three-day lockdown starting Tuesday 29 June evening while Darwin will be under lockdown till 1 pm Friday 2 July.
There are also various restrictions in other states including movement across state borders or within the states themselves.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, referring to advice from Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said, “her advice to us is consistent and the advice is to make sure that you kill this strain of the virus in the community at the moment, two weeks is about what is required.”
Ms Berejiklian encouraged NSW residents to receive a vaccine if they are able to, but said supply of the vaccine was out of her government’s control and Dr Chant encouraged people to discuss their decision with a GP.
The federal government and PM Scott Morrison have come under heavy criticism for failing to secure enough vaccine doses for the Australian population and its roll out in order to prevent small outbreaks leading to lockdowns in various states from time to time.
Australia has fully vaccinated less than 5% of its relatively small population, compared with almost half the population in US and UK.  Australian vaccination rates are more comparable with Indonesia and India with very large population.
Swift contact tracing, strict social distancing rules and short lockdowns have largely helped Australia keep its COVID-19 numbers relatively low, with just over 30,500 cases and 910 deaths but its vaccine rollout has track record has been poor.

Greater Sydney lockdown orders

From 6pm on Saturday 26 June 2021, if you have been in Greater Sydney, including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour for any reason since Monday 21 June 2021, you must follow the stay at home rules and must continue to follow them until 11:59pm on Friday 9 July.

If you live in, usually work in, or usually attend a university or other tertiary education facility in Greater Sydney you must also follow the stay at home rules, unless you have not been in Greater Sydney for the last 14 days.

Reasonable excuse to leave home

A reasonable excuse is if you need to

  • obtain food or other goods and services
    • for the personal needs of the household or for other household purposes (including pets)
    • for vulnerable people
    • if the food or goods and services are not available in the local government area that you live in
  • travel for work or education if it is not possible to do it at home
  • exercise and take outdoor recreation in Greater Sydney
  • go out for medical or caring reasons, including obtaining a COVID-19 vaccination
  • donate blood
  • access childcare
  • continue existing arrangements for access to, and contact between, parents and children
  • attend a funeral
  • provide care or assistance (including personal care) to a vulnerable person or to provide emergency assistance
  • access social services, employment services, services provided to victims (including as victims of crime), domestic violence services, and mental health services
  • move to a new place of residence, or between your different places of residence
  • undertake legal obligations
  • avoid injury or illness or to escape the risk of harm
  • in case of emergencies
  • for compassionate reasons, including where two people are in a relationship but do not necessarily live together
  • to provide pastoral care if you are a priest, minister of religion or member of a religious order.

Taking a holiday is not a reasonable excuse.

Places of worship

Services may be livestreamed from a church, meeting house, mosque, synagogue, temple or other place of worship that is not open to members of the public.

You can attend the premises if you are directly involved in the service or the operation of the equipment for the livestream event.

The place of worship must not be open to members of the public.

Weddings

From 28 June 2021 onwards, you will not be able to:

  • enter Greater Sydney to hold or attend a wedding
  • leave your place of residence to attend a wedding if you live in, usually work in, or usually attend a university or other tertiary education facility in Greater Sydney.

Funerals

Funerals can continue to take place in Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour with up to 100 people.

Attending a funeral of up to 100 people is a reasonable excuse to leave home and to enter Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour.