Here’s what you need to know this morning.
NSW-Vic border rules eased for locals
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian will visit Albury today to announce the easing of restrictions for residents and businesses on the NSW-Victorian border, which will come into force on Friday.
At present, Victorian border residents with permits to enter NSW must stay within a 2.5-kilometre zone but that will now be extended back to the original 50 kilometres either side of the border introduced in July.
The changes come after Deputy Premier John Barilaro visited the region last week to gauge local concerns about how the border restrictions were impeding normal daily living and hindering business.
It is understood the Premier has decided to make the change given the reduced risk of community transmission in regional Victoria.
The new permit will allow residents within the border region to enter NSW for certain reasons, including obtaining necessary goods and services, for care or other compassionate reasons and to attend work or education.
COVID-19 alert for Sydney restaurant
NSW Health has issued a warning for the It’s Time for Thai restaurant in Newtown after a diner tested positive to COVID-19.
Anyone who has visited the restaurant is considered a close contact and must get tested and isolate for 14 days since they were there.
The confirmed case visited the King Street restaurant on August 28 between 5.00pm and 8.00pm.
The restaurant has been closed for cleaning.
Children, adults escape home shooting
Nine people have escaped injury after shots were fired into a home in south-west Sydney.
Several shots were fired into the Tarlington Parade home at Bonnyrigg just before 11:30pm last night.
There were seven adults and two children home at the time.
Police were told a person was seen fleeing in a white hatchback but so far no-one has been arrested.
Man shot five times
NSW Police said there was another shooting last night in south-west Sydney where a man received five gunshot wounds.
Police were called to Garrong Road in Lakemba just after 8pm last night where they found a man was shot fives times in the stomach, buttocks, thigh and foot.
He had surgery in hospital and his injuries weren’t life threatening.
The man was known to police and the shooting is believe to be targeted.
Bushfire season starts early for 21 regions
The NSW Rural Fire Service has brought forward the start of the bushfire period to another 21 areas, as authorities warn of high fuel levels due to rains.
The statutory danger period starts on October 1 each year, but 21 regions will start their season today.
They join another six that already started the period on August 1, including last year’s heavily burnt areas of Glen Innes, Severn and Tenterfield.
Today’s new areas include Port Macquarie-Hastings, Ballina, Byron, Coffs Harbour, Lismore, the Upper Hunter, Bega Valley and Shoalhaven.
Calls for Circular Quay design competition
A Sydney architectural firm has argued the $200 million redevelopment of Circular Quay should be open to a public design competition.
Architectural firm CplusC said there was a “serious lack of transparency and public consultation” over the past five years concerning the development.
The firm has argued for an open competition, similar to what was made for the Opera House in the 1950s.
It has released of its own designs for the redevelopment in a bid to convince the Government to involve smaller creative agencies.
