Shellharbour mayor Marianne Saliba continues to call for her local government area to be released from the lockdown restrictions imposed on the Greater Sydney area.
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While new cases of COVID-19 have soared in Sydney since the start of the latest outbreak - with 112 new cases recorded in the 24 hours to 8pm Sunday alone - Shellharbour has not recorded any in that time.
"We have now been in lockdown for two weeks unnecessarily," Cr Saliba said.
She said she did not want to put anyone at risk of illness, but she did not want adverse impacts on the community's mental health or people's incomes.
"It's easy for the Premier to make these decisions, but it's not easy for the people of the community to deal with it," Cr Saliba said.
She said the interconnectivity argument did not hold weight when Kiama was not also in lockdown, despite the movement of its residents.
The NSW government needed to take a more restrictive approach in those affected Sydney suburbs, she said, and increase testing in those areas.
In a post on Facebook, Cr Saliba said she was "fighting for answers" from the government as to why Shellharbour was included in the lockdown.
She said she was not advocating for people to ignore restrictions, but she would not "be silent".
"I'm fighting for my family, for yours, for local families with small businesses who might not be able to stay afloat," she said.
Meanwhile, Shellharbour MP Anna Watson said she would like to see the area freed from the lockdown.
But while she was vocally opposed to the extension of the public health order towards the beginning of the outbreak, Ms Watson noted that cases had increased and spread down the east and into the south-west of Sydney.
She said the community needed to be guided by the expert advice.
Ms Watson encouraged residents to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
She also urged the community to remain diligent about hand washing, social distancing, and following the rules, saying they were not there to annoy but to protect people.
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Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
