Push for Illawarra workers to get test and isolate payment

On Sunday, Mr Park said the NSW Government had made it clear the Delta strain of COVID "doesn't respect borders, and neither should financial assistance".

Read more: Unlucky number - 13 new Illawarra COVID cases

"Given the virus has now spread across NSW and is having a devastating impact on communities and families the payment should apply to every single resident of NSW who is eligible regardless of location," he said.

"This is a measure that will assist people who are suffering and have bills to pay, and dealing with many issues especially those in essential work as well and helping their families."

Currently eligible workers from certain Sydney LGAs could receive a $320 payment if they are unable to work whilst waiting for a COVID-19 test result.

Meantime Kiama MP Gareth Ward said he'd written to Health Minister Brad Hazzard for clarification around the singles bubble where a Wollongong resident could travel to Shellharbour "to have a cup of tea" but not the other way around.

Read more: The Illawarra residents fighting loneliness in lockdown

He said it was still confusing for people in Wollongong who have a nominated visitor from Kiama, Shellharbour or another regional NSW LGA.

"There is clearly an anomaly in the Public Health Orders where a single person from Wollongong could visit another single person in Shellharbour but not the other way around for the purpose of a 'single bubble' (nominated visitor)," Mr Ward said.

"This clearly makes no sense, and is another example of contradictions in the orders."

Mr Ward said an earlier query he'd made to Mr Hazzard had seen an update to the regional singles bubble rules. He said previously NSW Health had advised that if people wanted to have a nominated visitor, they had to be in the same LGA.

However, Mr Ward said NSW Health had confirmed that in regional NSW, people who live alone (with no other adults) can have a nominated visitor from any other regional LGA.

"If you live in the Shoalhaven LGA, and the person you want to have as your nominated visitor lives in the Shellharbour LGA or the Kiama LGA, then you can form a bubble," he said.

Elsewhere in regional NSW, people who live alone (with no other adults in the same home) can have a nominated visitor from any other regional LGA.

"If you live in the Shoalhaven LGA, and the person you want to have as your nominated visitor lives in the Shellharbour LGA or the Kiama LGA, then you can form a bubble," Mr Ward said.

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