Despite 32 new cases announced for the region this morning, Keira MP Ryan Park believes the Illawarra should be included in any plans to trial reopening across NSW.
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"Locals have worked really hard to keep our case numbers down," Mr Park said.
"We have gone and got tested in record numbers when we have had positive transmission and we are going well in terms of vaccination rates.
"Our community deserves to be part of any trial that the government is considering."
His comments come after the NSW Government announced on Tuesday it would trial a new vaccine passport app.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said many eased restrictions would only be accessible to those who are vaccinated.
Deputy Premier John Barilaro said the app would work "seamlessly" with current QR code technology.
The goal is for people to be able to check in and have their vaccination status verified at the same time, to make compliance easy for venues and patrons.
Mr Park said he had written to NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to let her know Illawarra and South Coast business owners and workers have been hit particularly hard, given the 20 months of COVID and the period before the pandemic where they were impacted by bushfires.
"Given LGAs such as Wollongong have been included in the Greater Sydney catchment during the COVID restrictions, it is only fair that business owners and workers be given the opportunity to be part of a possible trial reopening that the government has under consideration," he said.
"If you are going to be able to get a margarita in Mosman then I want locals to be able to get a beer in Bulli, because our local business operators and workers have done it really tough and if we are included in the tough restrictions applied to Greater Sydney then we deserve to be included in any trial to ease these restrictions."
His comments come as the region uncovered a record 32 cases of COVID-19.
Meantime, NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro is pushing for large areas of regional NSW, which have had no cases during the recent Delta outbreak, to be released from lockdown this weekend.
He flagged an area of northern NSW - stretching from the northern rivers to Tamworth - and the Riverina region to the south-west as the most likely to be released from lockdown, if that approach was taken.
The regional NSW lockdown is slated to end on September 10, however it is expected a number of regions will have this extended, including Shellharbour and Kiama.
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