Australia's Immigration Minister Alex Hawke says foreign visitors caught flouting public health restrictions could be deported as new outbreaks of Covid continue.
Health workers perform Covid-19 tests at a drive-through testing centre at Bondi Beach in Sydney on December 20, 2020. Photo: AFP / Steven Saphore
Hawke said he was shocked by scenes at Sydney's Bronte Beach on Christmas Day, where young revellers partied in breach of coronavirus regulations.
Witnesses said many of them were British. Sydney is battling a worsening community outbreak - with 147 local cases confirmed.
The re-appearance of the virus a week before Christmas sparked clampdowns on holiday gatherings and a lockdown of the worst-affected region, the Northern Beaches.
Further restrictions have been imposed after the discovery of a new cluster in a separate part of the city - believed to have spread during Christmas gatherings.
The new restrictions will kick in ahead of New Year's Eve celebrations.
The state government is now restricting households to only five guests from tomorrow, and outdoor gatherings have been cut from 50 to 30.
Sydney's traditional New Year's Eve fireworks celebrations will still go ahead but group gatherings at vantage points around the harbour are banned.
Meanwhile, three people have been diagnosed with Covid-19 in Victoria, it was confirmed this evening.
A spokeswoman for the state government said the cases were being treated as locally acquired and were not in hotel quarantine.
The three new cases are from Mentone, Hallam and Mitcham and are believed to be linked to the Sydney outbreak.
The government spokeswoman said the three people would be retested.
The cases and all close contacts have been told to self-isolate.
Victorian authorities expect to release a list of potential exposure sites soon.
- RNZ/ ABC
