More Defence Force Could Be Deployed To Relieve The Hunter Outbreak

On Thursday the Hunter region recorded 24 new cases of COVID, forcing an extension of the current lockdown across Newcastle and surrounding suburbs.

The outbreak has raised a call for the Australian Defence Force to be deployed in support of more police presence.

Stay at home measures were extended until August 20.

Business Hunter CEO, Bob Hawes has urged the NSW government to provide additional help. 

“We need to stay focused on reducing transmission and that means coming down hard on compliance,” Mr Hawes said.

“The Hunter needs to be one of the priority regions for these compliance enforcement resources, before things get more out of hand,” Mr Hawes said.

The NSW Government was granted an additional 500 Australian Defence Force personnel on Wednesday to act as compliance officials across Sydney. 

ADF will begin patrolling and door knocking in Sydney’s west to ensure COVID-19 health orders.

Calls for more troops to occupy Hunter-specific regions have been heard by NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian.

"We want to make sure that we have enough points of access all of NSW, in particular around those areas of concern."

The Hunter outbreak now sits at 77 total cases.

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