After announcing that unvaccinated people would remain under lockdown conditions until December 1 at her daily press conference on September 27, the premier Gladys Berejiklian agreed that the unveiling of NSW’s roadmap out of lockdown was "not good news" for people deliberately dodging the jab. The plans revealed that fully vaccinated people would enjoy significant freedoms from October 11, with yet more restrictions lifted for vaccinated people only once 80 per cent of the adult population had been double dosed. Instead of easing restrictions for unvaccinated people at the 80 per cent target, as outlined in the Doherty report modelling that has become the backbone of the federal and state plans for exiting the pandemic, unvaccinated people in NSW will have to wait several more weeks, until over 90 per cent of the population has been inoculated.
Speaking on ABC News on the morning of September 28, Berejiklian defended the state’s position and why it differs from the Doherty report. “No matter what decision I announced yesterday, I would’ve been criticised. The Doherty report recommended from 80 per cent unvaccinated people participate in society. We said no, we’re going harder and more conservative,” Berejiklian said.
The premier then acknowledged that the vast majority of the state is coming forward for vaccination. “I anticipate in a couple of weeks’ time, we’ll have at least 90 per cent of our adult population with a first dose. That’s outstanding,” Berejiklian noted. “When you sign up for the first dose, you’re going to sign up for the second one. I’m predicting New South Wales will have some of the highest vaccination rates in the world. We were constrained by supply, but as soon as we got that extra supply, our residents have come forward, wanting to get vaccinated.”
Berejiklian’s tone has been unflinchingly stern when discussing her policy of using lockdown measures as a tool to leverage greater uptake of the vaccine. The premier suggested that she wouldn’t pander or sugarcoat the situation for the residents of her state: “I would rather be open and transparent and tell businesses and individuals exactly what to expect than not. Once the government makes a decision, I think it’s really important to convey that to the community. I’m happy to wear the criticism. Every single decision we have taken, you get criticised.”
The stick-over-carrot strategy of withholding freedoms for people deciding to remain unvaccinated without a medical exception has proven to be remarkably effective. 86 per cent of the population over the age of 16 has now received at least one dose of a vaccine and 61 per cent of adults are now fully vaccinated. Almost half of children aged 12-15 have also now received their first dose.
To enforce the plan to bar unvaccinated patrons from hospitality venues, gyms and non-critical retail, a vaccine passport is currently being developed by the NSW government, overseen by customer service minister Victor Dominello. However, trials of this untested tech are not set to begin until October 6, just days before the lockdown measures are due to ease for vaccinated people. This may leave business owners without a credible means to check vaccination status once they begin opening. It is also currently unknown if vaccine passports will be retired once unvaccinated people are permitted into public spaces from December 1, or if business owners will have any legal power to bar unvaccinated patrons if they choose.