COVIDSafe Update: Wednesday 28 July

Top things you need to know and do



Today the Premier announced further measures to limit mobility across Greater Sydney as well as an extension of the current stay-at-home orders to 28 August across Greater Sydney, including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong, and Shellharbour.

You can read more about what was announced today here

Additional restrictions for Parramatta, Georges River and Campbelltown Local Government Areas

Due to case numbers rising in these areas, the Parramatta, Campbelltown and Georges River Local Government Areas (LGAs) will now be subject to the same Authorised Worker restrictions as in the five existing LGAs of concern, those being Fairfield, Liverpool, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland and Blacktown. This means workers in the new LGAs of concern are not allowed to leave their local government area unless they are on the list of authorised workers.

It is vital that all of our people who live in these areas follow the guidance and stay at home to protect themselves and their families. Be sure to understand what you can and can’t do under the new rules.

If you live or stay in the Parramatta, Georges River and Campbelltown local government areas, from midnight tonight you must not leave your LGA to attend work even if you are in a frontline role unless your manager has advised you that you are an Authorised Worker and are to attend work.

  • If this applies to you, urgently contact your leader to make sure that they know you live or stay in one of the impacted LGAs.
  • For our people rostered to work up until 11.59pm tonight or after, the following advice applies:
    • People should attend their shift and where possible should be released so they are able to cease work at 11.59pm. If your shift is cut short, you will be paid until the end of your shift as though you had worked.
    • Where this is not operationally possible, people can continue working past 11.59pm until the end of their shift or until they can be released.
    • In the unlikely event that the order is enforced on our people working past 11.59pm, they will be supported by the Transport Taskforce in resolving the matter.


Construction update

From 12:01am Saturday 31 July construction on non-occupied Transport sites outside of the eight LGAs of concern can resume as planned, subject to a one person per 4sqm rule. It is important to note that construction cannot resume in the eight LGAs of concern and construction workers will not be allowed to leave these areas for work. We will update you if this information changes.

We are working closely with our operators to make sure COVID safe plans (including mandatory masks and the use of QR codes) are in place as workers return to sites, in line with the current public health orders.


Changes to mandatory surveillance testing

It was announced today that all authorised workers who live or stay in the Canterbury-Bankstown LGA will now be required to get tested once every three days in order to leave their LGA for work. This will be enforceable from Saturday 31 July so our people who are now required to have this mandatory surveillance testing have until then to have their first test. You may like to use a testing site near your home or on your way to or from work and can find locations here.

For our people who live or stay in the Canterbury-Bankstown LGA and are affected by the new mandatory testing requirements, from Saturday 31 July you will be required to complete our online COVID-19 Testing Declaration Form to show that you have met your COVID-19 testing obligations prior to the beginning of each shift.

The three-day mandatory testing requirements currently in place for anyone who lives or stays in the Fairfield Local Government Area and must leave the LGA for work are being relaxed so that this will only apply to health or aged care workers. This means for our people who live or work in the Fairfield LGA you will no longer be required to have the three-day mandatory testing and no longer need to fill out the testing declaration form at the beginning of each shift.


Get vaccinated

Once again, the Premier and Chief Health Officer have flagged that an increase in vaccination is key to us coming out of this lockdown. We encourage everyone, but especially our people who live in the eight LGAs of concern, to check their eligibility and get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Visit our vaccination page for more information on how we are supporting you to get vaccinated including how to claim two hours pay for your time to get vaccinated.


Change to NSW and Vic border bubble

The Victorian government has made changes to the existing border bubble arrangements with NSW. From 11.59pm Tuesday 27 July, the NSW LGAs of Wagga Wagga, Hay, Lockhart and Murrumbidgee were removed from the NSW-Victoria cross border area. This introduces restrictions on entry into Victoria for anyone who lives in or has visited those LGAs. Victoria has a permit system in place and entry may be granted for specific purposes – more details are available on the Victorian Government website.


Return to face-to-face learning for year 12

Year 12 students will be returning to face-to-face learning from Monday 16 August. Transport will be working with The Department of Education to support this change and ensure that all year 12 students are able to return to the classroom in a COVID safe way.

It was also confirmed today that for students in all other years, online learning will continue until 28 August. For our people, if working from home is an option you can discuss flexible arrangements with your manager to help accommodate the care of children during this time. If you are unable to work from home, schools are still open and your children can still attend. Visit stayinformed for more information.


Feeling unwell?

As was highlighted again today by the Premier and Chief Health Officer, transmission within workplaces is of real concern and a major driver of cases in the current outbreak.

For our people in frontline roles or those who can’t work from home it is vital that if you are feeling unwell, with even the very mildest of symptoms, you get a test and isolate until you have a negative result and are well again.

If you are using our offices at this time ensure you wear a mask, check-in, and follow our COVID-safe practices at all times.