NSW has granted more ease of movement to residents who work in the ACT or need to enter for medical treatment.
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The changes mean NSW residents who have entered the ACT for work, to receive medical or health treatment, or to accompany a person receiving medical or health treatment in the ACT, are not required to complete a declaration or follow stay-at-home orders on reentry to the state.
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant issued the exemption on Monday night.
"NSW residents are now exempt from the requirements to compete a declaration or follow the stay at home rules if they have only been in the ACT for work, to receive medical or health treatment or to accompany someone receiving treatment," Monaro MP John Barilaro wrote on Facebook.
Mr Barilaro's post initially said the ACT would no longer be listed by NSW Health as an affected area, or area of concern. This would have allowed greater cross-border travel, however, he later updated the post to say it was only for certain reasons.
"As we all know huge chapters of our population in the Queanbeyan region, in the Yass region, even down towards Cooma are daily coming into Canberra," she said.
"It's common sense prevailing here I think and we are finally starting to see some nuanced decision making in this period of time."
Victoria and Queensland will remain listed as COVID-affected areas and areas of concern by NSW Health.
At this stage, all of NSW is remains a COVID-affected area under ACT public health orders with standing exemptions in place for a select number of border communities.
If you live outside the ACT in one of the approved postcodes, you can enter the ACT under a standing exemption.
Outside of this exemption, ACT residents who have spent any time in NSW in the previous 14 days will need to complete the online exemption form within 72 hours prior to arriving in the ACT and enter quarantine immediately for 14 days.
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Earlier on Monday, cross-border commissioner James McTavish said stay-at-home requirements would remain in place for people entering NSW from Canberra.
"People from NSW who enter the ACT for any purpose until the ACT comes out of lockdown will have to abide by stay-at-home directions once they return home," Mr McTavish said.
"So for example, if you live in Queanbeyan, you work in Civic, when you go back to Queanbeyan tonight you've got to abide by stay-at-home directions."
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the ACT government will have confirmation from NSW by Wednesday or Thursday on how Canberrans will be treated in terms of travel restrictions from Friday.
He said NSW would be aggressively enforcing the rules this week while vaccinated people in NSW regional areas had more freedoms than ACT residents.
"Today is not an opportunity for Canberrans to go into NSW for non-essential reasons," Mr Barr said.
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