Architect of QR codes says system will eventually be turned off

The architect of the state’s pandemic QR code system said it should be turned off on December 1, if health advice allows, as the government revealed the final stages of its road map out of lockdown.

NSW Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello said he would support retiring the QR-code mandate, except at high risk settings, once the state surpassed 90 per cent vaccination.

“QR codes have been critical in keeping us safe and will play a pivotal role in the next few months,” he said. “But these directions were put in place in pandemic conditions. You’ve got to know when to turn QR codes on, but just as importantly, you’ve got to know when to turn them off.”

Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello.Credit:James Brickwood

NSW is less than two weeks away from reopening at 70 per cent vaccination, with October 11 the first trading day for hairdressers, restaurants and pubs after the state’s longest ever lockdown.

Within a fortnight NSW will hit 80 per cent double doses, heralding the return of home visitors, community sport, uncapped weddings and funerals and unrestricted regional travel for fully vaccinated people.

December 1 will launch the third and final stage of the recovery road map, allowing unlimited home visitors, a doubling of venue and event capacity limits, the reopening of nightclubs and the green light for international travel.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Deputy Premier John Barilaro revealed the road map for 80 per cent on Monday.Credit:James Brickwood

The date will also see all unvaccinated people given the same rights as those who are double-jabbed.

A question mark still hangs over aged care facility visits, with government consultation ongoing.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Monday urged people not to consider October 11 as “freedom day” but the start of “a staged reopening to getting back to normal”.

“We’re nearly, nearly there,” she said. “Let’s not give up at the last minute. I know how hard it’s been. I just say to everybody, it’s just this week and next week. Please hang in there.”

Ms Berejiklian said the state was reviewing the role QR codes would play once vaccine targets had been met, as tracing and tracking methods were updated.

“There is a a question mark as to how long QR codes will be around for,” she said. “We know they’ll be around at least until December 1 and likely will be, I suspect, beyond that as well.”

The Premier defended the decision to return freedoms to unvaccinated people as soon as December 1, insisting five weeks without equal freedoms was a big enough impost.

“Today is a very disappointing day for those who are not vaccinated,” she said.

“If you don’t [get vaccinated], you choose not to, that’s okay. But you’ll have to wait a long time before you can participate in other activity.”

Ms Berejiklian said she expected the statewide vaccination rate to pass 90 per cent by December 1.

NSW reported another 12 deaths and 787 new cases on Monday, the lowest daily case number since August 24.

More than 85 per cent of people have received a first dose, and more than 60 per cent are fully vaccinated. Forty per cent of children aged 12 to 15 have received their first dose.

There are 1155 coronavirus patients in NSW hospitals and 214 in intensive care, including two children.

Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said she was confident NSW could reach 92 per cent vaccination coverage, urging now was the time for people to ensure they were fully protected.

“We will be seeing more COVID transmitted as we open up and therefore your risk of being exposed will actually increase over this period,” she said.

When NSW launches its reopening, people who choose not to be vaccinated in regional areas that are not subject to lockdown will lose freedoms like going to the pub, until December 1.

Once the state hits the 80 per cent milestone the cap on vaccinated household visitors will double to 10, community sport will resume and people will be able to drink while standing up at venues, where the one person per four square metre rule will apply indoors.

Regional travel will be permitted, previously slated to restart at 70 per cent vaccination, and there will be no caps on guests at weddings and funerals or for customers at hairdressers and salons.

All the eased restrictions will only apply to vaccinated people, with places of worship the exception.

Masks will remain mandatory for indoor settings until December 1, when they will only be required on public transport, on planes, at airports and for hospitality workers.

Ms Berejiklian said she hoped domestic borders would open even before international travel, calling for Australia to “open up together.”

“I’m hoping that Premier Daniel Andrews and myself will have a unity position on this, as the two largest states ... [to] encourage others to consider their position,” she said.

Labor leader Chris Minns welcomed the road map but said more clarity was needed for businesses being asked to enforce the use of vaccine certificates and the rights of police to check vaccine status.

“We want the reopening to be a success. The people of NSW deserve it to be a success. But right now, businesses need more information and support,” he said.

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