Reporter compares smoking and cancer with Gladys Berejiklian’s handling of Sydney’s lockdown 

Gladys Berejiklian has shut down a reporter who bizarrely compared the link between smoking and cancer to her delayed decision to tighten Sydney’s lockdown. 

The tense encounter came as the NSW premier announced her state had recorded a further 642 new cases on Friday and four more deaths – prompting her to introduce a string of new measures.

‘My doctor will give me advice like stop smoking and don’t get cancer, keep smoking and you will get cancer, I keep smoking, get cancer but say I’ve acted on the health advice,’ the reporter said.

‘So aren’t you being a bit slick when you say you’re always acting on health advice, because Dr Kerry Chant could tell you one thing and you as a policymaker can take a different decision.

‘Why haven’t you acted more closely with health advice?.’ 

The reporter (pictured) questioned if the premier was ‘being a bit slick’ and not acting closely enough with health advisors

The premier immediately hit back and said the reporter’s question ‘did not make sense’ after the lockdown across Sydney was further restricted.

‘I don’t think you can use the comparisons you have given they don’t make sense,’ Ms Berejiklian said. 

‘What does make sense is that Delta is uncharted territory for Australia.

‘Delta is very different, and please know at every stage the New South Wales government has responded quickly to the advice we have.’

The Greater Sydney lockdown has now been extended to October with a 9am to 5pm curfew in place for 12 LGAs of concern in south-west and western Sydney from 12.01am Monday.

The restriction will apply to Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Strathfield and Penrith.  

The Greater Sydney lockdown has now been extended to October with a 9am to 5pm curfew in place for 12 LGAs of concern in south-west and western Sydney

New measures have been imposed across Sydney after 642 new infections were recorded

Only authorised workers – including emergency and medical staff – will be allowed to leave their homes during the time period.

‘We don’t want to see more of you end up in hospital,’ Ms Berejiklian said.

‘We don’t want to see more of you lose loved ones.’

Sydneysiders will now have to carry a mask with them whenever they are outside except for exercise. 

Sweeping changes have also been introduced with police given more powers and a deadline set for childcare and disability workers to receive their Covid-19 jabs.

Childcare workers and disability support workers in the LGAs will be required to receive their first dose of the vaccine by August 30.

Regional NSW – including Shellharbour and Central Coast – are expected to have restrictions lifted as planned on August 28. 

Click and collect will also only be allowed for garden centres and plant nurseries, office supplies, hardware and building supplies, landscaping material supplies, rural supplies, and pet supplies.

Four more people have died and include two women in their 80s – one from south-west Sydney and the other a resident at a Wyoming aged care facility.

A man in his 70s has died after acquiring the infection at St George Hospital as well as man in his 80s after contracting the virus at Nepean Hospital.  

Masks will now be mandatory for Sydneysiders when going outside except for exercise

Sweeping changes have also been introduced with police given more powers and a deadline set for childcare and disability workers to receive their Covid-19 jabs