COUNCILLORS are thinking carefully about whether or not Bathurst Regional Council should introduce restrictions that could help prevent coronavirus reappearing.
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While Australia continues to record hundreds of new cases each day, mostly in Victoria, Bathurst has been fortunate to have been free of the virus since April 23.
Mayor Bobby Bourke recently said he thought council needed to consider introducing measures for its venues and events to restrict people from virus hotspots attending.
His fellow councillors have mixed views.
Councillor Alex Christian is a strong supporter of the idea, particularly as he isn't getting much support from other councils for his "bubble" concept to protect regional NSW.
"Anything we can do in our power to protect, not only the health and wellbeing of the local community, but also the local economy, we need to do," he said.
"What I try to make clear to people is I'm not so much worried about the actual virus, I'm worried about a one-size-fits-all shutdown again, that's what I'm trying to avoid.
"... I know business owners that say if they get hit like Victoria has, then they're finished."
One of the biggest community concerns is sporting teams from hotspots coming to play in the local area.
While Cr Warren Aubin is not against council introducing restrictions, commending the example Bathurst RSL Club has set, he said he thinks the issue around sport has been resolved.
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant has written a letter requesting that community sport groups cease activities that result in the mixing of people from different regions.
They've also been asked to cease face-to-face social activities relating to community sports, to avoid carpools or bus travels, and to further limit spectators at local activities to one parent only for each child who requires supervision.
Dr Chant has asked groups to commence implementing these recommendations by Wednesday and advised that they will need to be in place for six weeks.
"I don't think you'll see that happen again," Cr Aubin said regarding sporting teams coming to Bathurst from hotspots.
Cr Jacqui Rudge, meanwhile, doesn't think council is the appropriate authority to be introducing restrictions at this time and that everyone should be following the directions of NSW Health.
"I think we have to listen to the experts, and that's NSW Health," she said. "... I don't think you need another group of people or another overarching body to be making any more regulations, I think we have enough in place and I think it gets confusing."
