But travellers from overseas haven’t caused the current issues. I suspect it has been bubbling away in the western parts from very early on.
Actually that isn't true. NSW health have stated multiple times all of the active cases in NSW in this second wave have been linked to the Vic Quarantine breaches by genomic testing - so yes the source was ultimately international.
Whilst they may not have found patient zero on all cases yet (not sure when they stop looking), I reckon in the south west / west sydney cases there will have been overlap somewhere, that people either haven't remembered or been honest about being somewhere.
Im also not convinced that other states are doing a significantly better job than NSW, there has been a huge degree of luck. Queensland are lucky the Melbourne Shoplifting trio didnt infect more people, another case today of border control failure today with the teenagers in Noosa, only been found out on their lie days after entering. There is so much more through/transit traffic of freight and people through NSW than any other state, in many respects the challnge is much bigger with international plus 5 domestic borders.
NSW have kept the second wave of Covid out of aged care, i.e. at Ashfield there was a worker infected from dining at Thai Rock Wethertill Park, but because of correct PPE usage no residents or other staff members were infected.
I wish that the premiere would close down pokies, make masks on PT mandatory and ban religious gatherings - to help get numbers down more, but I also feel that we will be in limbo forever as the zero cases ongoing goal isnt realistic due to reasons previously stated.
A researcher today was calling for mandatory vaccination once available, even if 100% of Australians get vaccinated (knowing that isnt possible die to some medical conditions) - it still wont mean zero cases. Vaccination isnt a guarantee you wont catch Covid.
The pragmatists in me, just cant see anyone being able to guarantee no cases, unless its eliminated world wide. If NSW gets to zero community transmission for whatever period the other states demand, and then there is another case slamming the borders shut again with short notice, NSW residents will just write off those states as no go zones.