NSW’s ‘gold standard’ on Covid tarnished as Gladys Berejiklian faces acid test

The premier's words hammered home the seriousness of the situation and the challenges for leaders trying to control coronavirus

At her press conference announcing 27 new cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday, and a one-week extension of the Sydney lockdown, the New South Wales premier, Gladys Berejiklian, told reporters it was absolutely our intention" for restrictions to lift on 16 July.

It was a revealing moment of honesty. For a government that has until now banked enormous community goodwill off its ability to handle new Covid outbreaks without subjecting NSW residents to the kind of restrictions that became the default response in other states, that word - intention - hammered home both the seriousness of the situation and the incredible challenges for political leaders trying to control this virus.