‘It’s a head to head experiment’: The Project stars insist Dan Andrews WAS taking aim at Sydney with barbed comments about Melbourne’s new lockdown – as Lisa Wilkinson gives …

Victoria’s snap five-day lockdown to stop the spread of newly-imported Covid cases from New South Wales will be a ‘head to head experiment’ between the two states, stars of The Project have warned.  

New South Wales has recorded 929 infections since June 16 – when a limo driver is thought to have caught the virus ferrying international flight crew – and are now in lockdown until at least July 30. 

Premier Gladys Berejiklian held off on calling a full-scale lockdown for almost two weeks, a move slammed by her Victorian counterpart Daniel Andrews.

Since the virus came into Victoria from Sydney, 18 new cases have been recorded in the state after a team of infected removallists from Covid-ravaged western Sydney travelled to Melbourne for work.

‘Good on Daniel Andrews for recognising the mistakes that have been made here in NSW,’ Lisa Wilkinson (pictured) said

‘It’s a tale of two cities. We now have a test case on how to deal with the Delta strain,’ co-host of The Project Peter Helliar said.

‘Sydney has done it their way and Melbourne will try to do it this way.’

Fellow host Waleed Aly said Premier Andrews sounded ‘quite pointed’ in the way he spoke on Thursday with barbed comments directed at how NSW has handled the worrying outbreak.

‘He said “we’re not waiting, we know what happens when you wait”,’ Aly said.

‘And that sounded like he was talking about Sydney. There were constant references to the situation in Sydney.

‘So this is like a head to head experiment.’

Channel Ten stars of The Project say Victoria’s snap five day lockdown after a string of Indian Delta Covid cases will be like a ‘head to head experiment’ between Sydney and Melbourne

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (left) held off on calling a full-scale lockdown for almost two weeks – something her Victoria counterpart Daniel Andrews (right) says he is not going to do

DAN ANDREWS’ NOT-SO-SUBLTE DIGS AT GLADYS OVER COVID OUTBREAK

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews used his lockdown announcement to make a series of barbed comments about his New South Wales counterpart Gladys Berejiklian.

On how the outbreak reached Victoria: 

‘Nothing about the fact this virus has travelled from Sydney is fair. That’s just the reality we face. I apologise to all Victorians that this is necessary.’

On Gladys not answering all press conference questions:

‘Everyone, hang on! We are in Melbourne, I’m not walking out of this, everyone will get a go. Let’s do this in an orderly way.’

On NSW locking down several days after its outbreak was discovered:  

‘If you wait, if you hesitate, if you doubt, then you will always be looking back wishing you had done more earlier.

‘I am not prepared to avoid a five-day lockdown now only to find ourselves in a five- week or a five-month lockdown.

‘That is why we are making this very difficult decision and it is why I know Victorians will, despite the pain and the difficulty of this, know and understand that there is no option.’ 

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For long-suffering Victorians this will be the fifth lockdown since the pandemic hit Australian shores, including the gruelling 112-consecutive day stay-at-home order which were in place last year.

Although Helliar said being thrust back into lockdown feels like ‘a nightmare,’ the panel said this time around it feels different given the spiralling number of cases which have ravaged Sydney.

‘We didn’t want to be the test case,’ Sydneysider Wilkinson said.

‘But good on Daniel Andrews for recognising the mistakes that have been made here in NSW.

Health workers at Ariele Apartments in Maribyrnong, north-west of Melbourne are seen on Thursday (pictured) after it was declared an exposure site

‘It’s a tale of two cities. We now have a test case on how to deal with the Delta strain,’ host of The Project Peter Helliar said. Pictured: Pedestrian wearing face masks walk in the CBD of Melbourne on Thursday

‘I mean, even today, with cases being in the mid-60s, down from just over 100 two days ago, that’s a good sign, but the really worrying thing continues to be the number of people who are still out there, infectious in the community.’

‘And that doesn’t seem to be shifting and that’s what we are all worried about.’

Earlier today, Mr Andrews used his lockdown announcement to make a series of barbed comments about his New South Wales counterpart Gladys Berejiklian.

The worrying Indian Delta strain crossed the border after a crew of removalists from Covid-ravaged Sydney travelled to Melbourne for work.

He took several clear swipes at Ms Berejiklian’s more gradual approach to lockdown, which has been criticised by some for not being severe enough, or happening quickly enough.

‘If you wait, if you hesitate, if you doubt, then you will always be looking back wishing you had done more earlier,’ said Mr Andrews.

‘I am not prepared to avoid a five-day lockdown now only to find ourselves in a five- week or a five-month lockdown.

‘That is why we are making this very difficult decision and it is why I know Victorians will, despite the pain and the difficulty of this, know and understand that there is no option.’ 

As part of Victoria’s strict new measures there are now only five lawful reasons to leave home – essential shopping, exercise, medical care, work or study that cannot be done from home, daily exercise and to go and get vaccinated.

The stay-at-home orders will be in place from Thursday July 15 at 11:59pm to Tuesday July 20 at 11:59pm.

‘I think everyone will be moving their own furniture from now on,’ Helliar joked.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VICTORIA’S NEW LOCKDOWN

– The lockdown will run from Thursday July 15 at 11:59pm to Tuesday July 20 at 11:59pm. 

– There will be only five lawful reasons to leave home

1. Essential shopping

2. Two hours of daily exercise within a 5km radius

3. To seek or provide medical care 

4. Work or study that cannot be done from home.

5. To go and get vaccinated. 

– Face masks will be mandatory indoors and outdoors

– Schools will return to online learning 

– 5km travel limit for essential tasks, including shopping and exercise

– If your business was closed during the last lockdown, they must close this lockdown

– Hospitality open for takeaway only

– General retail is closed, as well as all non-essential businesses 

– Visitors to the home are banned

– Funerals capped at ten people, while weddings are banned

– Professional sport can proceed but with no crowds 

– Outdoor parks and play areas are open, but those indoors must close 

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