Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp has pleaded for the NSW government to address "loopholes" in its public health orders, saying it is "insane" Sydneysiders were able to attend open houses before the lockdown.
Mr Crakanthorp, along with Newcastle's lord mayor, has called for changes to ensure movement between Sydney and its surrounds and the Hunter is kept to a minimum.
It comes after a Wollongong man who had been working in Newcastle forced a worksite and shops to be closed after falsely claiming he had COVID-19.
Before the Hunter lockdown, Sydneysiders could attend open homes in the region despite not being able to do so in Greater Sydney.
"People coming up from the heart of Sydney for open houses is very concerning," Mr Crakanthorp said.
"That's happening all the time, open houses - that is just insane."
The Hunter lockdown now prevents open homes from being held, but estate agents can walk individuals through homes by appointment.
In regards to workers visiting the region, Mr Crakanthorp said the rules needed reviewing.
Under the current orders, people who reside in Greater Sydney and its surrounds only need to get a COVID-19 test prior to working more than 50 kilometres beyond the Central Coast local government area.
That means workers from Sydney and as far as Shellharbour can come and work in Newcastle as they please without having to get a test.
Mr Crakanthorp said perhaps only Central Coast residents should be exempt from testing given the high number of people who reside there and work here.
He said constructions workers from Greater Sydney should be banned from the Hunter.
He also said rideshare and food delivery drivers from Greater Sydney should be banned.
Cr Nelmes told the Newcastle Herald prior to the Hunter lockdown that "people from Greater Sydney should stay in Greater Sydney in general".
Asked Friday if she thought Sydney-based construction workers should be banned from working in Newcastle, she said "yes".
"Given the delta strain of COVID-19 has not been contained in Greater Sydney, it's imperative that movement between [there] and Newcastle and the Hunter is not only at bare minimum but also enforced," she said.
NSW Health said in a statement that Greater Sydney residents "cannot leave home without a reasonable excuse", which includes "work if you cannot work from home" and "moving to a new place of residence" or "inspecting a potential new place of residence".
NSW Police Northern Region commander Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna would not comment on whether the rules allowing some to enter the Hunter should be reviewed and potentially tightened, saying police were there to simply "enforce the public health orders that are given to us".
"There are public health orders in place - if they don't follow the public health orders they will find themselves fined or breached or going before a court," he said.
