Last modified on Sun 20 Dec 2020 15.09 EST
Good morning, this is Imogen Dewey bringing you the main stories and must-reads on Monday 21 December.
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Coronavirus restrictions have tightened across greater Sydney, with 68 cases now linked to the northern beaches cluster. As the state yesterday recorded 30 new cases, premier Gladys Berejiklian reverted to previous restrictions on in-home and public gatherings and urged all resident to wear masks. (Here’s what you need to know about the new rules in New South Wales, and a list of the hotspots.) Other states and territories have introduced border closures and restrictions, Queensland declaring the whole greater Sydney region a hotspot from today, Victoria effectively barring travel from the area, and Western Australia reinstating its hard border. Holiday plans have been thrown into disarray for thousands of families – many separated, others facing Christmas Day in quarantine. In the words of one dad: “It’s 2020 being 2020.”