At this very challenging time, Softball NSW would like to provide the following key updates in relation to the following areas-

• COVID Update
  - Greater Sydney Lockdown Extension
  - NSW Regional Advice o Vaccination
• Rescheduling of SNSW Annual General Meeting & Awards
• Rescheduling of State Championships & Pathway Programs

COVID Update

Greater Sydney Lockdown Extension

The NSW Government are constantly reviewing the health advice and will have provided the following updates in relation to the extension of the lockdown due to the delta variant of COVID-19.

Given low vaccination rates, the current stay-at-home orders will remain in place for another four weeks (until Saturday, 28 August at 12.01 am) across Greater Sydney including the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong, and Shellharbour. This extra time will allow NSW residents to significantly increase the uptake of vaccines in areas most affected by the current outbreak and across the state.

Further to this from midnight July 28-
- In line with exercise rules, Greater Sydney residents including the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong, and Shellharbour must limit their shopping to within their Local Government Area (LGA) or, if outside their LGA, within 10km from home, unless the item is not available locally.
- Given localised case numbers, the Parramatta, Campbelltown, and Georges River LGAs will join the five existing LGAs of concern which are subject to an Authorised Workers Order. Only authorised workers in these eight LGAs may leave their LGA for work.

The five previously announced LGAs of concern are Canterbury-Bankstown, Fairfield, Liverpool, Blacktown, and Cumberland.

NSW Regional Advice

Overnight, the stay-at-home restrictions for Orange, Cabonne and Blayney were lifted. These LGAs are now subject to the same restrictions as the rest of Regional NSW, which remain unchanged. This means the restrictions currently in place across Greater Sydney including the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong, and Shellharbour will remain in place until this time.

Vaccination

The NSW Government is encouraging all citizens to get vaccinated. NSW Health has advice relating to COVID-19 vaccination for the NSW Community and this can be viewed here.

Further Information on the extension of the stay-at-home orders can be found here.

Rescheduling of SNSW Annual General Meeting & Awards

With the current uncertainty with the roadmap out of lockdown including travelling and other possible government-imposed restrictions, the Softball NSW Board has made the decision to reschedule the 2020- 2021 Annual General Meeting until Sunday October 31, 2021.

The SNSW Board acknowledge that the AGM could have been held via Zoom or similar, however, it was determined that on the back of feedback received in 2020 this was not in the best interest for this key meeting and engagement opportunity.

Softball NSW has these allowances to move the date as per the NSW Incorporations Act;
(2) An association’s committee must ensure that annual general meetings are held—
(a) within 6 months after the close of the association’s financial year, or
(b) within such further time as may be allowed by the Secretary or prescribed by the regulations

The Softball NSW financial year concluded on June 30, 2020.

Further to this, the SNSW Awards will now also be scheduled on the same date and be held following the AGM. More information including the timing, venue, awards nominations process and next steps will be provided in the coming weeks.

Rescheduling of State Championships & Pathway Programs

Softball NSW acknowledges that the extension of the Greater Sydney lockdown has significant impacts on the NSW calendar, particularly in relation to the upcoming State Championships and pathway programs.

At the current stage, given the uncertainty surrounding the end of lockdown, Softball NSW wishes to advise that we will be pausing the rolling revisions of the NSW events schedule as previously communicated. Given the NSW Government and the NSW Office of Sport have not yet provided a road map out of lockdown about community sport, Softball NSW is not able to provide rescheduling advice at this time.

Please be aware that this pause is for all upcoming events and pathway activities on the Softball NSW calendar for the remainder of 2021.

When further information and surety is provided regarding the end of lockdown, staff will be in contact with Associations regarding rescheduling advice and updated administration timelines.

Any questions in relation to this community advice, please contact Daniel Rushworth via ceo@softballnsw.org.au.