NSW Police have relocated 366 people quarantined in a Sydney hotel to "more suitable" accommodation after it failed to comply with COVID-19 health and safety standards.
An audit of a Travelodge Hotel in Surry Hills in the city's east on Tuesday uncovered the deficiencies, with police making the decision to relocate the returned travellers to more suitable accommodation at various hotels across the city.
Deputy Premier John Barilaro said on Wednesday the government took full responsibility for the situation.
A woman looks out from a coach window as she departs the Travelodge Hotel in Surry Hills on 25 August, 2020 in Sydney. Source: Getty
"Look, simply at the end of the day, the buck stops with us. We're the government of the day, we make the decisions," he told Nine's Today show.
"We put in place the funding arrangements and the protocols and we empower our enforcement agencies to deliver the services and the police have that role.
"It's our process, to find out what has gone wrong. The public don't want cases to arise. We have to get back on top of community spread of COVID-19."
Guests departing Sydney's Travelodge under police guard on 25 August, 2020. Source: Getty
School closures, CBD health alerts
Meanwhile, three Sydney schools have been closed on Wednesday due to possible cases of students with COVID-19, the NSW Education Department said.
Riverstone High School, Wyndham College, both in Sydney's northwest, and Schofields Public School in the west, will all undergo cleaning while the coronavirus tests for the students concerned are processed.
HSC trial exams at Wyndham College will be rescheduled and the school is contacting students who were due to take their HSC drama performance trial on Wednesday.
NSW Health also issued an alert for the City Tattersalls Fitness Centre on Pitt Street in the Sydney CBD after two people - a gym member and a contractor - tested positive to COVID-19.
Anyone who attended the venue on 19, 21 or 23 August should watch for symptoms of the infection.
And anyone who was at a nearby office block at 300 George Street on 19, 20, 21 or 24 August should also be alert for symptoms because one of Tattersalls cases worked there while infectious.
An alert has also been issued by Broadway Sydney Shopping Centre after a person who tested positive for coronavirus visited the Apple store and Kmart on Saturday between 3.30pm and 5pm.
Any customer who visited those stores during then should monitor their health and if they develop any COVID-19 symptoms, get tested immediately and self-isolate, Mirvac said in a statement.
The shopping centre remains open while Apple and Kmart are deep cleaned.
The centre underwent a full centre clean on Saturday evening as part of the regular cleaning regime, the statement said.
Elsewhere, the NSW government is considering easing travel restrictions for residents on the NSW-Victoria border with Mr Barilaro flagging further changes including increasing the distance agricultural workers can travel to a 100km radius on either side of the border.
Mr Barilaro says the coalition government will over the next 10 days look at extending the border zone from 2.5 to 50km.
The buffer zone could be increased to 100km, to help agricultural workers.
But Mr Barilaro but said "100km isn't enough" for agricultural workers trying to get the harvest out of way and it should instead be increased to 200km.
"We have to ensure that the skilled workforce we need is there," drought," he said.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits.
If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
With AAP.
