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Gladys Berejiklian has opened up about trying to educate her anti-vaxxer friends and family about the benefits of Sydney's lockdown - before sidestepping questions about the impact of her 'singles bubble' on her new romance.
The New South Wales premier said some of her own loved ones questioned her about hitting the city with stay-at-home restrictions to slow the spread of the highly contagious Delta strain.
'I have people close to me who have strong views and I've explained to them what the facts are,' she told KIIS FM's Kyle and Jackie O show on Thursday when co-host Kyle Sandilands asked her about her state's battle against anti-vaccination rhetoric.
'This Delta variant is taking over the world. Even countries with 50 per cent vaccination rates are seeing a huge number of cases and people in hospital.'
Sandilands also asked her if a new rule allowing Sydney couples to visit each other's homes as part of a 'singles bubble' was motivated by her new relationship with high-flying lawyer Arthur Moses.
'Did you invent the singles bubble for your new boyfriend situation?' Sandilands asked.
Ms Berejiklian appeared to suggest she was living with Mr Moses when she replied her situation was already 'covered' by the existing rules.
'This is for people who genuinely live on their own,' she said - prompting Sandilands to ask if her boyfriend had moved in with her.
'No... can we just get off that topic,' she replied abruptly.
She then scolded Sandilands when he asked whether the new rule for couples meant 'you can book into the Meriton with your "buddy"'.
'No... come on, Kyle,' the premier said. 'This is for mental health reasons to keep people as healthy and happy as possible.'
The interview came just hours before Ms Berejiklian announced Sydney had 239 Covid-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm Wednesday.
NSW announced 177 cases on Wednesday as authorities extended Greater Sydney's lockdown and banned non-essential workers from leaving three more government areas in Sydney's west and south-west.
