Here's what you need to know this morning.
Berejiklian back in the witness box
Former premier Gladys Berejiklian is back in the witness box at the Independent Commission Against Corruption's (ICAC) inquiry today.
It will be Ms Berejiklian's second day on the stand after a grilling on Friday where she was played a series of tapped phone calls between herself and former secret boyfriend, disgraced MP Daryl Maguire.
The phone intercepts, text messages and emails revealed that she gave multi-million dollar funding assurances to Mr Maguire for his Wagga Wagga electorate.
In one call, she boasted about securing him $170 million dollars for hospitals in five minutes.
Ms Berejiklian denied any wrongdoing, maintaining her relationship with Mr Maguire wasn't serious enough to disclose and that she had not given him special treatment.
The inquiry is examining if she breached public trust or turned a blind eye to corrupt conduct during her secret relationship with Mr Maguire, which began in 2015.
It is also considering if she breached the ministerial code of conduct by failing to report the relationship.
International travel resumes
Fully vaccinated Australians can travel overseas from today without an exemption and those in other countries can finally return home.
The lifting of the health orders after more than 20 months of closed borders due to COVID-19 also means the scrapping of quarantine rules.
In its place, those flying in or out of Australia will now be required to show proof of their vaccination status and undertake pre-flight COVID testing.
To qualify as fully vaccinated, according to the Federal Department of Health, people must have had two doses of a COVID-19 jab approved or recognised by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
Currently this includes: AstraZeneca Vaxzevria, AstraZeneca Covishield, Pfizer/Biontech Comirnaty, Moderna Spikevax, Sinovac Coronavac and Janssen-Cilag COVID vaccine.
The new rules also apply to international students and tourists.
Fourteen international flights are expected to arrive at Sydney airport today.
Booster shots at state clinics
From today, booster COVID-19 shots are available from state-run clinics for eligible people.
Pfizer is the only vaccine on offer but NSW Health said it could be used regardless of what jab people had received as their first or second dose.
They also said the third dose was important for strengthening protection against the COVID-19 virus, including the Delta variant.
At this stage, only those aged 18 and over qualify and they must have had their second dose at least six months ago.
The mass vaccination hubs at Sydney Olympic Park and Macquarie Fields in south-west Sydney are among the participating clinics.
GPs and pharmacies can also administer booster doses to eligible people.
Yesterday, 87.7 per cent of over 16s were fully vaccinated in NSW, and 93.5 per cent had received at least one dose.
Regional travel is back
Vaccinated Sydneysiders are now able to travel anywhere in New South Wales.
Today's reopening was delayed twice due to regional vaccination rates lagging behind Sydney.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said vaccination rates have improved in the past fortnight.
"But even in some of those areas in regional NSW where there are lower rates, they are still substantially higher than other places in the country so we are very confident," Mr Perrottet said.
"I know it was an unpopular decision to delay regional travel by two weeks but it was the right decision, it's all about providing confidence."
Local Government NSW remains concerned over patchy vaccination rates in some regional areas.
In the state's central west in Orange, more than 91 per cent of people over 16 are fully vaccinated.
However, in the state's north in Byron Shire, only 63 per cent are double dosed.
Fatal boat accident investigated
Investigations are continuing into a fatal boat accident off the NSW South Coast that left a 37-year-old man dead and three in a critical condition.
Seven men were rescued from a boat that had overturned off Waniora Point in Bulli after emergency services were called about 10:20am yesterday.
Some of the men swam to safety but others were caught underneath the boat and were left unconscious.
They were retrieved by surf lifesavers who performed CPR but one man was unable to be revived.
A surfer who had paddled out to the boat to help received chemical burns to his face.
NSW Police said the skipper of the boat was being interviewed as part of the investigation carried out by specialist officers from Marine Area Command.
Last night, three men remained in a critical condition in Sydney and Wollongong hospitals.
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2021-10-31 19:42:47Z
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