Planning for the Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks is proceeding. The Premier has announced there will be a seven minute pyrotechnics display with premium reserved spots on the harbour foreshores for ‘frontline workers.’ Spectators will need a special pass to have access to the pick of viewing places.

Following last Thursday’s Topical item about the increase in flying foxes, a reader warns ‘don’t handle them’. Who would want to? But they carry two infections which can be very serious for humans, NSW Health advises – Australian bat lyssavirus and Hendra virus. “Human infections with these viruses are very rare but when there is no handling or direct contact with flying foxes, there is negligible risk.”

The NSW-Victorian border was reopened at midnight on Sunday after a four month police operation which saw the checking of more than five million vehicles, a huge exercise, which saw local police involved.