Two-tier Delta lockdowns divide Sydney

In the wealthy east of Australia's largest city, Sydney, surfers and seaside walkers jostle for space, students are able to return to school and masks are not required outdoors.

But in the city's west, one of the areas most densely populated by migrants in Australia, harsher restrictions and tougher policing have stoked resentment.

People there are banned from leaving their homes and from any face-to-face work in an effort to contain COVID-19 infections.

Lebanese restaurant owner of 12 years, Abdul Eldick, says the double standards are hard to stomach:

"One rule applies for the west, one rule applies for the east, another rule applies for the north. It's hard. But what do we do? At the end of the day, everyone is entitled to make their input. . .I don't need the government's money. I can make my own money, just give me back my business."

Restaurants across Sydney are banned from seating customers and rely on takeaway to survive, but the reduced income in the west, coupled with restricted movement, has severely dented sales.

The city's lockdown has exposed its socio-economic divide as it battles to contain its worst outbreak of the pandemic.

That's not to say residents in the east, including some from the iconic neighborhood of Bondi, aren't sympathetic to those in the West:

"I feel for them, horribly. I think it's really tough and as I say, I think there's a lot of people out there that need to go to work. They're doing a lot more of, kind of building site jobs, hospitality jobs and that's tough. If you're wondering where the rent's coming from, you've got to go out and do stuff."

Amid questions about the effectiveness of Sydney's lockdown, New South Wales authorities said police have been asked to step up checks on how many people were being allowed inside small shops at the same time.

The police and army presence has been a shock to some, although they are unarmed and focusing on community engagement, explains Western suburbs councilor Bilal El-Hayak:

"I said, it's people waking up every morning, police helicopters. I got a call last night at midnight, sorry, a message at midnight last night with someone complaining that their kids can't go to sleep because there's a helicopter on top of their house flying very low. It is tough times and our community's suffering."

Community efforts are one bright spark during the extended lockdown.

Councillor El-Hayak now spends most of his days delivering food packages to people who don't quality for pandemic relief.

A helping hand that goes a long way.