Here's what you need to know this morning.
Fare-free day on Sydney buses
Commuters on bus routes in Sydney's north, west and south will ride for free today, as drivers switch off their Opal card readers.
It is part of industrial action by the Transport Workers Union in protest over stalled negotiations with the government over pay and conditions.
"We're calling on the state government along with contractors to reach agreement on a fair, reasonable enterprise agreement," union state secretary Richard Olsen said.
"With reasonable wage increases and increase in terms and conditions overall."
Hundreds of thousands of commuters will benefit from the fare-free day.
"We would think approximately 65 to 70 per cent of all bus routes,particularly in Western Sydney, stretching out from [in the] north, Hornsby, [to] Liverpool, Campbelltown, those areas will be affected by this," Mr Olsen said.
Bus company Transdev is warning passengers they may be impacted by a union stop-work meeting between 6:00am and 7:00am and is advising them to make alternative travel arrangements.
Beaches reopen in Sydney's east
Sydney's Waverley and Randwick councils will reopen their beaches today after they were closed following the death of a man who was killed in a shark attack at Little Bay on Wednesday afternoon.
Drones and a helicopter were deployed yesterday and there have been no further sightings of sharks in the area.
A search for the remains of 35-year-old victim Simon Nellist will continue today, police said.
The Malabar Magic Ocean Swim, which was due to take place this weekend, has been cancelled.
Singing and dancing is back
From today, singing and dancing is again permitted at all venues after the government lifted a number of COVID-19 restrictions ahead of schedule.
Also gone are density limits, with QR check-ins now only required at nightclubs and music festivals with more than 1,000 attendees.
It is now up to employers to decide when to get their workforce back into offices.
Yesterday, Premier Dominic Perrottet said the changes, initially earmarked for late February, were possible due to "pleasing signs" in the rates of hospitalisations and ICU admissions.
They were backed by Chief Medical Officer, Kerry Chant, who also warned people needed to stay alert.
"Even though we may move away from mandates being a proportionate and measured response, everybody has to make their own contribution to keeping themselves, their loved ones and the broader community safe," she said.
Changes to mask rules and the cap on festivals will take effect from Friday, February 25.
Early easing of restrictions 'sensible'
The peak body representing businesses in New South Wales has welcomed the early easing of restrictions.
Business NSW CEO Daniel Hunter said he hoped foot traffic returned to CBDs across the state.
He said yesterday's announcement was a pleasing surprise.
"We think it's a really sensible decision. Anything that brings businesses back to a normal trading system is a good thing," he said.
"They've had a tough summer, they've had a tough few years, hopefully they can recover from that now."
Live music and arts venues would particularly benefit from the new rules, he said.
"I think those hospitality venues that rely on dancing, this will be very important, we got to remember this summer period is critical for them, it's the time people enjoy live music."
SAS witness returns to give evidence
An SAS soldier who claims he was bullied by Ben Roberts-Smith will return for more cross-examination at the war veteran's defamation trial today.
Codenamed Person 1, the witness yesterday told the court Mr Roberts-Smith twice threatened to kill him while they were on deployment in Afghanistan.
Mr Roberts-Smith denies this, and is suing three newspapers over stories in 2018 which also contained what he claims are false allegations of unlawful killings and domestic violence.
Under cross-examination so far, Person 1 has admitted he once forgot his machine gun oil during a 2006 mission, jeopardising the lives of his entire patrol.
It's also been suggested he made bullying complaints against three other colleagues, but he said he either wouldn't have done that or couldn't recall them.
Mardi Gras festivities kick-off
The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival kicks off today with events and activities in the lead up to the parade on March 5.
Comedy, music, film and arts events will take place over the next two-and-a-half weeks in a program organisers say is "electrifying".
Among the events at the iconic Fair Day this Sunday at Sydney's Victoria Park is a special live edition of The Party Room hosted by the ABC's Patricia Karvelas and Fran Kelly.
This year's parade will again take place at the Sydney Cricket Ground, with Savage Garden's singer-songwriter Darren Hayes headlining the entertainment.
United We Shine is the theme for the 2022 event.
