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Premier Dominic Perrottet has delayed a decision until next year and stressed his government would only retain critical measures beyond 2022.

“Only the health provisions that need to be extended will be extended,” he said. “I will be carefully considering this matter over the summer break.”

The bill also includes powers for the Chief Health Officer to introduce health orders without first seeking approval from the NSW Civil and Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

While the bill was agreed to by cabinet last week,some MPs expressed anger over it on Tuesday,in particular those from electorates most affected by strict public health orders during the recent lockdown.

Opposition to the bill has seen it taken off the government agenda until concerns of all MPs have been worked through.

Mr Hazzard said it was unfortunate some colleagues had “misunderstood two provisions” within the bill.

“It’s clear there has been a misunderstanding,but the proposed amendments don’t do anything other than very minor tweaks,” he said. “They are anything but sweeping powers.”

The stoush comes as Victoria debates a proposed pandemic bill allowing Premier Daniel Andrews to make an indefinite declaration of a pandemic and state of emergency and give his health minister power to make broad public health orders.

The proposed legislation,far greater than the proposed amendments in NSW,has prompted two days of large-scale protests in Melbourne’s CBD.

One source familiar with the NSW party room meeting said concerns of some MPs about government “overreach” were acknowledged,but that the intention was to allow public health orders to be enacted with haste.

“Is that not just prudent risk management? If we need to move quickly in the future,to retain all the hard work we’ve done so far,this is just a logical policy,” they said.

“It was just that some members representing communities most impacted by public health orders resented them and couldn’t think of anything worse than retaining them,but it’s more nuanced than that.”

Riverstone MP Kevin Conolly said he would not discuss matters of party room,but insisted any decisions amending health orders should consider the impact of the Delta outbreak.

“I am in full support of my community and want to make sure the experience of my community in western Sydney is fully understood by the government,as we move forward in recovery phases and any further challenges.”

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