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| Australia coronavirus update live: travellers fly in from cruise nightmare as Christians adapt to Easter in a pandemic – latest news | Australia coronavirus update live: travellers fly in from cruise nightmare as Christians adapt to Easter in a pandemic – latest news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Australians who were trapped on the Antarctic cruise ship Greg Mortimer have finally arrived in Melbourne, where they will be quarantined. Follow updates live | Australians who were trapped on the Antarctic cruise ship Greg Mortimer have finally arrived in Melbourne, where they will be quarantined. Follow updates live |
| Victorian premier Daniel Andrews is providing an update on Covid-19 with the news there have been only three more cases overnight, and no further deaths. | |
| But Andrews announced the state of emergency would be extended for a further four weeks to 11 May. | |
| Andrews said Victoria now had 1268 confirmed cases, with 28 people currently in hospital with 16 in intensive care. There have been 14 deaths. | |
| The low number of new cases was “very strong piece of evidence that our strategy is working” he said, but the restrictions would stay in place, citing the nightmare of New York’s recent daily death tolls of more than 1200. He said: | |
| We’re starting to hear about some of those travellers arriving in from overseas destinations on flights in to Melbourne. | |
| News agency AAP reports that about 112 passengers from the Greg Mortimer cruise ship that had been moored off Montevideo in Uruguay landed at Tullamarine just before 7am. | |
| Previous reports suggest 16 of the 112 are New Zealanders. One small group was seen in masks leaving the plane and walking across the tarmac to a smaller plane. | |
| The ship had left Argentina, which neighbours Uruguay, on 15 March for a 16-day return trip to Antarctica. It had been stuck in South America for more than two weeks. | |
| The ship’s operator Aurora Expeditions confirmed this week 128 of 217 people had tested positive for the coronavirus. | |
| Uruguay’s foreign minister Ernesto Talvi said two Australian passengers could not be transported home as they were in intensive care at a hospital. | |
| The treasurer has closed up his interview with ABC Insider’s host David Speers with a message of caution on lifting restrictions. | |
| It will only happen if the medical advice says it’s safe. | It will only happen if the medical advice says it’s safe. |
| He said that “so far our medical experts and those on the front line are the real heroes of the crisis”. | |
| A few weeks ago, he said the number of cases per day was rising by 20%, but now the rise was at just 2%. | |
| Finally, the treasurer was asked if he was happy that “we can do six months of this”. Frydenberg responded: | |
| Victoria’s health department has announced a man died on Saturday while he was in quarantine accommodation. | Victoria’s health department has announced a man died on Saturday while he was in quarantine accommodation. |
| A Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson said in a statement: | A Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson said in a statement: |
| Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says 802,000 businesses have applied for the jobkeeper payments as of Sunday morning. | Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says 802,000 businesses have applied for the jobkeeper payments as of Sunday morning. |
| The treasurer also says more than 600,000 Australians have “indicated their interest” in accessing some of their superannuation. | The treasurer also says more than 600,000 Australians have “indicated their interest” in accessing some of their superannuation. |
| He thinks that ultimately, because that program was announced before the jobkeeper program, less people will take the opportunity to dip into the superannuation than the government initially thought. | He thinks that ultimately, because that program was announced before the jobkeeper program, less people will take the opportunity to dip into the superannuation than the government initially thought. |
| The treasurer Josh Frydenberg is speaking to David Speers on the ABC’s Insider’s program and he’s being asked about the options he might have to extend the jobseeker payment. | The treasurer Josh Frydenberg is speaking to David Speers on the ABC’s Insider’s program and he’s being asked about the options he might have to extend the jobseeker payment. |
| Frydenberg admits he does have discretion to make changes to the program, but that right now “we have no planes to change the rules”. He says: | Frydenberg admits he does have discretion to make changes to the program, but that right now “we have no planes to change the rules”. He says: |
| If you’re thinking about getting out and about on this Easter Sunday, there are a range of restrictions on our movement. Essentially, if you don’t absolutely have to go out, then don’t. | If you’re thinking about getting out and about on this Easter Sunday, there are a range of restrictions on our movement. Essentially, if you don’t absolutely have to go out, then don’t. |
| We have a summary of all the restrictions. | We have a summary of all the restrictions. |
| News agency AAP is reporting the death of a 74-year-old man from Covid-19 who was a passenger on the Ruby Princess cruise ship. | News agency AAP is reporting the death of a 74-year-old man from Covid-19 who was a passenger on the Ruby Princess cruise ship. |
| The 74-year-old man succumbed to the infection in the Royal Adelaide hospital overnight, SA Health confirmed on Sunday. | The 74-year-old man succumbed to the infection in the Royal Adelaide hospital overnight, SA Health confirmed on Sunday. |
| It is the state’s fourth coronavirus death, with the national toll now standing at 57. | It is the state’s fourth coronavirus death, with the national toll now standing at 57. |
| “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man,” SA Health said. | “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man,” SA Health said. |
| More than a dozen Ruby Princess passengers have died from the virus, and more than 500 people have been infected, either onboard or from contact with people who were. | More than a dozen Ruby Princess passengers have died from the virus, and more than 500 people have been infected, either onboard or from contact with people who were. |
| The deputy prime minister, Michael McCormack, has spoken to Sky News, leaving a very small amount of wiggle room to expand the $130bn jobkeeper wage subsidy and discussing the need for “reform” (possibly even GST reform!) on the other side of the Covid-19 crisis. | The deputy prime minister, Michael McCormack, has spoken to Sky News, leaving a very small amount of wiggle room to expand the $130bn jobkeeper wage subsidy and discussing the need for “reform” (possibly even GST reform!) on the other side of the Covid-19 crisis. |
| On jobkeeper, McCormack said it was “broad enough ... to get as many people through to the other side as we can”, playing down expectations it could be expanded beyond six million workers because Australia doesn’t want “to saddle ourselves with debt”. | On jobkeeper, McCormack said it was “broad enough ... to get as many people through to the other side as we can”, playing down expectations it could be expanded beyond six million workers because Australia doesn’t want “to saddle ourselves with debt”. |
| But the Nationals leader said the government will “continue to look at the situation, take advice from business and key stakeholders, and people on the ground”. | But the Nationals leader said the government will “continue to look at the situation, take advice from business and key stakeholders, and people on the ground”. |
| He also noted that the tax office has a discretion to waive the requirements of a 50% reduction in revenue for businesses earning more than $1bn a year or 30% for those below that threshold. McCormack suggested this could occur where a business “may have lost, say 45% [of revenue], or a drought stricken business that is unlikely to lose another 30% [compared to the previous year]”. | He also noted that the tax office has a discretion to waive the requirements of a 50% reduction in revenue for businesses earning more than $1bn a year or 30% for those below that threshold. McCormack suggested this could occur where a business “may have lost, say 45% [of revenue], or a drought stricken business that is unlikely to lose another 30% [compared to the previous year]”. |
| Asked about tax reform in general, and GST reform in particular, McCormack replied: | Asked about tax reform in general, and GST reform in particular, McCormack replied: |
| McCormack praised the economic credentials of Liberal-National governments, claiming they know how to “manage money”. | McCormack praised the economic credentials of Liberal-National governments, claiming they know how to “manage money”. |
| He then flicked the switch back to bipartisanship by saying reform will “need the help of Labor states and territories, through the [Council of Australian Governments] process and the national cabinet being its best self”. | He then flicked the switch back to bipartisanship by saying reform will “need the help of Labor states and territories, through the [Council of Australian Governments] process and the national cabinet being its best self”. |
| Asked about the possibility of a loan to Virgin, McCormack said Australia needs two airlines but has already given $1bn support package to the industry. | Asked about the possibility of a loan to Virgin, McCormack said Australia needs two airlines but has already given $1bn support package to the industry. |
| Her Majesty The Queen released a special Easter Sunday message a few hours ago. | Her Majesty The Queen released a special Easter Sunday message a few hours ago. |
| In an effort for inclusiveness, the Queen spoke about the traditional lighting of candles during religious ceremonies, and how candles seemed to “speak to every culture and appeal to people of all faiths, and of none”. | In an effort for inclusiveness, the Queen spoke about the traditional lighting of candles during religious ceremonies, and how candles seemed to “speak to every culture and appeal to people of all faiths, and of none”. |
| Good morning to this Easter Sunday and our live coronavirus coverage for today. I’m Graham Readfearn and I’ll take you through the next few hours. | Good morning to this Easter Sunday and our live coronavirus coverage for today. I’m Graham Readfearn and I’ll take you through the next few hours. |
| So what’s coming up, apart from all the chocolate (and it’s milk chocolate for me)? | So what’s coming up, apart from all the chocolate (and it’s milk chocolate for me)? |
| We’re expecting about 1,200 Australians to be arriving back into the country from today landing at Melbourne’s Tullamarine airport and heading into quarantine. We’ll bring you news of those arrivals a bit later. | We’re expecting about 1,200 Australians to be arriving back into the country from today landing at Melbourne’s Tullamarine airport and heading into quarantine. We’ll bring you news of those arrivals a bit later. |
| If you want to catch up with yesterday’s developments – including the latest number of cases, and the folk in Sydney that still want to walk from Bondi to Bronte (and now can’t because they’ve shut the path due to the crowds) – you should have a quick read of my colleague Calla Wahlquist’s wrap-up from late yesterday. | If you want to catch up with yesterday’s developments – including the latest number of cases, and the folk in Sydney that still want to walk from Bondi to Bronte (and now can’t because they’ve shut the path due to the crowds) – you should have a quick read of my colleague Calla Wahlquist’s wrap-up from late yesterday. |