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Australia coronavirus live: Scott Morrison provides update on national cabinet meeting – latest news Australia coronavirus live: Scott Morrison provides update on national cabinet meeting – latest news
(32 minutes later)
Rudd slams Trump’s ‘lunatic’ WHO decision as state and federal leaders to discuss Australian school attendance. Follow all the latest news, live Kevin Rudd slams Donald Trump’s ‘lunatic’ WHO decision as state and federal leaders discuss Australian school attendance. Follow all the latest news, live
So it looks like the economic ‘snap back’ is on the back burner for some time now.
Up until now, the government has been determined to keep a ‘business as usual’ on its election promises stiff upper lip.
That is no longer the case.
Which means anything the Coalition went to the election on, is now up in the air
Scott Morrison on the unemployment figures released today:
The national cabinet has agreed on a set of “national principles” on school education when it comes to handling the Covid-19 issue. In short, leaders emphasise the value of providing education within classroom settings, but acknowledge that it is up to state and territory governments and the non-government school sector to make operational decisions.
There is also a need for schools to offer teachers and staff a safe working environment.
The full list of principles is as follows:
1. Our schools are critical to the delivery of high quality education for students and to give our children the best possible start in life. Our education systems are based on the recognition that education is best delivered by professional teachers to students in the classroom on a school campus.
2. It is accepted that during the Covid-19 crisis, alternative flexible, remote delivery of education services may be needed.
3. Our schools must be healthy and safe environments for students, teachers and other staff to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of education to students.
4. State and territory governments and non-government sector authorities are responsible for managing and making operational decisions for their school systems respectively, subject to compliance with relevant funding agreements with the Commonwealth.
5. Decisions regarding the response to Covid-19 in the schooling sector must continue to be informed by expert, official, national and state-based public health and education advice, consistent with these national principles.
6. All students must continue to be supported by their school to ensure participation in quality education during the Covid-19 crisis.
7. The health advice consistently provided by the AHPPC is that attendance at a school campus for education represents a very low risk to students.
The advice also notes that appropriate practices must be employed at schools, like at other workplaces, to provide a safe working environment for school staff, including teachers, and that the specific AHPPC advice regarding school campuses should be followed.
This is the first time Scott Morrison has admitted that the policies he took to the election can’t stand up in a post-Covid Australia:
Scott Morrison:
This press conference is going to be, as reported, on schools.
Scott Morrison is at the podium:
Let the preamble begin.
Michaelia Cash has released her official statement on today’s jobs figures:
The Refugee Coalition Action group has reported the Villawood immigration detention protest has ended:
The prime minister will be joined by the chief medical officer, Brendan Murphy – it is looking more like that will be happening at 2.30pm now.
There will be a slideshow, apparently. I imagine this will show some of the ‘road map’ conditions for loosening restrictions, but it could also be a ‘look how well we have done’ story, to go along with a 40-minute preamble to whatever the new announcement is.
Presented without comment:Presented without comment:
And here are one of the reasons questions are rightly being raised over the contact tracing app the government wants Australians to download:And here are one of the reasons questions are rightly being raised over the contact tracing app the government wants Australians to download:
It doesn’t seem like anyone is completely sure of how it would work. Because either it swaps phone numbers, which is different to the explanations which have been given so far, and Stuart Robert has let the tidbit drop, or it doesn’t actually swap phone numbers and the minister doesn’t actually know how it works.It doesn’t seem like anyone is completely sure of how it would work. Because either it swaps phone numbers, which is different to the explanations which have been given so far, and Stuart Robert has let the tidbit drop, or it doesn’t actually swap phone numbers and the minister doesn’t actually know how it works.
Further to some of the issues that asylum seekers and refugees under Australia’s care are experiencing is this statement from the Public Health Association of Australia:Further to some of the issues that asylum seekers and refugees under Australia’s care are experiencing is this statement from the Public Health Association of Australia:
And you’ll hear from the prime minister at 2.15, now that national cabinet has broken (for the day, not as a unit).And you’ll hear from the prime minister at 2.15, now that national cabinet has broken (for the day, not as a unit).
You’ll no doubt hear more about both the schools issue and the contact tracing app, tonightYou’ll no doubt hear more about both the schools issue and the contact tracing app, tonight
National cabinet is ticking along.National cabinet is ticking along.
The big issue still seems to be schools and how the states should go about reopening them. The health advice panel says, as it has the whole time, that it is OK to reopen schools. The states, led by Victoria, which is the strongest on this, says that goes against the limit on gatherings – not just inside the classroom, but what is happening outside, during pick-up and drop-off.The big issue still seems to be schools and how the states should go about reopening them. The health advice panel says, as it has the whole time, that it is OK to reopen schools. The states, led by Victoria, which is the strongest on this, says that goes against the limit on gatherings – not just inside the classroom, but what is happening outside, during pick-up and drop-off.
Don’t be surprised if the contact tracing app is also pushed more, as part of the conditions needed to be in place for the restrictions to be lifted.Don’t be surprised if the contact tracing app is also pushed more, as part of the conditions needed to be in place for the restrictions to be lifted.
For it to work, the government wants at least 40% of the population to take it up. It will be able to tell the government who you have been in contact with, or near, if someone tests positive.For it to work, the government wants at least 40% of the population to take it up. It will be able to tell the government who you have been in contact with, or near, if someone tests positive.
As with everything though, that comes with a lot of privacy issues. How much are you willing to trade off?As with everything though, that comes with a lot of privacy issues. How much are you willing to trade off?
G20 nations have decided to allow developing nations to suspend debt repayments, as the globe attempts to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.G20 nations have decided to allow developing nations to suspend debt repayments, as the globe attempts to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
But that doesn’t mean repayments to private banks have to stop. And there is, as several advocacy groups have pointed out today, no plan for long term debt relief.But that doesn’t mean repayments to private banks have to stop. And there is, as several advocacy groups have pointed out today, no plan for long term debt relief.
ACT Health has released its update:
There have been no new cases of Covid-19 recorded in the ACT in the past 24 hours. The ACT’s total is still 103.
A total of 79 cases have recovered from Covid-19 and have been released from self-isolation. This is more than three quarters of the ACT’s confirmed cases.
There are currently two (2) Covid-19 patients in Canberra hospitals. The remainder are isolating at home with ACT Health support.
The ACT has recorded three (3) deaths.
The number of negative tests in the ACT is now 6,516.
Asked about some of the stories of employers who are attempting to hold back some of the $1,500 wage subsidy, Michaelia Cash said eligible employers “must” pass on the full amount to their employees.
Michaelia Cash is the latest “bright side of life” fan today, pointing to the strong participation rate in the unemployment figures, which surveyed the workforce before the Covid-19 impact to the economy.
Well, this doesn’t seem the best option
Australia’s immigration detention centres have been largely forgotten during this crisis. But detainees remain scared.
AAP has this report:
Riot police have entered western Sydney’s Villawood Immigration Detention Centre to stop a protest by detainees concerned about a Covid-19 outbreak in the facility.
Three detainees in the centre’s Blaxland compound have been holding a rooftop protest since Saturday while others remain on a hunger strike demanding Covid-19 virus testing and the release of detainees, according to the Refugee Action Coalition.
“Other detainees in Blaxland have been locked in their rooms,” the Refugee Action Coalition said in a statement on Thursday.
The riot squad are on the scene with police working with Australian Border Force to control the situation, a NSW Police spokeswoman told AAP.
Brendan O’Connor says it is “important to note” that today’s unemployment figures are “not a reflection” of the Covid-19 impact, but a “reflection” of what were issues in the economy before the pandemic hit.
With New Zealand looking to slightly wind back its restrictions (mostly to the restrictions Australia has now) and Australia working on its roadmap out of its restrictions (I am a person who now types words like “roadmap” unironically) cartoonist David Squires has taken a look at what normal life might look like:
Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie says the government needs to set up a hotline for employees at risk of being exploited by employers under the wage subsidy scheme.
That follows a call to her office from an employee who said their employer offered them their job back - but only if they gave the employer $600 of the $1,500 subsidy provided by the government.
Penny Wong spoke to ABC Adelaide radio this morning, where she was asked about whether or not China should be reopening its wet markets (wet markets is an all-encompassing term for a fresh food market. Australia’s farmers’ markets or fish markets would be considered ‘wet markets’. The issue has been about the (much rarer) markets in some parts of China that sell wildlife, or slaughter onsite).
Host: Should China be reopening its wet markets?
Wong: I think we all can agree that this can’t happen again. And China has to ensure that there are appropriate protections in place, and there is appropriate transparency.
Host: You’re satisfied that they’re there?
Wong:
As reported yesterday, NSW has joined the states which have expanded testing to anyone with symptoms, as it looks to assure itself community transmission is under control: