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Australia coronavirus live: government to pay airlines to continue domestic flights – latest news Australia coronavirus live: government to pay airlines to continue domestic flights – latest news
(32 minutes later)
Coalition agrees to pay airlines to keep ‘minimal schedule’ of Australian flights, Kevin Rudd slams Donald Trump’s ‘lunatic’ WHO decision, and Australian leaders discuss school attendance. Follow all the latest news, liveCoalition agrees to pay airlines to keep ‘minimal schedule’ of Australian flights, Kevin Rudd slams Donald Trump’s ‘lunatic’ WHO decision, and Australian leaders discuss school attendance. Follow all the latest news, live
That interview with the prime minister is where we will leave things this evening. Here are today’s key events:
The government announced a set of national principles for how schools should respond to Covid-19, but states and territories will make decisions on schools in their jurisdictions and you should follow the advice of your home state.
Scott Morrison said it would be at least four weeks until restrictions could be eased.
Morrison announced three things that need to be in place before restrictions can be eased. They are increased testing, better contact tracing (likely through an app) and local response capabilities – the ability to lock down localised areas using multiple agencies, such as the Australian Defence Force.
The attorney general, Christian Porter, announced the government would reduce the consultation period for changes to enterprise bargaining agreements to 24 hours. Labor, the Greens and unions are opposed.
Parliament will return for a trial week in May.
Morrison said some election promises would need to be reconsidered because of the costs to the economy and the government of the Covid-19 response.
Elective surgery suspensions will start to be lifted next week.
The government reinstated its commitment to the World Health Organisation, citing its work in the Pacific.
Stay safe and well and we will see you again tomorrow.
Sales asks about a bailout for the airlines. Morrison doesn’t directly answer the question:Sales asks about a bailout for the airlines. Morrison doesn’t directly answer the question:
Morrison is asked about the health risks based on age groups, with Sales pointing to higher rates of death among people aged in their 70s and 80s.Morrison is asked about the health risks based on age groups, with Sales pointing to higher rates of death among people aged in their 70s and 80s.
She asks Morrison if he is concerned that people under the age of 50, who are bearing the brunt of the economic upheaval, could rebel against the restrictions. He says:She asks Morrison if he is concerned that people under the age of 50, who are bearing the brunt of the economic upheaval, could rebel against the restrictions. He says:
He says it’s about striking a balance. “You can win the health war and lose the economic war, but you’ve got to deal with both of them at the same time.”He says it’s about striking a balance. “You can win the health war and lose the economic war, but you’ve got to deal with both of them at the same time.”
Morrison warns that without getting in place the health protections the government announced earlier today – increased testing, more contact tracing and local responses – there is a risk the outbreak becomes worse again.Morrison warns that without getting in place the health protections the government announced earlier today – increased testing, more contact tracing and local responses – there is a risk the outbreak becomes worse again.
Sales turns to schools and asks if there is any reason schools should not be re-opened sooner rather than later.Sales turns to schools and asks if there is any reason schools should not be re-opened sooner rather than later.
Morrison says there has been confusion on this issue because of the different levels of risk to children and their teachers.Morrison says there has been confusion on this issue because of the different levels of risk to children and their teachers.
Morrison he says appropriate protections can be achieved and tells people to listen to decisions made by premiers in their individual states.Morrison he says appropriate protections can be achieved and tells people to listen to decisions made by premiers in their individual states.
Morrison says a tracing app that could be used to trace contacts with confirmed Covid-19 cases is not yet ready to go.Morrison says a tracing app that could be used to trace contacts with confirmed Covid-19 cases is not yet ready to go.
He says he would like to see it ready in the next two weeks.He says he would like to see it ready in the next two weeks.
Morrison says that right now, contact tracing is based on close contacts being tracked down by teams of public health workers.Morrison says that right now, contact tracing is based on close contacts being tracked down by teams of public health workers.
Morrison talks about the possibility of broader “surveillance-type” testing as the next possible phase of the government’s response.Morrison talks about the possibility of broader “surveillance-type” testing as the next possible phase of the government’s response.
Sales asks if authorities are working based on a number of cases that they think Australia’s health system could reasonably tolerate per week.Sales asks if authorities are working based on a number of cases that they think Australia’s health system could reasonably tolerate per week.
Morrison says no. He says they are focused on keeping the rate of transmission below a score of 1.Morrison says no. He says they are focused on keeping the rate of transmission below a score of 1.
Scott Morrison is being interviewed on the ABC’s 7.30. Leigh Sales has asked him to describe the government’s overall strategy when it comes to Covid-19. He says:Scott Morrison is being interviewed on the ABC’s 7.30. Leigh Sales has asked him to describe the government’s overall strategy when it comes to Covid-19. He says:
Another ICYMI from this afternoon. My colleague Naaman Zhou has written about plans to test all crew stranded on the Ruby Princess for Covid-19 within 48 hours.Another ICYMI from this afternoon. My colleague Naaman Zhou has written about plans to test all crew stranded on the Ruby Princess for Covid-19 within 48 hours.
A NSW Health spokesman said crew members who were asymptomatic had not been tested previously because that “can often lead to false negative results”. But that would now be changed to test everyone.A NSW Health spokesman said crew members who were asymptomatic had not been tested previously because that “can often lead to false negative results”. But that would now be changed to test everyone.
The spokesman said:The spokesman said:
The Canberra Times has published this story earlier today about the ACT’s efforts to triple its intensive care beds as part of its Covid-19 response.The Canberra Times has published this story earlier today about the ACT’s efforts to triple its intensive care beds as part of its Covid-19 response.
The newspaper reports a senior health official told an inquiry today that meeting that target was proving difficult because of challenges accessing vital equipment such as ventilators.The newspaper reports a senior health official told an inquiry today that meeting that target was proving difficult because of challenges accessing vital equipment such as ventilators.
Scott Morrison’s government has agreed to pay airlines to keep what’s described as a “minimal domestic schedule” of flights in the air.
The move means Virgin Australia, which is under intense financial pressure and had grounded its fleet, will resume flying tomorrow and continue the routes for at least the next eight weeks.
“The minimal domestic schedule will enable Virgin Australia to reinstate some of its stood-down flight, cabin and ground crew, along with other operational team members,” the airline said in a statement.
It is understood bigger rival Qantas, which has been considering closing some flights because they are running at less than a third full, has also been funded under the program.
Details of the total cost and scope of the program weren’t immediately available but announcements by the government and Qantas are expected this evening.
Virgin Australia said that it would use the money to fly between capital cities and regional centres.
Service frequencies range from seven return flights a week on popular routes including Melbourne-Sydney down to just twice a week for routes such as Perth-Kalgoorlie.
AAP is reporting a passenger on a Qantas flight from Sydney to Brisbane on Monday was infectious with Covid-19.
Queensland Health warned other passengers of the diagnosis by text and then a phone call before directing them to self-quarantine in an email on Thursday.
The flight, QF520, arrived at Brisbane domestic terminal early on Monday afternoon.
“A person on this flight was infectious with Covid-19,” the Queensland Health email said. “You may be at risk of becoming unwell from exposure until midnight 27th April, 2020.”
Queensland Health did not answer questions and instead referred AAP to its “contact tracing alerts” web page.
Scott Morrison outlined this afternoon the three conditions that need to be met before Australia’s social distancing restrictions can be eased. If you missed it, you can catch up with this short video.
And in some Covid-19 but also non-Covid related news, you might have missed this story earlier today about the statutory review of Australia’s environmental laws.
This is a major independent review of Australia’s conservation act that happens once every 10 years. Six major environment groups want completion of the review delayed because of the back-to-back bushfire and coronavirus crises, as well as the departure of the environmental law specialist from the government’s expert panel.
Adam Bandt has now commented on the government’s decision to reduce the consultation period for enterprise bargaining agreements to 24 hours.
The Financial Review has published this story about some modelling for the Institute of Actuaries that suggests the number of coronavirus cases in Australia could be higher than official figures. Their results suggest as many as 20,000 cases.
The chief medical officer, Brendan Murphy, has told the AFR the modelling is unlikely to be correct.
In Queensland’s daily update, the state says it will launch a jobs portal aimed at helping those who are out of work due to the Covid-19 crisis.
The state’s treasurer, Jackie Trad, said Queenslanders looking for work could upload information on their skills and work experience to jobsfinder.qld.gov.au to be matched to available jobs and free online training courses.
Queensland recorded five new cases of Covid-19 overnight. There are now 554 active cases in the state, 442 people have recovered and five have died, for a total of 1001 cases.
The state’s chief health officer, Jeannette Young, said the current case numbers were “excellent news” but warned they would get worse when more people returned from overseas. People returning from overseas would go into hotel quarantine.
Western Australia has published its daily Covid-19 update:
There were three new confirmed cases overnight, bringing the state’s total to 535.
All three cases are in metropolitan Perth. Two cases are related to cruise ships, one from the Artania and one from the Costa Victoria. One case is still under investigation.
Contact tracing is under way to ensure all close contacts are notified and advised of the requirement for them to self-isolate.
There are currently 33 confirmed Covid-19 patients in Perth metropolitan hospitals, eight of whom are in intensive care.
To date, 25,088 Western Australians have tested negative for Covid-19. Of those, 5,279 are from regional WA.
WA has 340 recovered cases.
I’m going to hand over to my colleague Lisa Cox now. Stay safe and healthy. And have a good night.
Peak body Ai-Group has backed the industrial relations changes that Labor is railing against in the previous post.
In a statement, chief executive Innes Willox says: