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| Australia coronavirus updates live: 20 residents of Newmarch aged care home in Sydney confirmed cases of Covid-19 – latest news | Australia coronavirus updates live: 20 residents of Newmarch aged care home in Sydney confirmed cases of Covid-19 – latest news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| NSW considers roster system for return to face-to-face learning in schools, as federal government to pay up to $165m to maintain key domestic flight routes. Follow all the latest news, live | NSW considers roster system for return to face-to-face learning in schools, as federal government to pay up to $165m to maintain key domestic flight routes. Follow all the latest news, live |
| Tony Burke has weighed in on the fair work regulation change Christian Porter announced yesterday, which the ACTU is also against, despite the unlikely working friendship which has developed between Porter and Sally McManus. | |
| The regulation means employers just have to give employees one day’s notice of a change to enterprise bargaining agreements, instead of a week, before a vote occurs. | |
| Burke says it’s not necessary. | |
| Researchers from the Royal Women’s hospital in Melbourne and Monash Health have created a national registry of pregnant women in Australia diagnosed with Covid-19. | |
| The registry includes 28 hospitals across Australia and will give health workers insight into how mothers and babies are impacted by this virus. | |
| Clinicians at each participating hospital are collecting data on women who test positive in their care and entering it into a secure database. Researchers will seek follow up data on each woman’s pregnancy and baby outcomes and report on the impact of the virus on the mother’s health, as well as any risks to the baby in the womb or after birth. | |
| Dr Clare Whitehead from the Women’s said there was limited evidence on the impact of the novel coronavirus on mothers and babies. | |
| “We currently do not have a national platform that can collect information on pregnant women and report the information back to clinicians in a timely manner to help improve the management of pregnant women and their babies,” she said. | |
| “We’ve been able to very quickly set this research up to capture as many pregnant women as possible during this pandemic.” | |
| As part of the update yesterday, Scott Morrison and Brendan Murphy said that next week the national cabinet and medical expert panel will look at whether or not the elective surgery restrictions can be lifted (which would include IVF treatments). | |
| The Australian Society of Anaesthetists (ASA) has urged that a return to non-urgent elective surgery proceeds with caution, in a statement it released today. | |
| The ASA president, Dr Suzi Nou, says the group has spoken to the chief medical officer’s office about the concerns: | |
| “All of the efforts to ‘flatten the curve’ in Australia are to be commended and have allowed healthcare workers much-needed time to more adequately prepare for the Covid-19 pandemic in our hospitals. Five weeks ago, the ASA called for a cessation of non-urgent surgery but as more health services have been able to undertake planning for the pandemic, we would like to see a relaxation of the restrictions and a safe return to elective surgery. | |
| “We understand that people will be keen to have surgery and do not want to prolong any unnecessary delays but we do want surgery to proceed safely for individuals, their families and for healthcare workers. “We do not encourage elective surgery be performed unless the health service has completed scenario planning for Covid-19 patients and that all relevant staff have adequate supply of PPE and are proficient in its use. Only once these issues have been addressed should we consider performing elective surgery that cannot be safely deferred until the pandemic is over. | |
| “An additional measure that will ensure the safety of healthcare workers and patients would see a defined perioperative quarantine period of 14 days prior to surgery. | |
| “The public have made a concerted effort to socially isolate and reduce transmission of Covid-19 in our community and in our healthcare system. We would hope that patients planning to undergo elective surgery would continue to protect themselves, their families and the healthcare workers looking after them with a period of quarantine before their surgery.” | |
| NBN Co is now publishing weekly updates on how the network is handling the additional load of so many people working and studying at home, before going to another room to stream content until the screaming in our minds can’t be heard (we are all Clarice now). | |
| You’ll find those updates, here. | |
| Weekly upload throughput peak of 1.06 Terabits per second (Tbps) recorded on Friday 10 April during the Evening Busy Hours. | |
| Weekly download throughput peak of 13.8Tbps recorded on Wednesday 8 April during the Evening Busy Hours. | |
| Download throughput peak of 11.6Tbps on 8 April recorded during the daytime business hours surpassed pre-Covid-19 baseline evening peak for the first time. | |
| The deputy chief medical officer, Prof Paul Kelly, will give today’s national update on the Covid situation. | |
| That will happen at 3.15. | |
| The Loki Foundation, which describes itself as Australia’s first privacy tech not for profit, has written an open letter on the issue of the tracing app the government wants people to download (and may, depending on download rates, make mandatory – something Scott Morrison did not rule out today, saying only it was “not my preference”). | |
| The foundation doesn’t have a problem with the model Apple and Google are working on. | |
| Public and private hospitals in the NT and SA will now be able to work together, under a new interim authorisation granted by the consumer watchdog this afternoon: | Public and private hospitals in the NT and SA will now be able to work together, under a new interim authorisation granted by the consumer watchdog this afternoon: |
| You may remember from yesterday that the NZ deputy prime minister, Winston Peters, is keen to restart trans-Tasman travel, once both countries begin loosening restrictions. | You may remember from yesterday that the NZ deputy prime minister, Winston Peters, is keen to restart trans-Tasman travel, once both countries begin loosening restrictions. |
| He is still keen. | He is still keen. |
| But Australian authorities are a bit more cool on it, and say it won’t be on the agenda for the foreseeable future. | But Australian authorities are a bit more cool on it, and say it won’t be on the agenda for the foreseeable future. |
| AAP has an update on New Zealand’s Covid-19 situation: | AAP has an update on New Zealand’s Covid-19 situation: |
| Two elderly New Zealanders have died after contracting coronavirus, bringing the country’s overall death tally to 11. | Two elderly New Zealanders have died after contracting coronavirus, bringing the country’s overall death tally to 11. |
| A South Island woman in her 80s became the seventh person to die linked to the Rosewood rest home in Christchurch. | A South Island woman in her 80s became the seventh person to die linked to the Rosewood rest home in Christchurch. |
| A man in his 90s died at Waikato hospital in Hamilton. | A man in his 90s died at Waikato hospital in Hamilton. |
| His case was linked to a cluster at Matamata, where a local pub held a St Patrick’s Day celebration on March 17. | His case was linked to a cluster at Matamata, where a local pub held a St Patrick’s Day celebration on March 17. |
| “The fact we knew we would lose some New Zealanders to Covid-19 doesn’t lessen the shock or sadness when it happens,” finance minister Grant Robertson said. | “The fact we knew we would lose some New Zealanders to Covid-19 doesn’t lessen the shock or sadness when it happens,” finance minister Grant Robertson said. |
| Another possible death linked to coronavirus, of an Invercargill man in his 70s who died at home, is being investigated by health officials. | Another possible death linked to coronavirus, of an Invercargill man in his 70s who died at home, is being investigated by health officials. |
| New Zealand recorded its lowest daily increase in a month on Friday, with just eight new cases. | New Zealand recorded its lowest daily increase in a month on Friday, with just eight new cases. |
| The country’s overall case count is 1,409. | The country’s overall case count is 1,409. |
| Bret Walker just spoke to the ABC about the NSW commission of inquiry he has been asked to head, looking at what happened with the Ruby Princess. | Bret Walker just spoke to the ABC about the NSW commission of inquiry he has been asked to head, looking at what happened with the Ruby Princess. |
| He was asked about his jurisdiction to compel witnesses internationally, which is going to be an element of the inquiry, given the ship itself is registered in Bermuda. | He was asked about his jurisdiction to compel witnesses internationally, which is going to be an element of the inquiry, given the ship itself is registered in Bermuda. |
| Walker answers: | Walker answers: |
| This is about the change in fair work regulations announced yesterday, where employers only have to give employees one days notice, instead of seven, about changes to enterprise bargaining agreements. | This is about the change in fair work regulations announced yesterday, where employers only have to give employees one days notice, instead of seven, about changes to enterprise bargaining agreements. |
| Anthony Albanese was asked during his press conference about his thoughts on whether or not the tracing app the government wants people to download, once it is available, should be mandatory. | Anthony Albanese was asked during his press conference about his thoughts on whether or not the tracing app the government wants people to download, once it is available, should be mandatory. |
| Scott Morrison, when speaking to Hobart radio Triple M said it was “not his preference” to make the app or carrying your phone mandatory, so he would see how “Plan A” – people doing it voluntarily – would go. | Scott Morrison, when speaking to Hobart radio Triple M said it was “not his preference” to make the app or carrying your phone mandatory, so he would see how “Plan A” – people doing it voluntarily – would go. |
| Albanese said it was concerning to hear a mandatory download was not ruled out: | Albanese said it was concerning to hear a mandatory download was not ruled out: |
| Scott Morrison wants you to know that he is really, really not interested in anything in Malcolm Turnbull’s book. | Scott Morrison wants you to know that he is really, really not interested in anything in Malcolm Turnbull’s book. |
| This was the exchange on the Ten Network today: | This was the exchange on the Ten Network today: |
| Host: We’ve all learned so many new technical terms during this time. I’ll tell you what. Now, I’ve got to ask, how do you feel about Malcolm Turnbull releasing his memoir, attacking you in the middle of this crisis? | Host: We’ve all learned so many new technical terms during this time. I’ll tell you what. Now, I’ve got to ask, how do you feel about Malcolm Turnbull releasing his memoir, attacking you in the middle of this crisis? |
| Morrison: Not interested. | Morrison: Not interested. |
| Host: Not even, he released a personal message that you’d given him? You know, there’s a lot of stuff in there when, when the nation really is focussed on other stuff? | Host: Not even, he released a personal message that you’d given him? You know, there’s a lot of stuff in there when, when the nation really is focussed on other stuff? |
| Morrison: Yeah, I don’t care. | Morrison: Yeah, I don’t care. |
| Host: Prime Minister it’s your birthday next month, if someone gave you a copy of the book … | Host: Prime Minister it’s your birthday next month, if someone gave you a copy of the book … |
| Morrison: Cheers! | Morrison: Cheers! |
| Host: Would you regift it? Or would you read it? | Host: Would you regift it? Or would you read it? |
| Morrison: I wouldn’t notice it. | Morrison: I wouldn’t notice it. |
| Host: Return to sender hey. I think you’ve made yourself pretty clear on that one. | Host: Return to sender hey. I think you’ve made yourself pretty clear on that one. |
| Morrison: I think so. | Morrison: I think so. |
| The man is dealing with a global pandemic. But it is nice to see a bit of usual Australian politics injected back into things. | The man is dealing with a global pandemic. But it is nice to see a bit of usual Australian politics injected back into things. |
| That Ai Group statement comes after the government, following reports, including from Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie, that some employers were asking their employees to hand back some of the wage subsidy payment, in exchange for their registering for jobkeeper. | That Ai Group statement comes after the government, following reports, including from Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie, that some employers were asking their employees to hand back some of the wage subsidy payment, in exchange for their registering for jobkeeper. |
| The Ai Group have put out this statement on the government’s wage subsidy ‘jobkeeper’ scheme: | The Ai Group have put out this statement on the government’s wage subsidy ‘jobkeeper’ scheme: |
| Virgin Australia chief operating officer Stuart Aggs has also been speaking at today’s industry roundtable. | Virgin Australia chief operating officer Stuart Aggs has also been speaking at today’s industry roundtable. |
| “We are clearly in crisis mode,” he said. | “We are clearly in crisis mode,” he said. |
| “We are an airline and an industry under significant scrutiny, almost on an hourly basis.” | “We are an airline and an industry under significant scrutiny, almost on an hourly basis.” |
| He said that after the collapse of Ansett it took 20 years for Virgin Blue, as it then was, to build itself into a true competitor to Qantas - and even then it held only 30% of the market. | He said that after the collapse of Ansett it took 20 years for Virgin Blue, as it then was, to build itself into a true competitor to Qantas - and even then it held only 30% of the market. |
| “Is the government prepared to wait 20 years for that experience to be built back up from a competitive point of view? | “Is the government prepared to wait 20 years for that experience to be built back up from a competitive point of view? |
| “I suspect not.” | “I suspect not.” |
| The roundtable also heard from one of the industry superannuation industry’s pioneers, IFM Investors founder Garry Weaven, who addressed the idea that Virgin Australia’s existing shareholders might bail out the airline. | The roundtable also heard from one of the industry superannuation industry’s pioneers, IFM Investors founder Garry Weaven, who addressed the idea that Virgin Australia’s existing shareholders might bail out the airline. |
| He said Virgin Australia was 90% owned by big foreign investors, including the government of Abu Dhabi through its state airline, Etihad. | He said Virgin Australia was 90% owned by big foreign investors, including the government of Abu Dhabi through its state airline, Etihad. |
| “If they’re not in a position to recapitalise the company ... then who is?” he asked.“Really, the answer is that only the government is in a position to do that.” | “If they’re not in a position to recapitalise the company ... then who is?” he asked.“Really, the answer is that only the government is in a position to do that.” |
| He said he was “a little bit surprised” by prime minister Scott Morrison’s comments on TV last night suggesting industry super funds could buy Virgin Australia. | He said he was “a little bit surprised” by prime minister Scott Morrison’s comments on TV last night suggesting industry super funds could buy Virgin Australia. |
| Fund trustees that did so would probably be attacked by members of Morrison’s own government for failing to put returns to members first, as required by the super law, he said. | Fund trustees that did so would probably be attacked by members of Morrison’s own government for failing to put returns to members first, as required by the super law, he said. |
| “I think that’s a bit of a furphy, that question,” he said. | “I think that’s a bit of a furphy, that question,” he said. |
| And we also got an answer about whether anyone from Qantas was invited to the confab, courtesy of a question to ACTU president Michele O’Neil from the federal secretary of the union representing licensed aircraft engineers, Steve Purvinas. | And we also got an answer about whether anyone from Qantas was invited to the confab, courtesy of a question to ACTU president Michele O’Neil from the federal secretary of the union representing licensed aircraft engineers, Steve Purvinas. |
| “Yes, Qantas was invited, Alan Joyce specifically,” O’Neil said. | “Yes, Qantas was invited, Alan Joyce specifically,” O’Neil said. |
| “They decided for their own reasons not to [accept].” | “They decided for their own reasons not to [accept].” |