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Australia coronavirus live: NSW considers roster system for return to face-to-face learning in schools – latest news Australia coronavirus live: 20 residents of Newmarch aged care home in Sydney confirmed cases of Covid-19 – latest news
(32 minutes later)
Federal government to pay up to $165m to maintain key domestic flight routes over the next two months. 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
The Tasmanian parliament will resume from the 27th of April – but with a reduced weekly schedule. Daniel Andrews gave Victoria’s update just a few moments ago:
The NSW chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, announced more cases had been diagnosed in the western Sydney aged care home this morning (you’ll find her quotes a little further down).
Anglicare have now confirmed that 20 residents and 10 staff have tested positive for Covid-19:
Asked in that same interview whether or not he would make downloading the tracing app, and traveling with phones, mandatory, Scott Morrison says:
Asked about privacy concerns, Morrison says they will be dealt with, but says:
Further to that press conference from Peter Gutwein, Scott Morrison spoke to Hobart radio Triple M this morning and spoke about a health worker in the north-west, using it as an example of why the tracking app was necessary:
Morrison said it had nothing to do with the rumours of what chief medical officer Brendan Murphy referred to as an “illegal dinner party” (for which there is no evidence).
The Tasmanian parliament will resume from the 27 April – but with a reduced weekly schedule.
Peter Gutwein on the north-west localised restrictions:Peter Gutwein on the north-west localised restrictions:
The #hometobilo case has been decided in the federal court today.The #hometobilo case has been decided in the federal court today.
Josh Taylor is covering itJosh Taylor is covering it
Peter Gutwein says Tasmania may strengthen its stay at home order for the north-west of the state:Peter Gutwein says Tasmania may strengthen its stay at home order for the north-west of the state:
The news out of north-west Tasmania continues to be worrying.The news out of north-west Tasmania continues to be worrying.
Peter Gutwein has confirmed a health worker who tested positive, who worked in the two closed hospitals, also worked at three aged care homes.Peter Gutwein has confirmed a health worker who tested positive, who worked in the two closed hospitals, also worked at three aged care homes.
Melbourne’s La Trobe university plans to let go all “non essential” casual staff from the start of next month as it braces for “severe” financial difficulties.Melbourne’s La Trobe university plans to let go all “non essential” casual staff from the start of next month as it braces for “severe” financial difficulties.
In an email to staff, the vice chancellor Prof John Dewar also asked staff to consider donating part of the pay back to the university or handing back time-off-in-lieu entitlements.In an email to staff, the vice chancellor Prof John Dewar also asked staff to consider donating part of the pay back to the university or handing back time-off-in-lieu entitlements.
Although he stressed that staff should not “feel any compulsion to take part”, Dewar warned the university expected a $120m and $150m decline in revenue in 2020 and that further measures such as forced redundancies could still be in the pipeline.Although he stressed that staff should not “feel any compulsion to take part”, Dewar warned the university expected a $120m and $150m decline in revenue in 2020 and that further measures such as forced redundancies could still be in the pipeline.
“To put that in perspective, our budgeted operating surplus for the year was $30m,” Dewar said.“To put that in perspective, our budgeted operating surplus for the year was $30m,” Dewar said.
“That is a very big hit indeed,” he added.“That is a very big hit indeed,” he added.
It comes as the tertiary education union faces a revolt over a confidential plan to negotiate with university management on staff pay cuts during the Covid-19 crisis.It comes as the tertiary education union faces a revolt over a confidential plan to negotiate with university management on staff pay cuts during the Covid-19 crisis.
Dewar said the university would introduce a range of cost saving measures, which included letting go non-essential casual staff from 1 May.Dewar said the university would introduce a range of cost saving measures, which included letting go non-essential casual staff from 1 May.
These employees will only be retained if they are signed off by senior staff as “essential”, but some were frustrated no further details were given as to how this would be defined.These employees will only be retained if they are signed off by senior staff as “essential”, but some were frustrated no further details were given as to how this would be defined.
Dewar also floated a range of voluntary measures, such as asking staff to donate between 5-20% of their base salary back to the university.Dewar also floated a range of voluntary measures, such as asking staff to donate between 5-20% of their base salary back to the university.
Dewar said he could not guarantee the voluntary measures would be “enough to prevent the need for workforce changes, including stand down or even forced redundancies at some stage”.Dewar said he could not guarantee the voluntary measures would be “enough to prevent the need for workforce changes, including stand down or even forced redundancies at some stage”.
“No-one should feel any compulsion to take part,” he said. “I know that many of you are simply not able to help now, and I completely understand that. For those of you that can help, I strongly encourage you to think about these options.”“No-one should feel any compulsion to take part,” he said. “I know that many of you are simply not able to help now, and I completely understand that. For those of you that can help, I strongly encourage you to think about these options.”
Senior executives have agreed to a voluntary 20% salary cut.Senior executives have agreed to a voluntary 20% salary cut.
Given we are going to be hearing A LOT about this app in the coming month, you might find this helpful.Given we are going to be hearing A LOT about this app in the coming month, you might find this helpful.
On top of the $165m to underwrite domestic flight trunk routes, the government is also providing $150m to internet providers.On top of the $165m to underwrite domestic flight trunk routes, the government is also providing $150m to internet providers.
If that wasn’t blunt enough, Peter Dutton followed those comments up with this:If that wasn’t blunt enough, Peter Dutton followed those comments up with this:
Peter Dutton also had some things to say about China, while on the Nine Network today:
Things are so dire in punting land, one of the major betting agencies is now hosting wagers on the colour of Scott Morrison’s tie.
Maybe just have another cup of tea and stare at a wall like the rest of us are doing.
Scott Morrison has done the morning radio rounds this morning.
Anthony Albanese will hold his press conference at 10.40.
And the Ruby Princess is still docked in NSW. Mick Fuller says police are still working towards a Sunday departure date:
Scott Morrison announced yesterday that, all things continuing as they are, parliament will be called back for a normal sitting as a “trial” next month.
Jim Chalmers responded this morning and said it was an opportunity to talk to Australians about where their budget was at:
The NSW police commissioner, Mick Fuller, gave his update this morning:
Please call 1800RESPECT if you feel unsafe, or need to talk.
Good to see Peter V’Landys continuing to win friends and influence people.
Meanwhile, Sam Newman marched to the Victorian parliament to protest because he can’t play golf – but at least he isn’t in charge of anything any more.
The NRL chairman, Peter V’Landys, has also been on RN Breakfast this morning insisting the league will push ahead with its plan to resume playing by 28 May.
Despite the NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, saying earlier that the code had not been given the green light to resume playing, V’Landys continues to insist the NRL could resume tomorrow if it wanted to because the state’s public health orders provide exemptions for sports.
He said the league would demonstrate it could resume safely through the self-isolation of players, temperature checking and biosecurity at venues:
The western Sydney nursing home which has been hit by a Covid outbreak has seen positive cases increase from 15 to 29 in the last 24 hours.
An employee who was not displaying any symptoms inadvertently caused the outbreak. After learning she had been in contact with a positive case, she was tested and returned a positive test herself.
Tests have been increased at the Anglicare Newmarch House centre.
The NSW chief medical officer, Dr Kerry Chant, has urged all aged care workers to get tested:
There is a nice dose of social guilt being applied to how the government sells the tracing app it wants people to download.
Greg Hunt delivered a masterclass in it while speaking to the ABC this morning about the privacy concerns surrounding the technology: