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| Australia coronavirus live: some Sydney beaches to reopen for exercise – latest updates | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Every worker is an essential worker, NSW health minister Brad Hazzard says, and Greg Hunt backs calls for global investigation into Covid-19 spread. Follow the latest news live | Every worker is an essential worker, NSW health minister Brad Hazzard says, and Greg Hunt backs calls for global investigation into Covid-19 spread. Follow the latest news live |
| First it was Llandudno in Wales being noisily browsed by a herd of goats. Then deer venturing into Nara, Japan. More wildlife reclaiming the world. | |
| The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has prohibited cruise ship crew from travelling on commercial flights within America, leaving 107 Australians stranded, an unable to get home. | |
| Australian dancer Amber Jenkins is one of 107 Australian crew members stranded on 40 ships off the coast of the US and in the Caribbean after the coronavirus pandemic wreaked havoc on the cruise industry. | |
| Jenkins, a 22-year-old from Kempsey on the NSW mid north coast, and three other Australian crew members are on Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas. | |
| The ship offloaded its passengers weeks ago and there have been no cases of coronavirus on the vessel, but a lack of available flights has meant the Australians are floating off the coast of Florida not sure when they will be able to fly home. | |
| “Amber is safe,” her mother, Tina Keast, told AAP on Saturday. | |
| “She is being fed, is well looked after, has a guest room, and they are doing the quarantining and wearing the masks on the ship even though there is no virus on there and no passengers.” | |
| Australia’s ambassador to the US Arthur Sinodinos used social media on Friday to write a letter to the stranded Australians, assuring them the government was “working tirelessly to assist with your safe and timely repatriation to Australia”. | |
| The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has prohibited cruise ship crew from travelling on commercial flights in the US. | |
| “This is making it extremely difficult for cruise lines to make viable logistical arrangements for the repatriation of its crew members,” Sinodinos wrote. | |
| The Australian government has worked with cruise ship companies across the globe to help facilitate the return of Australian passengers and crew. | |
| There are no longer Australian passengers on cruise ships, a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said. | |
| Keast said her daughter was booked on a flight three weeks ago but it was cancelled. They hope a charter flight can be organised to get the Australians home. | |
| The Adventure of the Seas is scheduled to dock at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Sunday for supplies, but Jenkins won’t be able to disembark unless she has a flight booked. | |
| “The cruise company is really looking after them well and everyone on the ship is happy,” Keast said. | |
| “If they can get a charter flight organised for all of them to fly home, they will all jump on and do it.” | |
| (As the parent of a school-aged child, I find this interesting. My child is un-teachable anyway. Five years old, knows everything). | |
| Parents in Queensland are not expected to teach their children from home amid school closures, the education minister Grace Grace has said. | |
| Schools remain open for essential workers and vulnerable children when term two begins on Monday. | |
| People uncertain about whether children should be at school should contact their school’s principal, health authorities have said. | |
| Parents who have children at home with them are not required to take any classes. | |
| That’s a job for teachers and teacher aides employed across the state who will help children learn via digital devices and hard copies of the curriculum, the education minister said. | |
| “This is remote learning,” Grace told reporters on Sunday. | |
| “No parent is required to be a teacher.” | |
| Thousands of new electronic devices have been purchased for schools and print learning material has been prepared. | |
| The school restriction measures are expected to be reviewed in five weeks and help lines have been established for those who have questions or need help. | |
| Grace said she expected between 10% to 15% of students would attend schools from Monday. | |
| Good afternoon. Ben Doherty here in Sydney. Across the Tasman Sea from where I sit on this glorious autumnal Sunday, New Zealand looks likely to announce a relaxation of its lockdown laws, after low number of new Covid-19 cases for more than a week. | Good afternoon. Ben Doherty here in Sydney. Across the Tasman Sea from where I sit on this glorious autumnal Sunday, New Zealand looks likely to announce a relaxation of its lockdown laws, after low number of new Covid-19 cases for more than a week. |
| You can read more on how are countries are navigating their ‘exit strategies’ here. | You can read more on how are countries are navigating their ‘exit strategies’ here. |
| From Ben McKay at AAP in New Zealand:One day out from a decision on whether to relax New Zealand’s coronavirus clampdown, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has asked Kiwis to keep a diary of their daily movements. | From Ben McKay at AAP in New Zealand:One day out from a decision on whether to relax New Zealand’s coronavirus clampdown, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has asked Kiwis to keep a diary of their daily movements. |
| Ardern believes the homespun idea could help the country’s contact-tracers with their work. | Ardern believes the homespun idea could help the country’s contact-tracers with their work. |
| “I would ask New Zealanders to think about doing that. Just keeping a quick note of where you’ve been, and who you’ve been with,” Ardern said. | “I would ask New Zealanders to think about doing that. Just keeping a quick note of where you’ve been, and who you’ve been with,” Ardern said. |
| “It will not only help them, it will help us. If you imagine, even asking someone six days later to account every movement over a period of time, it’s an incredibly hard task. | “It will not only help them, it will help us. If you imagine, even asking someone six days later to account every movement over a period of time, it’s an incredibly hard task. |
| “So I would ask New Zealanders to have new practises, new things that they do at the end of the day. | “So I would ask New Zealanders to have new practises, new things that they do at the end of the day. |
| “The better that we are able to do ... the sooner we can move through down the alert levels and the sooner life feels more normal.” | “The better that we are able to do ... the sooner we can move through down the alert levels and the sooner life feels more normal.” |
| On Monday, cabinet will meet to decide whether to end four weeks of level four restrictions and downscale to a level three lockdown, which mirrors many of Australia’s restrictions. | On Monday, cabinet will meet to decide whether to end four weeks of level four restrictions and downscale to a level three lockdown, which mirrors many of Australia’s restrictions. |
| That will include re-opening schools, allowing more businesses – including the construction and forestry industries – to get back to work and let restaurants operate for delivery orders only. | That will include re-opening schools, allowing more businesses – including the construction and forestry industries – to get back to work and let restaurants operate for delivery orders only. |
| It will also allow Kiwis to extend their bubbles of people with which they have personal contact, which presents a challenge for contact tracing. | It will also allow Kiwis to extend their bubbles of people with which they have personal contact, which presents a challenge for contact tracing. |
| Contact tracing is the process where health officials track down people that have been in contact with confirmed cases of Covid-19, asking them to self-isolate and get tested. | |
| Just as in Australia, officials are hoping to use a tracking app to assist the process, along with diary entries. | |
| On Sunday, health officials announced just nine new cases across the country, the eighth straight day in which new cases have been no higher than 20. | On Sunday, health officials announced just nine new cases across the country, the eighth straight day in which new cases have been no higher than 20. |
| The country’s death toll stands at 12, after the death of a man in Invercargill last Tuesday was confirmed to be linked to Covid-19. | The country’s death toll stands at 12, after the death of a man in Invercargill last Tuesday was confirmed to be linked to Covid-19. |
| In keeping with the country’s health-first approach, Ardern announced four criteria that would decide whether the country would relax its restrictions – with none related to the economy. | In keeping with the country’s health-first approach, Ardern announced four criteria that would decide whether the country would relax its restrictions – with none related to the economy. |
| The first is the satisfaction of health professionals that undetected community transmission is unlikely. | The first is the satisfaction of health professionals that undetected community transmission is unlikely. |
| The second is strong contact tracing capacity, the third is the strength of border controls and the the fourth is the health system’s ability to stand up. | The second is strong contact tracing capacity, the third is the strength of border controls and the the fourth is the health system’s ability to stand up. |
| “Our focus has been to protect the health of New Zealanders,” Ardern said, while acknowledging the hurt in the business community. | “Our focus has been to protect the health of New Zealanders,” Ardern said, while acknowledging the hurt in the business community. |
| “The best thing for the economy has been to stop the virus. But I do what to say thank you to a very special group ... small business owners and operators. Nobody underestimates how hard this situation is for all of you.” | “The best thing for the economy has been to stop the virus. But I do what to say thank you to a very special group ... small business owners and operators. Nobody underestimates how hard this situation is for all of you.” |
| The New Zealand government has paid out more than $NZ9bn ($A$8.8bn) in wage subsidies to businesses, representing more than 1.5 million people, to date. | The New Zealand government has paid out more than $NZ9bn ($A$8.8bn) in wage subsidies to businesses, representing more than 1.5 million people, to date. |
| That’s me done for today. I will leave you in the capable hands of my colleague Ben Doherty, who will take you through the rest of the afternoon and into the evening. | That’s me done for today. I will leave you in the capable hands of my colleague Ben Doherty, who will take you through the rest of the afternoon and into the evening. |
| First, though, here’s a quick summary of what’s happened so far today: | First, though, here’s a quick summary of what’s happened so far today: |
| Australia recorded two new Covid-19 deaths. One, in New South Wales, was a 94-year-old man. He was a resident at the Newmarch House aged care facility in western Sydney. It is the second death from the aged care facility after a significant outbreak. There are now 39 cases from the facility, including 13 staff. A man in his 80s from Victoria also died overnight. | Australia recorded two new Covid-19 deaths. One, in New South Wales, was a 94-year-old man. He was a resident at the Newmarch House aged care facility in western Sydney. It is the second death from the aged care facility after a significant outbreak. There are now 39 cases from the facility, including 13 staff. A man in his 80s from Victoria also died overnight. |
| The foreign minister, Marise Payne, has called for an independent global investigation into the spread of Covid-19. Payne says she does not think the World Health Organisation should run the investigation, saying she shares some of the concerns expressed by the US about the agencies handling of the pandemic. Payne was also reluctant to answer questions about whether she “trusts” China in terms of its response to the virus during an interview with the ABC. | The foreign minister, Marise Payne, has called for an independent global investigation into the spread of Covid-19. Payne says she does not think the World Health Organisation should run the investigation, saying she shares some of the concerns expressed by the US about the agencies handling of the pandemic. Payne was also reluctant to answer questions about whether she “trusts” China in terms of its response to the virus during an interview with the ABC. |
| The federal health minister, Greg Hunt, said elective surgery and IVF could resume sooner than previously expected, thanks to an increase in PPE equipment available to Australia’s healthcare system. Hunt also took a swipe at the WHO, saying its response to the crisis “didn’t help the world”. | The federal health minister, Greg Hunt, said elective surgery and IVF could resume sooner than previously expected, thanks to an increase in PPE equipment available to Australia’s healthcare system. Hunt also took a swipe at the WHO, saying its response to the crisis “didn’t help the world”. |
| The New South Wales health minister, Brad Hazzard, announced anyone who spat on a worker could receive a $5,000 fine. It’s an expansion of a previous decision to allow the fines for people who spat on health workers or police. | The New South Wales health minister, Brad Hazzard, announced anyone who spat on a worker could receive a $5,000 fine. It’s an expansion of a previous decision to allow the fines for people who spat on health workers or police. |
| Hazzard also said NSW had avoided some 700 deaths, based on projections during the peak of the outbreak. | Hazzard also said NSW had avoided some 700 deaths, based on projections during the peak of the outbreak. |
| Beaches in some parts of the Sydney’s eastern suburbs will re-open from Monday. Randwick mayor Danny Said announced that Clovelly, Coogee and Maroubra beaches would re-open for exercise only from Monday. | Beaches in some parts of the Sydney’s eastern suburbs will re-open from Monday. Randwick mayor Danny Said announced that Clovelly, Coogee and Maroubra beaches would re-open for exercise only from Monday. |
| Western Australia has recorded just one new Covid-19 case overnight. | Western Australia has recorded just one new Covid-19 case overnight. |
| But the state’s health minister, Roger Cook, has urged people not to become complacent. He announced a little earlier that the state had invested in preparing to give its health department significant “surge capacity”, going from a little more than 100 ventilator beds to “well over 660”. | But the state’s health minister, Roger Cook, has urged people not to become complacent. He announced a little earlier that the state had invested in preparing to give its health department significant “surge capacity”, going from a little more than 100 ventilator beds to “well over 660”. |
| Queensland Health have issued a correction. Instead of four new cases, the state has five. That includes the death of the 83-year-old man, which was announced yesterday. | Queensland Health have issued a correction. Instead of four new cases, the state has five. That includes the death of the 83-year-old man, which was announced yesterday. |
| Not Covid-19 related exactly, but this is quite a story from my colleague Malcolm Farr. A legal clash is looming after claims a senior adviser to the prime minister, Scott Morrison, has pirated Malcolm Turnbull’s memoir before its official publication on Monday. | Not Covid-19 related exactly, but this is quite a story from my colleague Malcolm Farr. A legal clash is looming after claims a senior adviser to the prime minister, Scott Morrison, has pirated Malcolm Turnbull’s memoir before its official publication on Monday. |
| A letter of complaint has been sent to a senior Morrison adviser from Nicholas Pullen of lawyers HWL Ebsworth, representing Turnbull and his publishers. | A letter of complaint has been sent to a senior Morrison adviser from Nicholas Pullen of lawyers HWL Ebsworth, representing Turnbull and his publishers. |
| Lawyers for Turnbull and his publisher Hardie Grant believe unauthorised digital copies of the book, A Bigger Picture, were widely distributed with recipients encouraged to forward them to others. | Lawyers for Turnbull and his publisher Hardie Grant believe unauthorised digital copies of the book, A Bigger Picture, were widely distributed with recipients encouraged to forward them to others. |
| I should stress that beaches in neighbouring Waverley – so Bondi, Tamarama and Bronte – remain closed for now. | I should stress that beaches in neighbouring Waverley – so Bondi, Tamarama and Bronte – remain closed for now. |
| On Saturday Waverley mayor Paula Masselos said the area remained “a hotspot for coronavirus cases and we have no intention of reopening our beaches at this time”. | On Saturday Waverley mayor Paula Masselos said the area remained “a hotspot for coronavirus cases and we have no intention of reopening our beaches at this time”. |
| Masselos also said the council was working with Randwick City and Woollahra councils “on a coordinated approach to the situation at our beaches in consultation with our local police and health authorities”. | Masselos also said the council was working with Randwick City and Woollahra councils “on a coordinated approach to the situation at our beaches in consultation with our local police and health authorities”. |
| So, watch this space I guess. | So, watch this space I guess. |
| A number of beaches in Sydney’s eastern suburbs will reopen on Monday, but only for exercise. | A number of beaches in Sydney’s eastern suburbs will reopen on Monday, but only for exercise. |
| Randwick Council says that from tomorrow Coogee, Maroubra and Clovelly Beaches will be made available for “exercise purposes only”. That means jogging on the sand, walking, swimming, surfing and other exercise activities will now be permitted. | Randwick Council says that from tomorrow Coogee, Maroubra and Clovelly Beaches will be made available for “exercise purposes only”. That means jogging on the sand, walking, swimming, surfing and other exercise activities will now be permitted. |
| Sydney’s eastern suburbs beaches were closed on 28 March after large crowds were filmed gathering at neighbouring Bondi Beach. | Sydney’s eastern suburbs beaches were closed on 28 March after large crowds were filmed gathering at neighbouring Bondi Beach. |
| “Living along the coast, I know how important our beaches are to the mental and physical health of so many in the community,” Randwick mayor Danny Said said. | “Living along the coast, I know how important our beaches are to the mental and physical health of so many in the community,” Randwick mayor Danny Said said. |
| “The past three weeks have been difficult as we’ve all had to make changes and sacrifices to our daily routines. Our decision to close the beaches three weeks ago was not taken lightly and factored in the risk of coronavirus spread, particularly given the concentration of Covid-19 cases in the eastern suburbs area along with the popularity of our beaches. | “The past three weeks have been difficult as we’ve all had to make changes and sacrifices to our daily routines. Our decision to close the beaches three weeks ago was not taken lightly and factored in the risk of coronavirus spread, particularly given the concentration of Covid-19 cases in the eastern suburbs area along with the popularity of our beaches. |
| “Our decision was also based upon expected crowd numbers and people’s initial behaviour in relation to social distancing rules. | “Our decision was also based upon expected crowd numbers and people’s initial behaviour in relation to social distancing rules. |
| “By not going to the beach, each of us has helped others in need. We’ve helped slow the spread and flatten the curve. I know it’s been tough, but I thank everybody for doing the right thing.” | “By not going to the beach, each of us has helped others in need. We’ve helped slow the spread and flatten the curve. I know it’s been tough, but I thank everybody for doing the right thing.” |
| Ocean rock pools in Randwick will remain closed until further notice as they are subject to a public health order to close. | Ocean rock pools in Randwick will remain closed until further notice as they are subject to a public health order to close. |
| The ABC is reporting that there has been another death at the Newmarch House aged care home in Western Sydney after a 94-year-old resident died this morning. | The ABC is reporting that there has been another death at the Newmarch House aged care home in Western Sydney after a 94-year-old resident died this morning. |
| It’s the second death at the aged care home, after a 93-year-old man died yesterday. | It’s the second death at the aged care home, after a 93-year-old man died yesterday. |
| The New South Wales health minister Dr Kerry Chant said this morning that there were now 39 confirmed cases from the aged care home, including 13 staff. That’s an increase of nine cases from yesterday. | The New South Wales health minister Dr Kerry Chant said this morning that there were now 39 confirmed cases from the aged care home, including 13 staff. That’s an increase of nine cases from yesterday. |
| The outbreak occurred after a staff member attended work without realising she was infected. | The outbreak occurred after a staff member attended work without realising she was infected. |
| Queensland recorded four new cases of Covid-19 overnight, taking the state’s total to 1,019. | Queensland recorded four new cases of Covid-19 overnight, taking the state’s total to 1,019. |
| The state’s health department says 275 of those cases remain active. | The state’s health department says 275 of those cases remain active. |