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Australia coronavirus live: Virgin tells ASX it is going into administration as NSW announces staggered return to school – latest updates Australia coronavirus live: Virgin tells ASX it is going into administration as NSW announces staggered return to school – latest updates
(32 minutes later)
As Australia’s infection rate falls, state and federal leaders will discuss lifting ban on elective surgery at meeting on Tuesday. Follow all the latest news, liveAs Australia’s infection rate falls, state and federal leaders will discuss lifting ban on elective surgery at meeting on Tuesday. Follow all the latest news, live
Speaking of Anthony Albanese he is now addressing media at a press conference: Victoria police deputy commissioner Shane Patton spoke in Melbourne this morning about the scrapping of bail reporting conditions.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has released a statement on Virgin Australia entering administration. From Friday, bail reporting conditions will be suspended for all alleged offenders because of social-distancing measures.Patton said 40,000 alleged offenders travelled to police stations in the state every month, putting people at risk of Covid-19.
“The accountability regime if anything is going to be more stringent,” Patton said. Alleged offenders will have to follow stay at home directions from the chief health officer and each of their cases will be assessed by police individually.
There would be increased checking in on high-risk people by police, he said.
Patton added it would be difficult for alleged offenders to leave the state with current flight restrictions in place.
“This is one less lawful activity allowing them to be out in the community,” Patton said.
“There’s no leniency.”
OK I’ll leave that there. Cairns regional mayor Bob Manning is speaking on the ABC. Virgin is a major employer up there.
He says he’s “encouraged” by the airline moving into administration because he’s “optimistic” about the potential for Virgin or any other airline to fill the need for a low-cost carrier option in Australia servicing regional areas.
Albanese has also accused the government of “right-wing ideology” after finance minister Mathias Cormann flagged deregulation of industries and IR to get the economy moving after the Covid-19 crisis.
Albanese didn’t answer a question about how much equity he’s calling for the government to invest in Virgin. He’s also shrugged off the fact Virgin was already in financial difficulties, saying it’s “absurd” to suggest the airline would be in the position it is today if not for Covid-19.
Albanese is asked why Labor wants the government to intervene when the airline’s administrator says it has already received expressions of interest to recapitalise Virgin. Why not just let the market do its thing, essentially.
Anthony Albanese is still taking questions about Virgin in Sydney. He’s asked why the government should prop up an airline when the uncertainty created by Covid-19 means we don’t know what the aviation industry will look like on the other side. He says it’s still crucial to prevent Qantas having a monopoly.
Good morning. It’s all Virgin Airlines today. Anthony Albanese and co are still addressing the media and we expect to hear from the company soon.
In the meantime, the New South Wales treasurer, Dominic Perrottet, has issued a statement on negotiations with the company. You may remember that yesterday the Queensland minister for state development, Cameron Dick, gave the NSW government an absolute serve over their attempts to woo the airline away from Queensland.
It’s still unclear how Virgin’s decision to go into voluntary administration may affect those negotiations.
Here’s what Perrottet has to say this morning:
I might leave you there for this morning, thank you for reading.
My colleague Michael McGowan will take you through the news for the rest of the day.
More from Anthony Albanese:
Anthony Albanese is now addressing media at a press conference:
The Labor leader, Anthony Albanese, as released a statement on Virgin Australia entering administration.
As my colleague Daniel Hurst mentioned earlier the unions have been calling on the Morrison government to step in a save Virgin Australia.As my colleague Daniel Hurst mentioned earlier the unions have been calling on the Morrison government to step in a save Virgin Australia.
This is the message from Australian Unions this morning:This is the message from Australian Unions this morning:
Australian Tourism Industry Council executive director Simon Westaway says the collapse into administration of Virgin Australia “represents a further significant challenge for Australian tourism facing off against the already massive impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and previously the summer bushfire crisis”. The Australian Tourism Industry Council executive director, Simon Westaway, says the collapse into administration of Virgin Australia “represents a further significant challenge for Australian tourism facing off against the already massive impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and previously the summer bushfire crisis”.
“This is also a historic but also difficult moment for Australian aviation and for thousands of airline personnel and many associated businesses that will be severely impacted. Those obviously also include in tourism. He said tourism employed about 1 million people and it was “logical and important that our Australian-based airlines maintain sustainable operations in order to help achieve this”.
“These are the most challenging of times. The uncertainty around what level of future lost volume of flights and seat capacity that came from a second airline group is obvious in its negative impact.”
He said tourism employed around 1m people and it was “logical and important that our Australian based airlines maintain sustainable operations in order to help achieve this”.
Virgin Australia’s chief executive, Paul Scurrah, and one of the airline’s newly appointed administrators, Vaughan Strawbridge, will front the media at 10.30 this morning and hopefully answer some of the questions everybody has about the airline.Virgin Australia’s chief executive, Paul Scurrah, and one of the airline’s newly appointed administrators, Vaughan Strawbridge, will front the media at 10.30 this morning and hopefully answer some of the questions everybody has about the airline.
While the airline’s announcement this morning made it clear it wants to keep operating on the other side of the coronavirus crisis, it was silent on several crucial issues.While the airline’s announcement this morning made it clear it wants to keep operating on the other side of the coronavirus crisis, it was silent on several crucial issues.
These include what will happen to the jobs and entitlements of about 10,000 workers, the future of the poorly performing budget offshoot Tiger, which is a logical candidate to be shut down, what happens to around $1.2bn in flight bookings, and the value of people’s frequent flyer points.These include what will happen to the jobs and entitlements of about 10,000 workers, the future of the poorly performing budget offshoot Tiger, which is a logical candidate to be shut down, what happens to around $1.2bn in flight bookings, and the value of people’s frequent flyer points.
The latter are held in a separate company that isn’t in administration, but it’s not clear what that means in terms of redeeming them for flights in the future.The latter are held in a separate company that isn’t in administration, but it’s not clear what that means in terms of redeeming them for flights in the future.
Strawbridge will also need to deal with banks and other financiers owed about $4.8bn. The airline’s fleet is heavily mortgaged; just in November it issued about $700m in junk bonds.Strawbridge will also need to deal with banks and other financiers owed about $4.8bn. The airline’s fleet is heavily mortgaged; just in November it issued about $700m in junk bonds.
As voluntary administrators Strawbridge and his fellow Deloitte partners are in charge of navigating the process from here on in.As voluntary administrators Strawbridge and his fellow Deloitte partners are in charge of navigating the process from here on in.
Victoria has just released its numbers for Covid-19 cases overnight.Victoria has just released its numbers for Covid-19 cases overnight.
It has reported an additional seven cases, bringing the state total to 1,336.It has reported an additional seven cases, bringing the state total to 1,336.
This number is made up of 641 men and 695 women, with people aged from babies to their early 90s.This number is made up of 641 men and 695 women, with people aged from babies to their early 90s.
Yesterday the state reported only one new case.Yesterday the state reported only one new case.
Victoria’s chief health officer, Brett Sutton, said this fluctuation in the number of positive Covid-19 cases was due to an increase in the number of tests being completed and an increase in the number of travellers returning from overseas on repatriation flights:Victoria’s chief health officer, Brett Sutton, said this fluctuation in the number of positive Covid-19 cases was due to an increase in the number of tests being completed and an increase in the number of travellers returning from overseas on repatriation flights:
Australia’s peak union body has called for Virgin Australia to keep trading in administration and then come out of administration with new shareholders that include the federal government.
The Australian Council of Trade Unions said it was not too late for the government to rescue the company by acquiring a stake in the airline and argued that a collapse would cost taxpayers dearly.
A failure to rescue Virgin Australia would leave the government with an $800m bill to pay out the entitlements of the workforce under the fair entitlements guarantee scheme, the ACTU said, and “open the door to a monopolistic takeover of our skies”.
The ACTU president, Michele O’Neil, said it was a “do or die” moment for the Morrison government.
“If the Morrison government does not immediately intervene, they will be responsible for the biggest airline collapse in Australia’s history,” she said. “They can choose to save the jobs of 16,000 Virgin Australia workers, or they can choose to abandon all these workers and hand Qantas a monopoly.”
A message from Virgin Australia this morning:
Tasmania has reported five new cases of Covid-19 overnight.
All of these are from the north-west of the state, where there is a significant outbreak.
This brings the state total to 200. Seventy-four of these people have now recovered.
The repatriation of international crew members from the Ruby Princess has begun, NSW police say.
More than 1,000 crew members, many infected with Covid-19, have been trapped on the cruise ship for weeks, unable to disembark unless they require urgent medical attention.
The ship is now the subject of a criminal investigation after some 2,700 passengers were allowed to freely disembark in Sydney on 19 March, despite worries that positive Covid-19 cases could be onboard. The ship has now been connected to more than 600 Covid-19 cases around Australia and at least 19 deaths.
“The first contingent of Ruby Princess crew members will begin the process of repatriation to their home countries today,” NSW police said.
Forty-nine crew members will be taken off the ship today, one of whom has tested positive for Covid-19.
“The [infected] crew member will be taken to a NSW Health-managed hotel to undertake a strict 14-day quarantine period,” police said.
“The remaining 48 crew members have tested negative for COVID-19. They will be disembarked this morning, and arrangements are being made for flights to return them to their home countries.”
NSW police say more crew members will be disembarked from the Ruby Princess over the coming days, and a significant number of crew members will remain on the vessel and return with it to its port of origin.
Queensland reported only six new Covid-19 cases today, bringing the state total to 1,024.
The state health minister, Dr Steven Miles, said:
Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin group, tweeted this this morning:
There are concerns for Cairns in far north Queensland after a number of lab technicians have tested positive for Covid-19.
Queensland chief health officer, Dr Jeannette Young, urged anyone in the area to get tested if they have any symptoms.
Annastacia Palaszczuk has encouraged Queenslanders to stand at the end of their driveways on Saturday morning to commemorate the Anzac soldiers.
The RSL president, Tony Ferris, gave details at a press conference this morning:
Virgin Australia has told the stock exchange it is in administration.
It has appointed Vaughan Strawbridge, John Greig, Sal Algeri and Richard Hughes of Deloitte as voluntary administrators.
“The decision comes as the group has continued to seek financial assistance from a number of parties, including State and Federal Governments, to help it through the unprecedented crisis, however is yet to secure the required support,” the company told the ASX.
“Virgin Australia will continue to operate its scheduled international and domestic flights which are helping to transport essential workers, maintain important freight corridors, and return Australians home.
“The administrators will be supported by the group’s current management team, led by Chief Executive Officer Paul Scurrah, and will work closely with team members, suppliers, and partners throughout the process.”
Strawbridge said: “Our intention is to undertake a process to restructure and refinance the business and bring it out of administration as soon as possible.”
“We are committed to working with Paul and the Virgin Australia team and are progressing well on some immediate steps. We have commenced a process of seeking interest from parties for participation in the recapitalisation of the business and its future, and there have been several expressions of interest so far.”
Virgin Australia said the frequent flyer program Velocity “while owned by the Group, is a separate company and is not in administration”.
We know that the mayor of Waverley, the local council area taking in Bondi beach, is in talks with the NSW Health minister’s office about opening a pathway on the sand to allow surfers and swimmer access to the water.
Seven News’s Chris Reason is reporting this is what the pathway could look like.
You can check out the Guardian’s full report here: