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Australia coronavirus update live: Two more deaths reported in NSW as national death toll reaches 74 – latest news Australia coronavirus update live: two more deaths reported in NSW as national death toll reaches 74 – latest news
(32 minutes later)
New South Wales chief medical officer says 231 people are now being treated for Covid-19, with 20 in intensive care. Follow liveNew South Wales chief medical officer says 231 people are now being treated for Covid-19, with 20 in intensive care. Follow live
Deputy chief medical officer, professor Paul Kelly will give the national update at 3.15pm today.
The crew from the Ruby Princess are being repatriated, but the debate over who is to blame for the cruise ship passengers being allowed to disperse into the community, without forced quarantine, given there were reportedly Covid-19 symptoms onboard, continues.
Queensland is releasing its Covid-19 information on a new site, which will include:
Total Queensland cases
Total samples tested
New Covid-19 cases recorded in Queenslander over the past 24 hours
Active cases
Recovered cases
Age and gender of confirmed cases
Cases by local government area and source of infection
Covid-19 mapping and cumulative graphs
Self-quarantine statistics
You’ll find all that information, here.
So much of Australia’s political “tactics” are grounded in what operatives thought was groundbreaking while at university.
We just see the same guff played out time and time and time again. Except now, they actually have positions of power. Malcolm Farr has the latest in the most recent round of ridiculousness:
There is a reason most jurisdictions are looking to reopen schools in the next six weeks or so.
And the official report on the latest bilateral chat is out:
A little more on the ABS analysis of the March retail figuresA little more on the ABS analysis of the March retail figures
Cricket Australia is the latest sporting body to have holes in its finances exposed by the pandemic.Cricket Australia is the latest sporting body to have holes in its finances exposed by the pandemic.
As Sam Perry reports the sport has already lost $20m despite having all but completed the southern hemisphere season, and if India don’t tour this coming summer, it could lose $100m.As Sam Perry reports the sport has already lost $20m despite having all but completed the southern hemisphere season, and if India don’t tour this coming summer, it could lose $100m.
The restrictions may be relaxed, but we know the economy is not going to “snap back”, something the prime minister admitted last week.The restrictions may be relaxed, but we know the economy is not going to “snap back”, something the prime minister admitted last week.
And as Paul Karp has previously pointed out, employers are not going to want to deal with the applications – given their business won’t be “back on track” either.And as Paul Karp has previously pointed out, employers are not going to want to deal with the applications – given their business won’t be “back on track” either.
As Paul Karp reports:As Paul Karp reports:
The Greens’ Rachel Siewert had asked the government to suspend mutual obligation requirements for jobseekers for six months.The Greens’ Rachel Siewert had asked the government to suspend mutual obligation requirements for jobseekers for six months.
After Michaelia Cash and Anne Ruston extended the suspension to 22 May, they have written back to the Greens, linking the new date to the prime minister suggesting on 16 April that a further four weeks of Covid-19 restrictions will be required.After Michaelia Cash and Anne Ruston extended the suspension to 22 May, they have written back to the Greens, linking the new date to the prime minister suggesting on 16 April that a further four weeks of Covid-19 restrictions will be required.
All this tends to suggest that the rolling suspension of mutual obligation seems designed so that obligations to apply for jobs and work for the dole will “snap back” as soon as movement restrictions are lifted and businesses are back open.All this tends to suggest that the rolling suspension of mutual obligation seems designed so that obligations to apply for jobs and work for the dole will “snap back” as soon as movement restrictions are lifted and businesses are back open.
This is very welcome newsThis is very welcome news
Further to the Donald Trump chat this morning with Scott Morrison, John Hopkins has updated the US cases:Further to the Donald Trump chat this morning with Scott Morrison, John Hopkins has updated the US cases:
The Actuaries Institute has prepared an exit strategy report, on what its researchers think needs to happen to as restrictions relax, but a vaccine remains elusive.The Actuaries Institute has prepared an exit strategy report, on what its researchers think needs to happen to as restrictions relax, but a vaccine remains elusive.
You can find the whole report here, but the conclusions are:You can find the whole report here, but the conclusions are:
· Recognition that there are no risk-free options, and that one-dimensional strategies which fight the virus without reference to the economic implications will kill more people from poverty and mental health issues than they save from the virus. The approach needs a careful balance between expanding economic activity and preventing the virus spreading exponentially.· Recognition that there are no risk-free options, and that one-dimensional strategies which fight the virus without reference to the economic implications will kill more people from poverty and mental health issues than they save from the virus. The approach needs a careful balance between expanding economic activity and preventing the virus spreading exponentially.
· Phased introduction – perhaps by geographical region; starting with schools due to the low levels of health risk to younger people and the double-whammy of disrupted education for children and disrupted work for parents if schools are closed or only notionally open.· Phased introduction – perhaps by geographical region; starting with schools due to the low levels of health risk to younger people and the double-whammy of disrupted education for children and disrupted work for parents if schools are closed or only notionally open.
· A plan to deal rapidly with localised outbreaks by identifying, quarantining and testing people who may have been exposed to infection.· A plan to deal rapidly with localised outbreaks by identifying, quarantining and testing people who may have been exposed to infection.
· A plan to lockdown again (perhaps by region) if the strategy does not work. Acknowledgement that some people will not follow the rules – so some high-risk people will be exposed by having contact with (say) family members.· A plan to lockdown again (perhaps by region) if the strategy does not work. Acknowledgement that some people will not follow the rules – so some high-risk people will be exposed by having contact with (say) family members.
· Acknowledgement that mild or asymptomatic cases could lead to further breakouts.· Acknowledgement that mild or asymptomatic cases could lead to further breakouts.
· Full testing within regions to ensure local elimination – as done in the north Italian town of Vo. While this could be viewed as intrusive, it is far less intrusive than requiring people to give up their livelihoods.· Full testing within regions to ensure local elimination – as done in the north Italian town of Vo. While this could be viewed as intrusive, it is far less intrusive than requiring people to give up their livelihoods.
· Recognition that frequent heavy exposure kills healthy people – so we need to minimise people needing hospital care.· Recognition that frequent heavy exposure kills healthy people – so we need to minimise people needing hospital care.
We will maintain:We will maintain:
Closed borders – we could have travel between cleared countries in time, perhaps starting with New Zealand.Closed borders – we could have travel between cleared countries in time, perhaps starting with New Zealand.
Limited travel between regions until they are all clear or reliable tests can be carried out before travel and at points of entry.Limited travel between regions until they are all clear or reliable tests can be carried out before travel and at points of entry.
The risk of going early is still large but it could be managed progressively – but the risk of staying out longer will be crippling for the economy. The further risk of staying out longer once community-transmitted cases have reduced to very low levels is that the community will simply stop complying.The risk of going early is still large but it could be managed progressively – but the risk of staying out longer will be crippling for the economy. The further risk of staying out longer once community-transmitted cases have reduced to very low levels is that the community will simply stop complying.
All of that toilet paper hoarding had to have some impact.All of that toilet paper hoarding had to have some impact.
The ABS has the receipts – we spent more in March then we did before the GST came into effect:The ABS has the receipts – we spent more in March then we did before the GST came into effect:
The prime minister has had a chat to the United States president this morning.The prime minister has had a chat to the United States president this morning.
As you would expect, coronavirus dominated the talks, which included the health response, and how to get each country’s economy back up and running.As you would expect, coronavirus dominated the talks, which included the health response, and how to get each country’s economy back up and running.
Transparency is also understood to have been on the agenda, which would have included the World Health Organisation response and communication on the pandemic.Transparency is also understood to have been on the agenda, which would have included the World Health Organisation response and communication on the pandemic.
The talks are part of the regular check-in the G20 leaders are having with each other, which also includes the more vulnerable nations around them, which, in Australia’s case, includes the Pacific.The talks are part of the regular check-in the G20 leaders are having with each other, which also includes the more vulnerable nations around them, which, in Australia’s case, includes the Pacific.
Queensland Greens MP for Maiwar, Michael Berkman, took to Twitter to warn that new residential tenancy laws being voted on in state parliament tonight will incidentally create new grounds for a landlord to evict a tenant.
Instead of passing a moratorium on all evictions, the legislation will only outlaw evictions for tenants that can prove their income has been affected by Covid-19.
But Berkman says the laws will also make it legal to evict a tenant on a fixed-term lease if they want to sell that property with vacant possession, something landlords can’t do at the moment.
The Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein was just talking about the temporary visa holders which have largely been left without help during this crisis.
They are not the only group who have been left stranded by this in Australia though. Asylum seekers, many of whom have no option to return home for fear of their lives, are stuck in Australia with no jobs, no government safety net and no family.
The lockdown in Tasmania’s north-west coast, which was put in place after an outbreak in two hospitals in the region, will be relaxed on Sunday, which is the end of the two-week quarantine period.
There has been one new case of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours.
On tenancy agreements, Peter Gutwein says:
The Tasmanian premier, Peter Gutwein says a lot of temporary visa holders have been left out of the federal government assistance measures, which he wants to address:
It has been floating around again for a while, but this morning Josh Frydenberg put company tax cuts firmly back on the table.
Business Council of Australia chief executive, Jennifer Westacott told Sky News’s Laura Jayes they were absolutely needed (but she would say that, wouldn’t she).
In case you haven’t seen this as yet, or cried today, I am giving this another run, because we all need a bit of heartbreakingly lovely in our lives.
A group of friends who gathered at one of their homes to play video games are among 95 people to be issued with a $1,600 on-the-spot fine for allegedly breaching Victoria’s social distancing laws in the past 24 hours.
Police in Victoria said they also fined three people who, they claim, “booked a short stay accommodation so they could hand out and take drugs”, as well as two people who were stopped in a car in Box Hill.
As we have seen in a number of these cases in recent weeks, police allege another offence was being committed at the same time – the driver of that car in Box Hill was unlicensed, the passenger was apparently brandishing a weapon.
The social distancing laws give police another reason to stop people and question their movements.
As Michael McGowan reported yesterday, a number of people fined in Victoria say the police were “intimidating” or “aggressive” and the laws were confusing.
But police have the discretionary power to issue on-the-spot fines and question people’s movements, and they are using that power.
The first suspension was always going to be too short:
The lifting of mutual obligations will continue until 22 May 2020 as a result of the impact of Covid-19.
During this time employment services remain open and available to support jobseekers to prepare for and find available jobs.
The government has a strong expectation that jobseekers will continue to work positively with their employment service provider and take advantage of all the support that is available.
To further assist jobseekers to prepare for and move quickly back into work, the Morrison government is also bringing forward the Employment Fund credit for the most job-ready jobseekers to be available immediately, rather than after 13 weeks, which is currently the case.
This change will apply to jobseekers who commence in jobactive from 4 May 2020.
The Employment Fund can be used by employment service providers to purchase work-related items including licences, equipment, training or qualifications to ensure workers are prepared and able to take up critical roles in the economy.
These arrangements by the Morrison government continue to support Australians through the challenges presented by Covid-19 and will be continually reviewed.