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| Coronavirus Australia update latest: Victoria to test 100,000 people in two weeks as 1 million download tracing app – live news | Coronavirus Australia update latest: Victoria to test 100,000 people in two weeks as 1 million download tracing app – live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Western Australians wake up to loosened restrictions as Queensland and NT also prepare to relax rules. Follow live | Western Australians wake up to loosened restrictions as Queensland and NT also prepare to relax rules. Follow live |
| The ACCC has released its interim report as part of its inquiry into Australian home loans. It found that there wasn’t a lot of transparency in the cost of loans, or difference in the mortgage rates for the four big banks. | |
| It also found that the banks only dropped their rates when the RBA slashed the cash rate. And it could take a while to do even that, meaning the banks picked up revenue in the lag time. | |
| You’ll find the whole report here | |
| Chris Bowen, who has downloaded the app, says it is one more step towards whatever new normal will greet Australia once the restrictions begin being relaxed: | |
| ACT Health has released its daily update – there have been no new cases of Covid diagnosed in the territory in the last 24 hours, which is becoming quite the trend (as it is for the NT and South Australia). | |
| There have been no new cases of Covid-19 recorded in the ACT in the past 24 hours. The ACT’s total is still 106. | |
| A total of 100 cases have recovered from Covid-19 and have been released from self-isolation. | |
| There is currently one (1) Covid-19 patient in a Canberra hospital. They are in a stable condition. | |
| The remaining cases are isolating at home with ACT Health support. | The remaining cases are isolating at home with ACT Health support. |
| The ACT has recorded three (3) deaths. | The ACT has recorded three (3) deaths. |
| The number of negative tests in the ACT is now 7,996. | |
| The NT is announcing the relaxation of restrictions now but, like Queensland, they won’t be lifted until the weekend. | The NT is announcing the relaxation of restrictions now but, like Queensland, they won’t be lifted until the weekend. |
| The Northern Territory joins WA and Qld in announcing a slight relaxation of restrictions. Here was Michael Gunner on ABC radio this morning: | The Northern Territory joins WA and Qld in announcing a slight relaxation of restrictions. Here was Michael Gunner on ABC radio this morning: |
| “We’re aiming towards people in the Northern Territory to live the new normal in June. | “We’re aiming towards people in the Northern Territory to live the new normal in June. |
| “Please go back to that context, saying we’re safe, but not immune. I want people to understand that. | “Please go back to that context, saying we’re safe, but not immune. I want people to understand that. |
| “The second wave of these things are possible. The last thing I’ll be touching are the borders.” | “The second wave of these things are possible. The last thing I’ll be touching are the borders.” |
| Speaking at a press conference now, Gunner says if restrictions are relaxed, the responsibility on residents grows even bigger – and he warns “don’t be a Bondi”. | Speaking at a press conference now, Gunner says if restrictions are relaxed, the responsibility on residents grows even bigger – and he warns “don’t be a Bondi”. |
| The Chinese ambassador spoke to the AFR on the weekend and said Australia’s pursuit of an inquiry into the origins of Covid-19 and China’s reaction could result in a consumer retaliation. | The Chinese ambassador spoke to the AFR on the weekend and said Australia’s pursuit of an inquiry into the origins of Covid-19 and China’s reaction could result in a consumer retaliation. |
| You can find that story here | You can find that story here |
| Marise Payne has responded: | Marise Payne has responded: |
| In case anyone was still at a loss as to which minister was in charge of Services Australia (formerly Centrelink), it’s Stuart Robert. | In case anyone was still at a loss as to which minister was in charge of Services Australia (formerly Centrelink), it’s Stuart Robert. |
| Australians who were today expecting a boost to their welfare payments courtesy of the government’s new $550 a fortnight coronavirus supplement will have to wait a little longer. | |
| Although the Treasury website states the boosted payments will flow from 27 April, it will only be paid once welfare recipients have “reported income for the period that covers 27 April”, Services Australia advised on Monday. | Although the Treasury website states the boosted payments will flow from 27 April, it will only be paid once welfare recipients have “reported income for the period that covers 27 April”, Services Australia advised on Monday. |
| However, the clarification has frustrated some welfare recipients, who had expected the boosted payments to flow from today. | However, the clarification has frustrated some welfare recipients, who had expected the boosted payments to flow from today. |
| “People who reported their income last week were expecting to receive the boosted rate this week — they were counting on it,” said Jeremy Poxon, of the Australian Unemployed Workers Union. | “People who reported their income last week were expecting to receive the boosted rate this week — they were counting on it,” said Jeremy Poxon, of the Australian Unemployed Workers Union. |
| Welfare recipients are required to report their income to Centrelink over a fortnightly period in order to receive their next payment. | Welfare recipients are required to report their income to Centrelink over a fortnightly period in order to receive their next payment. |
| However, government messaging on the Treasury and Services Australia websites merely stated that the supplement would “commence from 27 April 2020”. | However, government messaging on the Treasury and Services Australia websites merely stated that the supplement would “commence from 27 April 2020”. |
| Looks like the SA education server has been overloaded | Looks like the SA education server has been overloaded |
| The confusion continues, particularly for some of our most vulnerable | The confusion continues, particularly for some of our most vulnerable |
| After Labor requested the auditor general review of the Covid-19 spending, to ensure oversight, the office has said it will look over the economic response. From the auditor general’s letter: | |
| The chief medical officer, professor Brendan Murphy, will give the national Covid update at 2pm. | The chief medical officer, professor Brendan Murphy, will give the national Covid update at 2pm. |
| That’s about an hour earlier than usual, so the meetings must be getting shorter. | That’s about an hour earlier than usual, so the meetings must be getting shorter. |
| Bob Katter starts off with the right idea – that it is kinda absurd to count a “strategic oil reserve”, which is designed to ensure a nation has emergency fuel stocks in the event of a conflict or a supply chain cut, IN ANOTHER COUNTRY, but then he strays into Bob Katter territory and the statement falls off the edge of a cliff (let a thousand flowers bloom): | Bob Katter starts off with the right idea – that it is kinda absurd to count a “strategic oil reserve”, which is designed to ensure a nation has emergency fuel stocks in the event of a conflict or a supply chain cut, IN ANOTHER COUNTRY, but then he strays into Bob Katter territory and the statement falls off the edge of a cliff (let a thousand flowers bloom): |
| “Three submarines could simply cut off Australia’s entire oil supply,” Katter said. | “Three submarines could simply cut off Australia’s entire oil supply,” Katter said. |
| “You can’t have an operational defence force without petrol and diesel; it leaves us extremely vulnerable to attack. | “You can’t have an operational defence force without petrol and diesel; it leaves us extremely vulnerable to attack. |
| “Our current storage and refining infrastructure leaves us with less than a month of fuel supply.” | “Our current storage and refining infrastructure leaves us with less than a month of fuel supply.” |
| Katter said ethanol was the solution to the current crisis and called on the federal and state governments to mandate ethanol and build an adequate amount of fuel storage infrastructure – including more refineries. | Katter said ethanol was the solution to the current crisis and called on the federal and state governments to mandate ethanol and build an adequate amount of fuel storage infrastructure – including more refineries. |
| “I have been talking about ethanol for 30 years; Katter’s Australian party has endorsed ethanol since its inception,” he said. | “I have been talking about ethanol for 30 years; Katter’s Australian party has endorsed ethanol since its inception,” he said. |
| “More people die a year in Australia from petrol fumes than they have from coronavirus (Ref: 1,715 deaths in 2019, Sydney Morning Herald). | “More people die a year in Australia from petrol fumes than they have from coronavirus (Ref: 1,715 deaths in 2019, Sydney Morning Herald). |
| “Every other country on earth has moved to ethanol for that very reason. | “Every other country on earth has moved to ethanol for that very reason. |
| “The studies done in California left no question that the particles and carcinogens in petrol make it extremely volatile, not in regional areas, but most certainly in built up city areas like Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. | “The studies done in California left no question that the particles and carcinogens in petrol make it extremely volatile, not in regional areas, but most certainly in built up city areas like Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. |
| “Australia seems to be the only country on earth that doesn’t care if a few thousand of its citizens die from motor vehicle emissions each year, and is happy to leave its army powerless to defend the nation.” | “Australia seems to be the only country on earth that doesn’t care if a few thousand of its citizens die from motor vehicle emissions each year, and is happy to leave its army powerless to defend the nation.” |