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Coronavirus Australia update latest: WA residents wake up to loosened restrictions as 1 million download tracing app – live news Coronavirus Australia update latest: WA residents wake up to loosened restrictions as 1 million download tracing app – live news
(32 minutes later)
Picnics, boating, hiking, camping and group exercise are back for Western Australians as Queensland also prepares to relax rules. Follow livePicnics, boating, hiking, camping and group exercise are back for Western Australians as Queensland also prepares to relax rules. Follow live
This is a very important story – there are so many people who need a few extra thoughts during this pandemic In Queensland, just three people have been diagnosed with Covid-19 in the past 24 hours
Victorian schools look like remaining pupil-free until the end of term two.
Queensland schools are pupil-free until at least 22 May (midway through term two) although parents can speak to their school’s principals if they want to send their children back earlier.
NSW is working on a face-to-face rostering system, but also is primarily, remaining pupil-free for at least the first half of term two (which in NSW starts today).
Gladys Berejiklian:
Dan Tehan has announced another $27m will be spent on grants to keep childcare centres open.
The government is paying 50% of operating costs for childcare centres, as well as providing the wage subsidy, while giving parents free childcare for six months.
But some centres are still struggling to stay open.
For those which have more students than they did, but less funds, grants of up to $10,000 can be awarded to cover immediate costs:
One of the MPs Chris Bowen was talking about there, who have said they won’t be downloading the app, is Barnaby Joyce, which had the immediate affect of making app opponents question their stance.
On the question of privacy, Chris Bowen said the government needs to release the source code (so people can check what is at the back end of the app, or whether or not any extras are included) but that downloading it was a personal decision:
Chris Bowen has downloaded the app – here he is talking to ABC radio this morning:
We have had a few messages from people who have phones connected to international app stores (something impacting expats and backpackers and travellers who may have bought and set up their phone overseas but use an Australian SIM) who are unable to register their phone with the tracing app.
Greg Hunt says there are people who will look at that (some countries have made the app they have used internationally available. Australia’s is locked to the Australian app store)
This is a very important story – there are so many people who need a few extra thoughts during this pandemic.
How many people does Greg Hunt want to download the app?How many people does Greg Hunt want to download the app?
As of 6am, Greg Hunt says, 1.13 million Australians have downloaded the tracing app.As of 6am, Greg Hunt says, 1.13 million Australians have downloaded the tracing app.
Peter Dutton has been Duttoning all over the place since coming back to work.Peter Dutton has been Duttoning all over the place since coming back to work.
Last week he attacked the Queensland government for not opening up schools fast enough (it announced some weeks ago parents who needed to send their kids to school could, with the pupil-free status to be re-examined on 15 May), which went against what Scott Morrison had been saying as part of national cabinet.Last week he attacked the Queensland government for not opening up schools fast enough (it announced some weeks ago parents who needed to send their kids to school could, with the pupil-free status to be re-examined on 15 May), which went against what Scott Morrison had been saying as part of national cabinet.
Morrison, when asked about Dutton’s attacks, said he was speaking as a Queenslander.Morrison, when asked about Dutton’s attacks, said he was speaking as a Queenslander.
There is an election in Queensland in October, but I am sure that has absolutely nothing to do with it.There is an election in Queensland in October, but I am sure that has absolutely nothing to do with it.
Newspoll is out, if you are in to that sort of thing.
Scott Morrison’s personal popularity is hovering around 68% but the Coalition as a whole couldn’t hold on to its two-party-preferred boost, dropping from 51 to 49 points, to 50-50.
There are a lot of people who still want to see the source code for the tracing app the government is promoting, which is apparently going to be released just as soon as the right people in the government speak to the boffins in our security agencies.
In the meantime, the Australian privacy commissioner, Angelene Falk, says safeguards have been put in place to ensure any information gathered is just used for public health reasons:
We are still waiting to hear whether or not the assistance and access bill 2018 – you know the one that lets the authorities into your phone without you knowing – can apply here.
Part of the reason there is a trust deficit is because of all the national security bills which have been passed, on a bipartisan basis, in the past few years, which give authorities and the government a lot more access to data than is always warranted. So you can see why some people are hesitant to download the app.
In NSW, just two people were diagnosed with Covid-19 in the last 24 hours.
Gladys Berejiklian:
As for whether or not she has downloaded the app, Penny Wong gave the same answer as Kristina Keneally, who was asked about her intentions on Insiders yesterday (so we can take this to be the Labor position on this until May).
Penny Wong then had a few things to say about the home affairs minister, who came back after recovering from Covid-19 with quite a lot of things to say himself when it comes to China:
Penny Wong had a chat to ABC News Breakfast this morning.
She said it was time for Australia to stop thinking short term when it came to China – and to engage in a rethink of the relationship.
Meanwhile, the lobbying to ease most restrictions has begun in earnest.
From AAP:
The Australian economy could take a $400bn hit if restrictions adopted to fight the spread of Covid-19 continue for six months, modelling by the Business Council of Australia shows.
The data released on Monday shows the gross domestic product impact on the economy would be $402.6bn, or 20.7%, in calendar 2020 if a longer-term “U-shaped” recovery option was implemented.
This compared with a $197.3bn loss with a one0month “V-shaped” recovery plan, or a $278.3bn loss if a three-month “V-shaped” recovery was implemented, the BCA modelling found.
The federal government has already flagged the restrictions and measures set up around the virus could remain for six months.
The business lobby group, which is campaigning for an early easing of restrictions to get the economy going again, also said Australia must consider whether changes to industrial relations and taxation laws adopted during the crisis should continue.
That statement continued:
Australia’s leading aged care providers have banded together to make a statement in response to what the prime minister and chief health minister had to say last week about opening up centres to visits or face applying to the commonwealth to close.
Almost 1,000 aged care providers have signed up to the statement, saying some facilities had made the decision to stop visitation because it was the only way to protect residents, with the decisions being made with “the support of the majority of residents and their families”.
The group say they need help, including:
A revised statement from the government regarding enhanced resident protections that confirms that in some cases additional restrictions beyond AHPPC guidance are necessary for public health and resident safety.
A process for the rapid escalation and resolution of case-by-case issues reported by families, residents or advocates, plus a process of guidance sharing for providers on leading practice.
A timely response to the aged care rescue package put to the government several weeks ago to meet the increased costs of keeping vulnerable older Australians safe from coronavirus.
The Covidsafe tracing app has been in app stores for less than 24 hours and 1 million Australians have already downloaded it.
That is bound to have Greg Hunt and Scott Morrison smiling this morning. The legislation accompanying that app won’t be dealt with until parliament sits in May, but expect to hear the words “bluetooth handshake” a lot before then.
Elsewhere, WA has started a “cautious relaxation” of some of the restrictions, scrapping the two-person rule and allowing for indoor and outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people.
Queensland has announced it too will be relaxing some restrictions, with picnics, retail shopping and drives of up to 50km from home once again allowed.
So, small steps.
We’ll have all the news today as it happens. You have Amy Remeikis with you for most of the day.
Ready?