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Coronavirus Australia live news: national cabinet set to ease restrictions in stages – latest updates Coronavirus Australia live news: national cabinet set to ease restrictions in stages – latest updates
(30 minutes later)
Scott Morrison expected to emerge from today’s meeting with a plan to gradually open up the economy. Follow all the news, liveScott Morrison expected to emerge from today’s meeting with a plan to gradually open up the economy. Follow all the news, live
More McGowan emphasising the point that some states - such as Western Australia, with low rates of infection and community transmission - will be able to ease restrictions earlier. Already, Western Australia has 75% school attendance rates. In contrast to the Victoria Police, here’s an example of how New South Wales brief the media on Public Health Order breaches. In the past 24 hours they’ve charged two people and fined three others.
Things are different ‘over east’ McGowan says. For each charge and fine, the NSW police provide a breakdown that looks like this:
At about 10pm, officers from Mt Druitt Police Area Command were called to home on De Witt Place, Willmot in relation to a noise complaint. On arrival, police observed a group of at least 15 people inside the home celebrating a birthday. All non-residents were given warnings in relation to breaching Ministerial Directions and told to leave the home. Police were called back to the property about 11.35pm as the noise was continuing and a 27-year-old woman, who was not a resident and previously given a warning, was still at the property. She was subsequently issued a $1,000 PIN.
The point is not that NSW have been perfect in their enforcement, but that unlike Victoria the public are able to provide some scrutiny over the way these emergency powers are being enforced.
Ruby Princess commissioner Bret Walker SC has also remarked on prime minister Scott Morrison, saying that the PM did not have “knowledge or a view based on evidence” when he criticised Walker’s questioning.
Morrison told radio host Ray Hadley that Walker’s questioning was “aggressive” and “a bit out of line”, after NSW Health employee Kelly-Anne Ressler cried in the witness box on Tuesday.
Walker says that the media coverage of this “may have created a common misunderstanding that the PM made suggestions to me about the conduct of this independent inquiry.”
Walker stresses this is not the case, and that Morrison did not say he had seen the entire context of the interview.
“He made clear that he had not seen the proceedings that lead up to the unfortunate upset of the witness,” Walker says. “It is clear from the PM’s reported comments that to no extent at all was he suggesting that he had knowledge of or a view based on evidence.”
Victoria Police have issued 13 fines for breaches of Public Health Orders in the past 24 hours.
It’s an issue that has mostly gone unmentioned through the crisis, but Victoria has issued more fines for breaches of the PHOs than any other state during Covid-19, yet unlike in New South Wales police refuse to say where the fines were handed out or what they are for.
Today, for example, the only explanation given by Victoria Police is that some fines were for “several people holding gatherings at private houses”.
Good morning. Plenty around this morning so I’ll get straight to it. The former Queensland premier and chief executive of the Australian Banking Association Anna Bligh is holding a press conference.
She says that according to the ABA’s data there have been 100,000 loan deferrals in the past week. More than half of those are mortgages. There have now been 643,000 loan repayment deferrals on mortgage and businesses since the Covid-19 crisis. We Almost 400,000 of those are mortgage deferrals.
Bligh said the deferrals date to September:
That’s my spell concluded. Replacing me, my colleague Michael McGowan from the members’ end.
The fifth day of the special inquiry into the Ruby Princess has started with a bang.
The inquiry has written to the editor-in-chief of the Australian newspaper, over what could be a contempt of the inquiry.
Counsel assisting, Richard Beasley SC, says he has to address an opinion article published yesterday in the Australian, written by former Daily Telegraph editor David Penberthy.
That article said that the inquiry was “a sham”, after a NSW Health epidemiologist, Kelly Anne-Ressler, cried in the witness box under extensive questioning from commissioner Bret Walker. Scott Morrison later told a radio station that he thought Walker had been “a bit out of line” and too aggressive.
Penberthy’s article said Ressler should not have been asked to even give evidence, and that she was not on the four-person panel who made the decision over the ship.
“The treatment of this woman was an act of state-sponsored bastardry,” he wrote, and called it “a taxpayer funded show trial” to protect the NSW health minister, Brad Hazzard.
To this, Beasley lists 10 reasons why Ressler should have appeared, including that she boarded the ship on the 8th, when NSW assessed it, and was in contact with the ship’s doctor.
He strongly denies that any member of the NSW government or cabinet has attempted to interfere in the inquiry.
He then says he “has no comments” on whether the article constitutes “a contempt” of the commission, but that the senior solicitor for the inquiry has written to the editor of the Australian “as to whether the comments in Penberthy’s article might constitute a contempt”.
The newspaper has been requested to respond by noon today.
Noice. Different. Unusual.
Kel Knight is a man for our times.
More of McGowan emphasising the point that some states - such as Western Australia, with low rates of infection and community transmission - will be able to ease restrictions earlier. Already, Western Australia has 75% school attendance rates:
Things are different “over east” McGowan says.
Western Australian premier Mark McGowan is updating his state’s situation. The West has one new case overnight, a 29-year-old man who returned from overseas and has been in hotel quarantine since.Western Australian premier Mark McGowan is updating his state’s situation. The West has one new case overnight, a 29-year-old man who returned from overseas and has been in hotel quarantine since.
The Victorian health department has confirmed that a student from Marcellin College has tested positive for Covid-19 after coming in close contact with another person in the cluster.The Victorian health department has confirmed that a student from Marcellin College has tested positive for Covid-19 after coming in close contact with another person in the cluster.
“One Marcellin College student has tested positive for coronavirus. The student is a household contact of a confirmed case with the Cedar Meats outbreak,” a spokesperson for the department said in a statement.“One Marcellin College student has tested positive for coronavirus. The student is a household contact of a confirmed case with the Cedar Meats outbreak,” a spokesperson for the department said in a statement.
“As the student did not attend school while infectious the department has advised no further action is necessary by Marcellin College.”“As the student did not attend school while infectious the department has advised no further action is necessary by Marcellin College.”
A WorkSafe Inspector has also gone into isolation and is being tested after attending the factory on 23 April following a workplace accident.A WorkSafe Inspector has also gone into isolation and is being tested after attending the factory on 23 April following a workplace accident.
A worker severed his thumb at the factory and was rushed to Sunshine hospital. He was asymptomatic at the time but later developed symptoms and tested positive for Covid-19 on 26 April.A worker severed his thumb at the factory and was rushed to Sunshine hospital. He was asymptomatic at the time but later developed symptoms and tested positive for Covid-19 on 26 April.
“The WorkSafe Inspector was not onsite at the same time as the employee that later tested positive to coronavirus - and as such, was not a close contact,” a spokesperson for the department said.“The WorkSafe Inspector was not onsite at the same time as the employee that later tested positive to coronavirus - and as such, was not a close contact,” a spokesperson for the department said.
“The WorkSafe inspector was contacted by DHHS as part of the wider investigation into the cluster and is being tested for coronavirus as a precaution.“The WorkSafe inspector was contacted by DHHS as part of the wider investigation into the cluster and is being tested for coronavirus as a precaution.
“The Inspector has not reported any symptoms and is self-isolating while awaiting results.”“The Inspector has not reported any symptoms and is self-isolating while awaiting results.”
A reminder, national cabinet will meet today to debate (and hopefully finalise) the roadmap out of Covid-19 lockdowns.A reminder, national cabinet will meet today to debate (and hopefully finalise) the roadmap out of Covid-19 lockdowns.
Australians should expect a phased lifting of restrictions over months – with different parts of the country easing restrictions at different times. Relaxations are likely to be staged in four-week blocks.Australians should expect a phased lifting of restrictions over months – with different parts of the country easing restrictions at different times. Relaxations are likely to be staged in four-week blocks.
That meeting starts in about an hour. Expect to hear from state and federal leaders this afternoon.That meeting starts in about an hour. Expect to hear from state and federal leaders this afternoon.
Australia is part of the global “early movers” group of countries, but don’t expect anything dramatic anytime soon. Think months, not weeks.Australia is part of the global “early movers” group of countries, but don’t expect anything dramatic anytime soon. Think months, not weeks.
The Australian government has pushed back at US claims the coronavirus may have originated in a Wuhan lab and has determined that a “dossier” giving weight to the theory is not a Five Eyes intelligence document.
It is understood the Morrison government sees the promotion of the theory the virus leaked out of a laboratory in Wuhan, China, as counterproductive to Australia’s push to gain broad international support for an independent inquiry into the origins and overall handling of the pandemic.
I might leave you there for this morning, but I’m leaving you in good hands. Ben Doherty will be with you throughout the day.
The foreign affairs minister, Marise Payne, said in a statement this morning that Covid-19 testing equipment has been delivered to a number of Pacific Island countries.
New Qantas flights from Los Angeles and London to Melbourne have built up hopes that Australian expats can bring their pets home. AAP reports:
Australians hoping to fly home during the coronavirus pandemic have been given new options with Qantas announcing limited flights to Melbourne from Los Angeles and London.
It also opens the potential for pets to be flown back to Australia. Previous special Qantas and Virgin Australia flights organised during the pandemic flew from LA to Brisbane.
Brisbane does not have the facilities to quarantine pets, forcing Australians planning to fly home during the pandemic to leave their pets in the US or opt not to return to Australia.
Under Australia’s strict border rules cats and dogs must arrive directly into Melbourne Airport and be quarantined at a facility at Mickleham, near Melbourne.The Australian government has requested owners of pets planning to fly back to Australia on one of the new Melbourne flights to contact Qantas and their chosen pet carriers to check on animal transportation.
Comment is being sought from Qantas.
Gladys Berejiklian has also confirmed that no national cabinet meeting recommendations will be put in place in NSW in time for Mother’s Day.
But residents are allowed to have two adults guests over, along with any children in their care.
Gladys Berejiklian has provided an update on how the NSW hotel quarantine program has gone:
Gladys Berejiklian says there have only been four new Covid-19 cases in the state overnight.
If you want to get all caught up ahead of the national cabinet meeting today, may I suggest this report from Guardian Australia’s political editor, Katharine Murphy?
She breaks down everything you need to know about the financial hopes and health worries surrounding lifting the lockdown.
One of the biggest unfolding stories at the moment is Cedar Meats.
The Melbourne factory has been linked to 62 cases, including a nurse, an aged care worker and now a schoolboy.
Victorian politicians have been quick to talk about what a good job they have done containing the crisis, but there are still several days in late April with a big question mark hanging over them, as more information about who knew exactly what and when emerge.
I spoke to a worker at Cedar Meats who says they were scared to stay at the factory after the first case was announced.
Hello and welcome to today’s coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in Australia. You have me, Matilda Boseley, with you for this morning.
The big news today is that state, territory and federal leaders are linking up for a national cabinet meeting.
The discussion will revolve around how Australia should approach lifting lockdown laws. But don’t get too excited – any changes are likely to be cautious and gradual, and the easing of restrictions will come in four-week waves.
While some states, like Queensland, lifted some restrictions on families visiting each other in time for Mother’s Day on Sunday, the New South Wales and Victorian leadership has held firm, saying anything is discussed at today’s meeting won’t be put in place by the weekend.
In case you are feeling a bit behind here, are the biggest things that happened yesterday to get you up to speed.
The Newmarch House operator Anglicare appointed a special adviser to guide its response to a deadly Covid-19 outbreak at the facility.
The cluster connected to a Melbourne meat factory, Cedar Meats, grew to 62 infected people.
South Australia recorded its first case in two weeks.
The NRL said players who objected to vaccines could apply for an exemption to train during the pandemic.