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Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria premier Daniel Andrews details plans to reopen schools – latest news Coronavirus Australia live update: parliament resumes as Victoria details plans to reopen schools – latest news
(32 minutes later)
Victorian schools to start returning from 26 May; NSW records no new cases of Covid-19 and Josh Frydenberg to deliver an economic statement in lieu of the federal budget which has been postponed to October due to Covid-19. Follow the latest news live Daniel Andrews says Victorian schools to start returning from 26 May; NSW records no new cases of Covid-19 and Josh Frydenberg to deliver an economic statement in lieu of the federal budget. Follow the latest news live
There is no news as yet on whether parliament will sit, as originally scheduled, at the end of this month.
The original schedule has a house of reps sitting and estimates from 25 May.
Parliament was adjourned until August. This is a “trial” sitting (also not a thing – parliament sits, or it doesn’t and technically it is not the government which decides that, it is the parliament), so one would imagine that at some point, someone will let the country know what is going on with its democracy.
Of all the takes, this ain’t it.
But this is at the crux of Labor’s economic argument today. Jim Chalmers:
Jim Chalmers stopped by doors this morning – which is what MPs do when they have the lines they need to get out for the day:
An important point on the exemptions the Queensland chief medical officer has issued for the NRL players who can’t get the flu vaccination – it doesn’t cover the ones who won’t get it.
Step three of the plan is the road back to a “Covid-safe economy” which is not actually a thing until we get a vaccination but I suppose someone got paid a lot of money to come up with that term, or at the very least received a gold star, so get used to hearing it.Step three of the plan is the road back to a “Covid-safe economy” which is not actually a thing until we get a vaccination but I suppose someone got paid a lot of money to come up with that term, or at the very least received a gold star, so get used to hearing it.
Stuart Robert then gets a shout-out, for ... reasons, I suppose, because while the department and its staff have done a great job, I don’t think there would be a lot of people who would claim the minister has done the same.Stuart Robert then gets a shout-out, for ... reasons, I suppose, because while the department and its staff have done a great job, I don’t think there would be a lot of people who would claim the minister has done the same.
But hey – he did pray for righteousness during the leadership spill, so I suppose there’s that.But hey – he did pray for righteousness during the leadership spill, so I suppose there’s that.
Scott Morrison:Scott Morrison:
Scott Morrison:Scott Morrison:
Hunt gets applause.Hunt gets applause.
Scott Morrison is addressing the Coalition in parliament’s Great Hall.Scott Morrison is addressing the Coalition in parliament’s Great Hall.
He opens with some brilliant double speak:He opens with some brilliant double speak:
All the MPs are here for this sitting, but there will be a rotating roster for who gets to sit in the House to ensure social distance requirements are met. So keep an eye on Twitter because you are bound to be getting a lot of “watching it from the office” tweets with various books and items moved in front of the TV in an approximation of a personality.All the MPs are here for this sitting, but there will be a rotating roster for who gets to sit in the House to ensure social distance requirements are met. So keep an eye on Twitter because you are bound to be getting a lot of “watching it from the office” tweets with various books and items moved in front of the TV in an approximation of a personality.
The budget tree is ready, but today’s second Tuesday in May will pass without a budget (it has been delayed until October).The budget tree is ready, but today’s second Tuesday in May will pass without a budget (it has been delayed until October).
Instead you’ll hear a lot about how there is no “money tree” in Australia, as Josh Frydenberg hands down the budget update at about midday.Instead you’ll hear a lot about how there is no “money tree” in Australia, as Josh Frydenberg hands down the budget update at about midday.
Spoiler – it is not great.Spoiler – it is not great.
The Queensland chief health officer, Dr Jeannette Young, says she has sent an email to the NRL regarding some of the players who refuse to get the flu vaccination:The Queensland chief health officer, Dr Jeannette Young, says she has sent an email to the NRL regarding some of the players who refuse to get the flu vaccination:
Victoria has recorded 17 new Covid-19 cases, including eight from the Cedar Meats facility.Victoria has recorded 17 new Covid-19 cases, including eight from the Cedar Meats facility.
Queensland has added another six cases to its total – all people who were diagnosed interstate, and have recovered, but are Queensland residents, so it is added to the Queensland total. Queensland has added six cases to its total – all people who were diagnosed interstate, and have recovered, but are Queensland residents, so it is added to the Queensland total.
But in terms of new cases, there have been no new cases of Covid-19 diagnosed in Queensland for the second day in a row.But in terms of new cases, there have been no new cases of Covid-19 diagnosed in Queensland for the second day in a row.
Dan Tehan has welcomed the news Victorian schools will be returning – via a written statement, which I think is the only way he is allowed to comment on Dan Andrews issues now, after his “personal frustrations” spilled forth in his guise as a minister of the crown.
Tehan:
It is party room meeting time in Canberra, which, in the age of social distancing, means the Coalition has to go into the Great Hall so everyone can stand 1.5m away from each other. In the Nationals’ case, it is known as the “ego buffer” and accounts for about a third of the space Barnaby Joyce needs.
Meanwhile ...
“You’ve always spoken your mind, to everybody, including me one or two times, but you have always done the right thing by your country,” Scott Morrison, who represents the electorate of Cook, which takes in Cronulla, says to Alan Jones.
That sound you hear is my never-ending eternal scream.
Anyways, we are going to have a day of people with brains talking about what a great man Alan Jones is, presumably with a straight face, while ignoring the massive damage he has inflicted on minorities, anyone he disagrees with, and Australian politics at large, so awesome.
But at least 2020 has some redeeming qualities.
Gladys Berejiklian has also managed to pay respect to the man who once told her her head was “in a noose” over a mining licence:
I mean, you could say the same thing about Charles Manson.
The Labor leader is then asked about the economy: Josh Frydenberg has been trotting out the line that Australians know there is “no money tree” in preparing for just how bad the budget bottom line has become (there is a money tree – it’s called quantitative easing and we have been doing it since the pandemic began) as well as laying the groundwork to change the jobkeeper wage subsidy scheme.
Anthony Albanese says there have been issues with the wage subsidy from the (delayed) beginning:
Anthony Albanese is asked about the Alan Jones news in his interview with ABC Breakfast:
Not mentioned – his comments about Julia Gillard, Jacinda Ardern or any other woman who dared to exist in a way which didn’t meet with Jones’s exacting standards, the Cronulla riots, or any of the many, many scars the man has left in his wake.
It is also International Nurses Day.
Expect to hear A LOT about that today (and rightly so – our health system would be broken without them)
Gladys Berejiklian says there have been NO cases of Covid-19 diagnosed in the last 24 hours.
That is the first time since the pandemic was declared that no new cases have been reported in Australia’s largest state.
NSW did 6,000 tests in that 24 hours, so it is a great result.