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Coronavirus Australia update: Woolworths to shed 1,300 jobs while NSW advises businesses 'not to interact' with Melbourne travellers Coronavirus Australia update: Woolworths to shed 1,300 jobs while NSW advises businesses 'not to interact' with Melbourne travellers
(32 minutes later)
Woolworths says it expects to pay out more than $170m in redundancies. Follow liveWoolworths says it expects to pay out more than $170m in redundancies. Follow live
Australians spent 19 per cent more on alcohol last week than they did a year ago, with bottle shop spend up 42 per cent, Commonwealth Bank data reveals.
The Commonwealth Bank says spending at bottleshops was up 42% last week, compared to the same time last year.
In a new weekly report on consumer behaviour, the bank said spending pending on both food and alcohol for the week ending Friday was up 19%.
Overall, CBA said that consumer spending continued to improve last week, albeit at a modest pace, AAP reported.
“Consumers are slowly returning to in-store shopping,” the bank said in its weekly report on credit and debit card spending.
But spending on recreation (including air travel and accommodation) was down 9%, and spending on transport was down 7% as more people work from home.
Spending on household furnishings and equipment was up 42%, and personal care spending was up 13% as beauty and barber shops reopen.
The head of the retail workers’ union has floated giving shopping centre security guards temporary powers to crack down on social distancing.
The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association national secretary, Gerard Dwyer, also wants a national rollout of public health officials to police shopping precincts, AAP reports.
Dwyer told the coronavirus Senate inquiry on Tuesday:
Testing delays are continuing in Melbourne. For those not in Victoria, Fountain Gate and Chadstone are not close – about 25km by freeway apart, in fact.
Hi everyone. Thanks to Amy for her work today. If you want to get in touch, you can email me at luke.henriques-gomes@theguardian.com or via Twitter @lukehgomes.Hi everyone. Thanks to Amy for her work today. If you want to get in touch, you can email me at luke.henriques-gomes@theguardian.com or via Twitter @lukehgomes.
On that note, I am going to leave you in the very capable hands of Luke Henriques-Gomes for the next part of the afternoon.On that note, I am going to leave you in the very capable hands of Luke Henriques-Gomes for the next part of the afternoon.
Thank you so much for joining me for my stint today. I’ll be back with you early tomorrow morning. Make sure, as always, you take care of you.Thank you so much for joining me for my stint today. I’ll be back with you early tomorrow morning. Make sure, as always, you take care of you.
Ahhhhhh nothing like appealing to the base when you’re in the middle of a preselection battle.Ahhhhhh nothing like appealing to the base when you’re in the middle of a preselection battle.
Murph has written on some of the very awkward dynamics at the Scott Morrison Eden-Monaro press conference:Murph has written on some of the very awkward dynamics at the Scott Morrison Eden-Monaro press conference:
Cafe owners inside Melbourne’s Covid-19 hotspots say business has slowed since the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee advised against travel to and from the areas on Sunday.Cafe owners inside Melbourne’s Covid-19 hotspots say business has slowed since the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee advised against travel to and from the areas on Sunday.
“In the last couple of weeks everyone started to relax a lot, and that anxiety really has come back up,” said Alex Killerby, the floor supervisor at Lobbs cafe in Brunswick, located in the Covid-19 hotspot areas of Moreland.“In the last couple of weeks everyone started to relax a lot, and that anxiety really has come back up,” said Alex Killerby, the floor supervisor at Lobbs cafe in Brunswick, located in the Covid-19 hotspot areas of Moreland.
Several blocks away, the Brunswick East primary school was shut down this morning after a student tested positive.Several blocks away, the Brunswick East primary school was shut down this morning after a student tested positive.
There has been a spike in community transmission of the virus around Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs.There has been a spike in community transmission of the virus around Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs.
Killerby said:Killerby said:
Lobbs had planned to open up from 24 seats to 40 when restrictions were set to ease this week, but those plans have now been put on hold.Lobbs had planned to open up from 24 seats to 40 when restrictions were set to ease this week, but those plans have now been put on hold.
Several doors down at the A1 bakery, manager Anthony Raji said being unable to reopen was frustrating but he was still feeling optimistic.Several doors down at the A1 bakery, manager Anthony Raji said being unable to reopen was frustrating but he was still feeling optimistic.
Spoke too soon on the cheery news in retail. Woolworths has now announced mass redundancies.Spoke too soon on the cheery news in retail. Woolworths has now announced mass redundancies.
The company has reported to the ASX that it plans to develop “an automated regional distribution centre and a semi-automated national distribution centre at Moorebank Logistics Park in Sydney.”The company has reported to the ASX that it plans to develop “an automated regional distribution centre and a semi-automated national distribution centre at Moorebank Logistics Park in Sydney.”
That’s going to mean job losses of more than 1,300 people, with the company announcing it expects to pay out more than $170m in redundancies.That’s going to mean job losses of more than 1,300 people, with the company announcing it expects to pay out more than $170m in redundancies.
Meanwhile, the cost of repaying staff who had been underpaid has risen by $90m to $390m from its initial estimate last year.Meanwhile, the cost of repaying staff who had been underpaid has risen by $90m to $390m from its initial estimate last year.
Woolworths shares were down by 0.5% after the supermarket giant revealed the cost of repaying underpaid workers had blown out to $390m, up from its initial estimate of $300m last year.Woolworths shares were down by 0.5% after the supermarket giant revealed the cost of repaying underpaid workers had blown out to $390m, up from its initial estimate of $300m last year.
It said:It said:
AAP has more on WA’s offer to the AFL (and the two west coast teams):AAP has more on WA’s offer to the AFL (and the two west coast teams):
West Coast and Fremantle players are rejoicing after confirmation they won’t have to quarantine in a hotel when they go back to Western Australia.West Coast and Fremantle players are rejoicing after confirmation they won’t have to quarantine in a hotel when they go back to Western Australia.
With both of WA’s AFL clubs in a month-long hub on the Gold Coast, there were fears players would have to spend 14 days quarantining in a Perth hotel on returning to WA.With both of WA’s AFL clubs in a month-long hub on the Gold Coast, there were fears players would have to spend 14 days quarantining in a Perth hotel on returning to WA.
But premier Mark McGowan says that quarantine period can be served at their regular homes, subject to strict conditions.But premier Mark McGowan says that quarantine period can be served at their regular homes, subject to strict conditions.
The two clubs can train during their quarantine period and are also free to play each other in a western derby.The two clubs can train during their quarantine period and are also free to play each other in a western derby.
There’s still a chance Fremantle and West Coast will need to spend an extra week or two in their Gold Coast hub before a similar Perth set-up is established.There’s still a chance Fremantle and West Coast will need to spend an extra week or two in their Gold Coast hub before a similar Perth set-up is established.
Crowds of up to 30,000 will be able to attend games from Saturday at Perth’s Optus Stadium.Crowds of up to 30,000 will be able to attend games from Saturday at Perth’s Optus Stadium.
There will be no limits by 18 July, meaning up to 60,000 people will be allowed to go to games in Perth.There will be no limits by 18 July, meaning up to 60,000 people will be allowed to go to games in Perth.
That is a juicy carrot for the AFL, which has lost millions of dollars through the coronavirus pandemic.That is a juicy carrot for the AFL, which has lost millions of dollars through the coronavirus pandemic.
Another passenger on the Ruby Princess has said a doctor onboard took a swab from him and told him “you don’t have coronavirus”, even though they did not have coronavirus testing capacity onboard. Paul Reid, who later tested positive for Covid-19, said he was given the impression he had been tested and “cleared of coronavirus” after his encounter with the ship’s doctor.Another passenger on the Ruby Princess has said a doctor onboard took a swab from him and told him “you don’t have coronavirus”, even though they did not have coronavirus testing capacity onboard. Paul Reid, who later tested positive for Covid-19, said he was given the impression he had been tested and “cleared of coronavirus” after his encounter with the ship’s doctor.
Reid fell ill while on the trip. He went to the ship’s medical centre with a sore throat and a fever and raised the possibility he had Covid-19.Reid fell ill while on the trip. He went to the ship’s medical centre with a sore throat and a fever and raised the possibility he had Covid-19.
He told the NSW special inquiry that a male doctor took a swab from his nose and throat, put the swab “in a mixture”, then “came back five minutes later and told me ‘You don’t have coronavirus, you have the common cold.’”He told the NSW special inquiry that a male doctor took a swab from his nose and throat, put the swab “in a mixture”, then “came back five minutes later and told me ‘You don’t have coronavirus, you have the common cold.’”
However, the ship’s own records show Reid was not tested for coronavirus but was tested for influenza A and B. He was negative for both.However, the ship’s own records show Reid was not tested for coronavirus but was tested for influenza A and B. He was negative for both.
Reid said he believed he had been tested and cleared for Covid-19, and he told other passengers and family he was negative. He told the inquiry he wasn’t asked to self-isolate, and he continued to go to the ship’s buffet, though at a later time, to avoid crowds.Reid said he believed he had been tested and cleared for Covid-19, and he told other passengers and family he was negative. He told the inquiry he wasn’t asked to self-isolate, and he continued to go to the ship’s buffet, though at a later time, to avoid crowds.
When he arrived in Sydney on 19 March, he said, he took an Uber home.When he arrived in Sydney on 19 March, he said, he took an Uber home.
A worker at the Coles Laverton distribution centre, south-west of Melbourne, has tested positive for Covid-19.
A small number of people who worked with them have been asked to self-isolate.
Workers at the distribution centre do not handle individual grocery items – they move the crates and cartons around with machinery, so your groceries are safe.
The centre is being deep-cleaned as a further precaution.
For those who have been asking, “routine testing” are positive tests which have popped up at one of the testing clinics but have not yet been classified as community transmission or traced back to a source.
New South Wales is also overhauling its HSC curriculum in another “back to basics” change.
Gladys Berejiklian:
The union representing the arts and entertainment industry has warned that Australia “will be immeasurably poorer” and jobs will be lost without urgent targeted assistance for the sector.
The government is understood to be close to announcing a support package for the struggling arts and entertainment industry, as Katharine Murphy reported last week.Paul Murphy, who heads the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, stressed the importance of that support being rolled out urgently in an appearance before the Senate’s Covid-19 select committee this afternoon.
He said arts and entertainment were among the first industries to shut down due to the Covid-19 restrictions, meaning that for many of the union’s members “all income for the foreseeable future vanished”.
Paul Murphy said hope turned to disappointment when it became clear many in arts and entertainment would not be eligible for the jobkeeper wage subsidy. He pointed to analysis indicating employment in arts and entertainment may not recover until the end of 2025.
Calling for urgent targeted assistance for the sector, Murphy said: “In the absence of that, many businesses will not survive, a generation of creative workers will be lost to the industry, and our country will be immeasurably poorer for all of that.”
Other witnesses are now giving the committee an explanation of how the pandemic has affected arts and entertainment workers.In his opening statement, Murphy said the pandemic had also brought to a head dramatic challenges facing the media industry, with the loss of advertising revenue causing a “tipping point” for many businesses.
He said analysis suggested there had been 200 newsroom contractions since January 2019, including more than 100 regional mastheads closing, suspending, moving to online-only or merging. “This is a huge issue for our democracy,” he said.
It seems a long bow to draw, but anyways:
(via AAP)
Hosting the 2032 Olympics in Queensland would be a critical part of Australia’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, according to Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates.
Coates said on Tuesday the $4.5bn cost of hosting the Games in the Sunshine State will be covered by the International Olympic Committee, sponsors and ticket sales.
Coates, speaking at a launch of a Parliamentary Friends of the Olympic Movement, said the south-east Queensland bid, with Brisbane as its central hub, was a “clear and exciting” opportunity for Australia.
Accelerating the Queensland bid had been put on hold amid the coronavirus pandemic, which forced the Tokyo Olympics to be postponed from this year until 2021.
Coates said an IOC decision on the 2032 host could be made “as early as 2022 or 2023”.
Other bids were expected from Germany, India, Spain and, jointly, South and North Korea.
For those wanting to follow along with the Covid-19 committee:
A passenger on the Ruby Princess, who contracted coronavirus and was put in an induced coma for eight days, said a waitress on the ship sneezed in her face days before she became sick.
Ann Kavanagh, who contracted Covid-19 and was put on a ventilator, told the NSW special inquiry into the cruise ship, that she was sneezed on a few days before the ship docked in Sydney on 19 March.
She said she “didn’t associate anything with it”, but began feeling sick while on her flight home to Perth, and was shivering on the plane.
Kavanagh, who said she had taken 14 previous cruises, also said the disembarkation was done so quickly on 19 March that it was unprecedented.
“We hadn’t known anything like it,” she said. “We got off the ship so quickly. There was no queuing, no passport control, nothing, we just got in a taxi, got to the airport ... very quick.”
Gladys Berejiklian’s warning to New South Wales businesses to “not interact” in any way with Melbourne travellers follows this warning from the NSW premier yesterday:
It’s the border closure when you don’t actually close the border -warn your citizens from travelling there, as well as ask them to “not interact” with citizens travelling to you.
Well that was quick.
Donald Trump says the trade deal with China is just fine.
As with yesterday, testing sites in Melbourne are struggling to keep up with demand: