This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2020/jun/24/coronavirus-australia-latest-updates-victoria-testing-melbourne-lockdown-hume-moreland-darebin-brimbank-casey-cardinia-live-news
The article has changed 22 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 15 | Version 16 |
|---|---|
| Coronavirus Australia update: defence force to help in Victoria as 20 new Covid-19 cases reported – live news | Coronavirus Australia update: defence force to help in Victoria as 20 new Covid-19 cases reported – live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| ADF as well as NSW, SA, Tasmania and Queensland called in to helpVictoria fight outbreak. Follow live | ADF as well as NSW, SA, Tasmania and Queensland called in to helpVictoria fight outbreak. Follow live |
| The chief executive of the Business Council of Australia, Jennifer Westacott, says of Anthony Albanese’s bid for bipartisan agreement on energy policy: | |
| The assistant treasurer, Michael Sukkar, says he utterly rejects suggestions authorities have failed to communicate effectively with migrant communities about the coronavirus. | The assistant treasurer, Michael Sukkar, says he utterly rejects suggestions authorities have failed to communicate effectively with migrant communities about the coronavirus. |
| Two challenges against the Queensland government’s constitutional right to keep the state’s borders closed amid the coronavirus crisis are set to return to court, reports AAP. | Two challenges against the Queensland government’s constitutional right to keep the state’s borders closed amid the coronavirus crisis are set to return to court, reports AAP. |
| Billionaire businessman Clive Palmer and a group of tourism operators named Travel Essence launched separate proceedings in the high court after the borders were closed in March. | Billionaire businessman Clive Palmer and a group of tourism operators named Travel Essence launched separate proceedings in the high court after the borders were closed in March. |
| But they were bumped down to the federal court in Brisbane, where they are set to appear on Wednesday after the parties were unable to agree on some of the base facts about Covid-19. | But they were bumped down to the federal court in Brisbane, where they are set to appear on Wednesday after the parties were unable to agree on some of the base facts about Covid-19. |
| Here is some more detail on the Australian Defence Force support Victoria has requested from the commonwealth as it grapples with a spike in Covid-19 cases, putting pressure on testing clinics in hotspot areas and laboratories. | Here is some more detail on the Australian Defence Force support Victoria has requested from the commonwealth as it grapples with a spike in Covid-19 cases, putting pressure on testing clinics in hotspot areas and laboratories. |
| A Victorian government spokeswoman said Victoria had requested more than 300 troops. Of those, a small amount will be delegated to quarantine hotels. | A Victorian government spokeswoman said Victoria had requested more than 300 troops. Of those, a small amount will be delegated to quarantine hotels. |
| It should be noted this defence support is already being used in New South Wales. So far, Victoria has relied on police. | It should be noted this defence support is already being used in New South Wales. So far, Victoria has relied on police. |
| Other military staff with medical training will assist Victoria in setting up more clinics and running tests. However, the state government is still talking to the federal government about specific details including logistics, so more details about that support will likely be made available over the next few days. | Other military staff with medical training will assist Victoria in setting up more clinics and running tests. However, the state government is still talking to the federal government about specific details including logistics, so more details about that support will likely be made available over the next few days. |
| Restrictions will ease on Friday in Tasmania. | Restrictions will ease on Friday in Tasmania. |
| The Australian Defence Force and other states have been called in to help Victoria’s efforts to contain coronavirus cases, AAP reports. | The Australian Defence Force and other states have been called in to help Victoria’s efforts to contain coronavirus cases, AAP reports. |
| The state has seen a spike in Covid-19 infections in the past week, with 20 more cases and a death recorded on Wednesday. | The state has seen a spike in Covid-19 infections in the past week, with 20 more cases and a death recorded on Wednesday. |
| The ADF, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and Queensland have been called in to help. | The ADF, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and Queensland have been called in to help. |
| A government spokeswoman said in a statement: | A government spokeswoman said in a statement: |
| Community engagement in the local government areas of Brimbank, Casey, Cardinia, Darebin, Hume and Moreland has been ramped up, including door-knocking, after they were identified as coronavirus hotspots. | Community engagement in the local government areas of Brimbank, Casey, Cardinia, Darebin, Hume and Moreland has been ramped up, including door-knocking, after they were identified as coronavirus hotspots. |
| Hello everyone. I’ll be with you into the evening. Thanks as always to Amy. If you want to get in touch: luke.henriques-gomes@theguardian.com or @lukehgomes. | Hello everyone. I’ll be with you into the evening. Thanks as always to Amy. If you want to get in touch: luke.henriques-gomes@theguardian.com or @lukehgomes. |
| It has been quite the afternoon. | It has been quite the afternoon. |
| I am going to take myself and my cracked tooth (thanks to NSW/ACT’s insanely hard gingernut biscuits) off for a short break. Luke Henriques-Gomes will shepherd you through the afternoon. | I am going to take myself and my cracked tooth (thanks to NSW/ACT’s insanely hard gingernut biscuits) off for a short break. Luke Henriques-Gomes will shepherd you through the afternoon. |
| Thanks so much for joining me and I’ll see you tomorrow morning. Take care of you. | Thanks so much for joining me and I’ll see you tomorrow morning. Take care of you. |
| The CSIRO has announced job cuts today as well: | The CSIRO has announced job cuts today as well: |
| A spokeswoman for the Andrews government has confirmed Raf Epstein’s tip: | A spokeswoman for the Andrews government has confirmed Raf Epstein’s tip: |
| As part of that, the ADF has been asked to help with the logistics of coordinating the state’s help | As part of that, the ADF has been asked to help with the logistics of coordinating the state’s help |
| Christian Porter was asked about the possibility of holding the AFL grand final in Perth while speaking to Perth radio 6PR: | Christian Porter was asked about the possibility of holding the AFL grand final in Perth while speaking to Perth radio 6PR: |
| Victoria Health has put out its official update on the Victorian Covid situation: | Victoria Health has put out its official update on the Victorian Covid situation: |
| The total number of coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in Victoria is 1,884, with 20 new cases reported yesterday. | The total number of coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in Victoria is 1,884, with 20 new cases reported yesterday. |
| Yesterday’s new cases are made up of seven linked to outbreaks, nine cases identified through routine testing, one case detected in a returned traveller in hotel quarantine and three cases under investigation. | Yesterday’s new cases are made up of seven linked to outbreaks, nine cases identified through routine testing, one case detected in a returned traveller in hotel quarantine and three cases under investigation. |
| There has been one new death reported, with a man in his 80s dying in hospital overnight. To date, 20 people have died from coronavirus in Victoria. | There has been one new death reported, with a man in his 80s dying in hospital overnight. To date, 20 people have died from coronavirus in Victoria. |
| There have been 241 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Victoria that have been acquired through unknown transmission. There are currently 141 active cases in Victoria. | There have been 241 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Victoria that have been acquired through unknown transmission. There are currently 141 active cases in Victoria. |
| Currently, seven people with coronavirus infection are in hospital, including two patients in intensive care; 1,721 people have recovered from the virus. | Currently, seven people with coronavirus infection are in hospital, including two patients in intensive care; 1,721 people have recovered from the virus. |
| Of the total 1,884 cases, there have been 1,588 in metropolitan Melbourne and 241 in regional Victoria. The total number of cases is made up of 1,004 men and 880 women. More than 696,000 tests have been processed to date. | Of the total 1,884 cases, there have been 1,588 in metropolitan Melbourne and 241 in regional Victoria. The total number of cases is made up of 1,004 men and 880 women. More than 696,000 tests have been processed to date. |
| Two of the new cases are staff members from Hampstead Dental in Maidstone. A previous case in a staff member had been notified to the department on Saturday, so appropriate public health measures were already underway, including cleaning and contact tracing. No patients have been identified as close contacts so far. The clinic remains closed. This takes the total number of cases linked to this outbreak to three. | Two of the new cases are staff members from Hampstead Dental in Maidstone. A previous case in a staff member had been notified to the department on Saturday, so appropriate public health measures were already underway, including cleaning and contact tracing. No patients have been identified as close contacts so far. The clinic remains closed. This takes the total number of cases linked to this outbreak to three. |
| Three new cases have been detected in close contacts of the current family outbreak in Keilor Downs. One of these is a social contact of a confirmed case and also a student at Keilor Downs Secondary College. All students, their families and staff from the college have been directed to the Melbourne showgrounds for testing, regardless of whether they have symptoms. This takes the total number of cases linked to this outbreak to 15. | Three new cases have been detected in close contacts of the current family outbreak in Keilor Downs. One of these is a social contact of a confirmed case and also a student at Keilor Downs Secondary College. All students, their families and staff from the college have been directed to the Melbourne showgrounds for testing, regardless of whether they have symptoms. This takes the total number of cases linked to this outbreak to 15. |
| A new case has also been linked to the H&M Northland outbreak. This individual is a close contact of a known case and was already in quarantine. This takes the total number of cases linked to this outbreak to five. | A new case has also been linked to the H&M Northland outbreak. This individual is a close contact of a known case and was already in quarantine. This takes the total number of cases linked to this outbreak to five. |
| One of the new cases is a close contact of a known case in a staff member at St Monica’s College in Epping. This new case has no other identified links to the school and has not been on campus. Contact tracing, testing and other public health actions are being taken at the school as appropriate. This takes the total number of cases linked to this outbreak to two. | One of the new cases is a close contact of a known case in a staff member at St Monica’s College in Epping. This new case has no other identified links to the school and has not been on campus. Contact tracing, testing and other public health actions are being taken at the school as appropriate. This takes the total number of cases linked to this outbreak to two. |
| At the Senate Covid-19 committee today, several witnesses from employer groups backed calls for certainty and bipartisanship in energy policy.Tim Reed, president of the Business Council of Australia, said he was “heartened to hear the leader of the opposition [Anthony Albanese] back the government’s proposed technology roadmap”. | At the Senate Covid-19 committee today, several witnesses from employer groups backed calls for certainty and bipartisanship in energy policy.Tim Reed, president of the Business Council of Australia, said he was “heartened to hear the leader of the opposition [Anthony Albanese] back the government’s proposed technology roadmap”. |
| “Certainly, bipartisanship on energy policy would help us go a lot further a lot faster,” Reed said, referencing it in a series of reforms that would help Australia recover from the Covid-19 contraction.The Australian Industry Group chief executive, Innes Willox, said that “certainty” is the “key factor” for where industry chooses to invest and “volatility” would impede the economic recovery. | “Certainly, bipartisanship on energy policy would help us go a lot further a lot faster,” Reed said, referencing it in a series of reforms that would help Australia recover from the Covid-19 contraction.The Australian Industry Group chief executive, Innes Willox, said that “certainty” is the “key factor” for where industry chooses to invest and “volatility” would impede the economic recovery. |
| Businesses would only “be prepared to invest on sufficient scale to provide cheaper and reliable power we all need” with policy certainty, he said. | Businesses would only “be prepared to invest on sufficient scale to provide cheaper and reliable power we all need” with policy certainty, he said. |
| Both Reed and Willox backed a target of net zero emissions by 2050. | Both Reed and Willox backed a target of net zero emissions by 2050. |
| Woolworths has released a statement saying it is reintroducing purchase limits for some items, in Victoria, after demand spiked in that state: | Woolworths has released a statement saying it is reintroducing purchase limits for some items, in Victoria, after demand spiked in that state: |
| Woolworths Supermarkets managing director Claire Peters said: | Woolworths Supermarkets managing director Claire Peters said: |
| The reintroduction of limits on select categories will apply only in Victoria because that’s where the early signs of a demand surge is occurring. They will also apply to online orders. There are no product limits in place outside of Victoria at this time. | The reintroduction of limits on select categories will apply only in Victoria because that’s where the early signs of a demand surge is occurring. They will also apply to online orders. There are no product limits in place outside of Victoria at this time. |
| Paul Fletcher: | Paul Fletcher: |
| The communications minister, Paul Fletcher, says the ABC’s budget has increased under the Coalition. | The communications minister, Paul Fletcher, says the ABC’s budget has increased under the Coalition. |
| That’s true, in the same way health and education budgets keep increasing; that’s population growth. | That’s true, in the same way health and education budgets keep increasing; that’s population growth. |
| The difference is this time around, the Coalition has cut how much the ABC expected its budget to grow by. So, having had a budget plan, it made decisions and moved forward with projects, but has now been told, no, we won’t be giving you about $80m of that money you were expecting. | The difference is this time around, the Coalition has cut how much the ABC expected its budget to grow by. So, having had a budget plan, it made decisions and moved forward with projects, but has now been told, no, we won’t be giving you about $80m of that money you were expecting. |
| It’s like if you were given $50 to go shopping, made your list and were at the checkout, and the person who gave you the money took $20 of it back. | It’s like if you were given $50 to go shopping, made your list and were at the checkout, and the person who gave you the money took $20 of it back. |
| When he was asked yesterday about taking up the offer of ADF support, Daniel Andrews said: | When he was asked yesterday about taking up the offer of ADF support, Daniel Andrews said: |
| We are chasing this up. | We are chasing this up. |