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Coronavirus Australia update: Victoria reports 30 new Covid-19 cases as NT blocks people coming from hotspots – live news Coronavirus Australia update: Victoria reports 30 new Covid-19 cases as NT blocks people coming from hotspots – live news
(32 minutes later)
Five of Victoria’s new cases are from hotel quarantine; Northern Territory chief minister says people from areas with spikes will be quarantined at their own cost. Follow liveFive of Victoria’s new cases are from hotel quarantine; Northern Territory chief minister says people from areas with spikes will be quarantined at their own cost. Follow live
Woolworths has just annouced they will reintroduce countrywide buying limits on toilet paper. This includes Victoria where demand has not spiked.
The supermarket chain has released this statement:
Here is a little more information on those Sydney ASIO raids, via AAP:
A south Sydney house belonging to NSW Labor upper house MP Shaoquett Moselmane has been searched by Australian federal police and intelligence officers.
The AFP confirmed search warrants were executed in Sydney on Friday as part of an ongoing investigation and that there was no threat to the community.
NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay said she’d been told police and ASIO members entered Moselmane’s Rockdale home and had a warrant for his parliamentary office.
Asked if the searches related to suspicions of Chinese government filtration, McKay said:
McKay will be briefed by law enforcement agencies later on Friday and told reporters one of Moselmane’s staff may also be involved. McKay said:
Moselmane’s membership of NSW Labor would be suspended and he would no longer sit in the Labor parliamentary caucus, McKay added.
Moselmane in April stood down as assistant president of the NSW upper house after praising Chinese president Xi Jinping’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, saying Xi had demonstrated “unswerving leadership” and decisiveness.
Moselmane has been a member of the NSW upper house since December 2009 and between 1995 and 2009 served four stints as Rockdale city council mayor.
For more information on the future of Virgin Australia, check out Ben Butler’s full report below:For more information on the future of Virgin Australia, check out Ben Butler’s full report below:
Nick Evershed has kindly put together this chart showing the recent trends in Victorian cases.Nick Evershed has kindly put together this chart showing the recent trends in Victorian cases.
As a Melbourne resident myself, I’m not loving the gradient at the end of that graph.As a Melbourne resident myself, I’m not loving the gradient at the end of that graph.
If you are interested in this, check out Nick’s other amazing data work here:If you are interested in this, check out Nick’s other amazing data work here:
Unions have responded to Virgin Australia’s administrators striking a deal with Bain Capital by repeating their call for government intervention to keep the broader aviation sector afloat.Unions have responded to Virgin Australia’s administrators striking a deal with Bain Capital by repeating their call for government intervention to keep the broader aviation sector afloat.
In a statement, ACTU president Michele O’Neil said:In a statement, ACTU president Michele O’Neil said:
Hello to all Keilor Downs and Broadmeadows residents.Hello to all Keilor Downs and Broadmeadows residents.
Have you run into the door-to-door Covid testing taskforce today? Did you say yes to testing? If not, why not?Have you run into the door-to-door Covid testing taskforce today? Did you say yes to testing? If not, why not?
Tweet me your experiences at @MatildaBoseley and I’ll feature your stories on the blog.Tweet me your experiences at @MatildaBoseley and I’ll feature your stories on the blog.
Several large clusters in Melbourne have also grown overnight.Several large clusters in Melbourne have also grown overnight.
The Coburg family cluster has had one additional case – I believe taking the total to 15.The Coburg family cluster has had one additional case – I believe taking the total to 15.
The second Keilor Downs family cluster has grown to 19, and the North Melbourne family cluster (formally known as the H&M Northland cluster) is now at 15 cases, a growth of five from numbers reported yesterday.The second Keilor Downs family cluster has grown to 19, and the North Melbourne family cluster (formally known as the H&M Northland cluster) is now at 15 cases, a growth of five from numbers reported yesterday.
And as mentioned before, a Macdonald’s worker has tested positive and is linked to the Wollert cluster that is associated with St Monica’s College in Epping.And as mentioned before, a Macdonald’s worker has tested positive and is linked to the Wollert cluster that is associated with St Monica’s College in Epping.
Among the new Victorian cases is a healthcare worker a youth mental health facility.Among the new Victorian cases is a healthcare worker a youth mental health facility.
Victorian deputy chief health officer Annaliese van Diemen says:Victorian deputy chief health officer Annaliese van Diemen says:
Other new cases include a worker at MacDonald’s which is linked to the Wollert outbreak in the city’s south-east. Other new cases include a worker at McDonald’s which is linked to the Wollert outbreak in the city’s north.
The Victorian deputy chief health officer is speaking now:The Victorian deputy chief health officer is speaking now:
Virgin Australia’s administrators, Deloitte, say Bain Capital is the successful bidder for the airline.Virgin Australia’s administrators, Deloitte, say Bain Capital is the successful bidder for the airline.
Rival Cyrus Capital Partners pulled out this morning, slamming the administrators for failing to engage with them – and return phone calls– this week.Rival Cyrus Capital Partners pulled out this morning, slamming the administrators for failing to engage with them – and return phone calls– this week.
It’s important to note that, even though the administrators say they’ve signed a deal with Bain, it isn’t binding unless approved by creditors at a meeting in August.It’s important to note that, even though the administrators say they’ve signed a deal with Bain, it isn’t binding unless approved by creditors at a meeting in August.
It’s not clear what creditors, especially bondholders owed $2bn, stand to get from the sale – Deloitte has not given information about returns in its announcement this morning.It’s not clear what creditors, especially bondholders owed $2bn, stand to get from the sale – Deloitte has not given information about returns in its announcement this morning.
There’s still time for the deal to fall over or for a legal challenge too.There’s still time for the deal to fall over or for a legal challenge too.
Deloitte said:Deloitte said:
Supports the current management team led by Paul Scurrah and their improvement plan for the airline.Supports the current management team led by Paul Scurrah and their improvement plan for the airline.
Commits to the retention of thousands of jobs.Commits to the retention of thousands of jobs.
Carries forward all travel credits and Velocity frequent flyer-booked flights.Carries forward all travel credits and Velocity frequent flyer-booked flights.
Honours all employee entitlements.Honours all employee entitlements.
Provides a significant injection of capital to see the business recapitalised and well-positioned for the future.Provides a significant injection of capital to see the business recapitalised and well-positioned for the future.
Queensland attorney general Yvette D’Ath spoke to media earlier, urging residents to comply with quarantine orders:Queensland attorney general Yvette D’Ath spoke to media earlier, urging residents to comply with quarantine orders:
In response to a twelve-year-old student at Camden High School in NSW testing positive to Covid-19, the state’s health department has set up an additional Covid pop-up testing clinic at Camden Hospital.
The clinic will have walk-in testing with no bookings required and the clinic will be open over the next three days between 10am and 4pm.
“It happens at every level ... it’s not just the judiciary, it’s through the industry.”
Those are the comments of just one of the many lawyers Naaman Zhou spoke with about the alleged culture of sexual harassment that exists within the Australian legal profession.
A senior lawyer at a top-tier firm has such a history of harassment that a supervisor must sit next to him at every social event. He is also banned from one-on-one meetings, just one of the allegations from young lawyers in the industry.
Another former legal partner, who has now been appointed a senior counsel, allegedly harassed and kissed a junior clerk when she was 24.
You can read his full story here:
Labor MP Shaoquett Moselmane will be suspended from the party by NSW leader Jodi McKay.
Earlier this morning the Sydney Morning Herald reported his Sydney home was raided by Asio as part of an alleged wide-scale investigation into Chinese political influence.
McKay spoke to media a short time ago:
The SMH is also reporting there is a police officer stationed outside the MP’s office.
ABC is reporting NSW recorded six new cases overnight. Five are from hotel quarantine.
The message from New South Wales towards Victorians living in 10 hotspot suburbs affected by small outbreaks of Covid-19 has been clear: don’t visit.
“Normally we welcome our Victorian cousins into NSW, but right now I am asking Victorians, particularly those from the hotspots in Melbourne, to not come,” the NSW health minister, Brad Hazzard, said on Thursday.
People from his state have also been urged not to travel to Victorian hotspots which include Keilor Downs, Broadmeadows, Maidstone, Albanvale, Sunshine West, Hallam, Brunswick West, Fawkner, Reservoir and Pakenham.
Melissa Davey has all the details below:
In some more cheerful news, poor old outgoing chief medical officer Brendan Murphy has revealed he has taken to wearing a disguise while in public to avoid his newfound fame:
He sat down for an interview with the ABC to mark his last days in office. His new role will be secretary of the health department.
Today is also the first of a 10 day testing blitz in Melbourne. The focus today will be on the suburbs of Keilor Downs and Broadmeadows, with an effort to eventually test 50% of residents over the next three days. Attention will then turn to eight other hotspot suburbs.
In many cases, this will involve ambulances sitting at the end of suburban streets with health officials going door to door asking locals to get tested whether they are symptomatic or not.
“So, they will be invited to come and get a test, and they’ll only have to travel 50 metres or 100 metres in order to complete that test,” premier Daniel Andrews said on Thursday.
This huge testing operation is an effort to curbs the problematic rates of community transmission in Victoria.
There is some breaking local news underway in Australia as well. The Sydney Morning Herald has just reported that New South Wales Labor MP Shaoquett Moselmane’s Sydney home has been raided by Asio operatives allegedly as part of a sweeping investigation into Chinese influence in Australian politics.
The newspaper is reporting that there have been allegations Chinese government agents have infiltrated the MP’s office.
They say the raid began around 6.30am today and lasted several hours.
The publication also notes, “the Age/SMH is not suggesting the allegations involving Mr Moselmane and his office are proven, only that they are the subject of an Asio and federal police inquiry”.
I will try to bring you more details as they come to light but for now, you can have a read of the SMH’s story here.
With that, I’ll be handing the blog over to the wonderful Matilda Boseley. Thanks for reading.
In some breaking international news, Iranian authorities are investigating reports of a large explosion just east of Tehran. One to keep an eye on.