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| Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria records 270 new Covid-19 cases and NSW 13 cases | Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria records 270 new Covid-19 cases and NSW 13 cases |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| South Australia to keep border closed to NSW as Queensland introduces quarantine rule for parts of Sydney. Follow live | South Australia to keep border closed to NSW as Queensland introduces quarantine rule for parts of Sydney. Follow live |
| The Australian Capital Territory has recorded no new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, and still has five active cases. | |
| I’ve always liked emus. | |
| The chief executive of ME Bank, Jamie McPhee, has resigned, two and a half months after drawing customer anger over home loan redraws. | |
| ME Bank slashed thousands of dollars from the amount an estimated 20,000 customers could redraw from their home loans. Customers complained that they had been given little or no warning, with some particularly angry because they were counting on the money to help them during the coronavirus crisis. | |
| The bank backflipped, and McPhee apologised, a week later. | |
| ME Bank chairman James Evans said McPhee “made a significant contribution to the Bank over the last 10 and a half years, transforming the scale and extent of ME’s retail offering to customers”. | |
| “Notably, ME has continued to achieve primacy in customer satisfaction, based on Roy Morgan banking research,” he said. | |
| “Importantly, Jamie has steered the Bank through significant change in the industry and the macro economic environment. Jamie leaves with our thanks and best wishes for the future.” | |
| McPhee said that “after 10 and a half years at ME, I am looking forward to taking some time out before considering what I want to do next”. | |
| “The timing is right for me and its right for the bank,” he said. | |
| He will continue to serve until the end of the month, after which chief financial officer Adam Crane will serve as CEO while the board looks for a permanent replacement. | |
| While that’s happening, let’s set out a few more details about the new rules for pubs in NSW. The new rules will come into force at 12.01am on Friday. | |
| They will: | |
| Limit group bookings to a maximum of 10 people. | |
| Cap the maximum number of customers allowed in a venue at 300 people. | |
| Require large venues to have dedicated hygiene marshalls in “distinctinve clothing” to oversee social distancing, cleaning and hygiene at all times, and small venues to have them in peak lunch and dinner periods. | |
| Make it compulsory for venues to register a Covid-safe plan though Service NSW | |
| Require all hotels to create a digital record of patron names and phone numbers, to be submitted to Service NSW within 24 hours. | |
| Encourage or strongly promote pubs to adopt a QR code sign in (lol QR codes). | |
| Any business found to be in breach of the public health orders could face penalties of up to $55,000, with further $27,500 penalties to apply for each additional day an offence continues. | |
| Liquor and Gaming NSW will also have the power to enforce $5,500 fines for the first offence, to close businesses for a week on the second offence, and to shut down a venue for up to a month for the third offence. | |
| Opposition leader Anthony Albanese is speaking now in Sydney. He starts by talking about the palace letters. Which, again, you can read all about here. | |
| Australia’s barley industry feels it may have borne the brunt of “a fracture” in the relationship with China, representatives of GrainGrowers have told a parliamentary inquiry. | Australia’s barley industry feels it may have borne the brunt of “a fracture” in the relationship with China, representatives of GrainGrowers have told a parliamentary inquiry. |
| David McKeon, chief executive officer of the industry body, told an inquiry into diversifying Australia’s trade and investment profile that China’s decision to impose steep tariffs on barley from Australia in May had effectively put a $1.5bn market “out of reach overnight for Australian farmers and exporters”. | David McKeon, chief executive officer of the industry body, told an inquiry into diversifying Australia’s trade and investment profile that China’s decision to impose steep tariffs on barley from Australia in May had effectively put a $1.5bn market “out of reach overnight for Australian farmers and exporters”. |
| Brett Hosking, the chair of GrainGrowers who gave evidence during the same session today, said the allegations about subsidies and “dumping” of products were unfounded. He told the Joint Standing Committee on Trade and Investment Growth: | Brett Hosking, the chair of GrainGrowers who gave evidence during the same session today, said the allegations about subsidies and “dumping” of products were unfounded. He told the Joint Standing Committee on Trade and Investment Growth: |
| Hosking said the industry was working with Chinese authorities in a bid to resolve the current dispute over barley, but added: | Hosking said the industry was working with Chinese authorities in a bid to resolve the current dispute over barley, but added: |
| Back to South Australia. Where, as we mentioned very briefly earlier, premier Steven Marshall has announced that they will not reopen their border to NSW and the ACT because of concerns about the rise in coronavirus cases from community transmission in Sydney. | Back to South Australia. Where, as we mentioned very briefly earlier, premier Steven Marshall has announced that they will not reopen their border to NSW and the ACT because of concerns about the rise in coronavirus cases from community transmission in Sydney. |
| From AAP: | From AAP: |
| This has become a rolling announcement. | This has become a rolling announcement. |
| The producers of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which should be halfway through its second year at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne, have announced they have suspended production for a further five weeks in line with the Melbourne stage three lockdown. | The producers of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which should be halfway through its second year at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne, have announced they have suspended production for a further five weeks in line with the Melbourne stage three lockdown. |
| That pushes performances out, again, until at least 13 September. They said: | That pushes performances out, again, until at least 13 September. They said: |
| While all that was happening, the Australian Rugby League Commission called an urgent meeting to see if the NRL should be moved to Queensland for the rest of the season, to stave off another mid-season halt. | While all that was happening, the Australian Rugby League Commission called an urgent meeting to see if the NRL should be moved to Queensland for the rest of the season, to stave off another mid-season halt. |
| It comes as Queensland announced new quarantine requirements for travellers from the Liverpool and Campbelltown local government areas in southwest Sydney. | It comes as Queensland announced new quarantine requirements for travellers from the Liverpool and Campbelltown local government areas in southwest Sydney. |
| More on that here: | More on that here: |
| One final thing: one of the clusters Sutton mentioned was connected to a private hospital. We were a bit confused about which hospital, but Melissa Davey has clarified it was the Brunswick Private Hospital. | One final thing: one of the clusters Sutton mentioned was connected to a private hospital. We were a bit confused about which hospital, but Melissa Davey has clarified it was the Brunswick Private Hospital. |
| There are now 14 cases linked to that hospital — last week it was only five. | There are now 14 cases linked to that hospital — last week it was only five. |
| Sutton said Victoria was currently on the “wrong side of the curve” to be talking about the possibility of pursuing an elimination strategy, but should consider it in future. | Sutton said Victoria was currently on the “wrong side of the curve” to be talking about the possibility of pursuing an elimination strategy, but should consider it in future. |
| It’s interesting, when you cut so quickly between a Victorian and NSW press conference, to see the difference in the way they talk about suppression versus elimination. Berejiklian sounded very comfortable with a suppression strategy. Sutton does not. | It’s interesting, when you cut so quickly between a Victorian and NSW press conference, to see the difference in the way they talk about suppression versus elimination. Berejiklian sounded very comfortable with a suppression strategy. Sutton does not. |
| He said: | He said: |
| Victorian premier Daniel Andrews repeated that further restrictions could be imposed if case numbers continue to rise. | Victorian premier Daniel Andrews repeated that further restrictions could be imposed if case numbers continue to rise. |
| Ok let’s go back to Victoria now. We missed the second half of that press conference by jumping to NSW. | Ok let’s go back to Victoria now. We missed the second half of that press conference by jumping to NSW. |
| The Victorian chief health officer, Prof Brett Sutton, was asked if Victoria was now recording a higher positivity rate in its coronavirus tests. He says that they may be getting a higher positivity rate, but that’s because testing was focused on the areas of the highest risk. | The Victorian chief health officer, Prof Brett Sutton, was asked if Victoria was now recording a higher positivity rate in its coronavirus tests. He says that they may be getting a higher positivity rate, but that’s because testing was focused on the areas of the highest risk. |
| The question was prompted by Victoria doing fewer test this week than the peak of 37,000 tests per day last week. | The question was prompted by Victoria doing fewer test this week than the peak of 37,000 tests per day last week. |
| Says Sutton: | Says Sutton: |
| He said they were also encouraging people in regional areas to get tested, if they have any symptoms. | He said they were also encouraging people in regional areas to get tested, if they have any symptoms. |
| I just spoke to someone from NSW Health to clarify those new coronavirus figures, and was told they would put out a statement shortly. So we’ll bring you that information as soon as we have it. | I just spoke to someone from NSW Health to clarify those new coronavirus figures, and was told they would put out a statement shortly. So we’ll bring you that information as soon as we have it. |
| Berejiklian praises the person who first linked back the two disconnected cases, reported last week, to the Crossroads Hotel. | Berejiklian praises the person who first linked back the two disconnected cases, reported last week, to the Crossroads Hotel. |
| Berejiklian is asked if these new restrictions on pubs essentially mean that the previous restrictions were not tight enough. | Berejiklian is asked if these new restrictions on pubs essentially mean that the previous restrictions were not tight enough. |
| She says that’s not what it means, but then repeats that it’s “highly likely” that NSW has been exposed to underlying community transmission for some weeks. | She says that’s not what it means, but then repeats that it’s “highly likely” that NSW has been exposed to underlying community transmission for some weeks. |
| She said this level of community transmission was “a new phenomenon for our continent”. | She said this level of community transmission was “a new phenomenon for our continent”. |
| The new rules for pubs in NSW will come into force this week. | The new rules for pubs in NSW will come into force this week. |
| As of midnight on Thursday night, every pub in NSW must download a Covid-safe plan and register with Service NSW. | As of midnight on Thursday night, every pub in NSW must download a Covid-safe plan and register with Service NSW. |
| NSW has recorded 13 new cases of coronavirus to 8pm last night. Of those, two are returned travellers in hotel quarantine, and one is a known close contact of a previous overseas case who was isolated prior to becoming infectious. | NSW has recorded 13 new cases of coronavirus to 8pm last night. Of those, two are returned travellers in hotel quarantine, and one is a known close contact of a previous overseas case who was isolated prior to becoming infectious. |
| Ten other cases are connected to the Crossroads hotel cluster. Three attended the venue, and the remaining seven are close contacts. | Ten other cases are connected to the Crossroads hotel cluster. Three attended the venue, and the remaining seven are close contacts. |
| That brings the number of cases associated with the Crossroads Hotel cluster to 28, NSW chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, said. She’s describing these numbers in a slightly confusing way – they’ve changed the standard reporting period. | That brings the number of cases associated with the Crossroads Hotel cluster to 28, NSW chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, said. She’s describing these numbers in a slightly confusing way – they’ve changed the standard reporting period. |
| Anyway. The new cases are: | Anyway. The new cases are: |
| A 40-year-old south-western Sydney woman, who attended the Crossroads Hotel on 3 July; | A 40-year-old south-western Sydney woman, who attended the Crossroads Hotel on 3 July; |
| A 50-year-old Melbourne man who attended the Crossroads Hotel on 3 July; | A 50-year-old Melbourne man who attended the Crossroads Hotel on 3 July; |
| A 30-year-old south-western Sydney man who attended the Crossroads Hotel on 3 July; | A 30-year-old south-western Sydney man who attended the Crossroads Hotel on 3 July; |
| A 20-year-old south-western Sydney woman who attended the Crossroads Hotel on 3 July; | A 20-year-old south-western Sydney woman who attended the Crossroads Hotel on 3 July; |
| A south-western Sydney child, who is a contact of a hotel case; | A south-western Sydney child, who is a contact of a hotel case; |
| A south-western Sydney teenager, who is a contact of a hotel case; | A south-western Sydney teenager, who is a contact of a hotel case; |
| An 80-year-old south-western Sydney man who is a contact of a hotel case; | An 80-year-old south-western Sydney man who is a contact of a hotel case; |
| A 20-year-old south-western Sydney man who is currently being interviewed by contact-tracing experts. | A 20-year-old south-western Sydney man who is currently being interviewed by contact-tracing experts. |
| Says Chant: | Says Chant: |
| She has again urged anyone who visited the hotel between 3 and 10 July to self-isolate and get tested as soon as possible. | She has again urged anyone who visited the hotel between 3 and 10 July to self-isolate and get tested as soon as possible. |
| Says Berejiklian: | Says Berejiklian: |