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/jul/27/coronavirus-australia-live-news-victoria-outbreak-nsw-qld-andrews-berejiklian-morrison-melbourne-sydney-thai-rock-aged-care-live
The article has changed 24 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 13 | Version 14 |
|---|---|
| Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria reports six deaths and 532 Covid-19 cases and NSW 17 new cases | Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria reports six deaths and 532 Covid-19 cases and NSW 17 new cases |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Australia records highest daily one-day total of cases since start of pandemic, as Andrews announces 683 active cases linked to aged care in Victoria, and in Sydney the Thai Rock Wetherill Park cluster rises to 70. Follow latest updates | Australia records highest daily one-day total of cases since start of pandemic, as Andrews announces 683 active cases linked to aged care in Victoria, and in Sydney the Thai Rock Wetherill Park cluster rises to 70. Follow latest updates |
| Hello to you all. Hope you’re having a wonderful Monday afternoon. Thanks to Calla for her work today. | |
| As Calla says, we’re awaiting a court decision on tomorrow’s Black Lives Matter rally planned for Sydney. | |
| If you want to get in touch, you can send me a note at luke.henriques-gomes@theguardian.com or via on Twitter @lukehgomes. | |
| On that note I will hand over to Luke Henriques-Gomes who will take you through the afternoon’s news, including the outcome of the court of appeal hearing on tomorrow’s Black Lives Matter rally. | |
| Stay well, and exercise your human right to be considerate of others and wear a mask when recommended to do so. | |
| An update from the Australian council of attorneys general meeting today, which considered the question of whether the age of criminal responsibility in Australia should be lifted from 10-years-old: | |
| Police in NSW have fined three people for failing to self-isolate upon their return from Victoria, after they were apparently dobbed in by other community members. | |
| On Saturday, police checked on a 33-year-old woman and a 31-year-old man living in a house in Deniliquin, following “reports” that two people who had recently returned to the town on the Riverina from Victoria had been spotted at the shops. | |
| Deniliquin is about 78km north of the Murray River. The man and the woman had returned to the town from Victoria on 21 July and were four days into their 14-day self-isolation period. | |
| They allegedly told police “it’s a free country”, and were fined $1,000 each. | |
| Yesterday, police on the NSW south coast spoke to a 63-year-old woman who was supposed to be self-isolating at home at the Batemans Bay suburb of Surf Beach. Police had received “reports” she had visited a supermarket in town. She was also fined $1,000. | |
| I do not have moody photographs of Daniel Andrews for you today but I do have a very rare smiling Daniel Andrews and Brett Sutton. | I do not have moody photographs of Daniel Andrews for you today but I do have a very rare smiling Daniel Andrews and Brett Sutton. |
| Victoria recorded 532 new coronavirus cases today, the highest daily case total in Australia since the pandemic began. | Victoria recorded 532 new coronavirus cases today, the highest daily case total in Australia since the pandemic began. |
| It is also, based on my very quick counting, the 25th day in a row that Andrews has given the daily coronavirus press conference and Sutton has been at most of them. So it’s nice to see a brief moment of levity, even on the worst day. | It is also, based on my very quick counting, the 25th day in a row that Andrews has given the daily coronavirus press conference and Sutton has been at most of them. So it’s nice to see a brief moment of levity, even on the worst day. |
| The court of appeal in NSW is currently hearing the appeal by organisers against its decision yesterday, banning a Black Lives Matter rally from going ahead. | The court of appeal in NSW is currently hearing the appeal by organisers against its decision yesterday, banning a Black Lives Matter rally from going ahead. |
| We cut away from the prime minister’s press conference earlier today to bring you the bad news out of Victoria. | We cut away from the prime minister’s press conference earlier today to bring you the bad news out of Victoria. |
| But readers of this blog will probably be very interested in what Scott Morrison had to say when asked for his opinion on treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s comments that he was drawing some inspiration from Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan in addressing the economic crisis. | But readers of this blog will probably be very interested in what Scott Morrison had to say when asked for his opinion on treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s comments that he was drawing some inspiration from Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan in addressing the economic crisis. |
| Morrison: | Morrison: |
| So, it won’t be Thatcherism or Reaganomics, because it will be an Australian solution, but it will still be heavily reliant on supply side economics. Maybe we’ll get our own portmanteau. | So, it won’t be Thatcherism or Reaganomics, because it will be an Australian solution, but it will still be heavily reliant on supply side economics. Maybe we’ll get our own portmanteau. |
| The Australian Council of Trade Unions has called on the federal government to publish the retirement income review and publicly affirm their commitment to the superannuation guarantee rising to 12%. | The Australian Council of Trade Unions has called on the federal government to publish the retirement income review and publicly affirm their commitment to the superannuation guarantee rising to 12%. |
| This is particularly urgent when considered alongside the data, which I mentioned earlier, showing that $28bn has been withdrawn from superannuation funds in Australia under the coronavirus early release scheme. | This is particularly urgent when considered alongside the data, which I mentioned earlier, showing that $28bn has been withdrawn from superannuation funds in Australia under the coronavirus early release scheme. |
| The ACTU assistant secretary, Scott Connolly, said: | The ACTU assistant secretary, Scott Connolly, said: |
| The NT will spend $20m to recruit new police officers and buy new police vehicles in order to keep manning the border checkpoints. | The NT will spend $20m to recruit new police officers and buy new police vehicles in order to keep manning the border checkpoints. |
| The recruitment will begin straight away, Gunner said, and will continue until November next year. It comes because the Australian Federal Police has reduced its contingent that was providing support on the NT border, leaving the local police short about 70 sworn officers. | The recruitment will begin straight away, Gunner said, and will continue until November next year. It comes because the Australian Federal Police has reduced its contingent that was providing support on the NT border, leaving the local police short about 70 sworn officers. |
| NT police commissioner Jamie Chalker said: | NT police commissioner Jamie Chalker said: |
| Chalker said the police in the NT had been under “significant” pressure to maintain border checkpoints and maintaining other public health orders. | Chalker said the police in the NT had been under “significant” pressure to maintain border checkpoints and maintaining other public health orders. |
| He said they were moving to use automatic number plate recognition to help maintain border checkpoints, but said that when people enter the NT by road they will “continue to engage with those people and thank them for the preparedness for the arrival forms they’re putting in place”. | He said they were moving to use automatic number plate recognition to help maintain border checkpoints, but said that when people enter the NT by road they will “continue to engage with those people and thank them for the preparedness for the arrival forms they’re putting in place”. |
| He said the new recruits will include 30 Aboriginal liaison officers to work in remote communities. | He said the new recruits will include 30 Aboriginal liaison officers to work in remote communities. |
| Chalker said he was making other temporary staffing changes to cover the short-fall left by the AFP officers. | Chalker said he was making other temporary staffing changes to cover the short-fall left by the AFP officers. |
| He added that “the future for the Northern Territory police force is one of some uncertainty, as it relates to how long this response will go”. | He added that “the future for the Northern Territory police force is one of some uncertainty, as it relates to how long this response will go”. |
| Northern Territory chief minister, Michael Gunner, has extended its travel restrictions against greater Sydney for another four weeks. | Northern Territory chief minister, Michael Gunner, has extended its travel restrictions against greater Sydney for another four weeks. |
| Gunner had already declared all of greater Sydney to be a coronavirus hotspot, meaning anyone who has been in greater Sydney in the past 14-days will not be allowed to travel to the NT, unless they are prepared to be held in quarantine at their own expense. | Gunner had already declared all of greater Sydney to be a coronavirus hotspot, meaning anyone who has been in greater Sydney in the past 14-days will not be allowed to travel to the NT, unless they are prepared to be held in quarantine at their own expense. |
| Gunner said the NT border would remain closed to Victoria indefinitely. | Gunner said the NT border would remain closed to Victoria indefinitely. |
| Information released today by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) shows that one million people have made a repeat application to draw down their superannuation, under the early release scheme. | Information released today by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) shows that one million people have made a repeat application to draw down their superannuation, under the early release scheme. |
| That is, one million people have already drawn down on their super and have applied to draw it down again. | That is, one million people have already drawn down on their super and have applied to draw it down again. |
| The data shows that $28bn has been withdrawn from superannuation funds in Australia from the inception of the scheme in March to 19 July 2020. It payed out $2.7bn just in the last week. | The data shows that $28bn has been withdrawn from superannuation funds in Australia from the inception of the scheme in March to 19 July 2020. It payed out $2.7bn just in the last week. |
| Almost three million people have applied to withdraw some of their super, and the average withdrawal amount was $7,719. | Almost three million people have applied to withdraw some of their super, and the average withdrawal amount was $7,719. |
| The size of the withdrawal is increasing – the average amount withdrawn in initial applications is $7,407, but the average amount requested by the one million repeat applications is $8,619. | The size of the withdrawal is increasing – the average amount withdrawn in initial applications is $7,407, but the average amount requested by the one million repeat applications is $8,619. |
| The Western Australian premier, Mark McGowan, held a press conference a short time ago in which he called people who do refuse to wear a face mask in a high risk area “dropkicks” and said mining magnate Clive Palmer, who is challenging WA’s hard domestic border in the high court, is in a demographic at a higher risk from Covid-19. | The Western Australian premier, Mark McGowan, held a press conference a short time ago in which he called people who do refuse to wear a face mask in a high risk area “dropkicks” and said mining magnate Clive Palmer, who is challenging WA’s hard domestic border in the high court, is in a demographic at a higher risk from Covid-19. |
| McGowan was speaking in Perth to announce a new “green jobs plan”, a $60.3m package which is part of the state’s coronavirus economic recovery plan. It includes $15m to set up a native vegetation rehabilitation scheme to provide environmental offsets, and shore up the habitat for threatened species like the Carnaby’s cockatoo. | McGowan was speaking in Perth to announce a new “green jobs plan”, a $60.3m package which is part of the state’s coronavirus economic recovery plan. It includes $15m to set up a native vegetation rehabilitation scheme to provide environmental offsets, and shore up the habitat for threatened species like the Carnaby’s cockatoo. |
| The South Australian premier, Steven Marshall, is wearing a hard hat and high-vis vest and giving a press conference that he would like to be about jobs, but that is actually about him losing three ministers to an expenses scandal. | The South Australian premier, Steven Marshall, is wearing a hard hat and high-vis vest and giving a press conference that he would like to be about jobs, but that is actually about him losing three ministers to an expenses scandal. |
| How refreshing to have something as normal as an expenses scandal! | How refreshing to have something as normal as an expenses scandal! |
| Marshall: | Marshall: |
| Police have fined 10 people for attending a church in St Albans, in Melbourne’s northwestern suburbs, as part of 152 fines issued in the past 24-hours to people alleged to have breached public health orders. | Police have fined 10 people for attending a church in St Albans, in Melbourne’s northwestern suburbs, as part of 152 fines issued in the past 24-hours to people alleged to have breached public health orders. |
| Attending a place of worship is not one of the four permitted reasons that people in the greater Melbourne lockdown area are allowed to leave their home. | Attending a place of worship is not one of the four permitted reasons that people in the greater Melbourne lockdown area are allowed to leave their home. |
| The fines also included 23 people who were fined $200 for failing to wear a face covering outside their home in greater Melbourne or the Mitchell Shire. | The fines also included 23 people who were fined $200 for failing to wear a face covering outside their home in greater Melbourne or the Mitchell Shire. |
| They also issued fines for “multiple gatherings and parties at short-term rental accommodation in Melbourne’s CBD”. | They also issued fines for “multiple gatherings and parties at short-term rental accommodation in Melbourne’s CBD”. |
| Police said they conducted 12,283 vehicle checks and 4,073 spot checks on people in their homes, business, or out in public in the past 24-hours. | Police said they conducted 12,283 vehicle checks and 4,073 spot checks on people in their homes, business, or out in public in the past 24-hours. |
| The deputy commissioner of police, Rick Nugent, also, obliquely, commented on the Bunnings lady. | The deputy commissioner of police, Rick Nugent, also, obliquely, commented on the Bunnings lady. |
| He said: | He said: |
| Cool. | Cool. |
| Some scary maths, although the positive results reported today weren’t necessarily all conducted in the past 24-hours – only priority cases have results back in 24-hours at the moment. | Some scary maths, although the positive results reported today weren’t necessarily all conducted in the past 24-hours – only priority cases have results back in 24-hours at the moment. |
| Finally, Berejiklian was asked for her comment on the Sydney Black Lives Matter rally. | Finally, Berejiklian was asked for her comment on the Sydney Black Lives Matter rally. |
| The reporter who asked the question, asked the premier what her message is to people who may go to the protest. | The reporter who asked the question, asked the premier what her message is to people who may go to the protest. |
| It is scheduled to go ahead tomorrow despite the supreme court on Sunday ruling in favour of police to invalidate the protest. The organisers are appealing that decision in the supreme court today and, notably, said yesterday that they would call off the protest if Berejiklian commits to asking SafeWork NSW and the director of public prosecutions to investigate whether charges should be laid against the guards involved in the 2015 death in custody of David Dungay Jr. | It is scheduled to go ahead tomorrow despite the supreme court on Sunday ruling in favour of police to invalidate the protest. The organisers are appealing that decision in the supreme court today and, notably, said yesterday that they would call off the protest if Berejiklian commits to asking SafeWork NSW and the director of public prosecutions to investigate whether charges should be laid against the guards involved in the 2015 death in custody of David Dungay Jr. |
| I am telling you that context, because Berejiklian was not asked whether she would agree to asking for the investigation – she was just asked for her “message”. | I am telling you that context, because Berejiklian was not asked whether she would agree to asking for the investigation – she was just asked for her “message”. |
| Her message was: | Her message was: |
| She said police will make arrests. | She said police will make arrests. |