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Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria records six deaths and 384 Covid-19 cases and NSW 14 new cases – latest news Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria records six deaths and 384 Covid-19 cases and NSW 14 new cases – latest news
(32 minutes later)
State suspends non-urgent elective surgery as Covid-19 cases in nursing homes rises, while NSW announces 14 new cases. Follow live updatesState suspends non-urgent elective surgery as Covid-19 cases in nursing homes rises, while NSW announces 14 new cases. Follow live updates
Hello everyone. Thanks to Calla Walhquist for her excellent work today. I’ll be with you into the evening.
If you see something and want to bring it my attention, you can get in contact by email via luke.henriques-gomes@theguardian.com or on Twitter @lukehgomes.
On that note I will hand over to my Melbourne colleague Luke Henriques-Gomes, who will take you though the afternoon.
Stay well, send flowers to any healthcare workers in your life and and try not to look askance at any stray seafood. I’ll see you in the morning.
For a change of pace, for today’s political photo gallery we have the prime minister, Scott Morrison, looking at fish.
He was at Walker Seafoods in Mooloolaba in south-east Queensland this morning, before flying back to Canberra to deal with the aged care crisis in Victoria.
The National Tertiary Education Union president, Alison Barnes, has told the Senate Covid-19 committee the university sector is well on its way to an estimated 30,000 job losses in the first 12 months of the pandemic, with 7,000 jobs lost in Victoria alone.
Barnes said this is a conservative estimate of the “first wave” but with fewer international students coming this year, that will leave unis with less income for several years to come. The figures also ignore subsidiary cuts at English language centres, private providers, casuals including in non-academic services such as gyms.
Terri McDonald, the NTEU research officer had a big serve at the government’s Job Ready Graduates package.
She said it:
Private aged care providers say they will not be able to provide staff with paid pandemic leave without government support.
The federal government has said it will provide compensation to cover the cost of pandemic leave in greater Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire, following the ruling by the Fair Work Commission, but, in other areas, aged care providers will have to cover the cost of paying their staff’s pandemic leave themselves.
In a joint statement, the Aged and Community Services Australia, the Aged Care Guild and Leading Age Services Australia said:
In other public health news, free tampons and pads are now available in all 1,500 Victorian public schools.In other public health news, free tampons and pads are now available in all 1,500 Victorian public schools.
The Andrews government announced this $20.7m policy about 10 months ago. It’s the first jurisdiction in Australia to provide free pads and tampons in schools – though I have vague memories of the sick bay at Wangaratta High School providing inch-thick pads circa 2002 so it’s possible some schools were already keeping an unofficial supply on hand.The Andrews government announced this $20.7m policy about 10 months ago. It’s the first jurisdiction in Australia to provide free pads and tampons in schools – though I have vague memories of the sick bay at Wangaratta High School providing inch-thick pads circa 2002 so it’s possible some schools were already keeping an unofficial supply on hand.
In a statement, education minister James Merlino said sanitary items were “a necessity, not a luxury” and that providing them for free in schools eased anxiety experienced by young girls, eased the cost of living, and supported student wellbeing.In a statement, education minister James Merlino said sanitary items were “a necessity, not a luxury” and that providing them for free in schools eased anxiety experienced by young girls, eased the cost of living, and supported student wellbeing.
Merlino said:Merlino said:
The NSW assistant police commissioner, Michael Willing, is speaking in Sydney about the decision to fine six people who attended the Black Lives Matter rally in the Domain today.The NSW assistant police commissioner, Michael Willing, is speaking in Sydney about the decision to fine six people who attended the Black Lives Matter rally in the Domain today.
Five were fined $1,000 for breaching the public health orders, and one person was fined for offensive language.Five were fined $1,000 for breaching the public health orders, and one person was fined for offensive language.
He said “many hundreds” of people attended, but they were not all fined because they moved on when asked to do so by police.He said “many hundreds” of people attended, but they were not all fined because they moved on when asked to do so by police.
Willing:Willing:
Willing said police were standing by in case protesters gathered again later today. Paddy Gibson, the organiser, presented a petition to state parliament after being fined for breaching public health orders. He told Guardian Australia’s Naaman Zhou that he planned to challenge the fine in court.Willing said police were standing by in case protesters gathered again later today. Paddy Gibson, the organiser, presented a petition to state parliament after being fined for breaching public health orders. He told Guardian Australia’s Naaman Zhou that he planned to challenge the fine in court.
Willing, asked what he thought about that, said:Willing, asked what he thought about that, said:
Protesters were gathering in groups of 20 or less in the domain and people are allowed to gather outdoors in NSW in groups of 20 or fewer. But Willing said police will allege that the hundreds of protesters were gathered “for a common purpose” despite standing separately.Protesters were gathering in groups of 20 or less in the domain and people are allowed to gather outdoors in NSW in groups of 20 or fewer. But Willing said police will allege that the hundreds of protesters were gathered “for a common purpose” despite standing separately.
Our data team has pulled together a map of the aged care homes in Melbourne associated with the biggest numbers of positive Covid-19 cases.Our data team has pulled together a map of the aged care homes in Melbourne associated with the biggest numbers of positive Covid-19 cases.
It’s important to remember that the cases linked to aged care are split about 50-50 between residents and staff.It’s important to remember that the cases linked to aged care are split about 50-50 between residents and staff.
The Covid-19 Senate inquiry will shortly turn to the government’s university funding package, but first heard from the Australian Council of Social Services about the adequacy of jobkeeper and jobseeker payments.The Covid-19 Senate inquiry will shortly turn to the government’s university funding package, but first heard from the Australian Council of Social Services about the adequacy of jobkeeper and jobseeker payments.
Acoss chief executive, Cassandra Goldie, said the doubling of jobseeker with the coronavirus supplement had helped welfare recipients to feed themselves three times a day, provide a roof over their head and clothing for their children.Acoss chief executive, Cassandra Goldie, said the doubling of jobseeker with the coronavirus supplement had helped welfare recipients to feed themselves three times a day, provide a roof over their head and clothing for their children.
But she said the government’s plan to cut payments by $300 a fortnight is “so distressing for so many” and recipients want certainty about the supplement, which is technically due to expire in December.But she said the government’s plan to cut payments by $300 a fortnight is “so distressing for so many” and recipients want certainty about the supplement, which is technically due to expire in December.
Goldie said she was “heartened to hear there is an intention to lean in – to deliver a permanent increase to jobseeker” – which seems to be overstating the government’s position, which is only that they are likely to extend the (now reduced) coronavirus supplement beyond December.Goldie said she was “heartened to hear there is an intention to lean in – to deliver a permanent increase to jobseeker” – which seems to be overstating the government’s position, which is only that they are likely to extend the (now reduced) coronavirus supplement beyond December.
In South Australia, premier Steven Marshall is announcing changes to his cabinet after losing three ministers to an expenses scandal.In South Australia, premier Steven Marshall is announcing changes to his cabinet after losing three ministers to an expenses scandal.
He is adding the speaker of the house, Vincent Tarzia, to cabinet, as well as David Basham and Stephen Patterson.He is adding the speaker of the house, Vincent Tarzia, to cabinet, as well as David Basham and Stephen Patterson.
I’ve just spoken to organiser Paddy Gibson, outside the Domain, who says he was arrested, fined and released by police.I’ve just spoken to organiser Paddy Gibson, outside the Domain, who says he was arrested, fined and released by police.
Earlier, other organisers who were detained said they weren’t arrested, only fined.Earlier, other organisers who were detained said they weren’t arrested, only fined.
Gibson said:Gibson said:
He said he was not given a notice to attend court.He said he was not given a notice to attend court.
I’m free to go.I’m free to go.
He said he would challenge the fine in court.He said he would challenge the fine in court.
Seth Dias, another organiser, said he was given a move on order and fined, but not arrested when police broke up a Black Lives Matter protest in Sydney’s Domain today.Seth Dias, another organiser, said he was given a move on order and fined, but not arrested when police broke up a Black Lives Matter protest in Sydney’s Domain today.
Collins said the aged care sector in Australia was “in crisis prior to Covid-19”.
But she said the failures of individual providers to respond properly would be a matter for the royal commission into aged care.
Labor’s aged care spokesperson, Julie Collins, has been speaking in Hobart. She says the federal government should have learned the lessons of the New South Wales outbreak and responded more quickly.
She’s contradicting Greg Hunt’s claim that the federal government has learned the lessons from Newmarch.
She said many aged care providers still did not have adequate PPE, and the government should have conducted an audit after the mask began.
Hunt said the intervention in the Victorian aged care sector would continue for “long as there is a serious public health outbreak in Victoria”.
Hunt agreed that the aged care outbreak was foreseeable – in that if you have mass community transmission it will get into aged care, not in that he anticipated the mass community transmission event in Victoria.
He said that because it was forseeable to some extent, that’s “why we were able to step in”. He says just because you could foresee it, doesn’t mean you could prevent it.
Hunt was asked about his own experience with private aged care facilities in Victoria, as his father lived in one.
A reporter asked another question, but Hunt repeated:
Hunt said the key concerns are making sure staffing is covered, if aged care workers need to self-isolate, and to ensure that residents who need to be moved to a hospital can be moved.
He said he had received a “concerning report” of aged care providers being turned away when they tried to move residents into hospital – and he again says that’s a state decision.
Asked if the federal government has dropped the ball on managing the aged care outbreak, given the earlier experience with Newmarch House in Sydney, Hunt said it was “exactly the opposite”.
It’s precisely because of the experience we’ve had that we’re able to set up an aged care response centre.
Australia’s chief nursing and midwifery officer, Alison McMillan, said she worked in St Basil’s Home for the Aged, the site of the biggest aged care outbreak in Melbourne at the moment, and one which has been identified as having had significant failures.
She urged nurses not to be afraid of working in aged care settings.
She added:
Hunt said the federal government will send an Australian Medical Assistance Teams (Ausmat team) into Victoria to help manage the outbreak, and would also request staff come in from interstate.
Hunt said the Australian government was also allocating a further five million masks from the national medical supply to the aged care sector in Melbourne, and would also provide 500,000 face shields – the first time that level of PPE has been provided to the aged care sector.
Hunt said the aged care outbreaks are, like the rest of the second wave in Melbourne, “a consequence of major outbreak at hotel quarantine”.