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Coronavirus Australia live update: Melbourne's hard lockdown prompts economic fears – latest news Coronavirus Australia live update: Melbourne's hard lockdown prompts economic fears – latest news
(32 minutes later)
Economists say stage-four restrictions will take a heavy toll, while business groups are urging changes to the permit system and the Andrews government is under pressure to answer questions about hotel quarantine failures. Follow liveEconomists say stage-four restrictions will take a heavy toll, while business groups are urging changes to the permit system and the Andrews government is under pressure to answer questions about hotel quarantine failures. Follow live
Included in that cybersecurity plan are increased powers for the Australian Signals Directorate. Which is what the News Corp political editor, Annika Smethurst, reported, and was dragged over the coals for. The government loudly proclaimed the story to be wrong. Smethurst endured an AFP investigation, complete with raids, before it was announced that no prosecution would move ahead.
And now here we are.
It’s a bit behind schedule but there have been a few things going on.
Australia has a new cybersecurity plan, as Katharine Murphy reports:
The concerns around food shortages centre around the changes to Victoria’s on-site work arrangements.The concerns around food shortages centre around the changes to Victoria’s on-site work arrangements.
Food production, including meat, seafood, dairy, fruit and vegetable processing businesses can remain open under the restrictions which came into force at midnight - but they have to be at one-third capacity. Food production, including meat, seafood, dairy, fruit and vegetable processing businesses can remain open under the restrictions which came into force at midnight – but they have to be at one-third capacity.
What that looks like we don’t entirely know as yet - it’s a work in progress and is different for each industry. What that looks like we don’t entirely know as yet – it’s a work in progress and is different for each industry.
Meanwhile, there is some concern about how the national food supply will be impacted by the Victorian workplace restrictions.Meanwhile, there is some concern about how the national food supply will be impacted by the Victorian workplace restrictions.
Brad Hazzard was asked about that too:Brad Hazzard was asked about that too:
But the NSW decision, which comes after it closed its border to Victoria, means there are not quite as many calls for Queensland to open its border, now that it has decided to bar people from NSW and the ACT from entering again. But the NSW decision, which comes after it closed its border to Victoria, means there are not quite as many calls for Queensland to open its border now that it has decided to bar people from NSW and the ACT from entering again.
Brad Hazzard:Brad Hazzard:
Brad Hazzard has been chatting to ABC News Breakfast about NSW’s decision to put all people returning from Victoria into mandatory hotel quarantine (which you will have to pay for yourself). Brad Hazzard has been chatting to ABC News Breakfast about NSW’s decision to put all people returning from Victoria into mandatory hotel quarantine (which you will have to pay for yourself). He repeated his warning to Victorians to stay away:
He repeated his warning to Victorians to stay away: There is now a list of permitted businesses in Victoria:
There is now a list of permitted businesses in Victoria
To avoid doubt, the following are Permitted Work Premises in the following circumstances:To avoid doubt, the following are Permitted Work Premises in the following circumstances:
Ancillary and support businesses are able to open on-site to ensure the necessary production, supply, manufacture, repair, maintenance, cleaning, security, wholesale, distribution, transportation or sale of equipment, goods or services required for the operations of a Permitted Work Premises, or for Closed Work Premises where there are safety or environmental obligations. The business cannot operate on-site for any other purpose.Ancillary and support businesses are able to open on-site to ensure the necessary production, supply, manufacture, repair, maintenance, cleaning, security, wholesale, distribution, transportation or sale of equipment, goods or services required for the operations of a Permitted Work Premises, or for Closed Work Premises where there are safety or environmental obligations. The business cannot operate on-site for any other purpose.
Services and ancillary services that relate to the COVID-19 health response are Permitted Work Premises.Services and ancillary services that relate to the COVID-19 health response are Permitted Work Premises.
Services connected with animal health, husbandry or welfare, including the RSPCA, are Permitted Work Premises.Services connected with animal health, husbandry or welfare, including the RSPCA, are Permitted Work Premises.
Union/peak body/employer organisation officials attending a worksite as permitted by law or for Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) advice is permitted.Union/peak body/employer organisation officials attending a worksite as permitted by law or for Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) advice is permitted.
ACTU boss Sally McManus says she is heartened by changes in Scott Morrison’s language which suggest the federal government paid pandemic leave may be made available to other jurisdictions without a state of disaster needing to be declared first: The ACTU boss, Sally McManus, says she is heartened by changes in Scott Morrison’s language which suggest the federal government paid pandemic leave may be made available to other jurisdictions without a state of disaster needing to be declared first. She told ABC News Breakfast this morning:
Daniel Andrews has denied his state rolled back contact tracing efforts, thinking it had the virus under control, ahead of the hotel quarantine and meatworks outbreaks. Daniel Andrews has denied his state rolled back contact tracing efforts, thinking it had the virus under control, before the hotel quarantine and meatworks outbreaks.
Nine News reported allegations Victoria had scaled back contact tracing in May/June which the premier denies.Nine News reported allegations Victoria had scaled back contact tracing in May/June which the premier denies.
The Nine reports says in mid-June there were 57 contact tracers in Victoria. That number grew to 2000 by the end of last month. The Nine reports says in mid-June there were 57 contact tracers in Victoria. That number grew to 2,000 by the end of last month.
Annnnd NSW has announced another school will be closed for cleaning - this time in Newcastle: Annnnd NSW has announced another school will be closed for cleaning – this time in Newcastle:
A Newcastle high school has closed after a student was diagnosed with COVID-19. (via AAP)
The principal of St Pius X at Adamstown has written to parents saying he was advised by NSW Health on Wednesday afternoon of a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the student population.
The school will be closed Thursday and Friday as authorities trace any close contacts of the boy amongst pupils and staff.
“All students and staff are required by NSW Health to self-isolate until you are notified you are not a close contact,” principal Robert Emery said.
Students are advised to get tested if they develop symptoms and deep cleaning of the school is underway.
(Via AAP)
NSW has announced another school closure. As AAP reports:NSW has announced another school closure. As AAP reports:
St Margaret Mary’s Primary School in Merrylands is the latest NSW school to be attended by a COVID-positive person, prompting its closure for cleaning.A primary school in Sydney’s west has been closed for deep cleaning and contact tracing after a COVID-19 case was identified in the school community. A lot of these police media updates involve people of “no fixed address”:
All students and staff at St Margaret Mary’s Primary School in Merrylands were on Wednesday ordered to self-isolate until further notice after a COVID-positive case attended the school.
The Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta said in a statement on Wednesday that it was working with NSW Health and supporting their contact tracing efforts.
More information on the school’s COVID-positive case is expected on Thursday.
It follows the confirmation of two COVID-affected students from Greenway Public School on Wednesday and another Bonnyrigg High School student on Tuesday.
The Kids Learning Academy daycare centre in Busby, in Sydney’s southwest, has also closed for deep cleaning after a COVID-positive person attended on July 29.
Meanwhile, NSW residents will soon be banned from Queensland while those returning from coronavirus-hit Victoria will be forced into two weeks of hotel quarantine.
A lot of these police media updates involve people of ‘no fixed address’:
A man has been charged after police at a border checkpoint at Albury discovered he was trying to cross into NSW driving a stolen ute.A man has been charged after police at a border checkpoint at Albury discovered he was trying to cross into NSW driving a stolen ute.
NSW Police manning the checkpoint stopped the utility on the Hume Highway at Albury about 7am today (Wednesday 5 August 2020).NSW Police manning the checkpoint stopped the utility on the Hume Highway at Albury about 7am today (Wednesday 5 August 2020).
The 27-year-old driver was unable to produce permits or ID, and further checks revealed the ute had been reported stolen from a business in West Melbourne yesterday (Tuesday 4 August 2020).The 27-year-old driver was unable to produce permits or ID, and further checks revealed the ute had been reported stolen from a business in West Melbourne yesterday (Tuesday 4 August 2020).
The man was arrested and was taken to Albury Police Station where he was charged three offencesThe man was arrested and was taken to Albury Police Station where he was charged three offences
• Receive property stolen outside NSW• Receive property stolen outside NSW
• Not comply with noticed direction – COVID-19, and,• Not comply with noticed direction – COVID-19, and,
• Drive conveyance taken without consent of owner.• Drive conveyance taken without consent of owner.
The man, of no fixed address, appeared in Albury Local Court today, where he was refused bail to re-appear in the same court on Friday 11 September 2020.The man, of no fixed address, appeared in Albury Local Court today, where he was refused bail to re-appear in the same court on Friday 11 September 2020.
Victoria is approaching the end of its first week with Melbourne under stage four restrictions, and still reeling from yesterday, where 15 people, including a man in his 30s, died from Covid-19. Victoria is approaching the end of its first week with Melbourne under stage-four restrictions, and still reeling from yesterday, when 15 people, including a man in his 30s, died from Covid-19.
Work permits will be needed to head into the workplace, under the next stage of lockdowns - and permits will also be needed to send your child to a childcare centre. Work permits will be needed to head into the workplace under the next stage of lockdowns – and permits will also be needed to send your child to a childcare centre.
Meanwhile, the inquiry into what went wrong with the hotel quarantine system in Victoria has had its report delayed until November - although the head of that inquiry has said there is no reason Daniel Andrews and his government can’t answer questions on the issue. Meanwhile, the inquiry into what went wrong with the hotel quarantine system in Victoria has had its report delayed until November – although the head of that inquiry has said there is no reason Daniel Andrews and his government can’t answer questions about the issue.
Under all that is the economic warnings of the financial cost of the stage four lockdown, with economists trying to put a figure on it. Under all that is the economic warnings of the financial cost of the stage-four lockdown, with economists trying to put a figure on it.
As AAP reports:As AAP reports:
Chief economist at consultants KPMG Brendan Rynne expects the stage four lockdown in Australia’s second largest state will see an $830 million economic output loss in August - a 2.5 per cent decline.
September could be even worse, particularly if the construction sector runs out of work in the next four weeks.
“My calculations are about 130,000 workers now caught in Stage 4 are in work types that won’t be able to work from home,” Dr Rynne said.
Of these about 75,000 are in manufacturing, while there is possibly around 50,000 construction jobs that may end up not working by the end of the shutdown.
“Overall, Australia will have a shallower recovery than it would have done,” he said.
AMP Capital chief economist Shane Oliver expects Victoria’s decision will delay the return to positive economic growth in the December quarter.
ANZ senior economist Catherine Birch had expected national unemployment would average eight per cent in the September quarter, rising to 8.5 per cent in the December quarter.
We’ll cover everything that happens today in Victoria and across the nation right here, and we thank you for joining us. You have Amy Remeikis with you for most of the day.We’ll cover everything that happens today in Victoria and across the nation right here, and we thank you for joining us. You have Amy Remeikis with you for most of the day.
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