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| Coronavirus Australia live update: Melbourne's hard Covid lockdown prompts economic fears – latest news | Coronavirus Australia live update: Melbourne's hard Covid lockdown prompts economic fears – latest news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Economists say stage-four restrictions will take a heavy toll, while the Andrews government is under pressure over hotel quarantine failures. Follow live | Economists say stage-four restrictions will take a heavy toll, while the Andrews government is under pressure over hotel quarantine failures. Follow live |
| ACT Health has announced it is opening up the territory - but to prepare for facemasks to be made mandatory: | |
| Based on the ACT’s current COVID numbers and the efforts of NSW authorities to manage localised outbreaks, Chief Health Officer Dr Coleman has determined that some remaining businesses and activities can recommence under strict COVID guidelines from 9:00am Monday 10 August. | |
| However, there are other elements of the ACT’s easing of restrictions roadmap that will not be implemented at this time. | |
| These relate to large gatherings and changes to the 1 person per four square metre guideline in some settings. This guideline continues to be an important part of the control measures we have in place to reduce the risk of infection. | |
| The ACT Government will continue implementing the advice from our health experts on the most effective ways to keep our city safe. | |
| The pandemic is not over, and the virus will be a part of our lives for quite some time. There will be further outbreaks in cities and towns all over the country, and we will continue to ask for the community’s support in reducing the risk of outbreaks spreading. | |
| What will go a long way to keeping our community safe is for all Canberrans to maintain the measures we know work best to lower the risk of infection. | |
| The most effective actions continue to be physical distancing, good hand hygiene and staying at home if you are unwell and getting tested for any COVID-19 symptoms. | |
| The fourth line of defence is face masks - particularly for those who are unable to physically distance in their daily activities. | |
| We are now advising Canberrans to be ready for a time when the Chief Health Officer may recommend wearing face masks in the ACT. | |
| A further sensible precaution is to avoid crowds. We all have a responsibility to reduce crowding in public areas, shops and queues. | |
| As part of living with the virus, we are implementing COVID-safe ways to support economic activity and protect as many local jobs as possible. | |
| There are further steps in our recovery plan, such as capacity limits for smaller venues, that will be assessed again in a fortnight. | |
| This seemed inevitable | |
| A-League fans who were at Newcastle Jets’ game against Western United at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday have been put on alert, after a second positive Covid-19 case was detected in the city. | |
| A man in his 20s, believed to be a close contact of the teenager who tested positive in the Hunter region on Wednesday, attended the fixture and Hunter New England Health has urged other people in the 2,570-strong crowd to monitor their health. | |
| If any symptoms develop, they have been encouraged to get tested and self-isolate immediately. | |
| It is the first time since the resumption of professional sport in front of limited crowds that a person in attendance has tested positive for the virus. | |
| NSW Health has issued this alert - if you are in the Newcastle area, or have been out and about in Newcastle, have a look at these venues: | |
| Since our alert last night (5 August, 8.15pm), a second case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in Newcastle; a close contact of the teenager announced yesterday. The District is continuing to investigate the source of that case’s infection. | |
| This latest case is a male in his 20s. | |
| Hunter New England Local Health District is urging anyone who attended the following venues at the specified times to immediately self-isolate and seek testing: - Bennett Hotel, Hamilton – Friday 31 July, from 5.30pm to 10.00pm - Greenroof Bar and Restaurant, Hamilton – Friday 31 July, from 10.00pm to 12 midnight - The Hopsmith Sports Bar, Wests New Lambton – Sunday 2 August, from 5.00pm to 7.30pm. | |
| The venues have been notified and are undergoing cleaning. Contact tracing is underway. | |
| Hunter New England Health also urges any patrons who visited the following venues at the times specified to be alert for symptoms, and if any develop to get tested and self-isolate immediately: - Queens Wharf Hotel – Saturday 1 August from 9.30pm to 11.00 pm - Sydney Junction Hotel, Hamilton – Saturday 1 August, from 12 midnight to 1.30am Sunday 2 August - McDonald Jones Stadium – Sunday 2 August, 7:30pm to end of game, Newcastle Jets match. | |
| The above public health recommendations follow a rigorous contact tracing process where an infected individual’s movements and interactions are analysed. This enables the Public Health unit to determine if there was a reasonable chance other individuals may have been infected with the virus. In this case they would be considered a close contact and required to self-isolate until 14 days after they last saw the person or attended a place where that person visited, even if they are feeling well. | |
| Employment and skills department officials are before the Senate Covid-19 inquiry. | |
| Labor’s Kristina Keneally is probing what the components of the “jobmaker” plan, announced by Scott Morrison at the National Press Club, actually are. | |
| Nadine Williams, the deputy secretary of skills and training, said the jobmaker plan includes “elements of training”, including the jobtrainer package, and negotiations with states and territories to reform the way skills training is delivered.Asked what the difference between jobmaker and jobtrainer is, Williams replied: “My understanding is it’s largely the same thing – both relate to skills.” | |
| Williams adds there are other initiatives in jobmaker overseen by other departments, such as the arts and entertainment industry support package administered by the industry department. The other elements include caring for country (environment portfolio) and negotiating trade agreements (DFAT).She’s now clarified, then, that jobmaker and jobtrainer are NOT the same thing, although jobtrainer is part of jobmaker. | |
| Keneally describes the label jobmaker as “amorphous” - and is now quoting Morrison rhetoric from the Press Club speech including “making the boat go faster”. | |
| The Victorian figures are coming out ahead of the official announcement – the ABC has reported 470 cases are expected to be announced today. | |
| I’ve been getting a few questions from NSW residents worried about flights coming from Victoria into NSW regional airports, such as Tamworth and Orange, given the new mandatory hotel quarantine rules. | I’ve been getting a few questions from NSW residents worried about flights coming from Victoria into NSW regional airports, such as Tamworth and Orange, given the new mandatory hotel quarantine rules. |
| My understanding is Sydney is the one port of entry for those flights once the new rules kick in, but we are double checking. | My understanding is Sydney is the one port of entry for those flights once the new rules kick in, but we are double checking. |
| You can fly from Sydney to a regional NSW airport – but Victorian flights should all be diverted to Sydney, where hotel quarantine will take place. | |
| We’ll get back to you. | We’ll get back to you. |
| As this deleted tweet from Mathias Cormann shows, dumbing down discourse on complex matters can come back to bite. | As this deleted tweet from Mathias Cormann shows, dumbing down discourse on complex matters can come back to bite. |
| (Although given the purge on that account, it looks like it is part of the yearly delete feature – which is something many, many people do.) | |
| Here is the official word on that Queensland case which is currently under investigation | Here is the official word on that Queensland case which is currently under investigation |
| Queensland’s stay-at-home compliance contrasts with Victoria, where 800 people were not at home during checks. | Queensland’s stay-at-home compliance contrasts with Victoria, where 800 people were not at home during checks. |
| Which has led a reader to send me this link to a YouTube clip. People have A LOT of time on their hands, apparently – but I guess if you are at home for 23 out of 24 hours, there is not a lot else to do, but reimagine famous movie scenes as real life | |
| Labor’s Julie Collins wants the government to release the names of the aged care homes which did not meet Covid standards: | Labor’s Julie Collins wants the government to release the names of the aged care homes which did not meet Covid standards: |
| Deputy police commissioner Steve Gollschewski says a new border pass declaration will be online soon, in line with Queensland barring visitors from NSW and the ACT. | Deputy police commissioner Steve Gollschewski says a new border pass declaration will be online soon, in line with Queensland barring visitors from NSW and the ACT. |
| You’ll need ID: | You’ll need ID: |
| Queensland police did a compliance check of all 253 in-home quarantine yesterday – and 250 were at home. | Queensland police did a compliance check of all 253 in-home quarantine yesterday – and 250 were at home. |
| The three who weren’t are under investigation. | The three who weren’t are under investigation. |
| But that is a pretty great strike-rate. | But that is a pretty great strike-rate. |
| Training, skills and employment are the focus of today’s Senate committee hearing into how the government has handled the pandemic response. | Training, skills and employment are the focus of today’s Senate committee hearing into how the government has handled the pandemic response. |
| Berry Street, an organisation which looks at the wellbeing of families and children, has released a new report showing more Victorian children were at risk of entering the out-of-home care system, as a result of the pandemic: | Berry Street, an organisation which looks at the wellbeing of families and children, has released a new report showing more Victorian children were at risk of entering the out-of-home care system, as a result of the pandemic: |
| It’s a tough time for a lot of community organisations – but NSW has offered some help to some of the more famous ones: | It’s a tough time for a lot of community organisations – but NSW has offered some help to some of the more famous ones: |
| There have been no community car washes, biscuit bake sales or sausage sizzles to top up the coffers of the Scouts, Girl Guides or Police and Community Youth Clubs during the coronavirus pandemic in NSW. | There have been no community car washes, biscuit bake sales or sausage sizzles to top up the coffers of the Scouts, Girl Guides or Police and Community Youth Clubs during the coronavirus pandemic in NSW. |
| These are bread-and-butter fundraising activities run by the groups that offer more than 120,000 young people fun, friendship and adventure. | These are bread-and-butter fundraising activities run by the groups that offer more than 120,000 young people fun, friendship and adventure. |
| The NSW minister for water, property and housing, Melinda Pavey, has announced a $3m top-up to help them get through the crisis. | The NSW minister for water, property and housing, Melinda Pavey, has announced a $3m top-up to help them get through the crisis. |
| Pavey noted the disruptions to the groups that haven’t been unable to meet face-to-face or do their normal fundraising activities. | Pavey noted the disruptions to the groups that haven’t been unable to meet face-to-face or do their normal fundraising activities. |
| “It has also had a major impact on PCYC, which rely on income from its network of youth centres across the state to generate more than half of its annual revenue,” she said. | “It has also had a major impact on PCYC, which rely on income from its network of youth centres across the state to generate more than half of its annual revenue,” she said. |
| The $3m will be used for maintenance and improvements to Scout, Girl Guide and PCYC facilities on crown land in NSW. | The $3m will be used for maintenance and improvements to Scout, Girl Guide and PCYC facilities on crown land in NSW. |
| The measure is also expected to benefit communities by generating work for local economies, Pavey said on Thursday. | The measure is also expected to benefit communities by generating work for local economies, Pavey said on Thursday. |
| (AAP) | (AAP) |
| Labor’s Stephen Jones has asked the auditor-general to look into the Coalition’s early superannuation release scheme. | Labor’s Stephen Jones has asked the auditor-general to look into the Coalition’s early superannuation release scheme. |
| The policy, which was designed to help people who are struggling financially during the Covid crisis, has seen $30bn taken out of superannuation – and left many under-35s with nothing in their account balances. | The policy, which was designed to help people who are struggling financially during the Covid crisis, has seen $30bn taken out of superannuation – and left many under-35s with nothing in their account balances. |
| It was recently revealed the ATO did not check to see if those who removed the super had suffered financial difficulties. | It was recently revealed the ATO did not check to see if those who removed the super had suffered financial difficulties. |
| Jones says the way the scheme was designed left people open to fines from the tax office. | Jones says the way the scheme was designed left people open to fines from the tax office. |
| Labor’s Linda Burney and Jason Clare want more housing made available for victims of family and domestic violence: | Labor’s Linda Burney and Jason Clare want more housing made available for victims of family and domestic violence: |