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Coronavirus Australia live news: PM provides update on national cabinet meeting after Victoria reports 450 new Covid cases and 11 deaths | Coronavirus Australia live news: PM provides update on national cabinet meeting after Victoria reports 450 new Covid cases and 11 deaths |
(32 minutes later) | |
Australian Defence Force personnel to doorknock close contacts of confirmed cases in Victoria as state’s stage-four restrictions take effect. Follow live | Australian Defence Force personnel to doorknock close contacts of confirmed cases in Victoria as state’s stage-four restrictions take effect. Follow live |
The head of Australian spy agency Asio says more people are sharing “hateful ideology” online during the Covid-19 pandemic but “our priority targets remain covered”. | |
Mike Burgess, the director general of security, was asked several questions about the terrorism threat during an appearance before a parliamentary inquiry looking at the encryption laws that took effect in late 2018. | |
When asked about newspaper reports yesterday of a new video from Isis calling for attacks on Australia, Burgess said Asio was aware of the video - but noted that messages attempting to radicalise or incite attacks were “a normal thing, unfortunately, with the terrorism level remaining at probable.” | |
“They’re common messages so it’s nothing more than normal but of course we remain vigilant to the potential for that to be a problem for us.” | |
When Anthony Byrne, the Labor deputy chair of the intelligence committee, asked whether there had been an uptick in Isis activity during the Covid crisis, Burgess replied: “There’s been an uptick in activity across the spectrum of hateful ideology.” | |
Burgess was pressed on whether some groups were exploiting the Covid crisis in their messaging, such as the challenges of western democracies. He said: “Other than just promoting their cause, it’s no different really. Yes, the times are very different but their messages are no different.”Finally, he was asked whether Asio was detecting an uptick in communications among people it might be worried about during the crisis.“No. There are more people online sharing hateful ideology. Our priority targets remain covered. Sadly it’s just the normal situation we’re in.”The comments build on Burgess’s comments in June when he confirmed the agency had seen “increased chatter in the online world when it comes to the spread of extremist ideology attempting to radicalise people”. Burgess has also been vocal about the increased threat posed by right-wing extremism. | |
An Asio spokesperson told Guardian Australia in June: “While the threat of violence inspired by Islamic extremism remains Asio’s greatest concern, extreme right-wing groups and individuals represent a serious, increasing and evolving threat to security.” | |
On the idea of allowing Victorian MPs to participate in the parliament sitting virtually, Scott Morrison says: | |
Is Scott Morrison disappointed with how Victoria handled hotel quarantine? | |
Scott Morrison on the WA court case Paul updated you about just a little bit ago: | |
Paul Kelly on the vaccine development: | |
The commonwealth has “come to the rescue” with jobkeeper, Scott Morrison says of the government’s job measures. | |
Should we all be wearing masks? And which ones – particularly when it comes to health workers? | |
Professor Paul Kelly: | Professor Paul Kelly: |
Who is Scott Morrison talking about, with his warning that which ever country creates a vaccine needs to share it? | |
Morrison: Anyone who develops it. I mean,Australia, we pledge that if we find the vaccine we’ll share it. I think every country’s leader should say that. | |
Q: [So do you think] somebody will not do that? | |
Morrison: That’s not what I said. | |
Q: No, that’s why I’m asking the question. [who] | |
Morrison: That’s not what I have said. I think I answered the question. | |
Asked about the criticism of the Victorian lockdowns, in regards to whether they have gone too far (much of which have come from his own side of politics), Scott Morrison says: | |
The chief medical officer continues: | |
Australia’s chief medical officer, Prof Paul Kelly, says: | |
Scott Morrison said the national cabinet was also given an update on the progress of a vaccine – and made it very clear that he expected any country that cracked the vaccine to share it with the world. | Scott Morrison said the national cabinet was also given an update on the progress of a vaccine – and made it very clear that he expected any country that cracked the vaccine to share it with the world. |
That is for a very particular audience, and it’s not one in Australia. | That is for a very particular audience, and it’s not one in Australia. |
Morrison: | Morrison: |
Scott Morrison: | Scott Morrison: |
Scott Morrison: | Scott Morrison: |
Before moving on to the jobkeeper changes, Scott Morrison acknowledges aged care workers: | Before moving on to the jobkeeper changes, Scott Morrison acknowledges aged care workers: |
The prime minister is holding his post-national cabinet press conference. | The prime minister is holding his post-national cabinet press conference. |
Scott Morrison says the national cabinet held its 25th meeting today – a figure that would have taken 12 years to reach under the old Coag system. | Scott Morrison says the national cabinet held its 25th meeting today – a figure that would have taken 12 years to reach under the old Coag system. |
No surprises here: | No surprises here: |
In other news, the Morrison government’s long-awaited $250m rescue package for the arts, announced six weeks ago, has still not been spent – and it could take more than three months for money to start flowing to the industry that was one of the first, and hardest, hit. | In other news, the Morrison government’s long-awaited $250m rescue package for the arts, announced six weeks ago, has still not been spent – and it could take more than three months for money to start flowing to the industry that was one of the first, and hardest, hit. |
Ben Eltham writes that draft guidelines have been submitted but are awaiting approval from arts minister Paul Fletcher, who is yet to appoint anyone to the taskforce tasked with implementing a plan for the creative economy. The industry, meanwhile, is urgently calling for more information and more support. | Ben Eltham writes that draft guidelines have been submitted but are awaiting approval from arts minister Paul Fletcher, who is yet to appoint anyone to the taskforce tasked with implementing a plan for the creative economy. The industry, meanwhile, is urgently calling for more information and more support. |
Theatre Network Australia’s Nicole Beyer said: | Theatre Network Australia’s Nicole Beyer said: |
Read the full story here: | Read the full story here: |