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| Coronavirus live update Australia: Victoria reports 11 deaths and 450 new Covid cases, with 11 in NSW – latest news | Coronavirus live update Australia: Victoria reports 11 deaths and 450 new Covid cases, with 11 in NSW – latest news |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Australian Defence Force personnel to doorknock close contacts of confirmed cases in Victoria as Western Australia delays easing of restrictions. Follow live | |
| McGowan describes the WA border case as “our war” with Clive Palmer. | |
| He says that WA is disappointed that the Commonwealth did not support their submission to have a fresh trial. | |
| “The commonwealth has withdrawn from the case but, unfortunately, did not support Western Australia’s application to have the case struck out. We would have preferred that they actively supported our case to have the trial completely restarted. | |
| “We believe a fresh trial is the only way forward. And I hope that we are successful in court. | |
| “We will continue our battle – in fact, our war – with Clive Palmer, to protect our state. This is a pandemic. We won’t be rushed into anything that is against our health advice.” | |
| McGowan also announces that the national cabinet today agreed on “a code of practice for the regular testing of interstate freight drivers”. | |
| He says that new arrangements will come into place next week which means “any truck driver entering WA will have to show evidence of having received a negative Covid-19 test result in the past seven days”. | |
| “If they have not been tested in the last seven days, they will be directed at the border to have a test within 48 hours.” | |
| He says Australia must be “on high alert” and WA can’t afford to take risks. | |
| Phase 5 would have seen the removal of the 50% capacity rule, and would have removed all travel restrictions apart from hard borders and some remote Aboriginal communities. | |
| McGowan said that this delay was based on the advice of the chief health officer. | |
| WA premier Mark McGowan is speaking now and says there will be a further delay of its restrictions easing under Phase 5. | |
| It had been due to start on 15 August, but will now be delayed for at least two more weeks. Even that is “a tentative date”, he says. | |
| Universities Australia says it “looks forward” to assisting the government’s review into freedom of speech at universities that was announced today. | Universities Australia says it “looks forward” to assisting the government’s review into freedom of speech at universities that was announced today. |
| Prof Sally Walker will be reviewing universities against a model code that was created by former high court chief justice Robert French as part of the last review into freedom of speech in 2019. | Prof Sally Walker will be reviewing universities against a model code that was created by former high court chief justice Robert French as part of the last review into freedom of speech in 2019. |
| The chief executive of Universities Australia, Catriona Jackson, said that universities agreed to adopt the model code last year. | The chief executive of Universities Australia, Catriona Jackson, said that universities agreed to adopt the model code last year. |
| “We acknowledge the importance of freedom of expression and academic freedom on our campuses and look forward to assisting Professor Sally Walker in her review announced by Education Minister Dan Tehan today,” she said. | “We acknowledge the importance of freedom of expression and academic freedom on our campuses and look forward to assisting Professor Sally Walker in her review announced by Education Minister Dan Tehan today,” she said. |
| “Freedom of expression and academic freedom are part of the DNA of Australian universities.” | “Freedom of expression and academic freedom are part of the DNA of Australian universities.” |
| “In asking universities to give full and careful consideration to adopting the model code, Education Minister Dan Tehan noted the making of regulations and policies by a university is a matter for each institution reflecting institutional autonomy.” | “In asking universities to give full and careful consideration to adopting the model code, Education Minister Dan Tehan noted the making of regulations and policies by a university is a matter for each institution reflecting institutional autonomy.” |
| Hi all, it’s Naaman Zhou here. Thanks as always to blog captain Amy Remeikis for her amazing work this week. | Hi all, it’s Naaman Zhou here. Thanks as always to blog captain Amy Remeikis for her amazing work this week. |
| South Australia has put what they are calling a “double ring” around the state’s coronavirus cases. | South Australia has put what they are calling a “double ring” around the state’s coronavirus cases. |
| More than 1,100 people in Adelaide are currently in self-isolation as a result of a cluster linked to the Thebarton senior college. Earlier we reported that the SA opposition leadership team were in isolation after visiting the college. | More than 1,100 people in Adelaide are currently in self-isolation as a result of a cluster linked to the Thebarton senior college. Earlier we reported that the SA opposition leadership team were in isolation after visiting the college. |
| The state’s public health officer, Prof Nicola Spurrier, said she was mirroring a tactic used successfully to control an outbreak of virus infections in northern Tasmania, AAP reports. | The state’s public health officer, Prof Nicola Spurrier, said she was mirroring a tactic used successfully to control an outbreak of virus infections in northern Tasmania, AAP reports. |
| On that note, I am going to hand you over to the wonderful Naaman Zhou, who will take you through the late afternoon’s events. | On that note, I am going to hand you over to the wonderful Naaman Zhou, who will take you through the late afternoon’s events. |
| Thank you for joining me this week. I’ll be back early Monday morning. Be gentle to yourself this weekend, and as always – take care of you. | Thank you for joining me this week. I’ll be back early Monday morning. Be gentle to yourself this weekend, and as always – take care of you. |
| The Greens senator Jordon Steele-John says disabled people and their families had been failed during the pandemic. | The Greens senator Jordon Steele-John says disabled people and their families had been failed during the pandemic. |
| Things are very quiet on the streets of Melbourne: | Things are very quiet on the streets of Melbourne: |
| Foot traffic in the City of Melbourne has plummeted as people comply with stage four Covid-19 restrictions, with just 10% of normal levels recorded yesterday (Thursday), the council says in a statement. | Foot traffic in the City of Melbourne has plummeted as people comply with stage four Covid-19 restrictions, with just 10% of normal levels recorded yesterday (Thursday), the council says in a statement. |
| Lord mayor Sally Capp said the reduction in pedestrian traffic could be seen across the City of Melbourne’s network of more 60 pedestrian sensors. | Lord mayor Sally Capp said the reduction in pedestrian traffic could be seen across the City of Melbourne’s network of more 60 pedestrian sensors. |
| Wesfarmers will pay staff during the Victorian business standdown. | Wesfarmers will pay staff during the Victorian business standdown. |
| The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association (SDA) national secretary, Gerard Dwyer, is pretty happy with that and wants the other big supermarkets to follow suit: | The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association (SDA) national secretary, Gerard Dwyer, is pretty happy with that and wants the other big supermarkets to follow suit: |
| I think we all need an (exasperated) laugh today. | I think we all need an (exasperated) laugh today. |
| Meanwhile, in Katter land: | Meanwhile, in Katter land: |
| For those wanting the jobkeeper changes from the treasurer’s mouth: | For those wanting the jobkeeper changes from the treasurer’s mouth: |
| The parliamentary committee holding an inquiry into the destruction of a highly significant Aboriginal heritage site at Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara has been granted permission by the Western Australian premier, Mark McGowan, to travel across the border and hold an on-country meeting with traditional owners. | The parliamentary committee holding an inquiry into the destruction of a highly significant Aboriginal heritage site at Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara has been granted permission by the Western Australian premier, Mark McGowan, to travel across the border and hold an on-country meeting with traditional owners. |
| Rio Tinto in May detonated a blast that destroyed a rock shelter that showed evidence of 46,000 years of continual occupation, and was deemed to be of the highest level of archaeological significance to Australia. | Rio Tinto in May detonated a blast that destroyed a rock shelter that showed evidence of 46,000 years of continual occupation, and was deemed to be of the highest level of archaeological significance to Australia. |
| Senior executives from the mining company, including CEO Jean-Sébastien Jacques, appeared before the inquiry this morning. They admitted, among other things, that they never told the traditional owners, the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura peoples (PKKP), that there were other options for building the iron ore mine that did not involve destroying the sites. | Senior executives from the mining company, including CEO Jean-Sébastien Jacques, appeared before the inquiry this morning. They admitted, among other things, that they never told the traditional owners, the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura peoples (PKKP), that there were other options for building the iron ore mine that did not involve destroying the sites. |
| The inquiry heard from the federal environment department today and the Western Australian Aboriginal affairs minister, Ben Wyatt, who said his new version of Aboriginal heritage legislation would be released to the public in the next few weeks. | The inquiry heard from the federal environment department today and the Western Australian Aboriginal affairs minister, Ben Wyatt, who said his new version of Aboriginal heritage legislation would be released to the public in the next few weeks. |
| Wyatt said that under the current legislation he did not have the power to halt or appeal against the destruction of heritage once ministerial consent had been granted under s.18 of the act, but that the new legislation would have such a power. | Wyatt said that under the current legislation he did not have the power to halt or appeal against the destruction of heritage once ministerial consent had been granted under s.18 of the act, but that the new legislation would have such a power. |
| He was asked by senators Pat Dodson and Rachel Siewert to conduct an audit of all current s.18 applications, or even just those that apply to mining companies, but said there was little benefit in doing so. LNP MP George Christensen asked Wyatt for his opinion on Rio’s actions, saying it was “a company that tries to parade themselves as being so ‘woke’.” | He was asked by senators Pat Dodson and Rachel Siewert to conduct an audit of all current s.18 applications, or even just those that apply to mining companies, but said there was little benefit in doing so. LNP MP George Christensen asked Wyatt for his opinion on Rio’s actions, saying it was “a company that tries to parade themselves as being so ‘woke’.” |
| Wyatt said: | Wyatt said: |
| But Wyatt added that Rio had been “leaders in this space” of engaging meaningfully with traditional owners. | But Wyatt added that Rio had been “leaders in this space” of engaging meaningfully with traditional owners. |
| I know the prime minister said the review into the hotel quarantine conditions was ongoing, but there are still lots of issues – 336 hours in a hotel room is no picnic already. The food restrictions have made it even harder for a lot of people. | I know the prime minister said the review into the hotel quarantine conditions was ongoing, but there are still lots of issues – 336 hours in a hotel room is no picnic already. The food restrictions have made it even harder for a lot of people. |