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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 |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Australian Defence Force personnel to doorknock close contacts of confirmed cases in Victoria as Western Australia delays easing of restrictions. Follow live | Australian Defence Force personnel to doorknock close contacts of confirmed cases in Victoria as Western Australia delays easing of restrictions. Follow live |
| The Victorian health department has just sent us this statement on for taking rideshares to testing centres, after we published this story yesterday about Uber drivers who fear for their health. | |
| It says people should avoid taking ride shares or taxis “where possible” – similar to the advice it gave yesterday. | |
| “Ride share and taxis can operate subject to restrictions, and people in the community travelling can use ride sharing and taxi services for a permitted purpose,” the department said in a statement. | |
| “Drivers must wear a face covering and maintain good hygiene practices for them and their vehicle. | |
| “People travelling to get tested should avoid using public transport, taxi or ride share services where possible, and must wear a face covering and practise physical distancing and good hygiene when leaving home.” | |
| A breaking story here from Christopher Knaus. | |
| Canberrans who were granted permits to return home from Victoria have been told to go back, fly to Sydney, then quarantine there for 14 days due to a serious problem with overnight changes to NSW’s travel restrictions, prompting the ACT to make urgent representations to Gladys Berejiklian and Scott Morrison. | |
| The NSW government made last-minute changes to its travel restrictions on Thursday night, mandating that all NSW residents coming home from Victoria must travel through Sydney Airport and go immediately into hotel quarantine for 14 days at their own expense. | |
| Read the full story here: | |
| The national cabinet has extended Australia’s strict caps on international passenger arrivals until 24 October. | |
| It comes as some Australians attempting to return home are complaining that international airlines are cancelling tickets of economy customers in order to offer more business and first-class seats, as operators look to boost profitability while complying with the caps. | |
| The caps are designed to ease pressure on quarantine hotels in Australian cities, however the reduced numbers mean some international flights can be limited to 30 passengers per flight. | |
| Read more about the impact of the caps here: | |
| The NT’s chief health officer has just officially revoked hotspot status from a range of places in Queensland and NSW. | |
| The City of Brisbane, Logan City and the City of Ipswich in Queensland, and Eurobodalla Shire and the City of Blue Mountains in NSW are no longer hotspots for the purposes of the NT. | |
| That means that from today, people will not have to enter mandatory quarantine when they enter the NT. | |
| People currently in mandatory quarantine from these revoked hotspots will be allowed to leave soon. | |
| The share market has ended the week 1.44% higher, despite the announcement of Melbourne’s stricter lockdowns and Australia’s rising unemployment. | The share market has ended the week 1.44% higher, despite the announcement of Melbourne’s stricter lockdowns and Australia’s rising unemployment. |
| The ASX 200 fell today by 37.4 points, or 0.62 per cent. But that still is 1.44% higher this week, after gains earlier in the week. | The ASX 200 fell today by 37.4 points, or 0.62 per cent. But that still is 1.44% higher this week, after gains earlier in the week. |
| Police will escort all NSW residents arriving at Sydney airport from Victoria to specific quarantine hotels managed by law enforcement teams, as part of a new mandatory requirement that brings travel between the two states in line with international arrival protocol. | Police will escort all NSW residents arriving at Sydney airport from Victoria to specific quarantine hotels managed by law enforcement teams, as part of a new mandatory requirement that brings travel between the two states in line with international arrival protocol. |
| NSW Health staff will also assess all travellers arriving at Sydney Airport from Victoria, with those displaying Covid-19 symptoms instead transferred to a NSW Health-managed quarantine hotel in Sydney. | NSW Health staff will also assess all travellers arriving at Sydney Airport from Victoria, with those displaying Covid-19 symptoms instead transferred to a NSW Health-managed quarantine hotel in Sydney. |
| NSW police clarified the new rules on Friday afternoon, more than 12 hours after the public health order came into effect just after midnight, confirming it had issued a Notice to Airmen (Notam) that no regional NSW airports will be allowed to let passengers from Victoria land without a permit or exemption. | |
| All travellers returning from Victoria will have to pay for their two week hotel quarantine. | All travellers returning from Victoria will have to pay for their two week hotel quarantine. |
| The updated advice reiterates that while all NSW residents returning from Victoria will have to fly into Sydney airport, residents of border communities will still be able to cross the border. | The updated advice reiterates that while all NSW residents returning from Victoria will have to fly into Sydney airport, residents of border communities will still be able to cross the border. |
| However it does not specify whether residents who have permits to travel across the border for work, education and medical care, who travel beyond the specific border zone (potentially driving to Melbourne), will have to quarantine in a hotel upon returning to NSW. | However it does not specify whether residents who have permits to travel across the border for work, education and medical care, who travel beyond the specific border zone (potentially driving to Melbourne), will have to quarantine in a hotel upon returning to NSW. |
| The specific rules for the mandatory hotel quarantine, a policy originally announced on Wednesday before the details of the public health order were finalised, also reiterate the potential $4,000 fine for providing false information to authorities when entering NSW. | The specific rules for the mandatory hotel quarantine, a policy originally announced on Wednesday before the details of the public health order were finalised, also reiterate the potential $4,000 fine for providing false information to authorities when entering NSW. |
| Before the mandatory hotel quarantine measure was clarified, regional airline Fly Corporate cancelled its flights from Melbourne’s Essendon Airport to Orange and Dubbo in NSW, citing confusion from authorities over the new rules, and a resulting reduction in bookings. | Before the mandatory hotel quarantine measure was clarified, regional airline Fly Corporate cancelled its flights from Melbourne’s Essendon Airport to Orange and Dubbo in NSW, citing confusion from authorities over the new rules, and a resulting reduction in bookings. |
| Operation Border Closure Commander, assistant commissioner Leanne McCusker, said: | Operation Border Closure Commander, assistant commissioner Leanne McCusker, said: |
| “All travellers are assessed by NSW Health on arrival at Sydney Airport and those displaying symptoms of Covid-19 are escorted to a hotel managed by NSW Health, while the remainder are escorted to hotels managed by the NSW police force. | “All travellers are assessed by NSW Health on arrival at Sydney Airport and those displaying symptoms of Covid-19 are escorted to a hotel managed by NSW Health, while the remainder are escorted to hotels managed by the NSW police force. |
| “These procedures are now well established and have served the community of NSW well, by dramatically reducing the community spread of Covid-19 within the state and keeping infection levels low.” | “These procedures are now well established and have served the community of NSW well, by dramatically reducing the community spread of Covid-19 within the state and keeping infection levels low.” |
| According to NSW police, more than 36,000 people have completed the 14-day hotel quarantine period in Sydney hotels since it became mandatory for returning international travellers on 29 March. | According to NSW police, more than 36,000 people have completed the 14-day hotel quarantine period in Sydney hotels since it became mandatory for returning international travellers on 29 March. |
| Woolworths has just announced it will remove product limits for most items from tomorrow as “demand moderates across the state”. | Woolworths has just announced it will remove product limits for most items from tomorrow as “demand moderates across the state”. |
| There will still be limits on toilet paper, most kinds of meat, eggs, flour, pasta, rice, sugar and frozen vegetables. | There will still be limits on toilet paper, most kinds of meat, eggs, flour, pasta, rice, sugar and frozen vegetables. |
| But limits will be removed from 40 categories that had been put in place earlier in the week. | But limits will be removed from 40 categories that had been put in place earlier in the week. |
| Woolworths’s Victorian general manager, Andrew Hall said they were “seeing demand moderate”. | Woolworths’s Victorian general manager, Andrew Hall said they were “seeing demand moderate”. |
| “Customers can be assured our distribution centres will continue to operate at the required capacity over the next six weeks following consultations with the Victorian government this week. | “Customers can be assured our distribution centres will continue to operate at the required capacity over the next six weeks following consultations with the Victorian government this week. |
| “We’re working closely with our fresh meat suppliers on plans to minimise disruptions in supply for customers in the weeks ahead. | “We’re working closely with our fresh meat suppliers on plans to minimise disruptions in supply for customers in the weeks ahead. |
| “We’ll continue to monitor the situation closely and reinstate product limits if we see further demand spikes.” | “We’ll continue to monitor the situation closely and reinstate product limits if we see further demand spikes.” |
| McGowan describes the WA border case as “our war” with Clive Palmer. | 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. | 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. | “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 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.” | “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”. | 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”. | 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.” | “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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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.” |