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Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria records 278 Covid cases and eight deaths as one death and 12 cases recorded in NSW
Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria records 278 Covid cases and eight deaths as one death and 12 cases recorded in NSW
(32 minutes later)
NSW authorities are concerned about a number of Covid-19 cases in the past six weeks where the source was unknown. Follow live
NSW authorities are concerned about a number of Covid-19 cases in the past six weeks where the source was unknown. Follow live
Allen Chung says authorities are watching the regional Victorian cases very carefully:
Does Daniel Andrews believe the working relationship he has with Scott Morrison is still as strong as it was at the beginning of the pandemic?
That answer is an absolute masterclass in politics.
Daniel Andrews says he hasn’t spoken to the prime minister about Linda Reynold’s statement, because he believes it would be a waste of time:
He says he doesn’t see the point in clarifying anything on this with the prime minister:
Daniel Andrews is asked about the request for 850 ADF personnel, which was rescinded, a month after the Rydges hotel quarantine issues.
There is a back and forth where he says he did not make the request. But he says he “doesn’t know” when he learned of the request. Asked multiple times if he was aware of the request, Andrews repeats: “I did not make the request.”
On the difference in statements between Andrew Crisp and the defence minister, Daniel Andrews says:
Daniel Andrews speaks more about the aged care takeover of some homes, as well as the decisions being made there:
Daniel Andrews did not come to play today.
Daniel Andrews then addresses reports claiming 100 ADF personnel were put on stand-by for the hotel quarantine program:
The deputy chief medical officer says there is no mandate to remove residents who have tested positive for Covid-19 in aged care homes, because each case needs to be independently assessed.
They are isolated in their own rooms, when not transferred to a hospital.
But for some residents, moving them to an unfamiliar space would result in a worse outcome, he says, due to other risk factors – like dementia.
Allen Cheng* says authorities are watching the regional Victorian cases very carefully:
*apologies for the autocorrect slip in this first post
Deputy chief health officer Allen Cheng is hosting the medical aspect of today’s press conference in Melbourne.
Deputy chief health officer Allen Cheng is hosting the medical aspect of today’s press conference in Melbourne.
He says we should start to see the effect of the lockdowns in the figures very soon.
He says we should start to see the effect of the lockdowns in the figures very soon.
The R-number is at 0.9 to 0.97 at last check, he says.
The R-number is at 0.9 to 0.97 at last check, he says.
Victoria is also increasing the payment to casual workers, or those without sick leave, to get tested, and stay at home until the result comes through, to make up for missed shifts.
From today the $300 payment will be $450. That is on top of the $1,500 paid pandemic leave for self-isolation.
Daniel Andrews:
Daniel Andrews continues:
Daniel Andrews then addresses reports of how decisions of moving aged care residents are made:
As part of an attempt to stem the outbreak in aged care, Daniel Andrews announces the state has taken control of another three aged care homes:
Daniel Andrews:
From tomorrow, a regional testing push will be set up in Ballarat, Geelong and Bendigo, after an increase of cases in those centres.
As always, the Victorian premier starts with a breakdown of the new Victorian cases:
The company which owns Cadbury has responded to the court decision on leave for shift workers:
It means that all employees, irrespective of their shift roster or number of ordinary working hours, will receive the effect of two weeks’ personal/carer’s leave.
The decision will:• ensure continued equality between employees in the same workplace, who complete the same ordinary hours in their working week but on different rosters• provide certainty for all Australian employers with non-standard shift arrangements and those that employ part-time employees, including Mondelēz International and others such as those in the nursing, mining, building and construction and transport and distribution industries• ensure Cadbury Claremont 12-hour shift workers continue to have 96 hours/2.7 weeks of personal/carer’s leave.
We welcome the decision and are pleased the matter is now resolved.
Unions are calling for the government to legislate pandemic leave, after the Cadbury decision:
The Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union is disappointed by today’s high court decision in the matter of Cadbury-Mondelez v AMWU.
The decision means that Australian shift workers are entitled to fewer than 10 days’ personal leave each year.
“While we respect the decision of the high court, this is a obviously a very disappointing outcome for us and for the delegates, Natasha and Brendon, who have been fighting for their personal leave entitlements through the courts for years now”, the AMWU’s Tasmania state secretary, John Short, said.
The high court’s decision comes after the full court of the federal court ruled in August last year that for the purposes of calculating personal leave entitlements, a day was “the period of time in a 24-hour period that would otherwise be allocated to work”.
The decision has implications for workers working ordinary days of more than the standard 7.6 hours.
“Cadbury workers do 12-hour days making the chocolate that we know and love. This decision means that they will get fewer days of personal leave per year than someone doing an office job working nine to five,” Short said.
“While we are very disappointed in the outcome, we are very proud of our members and delegates who have taken up the fight at every stage. It’s not easy for a food worker to stand up in court against a big company like Cadbury-Mondelez that has got the backing of the federal government, but our members held their ground every step of the way.”
The federal government intervened at every level in support of Cadbury-Mondelez – at the Fair Work Commission, at the federal court, and at the high court.
“We are now calling for the federal government to amend the Fair Work Act so that every worker has access to 10 days of paid personal leave every year, no matter what hours they work,” Short said.
Looks like Scott Morrison won’t be holding a press conference today either - Michaelia Cash will be holding the unemployment press conference.
