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Australia coronavirus live update: NSW records six new Covid cases, Victoria premier Daniel Andrews holds press conference Australia coronavirus live update: NSW records six new Covid cases, Victoria premier Daniel Andrews holds press conference
(32 minutes later)
Victoria reports 149 new Covid cases and 24 deaths as Queensland reports one new case. Follow all the latest news and updates, liveVictoria reports 149 new Covid cases and 24 deaths as Queensland reports one new case. Follow all the latest news and updates, live
And just repeating - there has been six new cases of Covid recorded in the last 24 hours in NSW - and authorities don’t have a source point as yet, for five of them
There are 15 hotels in Sydney being used for hotel quarantine, with more than 4000 returned travellers being held inside.
As Naaman just reported, the Travelodge Wentworth hotel is no longer one of them.
Mick Fuller:
The New South Wales police commissioner, Mick Fuller, has said police themselves requested private security guards should be used as “second-tier” security in hotel quarantine.
Fuller defended the practice on Wednesday, after nearly 400 people were moved from the Travelodge Wentworth hotel on Tuesday night after police determined the hotel failed to meet the quarantine program’s standards.
Two security guards at the Sydney Harbour Marriott have so far tested positive for Covid-19, with genomic testing showing it was initially contracted from a returned traveller from the US.
Fuller said he still had confidence in the hotel quarantine system and would “audit and find security guards who aren’t up to scratch”.
“83,000 shifts of security guards and two positive tests,” he said.
“[But] I get the significance of this, as I know other states, territories and countries have been let down by quarantine. If I felt the security guard aspect was failing, I would put police in there”.
Fuller also told reporters that “Every hotel has had a complaint at some stage”, and the volume of complaints rose last week.
“Certainly last week the volume of complaints was unusual, there was an escalation to a point that the commander made a determination [to move travellers from the Travelodge]”.
Many of those comments were from answers to dixers - questions written by the government, with prepared answers.
So those answers, in most of those cases, were prepared.
And a bit more:
Peter Dutton:
Scott Morrison (again):
Scott Morrison (and again):
It continued:
Scott Morrison:
Greg Hunt:
Just as a reminder, here is some of the comments from question time yesterday.
Michael McCormack:
Josh Frydenberg:
Scott Morrison is also claiming that he, and his ministers, did not take pot shots at the Victorian government response yesterday, during question time.
Q: Prime Minister, yesterday you pointed to failures in Victoria on contact tracing, testing and quarantine, who is accountable for those failures? Is it the premier?
Morrison:
Q: But won’t there be consequences prime minister where both you and the treasurer take shots at the Victorian government and its premier on the floor of the parliament. The cohesion of national cabinet comes to the fore, doesn’t it? Under that pressure?
Morrison:
The joint standing committee on electoral matters has released its report on the miscellaneous measures bill - which prompted fury among the Senate crossbench and from Queensland Labor over concerns it will water down state donation laws.
JSCEM is controlled by the Coalition, with Liberal James McGrathin the chair, so it’s unsurprising the majority report calls for the bill to be passed.
The Greens have dissented, warning that money can easily flow between state and federal purposes within a party branch, practically defeating state donation bans on developers. They called for separate bank accounts for federal and state purposes and to repeal the bill’s sections that would provide immunity from penalties for prohibited donors who give to a state branch for a federal purpose.
Labor’s report is very nuanced - it is presented as a “dissenting report” but recommends the bill be passed if a few amendments are made:
Postponing the commencement until after the Queensland election; and
Requiring parties to maintain separate bank accounts.
The Labor members said:
So federal Labor accepts that only commonwealth law should apply to donations for federal purposes, but Queensland Labor disagrees and thinks the state laws banning developer donations in the state for all purposes should apply.
I think that means the bill is very likely to pass – but I’ll contact the government to see what they think of Labor amendments.
Victoria police has dished out nearly 20,000 fines for Covid-19 breaches during the pandemic, an inquiry has been told.Victoria police has dished out nearly 20,000 fines for Covid-19 breaches during the pandemic, an inquiry has been told.
Lisa Neville, the police minister, told the Covid-19 inquiry on Wednesday police had issued 19,324 fines, including 1,669 for failing to wear a mask and 2,145 to those breaching the state curfew.There were 5,761 fines for “non-compliance of directions” and 20 fines were issued for people failing to self-isolate.Lisa Neville, the police minister, told the Covid-19 inquiry on Wednesday police had issued 19,324 fines, including 1,669 for failing to wear a mask and 2,145 to those breaching the state curfew.There were 5,761 fines for “non-compliance of directions” and 20 fines were issued for people failing to self-isolate.
Daniel Andrews is asked about these comments from Scott Morrison:Daniel Andrews is asked about these comments from Scott Morrison:
Andrews:Andrews:
Daniel Andrews is asked whether or not he would have supported legislation like this when he was opposition leader (which was six years ago).Daniel Andrews is asked whether or not he would have supported legislation like this when he was opposition leader (which was six years ago).
Who wants the legislation to extend the state of emergency declaration in Victoria?Who wants the legislation to extend the state of emergency declaration in Victoria?
Daniel Andrews:Daniel Andrews:
Back to Victoria – is there an idea of what stage three restrictions will look like for Melbourne yet?
Daniel Andrews:
NSW has reported six new cases today – one in hotel quarantine and five are locally acquired.
All five have an unknown source of transmission.
Alerts have also been issued for some sites in the Sydney CBD – including the City Tattersalls Fitness Centre on Pitt Street, where two people attended. Anyone there on August 19, 21 or 23 should get tested if any symptoms develop.
Alerts have also been issued for 300 George Street Sydney, on August 19, 20, 21, 24 and the Apple Store and Kmart in Broadway shopping centre on August 22 between 3:30 and 5pm.
One person who contracted Covid-19 is a trainee bus driver who worked for one day while infectious, and had “a limited number of a passengers”. The chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, said the risk to passengers was “very low”.
Cameron Wilson, a reporter with Gizmodo, is one of the reporters who have been keeping an eye on which MPs have been following those ‘social media’ trend treatments.
You will not be surprised to find the names ‘Craig Kelly’ and ‘George Christensen’ pop up there.
Professor Julian Elliott said Australia has benefitted from not rushing in with unproven treatments:
Professor Wai-Hong Tham:
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute Associate Professor Wai-Hong Tham and Monash University Associate Professor Julian Elliott are guests at the Daniel Andrews press conference, speaking about breakthroughs in treatments for Covid.
NSW has diagnosed six new cases of Covid in the last 24 – just one of those is in hotel quarantine.
Victoria’s workplace watchdog is investigating a lack of PPE and training provided to private security guards in the state’s bungled hotel quarantine program.
Colin Radford, chief executive of Worksafe, confirmed the probes while fronting the state’s Covid-19 inquiry on Wednesday,
Eight sites were under investigation, the inquiry heard.
Radford also confirmed Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions were the subject of Worksafe probes for Covid-19 breaches.
An investigation into an outbreak at the Cedar Meats site was “ongoing”, Radford said.
Before going to questions, Daniel Andrews again talks about the legislation he is trying to get passed, which would allow Victoria to extend its state of emergency declaration beyond six months.
I’m not an expert, but a quick whip around of the powers of the other states seems to point to them not actually having a time limit to their state of emergency. They can renew the declaration – and its powers – as often as they want (NSW can just change health regulations and get the same powers).
But Victoria has a maximum of six months. Which will be hit on 13 September.
The legislation will allow the declaration to be extended beyond that date. If successful, the government would still have to regularly renew the declaration, but they’ll be able to do that for a year, rather than six months.
Andrews says conversations with the crossbench are proving fruitful:
There are 50 active cases in disability care in Victoria.
On aged care, Daniel Andrews says: