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| Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria reports 35 new cases and NSW four as Paul Keating appears at aged care royal commission | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Victoria to turn roads and footpaths into dining spaces to help hospitality industry as Queensland border row deepens. Follow all today’s news | Victoria to turn roads and footpaths into dining spaces to help hospitality industry as Queensland border row deepens. Follow all today’s news |
| AAP has an update on the how the Senate committee hearing into issues surrounding the use of the Aboriginal flag is going: | |
| The company with exclusive commercial licensing rights of the Aboriginal flag is in discussions with a federal government agency over use of the design. | |
| WAM Clothing director Semele Moore confirmed the move to a Senate inquiry on Monday but remains tight-lipped about the details. | |
| Indigenous artist and copyright holder Harold Thomas designed the flag in 1971 and non-Indigenous company WAM Clothing owns the commercial licensing rights. | |
| “WAM has entered into discussions with the National Indigenous Australians Agency in relation to the acquisition of the copyright in the Aboriginal flag,” Ms Moore said. | |
| “Those discussions are ongoing. Harold has specifically requested those discussions remain confidential.” | |
| Ms Moore was unable to tell the inquiry how many companies have paid to use the flag design, or have been told to stop using it. | |
| “I don’t have the information (with me) and no I don’t intend to submit it,” she said. | |
| Ms Moore also wouldn’t say how long the licensing rights were in place for. | |
| The inquiry is looking at copyright and licensing arrangements for the Aboriginal flag. | |
| Australians can freely fly the flag but there are limitations to its use in other ways. | |
| The inquiry has also been told the copyright could be split so it can be used more widely. | |
| Copyright law expert Michael Green SC said the government could negotiate with Mr Thomas about splitting the copyright while keeping the current commercial rights in mind. | |
| “You can slice copyright in a number of ways,” he said. | |
| “It would be possible for the Commonwealth to do something to create a licence in relation to reproducing the flag as a flag, or to broadcast images of the flag as a flag. | |
| “It entails a conversation that needs to be had with the owner, Mr Thomas, and to respect his wishes.” | |
| Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt had offered to buy the rights to the flag, but this was rejected. | |
| The long-running issue has reignited after the AFL was unable to use the flag during its Indigenous round. | |
| The league did not strike an agreement with WAM Clothing, which has exclusive rights to reproduce it on garments. | |
| Mr Green said slicing up the rights could happen without creating a new category of copyright. | |
| “You can divide copyright by location and all manner of things in the Commonwealth,” he said. | |
| Mr Wyatt has promised to reach a resolution that respects the wishes of the flag’s artist as well as the rights of all Australians. | |
| Labor is also pursuing legislation that would compel the minister to negotiate with Mr Thomas. | |
| I have been contacted a few times and seen a little on social media about conspiracy theories surrounding when the international borders may open, and why. | |
| Just to let everyone know, I have heard of no changes to Australia’s international border closure. When asked about it, the government has indicated June next year as the most likely open date – but even that has not been set in stone. | |
| With parts of Europe seeing spikes in infections and the US still watching it spread, there is nothing to suggest the border will open, more widely, any earlier. | |
| There is talk of accepting travellers from New Zealand sometime sooner, but that agreement is still to be reached. | |
| Former prime minister Paul Keating has told the aged care royal commission that while he used to believe a “longevity levy” was needed in addition to superannuation to fund aged care, his thinking had recently changed. | |
| He said there were issues with people’s ability to contribute to the scheme, around whether employers should contribute, how it would be levied and what proportion might be returned to the commonwealth. He added it would not be supported politically, with “moans” from small business organisations “and the violin-playing by members of the Liberal party backbench”. | |
| Keating said he now supported a “post-paid” funding model where the commonwealth would provide people with aged care loans similar to university student loans, which are paid back once students are employed, and compulsorily repaid as a proportion of their income. | |
| If students don’t gain employment, they don’t repay the loan, and those in lower-paid work repay less. These commonwealth aged care loans would be paid back in a similar way through people’s assets after their deaths, including through the sale of property and shares and through any unused superannuation, Keating said. | |
| Asked if this would only encourage people to divest themselves of their assets, Keating said policy measures would need to be introduced to protect against it. | |
| “It’s called policy dexterity,” Keating said, adding that “there’s none around” in current thinking towards aged care. | |
| He told the commission that it was not fair to expect younger Australians to fund aged care through their taxes, given the rapidly increasing aged population. | |
| Keating added that while this system meant some people might miss out on a large inheritance, it was not fair to expect hard-working men and women to support other people, including the wealthy, through their taxes. | |
| Making people pay for their care after their deaths through their assets would “demonstrate to working people that they are part of it”, Keating said. | |
| The federal government has indicated it will not delay plans to reduce jobseeker and jobkeeper payments, the Victorian premier says. Asked on Monday whether he expected further support from the commonwealth, Daniel Andrews said the federal government had “made a decision there won’t be a change to the jobseeker or jobkeeper arrangements”. | |
| In recent days, Andrews had declined to publicly call for the cuts to income support to be delayed, though he consistently hinted he was lobbying the prime minister directly. | |
| On 25 September, the $550-a-fortnight coronavirus supplement – paid to jobseekers, students and people on parenting payments – will be reduced by $300. It means a jobseeker’s base rate of income support will fall to $815 a fortnight. | |
| Guardian Australia has estimated there are more than 420,000 people living in locked-down areas of Melbourne who receive the supplement. | |
| The jobkeeper wage subsidy will also be reduced in late September. It will fall from $1,500 to $1,200 for full-time workers and $750 for part-time workers. Those receiving the lower rate will also be eligible for a reduced jobseeker payment. | |
| Under the state government’s Covid roadmap, many industries will remain shut until at the end of October. | |
| The Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) has an update on how the communities it represents have handled the second wave of the pandemic: | The Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) has an update on how the communities it represents have handled the second wave of the pandemic: |
| NSW Health has put out its update: | NSW Health has put out its update: |
| There were 9,316 tests reported in the 24-hour reporting period, compared with 14,426 in the previous 24 hours. | There were 9,316 tests reported in the 24-hour reporting period, compared with 14,426 in the previous 24 hours. |
| Testing numbers have dropped over the past two weeks, which is a concern, particularly in areas such as south-western, western and south-eastern Sydney. | Testing numbers have dropped over the past two weeks, which is a concern, particularly in areas such as south-western, western and south-eastern Sydney. |
| Of the four new cases to 8pm last night: | Of the four new cases to 8pm last night: |
| Three are overseas travellers in hotel quarantine. | Three are overseas travellers in hotel quarantine. |
| One is locally acquired and linked to a known case or cluster. | One is locally acquired and linked to a known case or cluster. |
| The new case is a close contact of a previous case who attended the Eastern Suburbs Legion Club. This person had been in self-isolation while infectious. | The new case is a close contact of a previous case who attended the Eastern Suburbs Legion Club. This person had been in self-isolation while infectious. |
| While there has only been one new locally acquired case recorded in the past 24 hours, the virus is likely circulating among people in the community with mild symptoms. As such, the risk of outbreaks and a resurgence of cases remains. | While there has only been one new locally acquired case recorded in the past 24 hours, the virus is likely circulating among people in the community with mild symptoms. As such, the risk of outbreaks and a resurgence of cases remains. |
| It’s vital that everyone who does have the virus is tested and diagnosed, in order to stop further spread to others. | It’s vital that everyone who does have the virus is tested and diagnosed, in order to stop further spread to others. |
| NSW Health is again urging anyone feeling unwell – even with the mildest of symptoms, such as a runny nose or scratchy throat – to come forward and get tested, so cases in the community are identified as quickly as possible. | NSW Health is again urging anyone feeling unwell – even with the mildest of symptoms, such as a runny nose or scratchy throat – to come forward and get tested, so cases in the community are identified as quickly as possible. |
| This is even more important with the coming school holidays, when people will travel across the state. | This is even more important with the coming school holidays, when people will travel across the state. |
| Locations linked to known cases, advice on testing and isolation, and areas identified for increased testing can be found here: www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/latest-news-and-updates. | Locations linked to known cases, advice on testing and isolation, and areas identified for increased testing can be found here: www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/latest-news-and-updates. |
| NSW Health is treating 81 Covid-19 cases, including six in intensive care, three of whom are being ventilated. Eighty-eight per cent of cases being treated by NSW Health are in non-acute, out-of-hospital care. | NSW Health is treating 81 Covid-19 cases, including six in intensive care, three of whom are being ventilated. Eighty-eight per cent of cases being treated by NSW Health are in non-acute, out-of-hospital care. |
| Former prime minister Paul Keating has been asked by counsel assisting the aged care royal commission Peter Gray QC about the thinking around aged care when he first entered government. | Former prime minister Paul Keating has been asked by counsel assisting the aged care royal commission Peter Gray QC about the thinking around aged care when he first entered government. |
| Keating said that when he served as treasurer in the Hawke government from 1983, it was brought to his attention that many people were in aged care simply because they had nowhere else to go. | |
| There was no system of geriatric assessment at the time, Keating said. | There was no system of geriatric assessment at the time, Keating said. |
| Keating, an architect of Australia’s compulsory superannuation system, said he also realised back when he introduced the scheme some 30 years ago that his generation “had a social standard of living that would not be replicated at $24,000 a year” and he knew there would be pressure from many of them for “a much bigger pension”. | Keating, an architect of Australia’s compulsory superannuation system, said he also realised back when he introduced the scheme some 30 years ago that his generation “had a social standard of living that would not be replicated at $24,000 a year” and he knew there would be pressure from many of them for “a much bigger pension”. |
| The aged pension alone just wouldn’t allow people to live a quality life at home in their old age, Keating told the commission. | The aged pension alone just wouldn’t allow people to live a quality life at home in their old age, Keating told the commission. |
| How will Victoria pay for all its stimulus measures? | How will Victoria pay for all its stimulus measures? |
| Daniel Andrews: | Daniel Andrews: |
| When will regional Victoria learn more about its restrictions being eased? | When will regional Victoria learn more about its restrictions being eased? |
| Daniel Andrews: | Daniel Andrews: |
| Professor Brett Sutton is then asked about some of the restrictions being eased today (very small easings). | Professor Brett Sutton is then asked about some of the restrictions being eased today (very small easings). |
| Brett Sutton echoes his Queensland counterpart when talking about the dangers of a Covid infection: | Brett Sutton echoes his Queensland counterpart when talking about the dangers of a Covid infection: |
| Professor Brett Sutton about whether there is a benchmark of test numbers authorities want to reach before they are comfortable: | Professor Brett Sutton about whether there is a benchmark of test numbers authorities want to reach before they are comfortable: |
| Will the Boxing Day test and Australian Open have crowds: | Will the Boxing Day test and Australian Open have crowds: |
| Daniel Andrews: | Daniel Andrews: |
| Q: When will venues be allowed to – particularly bigger pubs and restaurants – be allowed to have some diners and drinkers inside? | Q: When will venues be allowed to – particularly bigger pubs and restaurants – be allowed to have some diners and drinkers inside? |
| Daniel Andrews: | Daniel Andrews: |
| Q: Is there evidence between lock down 1 and 2, when the pubs and restaurants were open, if there was any infections from indoor dining? | Q: Is there evidence between lock down 1 and 2, when the pubs and restaurants were open, if there was any infections from indoor dining? |
| Andrews: | Andrews: |
| But $5,000 is not a lot of money in 2020? | But $5,000 is not a lot of money in 2020? |
| Daniel Andrews: | Daniel Andrews: |
| How are councils responding? | How are councils responding? |
| Daniel Andrews: | Daniel Andrews: |
| How will the new public spaces/outdoor dining spaces work? | How will the new public spaces/outdoor dining spaces work? |
| Daniel Andrews: | Daniel Andrews: |
| Victorian jobs and precincts minister Martin Pakula is also at this press conference. He is talking about some of the grants being offered to Victorian businesses: | Victorian jobs and precincts minister Martin Pakula is also at this press conference. He is talking about some of the grants being offered to Victorian businesses: |
| Victoria is also going down the road of turning roads and footpaths into dining spaces, to get the hospitality industry up and running again. NSW is also looking at doing this. | Victoria is also going down the road of turning roads and footpaths into dining spaces, to get the hospitality industry up and running again. NSW is also looking at doing this. |
| New York did it, and it’s worked – and so has Lithuania, which turned entire city centres into pedestrian mall/dining spaces/parks. | New York did it, and it’s worked – and so has Lithuania, which turned entire city centres into pedestrian mall/dining spaces/parks. |
| The way we live life is changing – but not all of it is going to be negative. | The way we live life is changing – but not all of it is going to be negative. |
| Daniel Andrews: | Daniel Andrews: |