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Coronavirus Australia live update: regional Victoria restrictions to ease as state records 42 Covid cases and NSW seven Coronavirus Australia live update: regional Victoria restrictions to ease as state records 42 Covid cases and NSW seven
(32 minutes later)
Victoria reports no deaths; South Australia to open borders to flights from the ACT. Follow all today’s newsVictoria reports no deaths; South Australia to open borders to flights from the ACT. Follow all today’s news
Mark Butler continued:
Mark Butler responded to the government’s energy announcement today:
You may have noted this part of that story:
That is exactly what Queensland chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said in answer to a question on the Hanks exemption last week. Young’s comment, which was part of a wider answer on a question directly related to Hanks, and also included how compassionate reasons were given the same consideration, not only received scathing attacks from the Queensland opposition, she was also sent death threats.
The Border Force boss has said yeah, nah to using federal facilities as quarantine sites for returning Australian travellers.
(via AAP):
AAP has some news on a woman who was convicted of breaching quarantine rules in WA:AAP has some news on a woman who was convicted of breaching quarantine rules in WA:
A woman jailed for sneaking into Western Australia in a truck from Victoria, breaching quarantine laws, has walked free after successfully appealing her sentence.
The woman was sentenced to six months in prison after pleading guilty in Perth Magistrates Court to failing to comply with a direction under WA’s Emergency Management Act.
Her lawyers immediately appealed the sentence, which was the toughest penalty handed down for a coronavirus quarantine breach in WA.
On Tuesday, Supreme Court Justice Jenni Hill found that the sentence was unreasonable and plainly unjust.
She imposed a six-month community-based order and ordered the woman to complete 50 hours of community service.
She was arrested at her partner’s Scarborough home on August 11 after travelling from Victoria by road without being detected.
The court heard the woman had spent a month in Victoria looking after her unwell sister.
She applied for and was granted an exemption to fly to WA but was required to quarantine in a hotel for 14 days at her own expense.
Police made inquiries after the woman, who is a WA resident, did not arrive at Perth Airport as outlined in her application.
The woman, who tested negative to COVID-19, was remanded in custody and spent three weeks in prison before being granted bail by Justice Hill ahead of her appeal hearing.
The court heard she was unemployed, had a criminal record related to previous methamphetamine use and had low capacity to pay a fine.
But Justice Hill noted the woman unlike others who had breached quarantine, had not attended public places or private gatherings.
She said magistrate Andrew Matthews’ decision not to suspend the woman’s sentence was not reasonable under the circumstances.
“Whilst there are no express errors in the sentencing remarks of His Honour, it is difficult to understand, with the greatest respect to the learned magistrate, how a sentence of immediate imprisonment could have been reached,” Justice Hill said.
Individuals found to have breached WA’s strict quarantine laws face a maximum penalty of 12 months’ imprisonment or a $50,000 fine.
This is from a little earlier, but this is SA police commissioner Grant Stevens announcing the border changes:This is from a little earlier, but this is SA police commissioner Grant Stevens announcing the border changes:
“Young Australians’ patriotism” seems a fraught term.“Young Australians’ patriotism” seems a fraught term.
So, as you would expect, both Melbourne and Sydney are fighting for Qantas to base its consolidated headquarters in their respective cities.So, as you would expect, both Melbourne and Sydney are fighting for Qantas to base its consolidated headquarters in their respective cities.
The New South Wales treasurer Dominic Perrottet says he’s keen to see Qantas remain in NSW and has held discussions with Qantas CEO Alan Joyce over the last 24 hours.The New South Wales treasurer Dominic Perrottet says he’s keen to see Qantas remain in NSW and has held discussions with Qantas CEO Alan Joyce over the last 24 hours.
He said suggesting NSW would get into a bidding war was “ the wrong terminology”.He said suggesting NSW would get into a bidding war was “ the wrong terminology”.
He said the government would work with the airline to preserve the more than 10,000 jobs that Qantas has in NSW and he reminded Qantas about the payroll deferrals the airline has received from the Berejiklian government so far to help it weather the Covid-19 crisis.He said the government would work with the airline to preserve the more than 10,000 jobs that Qantas has in NSW and he reminded Qantas about the payroll deferrals the airline has received from the Berejiklian government so far to help it weather the Covid-19 crisis.
Asked whether he would prefer to see Qantas located at Mascot, its current home, or the new aerotropolis at Badgerys Creek, Perrottet said he was “ relaxed about that”.Asked whether he would prefer to see Qantas located at Mascot, its current home, or the new aerotropolis at Badgerys Creek, Perrottet said he was “ relaxed about that”.
Anthony Albanese finishes with this:Anthony Albanese finishes with this:
On the government’s gas announcement today (and the fuel security announcement yesterday) Anthony Albanese says:On the government’s gas announcement today (and the fuel security announcement yesterday) Anthony Albanese says:
Anthony Albanese when asked if the government should open federal quarantine facilities:Anthony Albanese when asked if the government should open federal quarantine facilities:
Anthony Albanese:Anthony Albanese:
Anthony Albanese is holding his press conference – Labor is ramping up pressure on the government to start bringing home more than 23,000 stranded Australians.Anthony Albanese is holding his press conference – Labor is ramping up pressure on the government to start bringing home more than 23,000 stranded Australians.
That was the last figures – it could be up to 100,000.That was the last figures – it could be up to 100,000.
Albanese:Albanese:
The ABS has announced that property prices have dropped a whole 1.8% in the June quarter.The ABS has announced that property prices have dropped a whole 1.8% in the June quarter.
What does that mean? Well, if you couldn’t afford to buy a house before the pandemic, you still can’t afford to buy a house.What does that mean? Well, if you couldn’t afford to buy a house before the pandemic, you still can’t afford to buy a house.
The RBA has released its latest board meeting minutes. This is probably the key takeaway:The RBA has released its latest board meeting minutes. This is probably the key takeaway:
Victoria’s emergency management commissioner Andrew Crisp made it clear in two meetings in late March that Victoria did not need the help of the Australian Defence Force in running hotel quarantine, the inquiry has heard.Victoria’s emergency management commissioner Andrew Crisp made it clear in two meetings in late March that Victoria did not need the help of the Australian Defence Force in running hotel quarantine, the inquiry has heard.
In audio recordings of state control centre meetings on 27 and 28 March played to the inquiry on Tuesday, Crisp said twice that there was no need for support from the ADF for hotel quarantine.In audio recordings of state control centre meetings on 27 and 28 March played to the inquiry on Tuesday, Crisp said twice that there was no need for support from the ADF for hotel quarantine.
“We can manage this…at this stage, we don’t need boots on the ground, so to speak,” he said on 27 March.“We can manage this…at this stage, we don’t need boots on the ground, so to speak,” he said on 27 March.
Crisp said he saw the role of the ADF to fill any gaps in capacity or capability that he saw in the program and there was no requirement for that at the time. He said it is his belief that private security could do the job.Crisp said he saw the role of the ADF to fill any gaps in capacity or capability that he saw in the program and there was no requirement for that at the time. He said it is his belief that private security could do the job.
In late June, Crisp did eventually request the support of 850 ADF personnel to replace private security in hotel quarantine, at the request of the Department of Health and Human Services, but one day late he rescinded this request at the behest of the Department of Justice.In late June, Crisp did eventually request the support of 850 ADF personnel to replace private security in hotel quarantine, at the request of the Department of Health and Human Services, but one day late he rescinded this request at the behest of the Department of Justice.
He said he was told Justice was looking into other options, including using police and corrections staff.He said he was told Justice was looking into other options, including using police and corrections staff.
It remains unclear who exactly made the decision to use private security firms in the ill-fated hotel quarantine program.It remains unclear who exactly made the decision to use private security firms in the ill-fated hotel quarantine program.
The inquiry heard on Tuesday that Victoria Police made it clear in the 27 March meeting that the preference was that private security be used, and the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions was tasked to hire the firms, but Crisp said the decision had already been made prior to that meeting.The inquiry heard on Tuesday that Victoria Police made it clear in the 27 March meeting that the preference was that private security be used, and the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions was tasked to hire the firms, but Crisp said the decision had already been made prior to that meeting.
Labor has called for an investigation into whether Australian privacy laws have been breached after reports the personal details of about 35,500 Australians were included on a database compiled by the Chinese tech company Zhenhua Data.Labor has called for an investigation into whether Australian privacy laws have been breached after reports the personal details of about 35,500 Australians were included on a database compiled by the Chinese tech company Zhenhua Data.
The shadow assistant minister for cyber security, Tim Watts, wrote to the information commissioner today to request an investigation into “the extent to which the privacy of Australians may have been compromised and whether any Australian privacy laws have been broken”.The shadow assistant minister for cyber security, Tim Watts, wrote to the information commissioner today to request an investigation into “the extent to which the privacy of Australians may have been compromised and whether any Australian privacy laws have been broken”.
In a media release issued a short time ago, the Labor party said the reports that personal information may have been scraped from social media accounts and other sources “for potential use by foreign intelligence services” were “deeply concerning” and that the investigation should look into whether or not a data collection centre was located in Australia.In a media release issued a short time ago, the Labor party said the reports that personal information may have been scraped from social media accounts and other sources “for potential use by foreign intelligence services” were “deeply concerning” and that the investigation should look into whether or not a data collection centre was located in Australia.
Zhenhua Data, based in Shenzhen, has denied any links to the Chinese government or military and insisted that it merely “integrated” public data found on the internet. There is no concrete evidence to suggest that a data collection centre has been set up in Australia.Zhenhua Data, based in Shenzhen, has denied any links to the Chinese government or military and insisted that it merely “integrated” public data found on the internet. There is no concrete evidence to suggest that a data collection centre has been set up in Australia.
Watts said the data security of Australian citizens was “now a national security issue” and he argued that an effective data protection regime was “crucial to our efforts to fight foreign interference”.Watts said the data security of Australian citizens was “now a national security issue” and he argued that an effective data protection regime was “crucial to our efforts to fight foreign interference”.
Labor senator Jenny McAllister, who chairs a Senate select committee into foreign interference through social media, said the reports about the database were “the latest in a long line of warnings that there are actors with the intent and ability to influence Australia’s democracy”.Labor senator Jenny McAllister, who chairs a Senate select committee into foreign interference through social media, said the reports about the database were “the latest in a long line of warnings that there are actors with the intent and ability to influence Australia’s democracy”.
The opposition also called on the government to ensure the Information Commissioner and her officer were properly resourced to complete the task, saying the office’s investigation into Cambridge Analytica was launched in March 2020, two years after the event.The opposition also called on the government to ensure the Information Commissioner and her officer were properly resourced to complete the task, saying the office’s investigation into Cambridge Analytica was launched in March 2020, two years after the event.
The shadow attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, said the protection of online privacy was more important than ever and a standalone privacy commissioner should be appointed.The shadow attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, said the protection of online privacy was more important than ever and a standalone privacy commissioner should be appointed.