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Covid Australia live update: Victoria records eight deaths and 42 new coronavirus cases, with 10 in NSW – latest news Covid Australia live update: Victoria records eight deaths and 42 new coronavirus cases, with 10 in NSW – latest news
(32 minutes later)
South Australia opens up to ACT and Brett Sutton gives evidence at Victoria’s hotel quarantine inquirySouth Australia opens up to ACT and Brett Sutton gives evidence at Victoria’s hotel quarantine inquiry
Over at the foreign affairs parliamentary committee which is looking at strengthening Australia’s ties with its Pacific neighbours, Save the Children Deputy CEO Mat Tinkler is suggesting Australia embark on a ‘Pacific jobkeeper’ style program: Victoria Police have spoken about the tightening border controls around greater metro Melbourne, as Matilda Boseley reports:
Melbourne’s “ring of steel” in tightening with city residents now facing fines of nearly $5 thousand dollars for attempting to escape to regional Victoria.
Victorian authorities have introduced a new offence under the state of disaster rules, prohibiting people “leaving a restricted area”, aimed at preserving low case number in rural towns and they ease restrictions.
This infringement will carry a heavy fine of $4957 dollars, more than double the general toll for breaching the chief health officers orders.
“If it’s two people, if it’s mum and dad, they will both get a fine. That’s nearly ten thousand dollars,” said Deputy police commissioner of regional operations, Rick Nugent.
Police will also be increasing the number of vehicles they stop.
“Certainly we will be checking every vehicle that is towing a caravan a camper trailer or other trailer, towing a boat or a jet ski or has a surfboard, a fishing rod or swags. They will all be checked.”
Melbournians can still leave the city, but only for permitted reasons, such as work, providing or receiving care, medical reasons and visiting an intimate partner.
Nugent announced on Wednesday, that a new semi-permanent checkpoint would be established on the Mornington Peninsula.
Although classified as part of metropolitan Melbourne and facing the same lockdowns the peninsula is a popular holiday destination with beachside towns such as Portsea and Sorento.
The original $1652 find still applied to those travelling illegally to the area.
ANU vice-chancellor, Brian Schmidt, told staff today:
“The changes required are painful, and the changes we make must leave the university in a state that will allow us to thrive in the years to come.
There will be less money in our systems for the foreseeable future. This is hard to hear when we have all made so many sacrifices to date, whether it is deferring our pay increase in July 2020, cancelling a piece of expenditure we planned to make, taking on additional or new tasks, or – in some cases – agreeing to separate from the university.
To everyone who has made a sacrifice, thank you for what you have done and continue to do.Sadly, these sacrifices have been essential to get us through 2020, but are not sufficient on their own to make us financially sustainable going forward.
Yesterday, 15 September, the ANU Council approved the University’s 2021 financial strategy. This document launches a consultation on how we should respond.The stark reality is, we need to save money, and this will mean spending a lot less, both on our non-salary expenditure, but also on salaries.
This is not a course of action we wanted to take, but it is our only viable option going forward if we want to remain a sustainable, stable university. The need for our university and its mission is clear, and we must make sure we can deliver on that mission, and not be a hollowed-out shell of our former selves.”
The Australian National University has announced a restructure that will involve the loss of 465 positions.
Some 230 staff have already accepted voluntary separations, with a further 20 to come, but the ANU announced on Wednesday that there will need to be a further reduction of 215 positions.
ANU has already saved $13.5m from deferred pay rises, which has saved 90 jobs but will need to save $103m a year up until 2023.The strategy is based on 50% of ANU’s ongoing level of savings coming from salaries.
The reduction will be achieved through additional voluntary separations, or as a last resort, redundancies.
All these cuts to Australia’s universities are going to have ongoing impacts for years
Active aged care outbreaks with the highest cumulative case numbers are as follows:
251 cases have been linked to BaptCare Wyndham Lodge Community in Werribee.
219 cases have been linked to Epping Gardens Aged Care in Epping.
213 cases have been linked to St Basil’s Homes for the Aged in Fawkner.
166 cases have been linked to Estia Aged Care Facility in Ardeer.
139 cases have been linked to Kirkbrae Presbyterian Homes in Kilsyth.
130 cases have been linked to BlueCross Ruckers Hill Aged Care Facility in Northcote.
127 cases have been linked to Twin Parks Aged Care in Reservoir.
124 cases have been linked to Cumberland Manor Aged Care Facility in Sunshine North.
120 cases have been linked to Japara Goonawarra Aged Care Facility in Sunbury.
119 cases have been linked to Estia Aged Care Facility in Heidelberg.
In Victoria there are currently six active cases in residential disability accommodation:
Total resident cases: two; Total Staff cases: four.
Active cases in NDIS homes: six (two residents).
Active cases in “transfer” homes (state regulated/funded): 0.
Active cases in state government delivered and funded homes: 0.
Non-aged care outbreaks with the highest number of active cases include:
12 active cases are currently linked to Footscray hospital (total cases: 13).
10 active cases are currently linked to Bulla Dairy Foods in Colac (total cases: 20).
nine active cases are currently linked to Vawdrey Australia Truck Manufacturer (total cases: 64).
eight active cases are currently linked to Wydinia Kindergarten in Colac (total cases: 16).
five active cases are currently linked to Dandenong police station (total cases: 15).
And we have a breakdown of those cases:
In Victoria at the current time:
4,278 cases may indicate community transmission – a decrease of four since yesterday.
991 cases are currently active in Victoria.
107 cases of coronavirus are in hospital, including 11 in intensive care.
18,153 people have recovered from the virus.
A total of 2,520,887 test results have been received which is an increase of 14,374 since yesterday.
Of the 991 current active cases in Victoria:
948 are in metropolitan Melbourne under stage 4 restrictions.
37 are in regional local government areas under stage 3 restrictions.
four are interstate residents.
two are either unknown or subject to further investigation.
Colac Otway has 20 active cases, Greater Geelong has three active cases, Greater Bendigo has one active case and Ballarat has no active cases.
Of the total cases:
18,563 cases are from metropolitan Melbourne, while 1,201 are from regional Victoria.
Total cases include 9,507 men and 10,422 women.
Total number of healthcare workers: 3,455, active cases: 152.
There are 497 active cases related to aged care facilities.
Victoria Health has just put out its official update:
Victoria has recorded 42 new cases of coronavirus since yesterday, with the total number of cases now at 19,943.
The over all total has increased by 32 due to 10 cases being reclassified.
Within Victoria, 29 of the new cases are linked to outbreaks or complex cases and 13 are under investigation.
There have been eight new deaths from Covid-19 reported since yesterday. Four women and two men aged in their 80s and two men aged in their 90s. Six of the deaths occurred prior to yesterday.
All of today’s deaths are linked to known outbreaks in aged care facilities. To date, 737 people have died from coronavirus in Victoria.
The average number of cases diagnosed in the past 14 days for metropolitan Melbourne is 49.6 and regional Victoria is 3.5. The rolling daily average case number is calculated by averaging out the number of new cases over the past 14 days.
The total number of cases from an unknown source in the past 14 days is 81 for metropolitan Melbourne and one for regional Victoria. The 14-day period for the source of acquisition data ends 48 hours earlier than the 14-day period used to calculate the new case average due to the time required to fully investigate a case and assign its mode of acquisition.
Over at the foreign affairs parliamentary committee which is looking at strengthening Australia’s ties with its Pacific neighbours, Save the Children deputy CEO Mat Tinkler is suggesting Australia embark on a “Pacific jobkeeper” style program:
Australia is pushing the United States to stay involved in UN institutions despite Donald Trump’s decision to pull out of several multilateral bodies, officials have told a parliamentary hearing.Australia is pushing the United States to stay involved in UN institutions despite Donald Trump’s decision to pull out of several multilateral bodies, officials have told a parliamentary hearing.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade provided a small window into the conversations that are occurring behind the scenes with Australia’s top security ally in the Trump era. Despite Scott Morrison’s warning last year against “negative globalism”, the audit he commissioned ended up warning against an Australian retreat from global bodies but foreshadowed a push to reform UN bodies.The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade provided a small window into the conversations that are occurring behind the scenes with Australia’s top security ally in the Trump era. Despite Scott Morrison’s warning last year against “negative globalism”, the audit he commissioned ended up warning against an Australian retreat from global bodies but foreshadowed a push to reform UN bodies.
Justin Lee, first assistant secretary of the multilateral policy division, said Australia was working to ensure global bodies were fit for purpose, were doing what they were supposed to be doing, were accountable to member states, and had strong independent leadership. Australia also wanted those bodies to have sufficient focus on the Indo-Pacific region, “particularly if we’re making contributions to them”. Australia was working with countries that had concerns about how global bodies were functioning.Justin Lee, first assistant secretary of the multilateral policy division, said Australia was working to ensure global bodies were fit for purpose, were doing what they were supposed to be doing, were accountable to member states, and had strong independent leadership. Australia also wanted those bodies to have sufficient focus on the Indo-Pacific region, “particularly if we’re making contributions to them”. Australia was working with countries that had concerns about how global bodies were functioning.
“We’ve certainly been continuing to encourage, where possible, strong United States engagement within the system and within multilateral institutions, and of course it has withdrawn from some, but we’re encouraging it to continue to participate in the system overall.“We’ve certainly been continuing to encourage, where possible, strong United States engagement within the system and within multilateral institutions, and of course it has withdrawn from some, but we’re encouraging it to continue to participate in the system overall.
“And [we have] also [been] looking at coalitions with other member states … to support the rules and norms and values and standards that have served us, so we’ve been very active in multilateral institutions to move in behind those and back those.”“And [we have] also [been] looking at coalitions with other member states … to support the rules and norms and values and standards that have served us, so we’ve been very active in multilateral institutions to move in behind those and back those.”
Elizabeth Peak, first assistant secretary of the human development and governance division, said Australia’s call for a comprehensive, impartial, independent inquiry into the Covid-19 response was “emblematic of the way Australia has approached multilateral engagement over this period”. That would look at how the World Health Organization had performed its role.Elizabeth Peak, first assistant secretary of the human development and governance division, said Australia’s call for a comprehensive, impartial, independent inquiry into the Covid-19 response was “emblematic of the way Australia has approached multilateral engagement over this period”. That would look at how the World Health Organization had performed its role.
“We’ve seen some good progress in terms of the inquiry. We’re watching it very closely to ensure that the inquiry really does what we want it to do, which is to learn lessons across the board so we can all be better prepared for a pandemic that may occur in the future.”“We’ve seen some good progress in terms of the inquiry. We’re watching it very closely to ensure that the inquiry really does what we want it to do, which is to learn lessons across the board so we can all be better prepared for a pandemic that may occur in the future.”
Earlier today, Gladys Berejiklian was pushing for the Queensland border to open to NSW residents:Earlier today, Gladys Berejiklian was pushing for the Queensland border to open to NSW residents:
South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia also have their borders closed to New South Wales residents.South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia also have their borders closed to New South Wales residents.
Meanwhile, the Melbourne Anglican Archbishop Philip Freier, has thrown his support behind keeping the jobseeker payment where it is – which includes the $550 Covid supplement.Meanwhile, the Melbourne Anglican Archbishop Philip Freier, has thrown his support behind keeping the jobseeker payment where it is – which includes the $550 Covid supplement.
Incredibly normal Queensland election stuff happening today:Incredibly normal Queensland election stuff happening today:
There is a lot of talk about what to do with Australia’s humanitarian and migration programs.There is a lot of talk about what to do with Australia’s humanitarian and migration programs.
Ames Australia, a migrant and refugee settlement agency, is hopeful by the federal government’s indications it is looking to re-establish its humanitarian programs as soon as it can:Ames Australia, a migrant and refugee settlement agency, is hopeful by the federal government’s indications it is looking to re-establish its humanitarian programs as soon as it can:
But Scarth also called for economic recovery programs to include newly arrived migrants and refuges already in Australia.But Scarth also called for economic recovery programs to include newly arrived migrants and refuges already in Australia.
That’s most of what Andrew Liveris had to say.That’s most of what Andrew Liveris had to say.
Check back in – Murph will have a story on that talk soon.Check back in – Murph will have a story on that talk soon.
Q: Just on that new form of leader, is Joe Biden that new form of political leader that will persuade voters to vote for him on November 3?
Andrew Liveris:
Further to that first question Andrew Liveris was asked:
Q: In your speech you spoke about the need for a new form of government, a new form of politician. In your mind, how do they differ compared to what we have now? How do they operate differently, and, given your work experience with Donald Trump, is he an example, a good example, of a new form of politician?
Andrew Liveris:
Q: The prime minister has thrown down essentially to the private sector. He has given them seven months to announce new investment in energy to cover the closure of the Liddell plant. What chance do you give the private sector to give them – to announce this new investment in seven months after being shy of new investment not the least because the policy settings around energy have been so unstable?
Andrew Liveris:
Q: You’ve advised President Obama. You’ve advised Donald Trump. You advise Scott Morrison. Three leaders. But you also have a position in Saudi Arabia to Mohammed bin Salman, not a democratically-elected leader, in fact an abuser of rights, and involved in authorisation the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi. How do you align yourself with those?
Andrew Liveris:
Q: You’ve said China will flex its muscles, there’ll be more Hong Kongs. Taiwan, do you think that will be next?
Andrew Liveris:
Q: Can I ask you about your comments on China and us being a one-trick pony, and so forth, and the need to separate the mercantile aspect of the relationship with the diplomatic aspect of the relationship. Was I wrong to interpret this, are you saying the government needs to temper its public comments towards Beijing and China and keep them private in the interests of the economic relationship?
Andrew Liveris:
Andrew Liveris has moved to the Q and A section of the press club address:
Q: You’ve outlined the transition that the country needs to make but the reality is the transition you’ve outlined is a very costly one. If taxpayers are to bear the costs of that transition through subsidies or for advanced manufacturing, don’t we need to be very explicit about who is bearing the costs of that transition? Also if I may, how does the re-industrialisation of Australia and increasing the supply of gas which you admit is a fossil fuel get us to net zero to 2050?
Liveris: The two parts to your question, in none of the recommendations made yesterday or the announcements did I see the word “subsidy”. It is a redirection of funds. That’s a key part of the plan. It’s left the private sector to negotiate the contracts, because private sector has not done a good job. International companies can sit on basins in this contrary and sit on them at prices.
In fact, if you give the private sector a trajectory like a hub and like access to demand - i.e, the demand you can put in place - and you say that demand can underpin a power station or two, why you wouldn’t you do? No new taxes. Secondly, gas is roughly 60% of the emissions of coal. Switching to gas will automatically bring down the percentage of coal we burn.
We sell gas to Tokyo, or to Beijing, or to any other part of Asia and we import products back that you’re paying a premium for because we’re not making them locally.
Q: What I don’t understand is how increasing the supply of a fossil fuel, even one that has less emissions than coal, lines us with Australia’s obligations under international climate agreements to reduce emissions?
Liveris: Go study the US numbers, go study the UK numbers and the numbers in Europe - they’ve all decreased because of the introduction of gas to fuel. The very short answer to a very long question.
New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian has said Sydney airport will take an extra 500 arrivals per week, up to 2950, on the condition that other states double their caps.
She said she had reached an agreement with prime minister Scott Morrison on Tuesday, however both Queensland and Western Australia will need to double their intakes for NSW to increase theirs.
“I was given an assurance [by Morrison] other states would also take that load and on that basis I was very pleased to do our bit,” Berejiklian said.
However it appears unclear if Berejiklian’s conditions will be met, as Western Australia’s premier Mark McGowan responded to Michael McCormack’s demand for states to increase their arrival caps, by instead calling for the Commonwealth to use its own quarantine facilities.
And spokesman for Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told Guardian Australia Queensland would need the federal government’s support to take more arrivals into its hotel quarantine.
The education minister, Dan Tehan, has been speaking at a Committee for the Economic Development of Australia event - and he boldly predicted growth in the international student market.
He said:
“One of the things we have been able to do is manage the pandemic. From everything I’m hearing and seeing from international students, the demand is still there ... We will see new growth purely from the way we’ve been able to handle the pandemic.
Our quality of education hasn’t diminished, I would argue it’s got better through our ability to deliver online and options such as short courses and micro credentials, enhances our education offering...
Australia stands in very good stead. Students are going to want to continue to come here. I’m seeing from online offerings that demand is there and visa applications that demand is there. Once we hit the virus on the head … we’re in an even stronger position to compete for international students.”