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Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria reports 45 new Covid-19 cases and four more deaths
Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria reports 45 new Covid-19 cases and five more deaths
(32 minutes later)
National cabinet split over flight caps as Scott Morrison tells states to increase capacity of hotel quarantine programs. Follow live
Queensland to reopen border to ACT residents from 25 September as national cabinet split over flight caps. Follow live
Victoria police have fined 76 people over the past 24 hours, including eight for not wearing a face mask.
Examples include three men “located in a carpark with no legitimate reasons for being there” and one man and one woman who drove from Tarneit to St Kilda East “to buy fried chicken”.
Queensland will re-open its border to people from the ACT from 25 September, the health minister Steven Miles has just announced.
Queensland has announced no new cases today.
The conditions are that ACT residents must not have been in NSW for two weeks prior to entering Queensland, and will have to fly into the state, rather than drive.
Federal MP John McVeigh has announced he will resign from parliament, triggering a byelection for the Queensland seat of Groom.
McVeigh, an LNP MP who was first elected in 2016, told reporters this morning that he was resigning effective immediately, due to his wife’s ill health.
In the 2019 election, McVeigh won the seat with a margin of 20.5 percentage points.
Victoria has recorded 45 new coronavirus cases and five new deaths.
Victoria has recorded 45 new coronavirus cases and five new deaths.
The 14-day rolling average is now down to 42.7 new cases in Melbourne, and 2.3 in regional Victoria.
The 14-day rolling average is now down to 42.7 new cases in Melbourne, and 2.3 in regional Victoria.
Yesterday was the lowest daily total since June, with just 28 new cases. But, sadly, eight deaths.
Yesterday was the lowest daily total since June, with just 28 new cases. But, sadly, eight deaths.
Hi all, it’s Naaman Zhou here with the blog. Thanks to my colleague Calla Wahlquist for starting and running it today.
Hi all, it’s Naaman Zhou here with the blog. Thanks to my colleague Calla Wahlquist for starting and running it today.
We’re still waiting on the official case numbers from Victoria. Despite a few outlets reporting leaked numbers, the health department is yet to confirm them, and have told us to wait for the official announcement. We’ll bring that to you the moment it happens.
We’re still waiting on the official case numbers from Victoria. Despite a few outlets reporting leaked numbers, the health department is yet to confirm them, and have told us to wait for the official announcement. We’ll bring that to you the moment it happens.
A few more details on the increase of mutual obligation requirements for jobseeker recipients.
A few more details on the increase of mutual obligation requirements for jobseeker recipients.
From 28 September, people on income support payments outside of Victoria will face having their payments suspended or penalised if they don’t meet expanded mutual obligation requirements.
From 28 September, people on income support payments outside of Victoria will face having their payments suspended or penalised if they don’t meet expanded mutual obligation requirements.
Now, I can tell you, because it was reported earlier today, that that will involve applying for at least eight jobs per month. But you won’t find that figure anywhere on the release from Michaelia Cash and Anne Ruston.
Now, I can tell you, because it was reported earlier today, that that will involve applying for at least eight jobs per month. But you won’t find that figure anywhere on the release from Michaelia Cash and Anne Ruston.
They said:
They said:
So, no real details. They then referred to this website, which also doesn’t specifically outline the requirements.
So, no real details. They then referred to this website, which also doesn’t specifically outline the requirements.
We are still waiting to see those daily coronavirus figures for Victoria, which are late today. There’s often a bit of a delay on national cabinet days.
We are still waiting to see those daily coronavirus figures for Victoria, which are late today. There’s often a bit of a delay on national cabinet days.
From AAP:
From AAP:
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) says it is “thankful” that medicare subsidies for telehealth appointments have been extended until 31 March. They were due to expire on 30 September.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) says it is “thankful” that medicare subsidies for telehealth appointments have been extended until 31 March. They were due to expire on 30 September.
RACGP president, associate professor Ayman Shenouda, said that 99% of GP clinics were now offering telehealth services, and that telehealth had reduced the potential spread of Covid-19 in the community.
RACGP president, associate professor Ayman Shenouda, said that 99% of GP clinics were now offering telehealth services, and that telehealth had reduced the potential spread of Covid-19 in the community.
In a statement, he said GPs should be part of the design for long-term telehealth arrangements beyond the new expiry date in March.
In a statement, he said GPs should be part of the design for long-term telehealth arrangements beyond the new expiry date in March.
The parliamentary inquiry into the destruction of the Aboriginal heritage sites at Juukan Gorge will hold remote hearings with Western Australian witnesses on Monday.
The parliamentary inquiry into the destruction of the Aboriginal heritage sites at Juukan Gorge will hold remote hearings with Western Australian witnesses on Monday.
The inquiry was intending to travel to WA to hold on-country hearings with the traditional owners of Juukan Gorge, the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people, and other traditional owners. But the coronavirus border restrictions have nixed that idea, to the concern of the PKKP.
The inquiry was intending to travel to WA to hold on-country hearings with the traditional owners of Juukan Gorge, the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people, and other traditional owners. But the coronavirus border restrictions have nixed that idea, to the concern of the PKKP.
Yesterday, BHP told the hearings that it intended to save 10 of the 40 Aboriginal heritage sites it received permission to destroy in May, after Guardian Australia revealed that the Banjima traditional owners objected to their heritage being damaged but were bound by a gag clause in their agreement with the mining company from speaking publicly.
Yesterday, BHP told the hearings that it intended to save 10 of the 40 Aboriginal heritage sites it received permission to destroy in May, after Guardian Australia revealed that the Banjima traditional owners objected to their heritage being damaged but were bound by a gag clause in their agreement with the mining company from speaking publicly.
Warren Entsch, the chair of the Northern Australia committee, said the committee remained committed to travelling to WA when it is able.
Warren Entsch, the chair of the Northern Australia committee, said the committee remained committed to travelling to WA when it is able.
Giving evidence remotely on Monday will be Woodside energy, which operates alongside the Murujuga world heritage nominated rock art site; the Yinhawangka Aboriginal Corporation, which has Rio tinto mining leases on its land; Western Australian Greens MP Robin Chapple, a long-time heritage campaigner; and geologist Cedric Davies.
Giving evidence remotely on Monday will be Woodside energy, which operates alongside the Murujuga world heritage nominated rock art site; the Yinhawangka Aboriginal Corporation, which has Rio tinto mining leases on its land; Western Australian Greens MP Robin Chapple, a long-time heritage campaigner; and geologist Cedric Davies.
As always, you can follow our rolling global coverage of the coronavirus pandemic with the inexhaustible Helen Sullivan, here.
The federal government will double the mutual obligation requirements for all states other than Victoria, trade minister Simon Birmingham said.
The changes will apply from Monday 28 September. Currently people who are receiving the jobseeker unemployment benefit have to apply for at least four jobs per month. That will double to eight jobs. Pre-pandemic, it was up to 20 jobs per month.
Speaking on the Today show this morning, Birmingham said:
You don’t need me to tell you that this narrative that people on unemployment benefits need incentives like mutual obligation requirements, and a payment that’s due to drop back below the poverty line, in order to be motivated to find a job, is false. But just in case: it’s a false narrative.
As Labor’s Richard Marles pointed out, there are currently 13 unemployed people for every available job. And that’s only the national average – in areas that have been particularly hard hit, the odds are even longer.
A 100-year-old man has been discharged from hospital in Melbourne after spending six weeks battling Covid-19. He has moved back home to the aged care facility where he caught the virus.
His granddaughter, Lauren Elizabeth, wrote a pointed message on Facebook to those who have suggested Melbourne should reopen now because the risk of serious illness has been concentrated in aged care homes. She wrote:
Read more here:
Meanwhile, national treasure Magda Szubanski has also been on ABC24 this morning, and made some comments about the absolutely appalling comments directed her way after she starred in a Victorian government public health campaign on Covid-19.
First of all, how dare you attack Magda.
Secondly, she is unbothered.
Hunt said that national cabinet would consider the report of former senior public servant Jane Halton, who reviewed the hotel quarantine system. The review was commissioned in response to the Victorian outbreak, but looked at the strength of the national system.
He said Halton has been “very positive, overwhelmingly, about the performance of the states”, with the view on Victoria “still to come”. Halton’s report is not intended to compete with the judicial inquiry into hotel quarantine in Victoria.
Hunt said:
He added:
The federal health minister, Greg Hunt, said the escalation of telehealth in response to the pandemic has been a “revolution” in the way Australia delivers healthcare.
The medicare rebate for telehealth has been extended, as have medicare rebates for the home medication delivery service, and free pathology for Covid-19 tests. The federal government has also extended agreements with private hospitals to provide surge capacity, particularly for the aged care response in Victoria.
Hunt told ABC24:
The community service sector is approaching a “crisis point” because of the anticipated collision of cuts to income support, worsening financial pressure and a potential end to government funding for equal pay, Acoss has warned.
Dr Cassandra Goldie, chief executive of the Australian Council of Social Service, made the comments as a new report showed a fifth of community service organisations surveyed would need to cut jobs when the job keeper wage subsidy ends.
About a third of organisations surveyed reported that they had already frozen recruitment, while a fifth of respondents had reduced staff hours, according to the report (pdf) published by several groups including Acoss.
Goldie said:
Demand is particularly strong for migrant and multicultural services, given the lack of income support for temporary visa holders, international students or people seeking asylum. Nearly nine in 10 community service organisations working in that space had reported an increase in the number of people seeking help during the pandemic.
Access called on the government to commit to renew funding to help community sector organisations ensure its workforce (80% of whom are female) to receive fair pay. The Equal Remuneration Order (ERO) supplementation has been in place since 2012 but as it stands is due to expire in the middle of next year. It is worth $554m this financial year.
The community sector survey, conducted in July, heard from 264 senior managers in the sector, together with 201 frontline workers and 279 staff in other roles.
Aviation workers from Sydney airport have taken out a campaign office in the same building as Scott Morrison’s electorate office, the Transport Workers Union has said.
The TWU’s NSW branch secretary, Richard Olsen, said they were frustrated at the lack of federal support for the aviation industry. Olsen said the anger is directed the actions of airline management, who have received $800m in government support, including jobkeeper, but are still axing workers. The TWU began legal proceedings against Qantas on the outsourcing of work last week.
Olsens said:
Victoria’s hotel quarantine inquiry will continue today, hearing from psychologist Dr Robert Gordon, a consultant to the Victorian department of health and human services and trauma recovery specialist.
He wasn’t consulted on Victoria’s hotel quarantine plans, AAP reported.
Yesterday’s witness was the former chief commissioner of Victoria police, Graham Ashton. He denied recommending the use of private security guards to enforce the mandatory quarantine, saying that accounts of meetings that suggested the private security guards were his idea were “absolutely untrue”.
He said that the emergency management commissioner, Andrew Crisp, was responsible for the suggestion.
Victoria uses private contractors for much of its emergency management response. It is standard practice in bushfire management in this state. So using a private contractor is extremely regular – it just didn’t work well in this case.
The hearings have been running for several weeks now, and no one has yet claimed personal responsibility for the decision to use private security guards in hotel quarantine. The murkiness around this decision is has become almost more significant than the decision themselves. In inquiries like these, being unable to elicit a clear answer to such a key and really simple question is usually not a good indicator of the underlying governance protocols in place.
You can read more of Ashton’s evidence here:
Good morning,
The international arrivals cap will be the focus of the national cabinet meeting today. The prime minister, Scott Morrison, has told the states to increase the capacity of their hotel quarantine programs, promising to lift the weekly cap on international arrivals from 4,000 per week to 6,000 per week from next Friday. That means the states – except Melbourne, which is still not taking international arrivals – will have to quarantine a further 50 people a week. Morrison said yesterday it was a “decision, not a proposal”.
But the federation being what it is, Western Australia will oppose the move. Treasurer Ben Wyatt told reporters on Thursday:
The WA premier, Mark McGowan, is talking about reopening the quarantine program on Rottnest Island, which is where some cruise ship passengers were housed. But Rottnest is now open for local travellers again, and it’s school holidays – so people in quarantine would have to be managed around holidaying families.
In Melbourne, residents of the south-eastern suburbs of Narre Warren and Hallam in the City of Casey have been urged to get a Covid-19 test to stamp out a growing cluster of new cases. There are 34 cases linked to the cluster as of yesterday. Three pop-up testing sites have been established. The full list of testing sites is here.
On borders, the NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has reached another stalemate with her Queensland counterpart, Annastacia Palaszczuk.
Berejiklian told reporters this week that all conversations on borders with Palaszczuk had ceased, again. Could make national cabinet awkward.
She said:
NSW has eased its restrictions with Victoria – people living in the border bubble can now cross the border to visit a restaurant, cafe or club. This has been interpreted by people living in Victorian bubble towns as meaning they no longer need a reason to travel into the bubble area of NSW. The NSW health minister, Brad Hazzard, told reporters:
Let’s crack on. You can follow me on twitter at @callapilla or email me at calla.wahlquist@theguardian.com
