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| Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria reports five deaths and 15 new Covid cases as NSW records six | Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria reports five deaths and 15 new Covid cases as NSW records six |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Premier Daniel Andrews hints restrictions will be eased in Melbourne on Sunday as NSW strives to boost testing. Follow all the day’s news live | Premier Daniel Andrews hints restrictions will be eased in Melbourne on Sunday as NSW strives to boost testing. Follow all the day’s news live |
| The Victorian Hotel Quarantine inquiry rolled on today. Still, though, no one can say whose idea it was to use private security guards in the program. | |
| That includes two government ministers who gave evidence today: Lisa Neville, the police minister, and Martin Pakula, the jobs minister. | |
| Daniel Andrews will front the inquiry on Friday. | |
| My colleague Josh Taylor’s report from today’s hearings is here. | |
| The always-colourful Paul Keating has turned his fire on the Reserve Bank today, as my colleague Ben Butler reports. | |
| The former PM accuses the RBA of “indolence”, saying it’s failing to do enough to support employment in Australia. | |
| As I said, always colourful. | |
| Graham Readfern has our report on the sad news that 380 stranded whales have died in Tasmania. | |
| And some more very sad news today. | |
| My colleague Melissa Davey update on the supreme court legal challenge to Victoria’s lockdown. | |
| Australian shares have bounced back strongly after four consecutive days of falls, but the Aussie dollar tumbled, dogged by talk of the Reserve Bank easing monetary policy further. | Australian shares have bounced back strongly after four consecutive days of falls, but the Aussie dollar tumbled, dogged by talk of the Reserve Bank easing monetary policy further. |
| The S&P/ASX200 benchmark index closed 139.8 points higher, or 2.4%, to 5,923.9 on Wednesday, AAP reports. | |
| The All Ordinaries index rose 137.8 points, or 2.3%, to 6,111.3. | |
| At 1615 AEST the Australian dollar was 71.19 US cents, only just above an earlier low of 71.16 US cents, a level not seen since early August. | At 1615 AEST the Australian dollar was 71.19 US cents, only just above an earlier low of 71.16 US cents, a level not seen since early August. |
| It had closed at $72.14 US cents late on Tuesday. | It had closed at $72.14 US cents late on Tuesday. |
| Back on Alan Finkel, he is asked by the ABC’s Patricia Karvelas whether Victoria is ready to go beyond its roadmap. Daniel Andrews suggested the state could open up a little further on Sunday than earlier planned. | Back on Alan Finkel, he is asked by the ABC’s Patricia Karvelas whether Victoria is ready to go beyond its roadmap. Daniel Andrews suggested the state could open up a little further on Sunday than earlier planned. |
| Finkel says: | Finkel says: |
| He also says: | He also says: |
| How awful. | How awful. |
| Some interesting comments here from Australia’s chief scientist, Alan Finkel, who is working with the Victorian government on its contract tracing program. | Some interesting comments here from Australia’s chief scientist, Alan Finkel, who is working with the Victorian government on its contract tracing program. |
| He tells the ABC: | He tells the ABC: |
| The communications minister, Paul Fletcher, has agreed it was “unethical” for infrastructure department officials to claim it was “reasonable” to pay $30m for land at Western Sydney airport, 10 times its fair value. | The communications minister, Paul Fletcher, has agreed it was “unethical” for infrastructure department officials to claim it was “reasonable” to pay $30m for land at Western Sydney airport, 10 times its fair value. |
| Full report from my colleague Paul Karp here. | Full report from my colleague Paul Karp here. |
| Senior Victorian government ministers Martin Pakula and Lisa Neville have distanced themselves from the state’s botched hotel quarantine program, which led to the state’s devastating second coronavirus wave. | Senior Victorian government ministers Martin Pakula and Lisa Neville have distanced themselves from the state’s botched hotel quarantine program, which led to the state’s devastating second coronavirus wave. |
| The duo placed the blame squarely on the Department of Health and Human Services when they appeared before the state’s hotel quarantine inquiry on Wednesday, AAP reports. | The duo placed the blame squarely on the Department of Health and Human Services when they appeared before the state’s hotel quarantine inquiry on Wednesday, AAP reports. |
| “It was a health emergency, therefore the control agency was DHHS,” the police and emergency services minister, Lisa Neville, told the inquiry. | “It was a health emergency, therefore the control agency was DHHS,” the police and emergency services minister, Lisa Neville, told the inquiry. |
| The ministers said they don’t know who made the decision to hire private security companies to guard the state’s quarantine hotels, rather than Victoria police or the Australian Defence Force. | The ministers said they don’t know who made the decision to hire private security companies to guard the state’s quarantine hotels, rather than Victoria police or the Australian Defence Force. |
| The inquiry has previously heard it was the Victoria police chief commissioner Graham Ashton’s preference that private security be used, while the emergency management commissioner, Andrew Crisp, maintained there was no need for ADF “boots on the ground”. | The inquiry has previously heard it was the Victoria police chief commissioner Graham Ashton’s preference that private security be used, while the emergency management commissioner, Andrew Crisp, maintained there was no need for ADF “boots on the ground”. |
| Neville had a scheduled meeting with Ashton and Crisp at 2pm on 27 March, immediately after national cabinet announced the hotel quarantine program. | Neville had a scheduled meeting with Ashton and Crisp at 2pm on 27 March, immediately after national cabinet announced the hotel quarantine program. |
| “I believe that private security was raised by Commissioner Crisp. I’m pretty confident the ADF issues were raised by Mr Ashton,” she said. | “I believe that private security was raised by Commissioner Crisp. I’m pretty confident the ADF issues were raised by Mr Ashton,” she said. |
| Crisp previously told the inquiry he couldn’t remember what was discussed at the meeting but didn’t think he would have brought up security. | Crisp previously told the inquiry he couldn’t remember what was discussed at the meeting but didn’t think he would have brought up security. |
| Pakula said his department was tasked with contracting hotels and security companies for the program but it was clear the DHHS had “overall responsibility”. | Pakula said his department was tasked with contracting hotels and security companies for the program but it was clear the DHHS had “overall responsibility”. |
| Security companies involved in the Victorian hotel quarantine program are facing a class action. | Security companies involved in the Victorian hotel quarantine program are facing a class action. |
| The suit against United Security Group and MSS Security has been brought by Dragan Markovic, whose father, Nenad, died in hospital from coronavirus last month. | The suit against United Security Group and MSS Security has been brought by Dragan Markovic, whose father, Nenad, died in hospital from coronavirus last month. |
| Markovic is suing for psychiatric loss and injury. “I’m just looking for justice,” he told 3AW on Wednesday. | Markovic is suing for psychiatric loss and injury. “I’m just looking for justice,” he told 3AW on Wednesday. |
| “I think the government is very responsible (for the second wave).” | “I think the government is very responsible (for the second wave).” |
| AAP reports that a writ filed in Victoria’s supreme court alleges United Security and MSS Security breached their duty of care by failing to train guards properly or put in place effective infection control measures. | AAP reports that a writ filed in Victoria’s supreme court alleges United Security and MSS Security breached their duty of care by failing to train guards properly or put in place effective infection control measures. |
| Arnold Thomas and Becker Lawyers said the class action could end up encompassing about 20,000 people infected with Covid since 1 June. | Arnold Thomas and Becker Lawyers said the class action could end up encompassing about 20,000 people infected with Covid since 1 June. |
| It follows two lawsuits filed against St Basil’s Homes for the Aged and Epping Gardens Aged Care over virus deaths in those facilities. | It follows two lawsuits filed against St Basil’s Homes for the Aged and Epping Gardens Aged Care over virus deaths in those facilities. |
| McMillan says today’s numbers are “extremely encouraging”. | McMillan says today’s numbers are “extremely encouraging”. |
| She says: | She says: |
| Australia’s chief nursing and midwifery officer, Alison McMillan, has just started speaking in Canberra. | Australia’s chief nursing and midwifery officer, Alison McMillan, has just started speaking in Canberra. |
| She says Australia has 22 new cases in the past 24 hours, with six in NSW, all return travellers, and one in South Australia, also a return traveller. The remaining 15 cases were in Victoria. | She says Australia has 22 new cases in the past 24 hours, with six in NSW, all return travellers, and one in South Australia, also a return traveller. The remaining 15 cases were in Victoria. |
| Here is an interesting idea out of Tasmania. | Here is an interesting idea out of Tasmania. |
| The state government is issuing tourism vouchers that residents can claim for free to use on experiences such as tours. | The state government is issuing tourism vouchers that residents can claim for free to use on experiences such as tours. |
| An initial giveaway was snapped up in less than 40 minutes, AAP reports, prompting the government to announce another $5m in vouchers on Wednesday. | An initial giveaway was snapped up in less than 40 minutes, AAP reports, prompting the government to announce another $5m in vouchers on Wednesday. |
| Residents can claim accommodation vouchers worth $100, and $50 vouchers for experiences such as tours. | Residents can claim accommodation vouchers worth $100, and $50 vouchers for experiences such as tours. |
| About 21,000 vouchers were claimed earlier this month in the first $7.5m wave of the scheme, and some 800 have already been used. | About 21,000 vouchers were claimed earlier this month in the first $7.5m wave of the scheme, and some 800 have already been used. |
| “The feedback from around the state has been very positive. We’re hearing of people visiting the regions, staying mid-week,” said the premier, Peter Gutwein. | “The feedback from around the state has been very positive. We’re hearing of people visiting the regions, staying mid-week,” said the premier, Peter Gutwein. |
| Only people who missed out on the first round or have already used a voucher can apply for the new giveaway, which opens online on 30 September at 7pm. | Only people who missed out on the first round or have already used a voucher can apply for the new giveaway, which opens online on 30 September at 7pm. |
| Remember this? | Remember this? |
| Laws protecting residential tenants from being evicted during the pandemic will be extended for six months, the NSW government says. | Laws protecting residential tenants from being evicted during the pandemic will be extended for six months, the NSW government says. |
| According to a statement from the better regulation minister, Kevin Anderson, the protections being extended are: | According to a statement from the better regulation minister, Kevin Anderson, the protections being extended are: |
| Preventing landlords from evicting Covid-19 impacted tenants for rental arrears unless they have attempted to negotiate a rent reduction in good faith. | Preventing landlords from evicting Covid-19 impacted tenants for rental arrears unless they have attempted to negotiate a rent reduction in good faith. |
| Allowing tenants impacted by Covid-19 to apply to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal to end fixed-term agreements in certain circumstances. | Allowing tenants impacted by Covid-19 to apply to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal to end fixed-term agreements in certain circumstances. |
| Stopping landlords or agents from listing a Covid-19 impacted tenant on a tenancy database if they go into rental arrears. | Stopping landlords or agents from listing a Covid-19 impacted tenant on a tenancy database if they go into rental arrears. |
| Extending the 90-day minimum period of notice landlords must give tenants for certain other evictions not related to rental arrears. | Extending the 90-day minimum period of notice landlords must give tenants for certain other evictions not related to rental arrears. |
| Extending boarding house eviction notice periods where the landlord has not attempted to negotiate in good faith. | Extending boarding house eviction notice periods where the landlord has not attempted to negotiate in good faith. |
| Legislation will be needed to extend some of the protections, which expire on 15 October. | Legislation will be needed to extend some of the protections, which expire on 15 October. |
| Anderson said: | Anderson said: |
| The move contrasts with the Queensland government, which has elected not to extend its moratorium. | The move contrasts with the Queensland government, which has elected not to extend its moratorium. |
| Thanks Amy. Hello all, it’s Luke Henriques-Gomes here. | Thanks Amy. Hello all, it’s Luke Henriques-Gomes here. |
| To get started, he is my colleague Paul Karp’s report on the very strong criticism levelled at Alan Tudge by a federal court judge. | To get started, he is my colleague Paul Karp’s report on the very strong criticism levelled at Alan Tudge by a federal court judge. |