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| Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria reports 15 new cases and two deaths as Queensland expands NSW border bubble | Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria reports 15 new cases and two deaths as Queensland expands NSW border bubble |
| (33 minutes later) | |
| Scott Morrison will outline the Coalition’s manufacturing reboot during a budget scene-setter at the National Press Club today. Follow live | Scott Morrison will outline the Coalition’s manufacturing reboot during a budget scene-setter at the National Press Club today. Follow live |
| Queensland has reported no new Covid cases | |
| The good eggs at AAP have put together a “what we know so far” of the 2020 budget. | |
| It’s a handy list of keeping track of the promises (and the re-announcements) so far. | |
| Overall: | |
| * Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg say it will be a “jobs budget” with the aim of driving the recovery out of the first recession since the 1990s | |
| * Estimated budget deficit of $200 billion | |
| * Debt edging upwards of $800 billion | |
| * Expected $140 billion in stimulus over four years | |
| Infrastructure | |
| * Funding to expand two NSW dams, Wyangala and Dungowan | |
| * $53 million funding for gas infrastructure as part of a national plan | |
| * $211 million for domestic fuel security facilities | |
| * More flexible rules for the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility to invest | |
| Personal | |
| * Possible bringing forward of personal tax cuts due to start in 2022 | |
| * 2.5 million pensioners to get extra help to make up for an inflation-related rise not going ahead | |
| * HomeBuilder package likely to be extended | |
| * No changes to the JobSeeker dole payments. Government wants more data on economic conditions before deciding. | |
| Business | |
| * Consideration of a business investment allowance | |
| * Wage incentive for small and medium-sized businesses to take on new workers | |
| * $1.5 billion manufacturing strategy | |
| * $800 million aimed at helping individuals and businesses work online | |
| * $53 million funding for television and film production and new content rules | |
| Health | |
| * Extension of telehealth and e-prescription services | |
| * Extra funding for aged care, ahead of the receipt of the royal commission report | |
| * New strategy to get young people out of residential aged care | |
| * $9 million for research into cancer in children and young adults | |
| Regions | |
| * $100 million for new Regional Recovery Partnerships (projects in areas hit by drought, bushfires and coronavirus) | |
| * $30 million for the Regional Connectivity Program (local telecommunications projects) | |
| * $50 million Regional Tourism Recovery initiative (assist businesses in regions heavily reliant on international tourism) | |
| * $200 million for an additional round of the Building Better Regions Fund | |
| Education | |
| * Extra $326 million to provide 12,000 more university places for domestic students | |
| Welfare | |
| * $7.6 million for parents experiencing stillborn babies or the death of a child under 12 months of age | |
| * 700 new safe places for women and children escaping domestic violence under $60 million “safe places” initiative | |
| Environment | |
| * $61.7 million for nature-based tourism | |
| 34 million jobs have been lost in Latin America.For more international Covid news, head here. | |
| For more on the prime minister’s upcoming speech: | For more on the prime minister’s upcoming speech: |
| Malcolm Turnbull has been quite chatty of late. | Malcolm Turnbull has been quite chatty of late. |
| Long lines have already formed at the Queensland/NSW border as the sunshine state extends its border bubble region to five additional NSW shires. | Long lines have already formed at the Queensland/NSW border as the sunshine state extends its border bubble region to five additional NSW shires. |
| Queensland police Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler told the Nine network cars had been queuing since before 1am: | Queensland police Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler told the Nine network cars had been queuing since before 1am: |
| Wheeler conceded that IT issues and confusion had increase wait times. | Wheeler conceded that IT issues and confusion had increase wait times. |
| “This morning, unfortunately, there’s been a couple of IT issues around some suburbs. The relevant government departments are working through that now as we speak.” | “This morning, unfortunately, there’s been a couple of IT issues around some suburbs. The relevant government departments are working through that now as we speak.” |
| NSW residents who live in the border region are now allowed to travel freely in Queensland, provided they carry a border pass and declare they have not travelled to a hotspot in the last 14 days. | NSW residents who live in the border region are now allowed to travel freely in Queensland, provided they carry a border pass and declare they have not travelled to a hotspot in the last 14 days. |
| Queensland residents can also travel in the NSW border region without needing to quarantine upon return. | Queensland residents can also travel in the NSW border region without needing to quarantine upon return. |
| Previously a number of postcodes along the border were included, but from 1am this morning this was extended to include the local government areas of Byron shire, Ballina, the city of Lismore, Richmond Valley and Glen Innes. | Previously a number of postcodes along the border were included, but from 1am this morning this was extended to include the local government areas of Byron shire, Ballina, the city of Lismore, Richmond Valley and Glen Innes. |
| The AMA has released its public hospital report card for 2020 and found that waiting lists – which have ballooned since the pandemic led to the cancellation of elective surgeries – were in trouble before Covid hit: | The AMA has released its public hospital report card for 2020 and found that waiting lists – which have ballooned since the pandemic led to the cancellation of elective surgeries – were in trouble before Covid hit: |
| The rolling 14-day average is now 15.6. | The rolling 14-day average is now 15.6. |
| Scott Morrison said it was time to go back to the office earlier this week – but the tax department has extended the simplification of working from home deductions. | Scott Morrison said it was time to go back to the office earlier this week – but the tax department has extended the simplification of working from home deductions. |
| From Micheal Sukkar’s release: | From Micheal Sukkar’s release: |
| While we are on building the manufacturing industry, it might also be worth pointing out that the government still has its Treasury laws amendment (research and development tax incentive) bill 2019 on the books, which puts caps on the research and development tax incentive. | While we are on building the manufacturing industry, it might also be worth pointing out that the government still has its Treasury laws amendment (research and development tax incentive) bill 2019 on the books, which puts caps on the research and development tax incentive. |
| It’s a complicated formula but basically smaller companies will see a $4m cap on the RDTI and larger companies will have an “intensity measure” put in place to calculate their offsets. | It’s a complicated formula but basically smaller companies will see a $4m cap on the RDTI and larger companies will have an “intensity measure” put in place to calculate their offsets. |
| What that means is Australian companies could lose $1.8bn in research and development tax offsets, which critics warn will lead to R&D departments either being scaled back or sent overseas. | What that means is Australian companies could lose $1.8bn in research and development tax offsets, which critics warn will lead to R&D departments either being scaled back or sent overseas. |
| The bill has been rejected once before but was sent back to the parliament in December. The Senate committee looking at it was meant to report on it in April, with a vote before July, but then Covid happened, so it was pushed back. The committee was meant to report on the bill in August, but that has now been delayed, again, until 12 October – after the budget. | The bill has been rejected once before but was sent back to the parliament in December. The Senate committee looking at it was meant to report on it in April, with a vote before July, but then Covid happened, so it was pushed back. The committee was meant to report on the bill in August, but that has now been delayed, again, until 12 October – after the budget. |
| The manufacturing announcement is not all new – the manufacturing modernisation fund was an election commitment – the government kicked in $50m and the industry contributed $110m for the $160m program. | The manufacturing announcement is not all new – the manufacturing modernisation fund was an election commitment – the government kicked in $50m and the industry contributed $110m for the $160m program. |
| Here is Karen Andrews announcing its launch in September last year. | Here is Karen Andrews announcing its launch in September last year. |
| We need to see the full detail but the space program Andrews has been talking about also comes under manufacturing – Australia is not going to space, but it is taking part in the industry by manufacturing products that will. | We need to see the full detail but the space program Andrews has been talking about also comes under manufacturing – Australia is not going to space, but it is taking part in the industry by manufacturing products that will. |
| Scott Morrison was on Sydney radio 2GB not just to talk about the ABC’s incremental pay rise this morning – he was also talking about the $1.5bn manufacturing plan his government is planning (over the forwards), as part of the Covid recovery. | Scott Morrison was on Sydney radio 2GB not just to talk about the ABC’s incremental pay rise this morning – he was also talking about the $1.5bn manufacturing plan his government is planning (over the forwards), as part of the Covid recovery. |
| “We make things in this country” is the attached line that goes with the plan. | “We make things in this country” is the attached line that goes with the plan. |
| *coughs* Except for cars. We don’t make cars in this country. | *coughs* Except for cars. We don’t make cars in this country. |
| George Pell was able to leave Australia (remember the whole borderlock down thing, stopping people from leaving and returning to the country?) because of a “travelling on government business” exemption (Vatican business, in this case). | George Pell was able to leave Australia (remember the whole borderlock down thing, stopping people from leaving and returning to the country?) because of a “travelling on government business” exemption (Vatican business, in this case). |
| His spokesperson said it was a “private visit”. | His spokesperson said it was a “private visit”. |
| Oops. | Oops. |
| Someone forgot to Bcc. | Someone forgot to Bcc. |
| (Via AAP) | (Via AAP) |
| More than one thousand Australians stranded overseas have had their personal email addresses shared with strangers. | More than one thousand Australians stranded overseas have had their personal email addresses shared with strangers. |
| The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade shared the emails by mistake. | The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade shared the emails by mistake. |
| “We apologise for unintentionally disclosing email addresses of stranded Australians we’re trying to help get home. No other personal information was disclosed,” the department said in a statement on Thursday. | “We apologise for unintentionally disclosing email addresses of stranded Australians we’re trying to help get home. No other personal information was disclosed,” the department said in a statement on Thursday. |
| “We want to get you home, and are working as hard as we can to do so.” | “We want to get you home, and are working as hard as we can to do so.” |
| At least 26,800 Australians overseas are waiting to come home. | At least 26,800 Australians overseas are waiting to come home. |
| The weekly limit on returning travellers is set to increase to 5500 this month. | The weekly limit on returning travellers is set to increase to 5500 this month. |
| That pay increase? It is 2%. | That pay increase? It is 2%. |
| It is part of their enterprise bargaining agreement and was decided before the pandemic. The staff who remain after the last round of cuts are doing more work with less (as we all are) and pay rises are not on the agenda for quite some time. | It is part of their enterprise bargaining agreement and was decided before the pandemic. The staff who remain after the last round of cuts are doing more work with less (as we all are) and pay rises are not on the agenda for quite some time. |
| The ABC is not alone – Asic and the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex employees have also voted to accept their pre-planned pay rise. | The ABC is not alone – Asic and the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex employees have also voted to accept their pre-planned pay rise. |
| The request put to government employees has been to delay any pay rises for six months but, more likely than not, at the end of the deferral, agencies will be accepting the pre-planned incremental pay increases. | The request put to government employees has been to delay any pay rises for six months but, more likely than not, at the end of the deferral, agencies will be accepting the pre-planned incremental pay increases. |
| Oh – and federal politicians received an annual 2% payrise for four years in a row between 2016 and 2019 – the 8% pay rise taking their base salaries from $195,130 to $211,250, meaning at the end of those four years, federal MPs had taken home an extra $39,900. | Oh – and federal politicians received an annual 2% payrise for four years in a row between 2016 and 2019 – the 8% pay rise taking their base salaries from $195,130 to $211,250, meaning at the end of those four years, federal MPs had taken home an extra $39,900. |
| It is the 40th Thursday of the year – which means there are only 13 more Thursdays left this year. (Of course, with Thursday being the worst day of the week, 2020 has 53 of them.) | It is the 40th Thursday of the year – which means there are only 13 more Thursdays left this year. (Of course, with Thursday being the worst day of the week, 2020 has 53 of them.) |
| This Thursday opened with the Queensland border zone extending about another 100km into northern NSW (which marries up nicely with where I plan to extend the border, for when I am the eventual supreme leader of the Great Nation of Queensland.) | This Thursday opened with the Queensland border zone extending about another 100km into northern NSW (which marries up nicely with where I plan to extend the border, for when I am the eventual supreme leader of the Great Nation of Queensland.) |
| But for those northern NSW residents, it means access to Queensland will just need a border pass, not two weeks’ hotel quarantine, and life should get a lot easier.Queensland will examine whether it allows the rest of NSW in, at the end of the month – which is also when its state election will be decided. | But for those northern NSW residents, it means access to Queensland will just need a border pass, not two weeks’ hotel quarantine, and life should get a lot easier.Queensland will examine whether it allows the rest of NSW in, at the end of the month – which is also when its state election will be decided. |
| NSW has a pretty big testing push under way at the moment, which yesterday led to the increase in tests the states wants, in order for authorities to feel comfortable that they have a handle on any potential outbreaks. | NSW has a pretty big testing push under way at the moment, which yesterday led to the increase in tests the states wants, in order for authorities to feel comfortable that they have a handle on any potential outbreaks. |
| Victoria is watching its curve flatten but won’t be moved on opening up any earlier, given the number of mystery cases and evidence of community transmission. Daniel Andrews has been at pains to point out that it is not the case numbers that count by themselves – but also where the cases are coming from. The last time the state opened while community transmission was occurring, well, we are still living it. So don’t expect much movement on Victoria’s restrictions, until at least mid month. | Victoria is watching its curve flatten but won’t be moved on opening up any earlier, given the number of mystery cases and evidence of community transmission. Daniel Andrews has been at pains to point out that it is not the case numbers that count by themselves – but also where the cases are coming from. The last time the state opened while community transmission was occurring, well, we are still living it. So don’t expect much movement on Victoria’s restrictions, until at least mid month. |
| Federally, all eyes are on the prime minister’s speech – the last big speech before Tuesday’s budget – where Scott Morrison will speak about “rebuilding the nation”. We have heard this budget described as the “most important in a generation”. Now the prime minister is moving to remind people why debt and deficit no longer matter. (Not that they ever really did, and certainly not as people were told they did under the Howard and then Abbott governments. There never was a “budget emergency”.) | Federally, all eyes are on the prime minister’s speech – the last big speech before Tuesday’s budget – where Scott Morrison will speak about “rebuilding the nation”. We have heard this budget described as the “most important in a generation”. Now the prime minister is moving to remind people why debt and deficit no longer matter. (Not that they ever really did, and certainly not as people were told they did under the Howard and then Abbott governments. There never was a “budget emergency”.) |
| We’ll bring you all of that and everything else that happens today. You have a bedraggled Amy Remeikis with you for most of the day. Drop me a line, if you have a question or comment, and I’ll do my best to get back to you.Ready? | We’ll bring you all of that and everything else that happens today. You have a bedraggled Amy Remeikis with you for most of the day. Drop me a line, if you have a question or comment, and I’ll do my best to get back to you.Ready? |