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Coronavirus Australia latest updates: Victoria reports 12 new cases and one death Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria reports 12 new Covid cases and NSW 13
(32 minutes later)
Victoria’s premier weathers upset after his top public servant resigned and NSW premier holds on after Icac revelations. In Queensland, opposition leader Deb Frecklington faces questions over event with Peter Dutton. Follow live Victorian premier Daniel Andrews says 10 ‘could be the new five’ as New South Wales announces seven new locally transmitted cases. Follow live
He says that vote of no confidence against him today, planned by the Victorian opposition, is “cheap politics”.
“Cheap politics does not work against this virus,” he says. “Cheap politics does not work against this wildly infectious virus. If it did, then those who are completely irrelevant would have a much greater part to play.”
Andrews responds to questions about whether he will resign.
He is asked:
Andrews says:
He says that people should wait for the report of the hotel quarantine inquiry.
NSW has reported seven new cases of locally transmitted Covid‑19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
Six cases are overseas travellers in hotel quarantine, meaning there were a total of 13 new cases.
Two of those newly diagnosed people are two GPs at the A2Z Medical Clinic in Lakemba, which was announced last night.
Another five new locally acquired cases today are members of the same household in south-western Sydney.
They have now been identified as part of the ongoing investigation into four previously reported unlinked cases, including a nurse from St Vincent’s hospital.
NSW Health can advise one of these new cases is a disability support worker who has worked at three small group homes in south-western Sydney. Contact tracing and investigations with seven clients and their staff is underway.
Another one of these new cases attended the Great Beginnings Oran Park childcare centre on 1, 2, 8, and 9 October while infectious. The centre is closed today. Contact and investigations are underway.
NSW Health can now also advise the five new cases provide a link between the previously four unlinked cases that include a nurse from St Vincent’s hospital, and a previously reported cluster of five people in south-western Sydney linked with Liverpool hospital. This means 14 people reported between 8 October to today are now linked.
The chief health officer, Bret Sutton, says he is confident that numbers will fall, and is defending the state’s contact tracing.The chief health officer, Bret Sutton, says he is confident that numbers will fall, and is defending the state’s contact tracing.
He says that the numbers will fall, because Victoria recorded no new cases of unknown source today. One of the cases reported today was a person who already had Covid-19 and who retested as positive.He says that the numbers will fall, because Victoria recorded no new cases of unknown source today. One of the cases reported today was a person who already had Covid-19 and who retested as positive.
Andrews indicates again, after what he said yesterday, that Melbourne could open up even with higher numbers than what was initially planned for under the roadmap to eased restrictions.Andrews indicates again, after what he said yesterday, that Melbourne could open up even with higher numbers than what was initially planned for under the roadmap to eased restrictions.
The premier says that five could be “the new zero”, and he could change the threshold for reopening.The premier says that five could be “the new zero”, and he could change the threshold for reopening.
“Yesterday at some length, I went to the notion that we are reviewing daily, we are reviewing weekly, what a likely outcome is in the days and weeks to come,” he says.“Yesterday at some length, I went to the notion that we are reviewing daily, we are reviewing weekly, what a likely outcome is in the days and weeks to come,” he says.
“And if upon that further analysis, five is the new zero, and ten is the new five, well, then we’ll have to factor that in, and we will.“And if upon that further analysis, five is the new zero, and ten is the new five, well, then we’ll have to factor that in, and we will.
“We’re not about keeping these restrictions on in an indefinite way, unless and until we reach a target.”“We’re not about keeping these restrictions on in an indefinite way, unless and until we reach a target.”
The deputy premier and education minister, James Merlino, is now announcing a $250m education package that will employ additional tutors for the state’s students next year to help them catch up.The deputy premier and education minister, James Merlino, is now announcing a $250m education package that will employ additional tutors for the state’s students next year to help them catch up.
He says that more than 4,100 tutors will be provided to more than 200,000 students, starting from term 1 next year.He says that more than 4,100 tutors will be provided to more than 200,000 students, starting from term 1 next year.
“Of those 4,100 additional tutors, we expect about 80% of those will be women, and women have been so severely impacted through this pandemic,” Merlino says.“Of those 4,100 additional tutors, we expect about 80% of those will be women, and women have been so severely impacted through this pandemic,” Merlino says.
“Every single government school in Victoria will receive funding. Every single one. And it will be weighted to disadvantage.“Every single government school in Victoria will receive funding. Every single one. And it will be weighted to disadvantage.
“That’s $209.6m for government schools to deploy and recruit around 3,500 tutors. For our non-government schools, targeting disadvantaged students in Catholic and independent schools, there’s $30m to deploy and recruit around 600 tutors. And there’s also a further $8.6m to recruit a further 16 Koori support workers across our state, and an additional 60 multilingual and bicultural workers to support students where English is not their first language.”“That’s $209.6m for government schools to deploy and recruit around 3,500 tutors. For our non-government schools, targeting disadvantaged students in Catholic and independent schools, there’s $30m to deploy and recruit around 600 tutors. And there’s also a further $8.6m to recruit a further 16 Koori support workers across our state, and an additional 60 multilingual and bicultural workers to support students where English is not their first language.”
Merlino calls on relief teachers and retired teachers to put their hands up for the program.Merlino calls on relief teachers and retired teachers to put their hands up for the program.
He says there are six active cases in regional areas, but one of those is a person in Geelong who previously contracted Covid-19, who has re-tested positive. The remaining five regional cases are in the Mitchell shire.He says there are six active cases in regional areas, but one of those is a person in Geelong who previously contracted Covid-19, who has re-tested positive. The remaining five regional cases are in the Mitchell shire.
A man in his 70s has died, whose infection was linked to aged care.A man in his 70s has died, whose infection was linked to aged care.
Daniel Andrews is speaking now.Daniel Andrews is speaking now.
He says he will answer all questions as usual, but he does have to leave later for parliament – where he will be facing a vote of no confidence, brought by the opposition.He says he will answer all questions as usual, but he does have to leave later for parliament – where he will be facing a vote of no confidence, brought by the opposition.
Meanwhile at the NSW casino inquiry:Meanwhile at the NSW casino inquiry:
Daniel Andrews will give his daily update at 10.30am.Daniel Andrews will give his daily update at 10.30am.
Meanwhile, the trade minister, Simon Birmingham, says he is investigating those reports that China has suspended imports of Australian coal.Meanwhile, the trade minister, Simon Birmingham, says he is investigating those reports that China has suspended imports of Australian coal.
Birmingham confirmed there had been some disruptions to Australian shipments of coal into China, but said there was no evidence to verify a full-blown import ban.Birmingham confirmed there had been some disruptions to Australian shipments of coal into China, but said there was no evidence to verify a full-blown import ban.
“I have seen the reports and we have certainly been in touch with the Australian industry,” he told ABC radio on Tuesday.“I have seen the reports and we have certainly been in touch with the Australian industry,” he told ABC radio on Tuesday.
“We have also been working to seek a response from Chinese authorities in relation to the accusations that have been made publicly.”“We have also been working to seek a response from Chinese authorities in relation to the accusations that have been made publicly.”
Birmingham has not been able to contact his Chinese counterpart for many months, with diplomatic relations in the deep freeze, AAP reports.Birmingham has not been able to contact his Chinese counterpart for many months, with diplomatic relations in the deep freeze, AAP reports.
It is not the first time in recent years Australian coal imports into China have been disrupted.It is not the first time in recent years Australian coal imports into China have been disrupted.
“There have been patterns of things that look like there are some formal quota systems operating,” the minister said.“There have been patterns of things that look like there are some formal quota systems operating,” the minister said.
“But we take the reports seriously enough to try and seek some assurances from Chinese authorities.”“But we take the reports seriously enough to try and seek some assurances from Chinese authorities.”
Minerals Council of Australia chief executive Tania Constable believes informal Chinese quotas might be to blame but remains upbeat about coal exports.Minerals Council of Australia chief executive Tania Constable believes informal Chinese quotas might be to blame but remains upbeat about coal exports.
“The trade with China changes through the year based on a range of factors, including quotas,” she told AAP.“The trade with China changes through the year based on a range of factors, including quotas,” she told AAP.
“Australia will continue to see demand for its high quality of coal and the medium term outlook remains positive.”“Australia will continue to see demand for its high quality of coal and the medium term outlook remains positive.”
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is speaking now, addressing reports that China has told some factories to stop importing Australian coal.Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is speaking now, addressing reports that China has told some factories to stop importing Australian coal.
He says Australia will work through any issues with China.He says Australia will work through any issues with China.
“There have been, in the past, some issues around in relation to coal, and we’ve worked through those,” he says. “And we’ll continue to work through these and in the future there will be other issues and we’ll continue to work through those as well and we’ll do so in a constructive way.“There have been, in the past, some issues around in relation to coal, and we’ve worked through those,” he says. “And we’ll continue to work through these and in the future there will be other issues and we’ll continue to work through those as well and we’ll do so in a constructive way.
“That relationship is important, it is challenging from time to time, but it is critical to Australia’s economic prosperity.”“That relationship is important, it is challenging from time to time, but it is critical to Australia’s economic prosperity.”
Victoria’s opposition are calling on Labor MPs to cross the floor and vote out premier Daniel Andrews, but the state’s Greens say it is a “stunt” and they won’t be voting against the premier.
The state’s Liberals and Nationals will move a no-confidence motion against Andrews over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, AAP reports.
“Today Labor MPs have to make a very simple decision, a very simple choice,” said opposition leader Michael O’Brien.
“Are they going to vote to protect Daniel Andrews’s job, or are they going to vote to protect Victorians’ jobs? You can’t do both.”
He said it was “quite clear” that privately many Labor MPs were critical of the government.
But Greens leader Samantha Ratnam labelled the motion a stunt, accusing the opposition of “Trump-style politics”.
Fellow Greens MP Ellen Sandell also said she would not support the opposition.
“Certainly, the government has made many mistakes during the pandemic,” Sandell said.
“But we think Victorians right now actually want us to work together to get us through this pandemic, out the other side, and then we can ask all those questions.”
The opposition only has one chance to move a motion of no confidence in the premier each parliamentary term.
Trade minister Simon Birmingham has just told the ABC that the federal government has been too busy dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic fallout to establish a federal integrity commission this year.
Calls for a prompt federal anti-corruption body have been renewed this week after NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian fronted the state’s Independent Commission Against Corruption yesterday.
AAP has this report:
Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein is speaking now, on the state’s current border restrictions.
He says the state will open to most of Australia from 26 October – but is still undecided on NSW.
Gutwein says it’s possible that NSW residents will be allowed into the state along with everyone else, but he will “wait another week” before they make that decision.
“I’m not ruling out easing the restrictions with NSW at this stage,” he says.
Gutwein says he will provide another update next week on 19 October.
He adds that Victoria will continue to be closed to Tasmania, but they will monitor the situation.
The leader of the Greens, Adam Bandt, will today declare “war on privatisation” and seek to gather political support for a Senate inquiry into the failures of outsourcing.
Bandt will accuse the government of “outsourcing the recovery” during an address to the National Press Club in Canberra today - a speech the Greens have characterised as the “real opposition” response to last week’s federal budget.
According to extracts distributed in advance, Bandt says the economic recovery “must be green, pink, quick and safe” - and should be based on an expansion of the public sector and publicly funded not-for-profit sector. “Right now, the most efficient way of creating jobs to get us out of this economic crater is to directly employ people.”
Bandt will argue the last four decades have been characterised by economic rationalism and trickle-down economics by both Liberal and Labor governments - but essential services such as aged care, employment services and private health had “delivered big corporations massive profits at public expense”.
The Greens will try to build sufficient support in the Senate to launch a wide-ranging inquiry into the failures of privatisation, which would make the case to bring some essential services back into public and community hands.
“Given the likely supportive views of the crossbench, we hope we can shame Labor into backing it so that it begins before the end of the year. This will be the first ever comprehensive inquiry into four decades of privatisation, contracting out and deregulating essential and public services.”
Today’s statistics from Victoria are out. The state has recorded 12 new cases of Covid-19 and, sadly, one death.
This means the 14-day rolling average for Melbourne has risen again – from 9.9 yesterday to 10 today.
The federal government will today launch a tourism campaign aiming to encourage people to take domestic travel “for Australia”.
Amid ongoing curbs on international travel due to coronavirus restrictions, and states tentatively easing their border restrictions, Tourism Australia has turned to Hamish Blake and Zoe Foster-Blake to help revive travel within the country.
In one of the ads to begin airing from today, which can be seen here, Blake and Foster-Blake share a video conference call from different rooms of their house and talk about how they need a holiday. They also discuss possible experiences they’d like to try – such as surfing with the kids – because the campaign hopes to encourage people to not just book a holiday but to also spend up on activities.
The government hopes that about $12bn of the $65bn that Australians usually spend overseas each year can be substituted into the domestic market to help struggling tourism operators.
The trade minister, Simon Birmingham, said tourism employed one in 13 Australians and was “the backbone of so many businesses across Australia” but had been hard hit by the Covid-19 crisis.
He said Australians had already been supporting the tourism sector by taking regional trips where restrictions had allowed – but as some interstate travel returned, the campaign “urges them to start thinking about going one step further and taking a trip to a destination that has always been on their bucket list”.
“With interstate travel now possible to many parts of Australia, there isn’t a better opportunity than right now for Aussies to book a plane ticket, head to an interstate destination and help save a tourism business or the job of a fellow Australian.”
The government says the campaign is the latest stage of Tourism Australia’s Holiday Here This Year campaign and will include print, social media, search, radio and outdoor advertising as well as campaign content across Tourism Australia’s social media and digital channels.
The Queensland Liberal National party has categorically denied claims it referred its own party leader, Deb Frecklington, to the electoral commission due to concerns about her fundraising events.
The ABC reported this morning that the party referred Frecklington to the Electoral Commission of Queensland over a series of events – including one where Peter Dutton was a guest – involving property developers.
The state Labor government banned donations from property developers in 2018.
But the LNP has denied the ABC report.
“The ABC’s allegation that the LNP has referred Deb Frecklington to the ECQ is false. It has not,” an LNP spokesperson told AAP. “The LNP regularly communicates with the ECQ to ensure that we comply with the Act.”
NSW Health have set up a pop-up testing clinic and alerted to more venues after two GPs in the Sydney suburb of Lakemba tested positive for Covid-19.
Both doctors worked at the A2Z Medical Clinic and are linked to a patient who was previously diagnosed with Covid and who attended Lakemba Radiology.
NSW have issued the following alert:
Anyone who attended A2Z Medical Clinic, 96 Haldon Street, Lakemba, at the following times should self-isolate and get tested if symptoms occur. Some people will be managed as close contacts. NSW Health will contact everyone directly to provide tailored advice depending on their exposure:
Thursday 1 October, 2.30-3.30pm
Friday 9 October, 3-4.30pm
Saturday 10 October, all day
The patient also attended Isra Medical Services, 102A Haldon Street Lakemba, and anyone who attended at the following time is considered to be a casual contact:
Monday 5 October, 7.15-7.40pm
Previously reported cases attended the Ingleburn hotel on Sunday 4 October from 3pm to 6pm.
Ingleburn hotel bar room: anyone who spent an hour or more in the roombetween these times is considered a close contact and must immediately isolate and be tested. Anyone who spent less than an hour there is considered a casual contact.
Ingleburn hotel bistro and gaming room: anyone who attended either or these areas in the hotel is considered a casual contact.
Anyone who used the following train services at the specified times is also considered a casual contact:
Thursday 1 October, from Wiley Park station to Lakemba station, between 12.02 and 12.14pm
Thursday 1 October, from Lakemba station to Wiley Park station, between 3.14pm and 3.27pm
Tuesday 6 October, from Wiley Park station to Lakemba station, between 12.10pm and 12.30pm
Tuesday 6 October, from Lakemba station to Wiley Park station
A new pop-up testing clinic has been established at:
Lakemba Uniting Church, cnr Haldon Street and the Boulevard, Lakemba. Opening hours are 12pm-4pm Monday 12 October and 10am-4pm Tuesday 13 October.
For a recap of what happened in Victoria yesterday, Nino Bucci has the story.
Chris Eccles, the head of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, resigned after he was given new phone records that showed he had spoken to the former Victoria police chief commissioner Graham Ashton on the day the decision was made to use private security firms to staff quarantine hotels.
Eccles had previously given evidence to the inquiry investigating failures in hotel quarantine that he did not recall speaking to Ashton.
He said he was “emphatic” that neither he nor his department made the decision to use private security guards.
Hello everyone and welcome back to our continuing coverage of politics and the coronavirus.
Well, after a truly madcap day in state politics, we’re back. It’s Naaman Zhou here, bringing you the latest news as we watch the dust settle – and potentially kick back up again.
Both the Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, and the NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, are likely to face no-confidence motions today after a whirlwind of a day yesterday that seemed to mark every premier a threatened species.
Berejiklian says she is not going anywhere, after “one of the most difficult day in my life”, when she revealed to the Independent Commission Against Corruption that she had been in a relationship with the disgraced former MP Daryl Maguire. Icac will continue its investigation today, meaning that more could be revealed.
NSW Health has set up a pop-up testing clinic in the suburb of Lakemba after two GPs at a clinic were diagnosed with Covid-19.
In Victoria yesterday’s numbers meant the 14-day rolling average for Melbourne rose for the first time in two months, and the state’s top public servant, Chris Eccles, resigned over new phone records that contradicted some of his testimony before the hotel quarantine inquiry.
The Victorian Liberals and Nationals are expected to move a no-confidence motion against Andrews today, with the opposition leader, Michael O’Brien, calling on Labor MPs to cross the floor.
They only get one go at a no-confidence motion each parliamentary term, meaning they will have to wait until after 2022 state election if this one fails.
Elsewhere, the Crown Resorts director Andrew Demetriou will return to front the NSW casino inquiry – after yesterday he was caught looking at notes while testifying.
In Queensland Scott Morrison continues to help the state LNP on the campaign trail before the state election, but the opposition leader, Deb Frecklington, faces questions about a Peter Dutton fundraiser.
Buckle in and we’ll bring you all the news as it happens.