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| Coronavirus Australia live updates: PM announces reopening plan as protesters in Melbourne pepper-sprayed | Coronavirus Australia live updates: PM announces reopening plan as protesters in Melbourne pepper-sprayed |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Scott Morrison announces new reopening plan and aims to get 26,000 Australians stuck overseas home by Christmas, as anti-lockdown protest in Melbourne attracts crowd of about 300 protesters. Follow live | Scott Morrison announces new reopening plan and aims to get 26,000 Australians stuck overseas home by Christmas, as anti-lockdown protest in Melbourne attracts crowd of about 300 protesters. Follow live |
| A testy exchange in Senate estimates today, after Greens senator Lidia Thorpe asked senator Anne Rushton, families and social services minister, how many “white organisations” receive funding intended for Indigenous and Torres Straight Islander communities: | |
| Earlier Thorpe pointed out that only 67% of the money allocated towards the federal Indigenous advancement strategy goes to Indigenous community organisations. | |
| I just want to return to the PM’s press conference earlier today where, when asked about corporate culture and the money taxpayers are giving to heads of government agencies, he said the following: | |
| What does the ending there mean? Do these executives now have volunteer to receive said rocket? How should they “get it” if they did not “get it” earlier? Here’s hoping the rocket is indeed received. | |
| The government has announced it is changing its international development program to develop country-specific Covid-19 development plans worth $840m. | |
| Foreign affairs minister Marise Payne and MP Alex Hawke released a joint statement saying the program, called Partnerships for Recovery, will include 27 response plans tailored to Australia’s neighbours in the Pacific and south-east Asia. They will focus on “economic recovery, health security and stability”. | |
| “Economies have been heavily impacted and livelihoods are being threatened,” Payne said. “Australia stands with our neighbours as we respond to the human, economic and social costs of the Covid-19 pandemic. Our shared prosperity and security across the Indo-Pacific depend on how we work together, today.” | |
| Queensland LNP leader Deb Frecklington finds it “deeply offensive” that critics have called her youth curfew plan racist. | Queensland LNP leader Deb Frecklington finds it “deeply offensive” that critics have called her youth curfew plan racist. |
| In response she says she represents an Indigenous community, and that her husband works with Indigenous people. Unsure at this stage how that’s relevant to the curfew, but sure. | In response she says she represents an Indigenous community, and that her husband works with Indigenous people. Unsure at this stage how that’s relevant to the curfew, but sure. |
| The LNP has said it will trial a night curfew for teenagers in far north Queensland for six months if it was elected. The plan is apparently aimed at “reducing crime”. | The LNP has said it will trial a night curfew for teenagers in far north Queensland for six months if it was elected. The plan is apparently aimed at “reducing crime”. |
| Anyone picked up in breach of the curfew will be fined $250. | Anyone picked up in breach of the curfew will be fined $250. |
| In case you missed the final Biden-Trump presidential debate, here’s the Guardian’s panelists’ verdict: | In case you missed the final Biden-Trump presidential debate, here’s the Guardian’s panelists’ verdict: |
| It was a calmer and more coherent debate than the wild and unwieldy first debate, although it hasn’t set the world on fire in the same way. | It was a calmer and more coherent debate than the wild and unwieldy first debate, although it hasn’t set the world on fire in the same way. |
| The president has attempted to shift the momentum of the race, as Biden slammed him for his handling of a pandemic that’s killed more than 220,000 Americans. | The president has attempted to shift the momentum of the race, as Biden slammed him for his handling of a pandemic that’s killed more than 220,000 Americans. |
| Australia will reduce its naval presence in the Middle East so that it can deploy more resources to the Indo-Pacific region, the Morrison government says. | Australia will reduce its naval presence in the Middle East so that it can deploy more resources to the Indo-Pacific region, the Morrison government says. |
| Today’s announcement flows on from the shift in Australia’s defence strategy, unveiled in early July, when the government ordered the military to focus mainly on Australia’s backyard and flagged a big increase in spending. | Today’s announcement flows on from the shift in Australia’s defence strategy, unveiled in early July, when the government ordered the military to focus mainly on Australia’s backyard and flagged a big increase in spending. |
| At the time Scott Morrison also cautioned the United States not to necessarily expect Australian participation in future coalition efforts in places like the Middle East. | At the time Scott Morrison also cautioned the United States not to necessarily expect Australian participation in future coalition efforts in places like the Middle East. |
| In a statement issued this afternoon, the defence minister, Linda Reynolds, said “an increasingly challenging strategic environment” was “placing greater demand on ADF resources closer to home”. | |
| “As a result, the Australian Defence Force will reduce its naval presence in the Middle East to enable more resources to be deployed in our region.” | “As a result, the Australian Defence Force will reduce its naval presence in the Middle East to enable more resources to be deployed in our region.” |
| The statement said the changes would include ending the annual deployment of a Royal Australian Navy ship to the Middle East. | The statement said the changes would include ending the annual deployment of a Royal Australian Navy ship to the Middle East. |
| It added that Australia would not extend its “time-bound commitment” to the International Maritime Security Construct beyond December 2020. The IMSC was formed last year by a group of countries including the US and UK to uphold security of oil supply routes after Iran was blamed for attacks on tankers. | |
| Despite those changes, the government said the ADF would maintain staff positions with the combined maritime forces, the US naval forces central command, and within joint taskforce 633. | |
| A review presented to prime minister Scott Morrison and state and territory leaders today called for a reassessment of the quarantining methods the government is currently employing. | A review presented to prime minister Scott Morrison and state and territory leaders today called for a reassessment of the quarantining methods the government is currently employing. |
| AAP is reporting that the review called on the national cabinet to consider different models of quarantine, including using monitoring bracelets, mobile apps and isolation at home. | AAP is reporting that the review called on the national cabinet to consider different models of quarantine, including using monitoring bracelets, mobile apps and isolation at home. |
| Other suggestions included a seven-day hotel quarantine featuring heaving testing, as well as travel corridors. | Other suggestions included a seven-day hotel quarantine featuring heaving testing, as well as travel corridors. |
| “It is noteworthy that Australian businesses have indicated willingness to manage quarantine arrangements for essential workers, including through the use of wearable monitoring devices for low-risk travellers to ensure that businesses can continue to operate,” the report said. | “It is noteworthy that Australian businesses have indicated willingness to manage quarantine arrangements for essential workers, including through the use of wearable monitoring devices for low-risk travellers to ensure that businesses can continue to operate,” the report said. |
| The report notes that hotel quarantine, although having served Australia well so far, was difficult to endure, expensive and required a specialised workforce. | The report notes that hotel quarantine, although having served Australia well so far, was difficult to endure, expensive and required a specialised workforce. |
| The investigation into the lavish gifts given to Australia Post executives may cost more than the $12,000 spent on Cartier watches. | The investigation into the lavish gifts given to Australia Post executives may cost more than the $12,000 spent on Cartier watches. |
| The two government departments involved in the investigation are looking to hire an external law firm for assistance, something that will not be cheap. | The two government departments involved in the investigation are looking to hire an external law firm for assistance, something that will not be cheap. |
| NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian is facing renewed scrutiny today, this time over the allocation of the $250m Stronger Communities Fund. | NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian is facing renewed scrutiny today, this time over the allocation of the $250m Stronger Communities Fund. |
| At a parliamentary committee today, senior ministerial staff are facing questions about the fund, with just a handful of emails between the premier’s office and that of her deputy, John Barilaro, all that is evidence of the allocation of the funds. | At a parliamentary committee today, senior ministerial staff are facing questions about the fund, with just a handful of emails between the premier’s office and that of her deputy, John Barilaro, all that is evidence of the allocation of the funds. |
| The inquiry has heard that documents giving the premier’s approval for millions of dollars in grants were later shredded, and any electronic copies of the notes deleted. | The inquiry has heard that documents giving the premier’s approval for millions of dollars in grants were later shredded, and any electronic copies of the notes deleted. |
| The premier’s former chief of staff, Sarah Cruickshank, said it wasn’t routine practise for the premier’s office to destroy such documents. | The premier’s former chief of staff, Sarah Cruickshank, said it wasn’t routine practise for the premier’s office to destroy such documents. |
| Nearly all the grants were awarded to local councils in Coalition-held seats. | Nearly all the grants were awarded to local councils in Coalition-held seats. |
| Cruickshank was also asked why six grants worth over $40,000 were allocated to the electorate of Wagga Wagga, the electorate of disgraced former MP Daryl Maguire. | Cruickshank was also asked why six grants worth over $40,000 were allocated to the electorate of Wagga Wagga, the electorate of disgraced former MP Daryl Maguire. |
| The parliamentary committee, chaired by Shoebridge, will follow up on the matter with a subsequent hearing scheduled for 27 November. | The parliamentary committee, chaired by Shoebridge, will follow up on the matter with a subsequent hearing scheduled for 27 November. |
| The first two planeloads of returning travellers have arrived in Darwin, with the first busloads arriving at the Howard Springs facility shortly. | The first two planeloads of returning travellers have arrived in Darwin, with the first busloads arriving at the Howard Springs facility shortly. |
| They’ll be subject to strict quarantining, including being offered an arm band that’ll allow doctors to monitor their vitals remotely. | They’ll be subject to strict quarantining, including being offered an arm band that’ll allow doctors to monitor their vitals remotely. |
| The federal government is essentially leasing the facility, paying the Northern Territory government $50m, with the territory saying it will spend that money coordinating the facility and making sure it is cyclone-proof (cyclone season is on the way). | The federal government is essentially leasing the facility, paying the Northern Territory government $50m, with the territory saying it will spend that money coordinating the facility and making sure it is cyclone-proof (cyclone season is on the way). |
| Sticking with sport for a moment, Wallabies legend David Pocock has announced he is retiring, saying “the time was right” to hang up his boots. | Sticking with sport for a moment, Wallabies legend David Pocock has announced he is retiring, saying “the time was right” to hang up his boots. |
| Pocok was capped 83 times over an 11-year Wallabies career, with the 32-year-old saying he will now dedicate his time to activism and environmental conservation. | Pocok was capped 83 times over an 11-year Wallabies career, with the 32-year-old saying he will now dedicate his time to activism and environmental conservation. |
| “There was no one pivotal moment or thing that made me want to retire now, I just had a sense that the time was right,” Pocock told Guardian Australia. | “There was no one pivotal moment or thing that made me want to retire now, I just had a sense that the time was right,” Pocock told Guardian Australia. |
| Cheers Josh. It’s grand final weekend, and I’m extremely excited to see a team from western Sydney competing this weekend (this is my life as a Canterbury supporter now), but there’s lots more going on today. Let’s dive in. | Cheers Josh. It’s grand final weekend, and I’m extremely excited to see a team from western Sydney competing this weekend (this is my life as a Canterbury supporter now), but there’s lots more going on today. Let’s dive in. |
| I am now going to hand over to my colleague, Mostafa Rachwani, who will see you through the rest of the afternoon. | I am now going to hand over to my colleague, Mostafa Rachwani, who will see you through the rest of the afternoon. |
| I hope you all have a pleasant evening. | I hope you all have a pleasant evening. |
| People in South Australia are now also eligible for the federal pandemic disaster payment. | People in South Australia are now also eligible for the federal pandemic disaster payment. |
| The $1,500 payment is available to workers who cannot work because they need to isolate or quarantine or care for someone with Covid-19. | The $1,500 payment is available to workers who cannot work because they need to isolate or quarantine or care for someone with Covid-19. |
| So far $15.5m has been paid to 10,300 people since the start of August. | So far $15.5m has been paid to 10,300 people since the start of August. |