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| Coronavirus Australia live update: Daniel Andrews says 'now is the time to open up' after Victoria records no Covid cases | Coronavirus Australia live update: Daniel Andrews says 'now is the time to open up' after Victoria records no Covid cases |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| From midnight tomorrow night Melbourne businesses will be able to start reopening as restrictions ease. Follow all the latest updates | From midnight tomorrow night Melbourne businesses will be able to start reopening as restrictions ease. Follow all the latest updates |
| And a few more instant reactions: | |
| And from the former Victorian health minister: | |
| The Business Council of Australia is happy to hear the reopening news. Sort of. | |
| From its statement: | |
| Today’s easing of restrictions is welcome relief for Victorians and the rest of the country, Business Council chief executive Jennifer Westacott said. | |
| “This is an important and much needed step in the right direction that will allow people to start getting on with their lives and reopening their businesses. | |
| “We urge the Victorian government to work with business to ensure the state can fully reopen. | |
| “It’s disappointing that many businesses will need to wait until 8 November before they have any certainty about reopening. | |
| “Businesses need a plan now so they have the confidence to restock their shelves, rehire workers and get ready to reopen their doors. | |
| “This needs to be a clear plan with clear dates and milestones and be subject to meeting health targets. | |
| “We cannot afford to have a stop and start approach to restrictions. | |
| “Families also need certainty and hope about their Christmas plans and whether they can be reunited with loved ones. | |
| “If the downward trajectory of case numbers in Victoria continues, business calls on the Victorian government to remove restrictions faster and remove all limits on commerce, activity and movement throughout the state. | |
| “It’s critical we lock in today’s gains by getting the right health systems in place to manage the virus. | |
| “We want to work with the Victorian government on the right policies to get things going again. | |
| “Together we can start the process of rebuilding investment and rebuilding jobs in Victoria.” | |
| That’s it for the Daniel Andrews press conference. | |
| If I were to make a bold prediction, I think the Victorian premier will see out the week with daily press conferences – there are still some details people need to know, mostly when and how they will be able to see their loved ones again – and then, barring nothing else out of the blue happening, have the weekend off from holding a press conference. | |
| Today was his 116th consecutive press conference – that is not something to celebrate (I still find it hard to believe that the party sent out a congratulatory tweet for the 100th, given the reason why there have been daily press conferences) but I don’t think there is anyone who would begrudge the premier a day or two off from fronting the media. | |
| If he goes through to Friday, that will be 120 consecutive press conferences. Let’s hope all stays as it is (or continues to get better) and we can see an end to the daily events – because that will be another step towards normal for the people of Victoria and in particular Melbourne. | |
| If I could shout you all one, I would. | |
| Unfortunately, I don’t get paid that much. | |
| So instead, just know I’ll be raising one to you tonight, Victoria. | |
| Daniel Andrews is asked if he would have done anything different in hindsight: | |
| You’ll also get a decision on Halloween in the next 48 hours – as in, whether or not children will be able to trick or treat. | |
| Daniel Andrews: | |
| On the racing carnival, there is a chance that people connected with the race (owners and their connections) could have small gatherings at the races – basically what was announced and then cancelled for the Cox Plate. | |
| But we will learn more in the coming days. | |
| Daniel Andrews says there were discussions in national cabinet about opening the borders on Friday – that’s the seven out of eight jurisdictions opening up by Christmas. | |
| He thinks that regional Victoria will open to New South Wales and South Australia soon(ish) – it is a decision for Gladys Berejiklian and Steven Marshall – but Andrews says he will be sending the data to the them to make their own decisions. | |
| Should people be worried about a third wave, or whether or not the state will shut down again (and with it their business)? | Should people be worried about a third wave, or whether or not the state will shut down again (and with it their business)? |
| Daniel Andrews: | Daniel Andrews: |
| DHHS has updated its exposure sites: | DHHS has updated its exposure sites: |
| You must continue to wear masks, Daniel Andrews says, and if you can work from home, you have to work from home. | You must continue to wear masks, Daniel Andrews says, and if you can work from home, you have to work from home. |
| Life isn’t going back to how it was in January. | Life isn’t going back to how it was in January. |
| Can Victorians be assured there won’t be a third wave? | Can Victorians be assured there won’t be a third wave? |
| Daniel Andrews: | Daniel Andrews: |
| Daniel Andrews comes back: | Daniel Andrews comes back: |
| Jeroen Weimar: | Jeroen Weimar: |
| Jeroen Weimar continues: | Jeroen Weimar continues: |
| Jeroen Weimar on the confusion with one of the letters – he says there was a lot of communication, and it was not just one letter: | Jeroen Weimar on the confusion with one of the letters – he says there was a lot of communication, and it was not just one letter: |
| Jeroen Weimar, who was put in charge of the contact tracing response, is brought to the podium by Daniel Andrews, after a question on the confusion the family who inadvertently sent their Covid-positive child to school said they encountered, over DHHS advice. | Jeroen Weimar, who was put in charge of the contact tracing response, is brought to the podium by Daniel Andrews, after a question on the confusion the family who inadvertently sent their Covid-positive child to school said they encountered, over DHHS advice. |
| Q: Your family has met the Department of Health and Human Services criteria for families in isolation. It does not say that some are free to be released and some are not, it says your family has met the criteria. Who has got it wrong here and why can’t you guys just admit that DHHS got it wrong? | Q: Your family has met the Department of Health and Human Services criteria for families in isolation. It does not say that some are free to be released and some are not, it says your family has met the criteria. Who has got it wrong here and why can’t you guys just admit that DHHS got it wrong? |
| Weimar: | Weimar: |