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| Australia has no new locally-acquired cases – as it happened | |
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| Queensland to consider hotel alternatives after quarantine infections. This blog is now closed | |
| With that, we’ll be closing the blog for today. Here’s a recap of the day’s big news stories: | With that, we’ll be closing the blog for today. Here’s a recap of the day’s big news stories: |
| A woman and her three young children have been found dead at a home in Melbourne’s north. Victoria police say the woman’s husband, and the father of the three children – aged seven, five and three – is assisting with the investigation but people should not presume culpability on that basis because “that would be grossly unfair”. When asked if the deaths had been a murder-suicide, Victoria’s acting deputy police commissioner, Robert Hill, said: “That could possibly be relevant.” | A woman and her three young children have been found dead at a home in Melbourne’s north. Victoria police say the woman’s husband, and the father of the three children – aged seven, five and three – is assisting with the investigation but people should not presume culpability on that basis because “that would be grossly unfair”. When asked if the deaths had been a murder-suicide, Victoria’s acting deputy police commissioner, Robert Hill, said: “That could possibly be relevant.” |
| The US tennis player Tennys Sandgren is bound for Melbourne after Tennis Australia reportedly intervened so he could board an Australian Open charter flight despite testing positive for coronavirus. | The US tennis player Tennys Sandgren is bound for Melbourne after Tennis Australia reportedly intervened so he could board an Australian Open charter flight despite testing positive for coronavirus. |
| Air conditioning has been raised as a possible cause of transmission in the Queensland Grand Chancellor Covid-19 cluster, prompting more questions about the safety of using hotels to quarantine returning travellers. The Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, says the air conditioning will be one aspect examined as part of a major investigation into how four travellers, who were all staying on the same floor, a hotel cleaner and her partner became infected. | Air conditioning has been raised as a possible cause of transmission in the Queensland Grand Chancellor Covid-19 cluster, prompting more questions about the safety of using hotels to quarantine returning travellers. The Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, says the air conditioning will be one aspect examined as part of a major investigation into how four travellers, who were all staying on the same floor, a hotel cleaner and her partner became infected. |
| A man has been seriously injured after being bitten on the leg by a two to three-metre bull shark while swimming in Perth’s Swan River. | A man has been seriously injured after being bitten on the leg by a two to three-metre bull shark while swimming in Perth’s Swan River. |
| Australia has recorded zero community transmission in the most recent day of reporting – when almost 750,000 cases were recorded around the world. | Australia has recorded zero community transmission in the most recent day of reporting – when almost 750,000 cases were recorded around the world. |
| The Australian treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, has conceded that some businesses will not make it to the other side of the Covid crisis, as he defended the planned end of the federal government’s jobkeeper wage subsidy at the end of March. | The Australian treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, has conceded that some businesses will not make it to the other side of the Covid crisis, as he defended the planned end of the federal government’s jobkeeper wage subsidy at the end of March. |
| Organisers of the Invasion Day rally in Melbourne have told participants to wear a mask at all times and stay in groups of no more than 100, 10 metres apart, to comply with Covid-safe rules. | Organisers of the Invasion Day rally in Melbourne have told participants to wear a mask at all times and stay in groups of no more than 100, 10 metres apart, to comply with Covid-safe rules. |
| Details of the march have just been announced. It will begin at 10.30am at Parliament House in Spring Street on 26 January and march to Federation Square. | Details of the march have just been announced. It will begin at 10.30am at Parliament House in Spring Street on 26 January and march to Federation Square. |
| Anyone who has cold or flu-like symptoms has been told to stay at home and participate in the protest online. | Anyone who has cold or flu-like symptoms has been told to stay at home and participate in the protest online. |
| As well as wearing a mask, participants are told to bring hand sanitiser to use “frequently” throughout. | As well as wearing a mask, participants are told to bring hand sanitiser to use “frequently” throughout. |
| They also said: | They also said: |
| A racing pigeon that survived a 13,000km Pacific Ocean crossing from the United States to Australia now faces being euthanised as a quarantine risk. | A racing pigeon that survived a 13,000km Pacific Ocean crossing from the United States to Australia now faces being euthanised as a quarantine risk. |
| Kevin Celli-Bird says he discovered that the exhausted bird that arrived in his Melbourne backyard on Boxing Day had disappeared from a race in Oregon on 29 October. | Kevin Celli-Bird says he discovered that the exhausted bird that arrived in his Melbourne backyard on Boxing Day had disappeared from a race in Oregon on 29 October. |
| Experts suspect the pigeon that Celli-Bird has named Joe, after the US president-elect, Joe Biden, hitched a ride on a cargo ship to cross the Pacific. | Experts suspect the pigeon that Celli-Bird has named Joe, after the US president-elect, Joe Biden, hitched a ride on a cargo ship to cross the Pacific. |
| Celli-Bird says the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service called him on Thursday to ask him to catch the bird, after its arrival was reported in the media. | Celli-Bird says the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service called him on Thursday to ask him to catch the bird, after its arrival was reported in the media. |
| Air conditioning has been raised as a possible cause of transmission in the Queensland Grand Chancellor Covid-19 cluster, prompting more questions about the safety of using hotels to quarantine returning travellers. | Air conditioning has been raised as a possible cause of transmission in the Queensland Grand Chancellor Covid-19 cluster, prompting more questions about the safety of using hotels to quarantine returning travellers. |
| Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the air conditioning would be one aspect examined as part of a major investigation into how four travellers, who were all staying on the same floor, a hotel cleaner and her partner became infected. | Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the air conditioning would be one aspect examined as part of a major investigation into how four travellers, who were all staying on the same floor, a hotel cleaner and her partner became infected. |
| Health authorities are particularly concerned because those infected have the B117 variant of the virus, which was first identified in the UK and is highly transmissible. | Health authorities are particularly concerned because those infected have the B117 variant of the virus, which was first identified in the UK and is highly transmissible. |
| Outbreaks in the community linked to hotel quarantine have now occurred in several states including Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria, where more than 20,000 cases and 800 deaths have been reported throughout the pandemic. | Outbreaks in the community linked to hotel quarantine have now occurred in several states including Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria, where more than 20,000 cases and 800 deaths have been reported throughout the pandemic. |
| Hotel quarantine was “of national concern, not just to Queensland, but everywhere else” Palaszczuk said. In the meantime, the Grand Chancellor has been closed and more than 120 people staying there have been moved to other accommodation to restart quarantine. | Hotel quarantine was “of national concern, not just to Queensland, but everywhere else” Palaszczuk said. In the meantime, the Grand Chancellor has been closed and more than 120 people staying there have been moved to other accommodation to restart quarantine. |
| The Australian Open’s organisers have released a statement about their decision to allow US player Tennys Sandgren to board one of its specially organised charter flights to Melbourne despite testing positive to Covid-19 on Monday. | The Australian Open’s organisers have released a statement about their decision to allow US player Tennys Sandgren to board one of its specially organised charter flights to Melbourne despite testing positive to Covid-19 on Monday. |
| The statement essentially reiterates comments made from the tournament’s official Twitter account on Thursday afternoon, saying Sandgren’s infection was historic and that authorities have cleared him as no longer being infectious. | The statement essentially reiterates comments made from the tournament’s official Twitter account on Thursday afternoon, saying Sandgren’s infection was historic and that authorities have cleared him as no longer being infectious. |
| You can read more about the situation in this report from my colleagues Luke Henriques-Gomes and Christopher Knaus: | You can read more about the situation in this report from my colleagues Luke Henriques-Gomes and Christopher Knaus: |
| The four people found dead at a Melbourne home were three children and their mother, Victoria police have confirmed. | The four people found dead at a Melbourne home were three children and their mother, Victoria police have confirmed. |
| Speaking about the discovery at the Tullamarine home, Victoria’s acting deputy commissioner, Robert Hill, said the situation is “heart-wrenching”. | Speaking about the discovery at the Tullamarine home, Victoria’s acting deputy commissioner, Robert Hill, said the situation is “heart-wrenching”. |
| The body of the mother, who was 42 years old, was found along with the bodies of her seven-year-old-daughter, five-year-old daughter and three-year-old son. | The body of the mother, who was 42 years old, was found along with the bodies of her seven-year-old-daughter, five-year-old daughter and three-year-old son. |
| The 48-year-old father of the family was at the home when ambulance crews arrived at the Burgess Street home about 12.20pm today. | The 48-year-old father of the family was at the home when ambulance crews arrived at the Burgess Street home about 12.20pm today. |
| Police say he is assisting detectives with inquiries and they are not seeking anyone else in relation to the deaths. | Police say he is assisting detectives with inquiries and they are not seeking anyone else in relation to the deaths. |
| Hill said: | Hill said: |
| Asked if the deaths had been a murder-suicide, Hill says: “That could possibly be relevant to this particular event.” | Asked if the deaths had been a murder-suicide, Hill says: “That could possibly be relevant to this particular event.” |
| Asked if the father is considered a suspect, Hill says it would be “grossly unfair” to “draw any conclusions” about the father’s culpability. | Asked if the father is considered a suspect, Hill says it would be “grossly unfair” to “draw any conclusions” about the father’s culpability. |
| Patton also says he doesn’t expect to be laying charges this evening. | Patton also says he doesn’t expect to be laying charges this evening. |
| Police say there was no history of violence within the family and there is no further threat to the public from the incident. | Police say there was no history of violence within the family and there is no further threat to the public from the incident. |
| The Flying Doctor is urging Australians to take extra precautions when driving in outback areas after the rescue of a couple from Adelaide who drove through remote South Australia because their planned route was changed due to Covid-19 restrictions. | The Flying Doctor is urging Australians to take extra precautions when driving in outback areas after the rescue of a couple from Adelaide who drove through remote South Australia because their planned route was changed due to Covid-19 restrictions. |
| The engaged couple had planned to drive from Cairns home to Adelaide through New South Wales, but opted to drive through remote South Australia after a hard border was reintroduced to stop coronavirus spread from NSW. | The engaged couple had planned to drive from Cairns home to Adelaide through New South Wales, but opted to drive through remote South Australia after a hard border was reintroduced to stop coronavirus spread from NSW. |
| Jose, 29, and Nicky, 32, were travelling with their puppy when their Toyota RAV4 became stuck in sand on 3 January. | Jose, 29, and Nicky, 32, were travelling with their puppy when their Toyota RAV4 became stuck in sand on 3 January. |
| They abandoned their car and, without phone reception, walked more than 40km while scrawling “SOS” in the dirt. | They abandoned their car and, without phone reception, walked more than 40km while scrawling “SOS” in the dirt. |
| At one point, Jose resorted to drinking his own urine. | At one point, Jose resorted to drinking his own urine. |
| The pair spent two days without food or water until Craig, a remote worker from Santos, found them at a satellite station after seeing their SOS notes in the roadside. Their dog Loki also survived. | The pair spent two days without food or water until Craig, a remote worker from Santos, found them at a satellite station after seeing their SOS notes in the roadside. Their dog Loki also survived. |
| Craig says he only takes the road once every six weeks, and the pair were 25km from the nearest town, Innamincka. | Craig says he only takes the road once every six weeks, and the pair were 25km from the nearest town, Innamincka. |
| Jose says: | Jose says: |
| They said they “hardly spoke” to each other because their mouths were so dry. | They said they “hardly spoke” to each other because their mouths were so dry. |
| Here’s a quick recap of what’s happened over the past few hours: | Here’s a quick recap of what’s happened over the past few hours: |
| Four people have been found dead at a home in Tullamarine in Melbourne’s north-west. | Four people have been found dead at a home in Tullamarine in Melbourne’s north-west. |
| US tennis player Tennys Sandgren appears bound for Melbourne after Tennis Australia reportedly intervened so he could board a charter flight despite testing positive for coronavirus. | US tennis player Tennys Sandgren appears bound for Melbourne after Tennis Australia reportedly intervened so he could board a charter flight despite testing positive for coronavirus. |
| A man has been seriously injured after being bitten on the leg by a two to three-metre bull shark while swimming in Perth’s Swan River. | A man has been seriously injured after being bitten on the leg by a two to three-metre bull shark while swimming in Perth’s Swan River. |
| Australia has recorded zero community transmission in the most recent day of reporting – when almost 750,000 cases were recorded around the world. | Australia has recorded zero community transmission in the most recent day of reporting – when almost 750,000 cases were recorded around the world. |
| The Australian treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, has conceded that some businesses will not make it to the other side of the Covid crisis, as he defended the planned end of the federal government’s jobkeeper wage subsidy at the end of March. | The Australian treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, has conceded that some businesses will not make it to the other side of the Covid crisis, as he defended the planned end of the federal government’s jobkeeper wage subsidy at the end of March. |
| Western Australia has recorded no new locally-acquired cases of Covid-19. | Western Australia has recorded no new locally-acquired cases of Covid-19. |
| However, the WA Department of Health has reported two new cases of Covid-19 – both returned international travellers who tested positive while in hotel quarantine in Perth. | However, the WA Department of Health has reported two new cases of Covid-19 – both returned international travellers who tested positive while in hotel quarantine in Perth. |
| Four recent travellers to South Australia may have quarantined at Brisbane’s Grand Chancellor hotel, now shut down over a Covid-19 scare, AAP reports. | Four recent travellers to South Australia may have quarantined at Brisbane’s Grand Chancellor hotel, now shut down over a Covid-19 scare, AAP reports. |
| SA Health says two people who were at the hotel and later travelled to South Australia are no longer in the state. | SA Health says two people who were at the hotel and later travelled to South Australia are no longer in the state. |
| It says checks are still being made to confirm if two more people from the hotel had recently arrived in SA via Victoria. | It says checks are still being made to confirm if two more people from the hotel had recently arrived in SA via Victoria. |
| The information comes after the Grand Chancellor was shut down when six people linked to the quarantine facility tested positive for the more contagious UK coronavirus variant. | The information comes after the Grand Chancellor was shut down when six people linked to the quarantine facility tested positive for the more contagious UK coronavirus variant. |
| A cleaner and her partner, who are among the six, were contagious while in the community and triggered a three-day lockdown in Brisbane last weekend. | A cleaner and her partner, who are among the six, were contagious while in the community and triggered a three-day lockdown in Brisbane last weekend. |
| South Australia’s chief health officer, Nicola Spurrier, says if any people who stayed at the Grand Chancellor are found to be in SA, they will be required to return to quarantine. | South Australia’s chief health officer, Nicola Spurrier, says if any people who stayed at the Grand Chancellor are found to be in SA, they will be required to return to quarantine. |
| South Australia reported no new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, leaving the state with 11 active infections, all returned travellers in hotel quarantine. | South Australia reported no new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, leaving the state with 11 active infections, all returned travellers in hotel quarantine. |