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Australia news live: NSW Health testing dock workers who boarded Covid ship; vaccine rollout reset Australia news live: Victorian man tests positive to Covid after completing hotel quarantine; coronavirus vaccine rollout reset
(32 minutes later)
Fifteen Sydney waterfront workers waiting on coronavirus test results after boarding ship carrying infected sailorsFifteen Sydney waterfront workers waiting on coronavirus test results after boarding ship carrying infected sailors
Victorian health minister Martin Foley says that this officially ends the state’s long run of no community transmission, despite the man not contracting Covid-19 in the state. Martin Foley has described the actions of the man in the time between getting off the plane from Perth to testing positive:
Foley has been queried about this at the press conference: Foley said his partner picked him up from the airport.
Foley has commended the man for his actions leading up testing positive:
Foley:
Okay here is Victorian health minister Martin Foley with some more details about this Victorian case:
On the upside, there are no local Covid-19 cases in NSW today, especially after ITS second hotel quarantine transmission case yesterday.
But also, JEEEEEZZZZ 18 overseas acquired cases is very intense.
Victorian health minister Martin Foley says all passengers on Qantas flight QF778 from Perth to Melbourne are considered close contacts and will need to isolate for 14 days.
The man’s family is also being tested.
Brilliant observation from my colleague Nino Bucci: could you imagine if WA premier Mark McGowan shut the border on Victoria after personally delivering it a Covid-19 case.
Victorian health minister Martin Foley says this officially ends the state’s long run of no community transmission, despite the man not contracting Covid in the state.
Foley has been asked about this at the press conference:
OK, just a bit more on this case of community transmission in Victoria.OK, just a bit more on this case of community transmission in Victoria.
The man is from Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. He arrived home after spending time in hotel quarantine in the Mercure Hotel Perth, where the virus has managed to jump between rooms infecting at least two other returned travellers.The man is from Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. He arrived home after spending time in hotel quarantine in the Mercure Hotel Perth, where the virus has managed to jump between rooms infecting at least two other returned travellers.
He arrived in Melbourne on Wednesday but after the breach was discovered the Victorian government asked all recently released guests at the WA hotel currently in the state to retest themselves and isolate.He arrived in Melbourne on Wednesday but after the breach was discovered the Victorian government asked all recently released guests at the WA hotel currently in the state to retest themselves and isolate.
The man tested positive. He has asked to be moved to Victorian hotel quarantine.The man tested positive. He has asked to be moved to Victorian hotel quarantine.
Three children have been rescued and four people arrested after Australian police uncovered online sex abuse of children in the Philippines, reports Tiffanie Turnbull from AAP.Three children have been rescued and four people arrested after Australian police uncovered online sex abuse of children in the Philippines, reports Tiffanie Turnbull from AAP.
Two Australian men have been charged with child sex abuse offences, leading to the rescue of three children as young as six in the Philippines.Two Australian men have been charged with child sex abuse offences, leading to the rescue of three children as young as six in the Philippines.
The children, aged between six and 17, were saved after the Australian federal police referred intelligence on to their counterparts in the Philippines.The children, aged between six and 17, were saved after the Australian federal police referred intelligence on to their counterparts in the Philippines.
Two women, both aged 27, were arrested in Manila in March.Two women, both aged 27, were arrested in Manila in March.
In Australia, a 40-year-old NSW man who was allegedly communicating with the women to pay for abuse material was arrested by police in November.In Australia, a 40-year-old NSW man who was allegedly communicating with the women to pay for abuse material was arrested by police in November.
Another man, 66, was charged with multiple child sex offences in Queensland in August.Another man, 66, was charged with multiple child sex offences in Queensland in August.
AFP child protection operations Det Supt Paula Hudson said:AFP child protection operations Det Supt Paula Hudson said:
Former prime minister Kevin Rudd has responded to Scott Morrison’s (rather pro-coal industry) address to the Biden climate summit overnight.Former prime minister Kevin Rudd has responded to Scott Morrison’s (rather pro-coal industry) address to the Biden climate summit overnight.
He spoke in his positions as president of the Asia Society in New York, criticising China and Australia’s reluctance to commit to more ambitious emissions targets:He spoke in his positions as president of the Asia Society in New York, criticising China and Australia’s reluctance to commit to more ambitious emissions targets:
A Victorian man is infected with Covid-19 in Perth hotel quarantineA Victorian man is infected with Covid-19 in Perth hotel quarantine
The Victorian government has established a fund to cover funeral expenses for members of the stolen generations, reports Benita Kolovos from AAP.The Victorian government has established a fund to cover funeral expenses for members of the stolen generations, reports Benita Kolovos from AAP.
Aboriginal affairs minister Gabrielle Williams announced the $300,000 interim program on Friday. It will operate until a $10m reparations scheme begins later this year.Aboriginal affairs minister Gabrielle Williams announced the $300,000 interim program on Friday. It will operate until a $10m reparations scheme begins later this year.
The program, which will be backdated for any death after 1 January, will provide families with up to $10,000 to cover the costs of a funeral, headstone or plaque and/or the repatriation of their loved one.The program, which will be backdated for any death after 1 January, will provide families with up to $10,000 to cover the costs of a funeral, headstone or plaque and/or the repatriation of their loved one.
Victoria will be the final state to introduce a redress scheme for the stolen generations later this year.Victoria will be the final state to introduce a redress scheme for the stolen generations later this year.
It is estimated almost 10% of Victoria’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population aged 50 and over are members of the stolen generations, taken from their parents between 1910 and 1970 as part of a government-run assimilation regime.It is estimated almost 10% of Victoria’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population aged 50 and over are members of the stolen generations, taken from their parents between 1910 and 1970 as part of a government-run assimilation regime.
The state had the third-highest rate of removal in the country, with more than one-third of Victoria’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population descendants of the stolen generations.The state had the third-highest rate of removal in the country, with more than one-third of Victoria’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population descendants of the stolen generations.
Ian Hamm, the chair of the stolen generations reparations steering committee, said the funeral costs program would give stolen generations “a dignity in death they may not have always had in life”.Ian Hamm, the chair of the stolen generations reparations steering committee, said the funeral costs program would give stolen generations “a dignity in death they may not have always had in life”.
Just a reminder if these topics are difficult for you, you can call: Lifeline 13 11 14 or Beyondblue 1300 22 4636Just a reminder if these topics are difficult for you, you can call: Lifeline 13 11 14 or Beyondblue 1300 22 4636
China has threatened to take further action against Australia after the Morrison government cancelled Victoria’s two Belt and Road agreements in a sign the diplomatic dispute between the two countries may worsen.China has threatened to take further action against Australia after the Morrison government cancelled Victoria’s two Belt and Road agreements in a sign the diplomatic dispute between the two countries may worsen.
China’s foreign ministry said on Thursday it had lodged a “solemn” protest with Australia and reserved the right to take further action, just hours after the Chinese embassy in Canberra warned Australia would “only end up hurting itself”.China’s foreign ministry said on Thursday it had lodged a “solemn” protest with Australia and reserved the right to take further action, just hours after the Chinese embassy in Canberra warned Australia would “only end up hurting itself”.
The message was amplified by Chinese state media, with the nationalistic tabloid the Global Times stating Australia had fired a “major shot” in what could be another trade war.The message was amplified by Chinese state media, with the nationalistic tabloid the Global Times stating Australia had fired a “major shot” in what could be another trade war.
But the Australian government insisted on Thursday it was simply defending its national interests by blocking the two agreements between the Victorian state government and China’s reform commission.But the Australian government insisted on Thursday it was simply defending its national interests by blocking the two agreements between the Victorian state government and China’s reform commission.
You can read the full report from Helen Davidson and Daniel Hurst here:You can read the full report from Helen Davidson and Daniel Hurst here:
Just bringing back this tweet now. No particular reason.
Malcolm Turnbull has flipped his position on releasing a family of Tamil asylum seekers being detained on Christmas Island, AAP reports.
Turnbull was prime minister when Priya, Nades and their two daughters were taken from Biloela in central Queensland and put into detention. But now, more than three years on, he says he supports the family being resettled in Australia.
Speaking to the ABC, Turnbull acknowledged the importance of tough border security policies to stop asylum seekers making the risky journey to Australia by boat, but called on new home affairs minister Karen Andrews to exercise some discretion.
He urged Andrews to seize on the recent cabinet reshuffle to adopt a fresh approach.
Andrews received a high-level briefing on the Tamil family when she became minister last month, and told ABC radio she was unwilling to make a decision while their case for protection is before the courts.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the family had spent more than 1,000 days in detention, costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.
As Australia came under international pressure to lift its climate commitments ahead of a virtual summit hosted by US president Joe Biden, the prime minister, Scott Morrison, and his emissions reduction minister, Angus Taylor, have made a series of claims to defend the government’s position.
Do they stack up? Adam Morton looks at the evidence.
A must-read fact check below:
OK, this isn’t from Australia, but I think we all deserve a little joy this morning. Think of it as a treat for making it through the week.
Important police news coming from Victoria’s police commissioner Shane Patton this morning.
Thousands of people subjected to a strip search in New South Wales have been left with a police record, despite officers not finding anything illegal. The state’s law enforcement watchdog has warned the practice could lead to further targeting without any cause.
Data obtained by the Redfern Legal Centre has revealed that between 2018 and 2020, more than 5,500 people had their details recorded in the central intelligence database used by police following a strip search in cases where nothing illegal was found.
The data shows that 61% of strip searches recorded in the Computerised Operational Policing System, known as Cops, during the period did not discover anything illegal. The Cops system holds more than 40m records accessible by the state’s police, and acts as the force’s central intelligence database.
Sam Lee, a solicitor at the RLC currently involved in a mooted class action lawsuit against police over the use of strip searches, said data obtained by the legal centre showed that thousands of people were being “left with a permanent police record for no reason”.
You can read the full report below:
A Covid-19 free day in Queensland. Don’t you love to see it!
You might remember yesterday I mentioned the federal government had torn up Victoria’s Belt and Road Initiative agreements with Beijing and China responding by threatening to launch fresh action against Australia.
Well, now Peter Dutton has declared Australia will never surrender its sovereignty or compromise its values to appease China, reports AAP.
The Chinese government said it would “reserve the right to take further action” after lodging a formal protest with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin accused the Morrison government of “political manipulation and bullying” and warned cancelling the agreements would make already strained China-Australia relations worse.
Dutton told Nine on Friday Australia had been clear with China throughout the long-running diplomatic stoush.
“We’re not going to have our values compromised; we aren’t going to surrender our sovereignty,” the defence minister said.
He said Victorian premier Daniel Andrews had done the wrong thing in signing the agreements with China.
Dutton also took aim at China for building up military bases in the region and launching cyber attacks.
No Covid-19 in Victoria today by the way!