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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2021/sep/28/australia-covid-updates-live-coronavirus-vaccine-nsw-victoria-gladys-berejiklian-scott-morrison
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| Australia Covid live news update: Victoria’s daily case numbers officially overtake NSW; new Qld restrictions after four local cases | Australia Covid live news update: Victoria’s daily case numbers officially overtake NSW; new Qld restrictions after four local cases |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Follow the latest updates live | Follow the latest updates live |
| The federal government says it will set up a $2bn loan facility to support Australian critical minerals projects, just days after the Quad leaders’ meeting in Washington DC where supply chains were a key issue. | |
| The government had flagged the plans yesterday, but released a statement today outlining some details, saying it wanted to make Australia “a world-leader in the mining and downstream processing of in-demand resources, supporting jobs and communities, particularly in regional Australia”. | |
| The government said the plans to offer up to $2bn in finance over coming years were to “ensure we are providing the rare earths and other critical minerals that are essential to the supply chains of the new energy economy”. | |
| The loan facility will be managed by Export Finance Australia and report to the trade minister, Dan Tehan. The scheme will operate for 10 years, or until a total of $2bn in finance has been provided. | |
| Readers will notice the climate messages in the government’s release, amid ongoing Coalition divisions over the prospect of Australia making a formal commitment to net zero emissions by 2050 in the lead up to November’s Glasgow summit. | |
| Tehan said Australian critical minerals would “help other countries in the Indo-Pacific and beyond to accelerate their industrial reforms and transition to low-carbon technologies and that benefits Australia and our partners”. | |
| The minister for resources and water, Keith Pitt, a Queensland National who has been developing a critical minerals strategy and has publicly signalled hesitancy to a net zero pledge, said: | |
| The prime minister, Scott Morrison, said the idea was to fill finance gaps in critical minerals resources developments to get them off the ground. | |
| The New South Wales health minister Brad Hazzard insists police will be responsible for enforcing entry restrictions on unvaccinated people – a position at odds with the state’s police commissioner who said officers would “not be walking through restaurants, cafes and pubs checking if people are double vaccinated”. | |
| The state recorded 863 new cases and seven deaths in the past 24 hours, but hit a full vaccination rate of 60.4%, edging closer to the 70% target that will trigger an easing of restrictions, likely on 11 October. | |
| Full story here: | |
| You may remember the inquest of Wayne “Fella” Morrison, which we covered extensively earlier this year. Well our reporter Royce Kurmelovs is back in court for the case today, and you can follow bits and pieces here: | |
| A reminder for Victorians: there will be a slight easing of restrictions from midnight tonight in locked-down areas. | A reminder for Victorians: there will be a slight easing of restrictions from midnight tonight in locked-down areas. |
| The travel distance will increase to 15km from home (you can check your radius here) and “contactless” outdoor recreation – such as boating, tennis or golf – will be allowed, as will personal training with up to five people, as long as everyone is vaccinated. | The travel distance will increase to 15km from home (you can check your radius here) and “contactless” outdoor recreation – such as boating, tennis or golf – will be allowed, as will personal training with up to five people, as long as everyone is vaccinated. |
| Victoria is easing restrictions as the state is set to hit 80% of residents with at least one jab today. | Victoria is easing restrictions as the state is set to hit 80% of residents with at least one jab today. |
| What to do if you’re an Australian in New Zealand? Charter a private jet home. | What to do if you’re an Australian in New Zealand? Charter a private jet home. |
| One day, when we’re all out of lockdown, we will* run an entire blog that is just people telling us about their dreams. | One day, when we’re all out of lockdown, we will* run an entire blog that is just people telling us about their dreams. |
| *we won’t | *we won’t |
| We have covered the Wilcannia outbreak extensively at Guardian Australia, but this feature from the Washington Post is worth some of your lunch hour too. | We have covered the Wilcannia outbreak extensively at Guardian Australia, but this feature from the Washington Post is worth some of your lunch hour too. |
| The ABC is reporting that two men have died in Dubbo, as Covid-19 continues to ravage parts of western NSW. | The ABC is reporting that two men have died in Dubbo, as Covid-19 continues to ravage parts of western NSW. |
| You may have seen earlier that Byron and Tweed LGAs would be coming out of lockdown as planned. Worth noting that Byron has a first dose percentage rate of only a shade above 60%, one of the lowest in NSW. | You may have seen earlier that Byron and Tweed LGAs would be coming out of lockdown as planned. Worth noting that Byron has a first dose percentage rate of only a shade above 60%, one of the lowest in NSW. |
| Here is a full report from AAP about the news from earlier today about approval for home testing: | Here is a full report from AAP about the news from earlier today about approval for home testing: |
| Thank you Mostafa Rachwani. Tuesday, more like News-day amirite? | Thank you Mostafa Rachwani. Tuesday, more like News-day amirite? |
| OK and with that, I will leave you with the always excellent Nino Bucci to cover the rest of the day’s news, thanks for reading. | OK and with that, I will leave you with the always excellent Nino Bucci to cover the rest of the day’s news, thanks for reading. |
| Matson also said Victoria had growing cases in the west and south-east. She asked Victorians in the east to “remain vigilant” after cases appeared in Knox and the Yarra Ranges. | Matson also said Victoria had growing cases in the west and south-east. She asked Victorians in the east to “remain vigilant” after cases appeared in Knox and the Yarra Ranges. |
| The four deaths were a man in his 80s from Whittlesea, a woman in her 80s and a man in his 70s, both from Hume, and a woman from Whittlesea, her age unknown. | The four deaths were a man in his 80s from Whittlesea, a woman in her 80s and a man in his 70s, both from Hume, and a woman from Whittlesea, her age unknown. |
| The state is expected to hit its goal of having 80% first dose vaccination of those aged 16+ by the end of Tuesday. | The state is expected to hit its goal of having 80% first dose vaccination of those aged 16+ by the end of Tuesday. |
| Victoria health minister Martin Foley also announced Victorians would take part in a home quarantine pilot program, which will include some people already isolating and involves taking a daily selfie. | Victoria health minister Martin Foley also announced Victorians would take part in a home quarantine pilot program, which will include some people already isolating and involves taking a daily selfie. |
| So earlier at the NSW presser, the federal government’s announcement of the approval of rapid antigen tests came up, with the deputy CHO welcoming their introduction. | So earlier at the NSW presser, the federal government’s announcement of the approval of rapid antigen tests came up, with the deputy CHO welcoming their introduction. |
| NSW Health’s Marianne Gale said the tests will be “part of a toolkit” of measures used to counter the pandemic, but both Gale and Hazzard said that details will be revealed in due time. | NSW Health’s Marianne Gale said the tests will be “part of a toolkit” of measures used to counter the pandemic, but both Gale and Hazzard said that details will be revealed in due time. |
| Gale, though, said that implementing them may be “operationally challenging”: | Gale, though, said that implementing them may be “operationally challenging”: |