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Australia Covid live news update: Victoria records 2,297 cases, 11 deaths; NSW 406 cases, six deaths; and ACT 46 cases, one death Australia Covid live news update: Victoria records 2,297 cases, 11 deaths; Frydenberg responds to rise in unemployment
(32 minutes later)
Follow all the day’s news liveFollow all the day’s news live
Wild weather is brewing in NSW: Australia and more than 100 other countries have pledged to work toward a post 2020 global deal for nature that aims to reverse losses of biodiversity.
Josh Frydenberg says he’d like to see Victoria, which just reported more than 2,000 cases in a single day, following the New South Wales roadmap - which goes significantly further than Victoria - when it emerges from restrictions. The environment minister, Sussan Ley, signed the Kunming Declaration overnight, which is something of a statement of intent by countries as they work towards a major new agreement for nature.
Josh Frydenberg is asked about the emergency disaster payments, which are due to end when state’s reach 80% double dose targets. He says emergency payments, like lockdowns, can’t last forever: The talks are happening as part of a United Nations conference - known as Cop15 or “the other Cop” - as part of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
It doesn’t get nearly the same level of attention as global climate talks but these are the most significant nature talks in a decade.
Countries are negotiating a new framework to try to halt the decline of ecosystems worldwide and put nature on the path to recovery by 2030.
After this week’s virtual meeting, there will be further meetings in the new year before countries meet in Kunming in China in April 2022 to hopefully reach a new agreement.
The Kunming Declaration signed overnight is basically a signal that countries hope to reach a significant deal. It calls for “urgent and significant action” across all sectors of the economy and society to preserve nature and use it sustainably.
It pledges countries to increase the area of protected land and sea and ensure that nature is factored into policy and economic decision making.
Countries have not yet signed on to any targets but it is hoped the final deal will see countries agree to protecting 30% of land and of sea areas globally.
Australia supports the global target but has not said if it will make such a commitment domestically.
Ley:
The greens environment spokeswoman Sarah-Hanson Young has called on the government to commit to a domestic target.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a warning severe thunderstorms were detected on the weather radar near the area west of Picton, the Lithgow district and the southern reaches of Lake Burragorang this afternoon:
The Northern Territory government has provided some more detail on the co-investment of $5 million in Equatorial Launch Australia, which is constructing an Arnhem Space Centre near Nhulunbuy.
Equatorial Launch Australia are working with 27 personnel from NASA to prepare the site for the historic launch of three sounding rockets mid next year. It’ll be the first time NASA lifts-off outside of a USA commercial launch facility.
The sounding rockets will carry scientific instruments into space to conduct research and provide scientists with the opportunity to observe objects that can’t be seen from rocket ranges in the Northern Hemisphere. Though a part of me wishes they would launch me into space at this point in the pandemic.
NASA sounding rockets program office operations manager Scott Bissett:
The BOM is expecting severe thunderstorms across eastern NSW as the day progresses, with a dynamic cold front tracking east across the state:
Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds and large hailstones over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Port Macquarie, Taree, Newcastle, Gosford, Sydney, Wollongong, Nowra, Armidale, Orange, Goulburn and Tamworth.
Frydenberg says he’d like to see Victoria, which just reported more than 2,000 cases in a single day, following the New South Wales roadmap - which goes significantly further than Victoria - when it emerges from restrictions.
Frydenberg is asked about the emergency disaster payments, which are due to end when state’s reach 80% double dose targets. He says emergency payments, like lockdowns, can’t last forever:
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is up in Melbourne now commenting on the latest unemployment figures:Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is up in Melbourne now commenting on the latest unemployment figures:
A specialist robotic camera will be used to search for the body of an eight year old boy who is believed to have drowned while kayaking in Western Australia’s south, AAP’s Michael Ramsey reports.A specialist robotic camera will be used to search for the body of an eight year old boy who is believed to have drowned while kayaking in Western Australia’s south, AAP’s Michael Ramsey reports.
The boy had been camping with family at Fernhook Falls near Walpole, about 400km southeast of Perth. He was reported missing from the campsite on Sunday morning, with police later saying he had been involved in a boating incident on the river.The boy had been camping with family at Fernhook Falls near Walpole, about 400km southeast of Perth. He was reported missing from the campsite on Sunday morning, with police later saying he had been involved in a boating incident on the river.
A land search that spanned several days and involved more than 60 State Emergency Service volunteers has been suspended, and police are now focusing on recovering his body from the river.A land search that spanned several days and involved more than 60 State Emergency Service volunteers has been suspended, and police are now focusing on recovering his body from the river.
Superintendent Kim Travers said the boy had ventured off alone near the top of the falls on Sunday morning. He had earlier told his older brother he wanted to paddle through foam on the surface of the water but was told it was too dangerous:Superintendent Kim Travers said the boy had ventured off alone near the top of the falls on Sunday morning. He had earlier told his older brother he wanted to paddle through foam on the surface of the water but was told it was too dangerous:
A short time later, his father located the boy’s jumper jammed underneath a rock.A short time later, his father located the boy’s jumper jammed underneath a rock.
The family had been staying in a cabin at the Mount Frankland national park and had been kayaking over the weekend without any issues.The family had been staying in a cabin at the Mount Frankland national park and had been kayaking over the weekend without any issues.
A Swiss National daily news journalist asks Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest about Australia’s image overseas. She says it is poor, in Europe particularly. A Swiss National daily news journalist asks Forrest about Australia’s image overseas. She says it is poor, in Europe particularly.
The Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein is providing a Covid-19 update following the escape of a quarantined traveller who later tested positive to the virus.The Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein is providing a Covid-19 update following the escape of a quarantined traveller who later tested positive to the virus.
Gutwein says the man has not been particularly forthcoming with authorities.Gutwein says the man has not been particularly forthcoming with authorities.
Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest is asked about Australia’s trade and diplomatic relationship with China, particularly in the wake of the new Aukus pact: Forrest is asked about Australia’s trade and diplomatic relationship with China, particularly in the wake of the new Aukus pact:
A reminder CovidBaseAU is run by teens who got vaccinated at their first opportunity.A reminder CovidBaseAU is run by teens who got vaccinated at their first opportunity.
Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest is asked what medium term 2030 targets need to be set by the federal government to give industry “confidence and clarity”.
Forrest can’t really hear him, though:
Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest is asked whether it’s appropriate for Australia to continue to sell thermal while there’s an international market for it.
He says it doesn’t matter much what the government thinks, or what he thinks, but what customers think, particularly big financiers:
Katharine Murphy:
Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest:
Independent member for Indi Helen Haines has weighed in on debates on the transition to net zero.
The electorate has been held by an independent since Cathy McGowan beat Liberal incumbent Sophie Mirabella in 2013.
The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has recommended the government consider listing Hamas in its entirety as a terrorist organisation.
The PJCIS today tabled a report reviewing the relisting of five terrorist organisations under the Criminal Code: al-Shabaab, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hamas’ Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
While the committee supported the relisting of all these organisations under the Criminal Code it has gone a step further, recommending the government expand the listing of Hamas’ Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades to include the whole organisation of Hamas.
The committee made a similar recommendation in June 2021 in its report on the review of the relisting of Hizballah’s External Security Organisation as a terrorist organisation under the Criminal Code that the listing of Hezbollah’s External Security Organisation be expanded to the whole organisation of Hezbollah.
Committee chair senator James Paterson said it was clear from evidence received during the review that the whole organisation of Hamas met the definition of a terrorist organisation:
End Covid For All’s Tim Costello has addressed Australia’s decision to end local manufacturing of AstraZeneca once the current contract is met.
Forrest says the fact the federal government still hasn’t set an official net zero by 2050 target is an “enormous concern”:
Back in the ACT, Andrew Barr addresses the vaccination mandates that were introduced yesterday for the education sector.
He says mandates have always been used as the “absolute last measure”.
Forrest turns to “increasingly rare, fear-mongering politicians” who have been pushing back against net zero by 2050 targets:
Forrest: