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| Australia news live update: Dylan Alcott is Australian of the Year; Invasion Day protests planned; NSW to record millionth Covid case | Australia news live update: Dylan Alcott is Australian of the Year; Invasion Day protests planned; NSW to record millionth Covid case |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Follow all the day’s news | Follow all the day’s news |
| A leading health expert has warned of the potential spread of the virulent Omicron Covid-19 strain during events today as large crowds gather for protest or celebration, reports AAP. | |
| Chair of the coalition for epidemic preparedness and former health department head Jane Halton says the closer people pack together, the more likely the virus will spread. | |
| Halton said case numbers were coming down and it appeared as if Australia has come off the peak of the outbreak, but this could be jeopardised by large gatherings on the public holiday. | |
| She stopped short of suggesting events should be cancelled, instead encouraging people to wear masks, maintain social distance and remain cautious. | |
| An aged care provider says it has “no faith” in the commonwealth’s supply of rapid tests after deliveries failed to show for almost three weeks after a Covid outbreak, forcing it to withhold them from essential visitors and scramble unsuccessfully to procure its own. | |
| The government has repeatedly said it is prioritising its stocks of rapid tests to aged care facilities experiencing outbreaks. | |
| But the supply at St Basil’s Homes in South Australia, which runs three facilities in the state, is so precarious that the provider wrote to residents and their families last week, outlining its serious concerns about government supply and warning the tests were “like liquid gold”. | |
| The letter, seen by the Guardian, told families they would need to find their own tests or be barred entry. It also said the provider would be attempting to buy its own tests, which could then be purchased by visitors at cost price. | |
| You can read the full report below: | |
| The aged care and sport minister, Richard Colbeck, attended the Ashes cricket on the same day he declined to appear at the Covid-19 committee citing officials’ “urgent and critical” work combating Omicron. | |
| You can read the full story on that from Paul Karp below: | |
| But for now, let’s have a listen in to what the chair of that committee, shadow finance minister Katy Gallagher, had to say about the situation. | |
| Here is a telling exchange with the Russian ambassador to Australia, Aleksey Pavlovsky, when speaking to ABC radio: | Here is a telling exchange with the Russian ambassador to Australia, Aleksey Pavlovsky, when speaking to ABC radio: |
| Host Patricia Karvelas: | Host Patricia Karvelas: |
| Pavlovsky: | Pavlovsky: |
| The Russian ambassador to Australia, Aleksey Pavlovsky: | The Russian ambassador to Australia, Aleksey Pavlovsky: |
| The Russian ambassador to Australia, Aleksey Pavlovsky, has told ABC radio that Russia has no intention to invade Ukraine. | The Russian ambassador to Australia, Aleksey Pavlovsky, has told ABC radio that Russia has no intention to invade Ukraine. |
| Red paint has been poured over a statue of Captain Cook in St Kilda, Melbourne. | Red paint has been poured over a statue of Captain Cook in St Kilda, Melbourne. |
| In the middle of the night, four young Aboriginal men pitched a beach umbrella on the lawns opposite Parliament House and sat down. When dawn broke on 26 January 1972, a police officer came over to ask how long they intended to stay. | In the middle of the night, four young Aboriginal men pitched a beach umbrella on the lawns opposite Parliament House and sat down. When dawn broke on 26 January 1972, a police officer came over to ask how long they intended to stay. |
| “Until we get land rights,” one of the four, Billy Craigie, told the officer. | “Until we get land rights,” one of the four, Billy Craigie, told the officer. |
| Commissioner Gibson apparently laughed and said, “that might be a long time”. | Commissioner Gibson apparently laughed and said, “that might be a long time”. |
| Craigie replied: “Well, we’ll be here a long time then.” | Craigie replied: “Well, we’ll be here a long time then.” |
| It’s 50 years today since the Aboriginal tent embassy was born from that act of defiance. And its demands remain current. | It’s 50 years today since the Aboriginal tent embassy was born from that act of defiance. And its demands remain current. |
| You can read the full story from Lorena Allam and Juno Gemes below: | You can read the full story from Lorena Allam and Juno Gemes below: |
| In Covid news, NSW is expected to report its one-millionth infection of the pandemic today. Half of those cases were added in the last two weeks and more than 90% of them in the last two months. | In Covid news, NSW is expected to report its one-millionth infection of the pandemic today. Half of those cases were added in the last two weeks and more than 90% of them in the last two months. |
| On Tuesday, NSW premier Dominic Perrottet announced that reintroduced restrictions for mask use, hospitality density limits and bans on singing and dancing – due to end on Thursday – would be extended until the end of February in a bid to suppress the spread of Omicron as children return to school, AAP reports. | On Tuesday, NSW premier Dominic Perrottet announced that reintroduced restrictions for mask use, hospitality density limits and bans on singing and dancing – due to end on Thursday – would be extended until the end of February in a bid to suppress the spread of Omicron as children return to school, AAP reports. |
| He said extending restrictions to February 28 was “the right approach” as it would suppress the spread of Omicron ahead of increased movement once schools return next week, he said. | He said extending restrictions to February 28 was “the right approach” as it would suppress the spread of Omicron ahead of increased movement once schools return next week, he said. |
| Under the continuing restrictions, hospitality venues including pubs, nightclubs and cafes will keep an indoor density limit, masks are required in all indoor settings except homes and QR code check-ins are compulsory at certain premises, including hospitality venues and shops. | Under the continuing restrictions, hospitality venues including pubs, nightclubs and cafes will keep an indoor density limit, masks are required in all indoor settings except homes and QR code check-ins are compulsory at certain premises, including hospitality venues and shops. |
| Good morning everyone, it’s Matilda Boseley here today, and wow there is a lot to talk about already. | Good morning everyone, it’s Matilda Boseley here today, and wow there is a lot to talk about already. |
| Australian tennis star Dylan Alcott is the 2022 Australian of the Year, being awarded the title the same day as advancing to another Australian Open wheelchair final. | Australian tennis star Dylan Alcott is the 2022 Australian of the Year, being awarded the title the same day as advancing to another Australian Open wheelchair final. |
| But, he said in his speech, “winning grand slams and gold medals isn’t [his] purpose”. | But, he said in his speech, “winning grand slams and gold medals isn’t [his] purpose”. |
| He also used his platform to advocate for free rapid antigen tests for people with disabilities, after the federal government announced they could be purchased through people’s NDIS funds. | He also used his platform to advocate for free rapid antigen tests for people with disabilities, after the federal government announced they could be purchased through people’s NDIS funds. |
| Of course, the changing of the Australian of the Year mantel means today is 26 January, and Invasion Day protesters plan to gather at Canberra’s Aboriginal Tent Embassy – which marks 50 years of advocacy – before an expected march to Parliament House. | Of course, the changing of the Australian of the Year mantel means today is 26 January, and Invasion Day protesters plan to gather at Canberra’s Aboriginal Tent Embassy – which marks 50 years of advocacy – before an expected march to Parliament House. |
| Ngambri-Ngunnawal elder Matilda House Williams told AAP the struggle was ongoing. | Ngambri-Ngunnawal elder Matilda House Williams told AAP the struggle was ongoing. |
| I will bring you all the updates on these protests and other events, rallies and celebrations here on the blog. | I will bring you all the updates on these protests and other events, rallies and celebrations here on the blog. |
| With that, why don’t we jump right into the day? | With that, why don’t we jump right into the day? |