Scott Morrison, Daniel Andrews strike deal on support as Victoria enters lockdown
Scott Morrison and Daniel Andrews have agreed on a financial deal to help Victorian workers as the state entered a five-day lockdown to curb a jump in Covid cases.
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison has done a deal with Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, which will see financial support provided to Victorian workers during the state’s five-day lockdown.
According to a report in The Australian, Mr Morrison and federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg issued a statement late last night, revealing they had agreed with Mr Andrews and his Treasurer, Tim Pallas, on a long-term national cabinet deal, which will see Victorian workers get federal support through the Covid-19 disaster payment, even where a lockdown has been set in place by a state or territory government for a period of less than seven days.
However, the workers must be located in an area that has been declared a hotspot by the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer.
“The entitlement to income support will be for those who have lost between eight and less than 20 hours for a payment of $375 and for 20 or more hours for a payment of $600, during the period of the lockdown,” Mr Morrison and Mr Frydenberg said in a joint statement.
“There will be no liquid assets test applied to eligibility for these payments.”
State and territory governments must also agree to provide significant economic support, for the same lockdown period, “to ensure burden sharing between the commonwealth and the state or territory government”.
The deal with Mr Andrews will see workers in Greater Melbourne, as well as the local government areas of Moorabool, Greater Geelong, Queenscliff and Surf Coast qualify for federal support for the five days of Victoria’s lockdown from 11:59pm last night.
Victoria entered a snap five-day lockdown at midnight after a jump in Covid cases.
The state recorded two more new Covid cases in addition to two announced earlier on Thursday bringing the total to 18, after the virus jumped the border from NSW.
“We have 75 exposure sites, 1500 primary close contacts and 5000 secondary close contacts and 5000 secondary close contacts. That is how fast this moves,” Mr Andrews said.
The Herald Sun earlier reported authorities were trying to control the outbreak without a lockdown, but case numbers are climbing quickly, as are exposure sites.
In announcing the lockdown with a “heavy heart”, Mr Andrews said the state had “no choice”.
“We have to do this otherwise it will get away from us and as we know more than any other part of our nation, we don’t want this getting away from us and being locked down for months.”
The premier alluded to the fact that there would be a deal struck with Mr Morrison to offer financial support for Victorians.
“We expect the Commonwealth government will step up and help those people who need the help,” Mr Andrews said.
There will now only be five reasons to leave home along with other restrictions, including:
- Only one person can leave the house for food and supplies
- Exercise for up to two hours
- Care or caregiving
- Work or education
- To get vaccinated
- Masks must be worn both indoors and outdoors
- Five kilometre travel limit
- Single person bubble is back
- Ten people at funerals and weddings
The restrictions will apply for both metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria, but regional Victoria may be able to come out of the lockdown earlier depending on the situation.
The new restrictions come after mask rules were tightened overnight, with face coverings again required in all indoor settings.
As a result, Tasmania will close its borders to Victoria from midnight Thursday.
Anyone who has been in Victoria since July 8 will not be permitted into Tasmania unless given an exemption.
“This decision has been made with the intention and responsibility ensuring the protection of Tasmania of the risk posed by Covid, particularly the Delta strain which is causing so many troubles to cities across Australia,” Deputy Director of Public Health, Dr Scott McKeown said.
South Australia will also strengthen border rules with Victoria from midnight Thursday.
Premier Steven Marshall said SA authorities remained deeply concerned about new Victorian cases linked to the MCG.
He said South Australian residents would be allowed to return home under Level 3 restrictions unless they’ve been in Greater Melbourne, Geelong or Bacchus Marsh.
Level 3 restrictions require Covid tests on days one, five and 13, and self-quarantine until a negative result is received.
‘DELTA WRITES THE RULES’: PM
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has faced questions about whether lockdowns really are a last resort as Victoria is about to go into its fifth one since the start of the pandemic.
Mr Morrison said on Thursday he’s had discussions with Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews.
He has also been briefed on the unfolding situation in the state with members of the national security committee.
“The thing about Covid-19 is, particularly with the new Delta strain, as I said many times, it writes the rules,” he said.
“And rules that you think might be appropriate one time, sometimes have to change. To make sure that we’re keeping pace and ensuring people are supported through the Covid pandemic.”
Mr Morrison said the national security committee of cabinet had met and discussed new Covid-19 relief payments, as well as the worsening situation in Victoria.
He said lockdowns should be a “last resort”.
“Every single country, every single state and territory is wrestling with what is a very fluid situation. That’s why we keep meeting together, that’s why we keep working together, why we keep upgrading and updating what we’re doing.”
Mr Morrison said proposals going to national cabinet included waiving the $10,000 liquid asset test, using the business support model in NSW nationwide when its needed, and income payments at the December quarter JobKeeper level.
Income support payments could be available from the start of a lockdown, but paid in arrears from the second week.
MCG MAJOR FOCUS OF NEW OUTBREAK
Ten infections were announced on Wednesday, but two more were confirmed by Victoria’s Covid commander Jeroen Weimar – both who caught the virus at the MCG, on level two of the MCC members reserve.
“You will appreciate we’re dealing with a very dynamic situation here, a very rapidly moving situation here,” he said.
Asked about the possibility of a snap lockdown he said: “The situation is dynamic … It is changing not so much by the hour but half-hour by half-hour.”
Mr Weimar said the two new cases – an adult and a child – were not known to each other, or the already confirmed positive case.
“We’re obviously concerned,” he said.
“Our real focus is the MCG. We have likely to have seen two cases, possible three cases of transmission between the man in his 60s and the three other people there. We need to
establish where there’s other people at the MCG, if they’re positive. That’s a critical bit of information. Many of the test results are continuing to come in.”
All the cases are linked to outbreaks with all local infections so far linked to a team of Sydney removalists that transited through the state and a family that returned to Melbourne’s north from a NSW red zone.
The health department also confirmed no new cases in hotel quarantine, with the number of active cases in Victoria at 26.
Venues on the state’s public exposure sites list have ballooned to a total of 72 overnight with several stores at a DFO in Bundoora, an Officeworks in Waurn Ponds and McDonalds in Craigieburn added.
Two schools – Bacchus Marsh Grammar and Barwon Heads Primary – have also been closed after positive cases visited the campus.
NSW OUTBREAK GROWS
New South Wales has registered 65 new locally acquired cases of Covid-19, premier Gladys Berejiklian has revealed.
Of these, 28 were in the community while infectious.
Ms Berejiklian predicted these cases would cause Friday’s numbers to rise again.
“That 28 was too high and I expect the case numbers will bounce back up tomorrow,” she said.
“We are in a stage of stabilising but we want to do better than that to get out of the lockdown.”
Added NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant: “As the Premier has indicated, 28 of those individuals were infectious in the community; this is too high and we need to see this number come down. So, please stay home.
“We are concerned that we have seen a number of people (who are unknowingly positive for Covid) are seeking healthcare at pharmacists and GPs.”
Of the 65 infections, there were 40 cases linked to a known case or cluster. 27 were household contacts and 13 were close contacts.
Concerningly, the source of infection for 25 cases reported on Thursday remains under investigation.
Sydney’s outbreak is approaching 1000 infections with 929 locally acquired cases reported since June 16 when the first case in the Bondi cluster was reported.
Dr Chant also warned almost 20 people with Covid-19 were now in intensive care.
“In terms of the number of people in ICU, again, my message is this re-enforces that Covid is a serious condition,” she said.
“We currently have 73 people admitted to hospital, 19 people in intensive care, five of whom are ventilated.
“Of the 19 people in the intensive care unit, one is in their 20s, one is in their 30s, two are in their 40s, five are in their 50s, six are in their 60s, three are in their 70s and one is in their 80s.
“So my key message is we have to work together; to decrease our exposures to others. So stay at home.”
Of the 65 cases, 46 were from southwest Sydney, eight were from South Eastern Sydney, six were from western Sydney, four were from Sydney and one was from the Nepean/Blue Mountains area.
QLD HAS 5 NEW Covid CASES
Queenslanders hoping to rip off their masks on Friday will face at least another week of restrictions, after new locally acquired cases were detected in the state on Thursday.
A 12-year-old boy and his mother, who quarantined in Sydney after returning from overseas, have tested positive to Covid-19 after returning to Queensland.
A third case, a fully vaccinated international airport worker has also tested positive, and Dr Young said contact tracers needed more time to ensure the virus hadn’t spread further.
As a result, the restrictions that were due to be eased at 6am on Friday, including the mask mandate, capacity limits and a dancing ban, will be extended for another week.
Queenslanders have also been urged against travelling to Victoria, amid growing fears the Delta strain could be circulating in the city.
Ten cases were detected in Victoria on Thursday, all linked to removalists who travelled from Sydney through regional New South Wales before arriving in Melbourne.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said residents should “reconsider” their travel and “think about coming home” if already there.
“We have said to Queenslanders reconsider your travel into New South Wales as well,” she said.
“I cannot be clearer. We are seeing these little spot fires happening across the nation and we need to make sure we get this under control.”
Chief health officer Jeannette Young said she was watching the situations in both states “very, very closely”.
“There have been no detections in sewage outside the Sydney lockdown area,” she said
“So that is very good, so we can maintain our current border position with New South Wales, but I really, really strongly reiterate that people should reconsider any need to get into NSW because they could have an outbreak anywhere throughout the state.
“Similarly in Victoria … they have got multiple outbreaks due to multiple incursions of the virus from Sydney … I strongly, very strongly recommend that people reconsider any need to go down to Victoria.”
Dr Young said anyone already in Victoria should assess their risks.
“Because if there were to be an uncontained outbreak, then of course we would be declaring hot spots and asking people to quarantine on return,” she said.
“So, people really need to take that into consideration when working through all their plans.”
SA WARNED OF TOUGHER RULES
South Australians have been warned to prepare for Covid-19 restrictions to be implemented after an infected removalist entered the state from NSW via Victoria last Friday.
Police Commissioner Grant Stevens flagged the potential of restrictions after he addressed the media on Wednesday night.
Following his meeting with SA Health he said authorities were “very concerned” by the current situation and were meeting on Thursday morning to discuss if “further steps” needed to be taken.
Three sites at Tailem Bend have so far been identified as confirmed as exposure sites, where the removalists stopped along their route to McLaren Vale to help permanently relocate a family from NSW.
Two of those locations are the Shell service station and the attached Coolabah Tree cafe.
Because there were 76 credit card transactions and only 25 check-ins at the premises, Mr Stevens said it was a “major factor” when considering the level of restrictions across the state.
“We need to be confident that the South Australian community are doing the right thing and using the QR check-ins so we can actively contact trace anybody who may have been exposed,” he said.
So far, authorities have identified at least 118 people who visited the service station or cafe between 5.20pm and 7pm last Friday.
They are currently in isolation and have returned negative tests.
The Commissioner — who is also the Covid-19 State Coordinator — delivered a “harsh warning” to South Australians to do the right thing by using QR codes at all locations, obeying requirements and restrictions and to get tested if they had any symptoms.
“I need people to understand just how serious this is and how close we are to imposing further restrictions on the community of South Australia.
“We are not doing that now, but it is something we are actively considering as we watch what happens in other places.”
The OTR Motorsport Park at Tailem Bend was listed as the third exposure site and anyone who visited the service station between 7.20am and 8.15am last Friday needs to immediately quarantine and get tested.
A fourth site is still being investigated.
It was announced earlier in the week that truck and freight drivers entering SA would now need to undergo mandatory testing, which came into effect at 12.01am Thursday morning.
VICTORIANS TOLD TO MASK UP AS EXPOSURE SITES GROW
Victoria has recorded two new local Covid-19 cases on Thursday after the virus jumped the border from NSW.
Ten infections were announced on Thursday — all of which were announced on Wednesday.
But two more were confirmed by Victoria’s Covid commander Jeroen Weimar – both who caught the virus at the MCG, on level two of the MCC members reserve.
“You will appreciate we’re dealing with a very dynamic situation here, a very rapidly moving situation here,” he said.
Asked about the possibility of a snap lockdown he said: “The situation is dynamic … It is changing not so much by the hour but half-hour by half-hour.”
Mr Weimar said the two new cases – an adult and a child – were not known to each other, or the already confirmed positive case.
“We’re obviously concerned,” he said.
“Our real focus is the MCG. We have likely to have seen two cases, possible three cases of transmission between the man in his 60s and the three other people there. We need to
establish where there’s other people at the MCG, if they’re positive. That’s a critical bit of information. Many of the test results are continuing to come in.”
All the cases are linked to outbreaks with all local infections so far linked to a team of Sydney removalists that transited through the state and a family that returned to Melbourne’s north from a NSW red zone.
The health department also confirmed no new cases in hotel quarantine, with the number of active cases in Victoria at 26.
Venues on the state’s public exposure sites list have ballooned to a total of 72 overnight with several stores at a DFO in Bundoora, an Officeworks in Waurn Ponds and McDonalds in Craigieburn added.
Two schools – Bacchus Marsh Grammar and Barwon Heads Primary – have also been closed after positive cases visited the campus.
‘NONSENSE’: PM SNAPS
An embattled Scott Morrison has teed off during separate breakfast TV interviews as he continues to face criticism over Australia’s Covid-19 crisis.
With his back to the wall, the Prime Minister faced a barrage of questions from both Sunrise and Today show presenters as well as political jabs from Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese.
The majority of the frustration relates to accusations from the Victorian government that Mr Morrison has favoured NSW after offering financial relief to struggling businesses during the latest outbreak.
The Victorian government released a scathing statement on Tuesday, saying its residents were “sick and tired” of having to beg for help and the support for NSW represented a “double standard” compared with the relief it was given last year during long Victorian lockdowns.
From Sunday, the Covid-19 Disaster Payment in NSW will increase from $500 to $600 per week if a person has lost 20 hours or more of work a week or $325 to $375 each week if a person has lost between eight and 20 hours.
Sunrise host David Koch grilled Mr Morrison on financial support given to the two states, remarking, “You’re being accused of not being fair”.
The Prime Minister snapped, saying: “Well, that’s just nonsense”.
“The numbers don’t (support that). They are two different situations, the Victoria lockdown went for two weeks and what happened in NSW is exactly what has happened in Victoria.
“It's the same support provided by the commonwealth to NSW and Victoria during the two-week period. We are now going into a longer lockdown. When Victoria needed the country last year in that long lockdown on the second wave, the commonwealth was putting in three-quarters of a billion dollars into Victoria every week.
“In Victoria, there was more JobKeeper provided than any other state.”
Labor leader Mr Albanese was on ABC breakfast radio throwing barbs at his opposition that were then passed onto Mr Morrison during a Today show interview.
“Anthony Albanese has labelled you ‘incompetent’ and said the vaccine failures have endangered lives. Your response to that?” Today host Allison Langdon asked.
“Well, if negativity was the answer then Labor would be the solution,” Mr Morrison responded, prompting laughter from the Today show hosts.
“But that's not the solution. The solution is, working together, not undermining to score political points.”
– with Angie Raphael, Megan Palin, Jack Paynter, Evin Priest
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Originally published as Scott Morrison, Daniel Andrews strike deal on support as Victoria enters lockdown
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