Fears CBD protest could spark second coronavirus wave as Premier promises no fines
The state’s health minister, chief health officer and Premier have urged Victorians to avoid a city protest — expected to attract thousands of marchers — this weekend, amid fears a second wave of coronavirus could sweep the state.
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The state’s chief health officer has urged protestors to abandon plans for a mass gathering at parliament house on Saturday saying it carries real risk for every single Victorian.
In a strongly worded statement issued this afternoon Professor Brett Sutton said the planned protest posed a serious threat to public health.
“As Victoria’s chief health officer my concern is always about protecting the health of all Victorians,” he said.
“I know there are many people wanting to protest in person this week and show their support. Unfortunately now is not the time for thousands of people to gather together, putting your and others health at risk.
“We are still in the middle of a pandemic and this protest carries real risks for all Victorians. The restrictions are there to save lives. I urge everyone to consider other ways to show support.”
Health minister Jenny Mikakos also urged people to avoid the protest amid fears of a second wave of coronavirus sweeping the state.
As Victorians remain restricted in their movements, including thousands banned from attending work, because of the risk of spreading coronavirus, protesters will have free reign at the weekend.
Mr Andrews said today he supported a Victoria Police operational decision not to fine attendees, but said violence would not be tolerated.
More than 40,000 people have registered interest in attending a solidarity protest outside state parliament on Saturday over the death of George Floyd in the United States.
Ms Mikakos said today the protest should not go ahead.
“We are concerned about the potential for a second wave,” Ms Mikakos said.
“Having a very large number of people congregating together puts those individuals at risk and puts other members of the community at risk.
“I would urge people to abide by the public health directions and not be protesting.”
Ms Mikakos said there would be an appropriate time to protest, but now was not the time.
“I understand the anguish, the pain, the suffering of people right across our nation having seen this tragic case occur in the United State,” she said.
“Of course we have issues in our own nation … I think there will be an appropriate time and place to protest peacefully about these matters, but I would urge people to abide by the public health directions and that is to stay home.
“There are other ways to make your views known and felt and that is contacting your local MP, but I would urge people not to be protesting this weekend,” she said.
Similar protests around the world have descended into chaos with violence and riots between protesters and police.
Premier Daniel Andrews today backed a decision by Victoria Police not to fine thousands of protesters who are expected to descend on Melbourne’s CBD.
It comes as Victorians remain restricted in their movements, including thousands banned from attending work, because of the risk of spreading coronavirus.
Mr Andrews said he supported a Victoria Police operational decision not to fine attendees, but said violence would not be tolerated.
The Premier said while protesters would be breaching social distancing restrictions it was important not to have repeated scenes here.
“Turn the TV on … in so many cities across the United States no one’s following any rules,” he said.
“Let’s just be really clear about what the police are trying to avoid here. We don’t want that here, we don’t need that here, I would urge people not to go to any protest … that’s against the rules.”
Mr Andrews rejected suggestions the protesters were being given special treatment over hard working Victorians who remain banned from attending work.
“It’s not about giving special treatment to people, it’s about trying not to inflame a very volatile set of circumstances,” he said.
“I understand the depth of feeling on this issue,” he said.
“But I might make the point this way, enough people have been hurt, let’s not do anything on the weekend that compromises safety.
“Let’s not do anything on the weekend that potentially spreads the virus.
“It would not be safe, in my judgment, and the judgment of our medical experts, to be having gatherings of that size.”
– Shannon Deery
ANDREWS BACKS NO FINES DECISION
Premier Daniel Andrews said protesters will not be fined despite thousands expected to descend on Melbourne’s CBD on Saturday.
As Victorians remain restricted in their movements, including thousands banned from attending work, because of the risk of spreading coronavirus, protesters will have free reign at the weekend.
But the premier was adamant protesters were not getting special treatment.
He said he supported a Victoria Police operational decision not to fine attendees, but said violence would not be tolerated.
“Turn the TV on … in so many cities across the United States no one’s following any rules,” he said.
“Let’s just be really clear about what the police are trying to avoid here. We don’t want that here, we don’t need that here, I would urge people not to go to any protest … that’s against the rules.
Mr Andrews also warned against the mass gathering while the threat of a fresh coronavirus outbreak remains present.
“It would not be safe, in my judgment, and the judgment of our medical experts, to be having gatherings of that size.”
Mr Andrews rejected suggestions the protesters were being given special treatment over hard working Victorians who remain banned from attending work.
“It’s not about giving special treatment to people, it’s about trying not to inflame a very volatile set of circumstances,” he said.
“I understand the depth of feeling on this issue,” he said.
“But I might make the point this way, enough people have been hurt, let’s not do anything on the weekend that compromises safety.
“Let’s not do anything on the weekend that potentially spreads the virus.”
More than 30,000 people have registered interest in attending a solidarity protest outside state parliament on Saturday over the death of George Floyd in the United States.
Similar protests around the world have descended into chaos with violence and riots between protesters and police.
Mr Andrews’ promise comes as Prime Minister Scott Morrison said this morning he did not want to restrict the right of Australians to protest peacefully.
But he said anyone protesting needed to “exercise responsibility” or they would otherwise give the community “the irrits”.
“It’s surely not beyond their wit to do this observing social distancing requirements and all the rest of it,” he said.
“We’re a free country, so the idea that we would stop protests I think is something that would jar with Australians, rightly.”
Asked about violent scenes in the United States, Mr Morrison warned Australians shouldn’t be “importing the things that are happening overseas”.
“I’m not saying we don’t have issues in this space that we need to deal with,” he said.
“But the thing is, we are dealing with it, and we don’t need to draw equivalence here. We should be Australians about this and deal with it our way, and we are.”
“We respect people’s right to protest but equally, protesters have to respect all other Australians in how they conduct themselves.”
“I think Australians are okay with there being protests, but when they see people inconveniencing others just trying to get to work, doing things like that, they obviously get the irrits.”
– Shannon Deery and Tom Minear
RETURNED TRAVELLER CASE SPIKE BRINGS TOTAL TO 1678
Victoria has recorded eight new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the state’s total to 1678.
Returned travellers account for six of the new diagnoses, with another discovered through community testing and the final case connected to an infected household contact.
While no new cases were linked to last week’s Keilor Downs outbreak, the health department confirmed that two of last week's cases were employees at Global Resource Recovery in Laverton. Those two cases are considered part of the Keilor Downs family outbreak.
Global Resource Recovery’s premesis has closed while it is cleaned and contact tracing is carried out.
Close contacts of the employees are being tested, and the majority have so far returned negative tests.
The health department said the facility will be able to reopen once staff are cleared to return to work.
In total, Victoria has conducted more than 536,000 COVID-19 tests and the state’s death toll remains at 19.
HOW SHOPPING CENTRES WILL ENFORCE SOCIAL DISTANCING
Chadstone, The Glen, Box Hill Central and Emporium are among the first shopping centres in Australia to introduce heat mapping technology which can instantaneously monitor foot traffic to ensure customers are safely carrying out social distancing.
Using Wi-Fi data from customer’s mobile phones, all Vicinity shopping centres (which have Wi-Fi access) are now able to detect foot traffic numbers and flow in real time.
Chadstone centre manager Michael Whitehead says the technology existed to map customer behaviour in a centre to enable them to assess peak areas and times over the course of a week or a month, but their data science team has created a live version of the program.
“It gives us the Wi-Fi signals and responses from people’s mobile phones. What we’ve been able to do is convert that into a real life live stream,” he says.
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“As the system determines there are any areas reaching capacity it sends us a text message stating we have reached low, medium or high level density and where.”
“You can actually see the areas in the centre which are hotter and have more density in them. Social distancing officers can be deployed to those areas and disperse them or move them to other areas.”
Mr Whitehead says the vast majority of customers happily comply, and they have the additional support of Victoria Police and PSO officers if required.
“It tends to be younger boys, teenagers that can get a bit lippy, then we have the opportunity to call security if we need to. That’s only on very rare occasions,” he says.
Chadstone has now reopened 91 per cent of its stores and customer numbers are back to 75 per cent, up from 20 per cent when Victoria first entered lockdown.
Mr Whitehead says the key hot spots within the centre are mostly on the lower ground floor.
“It’s a combination of the design of the mall, it’s a bit narrower with planter boxes in those areas, and a combination of retailer demand,” he says.
“JB Hi-Fi, Kathmandu, Culture Kings and JD Sports are very popular retailers and we’re seeing some queues out the front. We’ve had additional security positioned in these areas. The other spot is outside the Apple store, they’re managing their queuing area very well.”
“We have no-stopping in that are out the front of their store and a security guard in place to ensure nobody stops in that area.”
POSITIVE TEST CLOSES FACTORY
Workers at a packaging factory in Port Melbourne were sent home this week after a member of staff tested positive for coronavirus.
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos yesterday said Amcor Flexibles had closed the site once the infection was found on Monday and tested up to 100 employees.
Eight employees were believed to be in close contact and were asked to self-isolate.
It came as seven new confirmed cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed in the state.
All but one of these were overseas travellers and authorities are still investigating the source of the other infection.
The total number of confirmed cases in Victoria is 1670, with 526,000 tests processed so far.
Ms Mikakos said Amcor Flexibles had acted quickly.
“The company has gone above and beyond,” she said.
“This is a demonstration of the system working well, having a business working very closely with a public health team.”
Ms Mikakos also said Macleod Preschool, where a teacher tested positive to the virus earlier in the week, would stay closed for 14 days as a precaution.
“That’s not as a result of advice that’s been given to them by the health department but that’s just their decision,” she said.
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