Epping primary school closes after teacher tests positive to coronavirus
The Federal Education Minister has walked back his brutal criticism of Premier Daniel Andrews’ leadership and stance on remote learning. It comes after an Epping primary school teacher tested positive for coronavirus, forcing the school to close while the campus is cleaned and contact tracing is done.
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A primary school in Epping has been closed for three days after a teacher tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday.
The Meadowglen Primary School will be closed for three days while it is cleaned and contract tracing is done.
Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said the teacher had been teaching on campus recently, leading to the need for the school to be closed.
“This staff member has been on site recently, as a result of vulnerable students being present and learning at the school,” she said.
Students who need to attend school will be allowed to attend classes in a neighbouring school until the Epping school can be reopened.
Parents and teachers were contacted by the school on Sunday morning.
The Department of Education is working with the school.
Meadowglen Primary School principal Loretta Piazza told 3AW the positive result came from a male music teacher.
She said the man had very mild symptoms and was originally turned away from early testing.
He then got a test as part of the state government blitz and “sorta found out by accident”.
“The teacher was not in contact with children,” Ms Piazza said.
“School is OK and it’s a safe place.”
Two teachers have been asked to self-isolate for 14 days after being in close contact with the teacher.
It comes as almost 10,000 people were tested for coronavirus across Victoria on Saturday as part of the state government’s testing blitz.
Thirteen more cases were confirmed, taking the state’s total to 1384.
Six cases were linked to a Melbourne meat processing facility, three were returned travellers, one was a close contact of a known case and three were found as part of the blitz.
The state’s death toll remained at 18 and 12 people remain in hospital.
FEDERAL EDUCATION MINISTER WITHDRAWS CRITICISM
Explosive comments made by Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan on Sunday morning about Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews have been withdrawn just hours later.
Mr Tehan released a statement shortly after 3pm on Sunday, walking away from comments he made calling into question Mr Andrews’ leadership on schools amid the coronavirus pandemic.
He said he had overstepped.
“No one wants a situation where students are missing out on their education based on where they live or what school they go to,” Mr Tehan said in a statement.
“The academic research tells us that the remote learning arrangements have the potential to result in poorer educational outcomes for up to half of Australian primary and secondary students if continued for an extended period, in particular the vulnerable, poor, remote and Indigenous students who suffer the most.
“It was those examples I was thinking of this morning during my interview on Insiders when I expressed my personal frustration that more schools weren’t starting more in-class learning in my home state.
“It was this frustration that led me to overstep the mark in questioning Premier Andrews’ leadership on this matter and I withdraw.”
Mr Tehan had accused Mr Andrews of taking a sledgehammer to the Victorian education system said the Premier had failed to lead Victoria.
Mr Tehan said the premier of failing to take the advice of the medical expert panel on which Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton also sits.
“The question to Dan Andrews is, sure, take a sledgehammer to defeating the coronavirus but why are you taking a sledgehammer also to your school system?” Mr Tehan said on Insiders on Sunday morning.
“This is a failure of leadership by Dan Andrews.”
World-renowned immunologist and Nobel prize winner Professor Peter Doherty backed Mr Andrews’ response to the virus following the explosive comments about his leadership by Mr Tehan.
“I’m with Dan,” Prof Doherty wrote on Twitter.
“Canberra has done a good job and the national consensus has been great, but we’re now seeing a fragmenting of focus as they shot themselves in the foot re the origins of the virus and attacks on state Premiers.”
Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos also backed the premier and guessed Mr Tehan would not have made his comments had he known a school had been closed because of a positive test in a teacher yesterday.
The row between the Victorian and federal government was also labelled “disappointing” by opposition education spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek.
She said Mr Tehan had offered up “the most difficult and confusing” messages when he asked parents to listen to the medical expert panel rather than state premiers.
“At this difficult, stressful time, parents should be listening to their state premiers on education,” Ms Plibersek said.
She said the Federal Government was trying to “bully” schools to return.
About 1500 schools have accepted the Federal Government’s $3 billion funding incentive that would see private schools open at least six weeks before Victorian state schools.
The uptake in Victoria of the scheme was not as high as it had been in other states.
“Because even though we have a national panel... they are getting a mixed message on this,” Mr Tehan said.
- Tamsin Rose
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WHEN GOLF, FISHING BAN COULD BE LIFTED
Staggered work start times may be introduced across Melbourne to ease crowding on public transport and city streets when coronavirus restrictions are relaxed.
It’s understood some businesses could bring back just a third of their workforces.
Solitary recreational pursuits like golf, fishing and hunting could be allowed from next Sunday — as long as community transmission rates don’t spike in the meantime.
Skiing is possibly off the agenda after a number of Melbourne jetsetters contracted COVID-19 in Colorado’s luxury Aspen snow resorts.
Senior government sources told the Sunday Herald Sun changes to “reopen” Victoria would be small to start with.
Talks have begun on whether to increase the number of people able to gather in public from two to five, or even 10.
Whether small numbers of relatives should be able to visit each other and how many people can attend weddings and funerals is also being discussed.
Officially, Premier Dan Andrews and Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton are refusing to rule in or out the lifting of any restrictions when the State of Emergency ends on May 11.
Mr Andrews describes the situation as “fragile”.
Economics and business leaders say a staged loosening of restrictions can be expected, and it’s understood government planning is under way to limit congestion on public transport.
Ministers have warned against knee-jerk reactions to a few days of good news, pointing out Victoria still has cases of community transmission and if outbreaks occur and lockdowns return it may damage confidence.
“If you went back to where we were three weeks ago, then you’ve wasted all that time and money,” one said.
Deliberations came as a paramedic tested positive to coronavirus, forcing five of her colleagues into quarantine, while a new coronavirus cluster was discovered at a Melbourne meat processing plant.
University of Melbourne economist Professor Jeff Borland said workplaces could roster creatively so there were not too many people in buildings, or commuting at once.
“It is probably dependent … in the first place on government regulations, but then on the strategies businesses adopt,” Prof Borland said.
Victorian Chamber of Commerce chief Paul Guerra said worker safety was paramount.
“For business to come back … it’s got to be safe to travel on public transport and the work environment has to be safe,” he said.
- Matthew Johnston and Mandy Squires
PARTY-GOERS SLAPPED WITH FINES
A party of 10 has been busted flouting the state’s tough lockdown restrictions.
Police issued a total of 46 fines in the past 24 hours.
Ten people were fined for gathering at a home and four males were fined for hanging out in a car.
Numerous people were fined for committing drug offences.
- Aneeka Simonis
HIGH UPTAKE IN SHOPPING CENTRE VIRUS TESTING
Hoards of people were lining up for virus testing outside and queuing at stores inside Fountain Gate Shopping Centre yesterday.
Photos snapped at the busy Narre Warren complex showed large numbers of people congregating outside shops.
It came as the State Government rolled out more mobile coronavirus testing sites at shopping centre carparks.
Westfield shopping centre owner Scentre Group, which operates Fountain Gate, said it was working with health officials to ensure social distancing measures were followed in its carparks and inside centres.
Retailers were instructed to put up signs displaying how many people were allowed in their store at a time.
Scentre Group chief executive Peter Allen said: “The economy is still charting the road back and our business and retail has a key role to play in this but it will take time and will happen gradually.”
A State Government spokeswoman said Victorians needed to remain vigilant about only leaving home when necessary.
“With Victorians doing the right thing and staying home, we’ve been able to slow the spread of the virus, but we can’t get complacent - if we stay the course we will get through this together,’’ she said.
Shopping Centre Council chief executive Angus Nardi said the industry was working to ensure strict public health guidelines were followed so they could provide a safe, healthy and secure environment for shoppers.
The new drive-through testing locations opened yesterday were at
Box Hill Central, Eastland, Greensborough Plaza, Stockland Point Cook, The Glen, Victoria Gardens, Southland and Knox.
- Josh Fagan
MORTGAGES PUT ON HOLD AMID CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
More than 320,000 struggling homeowners across the nation have had their mortgage repayments put on hold amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Australian Banking Association data shows a further 170,000 business owners have been approved for a six-month loan deferral.
Nearly 37,000 other loan repayments, such as personal loans and credit cards, have also been deferred.
The total value of the more than half a million loans approved for deferral was some $5.9 billion.
Many banks have provided relief to loan holders who have been left without an income as businesses are forced to temporarily close due to COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.
Banking association chief Anna Bligh said the loan payment deferrals would take some pressure off Australians who are doing it tough.
“Bank call centres have been, and continue to be, inundated with people needing help,” Ms Bligh said.
“Many of these people have never had to ask for assistance before in their lives and may never again.”
Ms Bligh said banks had also provided more than $50 billion in quick approval new loans or increases to existing loans and credit to boost businesses and inject funds into the economy.
This included nearly $8.5 billion to more than 23,000 small businesses, she said.
“Australia is in an enviable position; our banks are the most stable and some of the strongest in the world,” Ms Bligh said.
“The strength of Australia’s banks has allowed the industry to step up and play a key role in helping, not only our customers, but supporting the recovery of the Australian economy, through one of the most challenging periods in our lifetimes.”
She urged anyone who needs support to contact their bank.
- Rebekah Cavanagh
FUNDING BOOST FOR WILDLIFE
The state’s most popular wildlife tourist attractions will be given a $14 million injection to help survive shutdowns due to coronavirus.
The financial boost could save nearly 800 jobs at Zoos Victoria’s three sites — Melbourne Zoo, Werribee Open Range Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary — and Phillip Island Nature Parks.
All four sites, which contribute almost $800 million to the Victorian economy each year, have suffered substantial revenue loss since closing in March to meet public health directions aimed at slowing the spread of the pandemic.
Environment minister Lily D’Ambrosio said the emergency support package will help to ensure the attractions can continue to operate and retain permanent staff until it is safe to open their doors again.
“This support protects jobs and allows these incredible organisations to continue their crucial conservation work while their doors are closed,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.
“We all want to see these wonderful attractions re-open and this funding will ensure they can do just that on the other side of the pandemic.”
The lifeline includes $5.5 million for Zoos Victoria and $8.8 million for Phillip Island Nature Parks, which is more dependent on international visitors.
Almost 2.7 million visitors, an annual record, came through the gates of Zoos Victoria’s three sites last year, while Phillip Island Nature Parks attract more than 1.1 million visitors annually.
Ms D’Ambrosio said the government was also looking to provide support for Victoria’s Alpine Resorts with the upcoming ski season being thrown into uncertainty.
- Rebekah Cavanagh
WORK-FROM-HOME A GAMECHANGER FOR REGIONAL VIC
Regional Australians could emerge the winners from the coronavirus crisis if big-city employers keep workers producing from home after lockdown restrictions are lifted.
Business leaders told the Sunday Herald Sun working from home opened up high-powered, Melbourne-based jobs to thousands of Victorians living in the country or on the coast, as well as to caregivers of young children and people with disabilities.
The flow-on effect could be many more people looking to flee the city for quieter lives in regional areas.
“People are going to work from home on a more permanent basis now (and) that removes the barriers for some people who perhaps were shut-out before because they were limited in how they could travel to work,” Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief Paul Guerra said.
The director of Swinburne’s Centre for the New Workforce, Sean Gallagher, said the COVID-19 pandemic had forced “the world’s biggest work-from-home experiment” and demonstrated employees did not need to be based in city offices to work well.
The “deep recession” that would follow the pandemic would also see businesses try to save money on building leases, office fit-outs, utility costs and other overheads, he said.
“COVID-19 is bringing forward the transition to the future of work much more rapidly,” Dr Gallagher said.
“Behind it are digital technologies. We have excellent messaging platforms and video conferencing, supported by email and so forth, which are allowing us to work, mostly very effectively, from home.
“Companies will look at ways to continue that at some level, while they’re also trying to cut costs.”
Employees in Australia’s burgeoning “knowledge industry” were among the best suited to work permanently from home, he said.
And Melbourne would not be at risk of becoming a ghost town if employees lived and worked in regional areas, because there would still be cause for them to meet and collaborate at city headquarters, and people would still head to the city to socialise, he said.
“Once we’re through the economic crisis, which will come after the health crisis, workers will gradually return to cities, but the reason they come to an office or a workplace will be different — it won’t be to do work on a computer, because why would you do that from an office any more? The reason people will come together is to do the things that people do really well together — collaborative work, creative work or solving really difficult problems together,” Dr Gallagher said.
According to Melbourne University’s Professor John Howe, there has also been a status change for previously “undervalued” professions, such as healthcare and supermarket workers and delivery drivers.
“Currently the most valued members of the workforce are still at their workplaces, supporting our physical needs — stocking supermarket shelves and delivering food and other necessities,” he said.
Mr Guerra said some employers would need to spend “serious money” upgrading technology and equipment if their workers were to switch more permanently to home-based work.
There was also the considerable “and absolutely essential” cost to all businesses of supporting their employees’ mental and physical health, and safety, he said.
But there were so many benefits to the work-from-home model — including increased freedom and family time, less travel time and costs, and better work-life balance — it was likely to be embraced.
“This can truly modernise the Australian workforce,” Mr Guerra said.
- Mandy Squires