Live coverage: Dan Andrews reveals steps out of Melbourne coronavirus lockdown
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has urged Victoria to fast-track the reopening of its shuttered pubs and restaurants if COVID cases remain low. It comes as all the 55 travellers from New Zealand have now been spoken to by Victorian authorities.
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Daniel Andrews has veered off Melbourne’s reopening road map, leaving shop owners, publicans and restaurateurs in limbo for another fortnight even as movement limits are eased.
From Monday, Melburnians can leave home as many times as they want each day, and travel up to 25km to see friends and family from one other household in groups of up to 10 outdoors.
But Saturday’s all-Victorian AFL Grand Final must be watched by millions of fans at home, as pubs, bars and clubs remain shut until November 2.
The Premier said the decision to keep businesses closed — which sparked widespread anger — would be reviewed daily, although it would not change before the weekend.
Under the government’s road map, those businesses had expected to reopen by October 26.
Police will enforce the new outdoor gatherings limit, with groups of 10 required to be clearly separated from others.
The new 25km travel bubble will be in place until November 2, and Mr Andrews said it “may well be a feature beyond that”, despite the government initially planning to release distance restrictions by the end of this month.
But despite the increase, epidemiologists have criticised the decision.
“The 25km limit doesn’t stop transmission so it doesn’t actually do much,” Professor Peter Collignon, of the Australian National University, said.
Masks are also likely to remain mandatory for even longer, after the Premier said the “low cost, high benefit” measure had “played a massive part” in containing the Shepparton cluster.
Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien said Mr Andrews was moving too slowly to reopen the city.
But Mr Andrews said: “These are the safe, steady steps that will see us out of this — and see us through to the other side.”
The state government’s five-case rolling average threshold to move to the next stage has been scrapped, and Mr Andrews indicated the zero-case threshold for further changes in late November would also be set aside.
“As the numbers get very low, you do have to make that difficult judgment — could this be as good as it’s going to get — then make a proportionate decision,” he said.
He said the “increased compliance activity” would continue into November but he was still aiming to allow Melburnians to travel to regional areas and interstate by Christmas.
With just two cases recorded on Sunday and Melbourne’s rolling average dropping to 7.5, business chiefs said there was “no sound reason” to keep shops and hospitality venues shut.
Some staff will be able to return on October 28 to prepare their premises for customers.
“This is an inexplicable and unacceptable delay for Victorians and small businesses who are hanging on by a day, not a week,” Business Council chief Jennifer Westacott said.
While hairdressers can also reopen from Monday — along with golf courses and tennis courts — Ms Westacott said that was “not good enough”.
“There’s no point having a 25km travel zone if nothing is open,” she said.
Victorians who can work from home are unlikely to return to the office this year, and Mr Andrews said that rule would “be a feature for a while longer yet”.
NEW ZEALAND TRAVELLERS ACCOUNTED FOR
All 55 travellers from New Zealand have now been spoken to by Victorian authorities.
Three of them had not crossed the New South Wales border, while another did come to Victoria but had already returned north.
The Department of Health and Human Services said 21 of the 55 arrived on domestic flights on Friday and Saturday, while the others travelled to Victoria “using other modes of transport”.
“DHHS authorised officers continue to meet incoming flights at Melbourne Airport and provide information to arriving passengers,” the department said.
- Tom Minear
PM URGES EARLY MOVE ON HOSPITALITY IF CASES STAY LOW
Scott Morrison has welcomed the new freedoms handed to Victorians but urged Daniel Andrews to allow hospitality and retail businesses to open sooner.
In a joint statement with Health Minister Greg Hunt and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, the Prime Minister said the restrictions had come at a “heavy cost” to Victorians.
“The continued health, mental health and financial impacts of these restrictions will be profound on many Victorians,” they said.
“That is why we encourage Victoria to move safely and quickly towards the NSW model of strong contact tracing and a COVID-safe but predominantly open economy.”
They praised Victorians for adhering to such tough restrictions and bringing down the coronavirus case numbers but warned of the damage ongoing restrictions would cause.
“Whilst the Premier’s announcement of the Victorian government’s decisions today enable some businesses to return to a limited COVID-safe operation, many remain closed,” they said.
“We understand and sympathise with the frustration and concern expressed by businesses about the ongoing cost and impact on their jobs and livelihoods of this second wave.”
“Victoria’s three-day rolling average is now below two cases per day. Maintaining this result will make a strong case for the retail and hospitality sectors to reopen before the next review date in November. This should remain under active consideration.”
More than 1000 jobs have been lost on average every day during Melbourne’s lockdown.
– Tom Minear
NO GRAND FINAL DAY BBQS, MASKS HERE TO STAY
Victorians will be able to celebrate the Grand Final but Premier Daniel Andrews has warned against throwing backyard barbecues and parties with social restrictions still in place in Metropolitan Melbourne.
Melburnians will not be free to have large groups to their homes on Saturday 24 and Premier Daniel Andrews pleaded with footy fans to not break the rules and risk another outbreak and party at home alone.
“Whilst I know that many people would normally spend time with family and friends to celebrate that day,” he said.
It’s a big part of who we are, but your household, and only the members of your household.
“That’s how grand final day has to be.
WHERE DOES THE 25KM BUBBLE TAKE YOU?
* This map is a guide only. Compatibility issues may occur on some Android phones
“You can’t have friends over into your home. You can’t pretend that it’s over because we all desperately want it to be as important as that is, as in a cultural sense in a, in a very passionate way.”
Masks will also remain mandatory in Victoria despite low cases and a new road map out of lockdown.
Premier Daniel Andrews on Sunday said masks were here to stay “until we make the announcement that they aren’t”.
It comes after people in regional Victoria have called for the policy to be reviewed, however, health authorities believe it remains an effective and easy strategy to reduce spread.
Mr Andrews pointed to the Shepparton scare and said masks would have played a big part in the case numbers not growing.
“The fact that masks are still mandatory when you’re out of your own home, I think that has almost certainly played a part in the fact that we’ve done 6000 tests we had a positive people there unbeknownst to them moving around in the community for quite a lengthy period of time, and we’ve got only three cases,” he said.
“So masks work.
“They’re not everything. But, as some would suggest, they’re not nothing.
“Either they make a difference, low cost, high benefit, which means they’re here until we make an announcement that they aren’t and I know it’s not pleasant, particularly as the weather gets warmer.”
FULL LIST OF WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN’T DO IN VICTORIA
HOW 55 KIWIS MADE THEIR WAY INTO VICTORIA
The number of New Zealanders in Victoria has risen to 55 prompting angry words from Premier Daniel Andrews.
It was revealed on Sunday the number of international Kiwi travellers to board a plane to Victoria had jumped from the 17 originally flagged.
The revelation prompted Mr Andrews to hit out at his federal counterparts saying Victoria did not agree to the bubble but was now expected to chase these people up and make sure they obey the rules and restrictions currently in place in Melbourne.
“At the end of the day we were asked whether we want to be part of this and we said no,” Mr Andrews said.
“We made it clear we don’t want international national arrivals in our state unless they are quarantined.
It comes as authorised officers were stationed at the Melbourne Airport.
However, despite hitting out at Acting Immigration minister Alan Tudge Mr Andrews claimed he simply “wanted it fixed” rather than a “fight” with his federal counterparts.
“We’ve got authorised officers at the airport now, because this has happened, we didn’t think it would happen but it has happened. We’re going to follow up as much as we can, but I don’t control the borders and I don’t control what happens at Sydney Airport and I don’t think anyone can reasonably expect me to.
“So, I’m not looking for a fight on this, but just want it fixed.”
He said more than a dozen of the New Zealand visitors had been tracked down but said at least one was in Byron Bay not in Victoria.
NO BUDGE TO STUDENTS’ RETURN DATE
Metropolitan school students in years eight to ten will study at home this week, with no change to the October 26 date for a return to campus.
More than 163,000 students in metropolitan areas are still learning remotely at home after most other Melbourne school students have gone back to school.
The lack of change was met with disapproval by the Australian Principal’s Federation, with president Julie Podbury saying she was “deeply disappointed”.
“These students need to be back in their classroom with their peers and teachers,” she said.
Cindy McLeish, opposition education spokeswoman, said many families had hoped the easing of restrictions would see kids return to class earlier.
“Again, the government has let down families with kids in years eight to ten, who are desperate to get back to school,” she said.
A Department of Education spokeswoman said the staggered return of year eight to ten students was based on the advice of the Victorian Chief Health Officer.
“This approach helps manage the increased movement across the community with the return of staff and students to school,” she said.
There are currently no schools closed due to coronavirus cases.
Balwyn North parent Vikki Bogdanovski said her “expectations were very low as we have lost all confidence in the government”.
Her daughter Kristy, 14, is in year 9 at Ruyton Girls’ School and is still studying at home. “Kristy feels that she’s falling behind in school. Although she’s really trying, the classroom environment is so important”.
VICTORIA RECORDS TWO NEW CASES, NO DEATHS
The update comes as just two new cases of coronavirus and no deaths were recorded in Victoria overnight after Premier Daniel Andrews flagged he would take “significant steps” to ease lockdown rules.
However, changes are not anticipated to be as wide-scale as initially planned, given the number of mystery cases in the state.
Of the latest cases, one is under investigation and one linked to know outbreak.
Twelve Victorians remain in hospital with none in intensive care.
There are 15 cases with an unknown source in Melbourne and zero in regional Victoria.
Regional Victoria now have seven active cases.
The rolling 14-day average is 7.5 in metro Melbourne, with the original benchmark set at five for the Andrews Government to ease restrictions significantly from Monday.
Regional Victoria has a daily case average of just 0.5.
The state now has 137 active coronavirus cases
On Saturday the state recorded just one new cases of COVID-19, with less infections than NSW.
REVEALED: THE RULES THAT WILL BE SCRAPPED TODAY
BARBERSHOP OWNER CALLS ON BUSINESSES TO UNITE
The owners of a Hughesdale hair and barber salon who were fined almost $10,000 for opening their doors on Saturday have encouraged other small businesses to open on Sunday as a show of support.
Adam and Weave Barber and Salon reopened ahead of Premier Daniel Andrews’ highly anticipated restriction announcement expected on Sunday, but police forced the salon to close.
Co-owner Jomana Najem, who owns the salon with her husband, Rojer Achallak, took to Facebook late on Saturday night where she thanked the crowd for their support and asked other local businesses to open up while the salon sought legal advice.
“We were closed down today, but that doesn’t mean we’re not going to reopen,” Ms Najem said.
“If I can get even another 20 businesses tomorrow to open their doors in solidarity with us, then I don’t think we will be arrested,” she said.
“Just do it.”
“We have the real power.”
The couple has also been issued a prohibition notice by police for breaching the Chief Health Officer’s restrictions.
If they open the salon again ton Sunday, they risk being arrested.
Ms Najem on Friday said that small businesses should open up because the stage four roadmap left them uncertain about their futures.
“Please open for your own survival because at the end of the day a $10,000 fine can be taken to court and if you didn’t have any income to pay it you can just pay $5 a week,” she said.
“I have no faith tomorrow that they are really going to make any changes,” Ms Najem said.
The pair are currently fighting the hefty fine and are waiting for legal advice before announcing their next move.
HENNA TATTOOS lAND WOMEN WITH HEFTY FINES
Three women who gathered at a Whitehorse home to do henna tattoos are among the latest batch of Victorians to be fined for breaching lockdown restrictions.
Police issued 89 fines in the past 24 hours, including 12 for bit wearing a mask and 22 at vehicle checkpoints.
Officers also handed out fines to six partygoers at a gathering in Moonee Valley.
LIES STOPPING CONTACT TRACERS FROM DOING THEIR JOB
Victorians have been urged to tell the truth to contact tracers following disturbing reports that some people infected with the coronavirus are not being forthcoming.
Premier Daniel Andrews said on Saturday it was vital public health teams had all the information they needed if the state was to stay on top of the virus and prevent more deadly outbreaks.
It comes after a superspreader truck driver who travelled from Melbourne to Kilmore and Shepparton infected a number of people.
On Saturday, the state recorded just one new coronavirus case, in the Hume local government area, and no new deaths.
Mr Andrews hit out at people who lied about their movements when health workers interviewed them, following recent criticism of contact-tracing delays.
He said in one example a person didn’t tell authorities about their second job “because the job was one which is not known to the ATO”.
“There’s people who go and visit regional communities and don’t tell us,” he said.
“There’s no sense of shame or stigma, you just have to give us the most complete picture.
“Talking to a contact-tracer — we’ll respect your privacy, we just want the corona (information).”
The contact-tracing system has come under fire in the past week after it emerged the truck driver who spread the virus to regional Victoria may have isolated earlier if a three-ring isolation strategy — used in other states’ public health response — was implemented.
Mr Andrews celebrated Saturday’s figure of just one new case. That one is linked to a new Hoppers Crossing community outbreak — three cases across two households. The outbreak includes a case linked to Woolworths QV in Melbourne’s CBD.
In a statement, the Department of Health and Human Services said the new case was a known family close contact of that Woolworths case and there was no evidence of workplace transmission.
“These numbers are a credit to every Victorian,” Mr Andrews said.
He again urged any Victorians with symptoms to immediately get tested.
“We can’t just throw open the doors, we have to do this in a safe and steady way,” he said. “Mystery cases still remain a concern.”
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton confirmed on Saturday that a child is in the Royal Children’s Hospital with a positive coronavirus diagnosis. It is not yet known how the child contracted the virus.
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