Tradies ‘frantically’ busy as homeowners try to complete works
Homeowners are rushing to have renovations fast tracked amid looming concerns further social restrictions will bring construction work to a halt. It comes as Victoria has recorded its 11th death from coronavirus, with a woman in her 80s identified as the most recent victim.
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Business is booming for tradies as homeowners take the chance to get house repairs completed.
Renovation project manager with Overhall Tom Hall said there was a high demand for house painting, new carpet, new decks and window repairs.
“At the moment, it’s frantic,” Mr Hall said.
“There’s a lot of panic with people expecting a shutdown and concern about getting supplies but it’s also about people working at home so they see it as a good chance to let us in and do the work.”
Mr Hall said demand was particularly strong among established clients who were keen to pay up to get work completed.
“They want to see the work move along but there are also a couple of new projects coming up,” he said.
“This is the case with electricians, tilers, painters. We’re all really busy. Some clients don’t want us in the house but most know we keep the required distance and it’s also a good time to get outdoor jobs done, like decks and windows.”
Master Builders Association spokeswoman Rebecca Casson said builders and tradespeople were continuing to be in high demand.
“Homeowners should know that if there is work that needs to be done, builders and tradespeople are able to help them,” Ms Casson said.
“While many homeowners have engaged builders for renovations and home improvements, which is creating some demand at present, there are builders out there still eager for work.”
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ANOTHER VICTORIAN DIES, COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION CONTINUES TO RISE
Coronavirus has claimed the life of another Victorian, with a woman, aged in her 80s, dying in hospital.
Victoria now has 1191 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with an additional 33 cases recorded overnight.
Community transmissions continue to rise, with 93 cases believed to have been acquired in the community.
47 Victorians are in hospital with coronavirus, 13 of those in intensive care.
686 people have recovered so far in Victoria, and more than 58,000 Victorians have been tested for COVID-19.
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A NEW-LOOK YEAR 12
The Victorian premier Daniel Andrews said he was confident current students could complete year 12 before the end of the year.
“We’re not about years 13 or people repeating,” he said.
“We think that we can get this done.
“As soon as we can provide more detail to our Year 12 cohort, and indeed, all students and their families, of course, we will.
“But (the) rest of Year 12, just like school for every student on day one of term two, is going to be different.
“It’s going to look different, it’s going to unfold in a different way.”
The Victorian education minister James Merlino said that a contingency plan had already been worked out.
“Plan B could include exams in early part of next year could include deriving the ATAR by looking at the GAT test, school-based assessment and year 11 work,” he said.
“Our aim is to have Year 12 exams in December but we do have a plan B if we need to go there.
“There will be no year 13.”
SUPPORT TO CONTINUE IN REGIONAL, SPECIAL NEEDS SCHOOLS
The school bus program in regional Victoria will run as usual, as will disability transport.
Mr Merlino said that the individuals circumstances of each school and student would need to be considered when figuring out remote learning options.
“There will be children with a disability where its simply too hard to study in a home-based environment; in that case, they will study from school,” he said.
“These will be decisions that parents will make. It is silly to have hard and fast lists of who’s in and who’s out.
“If you can provide study from home, you must.
Mr Merlino confirmed that when students and staff needed to be at school, there would be strict social distancing measures in play.
“There’s no congregation before and after school ... during school hours, before and after school, people will practice social distancing,” he said.
“Our teachers have been doing an amazing job.
“We’re asking them to do things that they haven’t had to do before, and they’ve really risen to the job.”
HOW TO CLAIM WORKING FROM HOME COSTS AT TAX TIME
Australians working from home because of the coronavirus pandemic will be able to claim an easy tax deduction for their expenses.
The Australian Taxation Office will let workers claim a flat rate of 80c per hour for their working expenses, rather than having to calculate individual deductions and costs.
Workers will simply have to record their hours, and multiple people living in the same house will be allowed to claim the same rate.
“This recognises that many taxpayers are working from home for the first time and makes claiming a deduction much easier,” ATO assistant commissioner Karen Foat said.
“If you choose to use this shortcut method, all you need to do is keep a record of the hours you worked from home as evidence of your claim.”
Workers can also choose to claim working from home expenses under more complicated existing arrangements.
The 80c rate is designed to cover deductions for extra expenses like IT equipment, desks and chairs, and utilities such as internet connections, electricity and gas.
FREIGHT AT MELBOURNE AIRPORT SKYROCKETS
The slump in the number of passenger flights has sparked a takeoff in air freight traffic at Melbourne Airport since the coronavirus crippled the aviation industry.
More than 40 international cargo planes are now coming in and out of Melbourne — 31 more than before COVID-19.
Freight which was normally carried on passenger jets is now going on to air freighters.
Qatar Airways Cargo is the latest of 15 new airlines operating cargo flights, with a Boeing B777 coming into Melbourne twice a week.
Melbourne Airport chief executive Lyell Strambi said many people were buying goods online while in isolation.
“And the need to move critical goods such as medical supplies and produce is absolutely vital,” he said.
“We have obviously lost a lot of space in the belly hold of commercial passenger flights and we’re focused on bridging that gap to ensure the movement of goods continues at the right pace.
Melbourne Airport’s ability to operate 24 hours curfew-free was crucial to exporters and importers, he said.
China is Melbourne’s busiest export destination with 19 flights a week, followed by Singapore with seven flights.
The figures are expected to grow on the back of a $110 million support package unveiled by Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack last week to help with limited capacity and the increased freight costs for agricultural goods.
It will apply to freight leaving Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, with flights to return loaded with medical supplies, medicines and equipment.
Victorian Farmers Federation president David Jochinke said the move helped to secure dedicated freight flights.
“Victoria is Australia’s largest food and fibre exporter — . we export the most dairy (77 per cent), fruit (60 per cent), nuts (51 per cent) and prepared foods (32 per cent) compared to any other state in Australia,’’ he said.
CRUISE SHIP PASSENGERS LAND IN MELBOURNE
Hundreds of Australians who had been stranded at sea on cruise ships bound for South America have touched down in Melbourne.
Almost 220 travellers from three cruise ships were on Tuesday flown home on a United Airlines flight from San Francisco.
It included passengers from the Coral Princess, a ship originally bound for Beunos Airies before crew and travellers were struck down by the deadly virus.
Four elderly passengers on the Zaandam and Rotterdam cruises also died, including two from COVID-19, before it docked in Fort Lauderdale, Florida last week.
Passengers were “cleared” by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before disembarking the ships and flying to Melbourne.
“Only these cruise ship customers were on the flight, and prior to being allowed to board the aircraft, all passengers received additional screening which included being checked individually by a doctor to confirm they were fit for travel,” United Airlines said in a statement.
“These are extraordinary times and while we take enormous pride in our commitment to safety, we also take pride in our ability to connect the world.
“By providing these Australian citizens a safe and much needed way to get home after a long time at sea half a world away, we exemplify our commitment and are proud to do our part to help all we can during this crisis.”
ANDREWS: THIS IS NOT STAGE 4
The Premier assured Victorians that these new schooling measures were not part of stage four shutdown.
“There are a whole range of other measures that become necessary,” he said.
“There’s some stability to the numbers right now, that can change rapidly.
“With such a substantial reduction in the tests we have to do on returned travellers, we have the potential to increase testing in other settings.”
Mr Andrews said that expanding testing could see an increase in the number of coronavirus cases.
“We’re doing a lot more testing as of yesterday, so it stands to reason the more you search, the more you may well find,” he said.
The state's chief health officer reiterated the importance of social distancing.
“This is a fragile plateau we’re on at the moment,” Professor Brett Sutton said.
“If there is a failure of social distancing, if we can’t get control on this very infectious disease that is killing someone every 2.5 minutes in New York... we need to avoid those sorts of outcomes.
EASTER NOT A NORMAL LONG WEEKEND
Australia faces an “explosive resurgence” of the coronavirus if unprecedented social distancing and self-isolation rules are relaxed.
Authorities are now on high alert for the Easter long weekend, with Scott Morrison warning the nation faces a “horror scenario” if people become complacent about the pandemic.
Alarming modelling, released yesterday (TUES) by the Prime Minister, showed about 30,000 critically ill Australians would have been left to fight the coronavirus without intensive care if it was allowed to rip through the country.
The worst-case scenario model, based on international evidence, predicted an uncontrolled outbreak would infect almost 23 million Australians, 38 per cent of whom would need medical care.
At the peak, 35,000 people would have needed intensive care beds — and hospitals would have only had room for 15 per cent, likely costing thousands of lives.
The national cabinet used the modelling to decide on quarantine, isolation and social distancing measures, with overseas experience suggesting that would reduce community transmission of the virus by a third, freeing up intensive care beds for all at-risk patients.
Mr Morrison said those measures meant Australia had managed to avoid tens of thousands of cases by slowing the spread of the virus even faster than the government expected.
“But we must hold the course. We must lock in these gains,” he said.
“We have so far avoided the horror scenarios that we have seen overseas.”
“We have bought valuable time, but we cannot be complacent … This Easter weekend will be incredibly important. Stay at home. Failure to do so this weekend would completely undo everything we have achieved so far together, and potentially worse.”
Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy said the biggest concern was more than 500 people, including 93 Victorians, acquired the virus “from someone in the community that doesn't know they’ve had it”.
“That is why we cannot relax,” he said. “If we, in any way, lose that rigour that the Australian community has embraced, particularly over Easter, it could all come undone.”
Mr Morrison insists restrictions could be in place for six months, and New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said social distancing would be “a way of life” until a vaccine was found — likely at least a year away.
University of Melbourne epidemiologist James McCaw, from the Doherty Institute team which produced the modelling, warned softening such measures could result in a “rapid and explosive resurgence in epidemic activity”.
He said the number of new cases would decline as restrictions were enforced, but that the population was “still largely susceptible” to the virus.
Premier Daniel Andrews also declared this weekend was “a matter of life and death”.
“We have a long weekend coming up — we do not have a holiday weekend coming up,” Mr Andrews said.
“If people go about their business and have a normal Easter, then all of our hard-won gains will just be frittered away.”
Victoria recorded another 33 cases on Tuesday, taking the state’s total to 1191, as a woman in her 80s died in hospital.
She was the state’s 11th casualty, with another 47 people currently in hospital including 13 in intensive care.
LEARNER DRIVER’S FINE TO BE WITHDRAWN
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton has said that the $1652 on-the-spot social distancing fine issued to a Hampton learner driver would be withdrawn.
Mr Patton said police should have shown discretion.
“We are going to be withdrawing that infringement this morning,” he said.
Hunter Reynolds, 17, was driving with her mum Sharee on the Peninsula Link on the weekend when police pulled them over.
Mr Patton said he was satisfied the fine had been “legally issued” but that discretion should have been applied
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MAJOR EVENTS COULD BE IMPACTED
It comes as next year’s Australian Open could be played without fans and international players would be forced into strict quarantine under radical measures being considered by Tennis Australia.
The Herald Sun can reveal the organisers of Australia’s biggest international sporting event are considering a number of extreme options to make sure the grand slam runs in some form in January.
It comes as the Federal Sports Minister yesterday warned other cherished sporting events including the Melbourne Cup and Boxing Day Test would be forced to adapt.
The government is considering keeping Australia’s border shut until well after social distancing rules are relaxed in about six months time.
Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley said the “extraordinary times” meant adaptation and agility were necessary.
“With such a high-dependency on international travel we are looking at what we might have to do if players need to be quarantined for any length of time before being allowed to freely move around Australia,” Mr Tiley said.
“If mass gatherings are still not allowed or severely restricted next year, we are looking at the possibility of running an event for broadcast.
“These are just two of many scenarios we have to examine.”
This year the January tournament attracted more than 800,000 spectators, making it the country’s biggest international sporting event.
“We have to be prepared for a changed environment,” Mr Tiley said.
“We don’t know which of the current measures being used to try and contain the spread of infection will still need to be in place for the medium to long term.”
Contingency plans are also being made for the Melbourne Cup to be run behind closed doors on November 3, or with no foreign riders taking part.
The Victoria Racing Club is “planning at a very high-level” for different scenarios ahead of the race that stops a nation.
With racing continuing in Victoria with a lockout of owners, bookmakers, tote operators and spectators, the 2020 Cup could run without the usual 90,000-strong crowd.
A VRC spokesman said: “We are planning for a number of different scenarios so that we can emerge from this crisis and remain one of the nation’s greatest events that bolsters not only Victoria’s tourism, hospitality and retail sectors, but the spirits of a nation.”
Federal Sports Minister Richard Colbeck has issued a call for organisers of the Melbourne-based international events to “adapt”.
“There is a lot at stake but the safety and wellbeing of Australians remains a priority,” Senator Colbeck said.
“Sporting organisations and major event organisers will need to adapt.”
An extended ban on all foreigners entering Australia would affect other key events including the ICC T20 World Cup final slated for November 15 at the MCG, next year’s F1 Grand Prix and the Boxing Day Test.
Victorian Sports Minister Martin Pakula said work on different scenarios was being done but could not confirm events as far out as 2021 would go ahead.
HARRY POTTER PERFORMANCES FURTHER DELAYED
The producers of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child have further postponed performances in line with the latest government advice.
Performances had previously only been postponed until April 15 but producers today announced ticket holders for performances from April 15 to May 31 will be automatically moved to an alternative date from Wednesday October 7.
They will be assigned to the same seats they originally booked and affected customers will be contacted directly with details of their rescheduled date. Provisions will be made for those unable to attend the postponed performance they’ve been allocated.
The latest information regarding ticketing policy and performances including a list of rescheduled dates is updated regularly on the play’s official social media channels and website, www.harrypottertheplay.com.au.
SUPPORT A GOOD CAUSE DURING TOUGH TIMES
North Melbourne coach Rhyce Shaw has urged Victorians doing it tough during the coronavirus crisis to do what they can to support the Good Friday Royal Children’s Appeal.
With Good Friday this year a footy-free zone, the Kangaroos coach said he hoped Aussies would still give what they could afford.
“It is a great cause and, if people can, we would love them to spare a couple of bucks,” he said.
Shaw also raised the prospect of playing a footy fundraiser for sick kids when AFL action returns.
Roos defender Jamie Macmillan said players were disappointed they could not play for the kids on Friday or rattle tins to raise money and would support a future AFL match for the cause. “When the time is right, we will definitely do it,’’ he said.
ALLEGED DRINK-DRIVER FINED
An alleged drunk driver has been issued a $1652 fine for not following social distancing regulations after being pulled over by police.
Horsham Police breath tested the man he was found to be driving erratically on Baillie Rd at 1.30am on April 5.
The 37-year-old South Australian driver was allegedly found to be more than six times over the legal limit after police recorded a breath test result of 0.313.
It is also alleged that his driver’s licence was disqualified at the time.
After being pulled over by police, the driver and his two passengers were also found to be in breach of social distancing rules set out by the Chief Health officer and were slapped with a $1652 fine.
The driver will face court on summons for drink driving offences at a later date.
HELP ON HAND FOR HOSPITAL HEROES
Nurse and doctors on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus are set to get parking fee relief in a major boost to morale and their hip pockets.
Councils have been asked to waive fees around hospital precincts, with the City of Melbourne already calling off parking inspectors to help health workers bravely treating patients.
Talks have also begun between the Andrews Government and private operators of hospital car parks in a bid to get special deals for staff.
The action comes just days after the issue was highlighted in the Herald Sun’s Frontline Heroes campaign as a concern of Victorian health workers.
The ongoing campaign had already seen accommodation for those workers stranded during isolation and free mobile phone coverage from Optus and Vodafone.
Some doctors and nurses are paying hefty parking bills after long drives to work — including many who have shifted from public transport to reduce infection risks.
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation state secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said some nurses relocated to COVID-19 fever clinics “have to continue to pay for carparking they are not able to use just to retain the privilege” and relaxing access and fees would be a big boost.
Read more on this story here.
TRIBUTES FOR OUR YOUNGEST CORONAVIRUS VICTIM
A 55-year-old nurse working in the disability sector is Victoria’s youngest person to die of COVID-19.
Father of two Sumith Premachandra was remembered by grieving relatives as a “giant teddy bear” with a “gentle heart” who was working on the healthcare frontline.
His family was at the hospital but could not be by his bedside when he died on Sunday.
Victoria’s death toll now stands at 10. It comes as the state’s Chief Health Officer warns that thousands of Victorians could die if the state government relaxes its tough social distancing measures.
The total number of confirmed cases in Victoria yesterday increased by 23 to 1158, and 45 of them are in hospital, including 11 in intensive care.
Read more on this story here.
FREE BEERS AIMED TO HELP SAVE PUBS
Australians are being urged to support pubs in their hour of need by buying a beer now and being rewarded with a free drink later.
A $1 million campaign to help pubs closed due to the coronavirus pandemic from closing permanently has been launched with people asked to buy a pint at their favourite local.
The Love Your Local campaign will give the cash direct to the venue to pay rent, bills and staff.
When the coronavirus is over and pubs re open, people will be given two free drinks for the price of one.
Pubs around the nation will take part in the joint initiative by Carlton and United Breweries and the Australian Hotels Association.
CUB chief executive Peter Filipovic said it was “a win-win” for pubs, clubs and beer lovers.
“Some venues are facing the prospect of never opening their doors again if they don’t get cash flow,” he said.
“It is an unprecedented challenge, not even during the world wars or the Depression did the pubs close.
“But we know Australians want pubs and clubs to keep their place at the heart of many local communities once this crisis is over.”
The move will see beer lovers buy a pint via PayPal to ensure venues receive the money quickly.
When pub doors re open they will be sent an email with a voucher for two pints.
More than 10,000 pubs that employ more than one million hospitality workers have been forced to call last drinks for now as the coronavirus hits the $20 billion industry hard.
At St Kilda’s Village Belle Hotel, Steven Shannon said about 80 staff had to be stood down while the coronavirus forced the pub to close.
“We know closing is the right thing to do but it is very tough,” he said.
“To get an injection of funds like this now will help us bounce back when the ban is lifted.”
Australian Hotels Association Victoria President David Canny said the industry had been ”dealt a terrible blow” but this offered hope.
“There is a whole supply chain from farmers to drivers who rely on a thriving hotel industry,” he said.
“I’d ask Victorians to dig deep and support their local, and the whole industry, when it needs it.”
CUB has donated $1 million dollars worth of kegs to the cause and will consider upping the offer if people rush to their pub’s support.
Go to loveofyourlocal.com.au to support your pub.
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