Premier Daniel Andrews defends not naming Cedar Meats after virus outbreak
Premier Daniel Andrews has defended the move not to name the meatworks at the centre of a coronavirus outbreak, which has previously made donations to the Labor party. It comes as 13,000 Victorians were tested in a virus blitz yesterday.
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Coronavirus infections in Victoria have jumped again as more people connected to a meat works tested positive.
Infections at the meat works made up 19 of the 22 new cases added to Victoria’s total.
Another two were overseas travellers and authorities are still working to discover how one other person contracted the disease.
The state government did not name the meatworks involved in the outbreak, but the general manager of Cedar Meats has confirmed the cases came from their West Melbourne facility.
The meat works’ has previously made donations to the Labor Party, but Premier Daniel Andrews said the donations were a matter for the party executive.
“Some businesses have been named. Some businesses have not,” he said.
“That is not a judgment that’s made by any minister. That is a judgment that’s made by the public health team.”
“It’s made on one basis and one basis only. Is naming the business critical in tracing the number of people that might have the virus as a result of an outbreak at the business.”
The facility is run by the Kairouz family, however Mr Andrews said they were not connected to Victoria’s Consumer Affairs Minister Marlene Kairouz.
“There is no connection apart from the same family name which is a very popular family name,” he said.
“She’s very proud of her heritage. I’m very proud of her. She has a name that’s very common in the community where her parents are from and that is the end of it.”
In a statement provided to 3AW, Cedar Meats general manager Tony Kairouz said “a number of employees” had tested positive to coronavirus, but he assured customers their meat was safe to eat.
“All meat processed at our facilities is processed in accordance with Australian Standards for food safety and our customers can be confident that the meat processed at our facilities is safe to eat,” he said.
“All workers are self-quarantining and we are working closely with Victorian health authorities.”
There have been 34 cases linked to the outbreak, including 19 of the 22 new COVID-19 cases recorded in Victoria overnight.
The Herald Sun has contacted Cedar Meats for comment.
It comes as more than 13,000 people were tested for the virus yesterday as part of an ongoing blitz.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the new cases were a reminder Victoria needed to be vigilant.
“We have to stay the course,” he said.
Victoria’s two-week testing blitz was announced ahead of the potential end of the state of emergency on May 11.
There are 90 test sites across the state, including at workplaces and shopping centres.
Mr Andrews said the fight against the virus was far from over and it was important to stay the course.
“We are hopeful we will have options that many countries around the world simply have not had,” he said.
“If you have not been tested and you have even the mildest symptoms please come forward.
“That testing has never been more important to give us the options we all want.”
The state government hopes to test 100,000 Victorians by the end of the week.
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AUSSIE BUSINESSES FEEL COVID PAIN
Just under three-quarters of Australians businesses have had their cashflow slashed as a result of COVID-19 and expect that to negatively impact them over the next two months, according to new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The ABS also found more than 60 per cent of businesses had or intended to apply for the Morrison Government’s JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme.
ABS Head of Industry Statistics John Shepherd said the reduction in demand for goods and services would impact about 70 per cent of businesses over the coming two months.
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TEENAGE SUICIDES SURGED DURING LOCKDOWN
Teenage suicides have surged during the coronavirus lockdown, sparking calls for Victorian schools to fully reopen to save lives.
The Herald Sun has been told of several adolescent suicides in Melbourne in the past fortnight where the impact of the shutdowns is believed to be a factor.
Health experts have warned of the devastating effect on mental health the lockdown has had on young people.
New suicide prevention modelling warns of a “major second curve” of mental illness cases triggered by COVID-19.
Child psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg said getting children back to school could help prevent further tragedies.
“Social isolation is catastrophic for adolescent mental health and the longer schools stay shut the worse these psychological issues will be,” he said. “My view is they have to get back to school.”
Premier Daniel Andrews has said he will keep schools closed for term 2 despite pressure from Prime Minister Scott Morrison to have them reopened earlier.
Dr Carr-Gregg said young people with pre-existing mental health issues have struggled to cope during the lockdown.
He said it was crucial parents relaxed screen-time rules and encouraged as much virtual interaction as possible.
“Young people want autonomy and independence but that’s been taken away from them as well as peer contact at school,” Dr Carr-Gregg said.
“Parents need to set an emotional tone at home, be optimistic and facilitate virtual contact.
“An hour on FaceTime with Grandma is fine, an hour on Fortnite playing and laughing with a mate is fine, a drawing tutorial on YouTube is fine.”
Researchers at Orygen at the University of Melbourne and the Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney have developed modelling to predict and prevent suicides during the pandemic.
Prof Patrick McGorry, of Orygen, warned a spike in mental health cases was on the way.
“There is always a big surge in new cases of depression, anxiety and psychosis after a disaster,” he said. “The more vulnerable will tip over in much bigger numbers.”
The modelling will be presented to the National Cabinet on Friday to determine how best to deal with the mental health impacts of the virus.
A spokeswoman for the state government said in response to the pandemic, a $59.4 million package would help Victorians with their mental health.
QUEENSLAND STUDENTS RETURN TO CLASSROOMS
From May 11, Queensland’s kindergarten, Prep and Year 1, 11 and 12 students will go back to school.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the government would reassess on May 15 for the rest of the grades with the intention of sending all students back on May 25.
Ms Palaszczuk said the return to classrooms was made possible by the state’s low infection rates, thanking Queenslanders for the hard work they had done.
She said it followed extensive discussions with Education Minister Grace Grace.
It comes after three new cases in Queensland overnight with one case contracted in London, another in Los Angeles and the other on a cruise ship.
It takes the state’s total to 1038.
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CORONAVIRUS IMPACT CAUSES FALL IN APPRENTICES JOBS
New jobs for apprentices in Victoria have fallen dramatically amid concerns the financial impact of coronavirus could delay school leavers from learning vital skills.
Analysis by the Global Apprenticeships Network (GAN) show there were just 102 apprenticeships advertised across the state in April compared with 454 over the same period last year.
Nationally, vacancy numbers have fallen by 73 per cent since the start of 2020.
Hospitality, travel and tourism were among the hardest-hit sectors followed by other businesses limited by current lockdown rules, such as sports, recreation, and hair and beauty services.
GAN chief executive Gary Workman said the results were bad news for young adults starting their careers and for the nation’s economy.
“This drop will leave a generation of young people struggling to get a foot on the employment ladder and result in recession-extending skills shortages as industry struggles to find qualified workers in the years to come,” he said.
Most of the new vacancies advertised in April were in the construction, automotive and boating industries.
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SCHOOL STILL CLOSED AFTER TEACHER TESTS POSITIVE
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.
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