NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says ‘really easy’ for Victoria to get zero cases in lockdown
Gladys Berejiklian has taken a swipe at Victorians eager for her to open up borders, with the NSW Premier saying there’s an obvious reason why they won’t be opening just yet.
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Three new cases of coronavirus have been recorded in Victoria overnight, with Melbourne’s crucial fortnightly average dipping once again.
Today’s three new cases are in the municipalities of Darebin, Boroondara and Casey.
One of the new cases is a child linked to the northern suburbs cluster. The girl was already in quarantine when she tested positive.
The child attended the Goodstart Early Learning Centre on Plenty Road in Bundoora on October 20 and 22.
Her mother was identified as a case on October 25 and the child quarantined from then.
The child originally tested negative on October 26, before returning a positive result on October 28, prompting the centre to be closed and 90 close contacts to isolate.
The centre has been closed for deep cleaning.
Today’s other two cases are under investigation.
Premier Daniel Andrews said work was underway to determine if the cases were new or examples of persistent shedding of the virus from historic infections.
The city’s 14-day rolling average is now down to 2.4, with four mystery cases over the past fortnight.
Regional Victoria remains zero, with no new cases over the past two weeks.
There are 76 active cases across the state, with four of those in aged care.
More than 24,000 Victorians were tested for coronavirus in the past 24 hours.
Mr Andrews said it was another good day of low numbers and it was possible today’s numbers could just be the single new case.
“There are some complexities though with the one case we know to be a definite positive,” he said.
“There has been some knock-ons in terms of contacts and their contacts.”
There are five Victorians battling the virus n hospital.
NSW PREMIER TAKES SWIPE AT DAN’S DOUGHNUT DAYS
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has taken a swipe at Victoria saying it’s easy to get zero case numbers when you’re in lockdown.
“When you’re in shutdown, of course you’re going to have zero to low numbers of cases,” she said.
“When you shut down your economy and when you don’t let people move around freely, of course the virus isn’t going to spread.
“It’s really easy to manage things when you’ve got your borders up … it’s really easy to say ‘’look at us, look at us’.
It prompted Daniel Andrews to hit back reminding NSW there was nothing easy about lockdown.
“There is nothing easy about lockdown and there is nothing easy about what Victorians have been through,” he said.
Ms Berejiklian said her state would remain off limits to Victorians until we had a proven track record of being able to handle infection outbreaks.
She said that would take two or three weeks after the state fully reopens.
“What we need to see is evidence that once the so-called Ring of Steel is open in Melbourne and once restrictions are eased the impact of what those easing of restrictions means and that is really the critical decision making process for New South Wales,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“We know when you’re in a lockdown it’s easy to control the virus. The real test is when you ease those restrictions.
“I don’t want to see the border up a day longer than it needs to be.
“We need to see Victoria demonstrate they have the capacity to get on top of any outbreaks.
“Once we see evidence of that for about two three weeks after the rest are eased, then we will rely on health advice.
“We’ve demonstrated our system is resilient and coping with those outbreaks that come up. Victoria hasn’t yet passed that test yet.”
Mr Andrews said he would speak to Ms Berejiklian this week about the border issue and was confident of a solution when “it is safe to do so”.
HOPE OVERSEAS TRAVELLERS WILL RETURN BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Return travellers could start flying into Melbourne Airport within weeks despite the delay in the Hotel Quarantine Inquiry report being delayed.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the state still intends to allow return travellers to start entering the state “before Christmas” despite the delay.
He flagged he hoped to have the flights return by the end of November but warned “this is subject to whatever the board gives to us,” Mr Andrews said.
Mr Andrews said the number of return travellers had not been set and would be “demand driven”.
It’s a bit difficult to be absolutely certain how many people want to come home,” he said.
But “as conditions deteriorate in other countries” it is expected there will be a considerable amount.
PUBS CALL FOR ‘MAKE OR BREAK’ CHANGE
It comes as pubs and hotels are pleading for a tweak to the next stage of easing restrictions they say will make or break their businesses over summer.
After a successful reopening yesterday at limited indoor capacity, small venues celebrated punters getting back on the beer around Melbourne.
But dozens of bigger venues kept their doors closed due to tight caps on numbers they say are unviable.
The Australian Hotels Association is calling on Premier Daniel Andrews to meet them halfway with the next stage of restrictions easing at midnight on November 8, shifting from a cap of four groups of 10 people indoors, to a cap of 40 people based on floor space
The same limit on patrons would be in place, but the need to separate into four distinct areas would be shelved, with space still kept between tables.
AHA Victorian vice-president David Canny said it would be a minor change to bring venues into line with retail operators and could make or break some businesses.
“In NSW they have been trading this way safely for months,” he said.
“We just want the trust of the government to do this in a COVID-safe way.”
Venues that did open on Wednesday welcomed their first customers in more than 110 days, and Espy co-owner Andy Mullins said “the phones have been ringing off the hook”.
“With a low capacity, the venues book out quickly and Melburnians are so excited to be out again and to catch up with friends again,” he said.
“For a while anyway Monday nights are going to feel like Friday, and Tuesdays like Saturdays.”
Premier Daniel Andrews said up to 180,000 Victorians returned to work on Wednesday, including thousands of hospitality staff at 5800 cafes and restaurants and 800 pubs.
But he pleaded for people to respect the rules: “They’re not against you, they’re for you, they are so that you can continue to do these things”.
“Inside is 20 times more dangerous than outside, and it’s really important that we have those spaces separated.”
He said temporary partitions were allowed, if they were at least 2.1m tall.
As many venues opened up to glorious sunshine in Melbourne, some remained shuttered due to big costs for operating at reduced capacity.
This included ALH Group, which operates about 80 suburban pubs, and which has displayed billboards at the front of venues this month urging the government to let them open.
The group — which owns more than 300 pubs Australia- wide — won’t reopen until at least November 9.
Revellers — albeit with masks and socially distanced — didn’t wait to celebrate the reopenings on Wednesday, with venues flooded with bookings for weeks.
Carla Snellen was among the first through the doors at The Local in Port Melbourne, which had a special reopening event. She and friends Tess and Steph marked the occasion with glasses of bubbles and parmas.
“While it’s been good to meet up with people one-on-one, there’s something about hanging out in a group that’s so much fun,” she said.
Angus and Bon owner Liam Ganley said there was a great atmosphere at his reopening.
“It’s a big community feel. There’s been this real pent-up desire from people to want to go out,” he said.
FRESH CALLS TO SUPPORT INDOOR SPORTS CENTRES
Indoor sports centres across Melbourne are closing or going broke because most community sport is still benched until further notice.
Three suburban futsal centres have shut down while other businesses fear they won’t get customers back until February because of the Christmas break and school holidays.
Kick-to-kick footy is permitted in parks but social netball, basketball and soccer is still ruled off-side. The latest VicHealth rules say only under-18s can play non-contact indoor sport.
Zac Kimmel, who runs Oakleigh Indoor Sports, said the industry was “going under a bus” if it could not open in November.
The centre used to run social leagues for soccer, basketball and netball several nights a week, as well as a play centre for children and parties.
Rent on the big properties plus other ongoing costs such as insurance, phones and electricity were pushing many operators to the brink, even after government assistance and rent relief.
“Now that everything is opening up, the government is promoting outdoor activities as being safer than indoor,’’ Mr Kimmel said.
“So we are being asked to take one for the team. We need to be appreciated that we are taking a real hit.’’
Mr Kimmel, who also runs a bar, said the retail and hospitality reopening would be the focus of Victorians in the coming weeks.
“My bar in Richmond has been swamped with requests and I’m sure we all understand that for the remainder of the year Melburnians will be eating and drinking like death row prisoners on their last day,” he said.
Futsal Oz will wind down its operations and close down the Thomastown, Brunswick and Mt Evelyn stadiums. We would like to take this moment to thank all the beautiful people that have shared the space and have spread the joy, the love and the happiness over this amazing chapter.
— Peter Parthimos (@PeterParthimos) September 30, 2020
“Doesn’t work at all the same way I’m afraid. Our industry will take months, if not years to recover.’’
Futsal Oz has already closed its three venues, in Brunswick, Mt Evelyn and Thomastown.
Chief executive Peter Parthimos said continuing overheads made the business unsustainable.
“With no plan and no vision for businesses in Melbourne, it has become impossible to forecast and operate,” he said.
“Unfortunately, drastic measures must be taken.’’
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