Coronavirus Australia live updates: Sign lockdown measures are working

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has told all Australians not to go out in public with more than one other person from tomorrow onwards.

Australians have been told not to go out in public with more than one other person while all public spaces including parks, playgrounds, skateparks and outside gyms will be closed from midday tomorrow.

Scott Morrison has told all Australians to stay home unless they are shopping for food, receiving medical attention, for work or education purposes or for exercise (which is capped at two people). 

READ MORE: Follow more coronavirus news

There are now 3984 confirmed cases across the country.

That includes 1791 in New South Wales, 769 in Victoria, 656 in Queensland, 299 in South Australia, 311 in Western Australia, 66 in Tasmania, 77 in the Australian Capital Territory and 15 in the Northern Territory.

The number of Australians who have died after contracting COVID-19 has now reached 16 .

Follow our live, rolling coverage below.

Live Updates

9:58 pm March 29, 2020

Penalty infringement notices for breaches

Queensland Police now have the option to issue on the spot fines for breaches of Chief Health Officer (CHO) directions to support community efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

If a person does not comply with quarantine directions, penalties of up to $13,345 for individuals and $66,672.50 for corporations may apply.

Officers can also issue on the spot fines of $1334.50 for individuals and $6,672.50 for corporations which fail to abide by the health directions.

Detectives from Taskforce Sierra Linnet have conducted seventy-one compliance visitations relating to self-quarantine notices with no breaches detected over the last two days.

These compliance checks will continue around the clock to ensure members of the community abide by those notices.

– QPS

7:10 pm March 29, 2020 Highlight

'Signs of hope'

Chief medical officer Brendan Murphy said tonight there were 'signs of hope' that the restrictions already in place were helping to ease new virus infections.

"We've got an outbreak of 3978 cases at the moment, much less than some people might have predicted some time ago without mitigation. So there is evidence that the public health measures that we are putting in place and the social distancing measures are likely to be having some early effect," Dr Murphy said.

He rejected comparisons between Australia and countries where the spread has been most virulent such as the US, Spain and Italy.

"We have one of the highest rates of testing per head of population in the world and one of the lowest positive test rates so we think, unlike countries unfortunately like Italy, Iran and even the US, that when they detected significant outbreaks they probably had much, much larger outbreaks in the community that were undetected.

"We feel reasonably confident that we are detecting a significant majority of the cases in Australia. That means that we can get on top of cases when they are detected.

"As the Prime Minister has said, we have had a somewhat slowing of the growth in the epidemiology curve, but it is not enough. We have to slow it further.

"We have to slow it further and we have to stop the thing that's worrying us most, which is community transmission. That is transmission without known links to a known case. That is of concern, particularly in Sydney and to a lesser extent in Melbourne and South East Queensland. "

7:00 pm March 29, 2020 Highlight

Six-month moratorium on evictions

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a six-month moratorium on evictions.

After tonight’s National Cabinet meeting, the PM said it had been decided that governments would excuse people or businesses who were unable to meet rental commitments as a result of financial distress.

“State and Territories will be moving to put a moratorium on evictions of persons as a result of financial distress if they are unable to meet their commitments,” he said.

“And so there would be a moratorium on evictions for the next six months under those rental arrangements.”

Mr Morrison said there would be more details to come regarding decisions made on commercial and residential tenancies discussed at tonight’s meeting, saying the Nation Cabinet had agreed “on a series of principles, which I will release through a statement”.

He also indicated there was more work to be done to resolve tenancy issues, not only by the Government but by businesses, landlords and banks.

“My message to tenants, particularly commercial tenants, and commercial landlords, is a very straightforward one – we need you to sit down, talk to each other and work this out about looking at the businesses which have been closed, businesses that may have had a significant reduction in their revenues.

“We need landlords and tenants to sit down and come up with arrangements that enable them to get through this crisis so on the other side, the landlord has a tenant which is a business that can pay rent, and the business is a business that can re-emerge on the other side of this and be able to go on and employ people on the other side of these arrangements.”

6:55 pm March 29, 2020 Highlight

PM warns those aged 70+ 'stay home'

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has advised Australians over 70 "on the basis of strong advice" to stay at home and self-isolate "for their own protection".

"To the maximum extent practical," Mr Morrison said.

"This is for their own protection to limit their interaction with others in the community," he said, reflecting Australians' lack of social distancing over the weekend.

Earlier, young Australians were warned they are putting other lives at risk after a number of house parties and social outings were caught in the act.

In a press conference on Sunday, the Prime Minister made a direct point to Australians, particularly in their 20s and 30s, who seem to have the “view that because they are healthier that they are not transmitters of the virus”.

“They are transmitters of the virus,” Mr Morrison said earlier Sunday.
“While they themselves may only have a mild case but that is no guarantee, what they are doing by having that view, is that they are putting other people’s peoples lives at risk.”

Mr Morrison said the new advice to older Australians "does not mean they cannot go outside.
"They can go outside and be accompanied by a support person for the purposes of getting fresh air and recreation but should limit contact with others as much as possible.

"These arrangements should also apply to those with chronic illness, over 60, and Indigenous persons over the age of 50," Mr Morrison said.

6:49 pm March 29, 2020 Highlight

Public gatherings now limited to two people

Australians have been told not to go out in public with more than one other person while all public spaces including parks, playgrounds, skateparks and outside gyms will be closed from midday tomorrow.

In a press conference this evening, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said states and territories could decide whether to make the strict new rules enforceable but it was strongly advised that “unless it's your household, the family, those that are living at your residence” do not go out with more than one other person.

RELATED: Everything that is now closed

From tomorrow, all Australians are urged to only go out to shop “for what you need, food and essential supplies”, shop as infrequently as possible, to attend medical care, exercise and work or education if you were unable to work or learn remotely.

Professor Brendan Murphy, Australia's Chief Medical Officer, said: "It is very simple. We need to all stay home unless we are going out to shop, to do personal exercise, to go to medical appointments, or to go to work or study if you can't work from home.

"Anyone who doesn't need to be out of their home should be in the home. This is radical."

5:41 pm March 29, 2020 Highlight

Spike in Victorian cases

Earlier, Victoria announced it has seen in spike in coronavirus cases, with 84 new cases confirmed bringing Victoria’s total to 769.

Most cases are in metropolitan Melbourne.

There have been four deaths in the state so far, the most recent confirmed this morning.

The latest COVID-19 victim, a man aged in his 80s, died in a Melbourne hospital, Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said on Sunday.

The cases include 419 men and 346 women, aged from three to 88.

There are 21 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Victoria that may be through community transmission, the health department said.

More than 39,000 Victorians have been tested and 193 people in the state have recovered from coronavirus.

4:56 pm March 29, 2020 Highlight

Some schools in SA to close as cases rise

Schools and early childhood education centres in the South Australian towns of Tanunda, Nuriootpa, Williamstown, Lyndoch and Angaston will be closed from Monday, March 30.

SA officials made the announcement today in response to a cluster of 34 cases in the area which are linked to two groups of tourists, one from Switzerland and one from the US.

A new COVID-19 clinic will be set up tomorrow in Tanunda and officials are urging people to cancel any non-essential travel to the Barossa Valley area.

Anyone who has visited the towns since March 14 and has been showing symptoms is being urged to self-isolate immediately.

There are 299 confirmed cases in South Australia which is up 12 from yesterday. 68 of the cases are linked to the Ruby Princess cruise ship.

4:19 pm March 29, 2020 Highlight

'You are spreading death'

A councillor from the Corangamite Shire Council in Victoria has told tourists to stay away.

In a Facebook post, councillor Simon Illingworth wrote: "Tourists are not welcome. Go home or stay where you are. Every town, every city, every beach, every toilet block, every place you visit; you are spreading death."

Mr Illingworth warned tourists that they are "risking the lives of many Australians" and added: "You cannot access the 12 Apostles, you cannot surf, sun bake, or sightsee. Stay away."

The councillor ended the post by writing: "Local people are getting very upset."

The anger is rising in coastal communities about people coming down for a look. This from a Corangamite Shire Councillor in Victoria (Corangamite takes in Great Ocean Road destinations like Port Campbell). It should also apply to city people escaping to their holiday homes. pic.twitter.com/VIfVt2QJdo

— Michael Rowland (@mjrowland68) March 29, 2020

3:27 pm March 29, 2020 Highlight

'We don't want you here'

The Premier of Western Australia is considering banning people from entering the state unless they are an essential worker or a returning resident.

“A clear message to people over east: if you’re not a West Australian and you want to come to Western Australia, don’t come,” Mark McGowan said today. “We don’t want you here.”

There are 311 confirmed COVID-19 cases in WA, most of which have been travellers from overseas or passengers on cruise ships that docked in the eastern states.

WA Health Minister Roger Cook said: “In Western Australia, our problem isn’t community spread, our problem is people returning to the state.”

2:33 pm March 29, 2020 Highlight

33 new cases in WA

Western Australia has recorded 33 new confirmed coronavirus cases, bringing its total to 311.

Here's a quick snapshot of the nation as a whole, after that update.

There are now 3963 confirmed cases across the country.

That includes 1791 in New South Wales, 769 in Victoria, 656 in Queensland, 287 in South Australia, 311 in Western Australia, 62 in Tasmania, 71 in the Australian Capital Territory and 15 in the Northern Territory.