Albanese chief of staff tests negative to virus after scare

A Liberal MP has been tested for COVID-19 after being in the same Sydney building as a carrier, while two Anthony Albanese staffers have tested negative.

Anthony Albanese’s chief of staff has tested negative to COVID-19 after potentially being exposed to a carrier.

NSW authorities urged anyone who had been at Sydney’s 1 Bligh St on December 17 to get tested after revelations a COVID-positive person had been in the building.

The CBD building holds multiple office workplaces including the Commonwealth Parliament Offices.

It is used by ministers, opposition spokespeople and their staff while they are in the city for official business.

The Labor leader confirmed his chief of staff and media adviser had been in the building at the time, and had both been tested.

“They have been found to be negative,” Mr Albanese told reporters on Tuesday.

Anthony Albanese’s chief of staff and media adviser have tested negative to COVID-19. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Josh Woning.

“I’m not aware of everyone who was in the building. It’s a very big building - there are more than 20 floors in (it).

“Everyone in my office who was there has been tested and been found to be negative.”

It comes as Liberal MP Jason Falinski confirmed he had also undergone testing alongside his daughter after the pair visited the CPO building on Thursday.

Communications Minister Paul Fletcher and his staff were also there, but tested negative.

Mr Falinski’s electorate is on the COVID-hit northern beaches, but it was a rare trip to the city that prompted the test.

“The weekend when this all occurred, I think I’d been to as many venues as you can be on the northern beaches. I was just waiting for one of those venues to come up as somewhere you had to get tested,” he told Sky News on Tuesday.

Well, they’ve got me! 😉

My daughter (film crew) and I are getting a COVID test in Warriewood as per the expert medical advice.

The Northern Beaches community is amazing and this will not break us!

Stay positive everyone!#forthebeaches #covid19australia #auspol pic.twitter.com/OzC9k8n1yX

— Jason Falinski MP (Stay positive, test negative) (@JasonFalinskiMP) December 22, 2020

“Sure enough, for the first time this year, I went into the Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices last Thursday … and that was the one day in the CBD someone had tested positive.”

He praised the northern beaches community for its “extraordinary” response to the outbreak after just seven new cases were linked to the cluster on Tuesday.

“The number of people who have turned up without complaint, stood in line for a couple of hours, waited to get tested and gone home and self-isolated (is extraordinary),” he said.

“Gladys Berejiklian and Kerry Chant only had to recommend (mask wearing) and, from what I could see, there was straight away a 100 per cent compliance on the northern beaches.”