Live breaking news: Five new high-risk sites added, Covid scare at Health Dept. HQ

Anyone at a Melbourne vaccine centre last Saturday has been urged to get tested and isolate immediately, after being exposed to a positive case. 

Welcome to Rush Hour, news.com.au's live breaking news blog.

A Melbourne vaccine centre has joined the list of Tier 1 exposure sites in the state, after an infectious person attended the venue last Saturday.

According to Victoria Health, the case attended Preston City Hall to get a flu jab on May 22 between 9:30am and 11am.

Anyone who visited the Gower St venue at these times has been urged to contact the health department, and get tested immediately before isolating for 14 days, regardless of result.

Updates

6:42 pm May 28, 2021 Highlight

Signing off

This blog has now ended. Read on for all of today's news.

5:28 pm May 28, 2021 Highlight

State shuts border to Vic after virus scare

South Australia will completely shut its border with all of Victoria after two teenagers hitchhiked their way into the state to see a friend before the lockdown came into effect.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens — who is also the State Coordinator — made the announcement this afternoon and said he would be signing a new declaration later in the day.

Under the new directions, border residents within 70km/h will still be allowed to enter.

Picture: Frank Monger

The state had earlier this week only closed its border with Greater Melbourne, no longer allowing travellers to enter South Australia unless someone was a returning resident, an essential traveller or had been granted an exemption.

But the stricter border rules were announced after it was discovered two Victorian girls who’d been reported missing crossed the border into SA overnight to visit a friend.

– Additional reporting NCA NewsWire

4:26 pm May 28, 2021 Highlight

Jim's Mowing boss unleashes more lockdown fury

Jim’s Mowing founder Jim Penman has written another blistering open letter to the Victorian government blasting a decision to plunge the state into its fourth major lockdown in 12 months.

The mowing magnate penned the fiery letter moments after Acting Premier James Merlino and chief health officer Brett Sutton gave conflicting advice about whether garden maintenance workers can operate during the seven day lockdown.

Picture: Supplied

When questioned about it at Friday morning’s press conference Mr Merlino said: “If the facility or the home is owner occupied and or the site is owner occupied, then they should not be going ahead”.

But Professor Sutton said “I will come back on that specific question” when he was asked if a Jim’s Mowing type businesses could operate.

Jim’s Mowing employees and franchisees were ordered to stop work in early August last year after lawn mowing and garden maintenance was among the list of industries forced to grind to a halt under public health orders.
– Additional reporting NCA NewsWire

4:21 pm May 28, 2021 Highlight

Melbourne vaccine centre an exposure site

A Melbourne vaccine centre has joined the list of Tier 1 exposure sites in the state, after an infectious person attended the venue last Saturday.

According to Victoria Health, the case attended Preston City Hall to get a flu jab on May 22 between 9:30am and 11am.

Anyone who visited the Gower St venue at these times has been urged to contact the health department, and get tested immediately before isolating for 14 days, regardless of result.

Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

3:24 pm May 28, 2021 Highlight

160 ADF personnel to be sent to Victoria

Mr Hunt also confirmed that the Federal Government will send the requested 160 ADF personnel to assist Victoria.

The Health Minister said they will assist with compliance and other tasks relating to close contacts.

3:17 pm May 28, 2021 Highlight

Victoria situation 'very different to a year ago'

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt and chief medical officer Professor Paul Kelly are speaking at the moment, with the former saying "there is real hope" in Victoria, in the wake of the state's latest outbreak.

Mr Hunt said the results in the last 24 hours are a good sign for Victoria, which is on the first day of its week-long circuit breaker lockdown.

"The level of testing, the level of contact tracing, and the fact that the case numbers were limited – I think the situation in our observation is very different to a year ago," Mr Hunt told reporters.

"Firstly, the contact tracing system in Victoria is fast improved and we congratulate and respect the work of Victorians on that front.

"Secondly, this lockdown has come very early in the process…The third is that we now have the vaccination program in the aged care facilities…Those three things mean this is a very different outbreak to a year ago."

2:25 pm May 28, 2021 Highlight

'I'd never say that': Lambie on slur

Outspoken senator Jacqui Lambie has hit back at an accusation she used a homophobic slur during a rant at Qantas staff at March.

The Age reported on Thursday morning that Ms Lambie had threatened staff members with “pussy power” and referred to Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce, who is gay, with a homophobic slur.

“Your CEO is a poof,” she was reported as saying in the incident on March 25 in the Chairman’s Lounge in Melbourne.

I never said it. I’d never say that.

I know I can’t just deny it and expect people to believe me, so I went and got proof.

I’ve got witnesses confirming I never said it.

Qantas doesn’t think I said it. (1/3) https://t.co/bboAvmbUT3

— Jacqui Lambie (@JacquiLambie) May 28, 2021

But in a Twitter thread today, the Tasmanian firebrand said she may have been out of line to “blow her top” at a Qantas worker after a long day, but adamantly denied saying anything homophobic.

“I never said it. I’d never say that. I know I can’t just deny it and expect people to believe me, so I went and got proof. I’ve got witnesses confirming I never said it. Qantas doesn’t think I said it,” she said.
– Additional reporting NCA NewsWire

2:03 pm May 28, 2021 Highlight

Crushing call on mum's funeral pleas

The devastated family of an eight year old boy who drowned have had their request for his funeral to go ahead turned down by the Victorian government.

Cooper Onyett died at the Belfast Aquatics pool in Port Fairy last Friday while away on his first overnight school camp.

His funeral was supposed to be happening today, on the first day of Victoria’s seven-day circuit-breaker lockdown and his family requested an exemption.

Picture: Supplied

However, the state’s chief health officer Brett Sutton confirmed this morning that his team did not grant the request.

“This is the most tragic circumstances,” he said.

“I can’t express enough how sorry I am for the family.
"The exemptions team did speak to the family, and did assess the request. I wasn’t personally involved, the Chief Health Officer doesn’t have a role, appropriately, and I understand that the request was declined."

– with Ben Graham

1:49 pm May 28, 2021 Highlight

Pressure mounts over JobKeeper

Crippled Victorian businesses entering their fourth coronavirus shutdown have called for more government support to help them survive the latest lockdown.

Pressure in mounting on both the Victorian and federal governments to detail what financial support will be provided to businesses during the state’s first lockdown without the JobKeeper subsidy.

It will also be the first lockdown in Australia to extend beyond a weekend since the commonwealth’s wage subsidy was stopped at the end of March.

Picture: Andrew Henshaw/NCA NewsWire

Victoria’s fourth lockdown will further compound the pain for businesses, especially in the hospitality, retail and tourism sectors, who have been forced to close their doors again and can only operate a take away or click and collect service.

Early estimates suggest the seven-day snap lockdown could cost the state’s economy up to $1bn.

Acting Premier James Merlino said this morning the government would be providing support and the state’s Treasurer Tim Pallas was locked in “active discussions” with his federal counterpart Josh Frydenberg.

– Additional reporting NCA NewsWire

1:17 pm May 28, 2021 Highlight

Labor leader tears up as she resigns

Jodi McKay has announced her resignation as leader of the NSW Labor party.
Ms McKay has had a bruising week after her party’s candidate lost a by-election in the Upper Hunter, a failure that prompted some within the party to speculate her time as leader could be over.

"I have spent the last six days reflecting on how to achieve unity. And I have decided that this offers the party the best opportunity to heal and to move forward," a tearful Ms McKay told reporters.

"But there also has to be a future where there is no destabilising of the party's leader from within.

"What the leadership of the Labor Party will move to a ballot, there must be an acknowledgement that at the end of that process, when the new leader is determined, that we unite as a party.

"This time we must not accept the outcome, we must all support the new leader, and we have to work to win government in 2023, because NSW deserves no less."