Coronavirus Australia live updates: Construction sector pleads for help to save jobs

The economic storm caused by coronavirus is impacting housing markets and a leading analyst is warning of a property price bloodbath.

A leading property analyst has warned that the coronavirus crisis could see property prices plunge in Australia. 

Louis Christopher from SQM Research said the economic consequences of the pandemic, coupled with lower migration rates, could put severe downward pressure on prices.

Meanwhile, there are fears that hundreds of thousands of jobs in the crucial construction sector are at risk.

The warning comes as Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Australia has achieved an "unimaginable" rate of growth amid the coronavirus pandemic and is now on the road to recovery.

But some state health authorities are reportedly concerned that his confidence - and the touted easing of social distancing restrictions - are "premature".

READ MORE: Follow the latest coronavirus news here

Australia has recorded 76 deaths from COVID-19 so far, with 6661 confirmed cases. They include 2976 in New South Wales, 1337 in Victoria, 1026 in Queensland, 438 in South Australia, 546 in Western Australia, 207 in Tasmania, 104 in the Australian Capital Territory and 27 in the Northern Territory.

Follow our live, rolling coverage of the pandemic below.

Updates

9:08 pm April 23, 2020 Highlight

House prices could collapse

The economic consequences of the coronavirus crisis were always going to hit Australian property markets, but a leading analyst has painted a dire picture of things to come.

SQM Research boss Louis Christopher said there are two likely scenarios that could play out when it comes to real estate prices.

And in the worst of the two, Mr Christopher warns that property prices could plunge by a staggering 30 per cent.

Over recent weeks, median prices have held steady amid social distancing restrictions, but Mr Christopher said the warning lights on the dashboard were flashing already.

“When we consider leading indicators such as auction clearance rates, those indicators are suggesting that we are about to see a dip in dwelling prices,” Mr Christopher told the ABC.

“So, over the past few weeks auction clearance rates have plummeted. They were at the start of the year averaging between 65 per cent to 75 per cent. And in recent weeks fallen as low as the high 20s.”

Should Australia continue to successfully flatten the curve and begin to lift strict social distancing measures from May, then a V-shaped recovery could occur.

In that scenario, Mr Christopher said “we'll see dwelling prices fall for the June quarter but start to rise again in the September and December quarters”.

But if there’s a second wave of infections and restrictions remain in place for six months, as some health experts fear, then the picture is bleak.

“The housing market is likely to have a major fall (in that case),” Mr Christopher said.

“When I say major, we're talking up to a 30 per cent decline over a 12-month period, with the bulk of those occurring in Sydney and Melbourne.”

Sydney and Melbourne’s property markets are most reliant on overseas migration and are also the most overvalued, he said.

“And also, (they are) two cities which have been supported by high debt levels.

“Now, the other cities are more fairly valued. While they'd take a hit, we believe the hit would be less pronounced. And as mentioned, this is on the bleaker scenario.

“We're not saying this is definitely going to happen, it is more of a warning if we were to see these restrictions with us for the full six months and in, at their current levels, this is what would happen.”

Rental prices are also likely to be impacted, he said.

“Our view is that no matter what, the rental market is going to take a big hit. We’re going to see a significant rise in rental vacancies and a fall in rents.”

8:41 pm April 23, 2020 Highlight

Shock symptoms in young patients

Doctors in New York are warning that the coronavirus may cause sudden strokes in adults in their 30s and 40s who are not severely sick.

The doctors at Mount Sinai Health System believe there is growing evidence that COVID-19 can cause the blood to clot in unusual ways, resulting in an uptick in strokes among patients who don’t typically suffer from them.

“The virus seems to be causing increased clotting in the large arteries, leading to severe stroke,” neurosurgeon Dr Thomas Oxley told CNN.

Dr Oxley and his colleagues said they typically record fewer than two strokes per month from people under the age of 50, but in a two-week period during the pandemic they treated five.

Their findings are to be published in a letter in the New England Journal of Medicine.

New York Post

8:33 pm April 23, 2020 Highlight

Tom Hanks' heartwarming gesture

If there was any tiny bit of doubt in your mind that Tom Hanks is a class act, let this dispel it.

Fresh from his stint in a Queensland hospital for treatment for coronavirus, the Hollywood legend – now home in the US – has written a special letter to an Aussie child.

An eight-year-old Gold Coast boy penned Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson a note to wish him well after hearing the news he had contracted COVID-19.

He also mentioned how he was being bullied at school because of his name – which is Corona.

Hanks replied with this beautiful letter and also included one of his collectable typewriters.

8:16 pm April 23, 2020 Highlight

The truth about 5G conspiracies

About 100 people held a bizarre protest in the New South Wales town of Mullumbimby yesterday, upset about the installation of a new 5G mobile phone tower.

Those gathered believe 5G somehow contributes to the spread of coronavirus.

The CSIRO has provided this advice to – again – debunk that belief.

There has been a lot of chatter on social media about whether 5G acts as a vehicle for COVID-19.

To summarise, theorists believe the rollout of faster 5G internet is either causing or accelerating the spread of COVID-19.

Some argue 5G suppresses people’s immune systems which makes them catch the virus easier. Others argue that 5G radio waves actually transmit the virus to humans.

But these claims are 100 per cent false. Here’s why.

Viruses are half living – they need a living host to survive and replicate. They do this by spreading from person to person, invading healthy cells.

A virus can spread between people who are in close contact, usually closer than 1.5m apart, through respiratory droplets.

This occurs when an infected person sneezes or coughs. These drops can be inhaled into the lungs or enter the body through openings like your eyes, nose or mouth.

Viruses can also survive on some surfaces, such as door handles or mobile phones. The virus then spreads to our hands, then through our eyes or nose if we touch our face.

People with healthy immune systems have been shown to get COVID-19.

Radio waves, like the ones we’re used to with 4G and now 5G, do not suppress your immune system.

Numerous studies have shown that exposure to radio waves within our safety standards won’t affect your health in the short-term or long-term.

All our telecommunications transmit within these safety standards, which are well below the level that may cause harm to the human body.

Ultimately, the only way the virus can spread through 5G is if you touch a 5G-enabled phone with the SARS-CoV-2 virus on it and then immediately touch your face.

8:06 pm April 23, 2020 Highlight

Border Patrol looks a bit different

It's almost four weeks since Queensland closed its borders and police have intercepted 100,000 vehicles attempting to cross it since then.

The force shared this video of some of the things its officers have encountered.

Stink bugs, dodgy border pass fashion and drug busts – our officers have seen it all! Today we pay tribute to those on the front line patrolling the Queensland divide 🐛 pic.twitter.com/soBDy1d3Ng

— Queensland Police (@QldPolice) April 23, 2020

7:16 pm April 23, 2020 Highlight

Paramedic tests positive: report

A Sydney paramedic has reportedly tested positive to coronavirus and is in intensive care in hospital.

Nine News reports that the worker was based in Liverpool in the city’s west.

6:41 pm April 23, 2020 Highlight

Lifeline inundated with calls

Lifeline in Queensland has been inundated with a record number of calls recently as people struggle to cope with the impacts of the coronavirus crisis.

The charity is receiving an unprecedented 24,000 calls a week in the Sunshine State online.

And in March, it recorded its highest monthly call volume ever in Queensland.

“Many are facing circumstances they could never have envisaged they’d be in,” Lifeline executive Brent McCracken said.

“Many are feeling their life is becoming worthless.”

As a result, the Queensland Government has committed $3.5 million to support Lifeline’s services.

If you or someone you know needs help, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au.

– with AAP

6:02 pm April 23, 2020 Highlight

Two cats in New York have coronavirus

These two cats are the first pets in the United States to test positive for coronavirus.

5:20 pm April 23, 2020 Highlight

Hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk

The coronavirus continues to wreak economic mayhem in Australia, with a huge number of Australians finding themselves out of work.

Now, there’s a warning that hundreds of thousands of jobs in a major and crucial industry are at risk too, with calls for urgent government support.

Construction workers are facing a “crisis” and the majority are likely to run out of work within months, Master Builders Association has warned.

A survey of its members found that 73 per cent had experienced a “substantial” fall in work on the horizon, the organisation’s boss Denita Wawn said.

“While projects that commenced prior to the onset of the COVID-19 crisis are providing short term work for many, for the overwhelming majority of our 32,000 members new orders have fallen off a cliff,” Ms Wawn said.

“The situation is dangerous. At risk is the viability of nearly 400,000 building and construction businesses, the jobs of 1.2 million Australians and the industry’s capacity to aid the economic recovery.”

The projected number of annual new home builds has slumped from 160,000 to 100,000 and there are fears it could fall further.

Labor is calling for urgent government intervention to support the construction sector – one of the biggest contributors to the economy.

“Right now, there is a risk that as Australia goes back to work, tradespeople will run out of work,” Labor leader Anthony Albanese said.

“This is about people and their ability to pay their bills and look after their families. In times of economic shock, housing construction has played a vital role in national economic recovery.”

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, for every dollar invested in new housing builds, there’s a return of $3 for the broader economy.

Labor has called for the government and National Cabinet to develop a plan to stimulate the construction sector, including investment in social housing builds, incentives for housing and support for apprenticeships.

“The economy won’t snap back if this industry snaps,” Mr Albanese said.

Ms Wawn called on the government to rollout new stimulus to kick-start building activity and support the workforce.

“Increasing the size of the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme and expanding its eligibility to include anyone wanting to purchase only new homes while maintaining the current price and income caps is just one of a range of measures we have proposed to the Federal Government,” she said.

“Our message to governments, is that we understand the enormity of the challenge they face but that these stimulus measures cannot wait.

“If urgent action is not taken our industry’s role in the economic recovery will be severely blunted.”

4:50 pm April 23, 2020 Highlight

Good riddance

Floating Petri dish the Ruby Princess is departing Port Kembla in New South Wales, on its way out of Australian waters.

It's five weeks now since it docked at Sydney Harbour, bringing with it a whole lot of pain and controversy.