Coronavirus Australia live updates: Senior bureaucrats axed amid bombshell quarantine claims

Multiple senior bureaucrats have reportedly been pulled from Victoria's hotel quarantine task force in the wake of bombshell accusations against the program.

A number of senior government bureaucrats have reportedly been pulled from Victoria's hotel quarantine task force in the wake of bombshell accusations against the program.

 

“To meet the challenges of (sic) the global pandemic is having on Victorians, the (department) has been involved in delivering services to Victorians in a dynamic and changing environment,” the Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement.

“To assist us continue to deliver these programs, the structures within the department will be refined to continue to support the necessary services we are providing.”

There have been at least 48 cases of the coronavirus linked to two Melbourne hotels being used to quarantine returned travellers since late May.

Since the quarantine breaches were announced a number of bombshell claims have surfaced of security guards allegedly having sex with guests, taking them to shopping centres and allowing them to move between rooms. 

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7:25 pm July 3, 2020 Highlight

Senior officials axed amid quarantine saga

A number of senior government bureaucrats have reportedly been pulled from Victoria's hotel quarantine task force in the wake of bombshell accusations against the program.

A statement provided from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) said structures within the department had been "refined".

“To meet the challenges of (sic) the global pandemic is having on Victorians, the (department) has been involved in delivering services to Victorians in a dynamic and changing environment,” the statement said.

“To assist us continue to deliver these programs, the structures within the department will be refined to continue to support the necessary services we are providing.”

This comes as DHHS secretary Kyn Peake announced the new task force, Operation Soteria, would start on Monday.

According to the Herald Sun, department insiders claim senior bureaucrats that had been previously involved in the quarantine program have not been included in the new task force.

There have been at least 48 cases of the coronavirus linked to two Melbourne hotels being used to quarantine returned travellers since late May.

Since the quarantine breaches were announced a number of bombshell claims have surfaced about the actions of security guards at the hotels.

There have been reports guards at the hotels slept with guests, took them to shopping centres and allowed them to move between rooms.

Other whistleblowers have claimed guards were only given "five minutes" of training and inadequate personal protective equipment when interacting with possibly infectious guests.

6:59 pm July 3, 2020 Highlight

Cops warn against attending protests

Queensland Police have warned people not to attend a planned Black Lives Matter protest in Brisbane this weekend.

The 'Stop Black Deaths in Custody' rally is set to kick off at midday tomorrow in King George Square.

More than 1000 people have indicated they will attend while 3200 people have said they are 'interested' in the event.

A Queensland Police spokesperson told the Courier Mail that the protest has not been authorised to proceed.

“People are urged not to attend large-scale protests,” the spokesperson said.

“If people do attend, they are urged to ensure they comply with the Chief Health Officer’s directions in relation to COVID-19.

Picture: Peter Wallis

Queensland's Deputy Premier, Steven Miles, said today that protesters were "a risk" and that Queenslanders should not attend them during the pandemic.

“What we’ve said consistently about protests is that people shouldn’t participate in them,” Mr Miles said.

“We’ve been very fortunate though; we haven’t had any cases out of the recent protests and we certainly hope that to continue to be the case.”

The protest is one of the many planned across Australia over the coming days as part of the "national weekend of action".

Another 'Stop Black Deaths in Custody' protest is set to be held in Sydney on Sunday.

Almost 2000 people have said they will attend the protest in The Domain, which is set to kick off at 1pm.

A Black Lives Matter rally is also planned for Adelaide on Satuday, with the protest set to start at 12pm.

"This rally will be meeting at the northern end of Tarndanyangga (Victoria Square)," the event for the protest read.

"We ask all attendees to wear masks and will be enforcing social distancing at the rally."

Almost 1000 have said they will attend a BLM protest in Perth on Saturday, with the event set to kick off at 12pm.

4:43 pm July 3, 2020 Highlight

‘One could infect many’: Concern over Vic cases

Though the number of new COVID-19 cases across Victoria dropped slightly today, there is a big reason authorities are avoiding celebrating the drop.

The state recorded 66 new virus cases today, down from 77 yesterday, but Premier Daniel Andrews said it is "too early" to tell if this is the start a downward trend.

"A day with 66 is obviously far preferable to seeing a doubling and then a doubling again,” he said.

“We are starting to see all of the usual caveats, we can’t predict what tomorrow’s numbers will be, we do need more time in order to get a firmer hold on whether there is a positive trend there."

Professor Anton Peleg, the director of the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, said there is a very good reason why authorities are being cautious about celebrating the decrease too early.

Speaking to the ABC, Professor Peleg said the virus has the potential to infect a lot of people in a short amount of time.

"One person could infect many people," he said.

"The positive sign is that we're not seeing – as he mentioned – a doubling or an increasing number. I think that is reassuring.

"But you would want to see more than a one-day reduction before you make those kinds of conclusions and I think that's what we're going to be closely looking at each day."

4:12 pm July 3, 2020 Highlight

Victoria's 'half-baked' excuse for entering NSW

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has lashed a Victorian man from a virus hot spot who arrived in Sydney by train, saying it should serve as a warning to others.

Authorities intercepted the man, aged in his late 50s, at Central Station on Friday after he arrived on an XPT from Melbourne.

When health authorities on the ground asked the man to produce his licence, it revealed an address located within one of the 10 Victorian hot-spot suburbs currently in lockdown following a new spike in COVID-19 cases.

“Nobody should be coming to NSW with identification showing you’ve come from that area,” Mr Hazzard said.

Picture: Adam Yip/NCA NewsWire

“We shouldn’t have NSW citizens put in that situation and we shouldn’t have our health staff having to dig into where you’ve come from.

“We have now had to provide accommodation for that gentleman in our health hotel, which is at the huge expense of the NSW taxpayer, unless we can find a way to get him or the Victorian Government to pay for it.

“Don’t come to NSW on a half-baked situation which shows you have a licence coming from a hot spot but then claim you don’t come from there. We’ll assume you did and that’s how you’ll be treated.”

The man now faces up to $11,000 in fines or six months behind bars after earlier this week the Berejiklian Government announced those crossing the border into NSW from a virus hot spot would be penalised.

– NCA NewsWire

READ MORE: Hotspot visitor blasted for visiting NSW

4:08 pm July 3, 2020 Highlight

No Australian super spreaders identified

Following the announcement that Melbourne may have a COVID-19 "super spreader", Professor Kidd said it is "difficult to know" if this is the case.

He said there have not been any super spreaders identified in Australia throughout the pandemic.

"We're still learning about the in different patterns of transmission," Professor Kidd said.

"We did have super spreaders with another coronavirus, which was the SARS virus during the outbreak during that disease in the early part of the millennium.

“We have not yet identified any people who are so-called super spreaders in Australia.”

4:03 pm July 3, 2020 Highlight

'Do not listen' to social media theories

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd said he is "very concerned" that so many people are refusing tests.

He urged people not to let COVID-19 theories they may hear on social media to impact their decision on whether or not to get tested.

"If you hear different theories and you are not sure about it, do a search, look at the Australia government advice, it comes from the best experts we have right across the country, based on evidence around the world," Professor Kidd said.

"Do not listen to the theories that you may be coming across on social media."

On the subject of whether mandatory testing should be brought in, Professor Kidd said that was a decision the government would have to make.

3:57 pm July 3, 2020 Highlight

Vic outbreak is a 'warning for everybody'

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd has said Victoria's renewed battle with COVID-19 is a "warning for everybody in Australia".

"We continue to be very concerned about the outbreak in Victoria and the continuing cases of community transmission," he said during a press conference this afternoon.

He said Victoria's situation serves to show "the importance of continuing to adhere to the measures that are in place to protect us all".

"We are all at risk of resurgence of COVID-19," he said.

Professor Kidd praised all the Melbourne residents who are currently in lockdown.

"I want to especially thank those people in Melbourne who have found themselves back in lockdown over the last two days," he said.

"I know this has come as a shock to many of you. And it is caused a great deal of concern and distress.

"Please know that the rest of the country supports you and we are grateful for you for doing all you can to stop the spread of COVID-19.

"By following the restrictions in place in Victoria, you are not only protecting your own family and friends, you are protecting everybody in our country."

3:35 pm July 3, 2020 Highlight

Melbourne men caught trying to sneak into SA

Two men from Melbourne have been caught breaking new border crossing rules by sneaking into South Australia.

The 23-year-old and 18-year-old allegedly tried to cross into SA in a Volkswagen van yesterday and were stopped a the checkpoint on the Dukes Highway at Bordertown at around 4am.

Both occupants had failed to complete the online application and were deemed to be non-essential travellers.

They were told by police they would have to self-isolate for 14 days if they wanted to enter the state.

The pair allegedly told police they would return to Victoria instead of going through the isolation period.

"About 12 hours later, Bordertown Police located the same van bogged on a dirt road near Pinehill Road at Senior with the same two occupants," SA Police said.

"Police will allege the pair had briefly returned to Victoria before re-entering South Australia bypassing the border checkpoint and travelling along back roads towards Bordertown."

Both the men were issued with $1060 fines for failing to comply with a direction under the Emergency Management Act 2004.

"They were given the option again to self-isolate for 14 days or return to Victoria," SA Police said.

"They wisely chose the latter option and were escorted back over the border."

2:40 pm July 3, 2020 Highlight

More info on AFL teams being relocated

AFL CEO Gillion McLachlan has announced that all Victorian teams will be relocated as cases of COVID-19 increase across the state.

All Victorian teams will be temporarily relocated for about 32 days to either Queensland, New Sotuh Wales or Western Australia.

The players will undergo "various quarantine measures while also continuing to adhere to the strict protocols the AFL has in place".

"By the end of Monday, 14 clubs will have temporarily moved out of Victoria for the next block of matches," Mr McLachlan said.

"As you can imagine it has been a major logistical exercise to organise fixture, source training grounds and secure accommodation in such a short period of time."

Mr McLachlan thanks the Queensland, NSW and Western Australian governments for their support.

"The South Australian and Western Australian clubs will return home after round five, and six respectively. Port Adelaide will return to Queensland to play matches in round six and seven," he said.

"Sydney and Great Western Sydney will also remain based New South Wales at the present time, but with matches scheduled for both clubs in Queensland, while the Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast sons will each have a period in New South Wales before later returning to Queensland.

"Collingwood and Geelong will have the New South Wales for one game before flying to Perth as previously planned.

"St Kilda, North Melbourne, Essendon and Richmond will be based in Queensland.

"Hawthorn and Melbourne will be based in New South Wales.

"As part of this move we will play a total of 45 games in clubs will then return to Victoria for a short break after that 30 today. And we will reassess our options depending the Covid-19 situation across the country."

2:19 pm July 3, 2020 Highlight

First people fined for breaking lockdown

The first people to be fined for breaking Melbourne's lockdown restrictions in hotspot postcodes.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton revealed seven people have been issued fines for breaching the stage three restrictions that were introduced across 10 postcodes on Wednesday night.

"We've got seven but we've also got a lot of other data to come in, so there may be more out there," Mr Patton told 3AW.

A group of five people were caught driving around with drugs and weapons.

They were charged for those offences as well as being fined for not complying with restrictions.

Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

In another case a woman from a restricted postcode was caught "chilling with friends" in Melbourne's CBD. She was issued with an infringement notice.

Another person from a restricted zone was also stopped by police outside their home without a reasonable excuse.

"Previously there has been a bit of leeway, that bit of give, but not now," Mr Patton said.

Anyone caught breaking COVID-19 restrictions can cop a $1652 fine.