Australia news LIVE: Queensland to reopen borders to fully vaccinated travellers from December 13; Perth stripped of fifth Ashes test; NSW’s Omicron cases grow

Good evening and thank you for reading our live coverage of the day’s events. If you are just joining us now, here’s what you need to know:

• Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced the state will reopen to fully vaccinated travellers at 1am on Monday next week without the need for quarantine, Stuart Layt reports. Fully vaccinated travellers, including people from the COVID-19 hot spots of NSW, Victoria and the ACT, will be able to visit the state without quarantining on arrival by road or air. In line with national guidelines, people will be considered fully vaccinated one week after their second dose of a vaccine.
• Travellers require a negative PCR test in the 72 hours before travel. All arrivals from domestic hot spots must also get another COVID test on day 5. Those who are not fully vaccinated may only arrive in Queensland by air and must quarantine for 14 days.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk arrives to her press conference announcing the updated border plans on Monday.Credit: Matt Dennien

• Cricket Australia has confirmed that Perth will be stripped of the fifth Ashes Test in mid-January owing to border restrictions in Western Australia. Daniel Brettig, chief cricket writer at The Age, foreshadowed the decision earlier today. Read his breaking story on Cricket Australia’s announcement here.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison visiting a school in Woollahra on Monday as the unofficial election campaign gets under way.Credit: Dean Sewell

• Federal independent MP Zali Steggall says it is “extraordinary and wrong” for Prime Minister Scott Morrison to undermine the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption, which has yet to deliver findings in its inquiry into former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian. As reported earlier today, there is growing speculation that Ms Berejiklian will throw her hat into the ring to contest Ms Steggall’s seat of Warringah, formerly held by ex-prime minister Tony Abbott. Mr Morrison said today that he thought Ms Berejiklian would be a “great” candidate.

Former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian.Credit: Rhett Wyman

• Mr Morrison has been highly critical of the ICAC inquiry into Ms Berejiklian, which is investigating multimillion-dollar grants or promises made by the state government to organisations in Wagga Wagga while Ms Berejiklian was in a secret relationship with the then-Liberal MP for the electorate, Daryl Maguire. Mr Morrison said that if Ms Berejiklian “wished to join our team, she would be very welcome”. Ms Steggall told ABC News 24 today that it was “extraordinary and wrong of Scott Morrison and senior government ministers to be really undermining and calling into question the work of very important bodies like the New South Wales ICAC”.

NSW Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerry Chant.Credit: Kate Geraghty

• NSW health authorities have confirmed there are now 25 cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the state, up from 15, after genomic sequencing for several locally acquired cases was finalised over the weekend. Mary Ward reports that 14 of the cases are linked to a south-west Sydney cluster of cases across Regents Park Christian School and St Peter Chanel Catholic Primary School at Regents Park, and the Sydney Indoor Climbing Gym at Villawood.

• The state’s Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerry Chant, said it was “expected that our numbers linked to this cluster will rise as further results are confirmed”. She added that health authorities were continuing to investigate the source of the outbreak and thanked the school communities for turning out for testing in large numbers and following the health advice.

This is Michaela Whitbourn signing off on the blog for today. My colleague Broede Carmody will be back with you early tomorrow morning.

US biotech company Novavax is expecting results from an Australian study of a coronavirus and influenza vaccine at the start of next year, paving the way for the development of a combined jab to fight both diseases.

The Australian government is still waiting on 51 million doses of Novavax’s original coronavirus vaccine, with the product yet to receive approval for use in Australia.

Australia has 51 million doses of Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine on order.

Outgoing health minister Greg Hunt said last Friday he was hopeful Novavax would receive the first international approvals for its COVID vaccine this week and that there might be some “positive news” about an Australian approval by Christmas.

In an event at a US healthcare conference at the end of last week, Novavax’s chief medical officer Filip Dubovsky and chief commercial officer John Trizzino outlined the company’s current areas of focus, including a combined influenza and COVID vaccine.

Read the full story here.

Federal independent MP Zali Steggall says it is “extraordinary and wrong” for Prime Minister Scott Morrison to undermine the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption, which has yet to deliver findings in its inquiry into former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian.

Independent MP Zali Steggall.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

As reported earlier today, there is growing speculation that Ms Berejiklian will throw her hat into the ring to contest Ms Steggall’s seat of Warringah, formerly held by ex-prime minister Tony Abbott.

Mr Morrison said today that he thought Ms Berejiklian would be a “great” candidate.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Woollahra today.Credit: Dean Sewell

Mr Morrison has been critical of the ICAC inquiry into Ms Berejiklian, which is investigating multimillion-dollar grants or promises made by the state government to organisations in Wagga Wagga while Ms Berejiklian was in a secret relationship with the then-Liberal MP for the electorate, Daryl Maguire.

Mr Morrison said that if Ms Berejiklian “wished to join our team, she would be very welcome”.

“Gladys was put in a position of actually having to stand down and there was no findings of anything. I don’t call that justice,” he said of the ICAC.

Former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian is considering a tilt at federal politics. Credit: Nick Moir

He dismissed suggestions it would be a “bad look” for Ms Berejiklian to run for a federal electorate before the ICAC released its findings. You can read more about the timeline for releasing findings here. The short version is they won’t be coming out this year or even early next year.

Ms Berejiklian has denied all wrongdoing and insisted history will show she acted in the best interests of the people of NSW.

Ms Steggall told ABC News 24 today that it was “extraordinary and wrong of Scott Morrison and senior government ministers to be really undermining and calling into question the work of very important bodies like the New South Wales ICAC”.

This is really important work that is being done on behalf of the public to hold government to account, to pull back the curtain and make sure there is no corruption that public funds are used for public good and ensuring integrity in government.

And they are calling into question the importance of that work, and even calling into question the motivation of doing that work which I think borders on defamatory.

The words the Prime Minister used in Question Time [in which he likened the ICAC to a kangaroo court] I thought were outrageous because we should be seeing leadership to raise trust and call for more accountability, not undermine accountability, and I think communities really hate that and have had enough of that. That is why you are seeing so many independent candidates come up on platforms of integrity, of treatment of women, of climate, because the Government is just falling so far behind on those issues.

Singapore: Aung San Suu Kyi, the overthrown leader of Myanmar, has been found guilty of inciting public unrest and breaching coronavirus restrictions and sentenced to four years’ jail.

This is the first of a series of trial verdicts that could see her imprisoned for the rest of her life.

Myanmar’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, pictured in December 2019.Credit: AP

The 76-year-old Nobel Peace laureate has been held by the Myanmar’s military junta, first under house arrest and more recently in an unknown location in Naypyidaw, since the morning of a February 1 coup launched by army generals to reclaim power in the troubled south-east Asian nation.

She has been contesting a dozen charges brought against her and in a closed court in the capital on Monday she faced the first verdict of multiple trials that have been running simultaneously.

Suu Kyi received two-year sentences for each of the convictions, as did deposed president Win Myint, who faced the same charges.

Suu Kyi spent a total of 15 years under house arrest during the Tatmadaw’s previous military rule before being released in 2010.

Read the full story here.

Cricket Australia has confirmed that Perth will be stripped of the fifth Ashes Test in mid-January owing to border restrictions in Western Australia.

Daniel Brettig, chief cricket writer at The Age, foreshadowed the decision earlier today. Read his breaking story on Cricket Australia’s announcement here.

Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley said: “We did everything we could in partnership with the WA Government and WA Cricket to make it work under the current border and health arrangements, but unfortunately this was not possible.

“We are particularly disappointed for Western Australian cricket fans who were so looking forward to seeing the first ever Ashes Test at the new stadium.

“We look forward to continuing to work closely with the WA Government, Perth Stadium and WA Cricket to hold upcoming BBL matches and the ... [One Day International Australia] v New Zealand in Perth and thank them for their continued support.”

WA Premier Mark McGowan has said the state’s borders will remain largely shut until 90 per cent of residents aged 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, which is not expected to happen until late January or early February.

New Zealand has recorded 135 new cases of COVID-19, including 125 in Auckland.

“There are 76 cases in hospital. Of these, seven are in an intensive care or high dependency unit,” NZ’s Ministry of Health said.

“Of the 475 hospitalised cases in the current outbreak, 93% (443) are not fully immunised.

“For the purposes of this data, fully immunised means they received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine at least 7 days before being reported as a case.”

The Biden administration is expected to announce a US diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games this week, a move that will anger the Chinese government and increase the pressure on democracies such as Australia to implement similar boycotts.

Multiple US media outlets, including CNN, reported that the White House is preparing to announce that no American officials will attend the Games next year to protest against human rights violations in China.

President Joe Biden’s administration is expected to announce a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics this week.Credit: AP

A diplomatic boycott is seen as a compromise position that allows nations to send a message to China while still allowing their athletes to compete in the Games.

Biden confirmed last month that his administration was considering a diplomatic boycott, a move also being weighed up by the Australian government. “We’re considering those matters at the moment and working through those issues,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday.

Read the full story.

A surge in income and company tax collection, as well as lower-than-expected unemployment rates, are helping the federal budget recover from the COVID-19 recession.

New Finance Department data shows the budget deficit to the end of October was $7.9 billion better than forecast.

But the budget is still on track to show a deficit between $80 billion and $90 billion, meaning whoever wins the coming federal election will also inherit some tough budget repair decisions.

It comes as Labor officially kick-started its election campaign on the weekend, releasing key policies on TAFE and renewable energy, and Prime Minister Scott Morrison campaigned at breakneck speed at the Bathurst 1000.

Today on our podcast, Please Explain, senior economics correspondent Shane Wright joins Bianca Hall to discuss how the budget bottom line could influence the looming election.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced the state will reopen to fully vaccinated travellers at 1am on Monday next week without the need for quarantine.

Under Queensland’s road map to reopening the state, borders were set to reopen when 80 per cent of residents aged 16 and up were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or on December 17, whichever was earlier.

Ms Palaszczuk said that milestone would be reached this week, with the state sitting at a 78.67 full vaccination rate. Just over 87 per cent of residents had received a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.Credit: Matt Dennien

“We can’t predict exactly when [the 80 per cent milestone will be reached], but we know it’s going to be this week,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“We will be bringing forward the opening date of our borders from December 17 to 1am Monday the 13th.

“Queensland borders will reopen, especially to those hot spots of NSW and Victoria and ACT. So, fully vaccinated travellers from interstate hot spots can arrive by road or air. We do expect it to be very busy.

“You must have a negative COVID test in the previous 72 hours. So, please, you’ve got this date now so you can go and start organising that test. No quarantine is required if you are fully vaccinated. If you are not fully vaccinated, you must arrive by air only and hotel quarantine for 14 days.

“There are two important changes I just want to mention. First is that you will no longer have to wait the two weeks after your second dose to be considered fully vaccinated. The national guidelines say one week is enough. So, we will adopt the national guidelines.

“And secondly, all arrivals from domestic hot spots must get another COVID test on day 5 when they get here. And there’ll be penalties applying if you don’t do that.”

There were no new community cases of COVID-19 recorded in the state on Monday, with three cases in hotel quarantine, two from interstate, and one from overseas.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk provided an update on the state’s border and vaccination rates at about 2pm AEDT (3pm in Sydney and Melbourne).

You can watch the playback clip here.