‘A blatant bribe’: Hunt ups app ante
As the government gently encourages us to download COVIDSafe app, Health Minister Greg Hunt is being decidedly more blunt.
Health Minister Greg Hunt was more blunt with his messaging: “Want to go to the footy? Download the app.”
Want to go to the footy?
— Greg Hunt (@GregHuntMP) May 2, 2020
Download the app.
Link - https://t.co/vn3NoeQpal pic.twitter.com/qhwuz9kQAY
Now AFL clubs have joined the campaign. Presumably they’ll have a bigger reach than Hunt’s Twitter account. “While we start to look closer at the resumption of the AFL season … we urge everyone in the GIANTS family to remain vigilant and follow all health and safety guidelines,” Greater Western Sydney emailed members.
We encourage all our fans and supporters to download the COVIDSafe app to help stop the spread and save lives. #StayHomeSaveLives #NeverSurrender
— GWS GIANTS (@GWSGIANTS) May 1, 2020
“Part of these guidelines include downloading the COVIDSafe App, which has been developed to slow the spread of COVID-19. While the app is voluntary, all of us at the GIANTS encourage our members to take the step of joining the millions of other Australians that have already downloaded it.”
As of Monday afternoon, more than 4.5 million of the 16 million Aussie adults with smartphones had registered. The government is aiming for 10 million by Friday.
Thank you to everyone for stepping up in these tough times. The changes to stop coronavirus aren't easy, but they're working, so keep going!
— Australian Government Department of Health (@healthgovau) May 4, 2020
Help stop the spread, download the COVIDSafe app today. Learn more: https://t.co/ePN7dURoyH#coronavirus #covid19 #thankyou pic.twitter.com/z1ZXEKnIOa
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Slip, slop, app
Could The Canberra Bubble™ soon extend to Wellington?
Well, it will on Tuesday when New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, phones into the national cabinet.
She’s not the first Kiwi to sit at the cabinet table — that honour goes to Barnaby Joyce.
Like Pantene, Ardern has promised the trans-Tasman “Travel Bubble”™ won’t happen overnight (“in a couple of weeks’ time”) but it will happen. Regardless, all is clear on the Parliament House front for pollies heading back to das capital for next week’s shortened sitting.
As a spokesperson has told Strewth: “The Department of Parliamentary Services has not been advised of any building occupant testing positive for COVID-19.” Slightly reassuring?
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Gee up about schools
Education Minister Dan Tehan isn’t the only Coalition frontbencher shaking his fist at home-schooling.
Here’s Andrew Gee — the Nationals member for Calare, not Andrew G (now known as Osher Gunsberg), the former Australian Idol host — on 2GB last week. “I come from central western NSW. So from Bathurst to Bourke we’ve only got one active COVID-19 case and I think everyone has done the right thing. Everyone has worked hard and done what we’re told, but when you have figures that are that low I think it strengthens the case to bring these kids back (to school).”
So far so good. Gee continued: “You know, I was at home the other day and there was a commotion out in the backyard. And I’ve got one son in high school, I’ve got one in Year 6 who attends a public school in my area. What were they doing out the back? They were driving golf balls at each other and they thought that was their entertainment. And I think I’d like to see the kids engaged in more productive pursuits.”
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It’s just not cricket
“I don’t think saliva to shine a cricket ball is a good thing at all,” Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said on Sunday. What’s the alternative? A return to stuffing sandpaper down players’ pants?
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Wedded blitz
Thousands of wedding bells have been silenced by COVID-19, with couples across the country choosing to cancel until they can celebrate with friends and families. But just how many?
Strewth! stitched together some March stats to see how many have missed out on their happy day. NSW weddings hit a five-year low, falling from 4598 in March last year to 3204. Victorian nuptials also dropped by more than 1000 to 3353. There were nearly 300 fewer ceremonies in Western Australia; down to 1202 from 1495 in March last year.
But the state government expects numbers to jump back up now that rules have been relaxed to allow 10 guests. South Australia had a small fall from 940 to 842 and only 61 fewer couples tied the knot in Tassie, 306 down from 367 last year. But in the Top End there have been 11 more marriages. There were 34 in March, compared with 23 in March last year.
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Huawei or the highway
Australia and China may be in a stoush, but that hasn’t stopped Huawei’s charm offensive. Nick Xenophon (remember him?) is being rolled out for a virtual coffee date with journalists on Wednesday.
“Huawei would like to help perk you up during the midweek self-isolation slump with an engaging conversation over a cup of your favourite brew. Join our first morning coffee with guests Nick Xenophon and Mark Davis — whose law firm acts for Huawei Australia — as they unravel Australia’s Huawei Puzzle,” the invitation says.
“These morning coffee talks are free to attend and you don’t even need to leave the comfort of your home office. Spots are limited, however, so it’s important that you sign up early to secure your place in our digital cafe.”
The irony isn’t lost on us. “Twelve months ago Huawei couldn’t land a coffee date with any politician in Canberra!” a staff member of the Chinese tech giant told a Strewth spy in March. But that was before it invited press, pollies and staff to a VIP viewing of the NRL round one match between the Canberra Raiders and Gold Coast Titans in GIO Stadium’s directors suite as a “special guest” of Raiders chief Don Furner and Huawei director of corporate and public affairs Jeremy Mitchell. Canberra won 24-6 on March 13 and COVID-19 restrictions forced the NRL to shut down a week later.
strewth@theaustralian.com.au
Libs should be-Ware what they say about JWH
Could things get any worse for the Liberals in Hughes? Well, strap in. Diary can reveal that Liberal candidate Jenny Ware once called John Winston Howard ‘out of touch’.
Believe in your selfie, Andrew
Kevin Rudd appears to have met his selfie match in Andrew Charlton.
The government’s latest SMS alert to all Quiet Australians is a blatant bribe — “Help us to keep you safe and ease restrictions by downloading the COVIDSafe app now”.