Coronavirus Australia live news: Axing deals ‘puts bacteria in ties’, China warns; Andrews wants more detail on foreign interference bill
Beijing has denounced the Morrison government’s proposed Foreign Relations Bill.
Welcome to The Australian’s rolling coverage of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Daniel Andrews has spikily responded to the Prime Minister’s proposed Foreign Relations bill. Victoria records 23 deaths and 113 new cases. NSW records nine.
Max Maddison 11pm: Morrison pans premiers for border closures
Scott Morrison has slammed the nation’s premiers for border closures and the “great damage” being done to people, declaring Australia was not “built to have borders”.
With only 11 recorded cases of COVID-19 outside of Victoria, the Prime Minister implored the states to reopen, saying it was fair to question how the risk of contagion was being balanced against other “heartbreaking” factors.
“So I‘d like to go back to Plan A, which is Australia, where you don’t have them. The sooner we can get to that, the better, because it’s costing people their livelihood, it’s costing people their jobs,” Mr Morrison told Paul Murray on Sky News on Thursday night.
“And worse than that, on occasions, the number of letters I‘ve gotten, I’ve been advocating, of course, the people getting access to medical treatment or accompanying loved ones. These are heartbreaking stories.
With the borders causing significant economic damage, and Australia’s medical system now equipped to deal with a surge in infections, Mr Morrison said the nation was not designed to be segregated.
“I saw a quote by Alfred Deakin, one of our early prime ministers, and, you know, a father of the Federation, and he said: ‘Australia wasn‘t built to have borders.’ That was sort of the point — not to have them.
“So if you put a border in place, even if you had goodwill to try and resolve every one of these annoying, frustrating issues, it‘s not going to be perfect, and you’re never going to get it perfect. That’s why they created Australia.”
Olivia Caisley 10.30pm: Colbeck walks out on ‘ALP games’
Richard Colbeck claims Labor has had its ‘gotcha moment’ over his handling of the aged-care crisis.
Stephen Lunn 10pm: Grief as Victoria braces for 500th death
The still-unfolding tragedy in aged care has driven Victoria’s rapid death spiral, with nursing home residents accounting for 343 of the fatalities.
Patrick Commins 9.30pm: ‘Stimulus needed if business to invest’
New estimates suggest business investment could plunge by as much as 13 per cent, or $15bn, in this financial year.
Mackenzie Scott 9pm: Tree-changers putting down new roots
COVID-19 has propelled a new generation of tree-changers out of the cities to greener and hopefully safer pastures.
Jen Murphy 8.30pm: Would you like some ‘smize’ with that?
In a move coined by a supermodel, restaurant workers master how to smize (smile with your eyes) when wearing a mask.
Matthew Westwood 8pm: Gallery masters the art of the blockbuster
From the Italian Renaissance to van Gogh and Monet, the exclusive exhibition spans 500 years of painting.
AFP 7.30pm: Covid-19 breaches claim EU trade boss
EU trade commissioner Phil Hogan has resigned after a week of pressure over a breach of coronavirus guidelines.
AFP 7pm: Germany closes stadiums and orders fines over masks
Germany will impose tougher rules on mask wearing and keep fans out of stadiums until at the least the end of the year to combat a worrying rise in coronavirus infections, under a draft seen by the news service Agence France-Presse.
Chancellor Angela Merkel is set to meet with the leaders of Germany’s 16 federal states on thursday night (AEST) to officially agree the new measures, which will apply nationwide.
They will include a minimum fine of €50 euros ($82) for flouting requirements on mask wearing.
Until now each German state has set its own fines with penalties varying wildly, from €40 in Hamburg to €250 in Bavaria.
Germany also plans to extend a ban on large events from the end of October until the end of the year. It applies to everything from festivals and concerts to large sporting events with spectators.
The decision deals a blow to German soccer clubs, which had been hoping to invite supporters back to their games this northern autumn.
German authorities also plan to tighten rules on smaller gatherings by limiting private parties to 25 people.
READ MORE: Power plays hold nation to ransom
Will Glasgow 6.30pm: ‘Stop putting bacteria into this relationship’: China
Beijing has denounced the Morrison government’s proposed Foreign Relations Bill, which would allow the federal government to rescind Victoria’s Belt and Road Initiative agreement.
“China’s co-operation with the Victorian state under the BRI has enhanced the benefits for people on both sides of the deal,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Thursday night in Beijing.
Asked about the proposed bill, Mr Zhao added: “We hope Australia will view such co-operation objectively and reasonably, and stop putting bacteria into this relationship and do more to improve our mutual benefits.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the new legislation on Wednesday hours after China’s deputy ambassador in Canberra, Wang Xining, gave a speech at the National Press Club.
Mr Wang praised the Belt and Road Initiative — a global infrastructure development strategy and signature foreign policy initiative of President Xi Jinping — during his appearance on Wednesday, which was notable for its conciliatory tone.
“He tried to be constructive. That was the most interesting thing,” said Australia’s first ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, Stephen Fitzgerald, adding he hoped the federal government would use the address as a “signal” to improve the fraught bilateral relationship.
Mr Zhao’s sharp words about the new legislation on Thursday were delivered hours after the Canberra-based Australian Strategic Policy Institute hosted a virtual panel with a recorded address by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, a regular figure of scorn from Beijing.
Mr Zhao has also repeatedly denounced ASPI, whose work he has said “turn everything upside down and are simply ridiculous.”
READ MORE: Unis blast PM’s crackdown on foreign deals
Andrew Ellson, George Grylls, Louisa Clarence-Smith 6pm: Biggest cities deserted as staff spurn the office
Fears are growing over the future of Britain’s city centres after the latest figures show the number of workers returning to offices has not increased since June.
Some city centres have even had the numbers back at their desks fall as staff take their August holidays.
Analysis of mobile phone data shows that early this month 17 per cent of people had returned to work in the 63 biggest cities, the same proportion as at the end of June.
In London, only 13 per cent have returned with the government struggling to persuade civil servants back despite encouragement from Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Whitehall sources say only one in 10 officials in two of the most senior government departments has returned to the workplace after resistance from the unions. Ministers are pushing for occupancy levels in the Cabinet Office and the Treasury to rise to 30 per cent by October but there is little expectation that there will be a full return to work this year.
READ MORE: Guard’s note: ‘Hey hun, add me on Snapchat’
Hannah Lucinda Smith 5.30pm: One-hour weddings as cases mount in Turkey
Wedding ceremonies in parts of Turkey will be limited to an hour and dancing banned after the highest daily rate of coronavirus cases for two months was recorded.
Restrictions were reintroduced in 14 provinces including the central regions of Ankara and Konya. Traditional parties at which women’s hands are painted with henna before weddings will be banned. State workers will go to the office in shifts or work from home.
Doctors warned the true number of infections was almost 10 times more than government figures. The health ministry reported that 1502 people had tested positive over the previous 24 hours, taking the total number of cases since the start of the outbreak to 261,194 with 6163 deaths.The figure is the highest since June 15.
The Times
READ MORE: Tasmania eyes emergency extension
Rosie Lewis 4.55pm: PM demands transparent border permit process
Scott Morrison is demanding a fairer, more transparent and uniform appeals process for Australians whose requests to cross state borders are rejected, as he concedes national cabinet has not addressed border issues “as well as we’d hoped”. Read more here
Jade Gailberger 4.30pm: PM forced to defend Aged Care Minister
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has lashed out at Opposition calls to sack his aged care minister.
In Question Time on Thursday, Labor leader Anthony Albanese asked Mr Morrison if there was no one on the Coalition backbench who could do a better job than Senator Richard Colbeck.
But Mr Morrison retaliated, saying “there’s no-one who sits over there who could”.
“You won’t find a treasurer on that side, you won’t find another deputy prime minister as good as this one who is pretending to do it on that side or the Minister Home Affairs or Attorney-General,” he said.
Both sides of parliament erupted as Mr Morrison went on to list Cabinet ministers in the House and commended those in the Senate.
The Opposition used Question Time this week to grill the Government over its handling of the aged care crisis, including serious outbreaks resulting in more than 300 deaths.
READ MORE: The fallout from Super changes
Max Maddison 4pm: More than 20,000 aged care shifts covered in Victoria
Over 20,000 shifts across Victoria’s aged care sector were forced to be filled as homes struggled under the weight of staff who were infected or forced to quarantine, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer Alison McMillan has revealed.
Labelling the figure “enormous”, Ms McMillan said she was “increasingly grateful” to the flexibility of healthcare nurses who stepped in to cover the gap.
“I can report that more than 20,000 shifts are being filled and assisted to a whole range of strategies, to help actual staff who had tested positive or required quarantine due to close contact,” Ms McMillan told a daily briefing on Thursday afternoon.
“20,000 is an enormous number of shifts in such a short period of time … and whether it’s from interstate, where the hospital nurses are from public and private systems in Victoria, we are increasingly grateful for their flexibility, particularly of nurses.”
With 5.9 million tests conducted since the pandemic began, Ms McMillan said testing remained a “critical part of our armoury” in the fight against the virus, but tempered expectations about a reported “fast, cheap” test which could take 15 minutes.
“It’s fair to say Australia has very much stuck to the gold standard of the moment across the world, and we continue to use that across every state and territory in our testing facilities wherever they are,”
“Rapid testing does have its advantages … but if we believe it’s got the evidence to support its sensitivity and specificity, maybe something will continue to be considered in the future but for now, all Australians can be confident they use the gold standard which is PCR.”
READ MORE: Covid breaches claim EU trade boss
Remy Varga 3.33pm: Security guard to hotel guest: ‘Hun, add me on snapchat’
A hotel quarantine security guard slid a note that said “Hey hun, add me on snapchat” under the door of a guest detained at the Crowne Plaza.
The woman looked up the identity of the note leaver on Facebook to discover he was a security guard enforcing her mandatory 14-day detention, according emails released by the hotel quarantine inquiry.
The email said the guard had taken the woman for fresh air breaks a couple of times.
It said a security complaint had been received after the woman “received an inappropriate note under her door.”
“The note said something like ‘Hey hun, add me on snapchat’ - she looked up his name on Facebook and it’s a security guard and wants to complain.
“He took her outside a few days ago for outside time... with two other guests.... two other security guards.”
A reply to the email from DJPR employee Paul Xerri said: “I will contact Wilson Security now to have this guard removed.”
READ the full story here
Matthew Denholm 3.21pm: Tasmania weighs extending state of emergency
Tasmania is considering extending its coronavirus state of emergency beyond the end of this month, despite the lack of community transmission of the virus within the state.
Premier Peter Gutwein is taking advice on extending the declaration, which gives his government sweeping powers to restrict the way people move, gather and do business, when it expires on Monday, August 31.
However, the state Emergency Management Act limits such declarations to a maximum of three months and Mr Gutwein has no plans to amend the legislation to seek a Victorian-style six to 12 month period.
“The government is considering and taking advice on the matter of whether to extend the state of emergency beyond August 31,” a government spokesman confirmed to The Australian. “We don’t have any intention of amending the legislation.”
The Act does not appear to limit the number of times the premier can extend a state of emergency, but it cannot be for periods of longer than three months at a time, and must be regularly reviewed.
“The Premier may extend a declaration of a state of emergency for one or more further periods, each of which does not exceed ... (three months) if satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to do so,” the Act says.
READ MORE: Premier ‘frustrating’ estate agents
Max Maddison 3.15pm: Infection forces DJs flagship store to close
An infected worker at a bustling David Jones in Sydney’s CBD has forced the department store’s food court to shutter its doors.
Less than a hundred metres from the ballooning Tattersalls Club cluster, the Elizabeth Street department store underwent deep cleaning on Wednesday night, after a worker from the store’s food hall tested positive to COVID-19.
In a statement, a spokesman for David Jones said the employee had last worked on Tuesday, and as a “further precaution”, the food service and fresh food areas would continue to be closed today.
“A deep clean of the store has been completed and contact tracing undertaken in accordance with all health authority guidelines,” a spokesman said.
“Our foremost priority remains the health and safety of our team members and customers at this time, and we extend our support and best wishes to the impacted team member.”
READ MORE: Boxing Day Test on SA wishlist
Lachlan Moffet Gray 2.14pm: JPMorgan cluster grows with two more cases
JPMorgan has recorded a further two cases of COVID-19 in its Sydney Office, The Australian has confirmed.
It comes after a staff member was diagnosed earlier in the week, with employees who worked on the same floor as the initial infected person told to work from home on Tuesday morning.
The Australian understands that the additional two cases worked on that same floor, which remains closed for deep cleaning.
The remainder of JPMorgan’s Sydney Office on Castlereagh Street remains open, although the majority of staff are working from home.
READ MORE: ‘Struggle Street’ builders seek stamp duty relief
Richard Ferguson 1.49pm: ‘Morrison Trumpian’ on Darwin Port sale: Dreyfus
Opposition legal affairs spokesman Mark Dreyfus has labelled Scott Morrison’s push to veto foreign deals with state governments “Trumpian”.
While Mr Dreyfus did not say he opposed the Foreign Relations Bill, the Labor frontbencher told the House of Representatives that the bill was a distraction from the government’s record on the sale of the Port of Darwin to Chinese interests.
“In some sort of Trumpian act, the Prime Minister now wants the entire nation to be overcome with amnesia about his own record,” Mr Dreyfus said.
“He wants us to forget that it was his government that ticked off the sale of the Port of Darwin – a strategic asset – to a Chinese company.
“He wants us to forget that when Victoria signed a Memorandum of Understanding with China in 2018 his Trade Minister, Senator (Simon) Birmingham, declared “that’s something we welcome.” And most of all he wants us to forget that in September 2017 his Government signed its own BRI Memorandum of Understanding with China.
“It’s time that the Morrison Government started properly managing our international relations instead of chasing headlines.”
READ MORE: The Mocker — Power hungry premiers hold nation to ransom
OLIVIA CAISLEY 1.26pm: Morrison praises Tarrant’s life sentence
Scott Morrison has praised the life sentence delivered to Australian white supremacist Brenton Tarrant over the Christchurch massacre, declaring “justice has been delivered”.
The gunman was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Thursday for the massacre of 51 Muslim worshippers in 2019.
In a post to his Facebook page on Thursday the Prime Minister said all Australians were horrified and devastated by the despicable act.
Tarrant had admitted 51 charges of murder, 40 of attempted murder and one of terrorism over the attacks, after reversing an initial not-guilty plea.
“It is right that we will never see or hear from him ever again. All Australians were horrified and devastated by his despicable act. New Zealand is family to us,” Mr Morrison said.
“Today, we send our love across ‘the ditch’ and I had the opportunity to pass on those wishes earlier today to New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern.”
“...I pay tribute to the Muslim community of New Zealand and in Australia who have supported each other and reflected the goodness of faith,” he said. “You have been a light answering the darkness.”
“God Bless our New Zealand whanau this day – and may it be another day of healing for everyone affected by this terrible atrocity.”
READ the full story here
Richard Ferguson 1.14pm: Albanese backs PM on foreign deal veto
Anthony Albanese has backed the principle of the Morrison government’s proposal to veto foreign deals with state governments deemed against the national interest.
The Opposition Leader told the National Press Club he still had to look at the details of the Foreign Relations Bill, and reiterated his opposition to Australia signing up to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
“I have expressed it publicly that the government I lead would not participate in the scheme,” he said in Canberra.
“And we haven’t seen the legislation yet at all.
“We’ll examine the legislation, but the idea that the national interests should be looked after by the federal government when it comes to foreign policy is something that we’re very supportive of. I would regard that as completely unremarkable.”
READ MORE: China’s laughable double standards fool no one
PATRICK COMMINS 1.10pm: Victorians wholeheartedly back restrictions
An overwhelming majority of Victorians remain supportive of the draconian restrictions placed on them by Premier Daniel Andrews to suppress the second coronavirus wave.
A new Roy Morgan snap survey of Victorians via SMS found that more than 70 per cent of respondents believed five of the six stage four restrictions should remain.
The highest support was for the forced wearing of masks outside the home - at 89 per cent.
Around three quarters of respondents said directives banning dining in at cafes and restaurants should continue, and a similar proportion opposed opening back up schools and childcare centres to everyone.
A little over 70 per cent of those surveyed said the government should maintain bans on travelling more than 5km from home, and the survey found a similar level of support for the 8pm to 5am curfew
In contrast, only 57 per cent expressed support for the directive banning Melbournites from visiting the homes of immediate family members.
While their were some differences in the degree of support between Melbournites and country Victorians, they were not enough to make a material difference.
READ MORE: Youth struggling, but suicides aren’t up
Richard Ferguson 1.05pm: Albanese demands minimum aged care staffing levels
Anthony Albanese has demanded the Morrison government set minimum staffing levels in aged care facilities and reduce home care waiting lists to tackle the COVID retirement home crisis.
In the wake of 22 aged care-related deaths in Victoria on Thursday, the Opposition Leader’s National Press Club address is focused on fixing the aged care crisis and attacking Scott Morrison over his handling of COVID outbreaks.
Mr Albanese has laid out eight demands for immediate aged care reform.
“Minimum staffing levels in residential aged care; Reduce the home care package waiting list so more people can stay in their homes for longer,” Mr Albanese told the Press Club.
“Ensure transparency and accountability of funding to support high quality care; Independent measurement and public reporting as recommended by the Royal Commission this week.
“Ensure every residential aged care facility has adequate personal protective equipment; Better training for staff, including on infection control; A better surge workforce strategy.
“And provide additional resources so the Aged Care Royal Commission can inquire specifically into COVID-19 across the sector while not impacting or delaying the handing down of the final report.”
Mr Albanese’s speech comes as every query he has thrown at the Prime Minister in question time this week has centred on aged care.
READ MORE: A third of businesses expect hardship
STEPHEN LUNN 12.29pm: Foreign bill: Andrews wants more detail from PM
Daniel Andrews has spikily responded to the Prime Minister’s new plan for federal government review of all state government deals with foreign governments by asking for details of Scott Morrison’s proposed trade alternative.
And he questioned why Mr Morrison would be focusing on this issue in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.
“If the Prime Minister has time to be doing those things, that’s fine for him,” Mr Andrews said.
“I don’t. I’m exclusively focused on fighting this virus.
“Given the announcements the Prime Minister has made today he’ll no doubt be able to list the full range of other free trade agreements and other markets that we’ll be sending Victorian products to. I’ll look forward to that,” Mr Andrews said.
“Presumably this approach will include quite soon a very detailed list of alternative trading arrangements, alternative free trade agreements, alternative markets. I’ll leave that to the PM to announce, but presumably that’s coming and coming pretty quickly.”
The Victorian government has a multimillion dollar agreement with China under its Belt and Road Initiative, understood to be one of the key deals that has prompted the federal government’s new push.
Mr Andrews defended the arrangement with China and other countries, saying Victoria didn’t have the natural resources other states did to create wealth and relied on sectors like higher education, which has a large number of overseas students.
“If anybody in Canberra thinks this government is not going to do everything it can to create more jobs for Victorians .. that’s always driven me and it always will.”
READ MORE: Steaks are high at Chinese envoy’s lunch
REMY VARGA 12.13pm: Victoria Police ‘preferred’ private security over officers
A public servant says Victoria Police had an “absolute preference” private security companies should be used instead of police officers to enforce hotel quarantine, inquiry hears.
An email shown to the hotel quarantine inquiry also said responsibility for the disastrous scheme was formally transferred to Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services on March 29.
Bureaucrat Claire Febey today told the inquiry that DHHS preferred non-medical staff, including security guards, relied on social distancing for infection control in a bid to conserve personal protective equipment.
The executive director of the Priority Projects Unit at the state’s department of Jobs, Regions and Precincts [DJPR] stated that Assistant Commissioner Mick Grainger said it would be preferable for private security to be engaged rather than Victoria Police at a March 27 meeting where the scheme was signed off.
When questioned by counsel assisting Rachel Ellyard if this was correct, Ms Febey said: “Yes”.
Ms Febey’s statement includes a transcript from the meeting that recounts Emergency Management Victoria Commissioner Andrew Crisp saying: “I understand the preference of Victoria Police, or the Chief Commissioner, be the first line of security and then police to response [sic] as required. Is that your understanding Mick?”
Assistant Commissioner Grainger replies: “Yes, it’s Mick Grainger here. Absolutely that’s our preference.”
Notes taken by Ms Febey on March 27 prior to the meeting said DJPR Secretary Simon Phemister would call then Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton about Victoria Police enforcement.
“They [guests] need to be safe but need to stay where they are [hotel quarantine],” the note said.
“Simon will call Graham Ashton … Need a regime that makes sure they adhere to their quarantine program.”
Nearly 100 per cent of Victoria’s coronavirus second wave, which has killed more than 440 Victorians, are linked to infection control breaches at the Rydges on Swanston and the Stamford Plaza.
READ the full story here
Stephen Lunn 12.00pm: Andrews keeping mum over crossbench negotiations
Daniel Andrews has remained non-committal about a proposed deal with parliamentary crossbenchers over his plans for a 12-month extension to Victoria’s state of emergency.
Upper House crossbenchers have indicated they would block the plan raised by the Premier on Monday, but Mr Andrews said negotiations with the crossbench were ongoing.
It is understood a six-month compromise proposal is under consideration, with Health Minister Jenny Mikakos negotiating with crossbench MPs.
“We’re having very, very productive discussions with them, and I’m very confident that we’ll get to an outcome that both protects public health and gives us the rules that we need to plan to open (the state).”
Mr Andrews said he would have more to say next week, a parliamentary sitting week in Victoria.
“I’m not going to be commenting on negotiations that are ongoing. Nor am I going to conduct negotiations with people via a press conference. I don’t think that would be fair,” he said.
READ MORE: Morrison tells China: seduction and duchessing of premiers is over
Imogen Reid 11.20am: Nine new cases recorded in NSW
Nine new cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed in New South Wales overnight, bringing the total number of cases to 3817.
All of the new infections were locally acquired and have been traced back to known cases, including five linked to the Sydney CBD cluster and four that have been identified as close contacts of previous cases.
Three of the new cases attended City Tattersalls Club gym, taking the total number of infections linked to the cluster to eight.
NSW Health has added five new venues to their list of impacted locations. Anyone who attended the following venues are considered casual contacts and will need to be tested should they experience symptoms:
4Pines Manly Brew Bar The Esplanade – 23 August from 3.30pm to 5pm
Magpies Waitara restaurant – 24 August from 11.30am to 1.15pm
Fitness First Balgowlah – 23 August from 9am to 12pm (NSW Health is calling to advise any close contacts who must immediately self-isolate for 14 days)
Destro’s Pharmacy 197-201 Victoria Road Drummoyne – 22 August from 11.20am to 11.40am
Fitness First Bond St – 20 and 21 August in the afternoon (NSW Health is calling to advise any close contacts who must immediately self-isolate for 14 days)
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Stephen Lunn 11.18am: All but one Victorian deaths linked to aged care
All but one of the 23 deaths in Victoria in the last day have been linked to nursing homes, Daniel Andrews has revealed.
The Victorian Premier said 485 people had lost their lives in his state since the start of the pandemic, an increase of 23.
“Twenty-two of the 23 are linked to aged care outbreaks,” he said.
Overall there are 113 new cases in Victoria, the lowest since July 5.
Mr Andrews said there 532 Victorians in hospital, with 29 receiving intensive care.
And there are 4151 cases with an unknown source, and 3308 active cases across the state.
Mr Andrews said he is waiting until the daily COVID-19 count hits double figures before outlining what his future plans are for opening up the state and repairing the damage done to the economy.
The Victorian Premier said people were doing “an amazing job” during the Stage 4 lockdown, and can look forward to the state moving to “COVID normal”.
“Every Victorian can be positive about the fact these numbers are coming down,” the Premier said in reference to the latest 24 hour figure of 113 new cases, the lowest since early July.
“There will come a time, hopefully soon, when we’ll see those numbers in double digits and we can have with greater confidence a really clear discussion about what the back end of September looks like, what October, November, December looks like, pushing into 2021,” he said.
Victoria’s Stage 4 lockdown is due to end on September 13.
Mr Andrews said he is preparing “a massive plan to repair the damage this pandemic has done, make sure that jobs and skills … are at the forefront of everything we do.”
“We hope to give people a road map, a clear plan about what coming out of Stage 4 looks like, what opening up looks like, what finding COVID normal looks like,” he said.
Richard Ferguson 11.09am: ‘Australia needs to protect itself from foreign powers’
Scott Morrison says Australia needs to protect itself from foreign powers trying to undermine the nation’s foreign policy through its state governments, as he unveiled his Foreign Relations bill.
The Prime Minister said in Canberra that all state premiers should “know what I know” on national security issues before arranging deals with foreign powers like China.
Mr Morrison refused to say if he would rip up Victoria’s Belt and Road deal with China under the new powers proposed in the bill — that will also ban a raft of other deals with foreign governments found to be against the national interest
But he said he will do what is necessary to ensure subnational governments are not used by foreign countries.
“Where any foreign government seeks to undermine the sovereignty of Australia’s foreign policy by
seeking to do deals with subnational governments, Australia needs to protect itself from that,” he said.
“And importantly, that’s why, probably, I’d argue, more than anyone previously — although I know there were briefings provided — but not at this level of detail — I appeal for all premiers and chief ministers to know what I know about Australia’s national security issues and interests.
“We need to all work together to protect Australia’s national interests and I think this bill, these laws, will aid us in doing that.”
Richard Ferguson 10.26am: PM to push for border communities
Scott Morrison will push for an appeals process for border communities harmed by the state’s COVID internal closures.
The Prime Minister said the area of state border closures were constitutionally “grey” and he believed they are an extreme response from some states.
Mr Morrison said he wanted to “harmonise” the ability of border-living Australians to appeal decisions made by state authorities in charge of the internal closures.
“I will continue to work to ensure we have a transparent and fair process, that there are
appropriate appeal rights in place, for people who are affected by these decisions. It affects their lives,” he said in Canberra.
“In relation to how any sort of a proper appeal mechanism works, well, in some states they do
have them and what I’d be seeking is a harmonisation and a consistency in how states apply those.
“They’re not federal borders. They are state borders, for states to administer, and they need to do so in a way which minimises the pain and the hardship and the inconvenience that
is not necessary.
“And that Australians, wherever they live, have the appropriate review mechanisms in place for any administrative decision that can impact on them and their livelihoods and, indeed, their health.”
READ MORE: Booze rules a hard slog for sly groggers
OLIVIA CAISLEY 10.12am: Colbeck quits chamber after ‘gotcha moment’
Richard Colbeck claims Labor has had its “gotcha moment” over his handling of the aged care crisis as he was forced to the Senate to explain the government’s preparations.
But the Aged Care Minister’s decision to walk out of the chamber after making his statement, and while Penny Wong was responding, triggered new claims he had turned his back on accountability.
“Mr President, for us, this has never been about politics, the operation of the national cabinet demonstrates that order,” Senator Colbeck said.
“Labor can have their gotcha moments,” he said, referring to his bungle at an inquiry into the government’s handling of the coronavirus crisis at which he was unable to remember how many aged-care residents had died.
“They can ridicule and show disrespect to our most senior medical officials on the use of language covert maintenance.”
Senator Colbeck accused Labor of “playing games” over an issue facing Australians that “need our help the most”, declaring he had been there “every step of the way” and had spoken to many Labor MPs in Victoria to update them on outbreaks occurring in their electorates.
“I’ve worked closely with my counterpart in Victoria co-operating on many of the issues in the interest of senior Australians in Victoria and their loved ones and I acknowledge and thank him for his co-operation, responding to this cruel virus and its impact on communities remains my focus,” he said.
“And again, my sincerest condolences to all of those who have lost loved ones.”
As Senator Wong started to deliver her response the Aged Care Minister drew the ire of Labor as he walked out of the chamber.
She asked him to stay, but he didn’t.
Senator Wong called on the Upper House to consider his performance as a minister and asked “Would you trust your parents, your grandparents, your aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters wives or husbands to Senator Colbeck’s care?”
She reiterated calls from Labor for him to be sacked.
“The fact is Senator Richard Colbeck has lost the confidence of the Parliament,” she said. “He has lost the confidence of the public. And he has to go.”
A spokesman for Senator Colbeck said the minister had left the Senate to attend a pre-scheduled phone-hook up with an aged care provider.
READ MORE: Nine bleeds as virus takes toll
Stephen Lunn 10.03am: Andrews’ crossbench deal on emergency law not final
The Andrews government is not yet confirming a deal with crossbench MPs for a six month extended state of emergency for Victoria, with negotiations yet to be finalised.
Premier Dan Andrews announced on Monday he planned to introduce a 12-month extension of Victoria’s state of emergency powers, but Upper House crossbench MPs raised concerns about the duration of the arrangement.
Negotiations have been taking place since, and Mr Andrews is expected to address the matter at his news conference later this morning.
READ MORE: Morrison urges Andrews to offer hope
Richard Ferguson 9.48am: LIVE: PM to outline plan to kill off foreign interest deals
Scott Morrison will get up in Canberra this morning to unveil his plan to ban a raft of deals with foreign governments found to be against the national interest.
In an unprecedented move against Chinese interference and the protection of state secrets, the use of external powers under the Constitution to direct state, territory and local governments on national security issues will effectively kill dozens of agreements with foreign governments and institutions.
The Foreign Relations Bill, which will be introduced to parliament next week, also extends to universities and captures any questionable agreements between Australian public institutions and foreign governments.
The Prime Minister is due to speak at his courtyard in Parliament House at 10am with Foreign Minister Marise Payne.
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Charlie Peel 9.30am: Queensland prison alert as state records two new cases
A fitness trainer at the Queensland Corrective Services Academy has tested positive for COVID-19, prompting 25 close contacts to be rushed into quarantine.
Corrective Services Commissioner Peter Martin said the trainer had not been in contact with any inmates while infectious but had interacted with 14 corrective services recruits and 11 colleagues while he had the virus.
The Forest Lake man was tested for the virus on Friday and has since been in quarantine.
Mr Martin said prisons in the “greater southeast corner” of the state were subject to lockdown measures to prevent the potential spread of the virus into prisons.
“All of the southeast Queensland corner, we’ve moved to stage four which is significantly limiting any unnecessary movement into the prisons or out of the prisons and we’re locking the prisons down including all of the staff using PPE when engaging with the prison population,” he said.
“This is an extreme step but an overly cautious step.”
The man, aged in his 60s, was one of two people to test positive to the virus in Queensland in the past 24 hours, along with a person in hotel quarantine.
It is unknown if the case is related to a cluster at the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre at Wacol which has affected more than 10 people, although no prisoners have tested positive to the virus.
All of the prisoners at the Youth Detention Centre have returned negative test results, Health Minister Steven Miles said.
“While we can’t yet identify a clear link with the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre, this individual lives in Forest Lake, works in Wacol which are both locations where other cases from the prison youth detention centre cluster are known to live and or work,” Mr Miles said.
READ MORE: Covid hammers AirNZ with $900m blow
Lane Sainty 9.20am: Public servants to be grilled on hotel scandal
Public servants will be grilled today as the inquiry investigating what went wrong with Melbourne’s quarantine hotels resumes.
Claire Febey, Katrina Currie and Gonul Serbest from the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions will tell the inquiry about establishing the hotel quarantine program.
The inquiry has previously heard it was set up in 48 hours.
In the past fortnight, inquiry chief Jennifer Coate has heard evidence from several guests who stayed at the hotels, as well as security guards.
Infectious disease experts testified last week that 99 per cent of current cases in Victoria could be traced back to the quarantine program.
READ MORE: Victoria ‘like watching a slow car crash’
Imogen Reid 8.52am: Bus driver case shows ‘potential of virus to spread’
NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro has said he “has faith” that the state’s contact tracers will track the source of infection for the latest mystery cases.
Mr Barilaro told Nine’s Today show that the trainee bus driver who worked for three days while infectious demonstrates the scale in which the virus has the
potential to spread.
“This is the crisis that we face. It takes one individual who travels across the city or the regions or the state, stops in at a pub, bar, cafe, restaurant may interact with other people,” he said.
“From one it can easily become 20, 50 or 100. That’s why it’s so important that the message stays clear that we’ve got to do everything we can to abide by the rules.
“I have faith in the health experts and our team on the ground in relation to contact tracing.”
READ MORE: It’s logo-a-go-go as ‘corona’ crest canned
Imogen Reid 8.35am: Victoria records 23 deaths, 113 new cases
Victoria has recorded 113 new COVID-19 cases and 23 deaths. It comes after Wednesdays’ total of 149 infections and 24 deaths, the state’s second-highest daily death toll so far after 25 deaths on August 17.
#COVID19VicData for 27 August, 2020. 113 new cases detected in Victoria yesterday. We are sad to also report an additional 23 lives lost. More information will be available later today. pic.twitter.com/bmyArndpsb
— VicGovDHHS (@VicGovDHHS) August 26, 2020
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Imogen Reid 8.20am: France, Italy record new daily high case numbers
France has reported a new post-lockdown high, registering 5429 new coronavirus infections over the last 24 hours. The total number of people infected with the virus in France now stands at 253,587.
Italy has hit a new record in daily cases since May, reporting 1367 new infections, bringing the total number to 262,540.
Thirteen people have died from the virus in the last 24 hours, and the country’s death toll now stands at 35,458.
Despite the surge in infections, the government insists there are no plans for a new lockdown.
Talks between the United States and the United Kingdom are underway to introduce an “air bridge” between New York and London to enable travellers to sidestep quarantine rules.
Plans for regional air bridges that would enable travellers to come to Britain from “low-risk” areas such as New York City within countries that are “red listed” are being discussed, The Telegraph reports.
The Canadian Prime Minister has said his government will inject about $2 billion to help students return to schools safely.
“Our children must be safe in the classroom,” Justin Trudeau said. “That’s non-negotiable.”
Russia is preparing to approve a second COVID-19 vaccine in late September to early November, the Deputy Prime Minister said on Wednesday.
“As of today, there have been no complications among those vaccinated in the first and second stages of testing,” Tatiana Golikova said.
Earlier this month, Russia became the first country to grant approval to a coronavirus vaccine after less than two months of human testing.
The vaccine, called “Sputnik V”, has been hailed as safe and effective by Russian authorities.
READ MORE: Sheridan — My man gets things done, says Melania
Richard Ferguson 7.35am: Foreign government veto ‘due diligence’
Foreign Minister Marise Payne says a proposed federal veto on state, private sector, and university deals with foreign governments is not aimed at provoking China.
In a major flexing of its constitutional powers, the Morrison government will cast its net over all foreign relations agreements struck by lower tiers of government, amid fears that national security has been compromised by often secret deals between state governments and foreign powers.
Senator Payne said on Thursday that the Commonwealth - which is constitutionally in charge of foreign policy - had to perform its due diligence in checking off agreements with more than 30 countries.
“This is consistent in protecting Australia’s national interests, determining what is important for us to pursue,” she told the Nine Network.
“There are a lot of agreements as I said, over 135 that we have just identified through an open source examination across 30 different countries. Many of them will be consistent with
Australia’s foreign policy and Australia’s foreign policy and Australia’s national interests.
“Some of them may not be. Doing that due diligence, that’s what the job of the Commonwealth is in terms of Australia’s foreign engagement and working closely with the states and territories to determine that is the purpose.”
Senator Payne also denied that the bill - which could overrule state deals like Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews’ Belt and Road agreement with China - was designed to punish state governments over their coronavirus border lockdowns.
READ MORE: Like a bad marriage and one partner is to blame
Richard Ferguson 7.30am: Plibersek: Don’t throw baby out with China bathwater
Opposition education spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek says the Morrison government “can’t throw the baby out with the bathwater” in its clampdown on university deals with foreign states.
The universities will fall under new laws that will ban a raft of deals with foreign governments found to be against the national interest.
Ms Plibersek said on Thursday the government had to protect Australia’s sovereignty and she wanted to ensure the full value of Australian research is felt here - after revelations in The Australian that the Chinese government has recruited Australian academics and patented their inventions in China.
But the Labor frontbencher warned many of Australia’s academic and scientific breakthroughs have been made with foreign partners, and that must also be protected.
“We have to be careful in the university sector to protect and make sure that we get the full value of research done in Australian universities so that we can commercialise that and create jobs for Australians,” she said.
“But we also need to, where it’s beneficial, co-operate with other countries. Some of our greatest breakthroughs have been in co-operation with other nations.
“They have been beneficial for Australia, they’ve underpinned Australian jobs, and they’ve been beneficial for humanity as a whole. So, we can’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.”
READ MORE: Morrison to tear up Victoria Belt and Road initiative
Imogen Reid 7.10am: Andrews backs down on emergency extension
The Victorian government has agreed to yield on its plans to extend its state of emergency provisions, instead accepting a six-month extension of its powers over the 12 months it was originally seeking, Nine reports.
It came after Scott Morrison urged Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews to seek monthly or quarterly extensions
The Australian Medical Association also requested a parliamentary inquiry into Labor’s response to the pandemic.
Mr Andrews has defended his decision to extend coronavirus restrictions since making the announcement on Monday, despite enduring backlash from Victorians and fellow politicians, including Scott Morrison.
The Prime Minister told reporters on Wednesday he had raised his concerns with the Victorian Premier over his plan to extend the emergency powers, advising him to provide “clarity around that issue.”
“I think it is important to dispel any uncertainty,” Mr Morrison said.
“People were concerned the lockdowns would extend for another 12 months. We received many calls to our offices right across Victoria, including in my office as well. There was great concern that that would occur.”
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos put forward a counter-proposal on Wednesday after crossbench MP Fiona Patten made a compromise plan.
The Age reports sources with knowledge of the talks confirmed that Ms Mikakos suggested a six-month extension, with the government to produce the health advice each time it renewed its state of emergency powers every four weeks.
READ the full story here
Imogen Reid 6.50am: Queensland prisons in lockdown
Prisons across Queensland are in lockdown after a corrective services officer tested positive to coronavirus.
The confirmed case worked on Friday August 21 and is believed to have interacted with other officers who have since worked at a number of prisons across the state.
Prisoners will stay in their cells and everyone on site is required to wear masks during the lockdown.
It comes after the state’s health officials scrambled to contain an outbreak of coronavirus in the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre in Wacol after a 77-year-old worker tested positive to COVID-19 a week ago.
READ MORE: Aussie teams headed to NZ hubs
Imogen Reid 6.45am: High alert as Sydney cluster grow
Patrons at a number of Sydney venues are on high alert after NSW Health confirmed positive COVID-19 cases had visited them while infectious.
A cafe inside The Royal Hospital for Women was directed to close by the health authority on Wednesday after a new case of coronavirus, which has been linked to the City Tattersalls gym, visited the venue on Tuesday August 25.
Staff and customers of the Windscreens Cafe are at low risk from being exposed to the virus due to the eatery’s COVID-safe measures which were followed by the positive case.
NSW Health has advised anyone who visited City Tattersalls gym between 8am and 2pm on August 19, 21 and 23 to get tested after being identified as a close contact of the COVID-19 case.
PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT– NEW CASE LOCATIONS IN NSW
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) August 26, 2020
If you visited City Tattersalls between 8am to 2pm on 19, 21 or 23 August or Virgin Gym Zetland (Active Dance class at 7:40pm) on 24 August you must get tested and isolate immediately. pic.twitter.com/NoVblV8O7C
Two cases associated with the gym also travelled by bus on the 399 and X39 lines to and from Randwick to Martin Place on August 21, 22 and 24. Health officials are urging anyone who caught the same bus to monitor their symptoms.
Anyone who attended the Active Dance class at Virgin Gym Zetland at 7.40pm on August 24 have been told to get tested self-isolate for 14 days.
A patron suspected of having COVID-19 who visited Hunters Hill Club for lunch between 12pm and 3pm on August 23 has since tested positive for the virus.
“We have since closed the club house and the whole club (including access to the tennis courts and bowling greens) will be closed while we undertake a deep clean. We will advise members when we can reopen,” the Club’s board of directors said in a statement.
“Those considered to be close contacts of the infected person will be contacted by NSW Health. All other patrons and members who were at the Club on Sunday should consider getting tested. Those who have subsequently visited and are experiencing any symptoms should get tested and take the necessary precautions.”
PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT– NEW CASE LOCATIONS IN NSW
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) August 26, 2020
NSW Health has listed a number of bus routes between 20 – 24 August in Blacktown, Rouse Hill, Mt Druitt and Randwick where passengers should monitor for symptoms.
For the latest case locations visit: https://t.co/EVlm25boYj pic.twitter.com/t2CF69YV4w
A trainee bus driver included in Wednesday’s cases worked over the course of three days while infectious on bus lines in Blacktown, Rouse Hill and Mt Druitt. Passengers on those bus routes on August 20, 21 and 24 are considered to be at a low risk as the bus driver was wearing a mask during his shifts.
Three schools in Sydney’s north west will remain closed on Thursday as a precaution while multiple students await test results.
Staff and students from Riverstone High School, Wyndham College and Schofield Public School will continue online learning while possible cases linked to the school are tested and identified.
READ MORE: Youth struggling from isolation
Staff writers 6.35am: Melbourne hospital staff ordered home amid outbreak
More than 600 Melbourne hospital staff have been ordered home after a COVID-19 outbreak in the city’s southeast.
Peninsula Health today confirmed 618 staff have been furloughed due to an outbreak at Frankston Hospital.
This includes 44 staff members who have tested positive for the virus.
The hospital said that all discharged patients who had been determined a close contact have now been contacted and asymptomatic testing of all staff and inpatients would continue across the service.
READ the full story here
Rosie Lewis 6.00am: ‘Bubble not blanket’ plan to guide states
Border closures would be scrapped and states could only impose “targeted and time-restricted local lockdowns” on areas with community transmission of coronavirus where the source was unknown, under a plan being worked on by business and the Morrison government.
In the first framework of its kind detailing how restrictions would be introduced and lifted, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has worked with federal government officials to create a “nimble” response to the pandemic rather than a blunt, one-size-fits-all approach.
The framework, obtained by The Australian, will be shared among business groups at a meeting on Thursday amid growing frustration with the states that there are no transparent and easily understood set of rules to co-ordinate border restrictions.
ACCI’s “COVID risk” system has six categories and is similar to how fire danger ratings work, outlining how Australians should act depending on how many cases of coronavirus are in their area.
When there are no cases, only baseline restrictions — such as handwashing, coughing into your elbow and staying at least 1.5m from others wherever possible — would be required. Where there are individual cases or a cluster appears, the only travel restrictions the framework suggests is for those infected people and their close contacts to self-isolate for 14 days or as required.
READ the full story here.
Anne Barrowclough 5.45am: Sydney club closed for cleaning
A club in Sydney’s lower north shore has been closed after an infected person dined there
last Sunday.
The Hunters Hill Club has closed its club house, tennis courts and bowling green while it undergoes a deep clean.
In a letter to club members, a club spokesman said: “We have provided the details of those who were at the Club on Sunday to the Department of Health. Those considered to be closed contacts of the infected person will be contacted by NSW Health. All other patrons and members who were at the Club on Sunday should consider getting tested. Those who have subsequently visited and are experiencing any symptoms should get tested and take the necessary precautions.”.
READ MORE: Logo a go-go as corona crest canned
Stephen Lunn 5.30am: Smaller is better in aged care delivery
More top-quality aged care is being delivered in state government-run and smaller nursing homes of 30 beds or fewer than larger private ones, a new study finds.
The report calculates that bringing all nursing homes in Australia up to a high standard on current quality measures would cost an extra $621m a year, but that sum rises to $3.2bn a year if they were all to operate under the “small sized home model” that dominates higher quality measures, it said.
The report, prepared for the aged-care royal commission by University of Queensland researcher Tracy Comans, found only one in 20 nursing homes with 60-120 beds was in the highest quality category, and one in 50 with more than 120 beds.
However, 41 per cent of homes with 15 or fewer beds and 26 per cent of homes with 16-30 beds were considered top quality.
The highest quality level, based on measures such as meeting accreditation standards, lower use of high-risk medicines, fewer complaints and higher customer experience ratings, comprised 11 per cent of all nursing homes.
READ the full story here
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