Coronavirus Australia live news: Hospital cluster spreads as faster Melbourne lockdown now appears ‘unlikely’
A Melbourne hospital cluster has spread to contacts as Daniel Andrews admits it’s unlikely lockdowns will ease as fast as hoped.
- Daniel Andrews flags lockdown extension
- US Presidential debate cancelled
- NSW Health issues alert for shopping centre, hospital
- Doubt cast on Daniel Andrews’ testimony
- When you’ll receive your tax cut cash
Welcome to The Weekend Australian’s live coverage of the coronavirus crisis. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has flagged the likely extension of lockdown measures. Meanwhile, Donald Trump has been forced to make other plans, as organisers cancel the upcoming presidential debate over his health.
ANTHONY PIOVESAN 8.30pm: Melbourne hospital’s cluster infections spread
Infections connected to an outbreak at a Melbourne hospital have more than doubled. Victoria’s chief health officer professor Brett Sutton revealed on Saturday the cluster at the Box Hill Hospital in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs had grown to 10 cases.
“There are five cases from a family being added today, so the outbreak comprises three staff, one patient and now six household contacts,” he told reporters on Saturday.
All close contacts of the Box Hill staff have been quarantined, with all staff in the hospital’s Covid ward asked to get tested and isolate pending those results.
Professor Sutton said contact tracers were still investigating the source of the outbreak, which first came to light on Wednesday.
In a statement on behalf of Box Hill Hospital, Eastern Health chief executive David Plunkett assured the hospital had taken a “proactive approach” in limiting the spread of the virus.
“Having confirmed our plan and processes with experts within the Department of Health and Human Services, we are asking a specific group of staff connected to BHH ward to attend for asymptomatic testing,” he wrote.
“The infectious nature of Covid-19 demonstrates how quickly things can change and means we need to continue applying Covid-safe practices — maintain physical distancing, ensure hand hygiene and wear the appropriate PPE which in the case of patient-facing-areas includes eye-protection.”
NCA NewsWire
READ MORE: Box Hill Hospital outbreak grows to 10 cases
Geoff Chambers 5.55pm: Albanese sets up clash with PM over subsidy
Anthony Albanese has set up a clash with Scott Morrison to win the votes of suburban families, after the Prime Minister slammed Labor’s $6.2bn childcare-subsidy policy as “fiction” and warned it would benefit the top 10 per cent of earners.
Mr Morrison on Friday criticised the centrepiece policy of Mr Albanese’s first budget-in-reply speech and accused the Opposition Leader of increasing debt and deficit “with no indication” of how he would fund lower childcare costs for up to 97 per cent of all families.
“What I do know is that someone who is in the top 10 per cent of income-earning in this country are the big beneficiaries of that plan. When we announced our childcare changes, it was focused on those low- and middle-income earners,” Mr Morrison said.
“That’s where all the money was spent. That’s where the majority of the $9bn goes under our plan, to support those low- and middle-income earners.”
The political clash over Mr Albanese’s proposed changes to the childcare system, with an aspiration of implementing a 90 per cent subsidy for all families, represents a shift in Labor’s class war rhetoric which dominated Bill Shorten’s reign as leader.
Read the full story here.
Ticky Fullerton 5.20pm: Budget ‘has restored sense of confidence’
Rob Scott employs over 100,000 Australians in businesses across the country and it is no secret that he is a business leader Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has frequently turned to this year.
But asked what advice he gave the Treasurer ahead of the budget as the economy wrestles with the loss of around a million jobs, Scott’s answer veered to the unfinished business of structural reform. It is clear that he sees the next May budget as time for a productivity gamechanger.
It is also clear that he is deeply troubled by the impact of the hard line Andrews government policies on the wellbeing of Victorians.
“The advice that we have been trying to communicate with all key political leaders has been the things we can do to create jobs,” begins the quietly spoken former Olympic oarsman. “We have talked about things that can happen to the tax system, some initiatives that are really important around industrial relations.”
Yet this budget had precious little big reform to boast about. Scott agrees. This budget is about stimulus.
Read the full story here.
Agencies 4.40pm: Key US senator refuses test ahead of debate
Prominent US politician Lindsey Graham, who chairs the Senate judiciary committee set to consider President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee next week, refused on Friday to be tested for the coronavirus.
The South Carolina ally of Mr Trump said no to a testing request by his Democratic rival in their Senate race, ahead of their scheduled debate in the southern state.
Senator Graham’s move prompted the debate with Democrat Jaime Harrison to be scrapped, with separate interviews of the candidates conducted instead.
But the issue could prove to be a critical one in Washington. Senator Graham is expected to preside in person over next week’s hearings on the confirmation of conservative Judge Amy Coney Barrett to fill the Supreme Court seat made vacant by the death last month of liberal justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Should Senator Graham test positive and be forced into 10 days or more of quarantine, that could postpone the hearings, something Republicans have fiercely opposed.
READ MORE: Greg Sheridan — Why Trump is better for Australia than Biden
Emily Ritchie 3.55pm: More NSW venues added to warning list
More NSW venues and public transport routes have been added to a list of locations recently attended by newly diagnosed COVID-19 cases, with anyone who attended at the same times urged to monitor symptoms.
NSW Health said anyone who attended the following venues was considered a casual contact and must get tested immediately if symptoms develop. After testing, they must remain in isolation until a negative test result is received:
- Squeeze & Grind, 180 Argyle St, Camden – 7 October 2020, 11.45am - 1.15pm
- Narellan Town Centre, Camden Valley Way, Narellan – 8 October 2020, 12.30pm - 2.00pm
NSW Health is also advising that anyone who travelled on the following trains is considered a casual contact and must monitor for symptoms and get tested immediately if they develop:
- Train from Eastwood at 8.15am arriving Parramatta 8.49 on 6 October
- Train from Parramatta at 4.50pm arriving Eastwood 5.21pm on 6 October
- Train from Eastwood at 8.14am arriving Parramatta 8.49am on 7 October
- Train from Eastwood at 12.18pm arriving Kings Cross 1.07pm on 7 October
- Train from Parramatta at 4.31pm arriving Central 5.02pm on 7 October
- Train from Central at 6.05pm arriving Eastwood 6.36pm on 7 October
- Train from Kings Cross at 9.35pm arriving Eastwood 10.34pm on 7 October
READ MORE: Misery and strife marks the Year of the Rat
Jack McKay 3.15pm: Qld Premier says she’s not worried by PM’s intervention
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has welcomed Scott Morrison back to the Sunshine State, as the Prime Minister hit the hustings with LNP leader Deb Frecklington.
But she insisted she was not worried about his intervention into the state election campaign, saying Queenslanders were “smart people”.
“They know it’s a state election,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“It’s not a federal election, it’s a state election.
“And I think Queenslanders also know that there’s been one party and one government that’s been absolutely focused on protecting them and keeping them safe.”
Ms Palaszczuk said she would welcome Anthony Albanese to Queensland “if he wants to come up”.
READ MORE: Why Clive Palmer’s wife joined him in politics
Emily Ritchie 2.20pm: Mental health a rising issue at work
Mental health-related workers compensation claims have increased by 80 per cent over the past three years and three in five Australian employees have experienced a mental illness this year, according to new research.
Data compiled by SuperFriend, a workplace mental health analytics company, suggests that 60 per cent of the Australian workforce has experienced mental health issues this year and more than a quarter of those people had never had such problems before — with the coronavirus pandemic and associated stresses one possible cause.
The Thriving Workplace report was compiled from a study of more than 10,000 Australian workers and gives an insight into the effects the pandemic is having on their mental wellbeing.
SuperFriend chief executive Margo Lydon said the findings showed that COVID-19 has had profound effects on workers, particularly casuals, and presented a compelling case for business leaders to improve workplace mental health strategies.
Read the full story here.
Anthony Piovesan 1.35pm: ‘Furious’ Melbourne protesters threaten more action
Anti-lockdown protesters are threatening to hold “really big rallies” across Melbourne’s CBD during the city’s AFL grand final day public holiday.
In an encrypted chat forum protesters have been using to communicate with each other during previous rallies, protest organisers said past action was “all leading up to something big on October 23”.
“We are furious. It’s time to act. We must start building for the 23rd immediately,” it said.
A map of Melbourne’s CBD showed three different “assembly areas” and the Shrine of Remembrance as the “main rally” point at 2pm on the Friday.
“Wait in the assembly areas until the rally points are revealed,” the chat said.
Restrictions are set to ease on October 19, but stubborn double-digit case numbers and a 14-day average still hovering too far above the safe threshold means the lockdown could be extended.
Victoria Police said they were aware of the protest planned for Friday, October 23.
“Victoria Police will continue to have a highly visible presence throughout the weekend to enforce all of the chief health officer directions, including the restrictions around gatherings,” a spokesperson said.
“We will maintain a strong capacity to respond to any potential breaches of the chief health officer directions at any point in time in both metropolitan and regional areas.”
In metropolitan Melbourne, no more than five people from two different households are able to gather, with the five kilometre radius rule still in place.
People can only meet up in groups of up to 10 in outdoor spaces while wearing a face covering, and social distancing in regional Victoria.
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Emily Ritchie 1pm: Scott Morrison calls out border ‘double standards’
Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who has travelled to the Gold Coast ahead of Queensland’s state election on October 31, has said border exemptions need to be applied consistently and in accordance with health advice.
Speaking at a steel manufacturing plant with LNP state opposition leader Deb Frecklington on Saturday, Mr Morrison said he had “no quibble” with the necessity for border closures to contain coronavirus outbreaks, but that they should only be closed for as short a time as possible “because the longer they are there, the longer they stop jobs”.
“Wherever possible they have to be clear, they have to be transparent and they have to be done without double standard,” Mr Morrison said.
“It is not about the borders, it is about how you implement them and how you can passionately work … to ensure that you can keep the economic impact of those borders as minimised as possible. Let’s have them based on medical advice and for only as long as you absolutely have to, because the longer they are there, the more they do stop jobs.”
He said he had no doubt the majority of Queenslanders were supportive of the state’s border closure.
Ms Frecklington was criticised heavily by the Labor government when she repeatedly called for the borders to be reopened before the Victorian second wave.
READ MORE: Paul Kelly — Morrison banks on a new Liberal order
Adam Creighton 12.25pm: Little cash left to splash for zombie firms
Leading liquidator McGrathNichol has cast doubt on the effectiveness of the government’s supercharged business investment incentives, as Reserve Bank research emerges suggesting more than 11 pet cent of firms faced “zero or negative” cash holdings this year.
McGrathNichol, a specialist advisory and restructuring firm, said businesses saddled with excessive debts would not be able to fund investments while those unable to make a profit wouldn’t benefit anyway from the government’s generous new asset write- off rules, announced in Tuesday’s budget.
“If a particular company has a long journey to profitability, it may simply run out of cash before it has the ability to make investments, and enjoy the cash benefit of the brought-forward timing of the tax deduction,” the firm said.
“Many businesses have increased debt to fund losses and remain in business, in particular the deferral of rent owed to landlords and the capitalisation of borrowings owed to banks.”
The government said 99 per cent of businesses, those with a turnover of up to $5bn, would be able to instantly write off rather than depreciate gradually new assets, at an estimated cost to the budget of $27bn as part of the JobMaker scheme.
Read the full story here.
Emily Ritchie 12.07pm: Premier grilled on quarantine phone records
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has again been pressed about why he and other government ministers have not yet provided phone records to the independent inquiry investigating the bungled hotel quarantine program.
The inquiry has found there is a six-minute window in which somebody called former Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton to inform him of the decision to use private security guards, rather than Victoria Police officers or the Australian Defence Force personnel, to guard the quarantine hotels.
Premier Andrews told reporters on Friday he would be happy to hand over his phone call data if the Board of Inquiry had asked him.
On Saturday, Mr Andrews confirmed he wouldn’t be handing anything over unless he is specifically asked to.
“I did not set up this inquiry to then run an inquiry myself,” Mr Andrews told reporters.
“I did not set up an arm’s-length independent inquiry to then be essentially trampling all over it. It is independent. It will seek whatever it wants. It will find whatever it believes is fair and factual and, as they deem fit, whatever recommendations they believe are appropriate. That is the nature of an independent process.”
READ MORE: Chris Kenny — The bigger the governments, the smaller the minds
Emily Ritchie 11.45am: NSW records three new virus infections
NSW has reported three new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday morning, two of which were locally transmitted.
One of the cases included in Saturday’s report was acquired overseas and had been announced on Friday.
Another case, also reported on Friday, is a nurse at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney.
The casual nurse worked a single evening shift on Wednesday October 7 while infectious and during her shift provided specialised care to one patient, and had limited contact with a very small number of colleagues.
NSW Health said contact tracing is continuing and while the source of the infection is under investigation, it is believed to have occurred outside the hospital.
The second locally acquired case reported on Saturday is linked to this case.
NSW Health issued an alert about the nurse’s diagnosis on Friday night, adding to the growing list of venues and public transport routes visited by infectious cases in the past several days, including Parramatta, Eastwood and Palm Beach.
NSW Health on Saturday confirmed a crew member who acquired COVID-19 overseas had arrived in the Port of Newcastle from Brisbane on a ship with international mariners aboard.
The infected crew member is receiving medical care at John Hunter Hospital.
All other crew members are considered close contacts and remain on board for quarantine and monitoring.
NSW Health said the case presented no COVID-19 risk to the people of Newcastle.
There are now 56 active COVID-19 cases in the state, including one in intensive care who does not require ventilation.
Eighty-four per cent of cases being treated by NSW Health are in non-acute, out-of-hospital care.
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Emily Ritchie 11.26am: Melbourne lockdown easing now ‘unlikely’
In his 100th consecutive daily press conference on Saturday, Mr Andrews confirmed there were 192 active cases of COVID-19 in the state — down three cases from Friday.
Mr Andrews said while the 14-day rolling daily averages of 9.5 and 0.4 cases respectively in metro Melbourne and regional Victoria meant the state was in an “infinitely better position”, it also meant lockdowns would likely be extended.
“I think it unlikely that we will be able to move as fast as we would like to have done next Sunday,” Mr Andrews said.
“I think it is unlikely that we will be able to take as eager steps as we would have hoped to take next Sunday — big steps. But we will take steps next Sunday, and (my colleagues and I) will spend an enormous amount of time this weekend and throughout the week determining exactly what those next steps can be.”
He said six of the 14 new cases recorded on Saturday were already linked to known outbreaks, with eight still under investigation. One of the new cases is a mystery case, taking the total number of cases from an unknown source to 10 — all in metropolitan Melbourne.
One of Saturday’s new cases is in Kilmore, bringing the cluster in the regional town to five. There have been 724 people in Kilmore tested for the virus so far.
One case in Mildura earlier this week has been found to be a false positive.
There are now 21 Victorians being treated for the virus in hospital, one of which is in intensive care but does not require a ventilator.
The total number of active cases now includes 42 linked to aged care outbreaks (down from 45 on Friday), and 19 healthcare workers (no change).
There were 16,647 tests processed on Friday.
Melbourne was scheduled to see many restrictions ease on October 19, including the five-kilometre rule and limits on retail, hairdressing and outdoor dining.
“The tail-end of this second wave was always going to be stubborn, and that is exactly the way it is panning out,” Mr Andrews said.
“It is in no way warranted for people to be despondent or for people to lose any sense of hope, this strategy is working, but you have got to do it properly,” he said.
“We can’t have a situation where because we wanted to be over, we pretend that it is.”
READ MORE: Lionel Shriver — Madly, wildly, the West is destroying itself
Emily Ritchie 11am: UK virus cases now climbing exponentially
As of Friday afternoon, there had been 36,361,054 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 1,056,186 deaths, reported to the World Health Organisation from across the globe.
In the 24 hours from Thursday to Friday the WHO recorded its largest one-day increase in global coronavirus cases, with the total rising by 338,779 in 24 hours led by a surge of infections in Europe.
Europe reported 96,996 new cases on Thursday, the highest total for the region ever recorded by the WHO. Global deaths rose by 5,514 to a total of 1.05 million.
The previous WHO record for new cases was 330,340 on October 2. The organisation reported a record 12,393 deaths on April 17.
As a region, Europe is now reporting more cases than India, Brazil or the United States.
India reported 78,524 new cases, followed by Brazil at 41,906 and the United States with 38,904 new infections.
The US has recorded both the most cases of any other country, at over 7 million, and the most deaths at 210,000.
The second Presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, due to be held on October 15, was confirmed as cancelled on Saturday after the President refused the proposed virtual format.
It was suggested the pair could debate via videolink from separate locations due to health concerns following the President’s COVID-19 diagnosis, but Trump’s team rejected that idea according to reports from the Wall Street Journal. The third Presidential debate is set to be held in Nashville on October 22.
India, which was expected to soon surpass the US in number of cases, sits at 6,906,151, with 106,900 deaths. The country’s active COVID-19 tally has decreased over the past week, and the rate of recovery now outnumbers the daily increase in cases.
New data out of the UK shows the number of coronavirus cases in the country is climbing exponentially.
One study has estimated that almost 22,000 people a day are developing COVID symptoms, and the Office for National Statistics believes infection numbers jumped by almost 10,000 a day in the week to October 1.
The government’s top level response committee says it believes Britain is fast approaching a repeat of the first wave of infections. The virus has killed more than 42,000 people in the UK.
READ MORE: Labor in danger of becoming a zombie party
Emily Ritchie 10.25am: Queensland ‘won’t be bullied’ over quarantine rules
Queensland has recorded one new case of COVID-19 overnight, taking the total number of confirmed cases in the state to 1161.
Just four of those are active cases, with three people being treated in hospital.
The new case is a returned traveller, a man in his 20s, who was tested on day 10 of his two week stay in hotel quarantine.
Deputy Premier Steven Miles said there was worrying news out of Townsville, where traces of the virus had been picked up in wastewater testing.
“We are trying to work out if there is a case or cases in or around Townsville that we are unaware of, that we have picked up in wastewater testing,” Mr Miles said on Saturday morning.
The Deputy Premier said when applications were given for exemptions to hotel quarantine, the only consideration that was given to granting approval was on health needs.
He said he trusted the decision of his Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young when it comes to approving border passes, and declared the Queensland government would not be bullied.
“I am a bit sick and tired frankly of people trying to use individual stories, individual distress of people to try to criticise the restrictions that have kept Queenslanders safe,” Mr Miles said.
“We’re not going to be bullied, we’re going to stick to our guns, we’re going to stay strong and keep Queenslanders safe, we’re going to keep doing what we have done because it has been just so successful.”
READ MORE: Peter van Onselen — Major parties duel over long road to recovery
Dow Jones 9.54am: Debate cancelled, Trump plans rally instead
President Trump is planning to hold his first in-person events since being treated for a coronavirus infection with a gathering on Saturday at the White House and a campaign rally Monday in Florida.
Mr. Trump was scheduled to deliver remarks on Saturday at 2pm from the South Portico balcony at the White House, officials said.
A White House official said Mr. Trump planned to focus his remarks on law and order issues. Officials didn’t say who would be in attendance.
Guests in attendance for the event were being requested to bring a mask with them and would be instructed to wear it on the White House grounds, an official said. All attendees would be given a temperature check and a brief questionnaire about recent symptoms, the official said.
Mr. Trump said in a tweet Friday that he would “be in Sanford, Florida on Monday for a very BIG RALLY!” Officials have been also considering travel in Michigan and Pennsylvania.
Mr. Trump said in a Fox News interview Thursday night that he might do a campaign rally in Florida Saturday and in Pennsylvania Sunday, but officials said he doesn’t plan to travel this weekend.
The Commission on Presidential Debates decided Friday to cancel the planned matchup next week between Mr. Trump and Joe Biden, according to a person familiar with the matter. The move followed Mr. Trump’s decision to not participate in a virtual debate.
The organising body had previously said it was changing the format for the planned second debate on Oct. 15 from an in-person town hall in Miami to a virtual meeting. The decision came after the president and several people in the White House tested positive for coronavirus.
The president said he wouldn’t join a virtual debate, and his campaign called for the two remaining debates to be moved back. Mr. Biden’s campaign, however, objected to changing the dates.
READ MORE: Greg Sheridan — Why Trump would be better for Australia than Biden
Emily Ritchie 9.25am: Victoria records 14 new cases
Victoria has recorded 14 new cases of COVID-19 and no new deaths in the 24 hours to Saturday morning.
The 14-day rolling average for metro Melbourne is down to 9.5, with 10 cases in the city coming from an unknown source.
The rolling 14-day average in regional Victoria is at 0.4.
Yesterday there were 14 new cases & no deaths reported. Cases with unknown source are down in Metro Melbourne. More data will be available later today. Info: https://t.co/pcll7ySEgz #COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/RHnumPj3D7
— VicGovDHHS (@VicGovDHHS) October 9, 2020
READ MORE: Chris Kenny — We’re sailing into the eye of an unimaginable storm
Dow Jones 9am: White House draws up new $1.5 trillion relief plan
The White House substantially increased its offer to Democrats on a coronavirus-relief package, further closing the gap between the parties in the on-again, off-again effort to pass new aid for households and businesses before the election.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin presented to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) a proposal of more than $1.8 trillion on Friday, in the largest bid the Trump administration has made to Democrats over months of talks.
The new offer marked the latest unexpected turn in a volatile week of negotiations. In the span of three days, President Trump went from shutting down the discussions to reviving them with his biggest offer to date.
“Covid Relief Negotiations are moving along. Go Big!” Mr. Trump said in a tweet Friday.
White House spokeswoman Alyssa Farah told reporters the White House offer was around $1.8 trillion. A person familiar with the proposal said it included $1.88 trillion in spending, with about $400 billion of the funds reallocated from unspent money from earlier relief legislation, bringing the total cost to about $1.5 trillion.
Any deal would face hurdles to passage before Election Day. The Senate is focusing on confirming Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett in the remaining weeks. Even if the Trump administration and Mrs. Pelosi come to terms, many Senate Republicans oppose another major round of aid, making passing a new deal quickly difficult.
READ MORE: Like cockroaches, ‘influencers’ have survived
Christine Kellett 8.15am: NSW Health issues alert after nurse tests positive
NSW Health has issued an alert after a nurse at Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital tested positive for coronavirus yesterday.
The casual nurse worked a single evening shift on Wednesday, October 7, while infectious, authorities say.
It is believed the nurse provided specialised treatment to only one patient and had limited contact with a small group of staff, however, it is believed the nurse contracted the virus outside the hospital.
Meanwhile, anyone who visited the following locations have been told to monitor for symptoms and get tested immediately if they develop:
Westfield Parramatta - 6 October, 12.00pm-12.15pm
Westfield Parramatta - 7 October, 12.00pm-12.30pm and 4.30-5.00pm
1/2 @NSWHealth is alerting the public that a newly confirmed case of #COVID19 is a nurse at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney. It is believed the nurse provided specialised care to a single patient, & had limited contact with a very small number of colleagues.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) October 9, 2020
READ MORE: Public safety a casualty of the culture wars
Ewin Hannan 8am: Doubts cast over Premier’s testimony
Former Victorian health minister Jenny Mikakos has cast doubt on Daniel Andrews’ testimony to the hotel quarantine inquiry, blaming the program’s failings on the Premier’s subversion of cabinet processes.
Ms Mikakos’s new claims, provided in a submission to the inquiry, came as Mr Andrews came under further pressure to explain if his office was involved in the decision to deploy private contractors to oversee quarantine. New Victoria Police disclosures show details of communication between Mr Andrews’ private office and the Department of Premier and Cabinet on the day the national cabinet signed off on the quarantine program.
The police submission to the inquiry noted that a member of the Premier’s private office sent a text message to the Premier’s department’s at 1.19pm on March 27 referring to “security” and that “Simon is getting to me ASAP” — likely a reference to Jobs Department secretary Simon Phemister.
Victoria Police said the text showed there was “ongoing” communications about the logistic aspects of the program, including security, between the Premier’s private office, his department and Martin Pakula’s department before any input was sought from police, and ahead of Mr Andrews referencing private security at a media conference hours later.
Read the full story here.
Natasha Robinson 7am: NSW Covid border detectives keep opening on track
NSW may have averted Queensland resetting the clock on the upcoming border opening by managing to trace all mystery COVID-19 cases diagnosed in recent days to a known source.
Five new cases of locally transmitted COVID-19 were confirmed in NSW on Friday, together with five cases in returned travellers in quarantine. All of the cases have been linked to known clusters, with a private health clinic in Liverpool, in Sydney’s southwest, the latest outbreak site. There are now seven cases associated with the clinic, but health authorities say three are in one household. One of the new cases diagnosed on Friday is a co-worker of an employee from the clinic.
Under Queensland’s plan for the easing of restrictions, the border with NSW will reopen on November 1 “provided community transmission is under control”, including whether there have been any mystery cases that are not linked to known outbreaks within the previous 28 days.
Read the full story here.
Greg Brown 6am: Cash to go as Scott Morrison tax cuts start to flow
Millions of workers will have a pay cheque boost within weeks after the federal budget was rushed into law — including tax cuts projected to inject $7bn into the economy by mid-2021.
Scott Morrison’s economic recovery plan, which passed both houses of parliament on Friday, also includes a $26.7bn measure allowing businesses to write off the full value of assets in a single year, which economists say will provide major stimulus over the next 12 months.
The Prime Minister said the budget would have “a real impact on Australians as we come out of this COVID-19 recession”.
“This was all in the budget speech on Tuesday night from the Treasurer,” Mr Morrison said.
“And it’s law on Friday.”
The omnibus legislation, which passed parliament with Labor’s support, includes other measures such as the loss carry-back plan that will mean $5bn in business tax relief over four years.
Read the full story here.
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