Coronavirus Australia live news: Inquiry tells Brett Sutton, Chris Eccles, Graham Ashton and Kym Peake to hand over more evidence
Hotel inquiry ‘please explain’ net widens to CHO Brett Sutton, Premier’s former right hand man, Chris Eccles, ex-top cop Graham Ashton and Health Department secretary Kym Peake.
- Eccles, Ashton, Peake join Sutton in ‘please explains’
- Explain hotel evidence, Sutton told
- Andrews flags further easing
- Two new local cases in NSW
- Victoria records one new case
Welcome to our rolling coverage of the continuing coronavirus pandemic. Daniel Andrews’ former right hand man, Chris Eccles, ex-top cop Graham Ashton and Health Department secretary Kym Peake have joined Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton in being asked for more evidence by hotel quarantine inquiry. Daniel Andrews says his state is well-placed to bring forward the easing of further restrictions at the weekend, but not in time for the grand final. Victoria has recorded just one new case today. and NSW two.
Jared Lynch 9.30pm: Ready to roll on vaccine but is it safe?
The Morrison government is spending $1.7bn on securing two of the 40 different coronavirus vaccines undergoing clinical trials around the world, and it expects the first doses to become available from January.
It’s a big bet. Governments and pharmaceutical companies in numerous countries have thrown massive resources at COVID-19 immunisation studies, another 151 vaccine candidates are under preclinical evaluation.
The candidates are varied. Oxford University and AstraZeneca’s vaccine, which is in the Morrison government’s supply deal, is considered the most advanced, despite its phase-three trials being halted twice in the past month when two participants developed neurological illnesses after being injected with the experimental drug.
Meanwhile, China’s People’s Liberation Army has joined the race, and the Russian government has approved use of its Sputnik V vaccine before it has completed large-scale human trials.
The global assault has fast-tracked vaccine development — which normally takes 10 to 15 years — prompting many to question whether it will be safe and effective when it arrives, particularly given that the most vulnerable members of the community will be given the first jabs.
Imogen Reid 9pm: ‘Baby corona’ is not as deadly
Is COVID-19 becoming less deadly as the pandemic progresses? That’s a question being asked by scientists who have found the amount of virus present in throat and nose swabs from positive patients is less than what it was at the start of the pandemic.
There are now understood to be a number of different strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus circulating around the world, and a US study in Detroit — which took samples from hospital patients in Michigan from April to June — shows the initial viral load in COVID-19 swabs has been decreasing as the pandemic progresses.
The study found that the downward trend in the viral load on swabs was associated with a decrease in the death rate.
It also suggests Australia’s approach of rapid social-distancing measures, lockdowns and the use of masks may have decreased exposure and consequently bought time for the population as the virus became less deadly.
Researchers at Australia’s peak science organisation, the CSIRO, are analysing global data to fast-track our understanding of the different strains of the virus and how they are evolving.
CSIRO chief executive Larry Marshall said knowing the genetic code was vital in combating the virus.
Natasha Robinson 8.30pm: Racing towards 50 million cases
There’s no denying the numbers: coronavirus is spreading across the world at an accelerated pace. The global case tally is now more than 40 million — and that’s only the official figures. It’s a near certainty that in less a month, the world will be marking 50 million cases of COVID-19.
As a second wave of disease spreads across Europe, there are no complex scientific reasons why the pace of infection is gathering pace. Some blame plummeting temperatures in the northern hemisphere, but overwhelmingly the cause is clear: exponential growth is the nature of a pandemic. It simply accelerates.
It took three months for the world to reach 10 million cases, a further 44 days to hit 20 million, 38 days to get from 20 to 30 million, and just 32 days later, the tally hit 40 million cases. Almost 400,000 cases of COVID-19 are now being confirmed worldwide every day; there have been more than 1.1 million deaths.
“In Europe and the US, they never really got out of their first wave,” says Raina MacIntrye, head of the biosecurity program at the University of NSW’s Kirby Institute. “They never got rid of community transmission.
AFP 8pm: Researchers to infect volunteers
British researchers say they hope to expose healthy volunteers to the virus that causes COVID-19 in a groundbreaking study to discover the amount needed for people to become infected.
The Human Challenge Program — a partnership that includes Imperial College London — hopes the work will ultimately help to “reduce the spread of the coronavirus, mitigate its impact and reduce deaths”.
In what researchers called a world first, the opening stage of the project will examine the possibility of exposing healthy volunteers to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
They aim to recruit volunteers between the ages of 18 and 30 with no underlying health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes or obesity.
“In this initial phase, the aim will be to discover the smallest amount of virus it takes to cause a person to develop COVID-19,” Imperial College said in a statement.
The volunteer would be infected via the nose, Peter Openshaw, professor of experimental medicine at Imperial, told BBC Radio 4 on Tuesday.
“The great advantage of these volunteer studies is that we can look at each volunteer very carefully not only during the infection but also prior to infection, and we can work out exactly what’s going on at every stage,” he added.
The researchers would use the results to study how vaccines might work and to explore potential treatments.
Because the study deliberately infects the volunteers, “it should be possible for scientists to begin to establish efficacy very quickly, by testing if those who have had a vaccine are less likely to become infected with the virus”, explained the researchers.
“Our number one priority is the safety of the volunteers,” said Chris Chiu, from Imperial’s department of infectious disease.
“No study is completely risk free, but the Human Challenge Programme partners will be working hard to ensure we make the risks as low as we possibly can.
The study is expected to begin early next year, said the research team from the partnership, which also includes the government, a clinical company and a hospital
READ MORE: Anti-age your immune system
Jared Lynch, Nick Evans 7.30pm: BHP, Orica lead CEO calls to end Melbourne lockdown
Melbourne’s most powerful corporate bosses have rallied to spark a dramatic intervention into Victoria’s long-running lockdown, with BHP boss Mike Henry and Orica managing director Alberto Calderon collecting CEO signatures on a letter demanding Premier Daniel Andrews open up faster.
The letter, seen by The Australian and which includes signatories from gold miners to soft drink makers, branded the current lockdown situation as “not sustainable” and called on Mr Andrews to lift restrictions faster to get the state back to work, lifting the mental health and economic burden from working Victorians.
The Australian understands the letter began circulating among Victoria’s top tier corporate bosses on Sunday, after Mr Andrews disappointed the state by slowing the pace of Victoria’s reopening.
Tom Kington 7pm: Hospitals full as Italy takes eye off the ball
Hospital staff in Milan who treated COVID-19 patients in spring then celebrated as the number dropped over the northern summer are struggling again as all 100 beds for people with the virus fill up.
“One nurse came up to talk to me about it and burst into tears,” said Massimo Galli, head of the infectious diseases unit at Sacco hospital.
Milan is at the centre of a surge in infections as daily cases top 10,000 nationally, higher than in March when Italy became the first European country to be hit hard by coronavirus. So far 36,000 people have died.
Then Italians inspired the world by wearing masks and enduring a tough lockdown, begging the question of how Italy succumbed to the second wave.
“It looks like we stopped paying attention to the virus over the holidays and finally we are seeing the consequences,” Professor Galli said.
Desperate to ward off another lockdown or a national curfew, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte,gave mayors permission to shut down piazzas at 9pm if they filled with revellers after he made masks compulsory outside.
Italy has 147 new cases per 100,000 residents over the past 14 days compared with 329 in the UK and 414 in France, but it is managing only half the 300,000 daily swabs taken in Britain, suggesting its real case load is higher.
“We are just days behind the rest of Europe,” Professor Galli said.
The Times
Bruno Waterfield 6.30pm: Belgians told to prepare for a ‘pandemic tsunami’
Belgium is close to a pandemic “tsunami” as the government fears losing control over the spread of the virus in regions, including Brussels.
The infection rate in Belgium’s capital and Wallonia, the poorer region in the south, is more than 1000 cases per 100,000 people, the highest in Europe. In Brussels more than one in five tests for the virus is positive. The average number of new infections in Belgium has risen 79 per cent over the past week to almost 8000 cases a day, including two days last week with more than 10,000 confirmed cases.
“We are close to a tsunami when we no longer control what is happening,” Frank Vandenbroucke, the health minister, said on Tuesday.
Hospitals are coming under pressure with 2485 people on wards, up 80 per cent compared with last week, leading to cancellations of surgery and cancer treatment. “If infections keep increasing, the number of hospitalisations will be so high that non-Covid care will be postponed more and more,” Mr Vandenbroucke said.
A new circuit-breaker lockdown has come into force with the closure of all bars, restaurants and cafes for one month combined with a national curfew between midnight and 5am.
“If we had not taken additional measures, it was expected we would have reached the maximum capacity for intensive care by mid-November,” said Steven Van Gucht, the virologist heading Belgium’s disease control centre. “The measures taken were therefore very important and will serve to reverse the trend in the next two to three weeks.”
He added: “Every close contact we avoid, every friend or colleague we keep away from, can in time make a drastic difference in the number of infections, and will also make a difference for our hospitals.”
“The situation is serious. It is worse than on March 18 when the lockdown was decided,” Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said.
The Times
Rachel Sylvester 6.05pm: Brexit, coronavirus, and ‘boy Boris who cried wolf’
Boris Johnson learnt from his father Stanley the motto: “Nothing matters very much and most things don’t matter at all.” But it’s not true. The opposite is the case for a prime minister whose red box is filled daily with things that matter a great deal indeed — never more so than during a pandemic, with the country heading into an economic downturn as the Brexit deadline looms.
Through his frivolity, Mr Johnson has sacrificed trust, the most precious commodity in politics, and that is a disaster in the multiple crises he now faces. The negotiations with the European Union depend on building a relationship of trust so that compromises can be broached in a spirit of honest exchange. The prime minister has, however, been playing politics all along. Nobody believes his latest pronouncement that we are heading for no deal with “high hearts”. The boy Boris has cried wolf too many times and so, whatever the truth of it, his declaration is taken — both in Brussels and by business — as the latest piece of posturing.
Greg Brown 5.35pm: Just 34 countries signed up for net-zero target
Trade Minister Simon Birmingham says Australia does not have to update its emissions reduction target until 2025, as federal government officials claim just 34 countries have signed up to a net-zero emissions by 2050 target.
Defending the government’s reluctance to commit to a 2050 target in Senate estimates, Senator Birmingham said the next new target under the Paris Agreement would be set for 2035 but indicated the government would not make the commitment until well after the next election.
The government’s only committed targets under the Paris Agreement is to reduce emissions by 26 per cent of 2005 levels by 2030.
“When it comes to emissions reductions targets, the next requirement under the Paris Agreement is to set a 2035 target. That is some way off yet,” Senator Birmingham said.
“It is not required until 2025 to do that. But that is the next requirement of the Paris Agreement, which as a committed member of the Paris Agreement the government will of course work towards.”
Senator Birmingham also revealed a further delay of the government’s electric car strategy, which was supposed to be finalised by the end of the year.
Senator Birmingham instead said a discussion paper on the policy would be released by the end of the year and could not give a time frame on the introduction of the policy.
Labor has junked its 2030 emissions reduction target and is in the midst of an internal fight over whether it should go to the election with either a 2035 target or no medium-term target.
Anthony Albanese committed the party to net-zero emissions by 2050.
Officials from the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources claimed only 34 countries had made a net-zero emissions by 2030 commitment, less than half the Opposition Leader’s number.
Deputy Secretary Jo Evans said the government would finalise a long-term emissions reduction strategy by a United Nations climate conference in Glasgow at the end of next year.
She said it would be based on a strategy on how to reduce emissions “as fast as possible” rather than being focused on a specific 2050 target.
“Your question seems to be implying about whether we will get to a particular target by a particular date,” Ms Evans said in response to questioning from Labor senator Nita Green.
“This is more saying, no it is more about a long-term strategy of reducing Australia’s emissions as soon as it can be done.”
Kushla Munro, head of the department’s climate and energy division, said Australia may not need to commit to a 2050 target until 2040.
“Under the Paris Agreement there is the so-called time goal to reach net-zero emissions in the second half of the century. There is no requirement to set national 2050 or net-zero targets,” Ms Munro said.
“So if we were to continue through the five year Paris Agreement target setting cycle, developed countries like Australia would in theory set national 2050 targets, which could or not include a net zero target, in 2035 or 2040.
“They are the target setting requirements under the Paris Agreement.”
READ MORE: Net zero emissions by 2050 ‘achievable’: PM
Rosie Lewis 4.40pm: Disgraced Maguire didn’t lobby PM, office says
Scott Morrison’s spokesman says disgraced former Liberal MP Daryl Maguire did not lobby the Prime Minister in his current role or when he was immigration minister, after he could not rule out whether that had occurred.
“The PMO (Prime Minister’s Office) has been advised by the Department of Home Affairs that a first, complete search of its database did not identify any correspondence from Daryl Maguire or the business G8wayinternational Pty Ltd to the Prime Minister in his former role as immigration minister,” the spokesman said.
“Additional searches conducted in the PMO indicate the Prime Minister has not received any such correspondence in his current role.”
READ MORE: Why can’t you see it Gladys? Your position is untenable
Ewin Hannan 4.00pm: Eccles, Ashton Peake asked for 'please explains’
Daniel Andrews’ former right hand man, Chris Eccles, Victoria’s ex-top cop Graham Ashton and Health Department secretary Kym Peake have joined chief health officer Brett Sutton in being required to provide further statements to the hotel quarantine inquiry.
The Australian understands Mr Eccles, the former secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, will be asked to provide a further affidavit to the inquiry after phone records showed he spoke to Mr Ashton for 135 seconds in the pivotal six-minute window during the planning of hotel quarantine.
Mr Eccles and Mr Ashton, the former chief police commissioner, will be asked to answer new questions put by the inquiry.
Mr Sutton and Ms Peake, the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, will also be required to answer questions about two email chains that have now been produced by DHHS lawyers to the inquiry.
READ MORE: Brexit, coronavirus and ‘boy Boris who cried wolf’
Emily Cosenza 3.27pm: New quarantine rules for Aussie sailors
Australians who disembark an international vessel in Western Australia will now need to quarantine in hotels.
Under previous protocols, Australian ship workers could quarantine at home for two weeks.
But Premier Mark McGowan announced the changes on Tuesday after detailing information about two Australians who recently disembarked a livestock ship before a COVID-19 outbreak was reported on it.
It comes as an operation to remove coronavirus infected crew members from the Al Messilah, docked in Fremantle Port, will soon be underway.
Mr McGowan said there was now “a problem with ships” which was why the state moved away from the at-home quarantine arrangement used in every state.
“There needs to be far stronger measures about crews getting on board those ships so they’re not COVID positive. I can’t control who gets on a ship in Manila, UAE or Los Angeles,” he said.
“The only government that has any authority in these things is the (federal government) and I think there needs to be international action taken.”
Under the changes, Mr McGowan said those who in future arrived outside of Fremantle Port would need to be moved to Perth to undergo their quarantine and must pay for that transportation as well as their stay.
Mr McGowan said the two Australians were on board the ship for up to eight months but never went ashore.
He said the male vet from Sydney and the stock woman from Busselton both returned negative coronavirus results.
“When the ship berthed last week, in accordance with existing protocols, they got off and went back to where they were from to quarantine,” Mr McGowan said.
“The ship itself at that point had not recorded any COVID and had been at sea for a long period of time.’’ — NCA Newswire
READ MORE: Is Barnaby bordering on the incongruous?
Richard Ferguson 3.11pm: PM follows practice on Maguire inquiry
Scott Morrison has refused to say whether he was ever lobbied by disgraced former NSW Liberal MP Daryl Maguire over a visa scheme.
The Department of Home Affairs revealed in senate estimates on Monday night that Mr Maguire — recently uncovered as the secret ex-lover of NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian — had made representations to federal MPs over visas, and the department is now working with ICAC.
Mr Maguire is under investigation by ICAC for allegedly running a visa-for-cash scam,
The Prime Minister said in question time that he always refers any representations to the relevant government department, when asked if Mr Maguire had approached him.
“It has been my long established practice back when I was a minister and as Prime Minister, you receive representations from many people in the community, from those opposite included on many matters, including on those which the Member has referred to,” he said.
“It is my normal practice for those matters through my office to be referred to the relevant department, or my department … that is the practice I have always followed.
READ MORE: Further indignity awaits Premier
Richard Ferguson 2.40pm: Airport land purchase ‘a good thing’
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack says it is a “good thing” a small parcel of land — purchased for ten times its value — was bought by the commonwealth for the Western Sydney Airport, even though the deal is now under police investigation.
Department of Infrastructure secretary Simon Atkinson has acknowledged bureaucrats may have attempted to cover up a controversial acquisition of land for the Western Sydney Airport that was worth a tenth of the $30m forked out by taxpayers.
When asked by Labor why he had said the deal was a “bargain” on ABC radio last week, Mr McCormack told question time the deal was under investigation, but praised the airport project.
“The land around Western Sydney Airport which was purchased by the federal government which is now the subject of several inquiries, and that is due process — we are following the due process,” he said.
In time — decades from now — when they’re building a second runway, when they’re putting in valuable infrastructure that is going to be needed, it is now in commonwealth hands. And that is a good thing.”
READ MORE: Bureaucrats ‘may have covered up’ airport land deal
Remy Varga 2.19pm: Sutton asked to explain hotel evidence discrepancies
Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton has been asked to explain discrepancies in his evidence to the hotel quarantine inquiry.
Counsel assisting the inquiry Tony Neal QC said Professor Sutton was CC’ed in emails discussing the use of private security in hotel quarantine inquiry.
He said this sat at odds with Mr Sutton’s evidence that he learnt of private security through media reports in May.
Mr Neal said Professor Sutton had been asked to explain in an affidavit to the inquiry.
Professor Sutton did not appear at Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews’ press conference on Tuesday.
Inquiry chair former judge Jennifer Coate said the new material may “unsettle” the November reporting date of the inquiry.
But Ms Coate said a decision could only be made after she received all requested material, with the inquiry still waiting for additional evidence.
“After the receipt of this further material and only at that point will I be in a position to determine what if anything further needs to occur,” she said.
Ms Coate said she would decide whether to ask for an extension to the reporting date from Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews once she’d examined all new evidence.
Richard Ferguson 2.13pm: Question Time: PM welcomes AAA credit rating
Scott Morrison has welcomed the retention of Australia’s triple A credit rating, saying it is a sign of a post-COVID economic recovery.
Leading credit agency Standards & Poor’s outlook for Australia on Tuesday said the national economy was beginning to recover.
The Prime Minister used the news in question time to spruik his plan for economic growth.
“It says that Australia’s economy is beginning to recover. That’s what it says, Mr Speaker. And it also goes on to say that we are doing that from a position of fiscal strength,” he told the House of Representatives.
“As we came into the COVID-19 recession, we came into it from a position of fiscal strength because of the work done by our government over these many difficult years to bring the budget back to balance.
“That enabled us, at the time of crisis for the Australian government, to step in and support Australians, protect lives and to protect livelihoods more so than we’ve ever seen in this country in response to this crisis before. ‘
Rosie Lewis 2pm: Frydenberg takes another shot at Andrews
Josh Frydenberg has escalated a stoush with Daniel Andrews over the Premier’s delayed easing of restrictions, referencing a text message he received from a Victorian friend that included stories about children self-harming and a suicide.
The Treasurer told the Coalition’s party room that the friend had told him the children of some of their friends had begun hurting themselves.
A friend of the person who sent the text had also committed suicide.
“The mental health statistics for Victoria are damning, yet businesses still can’t open,” Mr Frydenberg said, according to a party room spokesman.
He compared NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s leadership and that of Mr Andrews, insisting the federal government was “speaking up” for every Australian.
If you or anyone you know needs help, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636
Rosie Lewis 1.43pm: Morrison says he has no plans to call early election
Scott Morrison has declared himself a “full-termed”, as he indicated to colleagues he had no plans to call an early election.
Addressing the Coalition party room on Tuesday, the Prime Minister said election timing was “the furthest thing” from his mind amid speculation he could capitalise on the government’s success responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and call an election in the second half of next year.
The earliest a simultaneous half-Senate and House of Representatives election can be held is 7 August 2021 and the latest is 21 May 2022.
“I’m a full termed, elections are too hard to win,” Mr Morrison said, according to a party room spokesman.
“I cherish every day. We’ll do it for the time we said we would.”
Mr Morrison also cautioned colleagues to remain disciplined, noting political cycles went through ups and downs but it was in the “good times” that there was a risk of complacency, disunity and of the work rate dropping off.
“That’s bad for governance but more importantly it’s bad for the community, the people we’re there to serve,” Mr Morrison said.
“So we need to maintain our discipline, our unity, our focus, that’s more important than ever.”
Reflecting on advice former prime minister John Howard gave him years ago, Mr Morrison said when MPs remained focused on the job in front of them they would do it well.
READ MORE: The long shadow of the pandemic
James Glynn 1.38pm: RBA paves way for November rate cut
The Reserve Bank of Australia has signalled that it sees a need to further support the economy through various channels, including expanded government bond buying and lowering its official cash rate closer to zero.
READ the full story here
Agencies 1.35pm: S&P affirms Australia’s AAA ratings
Ratings agency S&P has affirmed Australia’s AAA ratings, with a negative outlook. The comments mark S&P’s assessment following this month’s federal budget.
“We are affirming our ‘AAA/A-1+’ long- and short-term local and foreign currency ratings. The negative outlook reflects a substantial deterioration of fiscal headroom at the ‘AAA’ rating level and downside risks persist,” the ratings agency said.
The rolled gold rating is critical for Australia to keep its borrowing costs low.
Here are other parts of S&P’s assessment:
• We expect the general government’s fiscal balance to narrow during the next few years after recording a deficit of about 14pc of GDP in fiscal 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Large economic stimulus packages will support Australia’s economic recovery, but fiscal deficits will persist and debt levels will be elevated for years to come.
• Our ratings on Australia benefit from the country’s strong institutional settings, its wealthy economy, and monetary policy flexibility. External risks are improving, with the country’s first current account surplus in about 50 years and steadier terms of trade than the past.
Other ratings agencies Fitch and Moody’s also have a “AAA” on Australia.
READ MORE in Trading Day
Will Glasgow 1.23pm: China-Taiwan fight excuse takes the cake
Beijing has defended Chinese diplomats in Fiji who got into a fist fight with a representative of Taiwan, suggesting a provocative cake was partly to blame.
China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said the “Taiwanese institution” in Fiji had “blatantly displayed the self-styled flag” at a national day function at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva on October 8.
“And its cake was also decorated with a self-styled flag,” Mr Zhao said as he gave China’s account of the punch up.
The aggression in the South Pacific made headlines around the world, mildly concussed the Taipei Trade Office librarian in Suva and resulted in China’s Fijian embassy lodging a retaliatory complaint with local police.
READ the full story of the China-Taiwan brawl in Fiji here
Ben Packham 1.14pm: AFP boss believed Victoria agreed Defence for hotels
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw says he was surprised when he was told private security guards would oversee Victoria’s hotel quarantine program, because he believed the state had agreed to use police and defence force personnel for the job.
Mr Kershaw told senate estimates that a national meeting of police commissioners had discussed that police and ADF personnel would undertake the security role, prior to a March 27 meeting which established the state’s flawed quarantine system.
He said he received a text message at 1.22pm on March 27 from his then-Victorian counterpart Graham Ashton telling him of the security arrangements.
Mr Ashton told Mr Kershaw by text: “Mate my advise [sic] is … private security will be used.”
“OK that’s new,” Mr Kershaw responded.
“I think that’s the deal set up by our DPC (Department of Premier and Cabinet),” Mr Ashton said.
“Thanks Asho,” Mr Kershaw replied.
Mr Kershaw said he responded “that’s new” because “my view was that the agreed or suggested way forward would be the use of police and ADF”.
“That was something the police commissioner’s forum had discussed prior to this,” the AFP commissioner said.
The Andrews government’s top bureaucrat, Chris Eccles, recently resigned after it was revealed he phoned Mr Ashton in a critical six-minute period when the former police chief is said to have been told private security would guard the hotels.
Premier Daniel Andrews says he was “shocked” to learn of the phone call.
After his resignation, Mr Eccles maintained he did not tell Mr Ashton private security would be used.
“The telephone records do not in any way demonstrate that I, or indeed anyone else in DPC, made a decision that private security be used in the hotel quarantine program,” Mr Eccles said.
The failures of the state’s hotel quarantine program have been blamed for the state’s deadly second wave of coronavirus cases.
READ MORE: Home Affairs spy agency a mystery to spy chief
Adam Creighton 1.11pm: All states shedding jobs, ABS payroll data shows
Every state and territory shed jobs in late September, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said on Tuesday, in a worrying sign the path back to full employment will be a long one.
The total number of payroll jobs fell almost 1 per cent in the last two weeks of September, ranging from a 1.2 per cent drop in the Northern Territory to a 0.7 per cent decline in South Australia, despite both jurisdictions’ having ended their lockdown restrictions months ago.
“Nationally, payroll jobs remain 4.1 per cent lower than mid-March; 7.7 per cent lower in Victoria and 2.8 per cent lower in the rest of Australia,” said Bjorn Jarvis, head of Labour Statistics at the ABS.
The tax office’s payroll system had 440,000 fewer jobs on October 3 than it had in March, the ABS said.
READ the full story here
Chris Griffith 1.09pm: Help at hand for those who need to mow
Have you been stressing about the state of your lawn more than usual while working from home? Help may be at hand now that Victa have come to the party with the RM100 — the mower maker’s first robotic grass cutter.
But Chris Griffith finds one problem with the machine. Read his review of the Victa robot mower here
Peter Lalor 12.50pm: India white-ball games headed for NSW
Cricket Australia has officially reached out to the NSW government in a further sign that Queensland could be stripped of its six white-ball matches against India this summer.
NSW Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres confirmed to News Corp that Cricket Australia on Monday lodged an official proposal for Virat Kohli’s team and Australia’s band of players returning from the IPL to now serve their quarantine in Sydney.
The proposal would hand the SCG and possibly Manuka Oval in Canberra the lucrative white-ball series against India.
READ the full story here
Rebecca Urban 12.23pm: Andrews won’t make another hotel inquiry appearance
Daniel Andrews said he had been contacted by the Coate hotel quarantine inquiry in recent days but had not been asked to reappear.
“I think there may be a letter asking for clarification … I’ve certainly not been called,” Mr Andrews said on Tuesday.
“I’ve got no knowledge of what they’re doing today; they’re an independent board.”
Victoria’s hotel quarantine inquiry will reconvene this afternoon to deal with escalating concerns about the evidence of Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton’s evidence and departmental failure to release crucial material.
It will examine whether it was deliberately deprived of key emails that show Professor Sutton knew — or should have known — that security guards were being used for hotel quarantine in late March.
Mr Sutton, a regular feature at the Premier’s daily coronavirus briefings, was absent on Tuesday.
READ MORE: ‘Restaurant numbers don’t add up’
Rebecca Urban 12.06pm: Victoria weighs allowing direct flights from NZ
Victoria is considering allowing flights from New Zealand to fly into Melbourne in the wake of dozens arriving via NSW over recent days.
Premier Daniel Andrews said it could be “just as easy’ to have New Zealanders come directly to the state.
“We’re having a think about that,” Mr Andrews said.
“None of the drama over the past few days was any reflection on the New Zealanders who were travelling here it may just be easier to have those flights come here given they are coming from a low virus place.”
Mr Andrews attacked the federal government over the weekend, claiming the state had been caught by surprise when 17 New Zealanders flew into Melbourne on Friday evening via Sydney.
He said the state did not agree to be a part of the “travel bubble” that had been set up between New Zealand, NSW and the Northern Territory. Victoria’s borders have remained opened throughout the pandemic. It has emerged that some of the New Zealanders were shearers who had permits to go into regional Victoria for work.
Mr Andrews denied his response was an “over-reaction”.
“I’ve made some comments I stand by,” he said.
“It’s not good to have people turn up without notice.”
READ MORE: Focus shifts to Sutton evidence
Rebecca Urban 11.54am: Andrews hints at lifting Melbourne’s ‘ring of steel’
Victoria’s “ring-of-steel’, which divides metropolitan Melbourne from the rest of the state, could be lifted next month, the state’s Premier has hinted.
Daniel Andrews said he hoped that “we can get to that point” in November.
“We’re all working towards a COVID-normal Christmas … for families to come together and celebrate that date and that will require freedom of movement,’ he said.
“There will still be rules … but we’ll get that metro-regional boundary off as soon as we can.”
Mr Andrews urged Melbourne residents to not seek to travel into regional Victoria to stay at holiday homes this coming long-weekend “for public health reasons but also there’s every chance you’ll get caught”.
He said police would heighten their patrols leading into the AFL grand final weekend. Fines for leaving metropolitan Melbourne without a valid reason, such as a work permit, are currently almost $5000.
READ MORE: Editorial — Now look who’s playing politics with COVID-19
Rebecca Urban 11.40am: Reused blood tests in quarantine ‘regrettable’
Victoria’s Health Minister Martin Foley has described revelations that blood glucose tests were reused among the state’s hotel quarantine guests as “very regrettable”.
Mr Foley said that it was a “very low risk” that the 243 people who had been identified as affected had contracted a bloodborne disease. The tests are usually used by people with diabetes and are meant to be used only once before being discarded.
He said it was through an “abundance of caution” that those people were being contacted and urged to undergo screening for diseases including HIV.
So far 141 people have been successfully contacted by Safer Care Victoria and 79 had agreed to be tested.
The state has set up a dedicated hotline for anyone who is concerned that they might have been impacted at 1800 356 061.
READ MORE: Creighton — Health fascism has consumed human rights
Rebecca Urban 11.23am: Victoria ‘well-placed’ for further easing: Andrews
Investigations are underway into Victoria’s one new case of coronavirus on Tuesday, with the Premier revealing that the individual had previously been infected and could simply be shedding the virus.
“This could be potentially a day of zero,” Daniel Andrews said, adding that it was a testament to the hard work of Victorians.
Mr Andrews said the state was well-placed to bring forward the easing of further restrictions at the weekend.
However, Mr Andrews has dampened hopes that low coronavirus-case numbers could see hospitality venues open in time for AFL grand final day on Saturday.
Mr Andrews said he would not announce easings impacting pubs, restaurants, cafes and retail before Sunday.
He urged people to stick to the rules and resist gathering at friends houses to celebrate the game.
“That’s not possible this year,” he said.
“I know what the footy means … but it’s more important we see this off properly.”
In six of the past seven days, new case numbers have been five or less. Should the state continue to record two or less cases over the remainder of the week, the 14-day rolling average for metro-Melbourne would drop below 5.5 by Saturday. It is currently 6.4.
READ MORE: Sweden hopes voluntary lockdowns will tackle hot spots
Imogen Reid 11.04am: NSW records two new local virus cases
There have been five new cases of COVID-19 recorded in New South Wales overnight, two of which were locally transmitted.
One locally acquired case is a household contact of a previously confirmed case linked to the Liverpool private clinic cluster, while the other is linked to someone who attended the childcare centre at Oran Park.
The remaining three infections were acquired overseas and are now in hotel quarantine.
NSW Health has praised the Oran Park community for increasing the levels of testing in the community.
NSW has reported 2 new cases of locally transmitted #COVID19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) October 20, 2020
3 cases in overseas travellers in hotel quarantine were also diagnosed, bringing the total number of cases in NSW to 4,158. pic.twitter.com/pBKYs6hTPj
“From 1 August to 10 October 2020, the average number of COVID-19 tests conducted each week among residents of Oran Park was 227, but during the week ending 17 October 2020, the number of tests increased almost fourfold to 895,” NSW Health said.
The total number of cases in New South Wales is 4158.
READ MORE: Health ‘to blame for child deaths’
Ben Packham 10.54am: AFP investigating public servants over airport land
The Australian Federal Police says it is investigating potential corruption of public officials involved in the sale of a $3m parcel of land near the new Western Sydney Airport that was purchased by the government for $30m.
AFP Deputy Commissioner Investigations Ian McCartney told Senate estimates an investigation into the Leppington Triangle land sale of July 27, following a referral from the Auditor-General.
He said the investigation was at an “early juncture”, but confirmed the AFP’s inquiries were centred on the discrepancy between the sale price and the valuation of the land.
Mr McCartney said the AFP was looking at possible offences of “corruption of public officials”, but it had identified no criminality at this stage.
Police have been given 256 gigabytes of data by the Australian National Audit Office as part of the investigation.
READ MORE: Bureaucrats may have covered up airport land deal
Agencies 10.47am: Trump vs Biden: Early voting bigger in Texas
Just two weeks away from the US presidential election, Texas is leading the country in early voting, with more than four million ballots already cast, according to a count by a US university.
The election in Texas, traditionally a conservative bastion which has backed Republican candidates since 1980, is under close scrutiny, with some polls showing Democratic challenger Joe Biden in a position to edge out President Donald Trump.
The number of votes already cast in the large southern state is already equal to 45 per cent of the total number of ballots cast in 2016, according to the US Elections Project, a count run by Florida University.
Early voting started last Tuesday in Texas and the participation rate has already nudged out more populous California.
Almost 30 million people have already voted across the United States. — AFP
READ MORE: Commentary — Elites soon forgot the Forgotten Man
Sarah Elks 10.26am: Palaszczuk to splash $880m in borrowed cash
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has dipped into the state’s skyrocketing borrowings to splash $880m to the state’s councils to build local infrastructure, roads and create jobs.
In a speech to the Local Government Association of Queensland conference on the Gold Coast, where Ms Palaszczuk’s Labor holds just one of 11 seats, the Premier said if she was re-elected on October 31, an extra $400m would go to the state’s 65 regional councils to continue the Works for Queensland program.
That policy gives cash to councils to build local projects such as an upgrade to the Cairns lagoon, a refurbishment of the Longreach library, and a new splash park for the Cape York Aboriginal community of Wujal Wujal.
READ the full story here
Remy Varga 10.11am: One new virus case recorded in Victoria
Yesterday there was 1 new case & the loss of 0 lives reported. 1 other case, who has a Vic address, is quarantining interstate having returned from OS. In Melb, 14 day average and cases with unknown source are down from yesterday. https://t.co/eTputEZdhs pic.twitter.com/pNuSFOb32z
— VicGovDHHS (@VicGovDHHS) October 19, 2020
Victoria has recorded one new case of the coronavirus and no new deaths.
As well, another Victorian who is in quarantine interstate after returning from overseas has tested positive.
Melbourne’s 14-day rolling average has fallen from 7.2 to 6.4 on Tuesday.
There are now 13 mystery cases in Melbourne – a decrease of two since Monday – and zero in regional Victoria.
Regional Victoria has a daily case average of just 0.4.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is due to provide an update on the state’s coronavirus situation at 11am.
READ MORE: Credlin — Life-and-death questions cannot be dodged
David Swan 10.07am: Meet Australia’s newest supercomputer
A new supercomputer is promising to be able to meet the increasing computer needs of Australian researchers, and will power significant research projects, from searching for alien life to COVID-19 research.
The Pawsey Supercomputing Centre this morning announced it had selected Hewlett Packard Enterprise to deliver its new supercomputer, which will deliver up to 50 petaFLOPs, or 30 times more computer power than its predecessor systems Magnus and Galaxy.
READ MORE live tech updates at The Download
Robert Gottliebsen 9.21am: Are we in fighting shape to deal with China?
According to the opinion polls, the US is going to swap a right wing president for a left wing leader. Nobody knows what that will mean.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has been making stirring speeches to his defence forces and seems to believe that any change of leadership in the US is a good time to put more pressure on Taiwan.
I have no idea what he is going to do and I will not speculate. But there are two aspects of this situation where we know the facts and do not need to speculate: submarines and the Australian balance sheet.
If we are going to lock horns with China, we have to be honest about whether our economy and military capability are up to it.
READ Robert Gottliebsen’s full commentary here
Samantha Bailey 9.13am: Passenger traffic still down 96.4pc at Sydney airport
Total passenger traffic in Sydney Airport for September was down 96.4 per cent on the previous corresponding period, with just 34,000 international passengers passing through the airport during the month, down 97.5 per cent on September last year.
Domestic passengers totalled 98,000 for the period, down 95.7 per cent on the same month a year ago.
“The downturn in passenger traffic is expected to persist until further government travel restrictions are eased,” the company said in a statement to the market this morning.
Some domestic travel restrictions were lifted in October.
READ MORE: Trading Day — ASX to slip as Wall Street sinks on stimulus
Imogen Reid 8.59am: NSW weighs lifting limits on religious gatherings
New South Wales Jobs Minister Stuart Ayres has told 2GB that discussions are taking place over the number of people allowed to attend religious gatherings.
Under current COVID-19 restrictions, places of worship can only hold gatherings of up to 100 people, while the limit on indoor weddings has been increased to 300.
Mr Ayres told Ben Fordham he hoped a decision would be made soon on the limit on worshippers.
“We are working with the religious organisation at the moment. We’re hoping that we will get pretty close to this one very soon,” he said.
“I have been working with Health and Kerry Chant, and her team at NSW Health have been absolutely outstanding to work with as we keep rolling back these restrictions.”
READ MORE: Shanahan — Confidence blooms as recovery hopes rise
Troy Bramston 8.45am: Commentary: Gladys, your position is untenable
The revelations about NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s secret love affair with disgraced former MP Daryl Maguire have been personally humiliating and embarrassing but, more importantly, show she has been compromised and remaining in office is untenable. Berejiklian is not corrupt but she is guilty of a shocking lapse of judgment, ethics and integrity.
READ Troy Bramston’s full commentary on Gladys Berejiklian here
Cameron Stewart 8.41am: Trump renews attack on disease expert Fauci
Donald Trump has declared people are ‘tired of Covid’ and that his top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci is a ‘disaster,’ as he tries to encourage Americans to move beyond the pandemic.
The president has also told his campaign staff he now believes he will win the November 3 election, admitting that he wasn’t so sure two weeks ago when he was stricken with COVID-19.
Mr Trump’s comments came as he held two campaign rallies in Arizona on Tuesday (AEDT) with his campaign planning up to five rallies a day in the closing days of the election campaign.
In an upbeat call with his campaign staff, Mr Trump downplayed the pandemic which has killed 220,000 Americans, saying people are sick of public health restrictions and just want to get on with their lives.
READ the full story here
Geoff Chambers 8.37am: Factories first in Morrison’s industry revival
Five new manufacturing tsars have been asked to steer an industry-led reboot of the sector and prioritising investment under Scott Morrison’s $1.5bn modern manufacturing strategy.
Dulux Group chief executive Patrick Houlihan and Woodside Energy’s Lauren Stafford have been appointed to the Industry Innovation and Science Australia board, which will oversee industry road maps and implement the Prime Minister’s five-year manufacturing plan.
Industry Minister Karen Andrews has also added FinTech and consumer rights expert Scott Farrell, space technology entrepreneur Alex Grant and ag-tech expert Sarah Nolet to the IISA board, led by former IBM boss Andrew Stevens and Chief Scientist Alan Finkel.
Mr Houlihan, who oversees 4000 employees including 140 scientists and chemists, said Australian companies must embrace “game-changing” technology advances and retrain workers to support new manufacturing opportunities and keep the production of high-value products onshore.
READ the full story here
Ben Packham 8.33am: Australia invited to Indian naval exercises
Australia has been invited to participate in India’s Malabar naval exercise in November and has strengthened bilateral defence ties with Japan, as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue partners move to counter China’s military rise in the Indo-Pacific.
The inclusion of Australia in Malabar – the fourth member of the Quad to participate after India, the US and Japan – will sharpen the interoperability of all four navies in a move likely to infuriate China.
Defence Minister Linda Reynolds the nation’s participation in Malabar would enhance Australia’s maritime capabilities and demonstrate “our collective resolve to support an open and prosperous Indo-Pacific”.
“Exercise Malabar also showcases the deep trust between four major Indo-Pacific democracies and their shared will to work together on common security interests,” she said.
It came as Australia and Japan also strengthened their defence partnership, pledging to negotiate a new agreement allowing Japan’s Self-Defence Forces to “protect Australian Defence Force assets” if they come under threat.
READ the full story here
Imogen Reid 8.11am: Andrews has ‘utter contempt’ for Victorians: Lib MP
Victorian Liberal MP Tim Smith has weighed in on the bitter political row between the Premier Daniel Andrews and Josh Frydenberg, accusing Mr Andrews of having “utter contempt” for the people of Victoria.
It comes after the Treasurer said Mr Andrews had shown a “callous indifference” towards economic hardship in the state after restrictions on many businesses were extended for two weeks.
“This bloke Andrews, for him to accuse Josh [Frydenberg] of being political, when I saw that yesterday I almost fell off my chair. Daniel Andrews has got utter contempt for the people of Victoria in the way that he’s locked us up in the world’s longest lockdown because of his own incompetence,” Mr Smith told Sky News.
“He still has not accepted responsibility for the death of almost 800 people, the world’s longest lockdown, a mental health crisis and hundreds of thousands of jobs destroyed … yet he’s accused Josh of being political.
“This bloke is completely out of touch and he seems to not understand that every other state seemed to manage hotel quarantine, seemed to have an appropriate level of contact tracing to make sure the virus is kept under control.
“The only state in Australia that’s had 800 deaths and a complete disaster befallen upon them is Victoria because of the leadership of the Andrews Labor government.”
READ MORE: Wealth — Why the outlook for investors is improving
Imogen Reid 8.07am: WA set to remove crew infected on livestock ship
An operation to remove crew members from an infected livestock ship in Fremantle Port in Western Australia is expected to get underway this morning.
There are 24 positive COVID-19 cases among crew members on the ship, Al Messilah, which has a total of 52 on board from a number of countries.
Health Minister Roger Cook said authorities were working to get as many people off the ship and into hotel quarantine so the infected can receive treatment and the ship can be deep cleaned.
He said 11 people who had been in close contact with either the ship or the crew member who went to hospital were in quarantine and posed no risk to the community.
READ MORE: ‘Reopen Victoria to save SMEs’
Imogen Reid 7.45am: Victoria considering use of electronic monitoring
The Andrews Government is reportedly considering the use of electronic monitoring devices to keep track of overseas travellers entering Victoria once the state opens its borders up to international visitors.
The technology will partially replace the state’s hotel quarantine system, The Age reports.
The publication said GPS-enabled electronic wristband tracking devices are being assessed by the Health and Justice departments, to ensure some international travellers were isolated at home.
It is understood Premier Daniel Andrews has been involved in discussions, as the government came under pressure to start accepting overseas travellers.
READ MORE: End lockdown ‘torture': rage against the regime
Imogen Reid 7.35am: Hotel quarantine guests may be exposed to HIV
An urgent health warning has been issued to more than 200 people who underwent hotel quarantine in Victoria to get tested for HIV after an error resulted in possible cross contamination.
Safe Care Victoria said yesterday that 243 people that received blood glucose level tests while in hotel quarantine between March 29 and August 20 could be at risk of contracting a bloodborne virus after the same test was reused on multiple people.
“Blood glucose level testing devices intended for use by one person were used across multiple residents,” Safe Care Victoria said in a statement.
Were you in quarantine accommodation between 29 March and 20 August? And do you believe you had a blood glucose level test and we haven't contacted you yet? Please read this important information: https://t.co/oPiKdVpiPK pic.twitter.com/0oXeGIp7dm
— Safer Care Victoria (@SaferCareVic) October 19, 2020
“This presents a low clinical risk of cross-contamination and blood borne viruses — Hepatitis B and C, and HIV.”
Former Labor Leader Bill Shorten said the latest mistake coming out of Victoria was “not good enough.”
“It must be really stressful and worrying for the people who have gone through this. I hope that they can get the test results back as quick as possible,” he told Today.
“The rest of Australia has moved on but Melbourne is caught up in it. I just want to see my hometown beat this thing and get back to … I don’t want to use the word ‘normal’, I know what we are in at the moment isn’t normal.”
READ MORE: ‘COVID-19 not the only killer — I should know’
Stephen Lunn 6.45am: Restaurant numbers in Melbourne ‘don’t add up’
Renowned chef Shane Delia has no quibble with Daniel Andrews’ cautious timetable to ease restrictions, but says seating rules imposed by the Premier make it impossible to reopen his marquee restaurant Maha and three smaller venues next month.
“Under the restrictions it just won’t be financially viable,” he said. “To have just 20 people inside a 130-seat restaurant like Maha is not going to work. You still need a sommelier, a restaurant manager, a host, bar staff, chefs. You can’t sustain their wages with such limited income. It’s not anything against the government. It just doesn’t work for me on the numbers. I’m not a charity.”
Restaurateur Guy Grossi is going to give reopening a crack even though there will be fewer diners at his Collins Street institution Grossi Florentino than during the brief easing of restrictions earlier in the year.
He accepts it will have to run at a loss in the near term, but feels he has to get back in the game.
Read the full story here.
John Stensholt 6.15am: Spring carnival damage in ‘tens of millions’
The financial damage wrought by COVID-19 to Victorian racing clubs during the Spring Carnival will run into the “tens of millions”, though there is a glimmer of hope of some crowds at some of the remaining big days and the reopening of TAB outlets on Melbourne Cup eve.
The latter will provide a timely fiscal boost to Racing Victoria, with the governing body revealing a $10.8m net surplus for 2020 on Monday despite a large fall in income from its joint venture with TAB operator Tabcorp.
While the surplus was up from $8.8m in 2019 and wagering on Victorian races has been at record highs in the recent months, the governing body has seen its income from the joint venture fall by more, $13.5m, during the first four months of COVID-19, than the $12.27m increase it received in race fields fees charged by online wagering operators.
Racing Victoria chief executive Giles Thompson said it would be a rare piece of good news that the loosening of state government lockdown restrictions should see TAB outlets open on November 2, the day before the Melbourne Cup, subject to final approval.
But he said the racing clubs, be those based in country Victoria or metropolitan clubs such as the Victoria Racing Club at Flemington will do it tough during the usually lucrative spring carnival as grandstands remain closed, and that Racing Victoria recently agreed to provide almost $20m in additional grants and prize money support.
Read the full story here.
Jacquelin Magnay 5.45am: Beijing ‘on track’ for 2022 Winter Olympics
Beijing 2022 organisers say they are on schedule to host the Winter Olympic Games despite the disruption of COVID-19.
Beijing 2022 vice chairman Zhang Jiandong told the world’s press on the first day of a four-day briefing on Games preparations that “Beijing has not stopped Games preparations … we are pressing ahead without diminishing intensity or compromising of standards”.
He said COVID-19 posed “a grave challenge” to the Olympic Movement but said Beijing’s commitment to hosting the Games was “as strong as ever”.
“The construction of venues and infrastructure is on schedule, and all venues will be completed by end of this year,” Mr Zhang said.
But it became clear during the briefing that organisers were waiting to see how Tokyo 2020 handles various coronavirus countermeasures when it hosts the delayed Olympics in August next year.
We're waiting to welcome you all to #Beijing2022 with open arms! â¤ï¸ðŸ¤— https://t.co/EHLCdm9WD9
— Beijing 2022 (@Beijing2022) October 9, 2020
Read the full story here.
Agencies 5.15am: New lockdown measures implemented in Europe
A raft of European nations including Italy and Belgium took urgent new measures overnight (AEDT) to combat a second wave of coronavirus infections as the worldwide caseload topped 40 million.
The latest global milestone came just hours after the number of people who have died from COVID-19 passed 250,000 in Europe as the pandemic rampages across much of the continent.
In Belgium, where hospitalisations rose 100 per cent in just the last week, bars and restaurants were closed on Monday for a month and a curfew will be reinforced overnight.
Belgium’s second major lockdown comes after Prime Minister Alexander de Croo warned the situation was “much worse” than in March when there was an almost complete confinement.
Wales also decided to impose a full “firebreak” lockdown for two weeks from Friday which forces people to stay home except for limited purposes like exercise.
Italy, the initial epicentre of Europe’s outbreak, also announced fresh curbs including earlier closures for bars and restaurants and a push to increase working from home.
In Poland, where around half the country is now designated as a coronavirus “red zone”, the government said the national stadium would double as a field hospital to help ease the strain on overwhelmed health facilities.
Switzerland meanwhile made mask-wearing compulsory in indoor public spaces and put limits on public gatherings after infections doubled over the last week.
“The second wave is here, earlier and stronger than we expected, but we are prepared,” Swiss Health Minister Alain Berset said.
France imposed its own overnight curfew from the weekend in nine cities including Paris, affecting 20 million people, with a record 32,400 new infections reported on Saturday.
Slovenia did too, with its roughly two million inhabitants forced to stay home between 9pm and 6am and banned from non-essential travel. — AFP
READ MORE: China continues recovery with 4.9 per cent growth
John Ferguson 5am: Hotel quarantine inquiry zeros in on Sutton
Victoria’s hotel quarantine inquiry will confront head-on escalating concerns about Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton’s evidence and departmental failure to release crucial material.
The inquiry is examining whether it was deliberately deprived of key emails that show Professor Sutton knew — or should have known — that security guards were being used for hotel quarantine in late March.
The inquiry’s head, former judge Jennifer Coate, will on Tuesday appear in an extraordinary hearing after weeks of damaging revelations that have culminated in the publishing of emails that suggest Professor’s Sutton’s written and verbal evidence to the inquiry was wrong.
The inquiry is believed to be alarmed by the Department of Health and Human Service’s failure to release all emails relating to Professor Sutton’s knowledge of hotel quarantine security.
Read the full story, by John Ferguson, Rebecca Urban and Greg Brown, here.
Joe Kelly 5am: Frydenberg, Andrews launch into bitter war of words
Josh Frydenberg, the nation’s most senior Victorian federal minister, has pleaded with Daniel Andrews to free Victorians from “devastating’’ coronavirus restrictions, warning that businesses are losing hope and the state now has 40 per cent of the nation’s effective unemployed.
The Treasurer sparked a bitter political row with the Victorian Premier on Monday when he accused Mr Andrews of “callous indifference” towards economic hardship in the state after restrictions on many businesses were extended for two weeks.
A dismissive Mr Andrews hit back, accusing Mr Frydenberg of playing politics when Victorians wanted their families kept safe so the state could reopen safely.
“He’s not a leader, he’s just a Liberal,” he said. “He’s just a Liberal and all he does is play politics every day.”
However, Mr Frydenberg is a passionate Victorian whose wife and children have been locked down while he delivered the COVID recovery budget in Canberra. He has directed $34bn in federal funding to the economically devastated state which has been forced into hibernation longer than anywhere else in Australia.
Read the full story, by Joe Kelly and Remy Varga, here.
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Restaurateur charged over Nazi sign at protest
High-profile restaurateur Alan Yazbek has been revealed as the protester arrested after allegedly holding up a swastika sign at a pro-Palestine rally.