Coronavirus Australia live news: Airlines scramble extra flights as borders open
Qantas and Virgin Australia have crammed hundreds of extra flights into their schedule as the PM hails Qld border reopening.
- Airlines scramble to cover flights
- Queensland border opens to NSW Dec 1
- Queensland ‘set border bar too high’
- Berejiklian ‘didn't change schedule’ after test
- Scramble to contain new China outbreak
- NSW hotel quarantine under fire
- Victoria contact tracing failures revealed
Welcome to our live coverage of the latest news in Australia’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Qantas and Virgin Australia have crammed hundreds of extra flights into their schedule with Queensland set to open its borders to NSW on December 1. And confidential updates have revealed the NSW hotel quarantine scheme has been beset with thousands of incidents, with 169 security guards sacked and at least four overseas arrivals absconding from facilities.
AFP 8.25pm: France to ease restrictions
France is expected to loosen its coronavirus restrictions on Tuesday.
Hopes over COVID-19 vaccines have given a boost to virus-weary citizens across the globe, but the disease remains rampant and world leaders are urging people to be patient.
French President Emmanuel Macron will address the lcoked-down country to announce a reworking of the rules following a drop in nationwide infections.
Mr Macron’s televised speech comes a day after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said thanks to a major vaccine breakthrough, “the escape route is in sight” from the coronavirus crisis.
Mr Johnson said although the “scientific cavalry” was arriving, he warned “Christmas cannot be normal and there’s a long road to spring”.
The world is still engulfed in the unprecedented health crisis which has shattered economies, infected almost 58.9 million people and left nearly 1.4 million dead.
READ MORE: What your drink does to you
Olivia Caisley 7.45pm: Olympians’ day in sun to be cut short
Australia’s star athletes will have to return home after they are eliminated from next year’s Tokyo Games and many are set to miss out on the opening ceremony, as the International Olympic Committee prepares to impose strict COVID-19 restrictions on competitors.
Swimmers, rowers and track and field athletes are among those who would likely not attend the opening ceremony due to social distancing requirements and Olympians would enter the village just five days before their competitions start, under a proposal for the landmark games.
While the Olympic Village in Tokyo can accommodate up to 16,500 people, including athletes and support staff, social distancing measures would mean just 6000-7000 people could be at the facility at any one time.
AFP 6.50pm: Hundreds of flights cancelled as Shanghai fights outbreak
Hundreds of flights at one of China’s busiest airports have been cancelled as Shanghai races to bring a local coronavirus outbreak under control.
Health officials have tested thousands of staff at Pudong International Airport since a small cluster of COVID-19 cases in the city was linked to several cargo handlers.
China — where the virus first emerged late last year — has largely brought the pandemic under control through travel restrictions and lockdowns, but it is now battling a number of domestic outbreaks in different cities.
Shanghai has reported seven local infections linked to the airport this month, with most cases found in the past few days.
The outbreak has sparked plans to give high-risk workers at the travel hub an experimental vaccine China has already been providing to state employees, international students and essential workers heading abroad since July.
On Tuesday, figures from data services firm VariFlight showed that over 500 flights out of Pudong Airport had been called off — nearly half the day’s scheduled flights.
Almost half of scheduled inbound flights were also cancelled. More than 17,700 people had been swabbed by Monday morning at part of a drive to test airport cargo staff, state news agency Xinhua reported, with those infected including employees at logistics firms FedEx and UPS.
Videos shared on Sunday night on social media appeared to show a large crowd at the airport trying to push their way into a multi-storey car park where the testing was taking place and being held back by a row of people wearing full hazmat suits.
Later footage published by Shanghai health officials showed rows of people queuing at what appears to be the same location and being ushered to testing stations by health workers.
Nearly half of all scheduled flights were also cancelled at Tianjin International Airport, a northern port city testing around 2.6 million people to try and bring a local cluster under control.
READ MORE: Backlash for Boris over new lockdown rules
Kathryn Bermingham 6.20pm: SA pizza worker ‘extremely remorseful’
The pizza shop worker at the centre of South Australia’s unnecessary coronavirus shutdown says he is “extremely remorseful” and concerned about its impact on the state.
Through a statement released by his lawyer, the worker, who police say is a 36-year-old Spanish student, also raised fears he had been “all but publicly named”.
In the statement, released on Tuesday afternoon, Scott Jelbert said he was the solicitor acting for the person under investigation.
“He is extremely remorseful and deeply sorry for any part his conduct played in any unnecessary lockdown actions,” he said.
“He did not foresee or intend that things might unfold as they have.”
South Australia was thrust into a harsh six-day lockdown last week after authorities formed the conclusion that coronavirus had spread from a worker at the Woodville Pizza Bar to a customer.
However, the shutdown ended early after it was revealed that the man who claimed to be a customer was instead an employee who had worked several shifts.
Mr Jelbert said the man has had limited exposure to media releases, public opinion and social media since he entered quarantine.
READ MORE: Oxford vaccine goes to top of class
Yoni Bashan 5.45pm: Berejiklian entered parliament before test result
Gladys Berejiklian has confirmed that she entered parliament while awaiting the results of her COVID-19 test, contradicting an earlier statement that she remained in her office throughout the period that she was waiting for the results.
Ms Berejiklian said she was administered the test about 4pm and did not receive the results until approximately 6pm, by which time she had held meetings in her office and also entered parliament.
Records from the Legislative Assembly show the premier entering the chamber to vote on a bill at 5.42pm last Tuesday.
In an interview with 2GB’s Jim Wilson, Ms Berejiklian said she regretted the error of judgment and that she neglected to self-isolate more thoroughly.
“I’ve got to cop that and I deserve it, and I appreciate why people would raise issues about that,” she said.
“I don’t remember the exact time but I got tested after Question Time … it would have been about four o’clock or thereabouts that I had the test and then a couple of hours later, just after six, or thereabouts, that I got the results,” she said.
READ the full story here.
Tom Whipple 5.15pm: Is the Oxford vaccine as good as others?
When it comes to scientific glory, timing is everything. Three weeks ago the announcement from Oxford would have been the biggest story in the world: a vaccine developed in record time, with higher efficacy than expected.
Now, it is simply the third such vaccine and — on headline results at least — it is less good than the competition.
What we know from the data is that Oxford’s vaccine appears to prevent 70 per cent of symptomatic COVID-19 infections.
This is a lot more than the flu vaccine, which ranges from 30-60 per cent, but a lot less than the 95 per cent for the two vaccines already announced.
There are hints of an intriguing caveat though. It may be even better if you use half the quantity for the first dose. Then, the scientists claim, it is perhaps 90 per cent effective. — The Times
READ the full story here.
Rachel Baxendale 4.45pm: ‘Blatant cover-up’ over missing infrastructure program
Victorian opposition leader Michael O’Brien accused the Andrews government of a “blatant cover-up” over its failure to publish the State Capital Program detailing infrastructure projects with timelines and project costs.
It is the first time since the budget paper on major infrastructure projects was introduced in 2011 that it has not been published as part of a state budget, and comes amid significant cost blowouts which the government is yet to publicly quantify on multi billion dollar projects including the Metro rail tunnel and West Gate road tunnel.
“Today’s Labor state budget has failed to address Victoria’s jobs crisis and deliver immediate jobs,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Under Labor, the majority of those without a job today are likely to remain without one for at least three years.
“This is in addition to eye-watering debt levels to pay for Labor’s budget blowouts on bungled major projects.
“In a blatant cover-up, the Andrews Labor Government refused to publish the State’s Capital Program.
“There’s at least $100 billion in new debt yet only $8.2 billion identified in new infrastructure spending.”
Mr O’Brien said the NSW budget had delivered tax relief worth double that offered in the Victorian budget, “which is what states can do when their governments haven’t blown the budget”.
READ MORE: Victoria eyes $155bn debt
Ewin Hannan 4.15pm: CFMEU chief quits ‘dysfunctional’ union
CFMEU national president Tony Maher has quit his position, accusing the union’s construction division of bullying, and declaring the union “impossibly divided and dysfunctional with no repair in sight”.
Claiming the construction division had torn down the leadership of the recently departed national secretary Michael O’Connor, Mr Maher said the mining and energy division would join the manufacturing division in boycotting CFMEU forums.
In resolutions passed on Tuesday, the mining and energy division’s central council condemned the undermining of Mr O’Connor’s leadership and announced it would operate as an autonomous union, withdrawing involvement in CFMEU forums and activities.
Mr Maher said the mining division’s general secretary Grahame Kelly had also quit as CFMEU national vice president
Mr O’Connor resigned on November 5 following a campaign by construction and maritime division officials, including Victorian secretary John Setka, to force him out,
Supporters of Mr O’Connor said earlier no-confidence motions against him were “revenge” by Mr Setka, who remains angry that Mr O’Connor did not publicly support him after Mr Setka was charged with harassing his wife, and the Labor Party moved to expel him.
READ the full story
Richard Ferguson 3.45pm: PM hails reopening of Queensland border
Scott Morrison has hailed the reopening of the Queensland/NSW border in time for Christmas, saying it will boost the economy and bring joy to families.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will open her state to NSW on December 1 and has signalled she will allow Victorians in soon as well.
The Prime Minister said in a statement the Queensland developments showed his national cabinet plan to re-open Australia by the end of the year was progressing.
“This news will bring joy to thousands of families and friends who now have the opportunity to see each other at Christmas,”
“It’s also a relief for so many small businesses across both states, with more tourists and visitors set to visit soon, which is good for jobs and the economy.
“This is an important step in our plan to get Australia safely open by Christmas, as agreed by National Cabinet (with the exception of WA)
“All states and territories have worked hard to put appropriate protections in place but as we open up it’s important every single person continues to do their bit to stay COVIDSafe.”
READ MORE: Bet on red
Rachel Baxendale 3.30pm: Ratings agencies warns over Victoria recovery
Ratings agency S&P has warned Victoria could take “many more years than its peers” to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, while Moody’s has warned that the five month lockdown sparked by the state’s second wave of coronavirus has “weakened its capacity to pursue timely fiscal repair”, following the tabling of the state budget on Tuesday.
“The budget presented by the state of Victoria highlights the substantial economic and fiscal damage caused to state finances by the COVID-19 outbreak and containment measures,” S&P said.
“Victoria has controlled the second-wave outbreak, and the relaxation of restrictions will support a resumption of economic activity, but the state has been hit by the largest economic shock in its post-war history.
“While debt servicing should remain manageable due to low interest rates, we project debt levels to rise well beyond our previous expectations as the government rolls out significant stimulatory measures such as material new infrastructure spending.
“This may mean Victoria’s fiscal and economic shock could take many more years than its peers to recover.”
S&P moved to place Victoria on a “Credit watch” rating at the height of the second wave of the pandemic on August 5, pending greater clarity about the fiscal effect of the lockdown, the government’s policy direction, and the government’s ability to control the outbreak.
On Tuesday, the agency said it still believed there was a “one-in-two likelihood” that it would lower Victoria’s rating.
READ the full story
Robyn Ironside 3.00pm: Airlines scramble to cover flights
Qantas and Virgin Australia have crammed hundreds of extra flights into their schedule for December and January in response to Queensland’s long awaited border announcement.
After receiving a health briefing, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the border closure to greater Sydney would be eased on December 1, and Queensland would also reopen to Victoria, if the state records one more day without community COVID transmission.
The announcement was received with widespread jubilation in the tourism and travel industry, and prompted airlines to unveil considerably more capacity on flights in and out of Queensland.
Qantas and Jetstar will operate more than 1200 extra return flights in the lead up to Christmas, including 250 flights a week across seven routes from Sydney.
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said Ms Palaszczuk’s announcement was “the news many families were waiting so long to hear”.
“On behalf of tourism operators across all three states, we thank the Queensland Government and Premier Palaszczuk,” Mr Joyce said.
“New South Wales and Victoria have done such a great job getting the virus under control that it makes complete sense to open the borders to Sydney and Melbourne.
“Based on the demand we’re seeing already, Queenslanders can expect to welcome a lot more visitors in the next few months.”
Richard Ferguson 2.50pm: PM, Widodo discuss coronavirus, security
Scott Morrison and Indonesian President Joko Widodo have swapped notes on their COVID-19 responses and discussed ways to ensure regional security and stability.
Both the Prime Minister and Mr Widodo attended six virtual global summits together over the past two weekends including the recent APEC meeting.
Government sources said the pair discussed the need to deal with the pandemic and they were both encouraged by more positive economic news for Australia and Indonesia in the third quarter.
Mr Widodo also said he looked forward to hosting Mr Morrison in Indonesia next year for their annual leaders’ meeting, where they will further discuss ways to ensure regional stability and security.
Yoni Bashan 2.45pm: Berejiklian office tried to suppress virus breach
Gladys Berejiklian’s office attempted to stop the publication of details surrounding her breach of COVID-19 testing guidelines by issuing a threat to publicly embarrass this newspaper if an article concerning her transgression was printed.
Staff working within the NSW Premier’s office repeatedly warned The Australian that it would take “action” if an article outlining the premier’s breach of self-isolation protocols went ahead.
They also refused to answer basic questions surrounding the timing of her test, and the delivery of results, both of which remain unanswered.
Ms Berejiklian admitted on Tuesday that she had flouted the rules around COVID-19 testing after being administered a rapid COVID test in her office last Tuesday, the day the NSW Budget was handed down.
“In hindsight, I should have closed my door and not seen anybody for the 90 minutes to two hours while I was waiting for the result,” she told the ABC.
“But it was only because I was tired and losing my voice and I knew that I didn’t have any [COVID-19] symptoms. But having said that … I’m judged accordingly and I have to accept that.”
READ the full story
Paul Garvey 2.20pm: New WA Lib leader faces divisions
Western Australia’s new opposition leader Zak Kirkup faces an uphill battle in uniting a divided and dwindling party after one of the party’s veterans called for two senior figures to resign.
The 33-year-old Kirkup was being confirmed as Liberal leader today after his opponent Dean Nalder dropped out of the race just hours before a party room vote. Libby Mettam is expected to be elected unopposed as Kirkup’s deputy.
Any semblance of a smooth transition of power was scuttled however when former opposition leader Mike Nahan – who is leaving parliament at the next election – told reporters that he was “despondent” with the position of the party and blamed the result on party powerbrokers who had lost touch with their base.
READ the full story
John Ferguson 1.50pm: Treasurer takes big budget punt
Victorian Labor is turning the Treasury into the state’s second casino.
Crown by the Yarra has been gutted by the pandemic but Victoria will get a much bigger gambling house than it ever imagined to compensate for the hotel quarantine catastrophe.
The bottom line numbers in this budget are weepingly bad, certainly by pre-COVID-19 standards.
The effects of the virus and the quarantine failures bleed through the detail of the budget documents but they are not articulated in the government rhetoric.
This is part of a deliberate Pollyanna political strategy being backed by Labor to move forward at any cost, relying on rapid jobs growth and infrastructure spending to save the economy.
But the government cannot run from the budget reality.
READ John Ferguson’s full commentary
Rachel Baxendale 1.40pm: Victoria eyes $155bn debt in jobs gamble
Victoria will plunge into $155bn of net debt by 2024, in an audacious gamble the Andrews government hopes will see 200,000 jobs created within 18 months, and 400,000 by 2025.
As the state begins to recover from a three and a half month lockdown resulting from a second wave of coronavirus sparked by breaches in hotel quarantine, gross state product is forecast to have declined by four per cent in 2020-21, with total revenue down 4.2 per cent from pre-pandemic levels, and state tax revenue down 11.3 per cent.
Treasurer Tim Pallas declared the government did not believe it should be “constrained” by the downturn, but rather “unleashed by opportunity”.
“A year like no other really does deserve a budget like no other,” he said.
That pursuit of “opportunity” will see Victoria ring up an operating deficit of $23.3bn in 2020-21, which is forecast to fall to $5.9bn by 2024.
Net debt is forecast to reach $87bn in the current financial year, growing to $154.8bn by June 2024.
READ the full story
Angelica Snowden 1.30pm: ‘Enjoy getting away from Palaszczuk’
NSW Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres says Queenslanders should travel south to escape Annastacia Palaszczuk amid news borders will open from December 1, allowing Sydneysiders back into the northern state.
Great news Queensland! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/WF33XKFk07
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) November 24, 2020
“I think it is more about Queenslanders being able to escape Queensland,” Mr Ayres said at a press conference this morning.
“Come on down to NSW, enjoy the harbour, enjoy the wonderful beaches, enjoy getting away from Annastacia Palaszczuk,” he said.
Best phone call I have had in ages. Pleased to hear from @AnnastaciaMP the Queensland/NSW border will come down on 1 December!
— Gladys Berejiklian (@GladysB) November 24, 2020
Ms Palaszczuk announced today anyone from NSW will be able to visit Queensland from December 1 after 28 days of zero cases of community transmission.
Queensland’s border was closed to the entire state of NSW on August 8. Relaxed restrictions came into effect on November 3 to only exclude residents from greater Sydney.
READ MORE: Nats have pro-coal Labor MP in sights
Perry Williams 1.20pm: Turnbull: Morrison will cave on net zero emissions
Malcolm Turnbull has predicted Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison will cave to international pressure and sign up to a net zero emissions target by 2050 after clinging too closely to Donald Trump’s rhetoric.
“I’m confident Morrison will move to that. He probably over-channelled Trump, he was clearly dazzled by Trump and went full in with that in a number of areas whether in foreign policy and all the talk about being against globalism and so forth was channelling the Donald, including on climate,” Mr Turnbull told a business summit on Tuesday.
“The reality on climate is all of our major trading partners have a net zero target and the Biden administration will return to the climate fray with a real enthusiasm and he’s announced John Kerry – who is a real climate action evangelist with huge global credibility – will be the climate tsar and so Australia has to get on board.”
Mr Morrison says net zero carbon emissions by 2050 is achievable but has not committed to a hard energy target for the mid-century.
“We will pay a heavy price for this in international trade, believe me. We are kidding ourselves to think the Europeans will not have climate in the Australia-Europe free trade agreement,” Mr Turnbull said.
“We’re absolutely kidding ourselves and I can see the Americans making that a condition of trade agreements right around the world. What Scott has to do now is pivot or dismount – whatever you want to call it – whether it’s done elegantly or not it doesn’t really matter – as long as he does it.”
READ MORE: PM pledges practical emissions cuts
Angelica Snowden 1.10pm: Berejiklian’s ‘extraordinary admission’
NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay says Premier Gladys Berejiklian made an “extraordinary admission” after revealing she did not self-isolate while waiting for the result of a COVID-19 test.
An extraordinary admission from a Premier who admits she didn’t follow NSW Health guidelines. What’s the difference between having a scratchy voice and losing your voice? And why did Gladys Berejiklian not follow the same safety precautions she asks of every other person in NSW? https://t.co/XMTtd1TJgT
— Jodi McKay (@JodiMcKayMP) November 24, 2020
Ms Berejiklian admitted this morning she should have closed her office door while she waited for the result of the test last Tuesday.
“An extraordinary admission from a Premier who admits she didn’t follow NSW Health guidelines,” Ms McKay tweeted.
“What’s the difference between having a scratchy voice and losing your voice? And why did Gladys Berejiklian not follow the same safety precautions she asks of every other person in NSW?”
Ms McKay earlier tweeted “politicians, including the Premier, should be held to account during a pandemic.”
READ MORE: PM pledges ‘practical’ emissions cuts
Richard Ferguson 1.00pm: Gillard: Brereton findings appalling, distressing
Julia Gillard says the revelations of the Brereton war crimes inquiry are appalling and distressing, as she joins other prime ministers who led the Afghanistan War in condemning alleged crimes.
Many of the unlawful killings of innocent Afghans alleged by the Brereton Inquiry occurred during Ms Gillard’s premiership from 2010 to 2013.
The former prime minister’s spokeswoman said on Tuesday that the Australian Defence Force must now follow all the proper processes outlined in the inquiry’s recommendations.
“Ms Gillard has the greatest respect for the traditions of service and sacrifice that define the ADF. She very much valued the time she spent as Prime Minister with members of our armed forces,” she said.
“In her view, the allegations canvassed in the IGADF report are appalling, distressing and the antithesis of the values for which the ADF proudly stands. It is vital that all proper processes are now followed to their conclusion.”
READ MORE: Beijing takes aim at SAS, ABC kids
Angelica Snowden 12.30pm: One new case in SA
South Australia is in a “very good position” and staring down a second coronavirus wave, Premier Steven Marshall says.
Just one new COVID-19 case was reported overnight and it was not linked with the Parafield cluster, which remained at a total of 27 cases.
“This could have been a potentially catastrophic situation in South Australia but the swift and decisive action taken following that unequivocal health advice has put us in a very good position,” Mr Marshall said.
“I want to thank every single South Australian for playing their role in making sure that we did not have this second wave in South Australia,” he said.
It is likely the state will ease restrictions in December, Mr Marshall said.
South Australia’s Chief Health Officer Nicola Spurrier said she was “quietly confident” COVID-19 had been quashed in the state.
“I haven’t popped the cork on the champagne bottle yet but the champagne is on ice,” Dr Spurrier said.
She said the latest coronavirus case is a close contact of a previously confirmed overseas arrival reported a couple of days ago.
“This is a man in his 20s and he is in a medi-hotel,” she said.
“So it’s not associated with the Parafield cluster and it’s just that one case.”
There are more than 4000 close contacts of previously confirmed cases still in quarantine who contact tracers speak with regularly and will be retested, Dr Spurrier said.
READ MORE: Alcohol, drug use in Covid surges
Angelica Snowden 12.10pm: No new local cases in NSW
No new locally acquired coronavirus cases have been recorded in NSW overnight.
NSW recorded no new cases of locally acquired #COVID19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) November 24, 2020
Six cases were reported in overseas travellers in hotel quarantine. This brings the total number of cases in NSW to 4,359 since the start of the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/Y9pssLtPbl
It is the 17th straight day in a row for the state, although six cases were reported in returned overseas travellers.
There were 6,976 tests were reported to 8pm last night, compared with 7,836 in the previous 24 hours.
Despite zero new cases of community transmission COVID-19, NSW health warned the “consequences can be devastating” if one infection slipped under the radar and urged people to come forward for testing.
“If people don’t come forward for testing, outbreaks can easily be missed early on when they can be more readily controlled,” a NSW health statement read.
READ MORE: Berejiklian admits working after test
Patrick Commins 11.50am: Biden picks Yellen for Treasury Secretary
US president-elect Joe Biden has appointed former Federal Reserve boss Janet Yellen to be his Treasury Secretary – the first woman appointed to the job. You may recall that Donald Trump declined to reappoint Ms Yellen at the end of 2018 and replaced her with current Fed chairman Jerome “Jay” Powell, who has served with negligible change in policy from his predecessor.
In correspondence with The Australian this morning from Washington, DC, Peterson Institute for International Economics president Adam Posen said he was “pleased” that Ms Yellen was one of a number of highly qualified women considered for the job.
Mr Posen said Ms Yellen faced two important tasks in her new role, “given the divided government and society in the US”.
“First, the Secretary has to be able to work with Congress, including the Republican majority Senate, to keep the budget discussions running responsibly,” Mr Posen said. “Second, the Secretary has to be able to reassure markets, and particularly foreign investors and governments, that division in the US will not lead to problems in the dollar or weaponisation of it.”
READ MORE: Biden team opposite of Trump’s outsiders
Richard Ferguson 11.40am: Chalmers diagnosed with melanoma
Opposition treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers is being treated for skin cancer.
Dr Chalmers said on Tuesday he found a dark mole on his chest last week and it has since been diagnosed as a melanoma.
Last week I became one of around 16,000 Australians diagnosed with skin cancer this year. I’d mentioned to my doctor in passing that a darker than usual mole had appeared on my chest. Subsequent tests showed it was a melanoma.
— Jim Chalmers MP (@JEChalmers) November 24, 2020
“Last week I became one of around 16,000 Australians diagnosed with skin cancer this year. I’d mentioned to my doctor in passing that a darker than usual mole had appeared on my chest. Subsequent tests showed it was a melanoma,” he tweeted.
“I’m now booked in for some further surgery on Thursday, but I’ll be stitched up and ready to go soon after. Thanks to my local GP, the specialist at Greenslopes Hospital, and my parliamentary brothers @JasonClareMP and @GrahamPerrettMP for their advice.
“Remember: have your skin checked, especially if you spot something unusual.”
READ MORE: Quarantine scheme at breaking point
Charlie Peel 11.25am: ‘It might be hard to book accommodation’
Annastacia Palaszczuk said her government had been in contact with airlines to give them time to plan for the border reopening.
“We know how important it is that the airlines are able to plan,” she said.
“People are able to plan for their holidays as well. And Queensland is good to go.
“We absolutely want to see our tourism industry continue to flourish and prosper.
“It might be a little bit difficult getting some accommodation somewhere, because of our successful campaign, a lot of tourism operators are saying that they are booked out.
“But we do want to encourage families to get together before Christmas.”
Ms Palaszczuk said opening the country up before Christmas had been an aspiration of the national cabinet.
South Australia has also been declared a hotspot after a new cluster of cases arose there.
Ms Palaszczuk said she would review the situation at the end of the month.
“As we do know, there is the cluster down there that Dr Young does have some concerns with, but we will update everyone again at the end of the month,” she said.
“So from December 1, if all things are going well for Victoria, tomorrow, both New South Wales and Victoria will be open for Queensland.
“Queensland families can travel there and vice versa from December 1.”
READ MORE: Border closures were quite in order
Angelica Snowden 11.20am: ‘Now you can come, why not relocate?’
After Queensland slammed its borders shut to NSW in early August, the state’s deputy premier Steven Miles has now declared he not only wants Sydneysiders to visit and spend their money in the state, but he wants Sydney businesses to relocate too.
BREAKING: Queensland’s border with Greater Sydney will open on 1 December. #qldpol #COVID19Aus
— Steven Miles (@StevenJMiles) November 23, 2020
“I know there are lots of Sydneysiders who have been wondering whether they could plan a Christmas holidays on the Gold Coast or Cairns or all of the wonderful places in between or north of there and now we know that they can, and that means when they come here they will be spending money here, creating jobs here, helping businesses here,” Mr Miles said.
“It also means that for all those business owners and business people in Sydney who have been thinking through the year about relocating some or all of their operations to Queensland, now we know that they can and now we know we want them to,” he said.
“So they can come here and create more jobs here, because that is this government’s focus.”
Mr Miles also said the health response was “under control”, the state government would encourage more economic growth.
“The foundation of our economic recovery plan was always a health response and now, we have got that health response under control we can … encourage businesses and employ more people and the lifting of these border instructions will do exactly that.”
READ MORE: Quarantine scheme at breaking point
Angelica Snowden 10.30am: Queensland open to NSW from December 1
NSW residents will be welcomed into Queensland from December 1, the Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced.
“(Queensland’s chief health officer) has been in extensive conversations with the New South Wales chief health officer,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
Tuesday 24 November – coronavirus cases in Queensland:
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) November 23, 2020
• 0 locally acquired cases, 1 case acquired overseas
• 15 active cases
• 1,197 total confirmed cases
• 1,331,405 tests conducted
Sadly, six Queenslanders with COVID-19 have died. 1,176 patients have recovered.#covid19 pic.twitter.com/EtacEm1EYW
“Dr Young is now satisfied that they have reached the threshold of 28 days so can I say to New South Wales we welcome you to Queensland from December 1,” she said.
“We know how tough this has been on families. This is a great day.”
In further good news Victoria will also meet the 28 day threshold without any cases of community transmission, Ms Palaszczuk said.
“I have been in contact with both the New South Wales Premier and the Victorian Premier … that if they reach that 28 days tomorrow, then they, too, will be open on December 1,” she said.
Ms Palaszczuk would not commit to opening the border with Victoria until tomorrow, but said “everything is looking very good”.
Chief health officer Jeanette Young said she hoped COVID infections would remain at zero in Victoria.
“It is 28 days since New South Wales had an unlinked case. So all of their cases since then have been linked and able to be traced back to known outbreaks, known clusters, which means that we can reopen our border to New South Wales on December 1,” Dr Young said.
“And hopefully we will be doing exactly the same thing for Victoria and we will see their case numbers today and tomorrow and be able to make that announcement,” she said.
Dr Young said she was waiting to see how the outbreak in South Australia unfolds before changing border arrangements.
“It has been really good so far – they have had only small numbers,” she said.
“We just have to see what happens in that first incubation period.
“So we were first notified of the case around ten days ago on that Saturday, so we now have to see what other cases come out of that.”
Ms Palaszczuk said she would review border arrangements with South Australia at the end of November.
Angelica Snowden 9.50am: I should have closed my door: Berejiklian
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has agreed she is sorry for failing to self-isolate after she took a COVID-19 test last Tuesday, but stopped short of apologising in her own words.
“I should have taken that extra step."https://t.co/8I68M4ISB2
— 2GB 873 (@2GB873) November 23, 2020
When asked if she was sorry for failing to follow health guidelines – which stipulate anyone who has a coronavirus test must isolate until they receive a negative result – she said: “of course”.
“Strictly when you take a test, you are meant to self-isolate,” Ms Berejiklian told 2GB radio.
“Because I did not feel I needed to take the test, I did not think at the time I (needed to isolate) but I should have closed my door and not met with anybody or seen anybody,” she said.
“I can’t skirt the fact that I should have shut my door.”
Ms Berejiklian said she was “disappointed” in herself for not “going that extra step that day”.
“Complacency is our biggest enemy and that is the lesson I will take forward,” she said.
READ MORE: Berejiklian admits working while awaiting test
Robert Gottliebsen 9.40am: Why Australia needs new tax appeal process
The Administrative Appeals Tribunal is entrusted with the task of reviewing the decisions of the Australian Taxation Office, making it one of the most important bodies in the land for business confidence.
The “gold case” which followed the decimation of the gold refining industry by the ATO was arguably the biggest and most important the tribunal has ever heard.
It spent a mammoth 15 months carefully deliberating on the outcome and found in favour of the ATO on almost all counts.
When the case was appealed to the full Federal Court, not only did three of Australia’s best tax judges declare that the tribunal had got it completely wrong on almost every point, but they made one of the most serious accusations possible against an appeal body, that it did not conduct a fair trial.
I emphasise the community understands the words “fair trial” are my words and were not actually used by the Federal Court. Instead they declared: “The Tribunal denied ACN154 (the former gold refiner) procedural fairness and that the denial was material.”
READ Robert Gottliebsen’s full article
Richard Ferguson 9.25am: China embassy: Australia to blame for problems
China’s embassy in Canberra has lashed out at Trade Minister Simon Birmingham’s criticism of their role in deteriorating Beijing-Australia relations, saying Australia is to blame for any problems.
Senator Birmingham on Sunday slammed China’s Ambassador to Australia Cheng Jingye and the embassy, after the leaking of an embassy document listing 14 grievances against the federal government, parliament and the Australian media last week.
A Chinese embassy spokeswoman told The Australian late Monday night that Senator Birmingham’s comments were “not helpful” – echoing the statement the minister himself used.
“We are deeply disappointed over Australian Trade Minister’s latest accusations against the Chinese Embassy as reported by The Australian,” an embassy spokeswoman said.
“This is obviously not helpful to the China-Australia relationship.”
The embassy spokesman also said Australia were the “root cause” of the deteriorating Sino-Australia relationship, and it was up to Canberra to repair diplomatic channels.
“As the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson has recently pointed out, the root cause of the deteriorating bilateral ties is Australia’s repeated wrong acts and remarks on issues concerning China’s core interests and major concerns as well as its provocative and confrontational actions,” she said.
“Those who have caused problems should be the ones to solve problems. The Australian side should take concrete actions to correct their mistakes.
“Do more to enhance mutual trust and bilateral co-operation, act in line with the requirements of China-Australia comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and create favourable atmosphere and conditions for bilateral co-operation in various fields.”
READ MORE: Birmingham slams China envoy over ‘coercion’
Remy Varga 8.30am: Andrews commits $3bn to upgrade Victorian schools
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has unveiled a $3 billion package to upgrade schools in the state, with $350 million earmarked for regional and rural areas.
In addition, Education Minister James Merlino announced the state’s high school vocational certificate would be scrapped.
It's been a busy fortnight.
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) November 23, 2020
See you tomorrow for the State Budget. pic.twitter.com/c8VAGuDxMC
Students will instead elect to undertake vocational subjects as part of their VCE.
“Vocational pathways are every bit as important as a VCE academic pathway,” Mr Merlino said.
“So we’re going to bring them together.”
Currently, Victorian students must choose between completing the VCAL or the VCE.
Mr Merlino said a specialised vocational stream would be ready by 2023 with a single system to be fully integrated by 2025.
As well, vocational jobs co-ordinators would be present in every single government secondary school.
READ MORE: Red ink swamps Victorian budget as debt forecast to top $150bn
Angelica Snowden 8.25am: Albanese dismisses concerns on climate policy
Anthony Albanese says internal party arguments about selling its shift to lower emissions to traditional Labor supporters “have been managed”.
“We have a very clear policy that sees that renewables are the cheapest form of new energy and that’s what the market is saying as well,” the Labor leader told the ABC.
“This really is a debate taking place by some in the media and taking place by some who refuse to acknowledge the reality, which is the market is speaking and the market is heading towards renewables. It’s a matter of the role of government playing in that transition,” he said.
Mr Albanese denied his party sent different messages to voters in Queensland compared with southern states.
“It’s just not true,” he said.
“Murray Watt’s position was precisely the same thing that I’ve been saying which is, he spoke about climate change being good for job creation.
“That doesn’t mean that our export industries are about to close. We’ll continue to export our resources.”
READ MORE: Labor mines for votes in coal and gas
Remy Varga 8.15am: No active COVID-19 cases remaining in Victoria
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has confirmed there are no active cases left in the state after the last patient was discharged from hospital on Monday night.
As the state saw its 25th consecutive day of zero new cases and deaths, Mr Andrews thanked health workers for their tireless work over the pandemic.
“The one remaining active case has been cleared and discharged from hospital, that’s great news for them and their family,” he said.
“It once again gives us an opportunity to thank all of those nurses and doctors, hospital cleaners, ward clarks, ambos … the whole health team for all of the work they’ve done throughout this global pandemic event.”
Tuesday is the first time the state has been COVID-19 free in 300 days.
According to a report in The Herald Sun, Victoria’s last COVID patient was discharged from Monash Medical Centre on Monday night after his wife was discharged on Thursday.
The man in his 90s and his wife, a woman in her 80s, had both battled the disease in hospital for more than a month after becoming part of the Chadstone shopping centre cluster.
There are some similarities between the symptoms of hay fever or allergies and coronavirus that may make it difficult to tell the difference without a test. If you are have ANY symptoms – no matter how mild – please get tested.
— VicGovDHHS (@VicGovDHHS) November 23, 2020
Find testing locations: https://t.co/uxdF8UWud1 pic.twitter.com/5PDAYebIuq
READ MORE: Sutton admits virus overwhelmed Victorian authorities
Angelica Snowden 8am: Palaszczuk ‘has set bar too high on borders’
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says she would be “delighted” if Annastacia Palaszczuk announced an end to the Queensland border closure.
Border arrangements are set to be reviewed by Ms Palaszczuk today, with the further rollback of COVID-19 restrictions expected tomorrow.
“I think the benchmark Queensland has set is really too high — we are in a pandemic, we are going to get cases,” Ms Berejiklian told Channel 7’s Sunrise.
“I just want to say I would be absolutely thrilled and delighted if the Queensland Premier made that announcement today, our citizens are doing it tough.
"I would be absolutely thrilled and delighted if the Queensland Premier made that announcement today"
— Sunrise (@sunriseon7) November 23, 2020
NSW Premier @GladysB says she is hoping @AnnastaciaMP reopens the Sunshine State to travellers from Greater Sydney. pic.twitter.com/y0DTzHkLfa
“But I also ask them to look at the conditions they put on us because it is really difficult. I don’t want to give the message to the community that the borders will keep opening and shutting at a whim because that doesn’t give anybody certainty.”
Ms Berejiklian said she and Ms Palaszczuk had a “policy clash” over borders.
“I think we have very different views of how to run the pandemic … it is nothing to do with personality,” she said.
“I would be upset if people thought the impasse was due to personality.”
READ MORE: Gelato Messina’s social sledge for Queensland Premier
Angelica Snowden 7.45am: Berejiklian didn’t change schedule after COVID-19 test
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has admitted she did not change her schedule after taking a rapid coronavirus test last Tuesday, but denies she is “in trouble”.
“On Budget day actually my voice was starting … to go,” she told Channel 9’s Today.
“I had no sore throat, no scratchy throat, no other symptoms but I thought out of an abundance of caution I would take a test and I was told a result would come in 90 minutes to two hours.
“I did not change my schedule — they came, they gave me the test and it came back negative.”
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is under fire after allegedly failing to isolate following a COVID-19 test. #9Today pic.twitter.com/GFIJRBENkV
— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) November 23, 2020
When asked if she had breached social isolation rules, she said: “I have just laid out the facts … I will let others make that call. I took the test not because I had any symptoms but because I was losing my voice. And because of the circumstances I had a result in a couple of hours.”
Ms Berejiklian said she could not remember if she had any meetings when she waited for the test result.
READ MORE: Berejiklian accused of breaching isolation test protocol
Angelica Snowden 7.20am: McManus wants better deal for quarantine workers
Hotel quarantine workers should be awarded full-time, permanent jobs and paid enough so they do not have to work anywhere else and minimise the spread of coronavirus, secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions Sally McManus says.
“I think at the moment we are mucking around,” Ms McManus told Channel 9’s Today.
“Why aren’t we treating this so seriously because one mistake at one of those hotels and then you have to shut down an economy,” she said.
In the brand new â¦@TheTodayShowâ© studio to talk about insecure work & paying security guards properly pic.twitter.com/3Jvu3qDwBu
— Sally McManus (@sallymcmanus) November 23, 2020
“We should not have a situation where workers are having to work in a pizza shop just to get enough money. So give them a full-time job first of all, and pay them enough so it is the only job that they need.”
Ms McManus said anyone who worked on the “frontline” — not just quarantine workers, but hospital staff — should be supported.
“They are putting themselves at risk. If they make a mistake with infection control it is a serious one,” she said.
“2,500 health care workers have got COVID in Australia just doing their job, in the line of duty.
“I think there are really good reasons to say that anyone in that front line job protecting all of us should be supported by all of us … and should be paid more during the pandemic.”
.@sallymcmanus was on @TheTodayShow this morning talking about insecure work and COVID.
— Australian Unions (@unionsaustralia) November 23, 2020
“If we look after workers, they’ll look after us†#auspol pic.twitter.com/LGog0o7ljb
READ MORE: As lies go, the Woodvilel Pizza Bar worker’s was a triple-supreme
Angelica Snowden 7am: China scrambles to contain new virus outbreak
China is facing a fresh threat from coronavirus with a small outbreak at Shanghai’s largest international airport.
Staff at the airport face mass testing and vaccinations for high-risk workers after a cluster of six new cases in the city was linked to several cargo handlers.
One video posted on Twitter showed thousands of workers surging against people in white hazmat suits. It compared with footage posted by the Global Times — widely considered a mouthpiece of the government — which showed workers moving through the airport in an orderly fashion.
上海浦东机场å‘çŽ°ä¸€ä¸ªæ–°å† ç—…ä¾‹ï¼Œæœºåœºäººå‘˜å†²å‡ºä¸¥é˜²æ»å®ˆåŒ…围圈，这场é¢ï¼Œåƒå¤§ç‰‡ã€‚ pic.twitter.com/xNoCaJOWuS
— 方舟å (@fangshimin) November 22, 2020
Life in China — where the virus first emerged late last year — has largely returned to normal following strict testing and harsh lockdowns, but there has been a series of sporadic local outbreaks over recent months.
Overnight Sunday into Monday workers in full protective gear ushered Pudong International Airport staff into a multistorey car park to be tested for COVID-19, with videos posted online by Shanghai health authorities showing scores of people filing into the facility.
More than 17,700 people had been swabbed by Monday morning in the drive to test airport cargo staff, the official Xinhua news agency reported, and results had come back negative on over 11,500 so far.
#Shanghai Pudong Airport started on Sunday night testing all staff after the airport found several cargo handlers and close contacts tested positive for the #coronavirus over the past several days. https://t.co/nQvgzTxYvb pic.twitter.com/hqoA1H8cpk
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) November 22, 2020
Frontline cargo workers will be given regular tests in the future and those in high-risk jobs will also be given vaccines for COVID-19, Xinhua added, citing Shanghai Airport Authority vice-president Zhou Junlong, who said the process would be voluntary.
China has been giving experimental COVID-19 vaccines to people including state employees, international students and essential workers heading abroad since July.
The country has also rolled out an experimental vaccine but its effectiveness is unclear.
A cluster of domestic cases has also been reported in the northern port city of Tianjin, where state media said 2.6 million people are being tested. — with AFP
READ MORE: JobKeeper program kept 700,000 Australians off dole queue
Angelica Snowden 6.45am: US plans to inoculate 20m by end of year
The developers of a coronavirus vaccine in Britain have claimed success after mass testing as the United States announced plans to inoculate 20 million people before the end of the year.
AstraZeneca and Oxford University said their drug had proved on average 70 per cent effective at stopping the virus after testing it on 23,000 people, days after tests of two other drugs suggested they had more than 90 per cent effectiveness.
Great to speak with the team at @UniofOxford & @AstraZeneca this morning to thank them for their brilliant work on the #OxfordVaccine.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) November 23, 2020
These results are incredibly encouraging and a major step forward in our fight against Covid-19. pic.twitter.com/EUgCCIlIDT
The European Union said it could approve vaccines for use by the end of the year, following a statement from US officials that a vaccination program could be started as soon as next month.
“Our plan is to be able to ship vaccines to the immunisation sites within 24 hours of approval,” head of the US vaccine effort Moncef Slaoui said.
The US is still the world’s worst-hit nation with more than 12 million infections and 255,000 deaths.
There were 189,511 infections recorded across Europe on Monday, while the US clocked 251,823 new cases.
Toronto — Canada’s biggest city — will shut down later on Monday as officials ban private indoor gatherings and limit the size of weddings and funerals similar to measures already in place in France and other European countries.
If you haven’t already downloaded the #COVIDAlert app, click here: https://t.co/qRWzsJkGpD. If you ever test positive, put your one-time code into the app. It’ll then let others know they’ve been exposed and should get tested - and it’ll help slow the spread of the virus.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) November 22, 2020
New infections and deaths reported in Canada have been steadily increasing since early September according to the World Health Organisation.
There were 72 deaths reported on Monday with 4,992 new infections.
In Europe, tiny Luxembourg followed its larger neighbours France, Germany and Belgium in closing bars, cafes, restaurants and cinemas until December 15.
The director of Voula Hospital in Athens, Andreas Plemmenos, told AFP that Greece’s medical system was “preparing for the worst” with intensive care and dedicated coronavirus units filling up even before the second wave’s expected peak.
And there was bleak news for Italy, the first EU nation to be hard-hit by the virus in early 2020, as the death toll passed 50,000.
In neighbouring Croatia, authorities launched mass antigen testing in the capital Zagreb after new cases and deaths hit records last week.
There was some positive news for Spain’s Catalonia region as bars and restaurants reopened with a 10pm curfew. — with AFP
READ MORE: Indonesia ‘has no hope’ on infections
Jacquelin Magnay 6.15am: UK to introduce new three-tier lockdown system
Boris Johnson faces ongoing backbench rebellion to his new three-tier lockdown system, which bans most people from meeting others indoors for another four months.
As he announced a national lockdown would lift next Wednesday but be replaced with the tiered system until March, the British prime minister said “a hard winter” was ahead.
He added that vaccine developments were encouraging but warned: “Christmas cannot be normal and there is a long road to spring but we have turned a corner and the escape route is in sight.”
When national restrictions end on 2 December we will return to a regional tiered approach in England.
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) November 23, 2020
[Tap to expand the posters]
More information: https://t.co/HItLnoGvfW pic.twitter.com/2WO17g8LE0
Mr Johnson is rolling out daily mass testing for contacts of people who have tested positive so that they can avoid automatic two-week quarantine if they test negative for five days.
Many families will continue to remain isolated from other households except for a small window across the Christmas period, although regions in tier one and two will allow up to six people to socialise outside.
We have already ordered 355 million doses of a range of vaccines to deploy once approved by the regulators.
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) November 23, 2020
The NHS is preparing a nationwide immunisation programme to be ready next month.https://t.co/HItLnoGvfW pic.twitter.com/JJhlPsKFUw
Read the full story here.
David Ross 5.30am: NSW hotel quarantine scheme beset by incidents
The NSW hotel quarantine scheme has been beset with thousands of incidents, with 169 security guards sacked and at least four overseas arrivals absconding from facilities, confidential government operational updates show.
Minutes of an October 30 meeting between NSW government officials and security company representatives also show a looming crisis in the quarantine program with contractors warning they are unable to reliably extend beyond 820 daily deployments.
As Gladys Berejiklian pushes to expand the quarantine scheme to international students and other migrants, documents show NSW Police predicting that 1200 deployments per day may be needed.
The NSW government’s Operation Coronavirus 2020 provider meeting minutes show there were “more than 2050 corrective/actions/remedial advice” notices issued to contractors.
“Key leanings and operational indicators suggest that the current security guard force is limited and extending beyond 820 deployment per day is unreliable,” the update reads.
Read the full story here.
Jacquelin Magnay 5.15am: Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine proves ‘90% effective’
Australia’s preferred vaccine, the Oxford AstraZeneca jab, is up to 90 per cent effective, and as well as protecting people from the effects of COVID-19, it also appears to reduce the transmission of the coronavirus, stage-three data shows.
The eagerly awaited results showed both good and disappointing news: the 90 per cent rate was achieved with a two-dose regime, the first of which was only half-strength.
Australia has an agreement to buy and make 33 million doses of the vaccine, and manufacturing has already begun, with the first batches being rolled out by the new year.
Today marks an important milestone in the fight against #COVID19. Interim data show the #OxfordVaccine is 70.4% effective, & tests on two dose regimens show that it could be 90%, moving us one step closer to supplying it at low cost around the world>> https://t.co/fnHnKSqftT pic.twitter.com/2KYXPxFNz1
— University of Oxford (@UniofOxford) November 23, 2020
Read the full story here.
Remy Varga 5am: Victorian contact tracing team lost track of infected
Victoria’s contact tracing unit failed to get in touch with a number of people who tested positive for the coronavirus at the height of the state’s second wave, an inquiry has heard.
COVID-19 Deputy Public Health Commander Clare Looker said on Monday that the Department of Health and Human Services unit stopped attempting to contact the positive cases after 28 days because they were unlikely to still be infections.
She told a parliamentary inquiry scrutinising the state’s contact tracing regime that the “lost cases” were likely due to people providing the wrong phone number or because of human error when taking a patient’s details.
“We obviously continue to make obviously rigorous efforts to make contact up to a period of 28 days,” she said.
“There are a small number of cases where we haven’t been able to make contact after that time, not recently, but during that most significant surge in case numbers.”
Read the full story here.
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