Coronavirus Australia live news: Government to clear $721m in robodebt
The government will refund 470,000 debts issued through its controversial program; COAG has been scrapped in favour of the National Cabinet.
- Andrews to enforce working from home
- Positive test closes Melbourne school
- Dutton: subsidies may be extended
- NSW eases wedding, funeral restrictions
- Accelerated reopening of economy looms
- UK permits small gatherings, barbecues
Welcome to live coverage of the continuing coronavirus crisis. The government will refund 470,000 debts issued through its controversial robodebt program. COAG has been scrapped in favour of the National Cabinet. Daniel Andrews has threatened fines for businesses who ask their employees to return to work when they can work from home. The federal cabinet appears open to extending wage subsidies ahead of an accelerated reopening of the economy.
Max Maddison 9 pm: NSW to loosen dining restrictions further
The Berejiklian government will loosen capacity restrictions for restaurants from Monday, opening the door for larger venues to have more than 100 people across different dining spaces.
While the government had previously announced restaurants, pubs and cafes would be allowed 50 patrons per venue, industry documents exclusively obtained by The Weekend Australian reveal that restaurants will be able to accommodate 50 patrons “in an existing seated dining area”.
It is understood this means restaurants will be able to seat 50 people in an inside dining venue, an additional 50 in an outside space, and more in a private dining room — as long they ensure social distancing regulations, or one customer per four square metres.
Read the full story here.
Agencies 8.25pm: NSW first state to turn on poker machines
NSW is set to become the first state to allow pokies venues to reopen as COVID-19 restrictions are eased, but anti-gambling groups say it’s a case of putting “money before health”.
From Monday, up to 50 people will be allowed in restaurants, pubs and cafes. ClubsNSW says it’s also “been advised by the NSW government that bar and gaming facilities are permitted to reopen from June 1”.
But Alliance for Gambling Reform executive director Tony Mohr says NSW is going against federal government advice, which recommends high-touch and high-density activities - such as gaming rooms - should be among the last to reopen. “This is really about money before public health, I think it’s that plain,” Mr Mohr told AAP.
“A lot of these clubs and pubs have become so dependent on poker machines, they want to turn the cash cows back on.” The gambling reform activist says pokies are used more by older Australians and that demographic is “much more vulnerable to COVID-19”.
“So that’s not a good combination,” he said.
READ MORE: Jack the Insider — Coronavirus fails to hit the big targets
Agencies 6.50pm: WA restrictions ease, ship cases spike
Western Australia will be the first state to abandon the nationwide four square metre rule as it lifts a raft of COVID-19 restrictions, raising the limit on gatherings to 100 people and allowing many businesses to reopen. The measures were announced as eight more crew from the Al Kuwait livestock ship stranded at Fremantle tested positive, bringing the total from the vessel to 20. The new cases are among the 38 of the 48 multinational crew quarantined in a Perth hotel.
It is not clear if test results for seven port and quarantine workers who boarded the ship after it docked last week have come in.
The health department says only five were considered close contacts and there are no positive results to date.
READ MORE: ‘Tasmanians can’t have it both ways’
Stephen Lunn 5.17pm: Robodebt ‘government backflip for the ages’: Shorten
Shadow government services minister Bill Shorten has lashed Stuart Robert, accusing the government services minister of spending months denying the robodebt system was unfair, inaccurate or illegal.
Mr Robert today announced the government will refund more than 370,000 Australians $721 million that was recouped under its flawed “robodebt” scheme.
“Only when confronted with the prospect of 470,000 quiet Australians getting their day in court has this government embarked on a backflip for the ages,” Mr Shorten said.
“They have been dragged kicking and screaming to do the right thing by the Australians they ripped off.”
READ MORE: When timing is everything
Angelica Snowden 4.10pm: Magnitude of fires, virus ‘enormous’: Fitzsimmons
Resilience Commissioner for NSW Shane Fitzsimmons says the “magnitude” of his work after a horror bushfire season and now the COVID-19 pandemic is “enormous”.
“It’s not just the bushfires which are absolutely front and centre, but a lot of these (regional) areas have also been on their knees with drought, they have been belted with bushfires,” Mr Fitzsimmons said on 2GB radio.
“Some of them had to deal with storms and floods and everybody now affected by the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
The former chief of the NSW RFS said the effort to provide assistance to people who need it after their homes and livelihoods were destroyed by bushfires was “a significant undertaking” under COVID-19 restrictions.
Four weeks into the job he has found it “difficult” to adjust after 35 years in the rural fire service but said the new role appealed to him because he could continue to “care” for and “support” the community.
“Given the magnitude and scale of what we have witnessed in the last six months, 12 months across NSW it is a really appropriate agency and I was really honoured to accept the role as (commissioner)”.
READ MORE: Money for needy neighbours
Patrick Commins 3.55pm: Federal budget deficit blows out to $40bn
The federal budget deficit has blown out to $40bn over the financial year to April, as the Morrison government ploughed an extra $12bn into the economy to help keep households and businesses afloat through the COVID-19 crisis.
The latest figures from the Department of Finance reveal the additional cost of programs such as the $750 one-off welfare payment to households, as well as the boost to business cash flow program.
Evidence of the rapidly deteriorating budget deficit – which experts believe will push well above $100bn in this and the next financial years – came as Scott Morrison on Friday said he “anticipated” that the government stimulus will continue for “quite some time”.
The surge in spending was accompanied by a $20bn collapse in tax receipts for the financial year to date versus what had been expected in the government’s mid-year budget update in late 2019.
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Victoria Laurie 3.57pm: WA to open bulk of public, private facilities
Western Australia will reopen the bulk of public and private facilities, from Perth Zoo to beauty parlours, in the next phase of the state’s retreat from total lockdown.
Saunas, bath houses, art galleries, museums, theatres, auditoriums, cinemas and concert venues can reopen, although in performance areas patrons must be seated.
Premier Mark McGowan announced a new ‘one hundred- three hundred’ rule from June 6, as part of Phase Three in the state’s recovery plan.
Up to 300 people will be permitted in some venues if they have multiple divided spaces for each of one hundred people.
“These are all major steps forward for Western Australia,” he said. “The vast majority of businesses will be able to open and prosper.”
He said Western Australia will be the first state in the nation to implement a two square metre per person capacity rule for venues, replacing the previous four square metre rule, which is the current national advice.
READ MORE: ‘Are you seriously asking me to do that?’
Olivia Caisley 3.38pm: Government to refund 470,000 robodebts
The Morrison government is ditching its controversial “robodebt” scheme and has announced it will refund 470,000 debts issued through the program at a cost of $721 million.
Just minutes after Scott Morrison wrapped up a press conference in Canberra on Friday it was announced Services Australia would clear all past and current debts associated with the program and begin rolling-out refunds from July.
“The Morrison government takes its responsibility for upholding the integrity of Australia’s welfare system seriously,” Government Services Minister Stuart Robert said in a statement.
In a further blow to the budget, the refunding of eligible debts will continue through the 2020-21 financial year.
“Services Australia will now put in place the mechanisms needed to start making refunds, including how affected customers are advised of next steps,” Mr Roberts said.
“Consultation will occur with stakeholders, including the commonwealth ombudsman, and clear communication is a priority, so people understand what it means for them. It is important to note all other income compliance debts will continue to be subject to recovery, ensuring the integrity of Australia’s welfare system.”
Parts of the scheme were suspended in November last year after the ABC revealed the families of dead people were being called to settle alleged debts.
Minister Robert will deliver a press conference on the Gold Coast shortly.
READ MORE: Coronavirus fails to hit the big targets
Olivia Caisley 3.14pm: Morrison rejects claims government at odds with RBA
Scott Morrison has rejected claims his government is at odds with the Reserve Bank in regards to steering the economy out of the crisis, declaring their approach is “very consistent.”
Following a meeting of the National Cabinet on Friday the Prime Minister said it was wrong to suggest JobKeeper and JobSeeker payments were the only economic support the government was providing and he was very focussed on job creation.
“There are many, many, many forms of support that the government is providing and we will target the best measures to do the job that we need it to do and that is to support people, staying in jobs, and getting back into jobs,” Mr Morrison said. “That’s what’s the most important thing and what we’re focused on and our programs will support that.”
It comes after Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe on Thursday said the Morrison government might need to consider extending the JobKeeper and JobSeeker wage subsidy packages come September if the economy hasn’t recovered significantly.
The payments, which are part of the Morrison government’s coronavirus economic package, is due to expire in September.
“The Reserve Bank may have run out of ammo when it comes, largely to what they can do on cash rates, but the Commonwealth government in particular has certainly stepped into the breach and we’ve done so significantly,” Mr Morrison said.
He said he anticipated this would need to happen for some time, but “that doesn’t mean that requires you to do it in every single measure that we currently have out there. We’ve got a lot of flexibility.”
READ MORE: Why timing is everything
Olivia Caisley 2.56pm: Net benefit of trans-Tasman travel bubble ‘a strong one’
Scott Morrison says he would consider a trans-Tasman travel bubble with New Zealand even if some states decide to keep their borders closed.
“The short answer to your first question is, yes. And the states are aware of that,” the Prime Minister said. “If we’re in a position to introduce a travel-safe zone between Australia and New Zealand at an early stage and we’re aware of the epidemiology in New Zealand, on the same basis as here in Australia.”
Mr Morrison said he had been in regular discussion with his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern.
He said such a bubble would lead to job creation in the aviation sector that had taken the “biggest beating of all.”
“Jacinda Ardern and I agree, the net benefits for our countries opening up to each other again is a strong one and we have both put ourselves in a position to do it,” he said.
“I can’t see it with other countries, it is still a way off but we are looking forward to that day being sooner or later but I hope in Sydney and Melbourne you can get to the states and territories and Auckland at the same time but we’ll see what happens.”
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Olivia Caisley 2.50pm: PM ‘optimistic that common sense will prevail’ on borders
Scott Morrison says he hopes “common sense will prevail” when it comes to the reopening of state and territory borders as the economy starts to open-up following months of strict social distancing requirements.
The Prime Minister on Friday confirmed the issue of state border closures had been discussed at the National Cabinet meeting and said it would be preferable if borders opened to support the struggling tourism industry.
Closing internal borders has never been the advice of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee.
“It’s preferable to be able to be in a situation where you don’t have borders as soon as possible because obviously, that means that the tourism industries in particular and particularly with school holidays coming up, might be able to benefit from that travel,” Mr Morrison said.
The Prime Minister downplayed differences between the federal, state and territory governments on border closures, declaring the issue needed to be kept in perspective.
“We have to bear in mind that in the vast majority of cases the states and territories have worked very well with the Commonwealth on these issues,” he said. “I remain optimistic that common sense will prevail on the timetable National Cabinet has set out.”
Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said he understood why some states had made decisions regarding border closures based on active coronavirus cases in adjacent states, but said he was hopeful they would reconsider their positions.
“As the case numbers fall in NSW and Victoria, I am hopeful they will see fit to reconsider that position.”
READ MORE: Why PM, McManus can’t meet in the middle
Olivia Caisley 2.39pm: Only two COVID-19 patients left on ventilators
Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy says there are only two people left on ventilators across the nation - a long way short of the 7000 the Morrison government catered for in the worse-case scenario.
He called on Australians presenting with cold symptoms to get tested as it was the best way to track the spread of the virus.
“We are doing 30,000 tests a day with a very low positivity rate of 0.05 per cent at the moment,” Professor Murphy said. “We would still like to do more tests. We would like every person with an acute respiratory problem, cough, cold, to get tested.”
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Olivia Caisley 2.36pm: Scrapping COAG ‘will help make job creation the focus’
Scott Morrison says the scrapping of COAG will help make job creation the focus of the Federation’s agenda.
“We want to streamline those endless meetings so we can bring it back to one focus: Creating jobs off the back of this crisis and ensuring the federation is focused on that job just like we have been focused as a National Cabinet on managing the country through this national crisis of COVID-19,” the Prime Minister said. “So, that is an exciting new agenda for our federation.”
"On the night before (COAG)...there is a get together and that is the best conversation you ever have because you're genuinely talking about the issues you need to and that's how
— Rosie Lewis (@rosieslewis) May 29, 2020
national cabinet has operated," @ScottMorrisonMP says #auspol https://t.co/fwKcfE6HDt
Mr Morrison said federation reform issues would also be considered by the National Cabinet as it would help give Australians confidence in governance.
“The consolidation that takes place in the other areas, that will come in time,” he said. “But we’ve agreed on the new structure and we think that will ensure Australians get better government, more focused government at a state and federal level.”
Asked if he can ensure the National Cabinet won’t grow into a bureaucracy like COAG, the Prime Minister says the new arrangement will get rid of the theatre of previous meetings, bringing the focus back to the government’s agenda.
“We’re not going to have the myriad of these agendas which are going on all there time, bubbling up and distracting often the core focus that the leaders have, which is to create jobs,” Mr Morrison said.
READ MORE: Too much love hurts Tasmania
Olivia Caisley 2.25pm: COAG to be replaced by different system
Scott Morrison has announced the end of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) with the intergovernmental body to be replaced by a completely different system.
“COAG is no more,” he said on Friday. “It will be replaced by a completely new system and that new system is focused on the success that has been yielded by the operation of the National Cabinet.”
Ministerial forums that work under COAG will be "consolidated and reset". "It's important that ministers at state and federal level talk to each other but they don't have to do it in such a bureaucratic form with a whole bunch of paperwork attached to it," @ScottMorrisonMP says
— Rosie Lewis (@rosieslewis) May 29, 2020
The Prime Minister said leaders will continue to meet by videolink on a fortnightly basis during the coronavirus pandemic, however these meetings will drop down to a monthly basis after the virus threat is eradicated.
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Olivia Caisley 2.20pm: Nation ‘on track’ with tackling COVID-19: PM
Scott Morrison has declared the nation is “on track” with tackling COVID-19 and making progress far sooner than he could have imagined several months ago when the coronavirus reached Australian shores.
But the Prime Minister cautioned there is still a risk of further outbreaks and an enormous amount of work is still required to manage the spread of the virus, as well as reopening the Australian economy.
“We would be foolish to think that we were immune or that we are immune and as a result, the three-step plan, keeping the balance between the health management of the crisis and the economic management of the crisis in balance, continues to be the balance that the National Cabinet seeks to achieve,” Mr Morrison said following a meeting of the National Cabinet on Friday.
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Lachlan Moffet Gray 2pm: Albanese blasts JobKeeper ‘contempt’
Anthony Albanese has called on the government to provide a comprehensive economic plan to guide the economy out of the coronavirus pandemic.
The leader of the Opposition said “the government has continued to show contempt” by allowing workers to be excluded from the Jobkeeper wage subsidy program.
“These are people who have paid taxes their whole lives,” he told reporters on Friday.
Mr Albanese called for minor extensions to Jobkeeper and target support packages for struggling industries.
“What we actually need is a government that actually looks at a transition ... we need a transition in terms of JobKeeper and support.
“We also need specific sector programs, and the arts and entertainment sectors are ones that stand out as needing support in order to maintain viability.
“This is important not just for our national economy, it attracts international dollars in terms of tourism and economic activity as well.”
READ MORE: More uni redundencies loom
Lachlan Moffet Gray 1.50pm: No breakthrough on border restrictions
National Cabinet has failed to meet a consensus on the reopening of Australia’s internal and external borders, says South Australian Premier Steven Marshall.
Mr Marshall said today’s National Cabinet meeting contained “extensive discussion” in regards to borders but there “was no agreement across this issue.”
“But what we are doing at the National Cabinet level is continuing to discuss this issue, and looking to provide greater certainty going forward,” he said.
Decisions regarding Australia’s international border and the trans-Tasman travel bubble with New Zealand were also not made, with Mr Marshall saying the final call on these matters resting with the federal government.
“In terms of international borders, there has been no decision taken whatsoever with regards to the easing of our national borders,” he said.
“Now, we’ve said right from day one that we are interested in potentially the Australia-New Zealand bubble at some point in the future.
“That will ultimately be a federal decision rather than a National Cabinet decision. But that’s not something which we have arrived at a position on.”
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Lachan Moffet Gray 1.40pm: Masks ‘a matter of choice’ for commuters
State, territory and federal leaders discussed the issue of public transport at today’s National Cabinet meeting and have decided that the wearing of masks should be a matter of individual choice for commuters, South Australian Premier Steven Marshall says.
The issue of mask wearing has been an area of debate in Australia - the Health Protection Principal Committee has advised against the mandatory wearing of masks in public on the basis that it creates complacency, but overseas health authorities have endorsed the idea.
Mr Marshall said from now on commuters should feel free to wear a mask if they so choose - but warned people had to remain vigilant about hygiene. He said transport providers could provide masks if they chose to do so.
Lachlan Moffet Gray 1.35pm: National Cabinet-style format to continue
Regular meetings between state, territory and federal leaders in the form of the National Cabinet will continue post-coronavirus, South Australia Premier Steven Marshall has revealed.
The cabinet has convened 20 times over the course of the pandemic, Mr Marshall said, with Scott Morrison set to make importance announcements about “the future of COAG and National Cabinet going forward.”
“And we are certainly, certainly in support of that,” Mr Marshall said. “I think some of the cooperation that we have seen in South Australia
following the establishment of the National Cabinet, with other states and the other territories, and, of course, with the commonwealth, has been very advantageous in our good response to the COVID-19 arrangement.”
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Lachlan Moffet Gray 1.25pm: PM to deliver National Cabinet update
Scott Morrison will address the nation on National Cabinet discussions between his State and Territory counterparts at 1.45pm AEST.
The Prime Minister is expected to outline a plan to expedite the reopening of the Australian economy.
The press conference can be viewed live and in full in the video player at the top of The Australian’s coronavirus blog.
Lachlan Moffet Gray 1.20pm: $280m in foreign aid to be redirected
Foreign aid funding will be redirected to help Australia’s neighbours deal with the impacts of coronavirus.
The shift of more than $280 million comes off the back of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Partnerships for Recovery report. Released on Friday, it warns the virus could see health systems overwhelmed, millions unemployed and a risk of political and social instability in the region.
“The scale of the COVID-19 crisis will dwarf the resources we have available,” it says. The Pacific, Timor-Leste and Indonesia will all receive foreign aid to help economic recovery and prop up health responses.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne says it was an unprecedented pivot. “Our partnerships are more important than ever, particularly with our near neighbours,” she said on Friday.
“This is a challenging time for all of us. By working as a region we can recover and prosper together.” Save the Children Australia deputy CEO Mat Tinkler said the focus on the Indo- Pacific region was “spot on”, but the bigger picture should not be ignored. “Our neighbours need our support to withstand the health and economic shock the global pandemic has unleashed,” he said. “But the Australian aid budget is not a magic pudding so any redirection will inevitably hit others hard.
“This is an emergency on an unprecedented scale which cannot possibly be mitigated by scraping together from within the existing bucket of funding.”
The report says there will need to be a strong emphasis on women and girls, who were likely to face increased violence during any upheaval.
The department would need to be willing to take more risks with its response as the virus restricted ways it could deliver aid.
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Lachlan Moffet Gray 1.05pm: Coles staff set to get back on the bags
Employees at Coles will resume packing customers’ bags and checkout from Monday. The supermarket giant will also offer shoppers the option to swap dirty, used and unsealed bags for new shopping bags for free for a period of two weeks.
Social distancing at the checkout lines, perspex screens at registers and in-store hand sanitiser will continue.
Coles CEO Steven Cain said: “Our team have safely served more than 200 million customers with extra care over the past three months, and we have been amazed at the resilience of both our team and customers as they have faced some of the biggest challenges in our lifetime.”
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Lachlan Moffet Gray 12.55pm: ACT to give hospitality sector a break
The ACT government will provide rebates and waive fees to hospitality businesses in a bid to revive the sector after a prolonged coronavirus lockdown.
Hotels and serviced apartments in Canberra will receive a rebate on their water and sewerage fixed charge on Icon Water bills for the first two quarters of 2020-21, while cafes and restaurants will receive a rebate of $1000 on their electricity bills issued in the first quarter of 2020-21.
Liquor licence and permits can be extended to run up to a total of 12 months free of charge, while annual liquor licence fees have been waived for all on licensees and off licensees with gross liquor purchase values of $3 million or less.
Existing on-licensees will also have the option to move to a general liquor licence, free of charge, until 31 December 2020.
The ACT government will also stimulate the microbrewing sector by reducing fees 90 per cent for new micro-producers who produce and sell up to $100,000 of liquor on their licenced premises in the first year of their off licence.
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Peter van Onselen 12.30pm: Roadblock facing PM, unions on reform
Scott Morrison and Sally McManus have agreed to work together on IR reforms … but there’s one major problem. Read more here
Lachlan Moffet Gray 12.10pm: NZ left with just one active virus case
New Zealand is on the cusp of becoming coronavirus-free after seven people with the disease made a complete recovery, leaving just one case active.
It comes as the country reached its seventh consecutive day without diagnosing a new case, paving the way for a “normal” Queen’s birthday weekend, Finance Minister Grant Robertson told reporters.
From midday today New Zealand relaxed restrictions on gatherings to a limit of 100 people and the government will look at moving to “level one” restrictions no later than June 22.
Under level one restrictions there will be no limit on gatherings, and schools and workplaces can operate as normal.
However, widespread testing and border controls remain, as does the requirement to socially distance.
Over the course of the pandemic 1504 coronavirus cases have been listed as “confirmed or probable” in New Zealand, 1481 people have recovered and 22 people have died.
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Lachlan Moffet Gray 11.50am: Wait for JobKeeper review, Cormann urges
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has weighed into the Jobkeeper debate following conflicting statements from Josh Frydenberg and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton about whether the scheme should be extended past its September expiry date.
It comes after RBA Governor Phillip Lowe told a Senate Committee yesterday that the economy may need additional fiscal stimulus as it emerges from the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Frydenberg said this morning the government was looking at targeted packages for struggling industries such as tourism, while Mr Dutton said the government was “flexible” on the issue of expanding the $70 billion wage subsidy.
Senator Cormann told Sky News a decision would be made after Jobkeeper’s June review.
“We’re seven weeks into a six-month program. We said we would review the Jobkeeper program in June, that is what we are doing,” he said. “We will continue, of course, to assess and monitor the way the economy picks up ... and make judgements accordingly.”
Senator Cormann said the government should not make a premature call on Jobkeeper’s future.
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Lachlan Moffet Gray 11.35am: Hospital visit restrictions eased in WA
Restrictions on hospital visits in Western Australian public hospitals will be relaxed from next Tuesday, more than two months since the restrictions were put in place.
The number of people allowed to visit a patient will increase to two at a time, children will be again allowed to visit and maternity patients can be accompanied by two birthing partners.
Visits to suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not allowed, as are potential visitors with flu-like symptoms.
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Lachlan Moffet Gray 11.25am: NSW figures show zero community transmission
NSW has unearthed two new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 3092.
Both of the cases were returned travellers in hotel quarantine, NSW Health said. The government beat its 8000-test-a-day goal, conducting 9872 tests on Thursday.
A total of 78 people are being treated by NSW Health for the virus - but not all are in hospital. One patient remains in ICU and is on ventilator support.
NSW Health said at least 2666 people have recovered from the virus, meaning there are around 376 active cases remaining in the state.
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Lachlan Moffet Gray 11.15am: Hanson vows to continue Qld border fight
One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson will push forward with a challenge to the constitutional validity of Queensland’s border closure after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk failed to re-open the state by 4pm yesterday.
Senator Hanson said she would lodge a challenge with the High Court “today or early next week,” asserting that the move was invalid under section 92 of the constitution, which guarantees the “absolute freedom” of intercourse between the states. The High Court has previously ruled that a public health emergency is a valid reason to close state borders if the closure is proportional to the threat.
Senator Hanson has established a Go Fund Me page to raise money for the challenge. So far, 395 donors have raised just over $21,000.
“I am disappointed in the Queensland tourism body, the state Mayors, and those industry leaders who have failed to take up this fight and challenge Annastacia Palaszczuk over the border closure,” Senator Hanson said in a statement.
“I do however want to congratulate the plaintiffs in this case, who have very strong prospects and have stepped forward to take on this rogue state government.”
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Lachlan Moffet Gray 11am: Labor continues call for JobKeeper expansion
Labor is renewing its calls for JobKeeper to be expanded to help support the arts and entertainment sector through the post-coronavirus slump.
Opposition spokesperson for the arts Tony Burke told ABC Radio National that the government had done “largely nothing” for the sector which has been all but shut down due to coronavirus restrictions on gatherings.
“They were the first industry to be shut down, they’ll be one of the last to come out of this,” Mr Burke said.
Mr Burke said the JobKeeper wage subsidy program did not apply to most artists and entertainment workers as actors, artists and technical support workers were not employed on the long-term contracts required to be eligible in the first place.
Mr Burke said the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child production in Melbourne was the only exception to this in the theatre industry.
“To my knowledge, that’s the only major production where the cast has been eligible for JobKeeper, because you have a production that’s very long-term,” he said.
Mr Burke said the government could include contract-based artists and actors in the JobKeeper scheme a few different ways.
“They can do it based on forward contracts, they can do it based on whether people have more than 12 months in an industry, they can do it based on their relationship with an agent,” he said. “At the moment the option they have chosen is to do nothing.”
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Lachlan Moffet Gray 10.10am: War Memorial to reopen
The Australian War Memorial in Canberra will reopen to the public on July 1.
The art deco memorial and museum complex closed due to the escalating coronavirus pandemic on March 23, meaning the Anzac Day Celebration was not open to the public.
Newly-installed director Matt Anderson said he was looking forward to visitors returning.
“To be able to have visitors return is a very welcome development for the staff, management and Council of the Australian War Memorial. It is to the credit of front-line health workers, community leaders and the general public that we are able to get to this point,” he said.
“I can’t wait to personally welcome visitors and am keen for the Memorial to get back to what it does best – offering a rich and emotive museum experience which honours the commitment and service of those who have worn, and continue to wear, an Australian Defence Force uniform.”
Mr Anderson said that visitor experiences will be slightly different.
Safety measures will include visitors being asked to move in one direction through the Memorial’s Commemorative Area and galleries, an increase in staffing to monitor visitor flow in the galleries, and an enhanced cleaning regime including hand sanitisers in key areas. The Memorial shop will be open to visitors for cashless transactions, with shop sales and donations made possible via payWave.
Visitors will need to book free, timed tickets to visit the Memorial to ensure social distancing can be maintained on site. Separate free, timed entry tickets to attend the Last Post Ceremony will also be made available.
The specific details of the Memorial’s COVID-safe business plan, including ticket booking, are being finalised and will be communicated to the public in coming weeks.
Remy varga 9.55am: Victoria enforces working from home
Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews has threatened fines for businesses who ask their employees to return to work when they can work from home.
On Friday Mr Andrews said a work from home order would be enforceable from Monday, with breaches leading to fines for individuals and businesses.
“If you can work from home, you must work from home,” he said. “We can’t have a situation where our public transport system is running at 100 per cent capacity.”
Mr Andrews said the government would target business violating the order as opposed to individuals.
“If an office that had, currently, say 80 per cent of their staff working from home decided ‘ah well, we will just ignore the Chief Health Officer and we will have everybody come back Monday’, then they would be in breach of public health orders,” Mr Andrews said, adding that there “are potentially fines” for businesses doing the wrong thing.
The Premier also said there will be spot checks on businesses, but the government will continue to rely on tip-offs from the general public.
“I think what will probably happen - there will be spot checks and things like that - if we had a business that was essentially ignoring or seeking to ignore the clear advice and the orders under Vicotiral law by the CHO, I think it wouldn’t be a matter of a spot check - I think a staff member or somebody would probably ring up and indicate that they are not comfortable with this.”
The orders will last until the end of June and may be extended, Mr Andrews said.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said while Victorians were already advised to work from home, the updated directive would stop the spread of the coronavirus.
“But the thing about a work from home directive is that it applies to hundreds of thousands of people so that makes a huge difference,” he said.
“Not only for those consequential effects on public transport, foot traffic, the way people might congregate in workplaces.”
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Lachlan Moffet Gray 9.35am: Mystery deepens over youngest victim
More than 200 residents of the town of Blackwater have been tested for coronavirus but a single case is yet to be detected, raising further questions about how Australia’s youngest coronavirus victim, Nathan Turner, could have contracted the virus in a virus-free town.
Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said that even though 220 tests unearthed no leads, they would continue testing and continue talking to the Rockhampton Nurse with coronavirus who visited the town in early May due to inconsistencies in her story.
The nurse earlier in the week said she visited Blackwater in early May but did not interact with anyone - but yesterday it was revealed she travelled to Kuala Lumpur in March, something she did not tell health authorities previously.
“She gave us one story and then, subsequent to that, we’ve found out additional information,” Dr Young told reporters.
“So we need to try and untangle and sort that through. That’s very, very important.”
READ MORE: Contradictions over how miner caught virus
Lachlan Moffet Gray 9.25am: Rockhampton nursing home virus free
Queensland has recorded no further cases of coronavirus overnight, with the case toll remaining at 1058.
Just six cases remain active in the case and one in ICU on a ventilator.
Deputy Premier Steven Miles said today marks the two week milestone since an aged care nurse at the North Rockhampton Nursing Centre tested positive, sparking fears that a deadly cluster outbreak would occur, killing elderly residents.
But two weeks on - the standard incubation period for coronavirus - 1500 Rockhampton locals and all residents of the centre have returned negative tests, meaning the centre is safe.
“It is great news that we can declare that that outbreak is over, with just that one case - quite an incredible outcome,” Mr Miles told reporters.
“It’s also been a very good test for our rapid response capability. That capability will be handy to us in the future when we have future cases.”
The Rockhampton nurse is now a central figure in the case of Australia’s youngest coronavirus death, Nathan Turner.
Nathan died with coronavirus on Tuesday in a town that had no prior classes - but it has been revealed that the nurse travelled to the town of 5000 earlier in the month.
However, health authorities say Mr Turner was already displaying symptoms before that time and the nurse claims she did not interact with anyone in the town.
READ MORE: Miner’s death not my fault: nurse
Lachlan Moffet Gray 9.20am: ‘If you’re working from home, stay there’
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has urged all Victorians who are currently working from home to continue doing so.
“If you can work from home, you must work from home,” he said.
“We can’t have a situation where our public transport system is running at 100 per cent capacity.”
The Victorian government has been concerned about the growing risk of transmission on trams, buses and trains as people return to work.
Mr Andrews said the work from home request was also made to avoid congestion on roads.
It was also revealed that the student at Keilor Downs College that contracted the coronavirus was a member of a known household cluster that was revealed by health authorities yesterday and was at school while infectious on May 26.
Contract tracing is underway and a mobile testing site may be dispatched to the area for testing.
READ MORE: Voters not happy with Premier
Ean Higgins 9.10am: Creeping state aid spooking farmers
Australian farmers face “creeping protectionism” as countries use the coronavirus pandemic to impose agricultural trade barriers, new research conducted for the Department of Agriculture says.
The report, to be released on Friday, says global subsidies and protection for agriculture could already be costing $10bn in Australian agricultural exports, and world efforts to reduce trade barriers have stalled or reversed.
The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences study says Australian farmers are some of the least subsidised in the world at only 2 per cent of their revenue, second only to New Zealand and compared with 50 per cent or more in some European and Asian countries.
It says with the pandemic, “there is a risk of creeping protectionism” in agricultural markets.
READ the full story here.
Lachlan Moffet Gray 9.00am: Melbourne college closed over positive test
Keilor Downs College in Melbourne will be closed today for deep cleaning after a student tested positive for coronavirus.
It comes just one week after a teacher at the high school tested positive for the coronavirus.
The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services says there is no link between the two cases as the teacher was not infectious while on campus.
Six students from Taylor Lakes Secondary College and one student from St Albans Secondary College are among close contacts sent into isolation.
They are understood to have interacted with the COVID-positive student while attending a class at Keilor Downs.
The news comes as Victoria recorded seven new cases overnight, bringing the total number of cases to 1634.
One case was removed from the total due to a data issue.
Three of the cases “are the result of routine” testing, Daniel Andrews said, two were from hotel quarantine, and two are under investigation.
READ MORE: Now that’s remote learning
Lachlan Moffet Gray 8.50am: Trump signs order curbing social media protections
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that challenges the lawsuit protections that stops social media companies being held liable for content posted on their platforms.
The move was made by Mr Trump after Twitter applied fact check-links to two of his tweets earlier in the week.
Mr Trump said the fact checks were “editorial decisions” by Twitter amounting to political activism and that such actions should cost social media companies their liability protection for what is posted on their platforms.
Mr Trump, who personally relies heavily on Twitter to verbally flog his foes, has long accused the tech giants in liberal-leaning Silicon Valley of targeting conservatives by fact-checking them or removing their posts.
“We’re fed up with it,” Trump said, claiming his order would uphold freedom of speech.
Technology industry groups disagreed, saying it would stifle innovation and speech on the internet. And the U.S. Chamber of Commerce objected,
“Regardless of the circumstances that led up to this, this is not how public policy is made in the United States.” The executive order directs executive branch agencies to ask independent rule- making agencies including the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to study whether they can place new regulations on the companies - though experts express doubts much can be done without an act of Congress.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said in a statement, “This debate is an important one. The Federal Communications Commission will carefully review any petition for rule-making filed by the Department of Commerce.”
Companies like Twitter and Facebook are granted liability protection under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act because they are treated as “platforms,” rather than “publishers,” which can face lawsuits over content.
“They’ve had unchecked power to censor, restrict, edit, shape, hide, alter virtually any form of communication between private citizens or large public audiences,” Mr Trump said of social media companies as he prepared to sign the order.
“There is no precedent in American history for so small a number of corporations to control so large a sphere of human interaction.”
READ MORE: Twitter, Google show clear bias against Trump
Lachlan Moffet Gray 8.35am: ‘Sectors will continue to need support’
Josh Frydenberg has refused to be drawn on whether the government will expand the Jobkeeper wage subsidy program beyond its expiration date in September even though Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said the government is “flexible” on the issue on Channel 9 while the Treasurer was downplaying the possibility on Channel 7 earlier this morning.
Appearing on Today, The Treasurer continued to push his messaging on the issue, saying the government is likely to consider targeted support for industry instead of expanding the scheme.
“We know that there will be some sectors that will continue to need support, for
example tourism, as the international borders remain closed,” Mr Frydenberg told Today.
“Also construction in the housing sector will be important to give support and we are thinking through those options. But as for additional measures, it is right now too early to say.”
When confronted with Mr Dutton’s earlier comments, Mr Frydenberg pivoted to the issue of state borders.
“Well, we do understand that it’s going to be difficult for some sectors,” he said.
“So as long as those international borders are closed, tourism is going to be hit. But 70% of the tourism dollar is actually domestic tourism.
“That’s why it’s so important that the premiers of Queensland around Tasmania, South Australia, and Western Australia, lift the restrictions on - in domestic borders because there is no medical reason why those borders should remain closed.”
READ MORE: Drop in project pipeline brings construction cuts
Angelica Snowden 8.30am: Masks at home ‘could help stop spread’
Wearing face masks at home could help to stop the spread of COVID-19 between people living in the same household, new research has found.
The research conducted with 124 families in Beijing showed a facemask was more likely to reduce the person-to-person spread of COVID-19 than disinfectant if worn before symptoms emerged.
The study showed that a face mask worn in the incubation period was 79 per cent effective at curbing the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Disinfectants were 77 per cent effective.
It showed daily use of disinfectants to clean, window opening, and keeping at least 1m apart led to a lower risk the virus would spread, even in more crowded households.
The researchers said the findings could be used to reduce within household transmission.
“Household transmission is a major driver of epidemic growth,” the researchers, including head of the biosecurity program at the University of NSW’s Kirby Institute Raina MacIntyre, said in a statement.
“This study confirms … that precautionary [non-pharmaceutical interventions] such as mask use, disinfection and social distancing in households can prevent COVID-19 transmission during the pandemic.”
The researchers asked the 460 people who participated in the study about their household hygiene and behaviours during the pandemic.
Diarrhoea in the first person to become infected and close daily contact with them quadrupled the risk of transmission, the study found.
Close daily contact, where household members shared meals around a table or watched TV together, was linked with an 18-fold increased risk of transmission.
Community transmission, where COVID-19 spread from the first infected person to other family members, occurred in 41 out of the 124 families in the study.
Altogether 77 adults and children were infected by community transmission in the study, giving the virus an ‘attack rate’ of about one in four.
Each household had at least one laboratory confirmed case of COVID-19 between late February and late March 2020.
Most of the community transmission of COVID-19 in China has occurred in families, the study published in the BMJ Global Health journal reported.
READ MORE: Influencer’s firm up for $50k
Lachlan Moffet Gray 8.15am: Dutton: subsidies may be extended
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has indicated the government is “flexible” on the issue of extending Jobseeker at the same time treasurer Josh Frydenberg said industry-specific stimulus packages could help struggling parts of the economy through the post-COVID slump.
The comments come after RBA Governor Phillip Lowe told the Senate’s COVID-19 Response Committee that the government may need to expand Jobkeeper beyond its expiry in September if the economy does not improve.
“I think clearly the government has shown we have been able to implement the JobKeeper, double the payment that was otherwise paid to people who are unemployed through the JobSeeker payment and we want businesses to recover,” Mr Dutton told Today on Friday.
“We want jobs to be at the centre of every decision we make.
“So I think we are flexible and we will look at the way in which we could help businesses and people get back to a normal way of life. But there is a way to go yet as we know.”
Mr Dutton said the ultimate decision on whether Jobkeeper is extended remains with the Treasurer and Scott Morrison.
READ MORE: Lowe urges wage subsidies extension
Simon Benson 8.10am: Nation on fast track for freedom
An accelerated reopening of the economy, including the earlier easing of restrictions and larger gatherings, is expected to be recommended to national cabinet within two weeks if the trend in low daily coronavirus infection rates continues.
The Australian understands the federal government is hopeful that the July deadline for the states to implement the three-staged opening of their economies could be brought forward, if commonwealth and state health officials reach agreement.
The Australian has also established that a non-quarantine infection rate of fewer than 10 new cases a day is being used as a rough benchmark for the Australia Health Protection Principal Committee in its deliberations over the timing of the further easing of restrictions.
Federal and state chief medical officers believe that an infection rate at that level, which has been met since the first substantial winding-back of restrictions began three weeks ago, could be manageable with a broader reopening of the economy.
READ the full story here.
Lachlan Moffet Gray 7.55am: Boston Marathon cancelled, first time in 124 years
The Boston Marathon has been cancelled for the first time in its 124-year history due to coronavirus and will be held as a “virtual event.”
The @BAA has announced that the 124th Boston Marathon will be held as a virtual event, following Boston Mayor Martin Walsh’s cancellation of the marathon as a mass participation road running event due to the COVID-19 pandemic. pic.twitter.com/tlIdvsU9sq
— Boston Marathon (@bostonmarathon) May 28, 2020
Organisers said that participants will have to run the marathon by themselves and verify it online to receive a cherished “finishers medal.”
“While we cannot bring the world to Boston in September, we plan to bring Boston to the world for a historic 124th Boston Marathon,” said Tom Grilk, the CEO of the Boston Athletic Association.
The race, which features more than 30,000 participants, started in 1897 when 15 men took part in a run to commemorate the 1914 Olympics.
Even war could not stop the run, with the format being changed to that of a relay race in 1918.
In 2013 the race gained global attention when two bombs exploded at the finishing line, killing three and injuring 264.
The race is traditionally held in April but was postponed to September before being ultimately cancelled.
The race raises around $40 million for charity and injects more than $200 millions into Boston’s economy.
READ MORE: Sports slump kicks 400,000 out of work
Lachlan Moffet Gray 7.40am: Dutton slaps down envoy over Victoria, BRI
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has continued to insist Victoria’s agreement to sign up for China’s Belt and Road Initiative is against the national interest, following The Australian’s revelation that Australia’s current ambassador to China Graham Fletcher told the Victorian government that the idea had “merit” while head of DFAT’s Northeast Asia branch in 2018.
Mr Dutton said that Mr Fletcher’s comments did not change the federal government’s opinion on the Belt and Road Initiative.
“The situation now as we face it is very dire. And the advice is very clear to the Victorian premier. It is not in our national interest for him to continue with that agreement or indeed to expand it as he’s proposing,” he told Today.
“So that’s the advice from the prime minister, from me, from Anthony Albanese, from Richard Marles, Penny Wong ... everybody else is telling Daniel Andrews this is not in our country’s interests, particularly at this point in time.
“That’s the advice he should be heeding instead of trying to drop out some one line comment that was made during a briefing a couple of years ago.
“In 2020 it is not in our country’s interests for Victoria to take a different approach to every other state and territory and act against the advice of DFAT, ASIO, the other agencies and I think Mr Andrews is digging himself a hole here and he needs to stop it”
READ MORE: Andrews given BRI nod by DFAT
Lachlan Moffet Gray 7.30am: Support packages may replace JobKeeper: Frydenberg
Continued government support for struggling industries may not take place through extending the Jobkeeper wage subsidy scheme, Josh Frydenberg has indicated, saying that the government is looking at “support packages” and “initiatives” for sluggish sectors of the economy like housing and tourism.
The comments come a day after RBA Governor Phillip Lowe told the Senate’s COVID-19 response committee that the economy will need further fiscal support beyond Jobkeeper’s September expiration date.
“It is not always about JobKeeper, it is always about the other support packages and initiatives you can undertake in various sectors,” the treasurer told Sunrise on Friday.
“For example, housing. That is a sector where there is going to be a slowdown in demand, reflecting the slowdown across the border economy.
“We are looking into initiatives in that space. Tourism is another one. 70% of the tourism dollar is domestic tourism spend.”
Mr Frydenberg said that Mr Lowe’s comments at the inquiry yesterday about the state of the economy proved that Jobkeeper did not have to be extended.
“He said it was very good news that the government doesn’t have to spend $60 billion extra on the JobKeeper program because the economy is in better shape than initially thought,” Mr Frydenberg said.
“He said it was very sensible that we are doing a review at the midway point of the JobKeeper program. He also said that because of the uncertainty in the economy, it is too early to say whether that extra support will be required.”
READ MORE: Lowe urges paying subsidies for longer
Lachlan Moffet Gray 7.15am: Vigil held for youngest victim Nathan Turner
A vigil to Australia’s youngest coronavirus victim Nathan Turner has been held by residents of his hometown of Blackwater.
Mr Turner, 30, passed away on Tuesday night. A post-mortem coronavirus test revealed he had the disease, but more testing is taking place after a subsequent - but slightly contaminated test - returned a negative result.
Now health authorities are scrambling to work out how the “country gentleman” could have contracted the disease as the town of 5000 had no prior cases of coronavirus.
Testing is being rolled out in the town - but last night residents gathered in their driveways with lit candles to pay tribute to one of their own.
READ MORE: Victim’s death not my fault: nurse
Lachlan Moffet Gray 6.55am: Hanson borders push ‘attempt to grab headlines’
Pauline Hanson’s upcoming legal stoush with Queensland over the constitutional validity of the state’s border closures is “an attempt to grab headlines” that may diminish state government rights, says Nationals Senator Matt Canavan.
Senator Hanson argues that the Queensland government’s decision to close the borders for health reasons is unconstitutional under section 92 of the Australian Constitution, which guarantees “absolutely free” intercourse among the states and section 117, which says a state shall not legislate against the “privilege” of residents of other states.
Senator Canavan said he didn’t believe the border closure was necessary, but did not support a legal challenge to its validity.
“I believe in the states...We’re actually a Commonwealth of states, and the states under the Commonwealth Constitution have particular rights,” he told Sky News on Thursday.
“While I think now the border restrictions are unreasonable given current conditions, I was supportive of them in the past and it’s a well-established right of state governments, for public health reasons, to restrict the movement of produce or people.
“I don’t support Pauline Hanson’s court case - it is clearly a stunt.
“I don’t want to see the rights of state governments - which have already been diminished massively by the high court - I don’t want to see them more centralised in Canberra”.
READ MORE: Nation on fast track to freedom
Lachlan Moffet Gray 6.40am: France to open cafes, bars, restaurants
France will allow bars, cafes and restaurants to reopen from June 2, Prime Minister Edouard Phillipe says - but more restrictions will remain in the capital of Paris than elsewhere.
The government is also lifting a country-wide 100 km travel restriction and will reopen beaches and parks from next week.
Mr Philippe said he was in favour of removing border restrictions within Europe’s Schengen area without quarantine rules from June 15.
The spread of the virus is slowing more quickly than hoped for and Paris is no longer deemed a “red zone” coronavirus hot-spot, the prime minister said.
But danger still lurked and there was no room for complacency, he said. The greater Paris region is now an “orange” zone, meaning it is not as virus-free as almost all other regions designated “green”, and the easing of restrictions will be more cautious, Mr Philippe said.
More than 28,500 people have died of COVID-19 in France. On Wednesday the death toll rose by less than 100 for the seventh day running.
Restaurants, cafes and bars will have to ensure a minimum one-metre gap between tables and all staff must wear face masks.
In “orange” zones like the greater Paris region they will only be permitted to open outdoor seating areas.
A ban on gatherings in public places of more than 10 people remains in place for now, and major sporting events will also be suspended until at least June 21, Philippe added.
Cinemas will be allowed to open from June 22 unless the spread of the virus quickens once again.
Italy is also looking at easing travel restrictions, allowing people to travel between regions and removing mandatory quarantine requirements for arrivals by June 3.
The northern region of Lombardy is unnerving some politicians, with the region diagnosing 382 coronavirus cases in the most recent update, compared to under 100 in other regions.
Across the nation, there were 70 deaths in the 24-hour period ending on Thursday evening, raising the nation’s overall known death toll to 33,142. Italy has logged 231,732 known cases of COVID-19.
READ MORE: Money for needy neighbours
Lachlan Moffet Gray 6.30am: Archbishop welcomes easing of ‘unfair’ restrictions
Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher has welcomed the easing of “unfair” coronavirus restrictions on religious services.
Yesterday the Catholic Diocese of Sydney launched an online petition on behalf of multiple religious groups asking the NSW government to lift the 10 worshipper limit on services in line with restrictions on restaurants, bars, and cafes.
Thousands signed and the government relented. From June 1, up to 50 people will be allowed to attend Mass or private prayer in a church – in line with clubs, restaurants, pubs and other venues.
“The closure of our churches and indeed of all places of worship has been deeply distressing for many people of faith in our community,” Archbishop Fisher said.
“It added to the isolation and anxiety that so many were feeling. With restrictions easing, many were concerned that the churches were being left behind, and wanted to make their voices heard.
“People of faith weren’t asking for special treatment, but wanted to be treated equally.
“I am grateful that so many in our community took the time to sign the petition expressing their desire to return to church, and I look forward to welcoming them back in greater numbers from Monday.”
READ MORE: Churches to match limits for pubs, cafes
Lachlan Moffet Gray 6.20am: Trump executive order targets social media giants
US President Donald Trump is set to target social media giants like Twitter, which he accuses of bias against him, with an executive order opening them to new regulation.
“This will be a Big Day for Social Media and FAIRNESS!” Mr Trump said on Twitter. The wording of the executive order, which the White House said would be “pertaining to social media”, remained under wraps.
This will be a Big Day for Social Media and FAIRNESS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 28, 2020
Mr Trump was spurred to action earlier in the week when Twitter attached fact-checking links to two of his tweets that claimed replacing in-person polling with main-in ballots would be “substantially fraudulent.”
The link took users to a page with news articles on the accurateness of the claims.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Thursday that the order was still “in the works” but would “hopefully” come by late afternoon.
Leaked versions of the executive order in US media suggest that Mr Trump will seek to remove liability protections that the social media giants enjoy over content they publish, thereby exposing them to legal action and more government oversight.
One consequence of this could be to punish the companies over their decisions on what to allow and what to restrict on their platforms.
So ridiculous to see Twitter trying to make the case that Mail-In Ballots are not subject to FRAUD. How stupid, there are examples, & cases, all over the place. Our election process will become badly tainted & a laughingstock all over the World. Tell that to your hater @yoyoel
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 28, 2020
A draft of the order reported by CNN accuses platforms of not showing the “good faith” required under their current self-regulating status.
READ MORE: Trump pledges ‘powerful’ action on Hong Kong
Lachlan Moffet Gray 6.10am: Another 2 million Americans file for benefits
At least 2.1 million Americans lost their job in the past week despite the reopening of businesses around the country, provoking fears of a prolonged economic downturn.
More than 41 million Americans who have now filed for unemployment benefits since the coronavirus shutdowns took hold in mid-March.
Amid a few glimmers of hope, most of the latest economic news from around the globe was likewise grim, as some of the world’s most populous countries continued to report rising infections and deaths. The confirmed US death toll topped 100,000 on Wednesday.
We have just reached a very sad milestone with the coronavirus pandemic deaths reaching 100,000. To all of the families & friends of those who have passed, I want to extend my heartfelt sympathy & love for everything that these great people stood for & represent. God be with you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 28, 2020
However, the overall number of Americans currently drawing jobless benefits dropped for the first time since the crisis began, from 25 million to 21 million.
First-time applications for unemployment have also fallen for eight straight weeks, as states gradually let stores, restaurants and other businesses reopen and the auto industry starts up factories again.
The US unemployment rate was 14.7% in April, a level not seen since the Depression, and many economists expect it will be near 20% in May.
The figures come amid an intensifying debate in Congress over whether to extend $600 in extra weekly federal unemployment benefits, provided under rescue legislation passed in March but set to expire July 31.
Democrats have proposed extending the payments, while Republicans have argued that the extra money could discourage laid-off workers from returning to jobs that pay less than they are getting on unemployment. — with AAP
READ MORE: US virus death toll tops 100,000
Yoni Bashan 5.15am: Eased restrictions for NSW weddings, funerals
Up to 50 people will be permitted to attend funerals and places of worship from Monday, and up to 20 people will be able to attend weddings, under a further easing of social restrictions to be announced by the NSW government today.
The decision to lift restrictions for funerals and religious services will bring both into line with restaurants and bars, although NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said congregants would need to continue abiding by a strict 4sq m rule and other guidelines to prevent a re-emergence of infections.
“It is crucial that worshippers remember to follow health advice,” Ms Berejiklian said. “This is particularly important for people with comorbidities aged over 65 and people aged over 70.”
Read the full story here.
Simon Benson 5am: Accelerated reopening of economy to be considered
Accelerated reopening of the economy, earlier easing of restrictions and larger gatherings are expected to be recommended to national cabinet within two weeks, if the trend in low daily coronavirus infection rates continues.
The Australian understands the federal government is hopeful that the July deadline for the states to implement the three-staged opening of their economies could be brought forward, if commonwealth and state health officials reach agreement.
The Australian has also established that a non-quarantine infection rate of fewer than 10 new cases a day is being used as a rough benchmark for the Australia Health Protection Principal Committee in its deliberations over the timing of the further easing of restrictions.
Federal and state chief medical officers believe that an infection rate at that level, which has been met since the first substantial winding-back of restrictions began three weeks ago, could be manageable with a broader reopening of the economy.
Read the full story here.
Jacquelin Magnay 4.45am: Britain to permit small gatherings, barbecues
Boris Johnson has loosened the British lockdown with a surprise announcement to allow barbecues for up to six people.
In a significant easing of coronavirus measures, the British prime minister said small gatherings were permitted outdoors and in private gardens. Until now, people were only allowed to meet one other person in a park.
If we are to defeat COVID-19, achieve a global recovery and avoid a future pandemic, then we must work together across borders. pic.twitter.com/Mbp8BhOWJT
— Boris Johnson #StayAlert (@BorisJohnson) May 28, 2020
The new rules come into place on Monday, but immediately after the announcement on Thursday, small gatherings started up in various suburban backyards.
“I know the toll that lockdown has taken on families and friends who have been unable to see each other,” Mr Johnson said.
“So from Monday we will allow up to six people to meet outside — provided those from different households continue strictly to observe social distancing rules by staying two metres apart.
“These changes mean friends and family can start to meet their loved ones — perhaps seeing both parents at once, or both grandparents at once. I know that for many this will be a long-awaited and joyful moment. But I must stress that to control the virus, everyone needs to stay alert, act responsibly, strictly observe social distancing rules, and stay two metres apart from those who you do not live with.”
THREAD 1/2: #Coronavirus press conference slides (28 May 2020)
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) May 28, 2020
🔵 5 tests for adjusting the lockdown
🔵 Test 1
🔵 Test 2
🔵 Test 3
Datasets and statistical notes:https://t.co/Vaplo9GHPg pic.twitter.com/aYq1XY8cyA
He added: “You could even have a barbecue provided you did it in a socially distanced way.”
Shops will be allowed to open on June 15, while some schools will open on a staggered basis from Monday.
In Scotland, first minister Nicola Sturgeon announced slightly different rules, allowing meetings of up to eight people from this Friday — although only two households can meet at once.
Keep 👟 Your 👟 Distance#StayAlert pic.twitter.com/889HtcymoC
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) May 28, 2020
READ MORE: Tom Switzer — Lone expert who saw today’s bellicose China
Immigration detention duty: minister Burke powers up
Immigration Minister Tony Burke has quietly issued new rules granting himself the power to impose electronic monitoring and curfews on dangerous non-citizens released from detention.
$42k taxpayer grant for anti-Israel artist
Matt Chun received a $42,452 taxpayer grant in May 2023 to publish a picture book. He previously co-wrote works that attacked ‘colonial and imperialist’ statues.