Coronavirus Australia live news: Daniel Andrews fires back at Scott Morrison on exit plan
‘I’ve got some insight into what’s happening here’, says Premier Daniel Andrews after Scott Morrison queried his ‘worst case scenario’.
- Andrews hits back at the PM
- Hunt blasts Victorian contact tracing
- Contact tracing ‘outsourced’
- Nine new NSW cases
- Quarantine ‘authority vacuum’ probed
- Victoria total cases nearly 20,000
- Victoria records 55 new cases
- Fears of new UK wave
Welcome to The Australian’s rolling coverage of the ongoing pandemic. As Greg Hunt blasts Victoria on contact tracing, the inquiry into the hotel quarantine debacle has been told contact tracing was taken over by a private company as it was quicker at it than health authorities. The inquiry will examine whether an ‘authority vacuum’ came about due to a flawed command structure. Scott Morrison has accused the Andrews government of sentencing Victorians to a lockdown longer than necessary due to inadequate contact tracing. Brendan Murphy has described NSW as “the exemplar” for coronavirus contact tracing
Rachel Baxendale 10.40pm: Eleven homes had almost half of deaths
Just 11 Victorian aged-care facilities account for 36 per cent of Victoria’s coronavirus deaths, and 46 per cent of those deaths in aged care, according to leaked data.
Patrick Commins, Joe Kelly, Simon Benson 10.10pm: Victoria facing a $6bn hit
Victoria’s economy will shrink by up to 20 per cent on pre-pandemic levels because of its extended restrictions and business shutdowns, with new modelling showing the hit to the state in the September quarter could be as much as $6bn.
Rosie Lewis, Ewin Hannan 9.40pm: Shorten’s not sweet on timeline
Bill Shorten says he wanted Victoria’s lockdown restrictions to ‘come off a bit quicker’ but Richard Marles endorsed the controversial road map.
Charlie Peel 9.10pm: Stimulus ‘masking border damage’
Commonwealth Bank CEO Matt Comyn says the economic pain wrought by coronavirus in Queensland is being masked by the federal government’s stimulus measures.
Rachel Baxendale 8.40pm: Active confirmed cases by LGA: Full list
Active confirmed cases of COVID-19 by LGA as of Tuesday, with net increase/decrease since Monday in brackets:
Brimbank (outer west): 205 (+11)
Wyndham (outer southwest): 203 (-1)
Melton (outer northwest): 111 (-1)
Moreland (north): 107 (-6)
Darebin (north): 90 (-11)
Hume (outer north): 90 (-11)
Casey (outer southeast): 87 (-6)
City of Melbourne: 72 (-5)
Whittlesea (outer north): 65 (-9)
Hobsons Bay (inner southwest): 64 (+2)
Bayside (southeast): 56 (-3)
Greater Dandenong: (outer southeast): 52 (-2)
Maribyrnong (inner west): 50 (-5)
Moonee Valley (northwest): 49 (-5)
Kingston (southeast): 43 (-1)
Monash (southeast): 36
Port Phillip (inner south): 30 (-1)
*Colac-Otway (western regional Vic): 25
Yarra (inner northeast): 24 (-1)
Cardinia (outer southeast): 22 (+1)
*Greater Geelong (southwest regional Vic): 16
Mornington Peninsula (outer southeast): 16 (-2)
Frankston (outer southeast): 16 (-4)
Glen Eira (southeast): 15 (-1)
*Latrobe (eastern regional Vic): 13
Banyule (northeast): 11
Maroondah (outer east): 10 (-1)
Boroondara (east): 9 (-1)
Stonnington (inner southeast): 9 (-1)
Yarra Ranges (outer east) 9 (-6)
Manningham (east): 8
*Moorabool (western regional Vic): 8
Whitehorse (east): 8
Knox (outer east): 7 (-1)
Nillumbik (outer northeast): 6
*Horsham (western regional Vic): 3
*East Gippsland (eastern regional Vic): 2
*Greater Shepparton (northern regional Vic): 2 (-1)
*Greater Bendigo (central regional Vic): 2 (-2)
*Mitchell (central regional Vic, north of Melb): 2 (-6)
*Baw Baw (eastern regional Vic): 1
*Corangamite (southwest regional Vic): 1
*Macedon Ranges (central regional Vic): 1
*Mansfield (northeast regional Vic): 1
*Pyrenees (western regional Vic): 1
*South Gippsland (southeastern regional Vic): 1
*Surf Coast (southwest regional Vic): 1
*Warrnambool (southwest regional Vic): 1
*Ballarat (western regional Vic): 1 (-2)
Interstate: 2
Overseas: 1 (+1)
Unknown: 33 (-5)
Regional total: 82 (-13)
TOTAL: 1696 (-85)
*Denotes regional Victorian LGAs
Source: Victorian Department of Health and Human Services
READ MORE: Shorten’s not sweet on timeline
Rebecca Urban 8.20pm: Coronavirus to threaten education spending
Australia’s above-average spending on schooling could come under pressure in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic as potential demand for economic stimulus measures compete with education for public funding.
Imogen Reid 8pm: Sydney pub hit with first closure notice in NSW
A pub in Sydney’s inner-west has become the first venue in NSW to receive a closure notice for coronavirus safety breaches.
The Unity Hall Hotel in Balmain will be closed for a week from Wednesday and will be slapped with $10,000 in fines for several COVID-19 safety violations.
“Today we received a closure notice from the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing for non-compliance of the COVID-19 health regulations on two occasions,” the pub’s management said in a statement.
“As such, we The Unity Hall Hotel will be closed from 5am Wednesday 9th September until 5am Wednesday 16th September.”
It is understood the second breach involved a number of patrons mingling and dancing in a private room at the venue which was reported to the police by a member of the public on August 8.
It comes after the venue copped a fine of $5000 on August 5.
“We acknowledge that we did not fully understand every aspect of the changing regulations and we should have,” the statement read.
READ MORE: FOI request over aged care’s COVID-19 cost rejected
Rachel Baxendale 7.50pm: Known outbreaks linked to 31 cases
Of Victoria’s 55 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, 31 have been linked to known outbreaks, while 24 remain under investigation.
The total number of cases since the pandemic began has risen by 41, to 19,615, due to the reclassification of 14 cases.
Melbourne’s 14-day daily average number of new cases is 78.6, as of Tuesday, down from 84.8 on Monday, while regional Victoria’s is 4.9 down from 5.3.
The statewide 14-day daily average is therefore 83.3, down from 90.1 on Monday.
For Melbourne to move to the second step of relaxing coronavirus restrictions by September 28, the 14-day daily average needs to reach 30-50.
This would enable public outdoor gatherings of up to five people from up to two households, the resumption of childcare, and a staged return to the classroom for Prep to Grade Two and VCE students.
For the third step, which would see Melburnians released from a stay-at-home lockdown and a curfew by October 26, the statewide 14-day daily average needs to fall below five cases, with no more than five cases with an unknown source over that entire period.
READ MORE: Biennale models ‘no longer sustainable’
Andrew McMillen 7.30pm: Tamworth Country Music Festival cancelled
The annual muster of country music artists and fans in Tamworth is the latest event to fall to COVID-19 public health regulations as festival organisers announced its cancellation more than four months out from its planned start date of January 15.
Paul Garvey 7.05pm: WA may pull health staff from Victoria: Cook
Western Australia will consider pulling its nurses and support staff from Victoria after one of the team tested positive to coronavirus.
WA health minister Roger Cook on Tuesday afternoon said the nurse, who had been helping in an aged care home, was experiencing mild symptoms and was self-isolating in a specialist hotel in Melbourne. Six of the nurse’s colleagues from WA have tested negative but are also self-isolating as a precaution.
Mr Cook said the state would consider all options for the WA nurses currently in Victoria, including bringing them all back to Perth ahead of schedule.
“These nurses stepped up at a time of crisis, we will do everything we can to support them,” Mr Cook said.
Some 19 nurses and three support staff from WA travelled to Victoria last month to help in the state’s response to its coronavirus outbreak.
WA-based contact tracing teams have also been offering support to their Victorian counterparts.
Imogen Reid 7pm: Two hotspots arise in Ipswitch
A supermarket and a garden centre in Ipswich have been added to Queensland Health’s list of impacted venues after they were visited by a positive case of COVID-19.
Anyone who attended the venues at the following times are advised to monitor their symptoms and to get tested if they develop:
Coles, Karalee, Ipswich: September 4 between 9:30am and 10:15am
Ipswich Garden Centre, Raceview: September 4 between 12:30pm and 1:30pm
Rachel Baxendale 6.55pm: ‘I do’: Andrews back health minister
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews reiterated his faith in Health Minister Jenny Mikakos, after she was conspicuously absent from his press conference on Tuesday announcing a suite of measures to bolster her department’s coronavirus contact tracing capabilities.
“I do,” Mr Andrews said when asked whether he had faith in Ms Mikakos, after Counsel Assisting the hotel quarantine inquiry told a hearing on Tuesday that the Department of Health and Human Services had ultimate responsibility for the bungled scheme.
“She has many different things to do. We all do. And that’s why, much as I like to be able to say that the only hour and a half that I have to do things in any given day is the hour and a half I get to spend with you, that I enjoy above all else, it is not,” Mr Andrews told journalists.
“I do lots of meetings, I was up early today, no doubt the Health Minister was too, and I’ll be up till late tonight. We’ve all got lots to do. I have confidence in her, complete faith in her, she’s working as hard as she possibly can, as we all are.”
Imogen Reid 6.15pm: Five new NSW venues become virus hotspots
NSW Health has added five new venues to its list of COVID-impacted locations.
Anyone who attended the Oatlands Golf Club on Friday, 4 September, between 6.30pm to 8.45pm is considered a close contact and has been directed by health officials to get tested and isolate for 14 days. Customers who visited the Bavarian Dinner Night in the Bistro on Bettington in the main dining room have been advised to get tested immediately and to self-isolate.
The Paperboy Cafe in Concord is also on high alert after a positive case attended the eatery on Sunday, 6 September, between 10am to 12pm. Anyone who visited the cafe during those times is considered to be a close contact.
People who attended the following venues at the specified times is considered a casual contact and have been advised to monitor for symptoms and get tested immediately should they develop:
Clovelly Hotel on Saturday, 5 September, 12:45-1:45pm
Rouse Hill Town Centre, including Target Rouse Hill, on Saturday, 5 September, 12.30pm-1.30pm
Fitness First Maroubra, 737 Anzac Parade Maroubra, on Saturday, 5 September, 8am‑12pm
NSW Health is working with Fitness First to identify people who attended the Maroubra gym on Saturday and will directly advise those who are considered to be close contacts and need to get tested and isolate.
Rachel Baxendale 6pm: Andrews VS media
The Australian: Why has it taken five months of the pandemic for you to get to this stage? We’ve had questions raised months ago about how, compared with other states, Victoria didn’t have that localised capability. Why has it taken so long to develop it?
Daniel Andrews: This comes into its own when numbers are very low, and that’s the position we’re moving into now.
Oz: The numbers were low between the first and second wave.
DA: Indeed. This is about continuous improvement. It’s not about saying that, you know, there isn’t ... See how the Victorian Premier held up against the media’s questions here.
Olivia Caisley 5.40pm: Australia won’t touch Chinese journalists visas
The Morrison government will not revoke the visas of Chinese journalists working in Australia despite Beijing’s decision to question two Australian journalists over the detention of Chinese-born Australian news anchor Cheng Lei.
Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne reiterated the importance of Australia’s relationship with its largest trading partner when discussing the ratcheting up of tensions between Beijing and Canberra on Tuesday.
The ABC’s Bill Birtles and Australian Financial Review’s Michael Smith were forced to dramatically leave China this week after Beijing-based Australian journalist Cheng Lei, a popular television host on the state-controlled China Global Television Network, was detained.
But Senator Payne said the development would not affect Chinese journalists in Australia.
“That is not how Australia works. It works according to law. Unless individuals (Chinese journalists) are breaching laws in Australia that would not be an approach we would take, at this point,” she said. “That is our consistent view.”
Senator Payne said her department had been prompted to warn media organisations that had correspondents in China after Cheng Lei was detained.
“That had raised concerns for Australia. My department had been speaking with media organisations,” she said. “We briefed them and they make their own decisions in relation to those matters.”
Read more: Australian TV host Cheng Lei arrested in Beijing
Imogen Reid 5.45pm: Northwest Sydney shoppers on high alert
Customers at a Sydney shopping centre in the city’s northwest are on high alert after a person who visited the centre tested positive for coronavirus.
The shopper went to Kmart and Leaf Cafe at Stanhope Village at Stanhope Gardens on Monday, September 7, between 8.30am and 9.30am.
“Any customer who visited these stores at these times should monitor their health and, if they develop any COVID-19 symptoms, get tested immediately and self-isolate,” the centre’s management said.
“Leaf Cafe and Kmart are working closely with NSW Health and are able to remain trading at this time.”
The centre will be open on Wednesday and was deep cleaned overnight.
Read more: Virus flare-ups to hit shopping centre owners
Rachel Baxendale 5.10pm: Andrews hits back at the PM
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has hit back at Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s comments on Monday that he hopes the Andrews government’s reopening roadmap is a “worst case scenario”, saying the real worst case scenario would be to open up briefly before having to close down again.
Under the roadmap, unveiled on Sunday, Victorians will remain confined to their homes and under curfew until at least October 26, and only be able to move to the next stage of reopening if the daily number of new coronavirus cases averages less than five for the preceding 14 days, with a total of fewer than five cases with an unknown source over that entire period.
“I’d say to the Prime Minister the worst case scenario is being open for three or four weeks and then being closed down again. That’s the worst case scenario. Absolutely that’s the worst case scenario, and I’ll continue to work very closely with the Prime Minister and his team,” Mr Andrews said.
“We’re grateful for the partnership that we have, but in my judgement, if I can be so bold as to have a judgment on these things – I think I’ve got some insight into what’s happening here in our state – the worst case scenario is you’re open for three or four weeks because you pretend it’s over when it isn’t, and then we’re all back locked down again.
“The only way, the data, the doctors, the science, the only way to go is to do this in safe and steady steps.
“We’d all like it to be different. We would all like to be able to open everything up tomorrow. We could do that, and there’d be 15 minutes of happiness and then we’d be back locked down and arguably facing an even worse situation than we face now, not to downplay the challenge that we face now. It’s very, very significant.
“But when all your advisers, when the science, when the data – and data trumps modelling, let’s be very clear about that, and every day that passes we have actuals, not just what we project. We have actual data, when it’s as clear-cut as what it is, you can’t open at 41 cases, you can’t open at 55 cases. You can open at a much lower level, but only in a safe and steady way.”
Read more: Scott Morrison cuts Daniel Andrews loose over road map debacle
Imogen Reid 4.35pm: Sydney school boarders sent home to isolate
Kincoppal-Rose Bay in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs has sent students from its boarding house home after two Year 7 classmates tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday.
A third case was detected in a boarder on Sunday, prompting the school to send all Year 7 to 10 boarders home to isolate.
Year 11 and 12 students were allowed to return to the campus for onsite learning after the entire school was closed for a deep clean yesterday.
The initial two cases have been linked to Sydney’s growing CBD cluster.
READ MORE: Private school hit with virus
Imogen Reid 4.10pm: Contact tracing took too long in second wave: DCMO
Dr Nick Coatsworth has said the difference between the contact tracing systems in NSW and Victoria was the time taken to track potential cases.
He said at the height of Victoria’s second wave, their process took too long.
“When we say gold standard, what we’re really referring to is the shortest time possible between a person getting symptoms and the whole contact tracing process being wound up, the case being closed by the disease detectives,” Dr Coatsworth said.
“What we have seen in Victoria is a recognition that when the outbreak gets to a certain level, those times started to stretch out and this is not just the contact tracers, that is the testing processes, how you get information to the contact tracers and then the interviews afterwards.”
Dr Coatsworth said he is confident Victoria is “learning the lessons, both from New South Wales and their own experience, to make sure that they can control COVID-19 at low numbers into the future.”
READ MORE: Health chief backs data on ‘gold standard’ NSW
Imogen Reid 4pm: Locked down Vics urged to focus on mental health
Australia’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer Nick Coatsworth has reiterated the importance of focusing on mental health, particularly for Victorians under stage for lockdown, and staying connected with family and friends during the pandemic.
“As one of my close friends and colleagues said today in Melbourne, it is very difficult for us in areas of Australian that aren’t under restriction to understand what people are going through,” Dr Coatsworth said.
“Make sure you’re staying connected with friends and family. If you’re feeling isolated, take what can sometimes be a difficult step to reach out and maintain those important connections of friendship and family.”
Dr Coatsworth reminded people struggling with the current restrictions that the Medicare-funded mental health rebate had doubled to 20 psychological therapy sessions in addition to a further $26.5 million in mental health investment that will be rolled out on Thursday.
He recommended adding structure to the day and to set achievable goals to help get through the final weeks of restriction.
“Whether you set aside dedicated time for housework, make sure you then have some down time after that where you are doing something that you enjoy to do, a hobby,” Dr Coatsworth said.
“It sounds so simple but if you get into some structure and routine for the next two weeks while the restrictions are still in place in Melbourne and the surrounds, those sorts of achievable goals and structure can be very important to keep you on track.”
READ MORE: Covid fears push Ash Barty out of French Open
Olivia Caisley 2.40pm: Hunt blames Vic quarantine debacle on contact tracing
Health Minister Greg Hunt has blamed Victoria’s contact tracing for the hotel quarantine saga, declaring that if its tracing had been equivalent to NSW, the debacle could have been avoided.
Mr Hunt told 3AW on Tuesday there had been a handful of comparable outbreaks in NSW, which hadn’t wreaked the same havoc because of NSW’s effective contact tracing.
“New South Wales has had half a dozen outbreaks that are all the equivalent of the hotel quarantine breaches,” Mr Hunt said.
“These are overwhelmingly cases that have come from Victoria that have transported across the border, unknown, seeded into the community; whether it’s a Thai Rock, whether it’s Crossroads or other cases. And then they’ve chased them down. And that’s the difference. They’ve been able to recognise, get on top early, chase them down, trace them, identify.”
Mr Hunt said although Victoria’s contact tracing abilities had improved, there was more work to be done.
READ MORE: Quarantine inaction result of ‘authority vacuum’
David Ross 2.35pm: Get tested: ACT warns on symptoms overlap
The ACT government is warning asthma and hay fever sufferers to be aware given the overlap between COVID-19 symptoms and the allergies as the weather changes.
“As the weather warms up and the trees and flowers begin to blossom in the Canberra spring, we also see an increase in the number of people exhibiting the symptoms of hay fever and asthma. Some COVID-19 symptoms can be similar to those experienced by hay fever and asthma sufferers, so it is important to have a plan in place,” ACT Health said in a statement.
“If you are managing your hay fever or asthma but are exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19, especially fever, cough, sore throat and shortness of breath, you should get tested. If you are unsure if your symptoms are related to hay fever or asthma, self-isolate until you are able to seek medical advice.”
No cases of COVID-19 were reported in the ACT today in what has proven to be a clean run since 10 July when the last case was discovered in the territory.
This comes as authorities in Victoria warned people to get tested if they thought they had the flu or a cold given the incidence of those diseases has declined dramatically on the back of lockdowns across the state.
READ MORE: ‘Diabolical’ virus a killer with a crowbar
Rachel Baxendale 2.30pm: Andrews’ plan to improve tracing
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has announced a suite of extra measures to bolster contact tracing, including:
– The establishment of at least five suburban contact tracing and public health coronavirus response teams in Melbourne’s north, south, southeast and west. This follows the establishment of six regional hubs in recent weeks;
– The implementation of a SalesForce case and contact management IT system. Mr Andrews said this would “cover the whole program of contact tracing – from positive result coming in, the interviews, follow-up phone calls and co-ordination of Operation Vestige (ADF/DHHS doorknocking) to the clearance of cases and contacts to be managed all within the one system.”
He said the new system would be set up “in parallel” to current processes, “to ensure there is no dip in performance as we make improvements”. Notoriously, DHHS contact tracers have been reliant on pen and paper record-keeping for some of their roles until very recently;
– The reporting of health worker infection data on a weekly basis “as part of a major body of work that is underway to protect our doctors, nurses and other health workers from coronavirus.” This follows the launch of the Andrews government’s “Protecting Our Healthcare Workers” plan on August 25 – more than five months into the pandemic and as the number of cases in Victorian health workers reached 2785. As of Monday there had been 3314 infections in health workers in Victoria;
– Audits of the implementation of COVIDSafe plans within health services, assessments of staff amenities to ensure they comply with physical distancing requirements, a fit testing trial of PPE and asymptomatic testing of health workers in COVID wards.
Jeroen Weimar has been appointed to the role of Deputy Secretary for Community Engagement and Testing after resigning as Secretary of the Department of Transport in March after less than a year in the role.
Prior to that, the UK-born boffin had served as CEO of Public Transport Victoria for more than five years, having previously held roles at the British Transport Police Authority, the Greater London Authority, KPMG and Transport for London.
Mr Weimar said the next stage of his strategy would be to continue to engage with the community and “speed up our work in tackling the remaining cases that are out there”.
“For the last six weeks we have been working with our regional partners to devolve the contact tracing, case management and follow-up of positive cases in their communities,” he said.
He said the Barwon coronavirus hub, based in Geelong, southwest of Melbourne, had dealt with 429 positive cases in the adjacent corridor, contacting 5400 close contacts.
Bendigo Health had dealt with 89 positive cases and 1345 close contacts.
As of Tuesday, cases are down to 16 in Geelong and two in Bendigo.
Mr Weimar said another key measure was the creation of 11 rapid response testing teams which have been deployed for the past four weeks across Victoria, including six in metropolitan Melbourne and five in the regions.
“We’ve now had almost 70 deployments of those rapid response testing teams over the last few weeks,” he said.
“They alone have already dealt with around 6000 tests in this period of time, and we are applying them in a range of complex and difficult situations.
A “call to test” program has also seen 1076 people who were unable to leave their homes tested at home, with some positive cases detected through this work.
David Ross 2.25pm: One mystery among nine new NSW cases
Nine new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in NSW today, with one mystery case in southeast Sydney concerning authorities.
The new cases bring the NSW total to 3937 cases.
Five of the new cases are linked to known clusters, while three were in hotel quarantine.
Of the known cases two were linked to the growing Sydney CBD cluster which began after an infected patron visited the Sydney Tattersall club in late August, which genomic sequencing shows is linked to other outbreaks in NSW and Victoria.
Three cases were linked to the Concord Hospital, including a visitor to the hospital who contracted the virus. Six cases have now been confirmed as part of the growing cluster, which now sees more than 100 healthcare workers across Liverpool and Concord hospital in two weeks isolation.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the growing cluster does not pose a risk of staff shortages.
NSW Health is treating 79 COVID-19 cases, including seven in intensive care, three of whom are being ventilated due to the severity of their symptoms.
Anyone who visited these venues at these times is warned to watch out for symptoms:
Charles St Kitchen, 78 Charles St Putney on 5 September between 10:45am – 11:30am
Eastwood Ryde Netball Association, Meadowbank Park, Adelaide St West Ryde on 5 September between 12:15pm – 1:30pm. Some people who attended were close contacts and have been contacted directly to get tested and isolate for 14 days.
Missing Spoon Café, 8 Railway Ave Wahroonga on 5 September between 4:45pm – 5:30pm.
Croydon Park Pharmacy 172 Georges River Rd Croydon Park on 3 September between 1pm – 2pm.
Anyone who attended the Plus Fitness, 47 Beecroft Rd Epping on 5 September between 9am – 10:15am is considered close contacts and has been directed to get tested and isolate for 14 days, and stay isolated for the entire period, even if a negative test result is received.
READ MORE: Locked down at the Ritz Carlton: winning quarantine lottery
Rachel Baxendale 2.15pm: Victoria seeks NSW lessons to bolster contact tracing
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has unveiled a suite of measures to bolster his state’s contact tracing capacity, including sending a group of Victorian health bureaucrats, ADF officials and Australia’s chief scientist Alan Finkel to NSW to learn about its system.
The NSW contact tracing system, was on Monday described by federal health department secretary Brendan Murphy as “the exemplar” in the nation, and by Prime Minister Scott Morrison as the “gold standard”.
Mr Andrews would not concede many of the measures could and should have been introduced months ago, as he made the announcement alongside his newly-appointed Department of Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary for Community Engagement and Testing Jeroen Weimar, with Health Minister Jenny Mikakos conspicuously absent.
He said he had met with the ADF’s coronavirus taskforce leader in Victoria, Commodore Mark Hill, to discuss the defence force’s role in contact tracing on Tuesday morning.
Currently 1000 ADF personnel are stationed in Victoria, assisting with activities including doorknocking of positive cases and their close contacts, and patrolling public areas with police to ensure compliance with social distancing restrictions.
“Part of that discussion and part of the work that’s going on at the moment for many months now, we’ve had ADF as well as very senior public servants from the Commonwealth, whether it be the Chief scientist Alan Finkel and others, that have essentially been embedded as part of our team,” Mr Andrews said.
“They’ve had full line of sight and they’ve done an amazing job … but there is always that work every single day, every shift, to try and be better.
“To have achieved substantial improvements in all of the metrics that are reported as part of the National Cabinet dashboard on contact tracing and public health response, despite the fact that the task has got so much greater, is a real comment on just how committed and just how hard working those teams are.”
Mr Andrews said ADF personnel and Mr Finkel had been in “regular contact” with NSW “and indeed other states”, but will go to Sydney later this week to “just double and triple check whether there is anything that is different between our response and the response in New South Wales”.
Mr Andrews said 90 per cent of positive cases were being interviewed within 24 hours of DHHS being notified of their test result.
Mr Andrews said 99 per cent of close contacts were being contacted within 48 hours of a positive case being notified.
“The doorknocking activity that the ADF and authorised officers have led, and continue to do, of all cases and all close contacts: low tech, an old fashioned common sense way of doing things, but one that has served us very well.”
The ADF/DHHS doorknocks were announced on August 4, as the Andrews government came under immense pressure to address contact tracing failures that were exacerbating a second wave of coronavirus, which peaked at 7880 active cases on August 11.
READ MORE: Jobs market recovery restarts
Tessa Akerman 1.20pm: Vic health ‘outsourced’ contact tracing
The Victorian government turned to Alfred Health to provide close contact tracing for staff working in the state’s bungled hotel quarantine program, with the private organisation notifying contacts quicker than the health department, an inquiry has heard.
Chief Operating Officer Simone Alexander told the judicial inquiry into the scheme that Alfred Health was asked in July to take over contact tracing for all the agencies working in hotel quarantine including hotel staff and Victoria Police.
Ms Alexander said Alfred Health had identified conflicting information being provided to workers between the organisation and the government over how long people needed to isolate, at what point they needed to be tested and when they could return to work.
She said Alfred Health already had systems in place before joining the program compared to the government agencies.
“Some staff were not contacted for a number of days by the [health] department,” she said.
Ms Alexander also told the inquiry she wasn’t aware of any outbreaks of COVID-19 from transmission by detainees to staff in hotels where Alfred Health had a role.
“I’m aware of a couple of positive staff members, but I have no evidence to suggest that that’s anything to do with any breakdown of processes or systems within any of the hotels, and I understand that it’s as a result of community transmission,” she said.
The Alfred Hotel was also involved in providing security to the Brady Hotel, which was for people who were Covid positive.
Ms Alexander told the inquiry the hotels with Covid positive people were called ‘health hotels’ as ‘Covid positive hotels’ weren’t thought to be an “appropriate way to brand it”.
Ms Alexander said Alfred Health was told to stop providing security to the ‘health hotels’ of the Brady and Grand Chancellor when Victoria Police was appointed to take over the role.
However she said Alfred Health still needed to assist because the police used a roaming model for security.
“[They would walk] from floor to floor and around the major areas,” she said.
“There was concern raised within Alfred Health that without having someone stationed on each floor, sometimes we were unable to hear escalating behaviours in the rooms or to be able to stop anyone that might want to leave their room and then [they could] get a fair way down to the foyer, because there wasn’t that monitoring process.”
READ MORE: ACCC buys in to apps fight
Jack Paynter 1pm: Sutton feels ‘awful’ about second wave
Victoria’s Chief health officer Brett Sutton says he feels “awful” that coronavirus was able to escape from hotel quarantine and trigger Victoria’s second wave.
Professor Sutton made the frank admission during a rare one-on-one interview outside of the Premier’s daily media briefing with 3AW’s Neil Mitchell on Tuesday morning.
Professor Sutton defended the state’s contact tracing system against attacks from the federal government but said he wished the system was “as robust then as it is now”.
The health chief maintained all of the initial virus cases contracted out of hotel quarantine were interviewed and their close contacts followed up.
“Who knows exactly what’s allowed this virus to escape hotel quarantine and get to the broader community beyond those who we knew were close contacts,” Professor Sutton said.
“It clearly escaped from hotel quarantine, that’s been awful for me, it’s been awful for everyone, including reflecting on what we’re going through now is a consequence of that.
“But I can’t say it would have been stopped with a NSW system.”
READ MORE: Jobs market recovery starts
Ewin Hannan 12.30pm: Union chief backs Victoria lockdowns
ACTU secretary Sally McManus has backed the Andrews Government’s lockdown strategy, predicting more people would die and COVID-19 cases would spread interstate if Victoria did not get infections under control.
Ms McManus said “so many countries have made serious mistakes in how they reopened after lockdown”.
“The careful staged opening in Victoria is different, aiming to keep infections within what can be suppressed with testing & contact tracking,” she said on social media.
Ms McManus said if Victoria did not get infections under control then “lots of people will die”,
“chances are it will spread interstate”, and the economy would be more seriously damaged.
“Victorians are making big sacrifices to keep everyone safe,” she tweeted. “This is the 1st thing leaders should acknowledge.”
READ MORE: Bungled hotel quarantine probed
Remy Varga 11.35am: Inaction a result of ‘authority vacuum’
Victoria’s health department had ultimate authority over the bungled hotel quarantine program and was responsible for infection control training, as well as the health and wellbeing of returned travellers, an inquiry has heard.
Counsel assisting Ben Ihle further told the hotel quarantine inquiry on Tuesday that the decision to use security guards to enforce quarantine compliance was “not controversial” at the time it was made.
He said the inquiry was looking at whether the hotel quarantine fiasco had sufficiently clear command structure, with the board to make recommendations on the division of responsibility and accountability between government departments.
Mr Ihle said the inquiry would look at “whether the distinction between logistical support and operational control embedded in a system from the outset is too abstract to be meaningful and whether it leads to an authority vacuum such as inaction, ad hoc or even arbitrary decision making, are inevitable consequences.”
The inquiry has previously heard that the Department of Health and Human Services oversaw the hotel quarantine program but the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions procured security companies to provide guards and provided logistical support.
But Mr Ihle said based on the evidence already presented before the inquiry, those working in hotel quarantine understood DHHS authorised officers to have the legal power to detain returned travellers.
“It was they therefore who had authority over detention arrangements,” he said.
Mr Ihle said “the lack of clear lines of command” was reflected in differing opinions on who was responsible for infection control and training, with security contracts placing it with the companies.
But he said there was an expectation DHHS would provide infection control training as well as be a source of expert advice and the use of personal protective equipment.
“There was evidence of concern and frustration that those expectations were not met, as well as evidence that material was made available but the information was neither consistently understood or applied in practice,” he said.
Mr Ihle said uncontested evidence showed the hotel quarantine program failed to control the spread of COVID-19.
As well, he said quarantining returned travellers meant there was a responsibility to meet the needs of the guests who were unable to feed or look after themselves in detention.
“Based on the evidence of nurses and returned travellers, most of which was uncontested, it is open to the board to find there were shortcomings in meeting those needs,” he said.
“Infection control, outbreak management, healthcare, welfare and human services are the core work of the Department of Health and Human Services.”
The hotel quarantine inquiry has previously heard that 99 per cent of Victoria’s second wave cases of COVID-19, which have killed more than 650 people as of Monday, can be linked to two infection control breaches at the Rydges on Swanston and the Stamford Plaza.
Wilson Security, Unified Security and MSS Security were awarded the hotel quarantine contracts and subcontractors the work to a litany of smaller operators to meet the demand of the program.
Noting the extreme time pressure to set up the program in time for returning international travellers, Mr Ihle said the decision to use private security instead of Victoria Police officers was “not controversial” at the time.
“Evidence to suggest the decision to engage private security guards was apparently not considered controversial at the time,” he said. “At least not openly.”
READ MORE: Diabolical virus a ‘killer with a crowbar’
Rachel Baxendale 11.15am: Victoria totals reach 19,615
Victoria’s 55 new coronavirus cases in the 24 hours to Tuesday have brought the state’s total since the pandemic began to 19,615.
The eight new deaths take the state’s coronavirus death toll to 683.
The deaths include those of two men in their 60s, two men in their 80s, and one woman and three men in their 90s.
Of the eight, six have been linked to aged care.
There are 238 people in Victorian hospitals with coronavirus on Tuesday, including 22 in intensive care of whom 13 are on ventilators.
This compares with 266 people in hospital on Monday, including 25 in intensive care, of whom 17 were on ventilators.
The 55 new cases on Tuesday come after just 8704 tests were processed in the preceding 24 hours, bringing the number processed since the pandemic began to 2,412,092.
The 8704 tests represent the lowest daily number of tests processed since June 23.
The positive test rate for Tuesday is 0.63 per cent, up from a more than two month equal low of 0.32 per cent on Monday, but well down from the record of 3.73 per cent on August 2.
The number of cases where contact tracers have been unable to establish a source has fallen by 25 cases since Monday to 4344 cases on Tuesday.
Victoria has 1696 active cases of coronavirus on Tuesday – a decrease of 85 since Monday.
This includes 260 active cases in health workers, up from 259 on Monday.
There are 22 active cases linked to residential disability accommodation, down from 23 on Monday. This includes 12 staff members and 10 residents.
The number of active cases linked to aged care is 863, a decrease of 10 since Monday, and representing 50.9 per cent of all active cases in Victoria.
There are 82 active cases in regional Victoria, down from 95 on Monday.
This includes 25 active cases in Colac in Victoria’s southwest, 16 in Greater Geelong, two in Bendigo and one in Ballarat.
There were no new cases in regional Victoria in the 24 hours to Tuesday.
READ MORE: Safety protocols for sex? Covidiculous
Rachel Baxendale 11.00am: 11 Victoria nursing homes account for 36pc of deaths
Just 11 Victorian aged care facilities account for 36 per cent of Victoria’s coronavirus deaths, and 46 per cent of those in aged care, according to leaked data confirmed by the state health department.
The 11 homes account for 245 of Victoria’s total 675 coronavirus deaths as of Monday (that number has risen to 683 on Tuesday), with a total of 528 deaths linked to aged care as of Monday.
The confirmation comes after the federal government repeatedly refused to release the information.
The Australian first asked the Andrews government for a breakdown of deaths by aged care facility on July 24, and was told the information could not be released for privacy reasons.
“This isn’t about withholding information – this is about following a long standard practice about protecting the identification of deaths,” a spokeswoman for Premier Daniel Andrews said at the time.
More recently the Andrews government has pointed to the federal government’s responsibility for regulating aged care, saying it was up to the Commonwealth to release the data.
The following 11 aged care facilities accounted for the following numbers of deaths as of Monday:
– St Basil’s Homes for the Aged in Fawkner, in Melbourne’s north: 44 deaths and 206 cases;
– Epping Gardens Aged Care in Epping, in Melbourne’s north: 35 deaths and 215 cases;
– Kalyna Aged Care in Delahey, in Melbourne’s northwest: 22 deaths. The number of cases is not known, but is fewer than 116;
– Kirkbrae Presbyterian Homes in Kilsyth, in Melbourne’s outer east: 20 deaths and 139 cases;
– Twin Parks Aged Care in Reservoir, in Melbourne’s north: 20 deaths and 127 cases;
– BaptCare Wyndham Lodge Community in Werribee, in Melbourne’s outer southwest: 18 deaths and 232 cases;
– Mecwacare John Atchison Centre in Hoppers Crossing, in Melbourne’s outer southwest: 18 deaths. The number of cases is not known, but is fewer than 116;
– Estia Aged Care Facility in Ardeer, in Melbourne’s west: 17 deaths and 162 cases;
– Japara Goonawarra Aged Care Facility in Sunbury, in Melbourne’s outer northwest: 17 deaths and 118 cases;
– Glendale Aged Care Facility in Werribee, in Melbourne’s outer southwest: 17 deaths. The number of cases reached 83 on August 15 but DHHS has not provided a more recent update;
– Bupa Aged Care in Edithvale, in Melbourne’s southeast: 17 deaths. The number of cases is not known, but is fewer than 116;
READ MORE: Belt and Road map out of coronaland
David Ross 10.50am: Infected Beckhams feared they were ‘superspreaders’
The Beckhams have been revealed to have recovered from COVID-19 after partying in the US, but may have spread it to several people, including attendees of their son’s 21st birthday.
Victoria and David Beckham fear they may have been “superspreaders” after several of their bodyguards, drivers and assistants fell ill.
The power couple are understood to have sent at least two staff members who were particularly badly hit by the virus “care packages”.
The Sun reports an unnamed family source revealed the couple panicked when they realised they may have contracted and then spread the coronavirus to others.
“Victoria really panicked and made the whole family quarantine rigidly for more than two weeks,” the source said. “She was utterly petrified they might be superspreaders, and did all she could to minimise all future risk.
“Not only was she poorly in bed, she was also completely panicked. It was a rough few weeks.”
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Olivia Caisley 10.40am: Birtles ‘relieved’ to be on home soil
ABC journalist Bill Birtles, who was evacuated from China after being questioned by the country’s Ministry of State security, says he is “relieved” to be back on home soil.
Birtles arrived in Sydney on Tuesday after taking refuge at Australia’s Embassy in Beijing for four days amid a profound breakdown in trust with Australia’s biggest trading partner.
“It’s very disappointing to have to leave under these circumstances, and it’s a relief to be back in a country with genuine rule of law,” Birtles said. “This was a whirlwind and not a particularly good experience”.
The ABC reports Chinese officials arrived at Birtles’ apartment at midnight on Wednesday as he was holding farewell drinks with friends and colleagues.
He was told he was banned from leaving the country and would be questioned.
Birtles made the comments upon arriving at Sydney airport. He will now enter mandatory quarantine for two weeks.
READ MORE: Journalists smuggled out of China
Olivia Caisley 10.30am: Hunt calls for NSW tracing model in Victoria
Health Minister Greg Hunt is calling for a contact tracing model in Victoria that mirrors NSW, which is being held as the gold-standard for tracking active coronavirus cases.
Mr Hunt told Nine’s Today show on Tuesday that while Victoria was getting better at locating cases they could still take a leaf from NSW.
“We think that they have actually improved significantly. We also believe they can improve further,” Mr Hunt said. “There is a story today that they are now moving to an automated system. I think that’s tremendously important. It is what NSW has been doing.”
Mr Hunt said Australia’s Chief Scientist, Alan Finkel had been assisting Victoria with improving their contract tracing abilities.
“The ADF have been there, but if more resources are required, whether it is ADF or Services Australia, we are happy to co-ordinate with experts from other states to assist Victoria.”
READ MORE: Andrews’ road map looks like punishing trip
Rachel Baxendale 10.20am: Andrews to front media at 11am
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is due to address the media at 11am.
Mr Andrews is expected to face questions about comments from Prime Minister Scott Morrison yesterday that his road map for reopening is a “worse-case scenario” and Victoria must move “more quickly” in managing its recovery from the deadly second wave of coronavirus sparked by breaches in the Andrews government’s hotel quarantine program.
If you have coronavirus (#COVID19) symptoms:
— VicGovDHHS (@VicGovDHHS) September 7, 2020
- Do not go to work if you are a permitted worker
- Get tested at your nearest testing centre
- Call 1800 675 398 if you have questionshttps://t.co/uxdF8UWud1 pic.twitter.com/p1l5eAfwNY
The press conference also follows comments from federal health department secretary Brendan Murphy yesterday that the contact tracing system in NSW is “the exemplar” which Victoria should seek to follow, following a series of contact tracing failures in the southern state.
READ MORE: Time for Andrews to seek outside help
Charlie Peel 10.15am: Queensland records one new case in traveller
Queensland has recorded only one new case of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.
The woman, aged in her 20s, is a traveller returning from overseas and tested positive for the virus while in hotel quarantine.
Tuesday, 8 September – coronavirus cases in Queensland:
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) September 7, 2020
• 1 new confirmed case
• 25 active cases
• 1,134 total confirmed cases
• 978,869 tests conducted
Sadly, six Queenslanders with COVID-19 have died. 1,090 patients have recovered.#covid19au pic.twitter.com/sEvUxXMpBQ
The state has 25 active cases of the virus, with 7660 tests conducted in the past 24 hours.
Most active cases are related to a cluster at the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre at Wacol and the Ipswich Hospital, which has had five staff members test positive for the virus.
READ MORE: Government ‘responsible’ for stranded Aussies
Will Glasgow 8.50am: Australian journalists evacuated from China
The final two journalists working for Australian media in mainland China have been evacuated from the country.
The hasty exit from China of the ABC’s Bill Birtles and Australian Financial Review’s Michael Smith was triggered by the detainment of Beijing-based Australian journalist Cheng Lei, a popular television host on the state-controlled China Global Television Network.
The ABC is reporting both Birtles and Smith were questioned separately by China’s Ministry of State security.
It says Birtles stayed for four days in Australia’s Embassy in Beijing, while Smith took refuge in Australia’s Shanghai consulate, as diplomats negotiated their safe passage from the country.
Australian diplomats in Beijing reportedly warned Birtles he should leave China, while a similar warning was relayed to ABC Managing Director David Andersen in Sydney in relation to its correspondent.
The ABC reports Chinese officials arrived at Birtles’ apartment at midnight on Wednesday as he was holding farewell drinks with friends and colleagues, telling him he was banned from leaving the country, and would be questioned over a “national security case”.
READ the full story here
David Ross 9.30am: Superyacht border breachers allowed to stay in Queensland
Construction magnate Mark Simonds and his companions on the Lady Pamela superyacht have been freed from quarantine after being detained for breaching conditions of their travel from Melbourne.
Mr Simonds and Hannah Fox, eldest daughter of trucking magnate Peter Fox, and the crew of the Lady Pamela will be able to remain in Queensland after returning negative tests for COVID-19.
The crew had been initially allowed to travel to Queensland as long as they abided by quarantine restrictions on their journey.
However, police discovered members of the ship disembarked the ship at Eden on Wednesday, August 12, Port Stephens on Sunday, August 16, and at Yamba on Friday, August 21.
The skipper of the Lady Pamela, Greg Numa, has been charged for making a false declaration to Queensland Health and will front court on Friday.
READ MORE: Magnate probed over border breach
David Ross 8.50am: Hunt – deep concern over Andrews’ goals
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has disagreed “respectfully” with the timing and threshold put in place in Victoria to combat the coronavirus outbreak in the state.
He said a number of experts had “expressed deep concern about the achievability of the targets Victoria has put in place.”
“What’s the basis for having a 14 day and 28 day zero transmission goal? That is a very tough standard. I’m not aware of where else in the world they have that,” he told the ABC.
Mr Hunt stressed the best defence against the virus was a vaccine, noting the government had announced it had procured a potential 84.8m doses of either the University of Queensland or AstraZeneca vaccines.
“The vaccines are the ultimate protection and that will give us an achievement that is so important to the future health and prosperity of Australians and their mental health,” he said.
“And at the same time, the second defence is a strong public health and contact-tracing response and in the last thing you do, is lock people down and we think we can help Victoria achieve better results and we are offering those resources in a constructive way.”
READ MORE: Andrews’ goal too hard
Rachel Baxendale 8.45am: Victoria records 55 new cases, 8 deaths
Victoria has recorded 55 new cases of coronavirus in the 24 hours to Tuesday, and eight deaths.
#COVID19VicData for 8 September, 2020. Yesterday there were 55 new cases reported and 8 lives lost. Our thoughts are with all those affected. More information will be available later today. pic.twitter.com/GEo5Iio7vU
— VicGovDHHS (@VicGovDHHS) September 7, 2020
The eight deaths take Victoria’s coronavirus death toll to 683.
The 55 new cases are an increase on 41 new cases on Monday – the lowest daily case number since July 27 – but nevertheless see the seven day and 14 day daily averages falling steadily.
Taking into account cases which have been reclassified due to duplication in recent days, the seven day daily average is 62.3, down from 70.6 on Monday, while the 14 day daily average is 79.3, down from 79.3 on Monday.
Both are at their lowest point since early July.
In order for Melbourne to move to the second step of relaxing coronavirus restrictions by September 28, the 14-day daily average needs to reach 30-50.
This would enable public outdoor gatherings of up to five people from up to two households, the resumption of childcare, and a staged return to the classroom for Prep to Grade Two and VCE students.
For the third step, which would see Melburnians released from a stay-at-home lockdown and a curfew by October 26, the statewide 14-day daily average needs to fall below five cases, with no more than five cases with an unknown source over that entire period.
READ MORE: Andrews ‘killing golden goose’
David Ross 8.30am: O’Brien canes ‘sledgehammer approach’
Victorian Liberal opposition leader Michael O’Brien has branded Victoria’s plans for a slow exit from lockdown “a sledgehammer approach” and accused the Andrews government of taking “one size fits all” standard for Melbourne and the regions.
Mr O’Brien said there were over 30 local government areas in Melbourne which had no COVID cases but were suffering the same restrictions as viral epicentres.
He said the government had failed to strike the right balance in locking down against the virus which would cost jobs and growth and was undermined by an inconsistent approach to what activities were prohibited.
“There are ridiculous anomalies, mainly impacting small business, that I would sweep away,” he said.
“Our people just want to get back to work and a more sensible tailored data driven approach.”
He called on the government to boost support for employers, saying that sole traders had been neglected in all relief measures.
“As Victorian opposition leader I would like to see as much support as possible from both state and federal for Victorian jobs,” he said.
READ MORE: Victoria reminds me of Poland 1981
David Ross 7.00am: Fears of new UK wave, daily tally more than 3000
There are fears of a new wave of the coronavirus in the UK, where cases have reached over 3000 for a third day in the largest rise in infections since May.
Testing facilities are struggling to cope with demand as young people appear to drive the latest wave of infections, with deaths not yet spiking alongside surging cases.
Globally, cases of COVID-19 have topped 27.2m as India has now taken the ignominious spot of second largest numbers of viral cases in the world.
Infections in the United States stand at 6.29m with 189,114 deaths confirmed resulting from the coronavirus outbreak.
Daily deaths and case growth in the United States is tracking below its peak in July, but a projection from the University of Washington suggests that if 95 per cent of Americans were to wear masks potential deaths could be reduced from a possible 400,000 to 286,000 by the end of the year.
India has overtaken Brazil as the country with the second highest number of COVID-19 cases as infections within the world’s most populous country threaten to explode.
Almost 19,000 cases were confirmed in the last day, taking new cases over 4.2m which may lead it to become the worst affected country by COVID-19 in the coming weeks.
Over 71,000 Indians have died of COVID-19.
Indonesia recorded 2880 new COVID cases on Monday, while deaths in the country passed 8130, leaving it the worst affected country in South East Asia.
READ MORE: Doco’s ‘iso-crazy’ ways of dealing with virus
David Ross 6.30am: School reopens after false positive
Lidcombe public school in Sydney’s west will reopen today after a COVID-19 test was later found to be a false positive.
Staff and students at the school who had been identified as close contacts and told they would have to self isolate are now free to return to work and school.
Always remember:
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) September 7, 2020
> Keep 1.5m apart.
> Practise good hand hygiene.
> Stay home and get tested immediately if unwell.
> Wear a mask if unable to physically distance.
For more information on when to wear a mask visit:https://t.co/qQYmLot6mj pic.twitter.com/15Pa3NIzdJ
The NSW Department of Education has apologised for “any inconvenience or distress” the response to the false positive case “may have caused”.
“We remind you that, if you have been tested for COVID-19 and are currently awaiting a test result, please remain in isolation until you receive a negative result,” they said in a statement.
This comes as a COVID-19 cluster at Ipswich hospital in Queensland has grown, with a fifth healthcare worker testing positive.
The woman in her 30s was one of two additional viral cases announced late on Monday, taking Queensland’s active case total to 25.
The growing cluster of COVID-19 cases can be traced to an outbreak sparked in workers treating viral cases.
READ MORE: Alarm over regional learning lag
Simon Benson 6.00am: PM warns: Your mess, you pay for it
Scott Morrison has accused the Andrews government of sentencing Victorians to a lockdown longer than necessary due to inadequate contact tracing, warning the state would have to compensate businesses and workers for the extended economic crisis.
The Prime Minister, in condemning Daniel Andrews’s recovery road map, announced that commonwealth health officials would forensically review the plan to examine whether the prolonged restrictions were justified.
Mr Morrison’s comments came as companies and employer groups accused the Victorian Premier of hiding behind secret modelling to defend its lockdowns that would devastate businesses across the state.
John Gandel, the billionaire co-owner of the sprawling Chadstone shopping centre, said the strategy “has bought absolutely no certainty to the whole situation”.
And Flight Centre co-founder Geoff Harris said things would “definitely get worse in the first six months of next year when government subsidies run out and banks want their debts paid and everyday punters have to start repaying their mortgages”.
“If you’re a business owner wanting to invest in Victoria, will you deploy your capital here, interstate or internationally?” he said. “I really think this is killing the goose that laid the golden egg that is business in Victoria, which pays the taxes that help fund the health sector.”
READ the full story here
Sarah Elks 5.45am: Queensland Labor has $4bn war chest
The Queensland Labor government will fight the October 31 election armed with a $4bn debt-funded war chest to splash cash across the state and insisting its closed borders have strengthened the struggling economy.
Treasurer Cameron Dick on Monday confirmed the Queensland government’s total debt would hit nearly $102bn by the middle of next year, $18bn higher than forecast in December before the COVID-19 pandemic.
General government sector debt has surged more than $1.5bn in just six weeks.
Delivering a fiscal update after cancelling the budget, Mr Dick defended the state’s hard border closure, releasing a Treasury analysis that estimated a “Victorian-style” stage-four lockdown in Queensland would cost the economy a further $3.1bn a month.
“Keeping the borders strong has had a good impact on our economy — yes, there’s a long way to go … unemployment will still be 8 per cent in the June quarter of next year,” Mr Dick said.
READ the full story here
Rachel Baxendale 5.30am: Health chief backs data on ‘gold standard’ NSW
Federal Health Department secretary Brendan Murphy has described NSW as “the exemplar” for coronavirus contact tracing, as Victoria faces pressure over failures that exacerbated the state’s second wave of the virus.
Analysis of data from the two states with the highest COVID-19 caseloads shows Victoria’s health department has been able to identify the source of infection for 78 per cent of the its almost 20,000 coronavirus cases, compared with a 90 per cent success rate in NSW from almost 4000 cases.
Premier Daniel Andrews defended his state’s record on Monday, arguing the size of the second wave — which was sparked by breaches in his government’s hotel quarantine program — had made the task for contact tracers in Victoria more difficult than that faced by interstate counterparts. Prime Minister Scott Morrison, meanwhile, said Victoria must work towards reaching the “gold standard” achieved by NSW in order to “move in a more confident way” than the Andrews government’s reopening road map.
Under that plan, Melburnians will be confined to their homes and living under curfew for at least the next seven weeks, and able to move out of stay-at-home lockdown by October 26 only if cases reach an average of fewer than five cases and a total of fewer than five cases with an unknown source in the preceding 14 days.
READ the full story here
Employers failing to monitor prevalence of sexual harassment
New Workplace Gender Equality Agency data shows that more than a quarter of Australian employers are failing to monitor the prevalence of sexual harassment within their workplace.
EV politics reflects city-regions divide
Electric vehicles have had highest take-up in Greens, teal independent, and Labor-held inner-city electorates, raising questions about how the major parties would position themselves to woo suburban voters.