Coronavirus Australia live news: Daniel Andrews stands by ‘clueless’ health minister Jenny Mikakos
Premier Daniel Andrews backs Jenny Mikakos as union representing tens of thousands of aged care, disability and hospital workers demands she resign.
- Andrews stands by ‘clueless’ Mikakos
- Victoria ordered to release curfew advice
- Feds ‘at war with Qld’ over Covid
- Victoria records 12 cases, 2 deaths
- UK daily cases jump to 6000
- PM’s plea to Andrews to accept soldiers
Welcome to The Australian’s rolling coverage of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Daniel Andrews is standing by his health minister as union representing tens of thousands of low-paid aged care, disability and hospital workers demands she resign. The Andrews government has been ordered to release secret advice it got before imposing its second strict curfew. Qld’s Deputy Premier claims the federal government is waging war with his state, amid an extraordinary attack that also targeted federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. Victoria’s numbers have dropped to 12 cases with 2 deaths. Scott Morrison personally appealed to Daniel Andrews to accept an offer of 1000 Australian Defence Force personnel in July.
Patrick Commins 10.35pm: Budget repair jettisoned for jobs
Josh Frydenberg will prioritise jobs growth until unemployment is “comfortably” below 6 per cent, putting off budget repair for years in a major shift in the government’s fiscal strategy.
The Treasurer, in a speech to the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said “only through repairing the economy can we repair the budget”.
Mr Frydenberg’s comments were a significant change to the Coalition’s budget rhetoric of hitting surplus and driving down debt. He said the “recalibrated” strategy recognised the
The economy will be “persistently smaller” than forecast in December’s mid-year budget update as a result of the worst recession since the 1930s, Mr Frydenberg said. “A smaller economy, with lower price and wage growth, will generate less income for the government over the medium term,” he said.
Glynis Traill-Nash 10.05pm: Putting the catwalk at centre stage
While London Fashion Week was a largely digital affair, Milan is putting the catwalk back at the heart of fashion.
And if you’re going to stand tall and bring the glamour back to an industry cowering from COVID-19, who better than Dolce & Gabbana to lead?
Designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana presented their Spring/Summer 2021 collection at their favourite theatre venue in the city, this time plastered in colourful patchwork squares, soon to be found in the collection itself.
Dubbed #DGSicilianPatchwork, the cheerful collection seemed determined to be an optimistic forecast to follow the gloom of 2020.
“Given our long experience being inspired by Sicily, we wanted to tell of all that you can find on an island like this, the different cultures that dominated, from the Spanish to the Arabs, the Normans,” said Sicilian native Dolce via video message.
Added Gabbana: “We’ve treasured everything they brought to us. And we put it all together.”
The designers put their all into a huge range of almost 100 looks, which were the embodiment of everything the duo has come to represent: high glamour, beautiful craftsmanship and Italian dolce vita.
Tessa Akerman 9.35pm: Security organised via social network
WhatsApp messages between senior Victorian bureaucrats have revealed the chaos in which security companies to handle the hotel quarantine program were chosen, with officials using Linked¬In to contact executives at the firms despite contact inform¬ation being available on an internal government website.
The messages show the thought processes behind¬ choosing¬ security companies for the bungled hotel quarantine program, including difficulty in contacting senior executives from MSS.
“They‘re in LinkedIn but you need premium,” one bureaucrat wrote.
“Looks like you can try premium for free to send messages,” was one response. Another asked: “How much is premium? Is it useful if I upgrade?”
AFP 9.05pm: Fears over seven EU countries
Seven EU countries — Spain, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Czech Republic and Malta — are of “high concern” due to rising Covid-19 death rates, the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention warned on Thursday.
The Stockholm-based EU agency’s latest assessment report said these countries had “an increased proportion of hospitalised and severe cases”, and “increasing or high death notification rates are already observed ... or may be observed soon,” owing to a spread among older people.
READ MORE: Labor’s gas stance ‘an insult to workers’
AFP 8.35pm: German minister in quarantine
A second German cabinet minister has gone into quarantine after being exposed to a person infected with the coronavirus, amid a rise in cases in the country.
Economy Minister Peter Altmaier, who hosted a gathering of EU trade ministers on Monday, tweeted that “an employee of a minister present at the meeting in Berlin tested positive for corona”.
“As a precautionary measure, I went into quarantine at home,” he tweeted on Thursday.
Mr Altmaier added that a first COVID-19 test had come back negative and that he was doing well.
It comes after Foreign Minister Heiko Maas self-isolated on Wednesday after one of his security staff tested positive.
Mr Maas also returned a negative test.
At the height of the pandemic in March, Chancellor Angela Merkel quarantined for 14 days after seeing a doctor who tested positive for the coronavirus, but all of her subsequent tests came back negative.
READ MORE: ABC tweet outrages ‘boring’ SA
Rosie Lewis 8.05pm: 20,000 seats go empty as Aussies struggle to return
International flights arrive in Australia with 20,000 empty seats each week as nearly 27,000 stranded Aussies try to return home, but the country’s top diplomat says the federal government’s ability to repatriate more people is limited.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade secretary Frances Adamson said 26,800 Australians had registered as wanting to come home, with 4000 of them classified as “vulnerable” people.
The top five locations for Australians overseas are India, Britain, the Philippines, Thailand and South Africa.
“There’s a limit to what we can do at the moment until a greater number of (hotel) quarantine places open up,” Ms Adamson told federal parliament’s inquiry into the government’s COVID-19 response on Thursday.
“We are absolutely at the ready to take advantage of every single place if we can do that.”
Geoff Chambers 7.25pm: Push to adopt NZ economic ‘wellbeing’ plan
Jim Chalmers has backed a new National Federation Commission to support the adoption of New Zealand’s “wellbeing” economic framework and lift Australians out of poverty.
The opposition treasury spokesman said on the back of the national cabinet, federation reform must be implemented to help “better measure what matters”.
Delivering a speech at the launch of Everald Compton’s Dinner with the Founding Fathers book in Brisbane on Thursday night, Mr Chalmers said a Commission could support “steps towards a wellbeing framework like New Zealand’s”.
“In doing so the Commission could act as a bridge between different government levels, to better align funding and service delivery by measuring local outcomes and advising on how governments can work together,” Mr Chalmers said.
“This would allow us to undertake more effective place-based interventions to target social mobility in concentrated communities of disadvantage.
“Federation reform matters but only if it’s a prompt to better measure progress, identify what policies are working, which are failing, and correct them before we leave communities behind.”
AFP 7.05pm: Cases spike in Moscow
New coronavirus cases in Moscow on Thursday reached the highest level since late June, raising fears of a new wave of cases in the world’s fourth-most-affected country.
The caseload increase had remained relatively stable in the capital at around 700 per day for several months, but the numbers began to climb again from September 15.
On Thursday, the capital recorded 1050 new cases, the highest figure since June 23.
Russia as a whole confirmed 6595 new cases, the highest figure since July 12. The government virus website said 24 per cent had no clinical symptoms.
The highest numbers of new cases are in Moscow, its surrounding region and the second largest city of Saint Petersburg.
Russia’s total number of recorded cases reached 1,128,836 on Thursday with a death toll of 19,948.
READ MORE: Andrews stands by ‘clueless’ health minister
Rachel Baxendale 6.32pm: ‘Avalanche of amnesia, cavalcade of cluelessness’ at inquiry
Victorian Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien has accused Health Minister Jenny Mikakos and her colleagues of subjecting Victorians to an “an avalanche of amnesia, and a cavalcade of cluelessness” in their failure to answer questions at the hotel quarantine inquiry.
“Victorians deserve the truth, and I haven’t got it from the Health Minister or any of the ministers,” Mr O’Brien said.
“The Health Minister talks today about ‘too many cooks spoiling the broth’.
“Well this is a broth that has killed 750 Victorians, that has shut thousands of businesses, and cost hundreds of thousands of Victorians their jobs.
“We deserve answers on this, and clearly, the Minister is not up to providing them.
“This is just a protection racket that every Labor MP, every Labor minister is running for each other.
“This is the worst public policy failure in this state’s history. All we want is the truth and Labor ministers won’t even give us that.
“When you see the Health Workers’ Union demanding the Minister for Health be sacked, it tells you that Victorians have lost confidence in her.”
‘Give us a pathway back to work’
Mr O’Brien accused Premier Daniel Andrews of giving Victorians “spin” ahead of an announcement about the next step of relaxing restrictions due on Sunday, rather than any genuine path to reopening.
“He’s dangling a carrot in front of Victorians, saying, ‘well Sunday I might be able to give you a bit more’,” the Liberal leader said.
“The fact is that other states have got low case numbers as well, and they’re open safely with COVID-safe work plans.
“There’s no reason Victoria shouldn’t and can’t be doing the same thing.
“New South Wales has had more than 10 cases day on average in July and August, and yet they are able to reopen safely.”
Mr O’Brien also pointed to “anomalies” in Victoria’s current restrictions.
“Council gardeners can go and mow a council lawn, but Jim’s Mowing can’t go and mow a pensioner’s front lawn,” he said.
“Two people can go for a jog around the park if they’re within 5km’s of each other, but if one of those people is a personal trainer, then they’re breaking the law.
“This stuff just makes no sense, so what we’re calling for is sensible rules, get rid of these anomalies, and let’s have COVID-safe options so that we can open safely.
“No one’s calling for open slather, no one’s calling for every restriction to be abolished, but we are saying there’s a way we can speed things up, get things done sooner and safer and get Victoria back to work.”
‘Curfew should go now’
Referring to Supreme Court action brought by Liberal Party member and Mornington Peninsula business owner Michelle Loielo, challenging the Andrews government’s 9pm to 5am curfew, Mr O’Brien called for the measure to be scrapped immediately.
“We believe the curfew has been illegally imposed on Victorians,” he said.
“That is why we are supporting this litigation in the Supreme Court.”
Mr O’Brien welcomed Justice Timothy Ginnane’s ruling on Thursday morning that the government could not use public interest immunity to withhold data used as the basis for imposing the measure.
“Notwithstanding the government’s attempt to hide documents and claim privilege, we’re very pleased to see that this morning the court ruled some of those documents should be released to the plaintiff,” he said.
“The curfew was never about public health. That’s why the CHO didn’t recommend it.
“The curfew was never about public safety. That’s why the Chief Commissioner of Police never recommended it.
“The curfew was all about Daniel Andrews just wanting to control Victorians. He lost control of the virus, so his answer was to try and control Victorians instead. The curfew should absolutely go.”
Mr O’Brien said any move by Mr Andrews to scrap the curfew on Sunday ahead of legal proceedings on Monday would be viewed cynically by Victorians.
“I think if Andrews pulls the plug on the curfew on Sunday, just when this matter’s about to go to court, I think Victorians will be very cynical that this is a Premier who didn’t want to be exposed as having acted illegally, and effectively locking Victorians up under an illegal curfew,” he said.
Premier ‘has to tell the truth tomorrow’
Ahead of the Premier’s appearance at the hotel quarantine inquiry at 2:15pm on Friday afternoon, Mr O’Brien said Mr Andrews needed to be held to his claim that “the buck stops with him”.
“That buck means he has to tell the truth tomorrow,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Why Premier, did we decide to choose to use private security guards, instead of Australian Defence Force people for hotel quarantine?
“Hotel quarantine is what has given Victoria the second wave, it’s what’s given us the deaths, the business closures and the loss of jobs. ‘
“The Premier’s ultimately responsible for the decisions that his government makes, and all we want him to do tomorrow is tell the truth.
“Why Premier, did you and your government choose to set us on the path to a second wave, when no other state did that?”
READ MORE: Treasurer commits to years of spending
David Penberthy 6.11pm: As SA borders open, ABC tweet sparks outrage
A Sydney-based ABC news editor has been labelled a dill, desperately unfunny and “the ultimate Ultimo wanker” after he used South Australia’s decision to open its border with NSW to issue a bogus health warning that people “may die of boredom” if they travelled to SA.
The criticism even came from former senior ABC figures in South Australia, who described NSW digital editor Riley Stuart’s tweeted gag as typical of the public broadcaster’s Sydney and Melbourne-centric view of the nation.
#BREAKING NSW residents warned not to travel to Adelaide when SA border opens tonight as they “may die of boredomâ€
— Riley Stuart (@RileyStuart1) September 23, 2020
Rachel Baxendale 5.00pm: Active Victorian aged care cases down by ten
There are 274 active cases of coronavirus linked to Victorian aged care facilities as of Thursday — 10 fewer than on Wednesday — despite five of Thursday’s 12 new cases being linked to aged care.
As of Thursday there have been 614 coronavirus deaths linked to aged care facilities in Victoria, including both deaths reported in the 24 hours to Thursday.
The 10 active aged care outbreaks with the highest cumulative total numbers of cases as of Thursday and deaths as of September 8 (the most recent date for which data is available) are:
— 256 cases and 18 deaths linked to BaptCare Wyndham Lodge Community in Werribee, in Melbourne’s outer southwest;
— 219 cases and 35 deaths linked to Epping Gardens in Epping, in Melbourne’s north;
— 140 cases and 20 deaths linked to Kirkbrae Presbyterian Homes in Kilsyth, in Melbourne’s outer east;
— 131 cases and 11 deaths linked to BlueCross Ruckers Hill in Northcote, in Melbourne’s inner north;
— 127 cases and 20 deaths linked to Twin Parks in Reservoir, in Melbourne’s north (a decrease of one cases since Wednesday - presumably due to a reclassification);
— 124 cases and eight deaths linked to Cumberland Manor in Sunshine North, in Melbourne’s west;
— 122 cases and 17 deaths linked to Japara Goonawarra in Sunbury, in Melbourne’s outer northwest;
— 121 cases and 10 deaths linked to Estia in Heidelberg, in Melbourne’s northeast;
— 108 cases and 23 deaths linked to Glendale in Werribee, in Melbourne’s outer southwest;
— 108 cases and 17 deaths linked to Kalyna in Delahey, in Melbourne’s outer northwest;
The following two large aged care clusters no longer have active cases:
— 216 cases and 44 deaths linked to St Basil’s Homes for the Aged in Fawkner, in Melbourne’s north;
166 cases and 17 deaths linked to Estia Aged Care Facility in Ardeer, in Melbourne’s west;’
Non-aged care outbreaks with the highest numbers of active cases on Thursday include:
18 active cases linked to the Casey community outbreak involving at least seven households in Melbourne’s outer southeast, down from 19 active cases on Wednesday despite one new case (total cases: 44 — up from 43 on Wednesday);
16 active cases linked to Footscray Hospital in Melbourne’s inner west, up from 12 cases on Wednesday (total cases: 19 — an increase of one since Wednesday). It is understood the increase in active cases may relate to a reclassification;
10 active cases linked to The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne’s inner southeast - the same number as Wednesday (total cases: 11);
READ MORE: Qantas ‘wrongly used’ JobKeeper: court
Rachel Baxendale 4.07pm: Vic by the numbers: 18,738 have recovered from virus
Of 20,105 people who have had coronavirus in Victoria since the pandemic began, 18,738 have recovered — an increase of 25 since Wednesday.
Of 532 active cases in Victoria on Thursday, 517 are in people in metropolitan Melbourne, 10 are in people from regional Victoria, and five are from unknown locations or subject to further investigation.
Of the total number of cases since the pandemic began, 18,713 have been in people from Melbourne, while 1192 have been in those from regional Victoria.
There have been 9586 cases in men and 10,506 in women.
The total number of cases in health workers has increased by four since Wednesday, to 3514, and the number of active cases in health workers increased by 10 to 83.
The Australian has contacted DHHS to check whether this is due to a reclassification, or whether an error has been made.
There are four cases linked to residential disability accommodation - all of them in staff. This number has remained the same since Monday.
Rachel Baxendale 4.00pm: Vic by the numbers: 12 new cases, four under investigation
Of Victoria’s 12 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, eight have been linked to outbreaks, while four remain under investigation.
Of those eight, five have been linked to outbreaks across the following aged care facilities:
- Estia Keilor, in Melbourne’s northwest. This facility was also linked to new cases on Tuesday and Wednesday. As of September 8, this facility had been linked to nine cases. It is understood this cluster began when a resident returned from being treated for an unrelated condition at Footscray Hospital, having contracted coronavirus;
- Edenvale Manor in East Keilor, in Melbourne’s northwest. This facility was also linked to new cases on Wednesday, which was the first time DHHS has publicly mentioned the cluster;
- Princeton View in Brighton East in Melbourne’s bayside southeast. This facility was also linked to new cases on Tuesday. As of September 8, it had been linked to 66 cases and four deaths;
One of Thursday’s new cases has been linked to a cluster which extends across at least seven households in Casey, in Melbourne’s outer southeast. As of Thursday there have been 44 cases linked to this cluster, 18 of which remain active.
DHHS says the remaining two cases linked to outbreaks are “linked to complex cases which remain under investigation”.
No further information has been provided regarding these “complex cases”.
The following Melbourne local government areas have new cases on Wednesday:
— Brimbank (west): 2
— Moonee Valley (northwest): 2
— Casey (outer southeast): 1
— Hume (outer north): 1
— Melton (outer northwest): 1
— Monash (southeast): 1
- Wyndham (outer southwest): 1
The residential address of three of the 12 cases is “subject to further investigation”, DHHS said.
READ MORE: NSW relaxes virus restrictions
Rachel Baxendale 3.45pm: Sole Trader Support Fund fail: no website running
The website set up by the Andrews government to enable Victorian sole traders whose businesses have been crippled by the state’s coronavirus restrictions to apply for $3000 grants is still not up and running, despite assurances from the Premier that it would be working on Thursday.
Asked about the delay at his 10:30am press conference, Mr Andrews said: “I will double check for you why that’s the case, and if there’s anything I can do to hurry that up, I will.”
But shortly before 4pm, the website was still advising applicants to “subscribe to the Business Victoria update” to “be informed when applications open”.
READ MORE: Higher growth will fix deficits: Treasurer
Rachel Baxendale 3.32pm: Premier presses PM on JobKeeper for Victorians
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says he has “made it clear” to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his government “would always want more support rather than less” for Victorians, ahead of a planned reduction to the federal government’s JobKeeper payment.
The $1500 payment is set to be reduced to $1200 from Monday Australia-wide, despite Victorians still facing stay-at-home coronavirus restrictions until at least October 26, as the state emerges from a second wave of infections sparked by breaches in the Andrews government’s hotel quarantine program.
“I’ve had a conversation with the Prime Minister about this matter and I’ve made it clear to him that we would always want more support rather than less, but those are matters for him and he can speak to the changes that are being made,” Mr Andrews said.
“I did ask for, slightly different, but not an unrelated matter, in relation to business, and indeed to a certain extent workers, that hardship payments that we paid shouldn’t be taxed by the Commonwealth, and I’m very confident that that’s exactly what will happen.”
“So we have a positive discussion about the things that we need to talk about, but that doesn’t mean we necessarily agree on every matter, but I’m not interested in having a quarrel about it.”
Mr Andrews said he understood “hardship” would motivate federal government policy with regard to coronavirus payments.
“There is a federal budget quite soon, and whilst the federal Treasurer has not shared with me the contents of that budget, there’s a fair bit of commentary in the media about that being a really significant program of investment, and the best thing that I can do and the best thing I’d argue that we can all do is to get these numbers down, get business back open, get people back to work, into their job.
“That’s the ultimate fix to JobKeeper I suppose.”
READ MORE: Banks bracing for tsunami of defaults
Rachel Baxendale 3.22pm: Provisions for Andrews’ ‘Crisis Council’ to be extended
Daniel Andrews says provisions governing his “Crisis Council of Cabinet” will be extended past their current expiry date of September 30.
The Victorian Premier announced the establishment of the all-powerful group on April 3, saying it was necessary to have a “core decision making forum for the Victorian government on all matters related to the coronavirus emergency, including implementing the outcomes
of the national cabinet.”
“It will operate initially until 30 September 2020 and will then be reviewed,” Mr Andrews said.
The Premier acts as chair of the group, with Deputy Premier and Education Minister James Merlino, Treasurer Tim Pallas, Transport Minister Jacinta Allan, Health Minister Jenny Mikakos, Attorney-General Jill Hennessy, Jobs Minister Martin Pakula and Police and Emergency Management Minister Lisa Neville all responsible for the pandemic response within their portfolios.
“I think that those arrangements will be extended for a period of time, based on the fact that we’re albeit in the back end of a second wave,” Mr Andrews said when asked on Thursday whether the CCC provisions would be extended.
“They’re there as a result of the unique circumstances we face, and there will be a time when those arrangements will no longer be fit for purpose, and we will go back to the normal business of cabinet.
“There’s already been some changes that have been made beyond that in terms of different Cabinet working groups, noting the challenge that we face at the moment, particularly in relation to the preparation of the budget and a big plan for investment and confidence and jobs, I suppose would be the best way to term it.”
READ MORE: What the revamped Tokyo Games could look like
Rachel Baxendale 3.15pm: Andrews stands by ‘clueless’ Mikakos
Daniel Andrews has stood by his health minister Jenny Mikakos, after the union representing tens of thousands of low-paid aged care, disability and hospital workers wrote to him demanding her resignation.
In a letter sent to the Premier on Wednesday, Health Workers’ Union boss Diana Asmar described Ms Mikakos as “clueless”, accused her of “breathtaking incompetence” and claimed that in all of the union’s dealings with Ms Mikakos since she took on her role in 2018, “not once has she displayed even a basic understanding of her portfolio”.
Our "Labor" Health Minister doesn't understand the basics of her portfolio or Labor values. Plans to outsource hospital cleaning to the cheapest, nastiest private operators in the middle of a pandemic are irresponsible and clueless. She must go. Letter to Premier 👇#springst pic.twitter.com/50nJBNw20e
— Health Workers Union (@Health_Workers) September 23, 2020
Asked whether Ms Mikakos lacked basic competence and an understanding of her portfolio, Mr Andrews said: “No”.
“(The union) are entitled to a view, they’ve put that view in fairly colourful terms,” the Premier said.
“What I’m focused on and what I’m happy to commit to today is the Chief Medical Officer, the Chief Health Officer, others, they meet regularly as I understand it, weekly in fact, with all health unions. That’s a very important part of their job.
“The Minister attends, not necessarily every one of those meetings but has attended many of those meetings.
“If there’s issues that that group in the community and particularly the health sector want addressed, then we are more than happy to sit down and work through those issues.”
Asked whether he had confidence in Ms Mikakos’s ability to continue in her role, Mr Andrews said: “I have confidence in all my ministers, otherwise they wouldn’t be my ministers.”
Asked whether he was concerned that the union representing workers on the front line of Victoria’s coronavirus pandemic was calling for his health minister to resign, Mr Andrews said he was “very supportive” of the health workforce.
“I have had the great fortune in my public life of meeting many, many members, not just of the clinical community, but those who support them and I’m sure you have heard me say on many occasions that health services are delivered by teams of people and every member of that team, regardless of the role they play, is a very important part of the team,” said Mr Andrews, who served as health minister from 2007 to 2010, and parliamentary secretary for health from 2002 to 2006.
“I’ve got nothing but respect for those workers. Others can form different views about some of these matters.
“My position is very clear. If there’s an issue that needs raising, if there’s an issue that needs to be talked about and resolved, then I’m happy to confirm for you that there’s a regular process, all health unions are engaged in that, and that’s exactly as it should be.
“If there’s any specific issues that need raising, that need to be addressed, then I’m very confident that the officials I’ve mentioned, and indeed many more, are focused on those things, and not as a function of me saying it from this podium, they’ve been focused on those issues for months and months.”
Asked whether he would have taken the same approach as Ms Mikakos when he was health minister, Mr Andrews said: “I don’t need to draw comparisons.”
“You can draw those if you choose to, but it is a very challenging job. It’s a very, very challenging job at any time, and I think that every member of the team is doing the very best that they can.
“I’m not going stand here and do comparisons between my time as health minister and the current time because in some respects you can’t compare them.
“That’s the nature of a one-in-100-year event. It would be rather self-serving too I would have thought, and I’m not really into that.”
READ MORE: Mikakos: I don’t know who made decision either
Rachel Baxendale 3.05pm: Andrews ‘confident’ ministers taking proper responsibility
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says he is confident that all his ministers are taking proper responsibility for their portfolios, despite none of them being able to tell the hotel quarantine inquiry who within the government was responsible for the bungled hotel quarantine scheme.
Breaches in hotel quarantine sparked Victoria’s second wave of coronavirus, which has so far claimed the lives of more than 750 people, shut down entire industries, and had Melburnians living under varying degrees of stay-at-home lockdown since July 7.
“All ministers are fully aware of the accountability for those matters that go on within the portfolio,” Mr Andrews said when asked by The Australian what ministerial responsibility meant to him, and whether he was confident his ministers were taking appropriate responsibility for their portfolios.
“That’s a well understood concept and I would be very confident that everyone in the government fully understands it.”
Mr Andrews is due to appear as the inquiry’s final witness at 2.15pm on Friday.
Asked whether he would be disappointed if the inquiry concludes without establishing who was responsible for key decisions, Mr Andrews said: “I think it is very difficult for me to be predicting what the outcome might be, and by necessity, the question, which you’re entitled to ask, really calls for me to predict what the outcome will be.”
“That process is not finished, and I will wait, and I would ask that we all wait, to see that final report,” Mr Andrews said.
Retired judge Jennifer Coate is due to hand down her final report on November 6.
Asked whether he had been surprised by any evidence presented so far, Mr Andrews said: “Look, I am appearing tomorrow and I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to be providing a narrative.”
“There’ll be a time for me to do that, and I will do so in my typically clear and frank way, but I do not think that it’s appropriate to do that now.
“The evidence must first be considered by the inquiry and they must draw whatever conclusions they believe are appropriate, and me being a commentator on that evidence, I don’t think is helpful, or in my judgment is appropriate.
“What I would say though, clearly mistakes have been made in this program. There is no denying that. That’s why the inquiry has been set up and I think we should allow the inquiry to do its work rather than presupposing where they will or won’t get to.”
Asked whether he expected Victorians to receive an answer to the question of whose idea employing private security guards in hotel quarantine had been, Mr Andrews said: “My only expectation tomorrow is to answer all of the questions that are put to me.”
“That is what I’ll do. As to what I’m asked, that’s not a matter for me. That’ll be a matter for the Counsel Assisting,” Mr Andrews said.
READ MORE: Qantas gets creative with jumbo bar sale
Patrick Commins 2.10pm: Treasurer commits to years of spending
Josh Frydenberg says budget repair has been postponed until the unemployment rate is ‘comfortably’ below 6 per cent. Read more here
David Ross 1.55pm: SA Premier apologises for AFL error
South Australian premier Steven Marshall has fronted the media to apologise after 11 relatives of Port Adelaide AFL players were incorrectly allowed into the state from Victoria.
The muck-up came after the family members were granted exemptions by an SA Health exemption committee member.
Premier Marshall called the action of the official “hugely disappointing”.
“We are taking action. I think there would be a problem if there was undue process but there is no suggestion of that,” he said.
“This wasn’t an error from the football club, or the parents, it was an error of judgment from the person doing the approvals in SA Health.
“The restrictions that have been put in place are a heavy burden on people, they naturally want to see an exemption.”
SA Health chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier said she was “upset” by the news the families of AFL players had gained exceptions to border restrictions.
“I moved very quickly to revoke the other three exemptions before we had anyone else travelling from Victoria inappropriately. I am very keen to have this review of our exemption process, the way that we set up our panel and the appeals process. Because it was entirely inappropriate to give exemptions under those circumstances at this time,” she said.
READ MORE: Tough rules if Olympics go ahead
Remy Varga 1.10pm: Health Minister got updates via media
Victoria’s Health Minister Jenny Mikakos says she was disappointed that concerns with the hotel quarantine program raised by senior health officials, including Professor Sutton, and she first learnt of them through the media and the inquiry.
“I’m very disappointed they weren’t raised with me … I have become aware of these issues by virtue of them being reported in the media.”
She said she could not recall whether Ms Peake had briefed her on a Safer Care review into the apparent suicide of a guest at the Pan Pacific Hotel in April.
“In fact that did surprise me,” she said.
READ MORE: Latest from the hotel quarantine inquiry
Remy Varga 12.55pm: Mikakos ‘didn’t know’ about security call
Victoria’s Health Minister says she didn’t become aware of the use of private security guards until Rydges hotel outbreak in May. Read more here
Rosie Lewis 12.25pm: ‘Abandoned’ Aussies appeal for help
Australians who have been “abandoned” overseas or have loved ones who cannot get home have told federal parliament of their ordeals and appealed to the federal and state governments to lift hotel quarantine caps or consider using electric wristbands to monitor people quarantining at home.
Peta Stoyanovich’s husband Luke and mother-in-law Stanika are stuck in Serbia after her father-in-law died there in July.
Ms Stoyanovich lost her job as a function co-ordinator and said Mr Stoyanovich was the family’s primary breadwinner with work commitments in Australia.
“Our livelihoods are at stake,” she said. “We too will get to the end of our financial string where we’re not going to be able to support the commitments we have, we will have to start looking at avenues of selling things we’ve worked hard for or scaling right back down.
“It could be the loss of the family home.”
Deanne Vowels, who is in the United Kingdom with her husband Paul and five children under the age of 16, told parliament’s inquiry into the Morrison government’s COVID-19 response the family was also concerned about losing their home after exhausting their savings and leave from work.
They travelled to the UK in March a day before the international travel ban was introduced for a family reunion for Mr Vowels’ parents’ 50th wedding anniversary and what was meant to be the first time he and his siblings had been together in their adult lives. The reunion did not go ahead.
The family was offered a repatriation flight home in June at a cost of $10,000 per person, or $70,000 total, but was unable to afford the costs.
They have been advised by the federal government to set up a GoFundMe page.
Margaret, whose son Gabriel is trying to get home from Malaysia and is concerned he may be placed in immigration detention after his work visa expired in July, said Australia should consider using electronic wrist bands so returning travellers could quarantine at home.
She also questioned why caravan parks or accommodation other than hotels could not be used to allow more Australians to return.
Among the eight Australians giving evidence to the committee, common themes included getting bumped off commercial flights without being told why, a lack of communication and direction from the embassies, consulates and federal government, and a feeling of abandonment.
“It’s shattering to be Australian and left behind,” Sarah Eifermann, who was able to get home from Peru earlier in the pandemic on a government-funded flight after “weeks of no correspondence, transparency and clarity” on her repatriation, said.
Many of the Australians had been in contact with opposition home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally and opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong. They have also had contact with Foreign Minister Marise Payne and other government ministers and MPs.
The latest estimates are that about 24,000 Australians are overseas and want to come home, with 4000 of them classified as vulnerable.
READ MORE: Lockdowns to ease, but not by much
David Ross 12.10pm: NSW records just one new Covid case
One new case of COVID-19 has been picked up by testing in NSW, but once again the virus was detected in a traveller in hotel quarantine.
Overseas infections continue to account for the majority of infections in NSW.
The new case takes the NSW total to 4024 and comes after 17,392 tests were carried out across the state yesterday.
NSW Health is treating 71 cases of COVID-19, including two in intensive care, with none being ventilated.
The last patient on a ventilator with COVID-19 in NSW came off on Wednesday.
NSW Health is urging state residents to be vigilant ahead of the school holidays, warning travel around the state risked seeding the virus in communities.
READ MORE: Keating launches scathing RBA attack
Tessa Akerman 12pm: Court orders curfew advice be handed over
The Victorian government has lost its bid to keep secret relevant legal advice it received before imposing a second curfew.
The advice about the curfew’s impact on the Victorian Charter of Human Rights will be handed over to a cafe owner taking Supreme Court action against the lockdown measure before a two-day hearing next week.
Liberal Party member Michelle Loielo, a single mum-of-three who runs Mornington Peninsula cafe Unica Cucina E Caffe, is suing Associate Professor Michelle Giles in her capacity as Deputy Public Health Commander.
Victoria’s curfew was put in place on August 2 to run from 8pm to 5am.
From September 14 it was loosened by Prof Giles to 9pm to 5am.
Then-deputy public health commander Michelle Giles made the second curfew order as she was authorised to exercise emergency powers during the state’s lockdown.
Ms Loielo alleges the curfew violates her right to freedom of movement, to liberty and security, not to be subject to arbitrary detention and not to be deprived of her liberty.
In her affidavit, Prof Giles said she inferred that the reduction in case numbers was due to the Stage 4 restrictions and experience with outbreak management in Victoria had reinforced for her: “how infectious this virus is, how difficult it can be to control, and the kinds of measures required to control it.”
“I believed that large numbers of Victorians may die if appropriate restrictions were not put in place, and I considered that the hardships caused by restrictions, even the extreme hardships suffered by some people, were necessary for that reason,” she said.
Prof Giles sought to claim legal privilege over documents containing legal advice covered in her affidavit.
In his ruling handed down on Thursday Justice Tim Ginnane said Prof Giles’ affidavit showed she was influenced by her assessment of the relevant Charter rights.
“The manner in which she took into account Charter rights and the effect of the curfew on those rights is directly in issue,” he said.
“The legal advices that Associate Professor Giles considered appear to have influenced her ‘state of mind’ about the making of the Directions, as that term is used in waiver of privilege cases.”
READ MORE: This is not the policy we had to have
Staff Reporters 11.30am: Victorian Premier flags easing of restrictions
Daniel Andrews says he will announce a further easing of the state’s Covid restrictions on Sunday.
Mr Andrews said the announcement would not be a day of massive steps out of lockdown for Victorians but the state was “ahead of schedule” as it eyes a path to reopening.
“I think they (health department officials) will be settled by the evening of Saturday but it will probably be a late night,” the Premier said.
Rachel Baxendale 11.20am: Positive test rate lowest since June
Victoria’s 12 new cases on Thursday come after 13,337 tests were processed in the preceding 24 hours, bringing the total number of tests processed since the pandemic began to 2,622,822.
The positive test rate for Thursday is 0.09 per cent – the lowest positive test rate since the same rate was recorded on June 19.
There have been 4267 cases in Victoria since the pandemic began for which contact tracers have been unable to establish a source of infection – a decrease of one since Wednesday.
The total number of active cases in Victoria is now 532 – a decrease of 22 since Wednesday.
This includes 10 active cases in regional Victoria – a decrease of four since Wednesday.
The number of active cases linked to aged care is now 274 – a decrease of 10 since Wednesday.
There are 83 active cases in health workers, including aged care and disability workers – an increase of 10 since Wednesday.
There are four active cases linked to residential disability accommodation – all of them in staff.
READ MORE: Record rush hits Australia Post
Yoni Bashan 11.10am: NSW eases wedding dance ban
Bridal parties of up to 20 people will be allowed onto the dancefloor at weddings, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced, flagging a further easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
Dancing was previously limited under the state’s Public Health Orders, but the Premier says this will be eased on account of the low rates of community transmission.
Those on the dancefloor will be restricted to those in the bridal party, she said.
“It’s a case of still being cautious but trying to open up opportunities, not just for the bride and groom but also the parents,” said NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard.
READ MORE: Europe in clutches of second wave
Rachel Baxendale 10.55am: Victoria’s latest deaths linked to aged care
The total number of coronavirus cases in Victoria since the pandemic began is now 20,105 – an increase of five since Wednesday following the reclassification of seven historic cases, with 12 new cases on Thursday.
Of the 12 new cases, eight have so far been linked to known outbreaks, while the remaining cases are under investigation.
Two deaths reported in the 24 hours to Thursday have taken the death toll since the pandemic began to 773.
Both of those whose deaths were most recently reported were women in their 80s, and both were aged care residents.
There have now been 614 coronavirus deaths linked to Victorian aged care facilities.
There are 67 people in Victorian hospitals with coronavirus on Thursday, including eight in intensive care, of whom six are on ventilators.
This compares with 75 in hospital on Wednesday, including eight in intensive care, of whom six were on ventilators.
READ MORE: PwC offers payment ‘thankyou’ to staff
David Ross 10.30am: Senator Keneally urges lift in quarantine caps
Labor Senator Kristina Keneally has called on the government to boost quarantine arrangements and flight caps to ensure Australians can return from overseas without being slugged thousands of dollars.
Senator Keneally said the government’s pledge to return standard Australians by Christmas was “mathematically impossible” despite the recent boost to quarantine in the states.
“There’s no guarantee that those 1500 seats are going to go to stranded Australians,” she said.
“Are we going to see more Lord Sugars and Tony Abbotts and celebrities and elites? At the beginning of this pandemic the federal government stepped up, they provided quarantine for people coming home from Wuhan and people stranded on the Diamond Princess in Japan.
“They could step up with personnel and run the Howard Springs facility outside of Darwin. There’s not a lack of space for quarantine in Australia, there’s a lack of resources from the Commonwealth to provide it.
“Donald Trump has sent out planes for Americans overseas, Scott Morrison can’t be bothered to do the same.”
READ MORE: No-deal Brexit ‘worse than Covid’
Rachel Baxendale 10.10am: Premier Andrews set to deliver update
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is due to address the media at 10:30am, alongside his Minister for Disability, Ageing, Carers and Child Protection, Luke Donnellan.
The press conference comes as Health Minister Jenny Mikakos faces the hotel quarantine inquiry, and following a letter to the Premier from Health Services Union Victorian Secretary Diana Asmar, calling on him to sack “clueless” Ms Mikakos, and accusing her of “breathtaking incompetence”.
The HSU represents thousands of Victoria’s lowest paid health workers, including those in the aged care and disability sectors.
READ MORE: Ministers seemingly in the dark
David Ross 9.50am: Victoria’s thousands of Covid breaches revealed
Victoria’s Crime Statistics Agency has reported 5474 people for breaching COVID-19 health restrictions between March and June.
Police recorded 6062 offences related to COVID-19 in the 12 months after the Victorian government created two offences as part of viral control measures earlier in the year.
Three in four offenders were male and the average age was 29.5.
Almost 1 in 5 of the offences were recorded over the Easter long weekend in April
Police recorded 662 offences in Melbourne’s CBD.
One in three offences were recorded between midnight and 6am.
Of those dealt with by police 14 per cent were in a house or apartment, while 58 per cent were walking on the footpath.
The highest rate of offences recorded and issued by Victoria Police was in the Corangamite and Colac-Otway areas.
Crime Statistics Agency chief statistician Fiona Dowsley said there had been significant impacts from COVID-19. “Pandemic impacts will carry through to future crime statistics and be the subject of further CSA analysis,” she said.
But these numbers do not capture the full extent of police efforts to control COVID-19 in Victoria, with the recent offences of breaching quarantine and failing to self isolate only being created after data reporting ended.
READ MORE: New laws to help businesses
Damon Johnston 9.40am: Quarantine worker cleared of selling booze
A hotel quarantine worker stood down after allegations surfaced that he plotted to sell alcohol at a profit to grog-dependent guests has been cleared by a government investigation, which concluded the comment was a joke.
The senior public servant was suspended last month amid complaints about problems at The Brady Hotel, which houses locals who cannot isolate after testing positive to coronavirus or are deemed to be a close contact.
“An investigation has found that there was no substance to the allegation.” a government spokesman said.
The Australian understands the investigation involved interviews with the suspended employee and a hotel quarantine manager and written submissions.
The investigation found while the staff member had made a comment about selling alcohol, it was made “as an attempt at humour”.
The Australian revealed a litany of complaints and concerns from staff last month about the operations at The Brady Hotel, including the allegations that the public servant said he was going to sell alcohol to guests.
After The Australian submitted questions about the grog allegations to the government, the public servant was suspended and an investigation was launched.
The written complaint by a staff member at the Brady stated: “(The official) suggested that he could go and purchase alcohol for guests ‘at profit’ and that he would be charging people for delivery. This did not appear to be an ethical or practical way to manage this.”
READ MORE: Surplus out, spending in
Sarah Elks 9.30am: Qld deputy delivers attack on federal government
Queensland’s Deputy Premier Steven Miles has launched an extraordinary attack on federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and the federal government, accusing Mr Frydenberg of lying and the government of being “at war” with Queensland’s COVID-19 restrictions.
Mr Miles said Mr Frydenberg wrongly alleged Queensland had not asked for the ADF to extend the deployment of troops at the state’s borders. Mr Miles released correspondence to prove that Queensland Police had made the request to the ADF, which was denied.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk also wrote to Prime Minister Scott Morrison about the issue, Mr Miles said.
“This is yet another example of a federal government minister being sent out (by the Prime Minister to attack Queensland,” Mr Miles said.
“It’s time again, for Josh Frydenberg to apologise for the statements he made. It’s time for the federal government to stop using the Australian Defence Force … as a bargaining chip in their war against our COVID-19 restrictions.
READ MORE: James Packer lays down the law
Sarah Elks 9.20am: Easing of restrictions follows 2 weeks in the clear
Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the restrictions would be lifted in Brisbane and Ipswich from 1am on Friday because it had been 14 days since an infectious person had been out and about in the Queensland community.
Dr Young said visitors would be allowed in aged care centres, and extra PPE requirements for hospitals would be relaxed.
She reiterated her advice that a decision would be made about any further changes to Queensland’s borders at the end of the month.
Sarah Elks 9.10am: Qld Deputy Premier attacks Frydenberg ‘lies’
Queensland will lift restrictions in Brisbane and surrounding areas tomorrow, after it recorded another day of zero COVID-19 cases.
The gathering limit in those places will increase from 10 to 30, and more visitors will be allowed in hospitals.
Deputy Premier and Health Minister Steven Miles disputed federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s claim that QLD did not request Defence Force troops to remain on the border for longer.
Mr Miles released correspondence between Queensland Police and the ADF, requesting for troops to remain for longer.
Mr Miles said Mr Frydenberg had been “caught out lying” and should apologise.
READ MORE: China backflips on reform
David Ross 9am: ‘Difficult choices for people on JobSeeker’
Opposition spokesperson for families and social services Linda Burney said the Labor Party was concerned the government was walking back JobKeeper support amid booming unemployment.
“The simple fact is that the government is saying that there are going to be 400,000 additional people who will be unemployed by Christmas and the social services groups and many others are saying that the reduction in the coronavirus supplement is going to mean some very difficult choices for people on JobSeeker,” she said on ABC News Breakfast.
Ms Burney said she rejected the suggestion job seekers were not taking up jobs due to economic support.
“The government has been very, very forthcoming in terms of painting people on JobSeeker as somehow sitting back and accepting money, and not pursuing jobs,” she said.
“I don’t know anyone that’s unemployed that does not want a job or doesn’t want more hours in the work that’s available.”
READ MORE: Entrepreneurs face ‘Byzantine maze’
Rachel Baxendale 8.45am: Victoria records 12 cases, 2 deaths
Victoria has recorded 12 new coronavirus cases and two deaths in the 24 hours to Thursday.
#COVID19VicData: Yesterday there were 12 new cases & the loss of 2 lives reported. Our thoughts are with all affected.
— VicGovDHHS (@VicGovDHHS) September 23, 2020
The 14 day rolling average & number of cases with unknown source are down from yesterday as we move toward COVID Normal. Info https://t.co/pcll7ySEgz #COVID19Vic pic.twitter.com/U3lRKvideW
The 12 new cases follow 15 new cases on Wednesday, as well as 11 new cases on Monday – the lowest daily case number since June 16 – with 28 new cases on Tuesday – 24 of which were spread across 11 clusters in aged care facilities.
The two deaths bring Victoria’s coronavirus death toll to 773.
All but 19 of these deaths have occurred as a result of the state’s second wave of coronavirus cases, sparked by breaches in the Andrews government’s hotel quarantine program.
Melbourne’s 14 day daily average number of new cases is now 26.7, down from 29.4 on Wednesday and 44.4 last Thursday.
This compares with a 14 day daily average of 1.1 in regional Victoria – the same number as on Wednesday.
There have been 37 cases with an unknown source of infection in metropolitan Melbourne in the most recent fortnight for which this statistic is available, compared with 41 in Tuesday’s figures.
Regional Victoria has had no cases over the same fortnight, which spans September 8 to September 21.
In order for Melbourne to move to its next step of relaxing coronavirus restrictions by next Sunday September 28, the 14-day daily average needs to be 30-50 – a threshold already surpassed.
This will 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 following 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 fewer than five cases with an unknown source over that fortnight.
READ MORE: Lawyers lash detainment bill
David Ross 8.35am: Johnson & Johnson in huge one-dose vaccine trial
American pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson is planning to manufacture 1bn doses of a COVID-19 vaccine as the company gears up for a 60,000-person trial.
The huge international study aims to test a vaccine that requires one dose, in a trial that has led senior US health officials to express optimism a vaccine can be delivered before 2021.
“We feel cautiously optimistic that we will be able to have a safe and effective vaccine, although there is never a guarantee of that,” Dr Anthony Fauci, infectious disease chief at the National Institutes of Health, told a United States senate committee on Wednesday.
The Johnson & Johnson trial is almost twice as large as the trials of the Moderna vaccine.
The AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine trial has resumed in the UK after a trial participant in the UK suffered complications but remains on hold in the United States.
By delivering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in one dose, using technology that only requires refrigerator not freezing, experts are hopeful of a faster rollout of a vaccine to more locations.
The phase 3 trials will test the vaccine on volunteers across the United States, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.
Johnson & Johnson chief scientific officer, Dr. Paul Stoffels, said the company was hopeful it could determine by the end of the year if the vaccine is effective.
If successful the company will produce the bulk of its vaccine doses across the company’s main plan in Leiden, the Netherlands, with additional manufacturing to take place third-party plants in the US, Italy and elsewhere.
The Australian government currently does not hold a deal with Johnson & Johnson to gain access to the vaccine but is understood to be in talks with the company.
READ MORE: Grim milestone as Covid marches on
David Ross 7.35am: Frydenberg lashes Keating over RBA attack
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has lashed former prime minister Paul Keating over his attack on the Reserve Bank.
Mr Keating slammed the RBA for “indolence” in failing to do enough to support Australia’s economy or provide the “mountainous sums” of money needed to fund government stimulus.
“This attack from Paul Keating was unnecessary. It was nasty. And it was misguided,” Mr Frydenberg said on Today.
“The reality is, the Reserve Bank didn’t have as much room to move on interest rates as they did in previous crisis like the GFC. What they have done is provided $75 billion of lid to quid it to the banking system. They have bought $60 billion worth of bonds in the secondary market. We have worked very closely with them.”
Mr Keating, on Wednesday, mocked the RBA’s refusal to directly finance government spending.
“The bank should be explicitly supporting the government so the country does not experience a massive fall in employment – impacting particularly on younger workers – those who have already been obliged to wipe out their superannuation savings to support themselves,” Mr Keatnig said.
“As history has shown, when a real crisis is upon us the RBA is invariably late to the party,” he said. “And so it is again.”
Mr Frydenberg said Paul Keating made the comments after he “had his nose put out of joint by the comments by the Governor of the Reserve Bank around superannuation”.
“This was a vindictive, nasty revenge attack,” he said.
READ MORE: Keating attacks RBA ‘indolence’
David Ross 7.20am: Hopes Sydney NY Eve fireworks to go ahead
Members of the City of Sydney council will meet with the New South Wales state government to discuss how the New Years fireworks can go ahead in a COVID-safe way.
The NSW government has said it was willing to foot the bill to ensure the spectacular fireworks display takes place, The Telegraph reports.
The meeting comes after Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore suggested earlier this month that it would be “too difficult” to run the event.
The current government plan would likely see the 9pm show scrapped and the midnight display shortened.
Viewing points would be controlled and attendees would need a ticket to attend.
READ MORE: Profound regret over second wave
David Ross 7.10am: Insolvency law reform ‘will strengthen dynamism’
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has said the government’s plans to reform insolvency laws for small businesses would give them more control to be able to repay their debts and restructure their business.
The move, announced today, gives 20 days to come up with a plan to trade out of insolvency and offer a deal to creditors. The creditors would then be given 15 days to vote on accepting the deal.
“This will really improve their chances of getting through but also, it will improve and strengthen the dynamism across the Australian economy,” Mr Frydenberg said on Sunrise this morning.
“We know that so many more businesses will be going through this process as a result of COVID-19. So we have taken the best features out of the United States Chapter 11 system, we have taken into account the recommendations and suggestions of the Productivity Commission as well as the small business sector.”
“The key change here is the fees, the liquidated, the fees of the insolvency practitioners, the fees of the lawyers and accountants are not going to eat away at the assets of the business, rather the business can stay in control and come out the other side.”
But the treasurer said the reduction in JobSeeker payments, which will fall from $550 to $250 tomorrow, would be met with additional support to be announced.
“Ultimately what we want to do is get those people who are currently on JobSeeker into a job, and what you will see in the budget in 2 weeks time the next stage of that job make-up plan designed to help people to get into a job,” he said.
“There will be no shortage of initiatives in the budget to help people to get off the JobSeeker payment and into a job.”
READ MORE: Free insolvency pass to save small businesses
David Ross 6.55am: Sniffer dogs to find coronavirus sufferers
Finnish airport authorities will deploy COVID-19 sniffing dogs in a bid to find viral sufferers without delay in what will be the world’s first large scale trial of the scheme.
The deployment comes after researchers at the University of Helsinki found signs dogs could detect the presence of COVID-19 in the sweat of patients.
Four dogs will be deployed to sniff our COVID-19, while another 12 have been trained and are ready to go. Six more are being coached and prepared for deployment.
Passengers will be required to give swabs of sweat from their neck and also give a standard test to cross-check the dog’s accuracy.
The development comes as Europe finds itself struck by a second wave of COVID-19 as infections and lockdowns across several countries explode.
The grim march continues as global cases of COVID-19 push on from 31.72m, while at least 973,176 have died of the virus.
But Belgium will ease its COVID-19 controls, despite the rapidly accelerating infections in the kingdom.
From October 1 close contacts of a COVID-19 case will only be required to quarantine for seven days, down from 14, and face masks will no longer be mandatory.
The quarantine timeline reduction follows France making the same move in recent days. France will impose strict lockdowns in its new viral epicentre, Marseilles, in a bid to control infections in the city.
Bars and restaurants will be closed, while events across heightened alert areas will be limited to 1000 people.
Eight cities, including Paris, are now subject to France’s second-highest infection control alerts.
French authorities reported 13,072 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, the third time in the last week daily cases have been above 13,000.
Total French cases now stand at least 508,322.
Spain is also grappling with a new wave of COVID-19, having called in the troops to enforce lockdowns in the capital Madrid.
Authorities are now requesting foreign doctors and police assist the country as thousands of new cases are being diagnosed.
Madrid’s deputy head of regional government called for another 300 doctors and 222 police to assist with treatment and enforce the lockdown.
New York City is also facing a second wave of COVID-19, with authorities warning of large clusters in Brooklyn and Queens.
READ MORE: Europe in clutches of second wave
Staff writers 6.40am: Leading union demands Mikakos sacking
A leading health union is calling on Daniel Andrews to sack his “clueless” Health Minister Jenny Mikakos, accusing her of “breathtaking incompetence,” the Herald Sun reports.
Ahead of the embattled health minister’s appearance at the hotel quarantine inquiry on Thursday, Health Workers Union boss Diana Asmar has begged the Premier to demand Ms Mikakos’s resignation.
“For the good of your government, for the good of health workers I represent, and for the good of all Victorians, Ms Mikakos must go,” she wrote in a letter to Mr Andrews on Wednesday.
She said that in all the union’s dealings with the health minister, “not once has she displayed even a basic understanding of her portfolio.”
Ms Asmar continued: “In Victoria, aged care cleaners, admin workers and cooks have acquired covid, as have registered nurses and patient care workers, yet aged care workers are treated differently with respect to accessing sufficient levels” of protective equipment.
READ MORE: Will anyone own up?
Staff writers 6.15am: UK new cases jump by a quarter to 6000
Confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK have jumped by a quarter to 6,178, the third highest daily total recorded during the pandemic.
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon piled pressure on Boris Johnson to impose tighter restrictions on England as UK cases rose above 6,000 for the first time since May, after almost reaching 5,000 on Wednesday.
Public Health England urged people to stick to tougher social distancing rules introduced this week.
Yvonne Doyle, medical director of Public Health England, said: “New measures have been bought in to stop the spread of the virus and it is essential that you follow them.
“You should work from home if you can, must now wear a face covering in retail and hospitality settings, unless you are eating or drinking and not be in a group larger than six people.”
Professor Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer for England, has warned the Prime Minister that measures brought in this week are unlikely to be enough to control the virus. He said a ban on visiting other households, as imposed in Scotland, stood a better chance.
Ms Sturgeon suggested that England should follow suit and that even further measures might be needed.
“There is an argument … that all of us across the UK should actually be doing even more right now and there is a danger that what starts to hold us back is not the public health analysis but financial limitations,” she told her daily coronavirus briefing.
The Times
READ MORE: Grim milestone as Covid marches on
Rosie Lewis 6.00am: PM plea to Andrews to accept soldiers
Scott Morrison personally appealed to Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews to accept an offer of 1000 Australian Defence Force personnel in July as the state’s second wave of COVID-19 took hold, newly released letters reveal.
Obtained by Sky News through Freedom of Information laws, the letters — sent on July 4, 6 and 11 — show the Prime Minister’s increasing concern with an escalating number of coronavirus cases and the state’s ability to contain the outbreak.
On July 11, Mr Morrison said about 1000 ADF personnel could work with Victoria Police in a combined operation to help respond to the crisis and reassure the community.
“It is critical to the containment of the virus that the now thousands of people in isolation and quarantine are carefully tracked by phone and personal visits to ensure compliance (and their welfare),” he said.
“The remainder of the ADF personnel you requested in your letter of 7 July, 2020, remain available to be deployed in Victoria once Victorian officials have finalised their planning and preparation activities.
“Given the escalating COVID-19 outbreak in Victoria, I recommend you again consider further ADF deployment to Melbourne over coming days to assist in the enforcement of public health compliance.
READ the full story here
Rachel Baxendale 5.45am: Lockdown to ease but not by much
Daniel Andrews has confirmed Sunday’s relaxation of coronavirus restrictions will go further than previously outlined in his reopening road map, but the Victorian Premier says the exact details are “nowhere near settled” and will depend on modelling of case numbers from recent weeks.
Under the road map, Melbourne needed to reach a 14-day daily average of between 30 and 50 new cases of coronavirus by Sunday in order to move to a very slight easing of restrictions that 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.
Stay-at-home restrictions and a 9pm to 5pm curfew are to remain in place until October 26, and would be relaxed under the government’s plan only if Melbourne reaches a 14-day daily average of fewer than five cases, with fewer than five cases with an unknown source over the entire fortnight.
As of Wednesday, Melbourne’s 14-day daily average was at 29.4, placing the city ahead of Sunday’s 30-50 case target, although 41 unknown source cases distributed across 18 local government areas in the fortnight to September 20 indicate community transmission could prove an obstacle to the following stage of easing.
READ the full story here
Tim Dodd 5.30am: Out of my way: unis fight for funds
Universities are jostling for access to a $700m pot of extra research money which could be offered next year by the federal government to save key research programs.
Regional Universities Network chairwoman Helen Bartlett said the seven universities in her group should be included in the proposed research funding boost, which would be government funding brought forward to 2021-22 from 2024-25.
“We hope it would not exclude regional universities from the mix because when you look at some of the examples (of research projects) … every regional university is doing work that is impactful in its local communities,” said Professor Bartlett, who is vice-chancellor of the University of the Sunshine Coast.
The research-intensive Group of Eight universities have called for the limited amount of government research funding to be focused on the world-leading, large-scale research that is centred on their campuses, but other universities, including the RUN group, are pushing back.
Professor Bartlett released an economic analysis of the economic impact of the RUN universities on Wednesday which said that doubling their research budgets to $253m a year would produce a $94m GDP gain in regional areas and an extra 600 jobs.
READ the full story here
Additional reporting: Sarah Elks
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