Coronavirus Australia live news: Andrews takes aim at Border Force over NZ travel slip up, hits back at Greg Hunt
Acting Immigration Minister disputes Daniel Andrews’ claims over 17 ‘missing’ NZ travellers, accusing him of creating a distraction.
- Daniel Andrews erupts over federal interference
- Bubble farce as travellers slip into Melbourne
- Hoteliers plead for reopening
- Inquiry calls special sitting after obtaining phone records
Welcome to The Weekend Australian’s live coverage of the coronavirus crisis. As Victoria’s hotel inquiry calls for a special sitting, the state has recorded just a single case of coronavirus in 24 hours, and no deaths. Meanwhile, a trial has found current COVID-19 drugs have no impact on mortality.
Agencies 9.30pm: New restrictions in Europe’s Covid epicentre
The Italian region of Lombardy, the first European epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic, has ordered all bars to shut at midnight from Saturday as it battles a second wave of the disease.
All amateur sporting events have also been put on hold in the wealthy northern region where the first cases of Covid-19 in Europe emerged in February.
Under the new restrictions that will stay in effect until November 6, bars will after 6 pm only be able to serve customers seated at tables, and the sale of takeaway alcohol is also banned after that time.
Lombardy, the most populous region of Italy, has also prohibited the consumption of food and drink in all public outside areas under the new rules.
Italy on Friday reported 10,000 new infections in 24 hours as cases surge despite government restrictions affecting daily life.
Lombardy, the hardest-hit area in Italy, is mostly targeting young people, with restrictions on sport, nightlife and education -- it has now called for schools to alternate online and in-person lessons.
The latest order also bans visits to old people’s homes unless there is authorisation from medical officials there.
Agencies 8.30pm: Covid found in QLD sewerage
Queensland’s chief health officer has raised concerns about undetected coronavirus cases in the community after testing at three wastewater plants returned positive results.
Sewerage testing at Maroochydore, on the Sunshine Coast, and Wynnum and Sandgate wastewater plants in greater Brisbane came after all three had previously returned negative results.
The news of the coronavirus fragments in sewerage come as Queensland recorded no new cases overnight and has just four that are across the state.
Read more: Covid-19 found in sewerage at Maroochydore, Wynnum and Sandgate
Agencies 6.15pm: Virus looks set to deliver Ardern second term
Polling booths have closed in New Zealand’s general election, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern expected to win a second term after campaigning on her government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Voters visited schools and community halls across the South Pacific nation to cast their ballots in an election pitting Ardern’s centre-left Labour Party against an opposition led by the conservative National Party.
The polling stations closed at 7pm (0600 GMT) and officials will tally about 3.5 million votes through Saturday night.
New Zealand has strict election day laws that do not allow exit polls, so the electorate will have no gauge of how the vote is going until early results are released.
However, well over half the electorate cast their ballots early — a much higher proportion than previous elections — meaning results are likely to come through swiftly.
Follow our live NZ election coverage here.
Angela Shanahan 5.12pm: When ideology infects a health crisis
Something strange and dangerous is happening within the ranks of the Australian political class and commentariat. Is it just me or can anyone else see the dangers of applying left-right political ideology to the pandemic? Commentators are more interested in pushing a certain ideological viewpoint than seeking answers to the practical problems that average people have to live with.
They are using this pandemic as a proxy to fight their political battles or have not adjusted to the realities of the pandemic. They are carrying the same pre-pandemic attitudes and ideologies and applying them to COVID to make arguments that are not relevant to controlling a disease.
Consequently, Daniel Andrews is the right-wing bete noir because of the terrible breach of hotel quarantine and his government’s reprehensible failure to be accountable. However, the right has deliberately muddied the waters by conflating the Victorian government’s necessary lockdown response with its initial quarantine failure. The lockdown, though harsh and damaging, was an immediate necessity, a practical policy response. But the practical issue went out the window, a casualty of ideological overkill.
Read Angela Shanahan’s full analysis here.
Will Pavia 4.40pm: Midwest case surge threatens to swamp hospitals
An increase in coronavirus infections in America’s rural and mountainous Midwest threatens to overwhelm hospitals as the national tally of confirmed cases rises above eight million.
North Dakota, Montana, Wisconsin and Minnesota have all reported record numbers of new cases in the past week and public health officials are warning that the country is on course for a third surge in infections, after peaks in the spring and summer. Overall cases passed eight million on Thursday, according to counts maintained by Reuters and by The New York Times, while Johns Hopkins University of Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report a total approaching that figure.
In the first wave of cases in the US, outbreaks flared in cities in the northeast; over the summer there were spikes in the sun belt states of the south. Now North Dakota is leading the nation in infections per capita, with 80.2 cases per 100,000 in the past seven days, according to the CDC, just ahead of South Dakota, Montana and Wisconsin.
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Oliver Wright 3.30pm: You’re putting lives in danger, PM fumes
Boris Johnson accused political leaders in Manchester of risking the lives of their citizens yesterday as they continued to refuse to put the region into the most severe tier of lockdown.
In an attempt to force Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, to agree to further restrictions in return for financial support, the prime minister warned that “more people would die” for each day without a deal.
He also said that he was prepared to “intervene” and impose a lockdown on the region if an agreement could not be struck in the coming days.
“I completely understand the reluctance of the mayor and his colleagues to take Manchester into the very high alert level,” Mr Johnson told a press conference in Downing Street. “But I must stress, the situation in Greater Manchester is grave and it worsens with each passing day.
“Time is of the essence. Each day that passes before action is taken means more people will go to hospital, more people will end up in intensive care and tragically more people will die.”
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Agencies 2.55pm: Last night out as virus curfew imposed
Millions of French people enjoyed a last night of freedom on Friday before a Covid-19 curfew in Paris and other large cities came into force at midnight, for a least a month, prompted by an alarming surge in new cases.
The curfew aims to keep some 20 million people home from 9 pm to 6 am from Saturday -- 30 percent of the French population.
It was ordered by President Emmanuel Macron this week as the number of new infections and deaths raised the spectre of hospital overloads like those seen in March and April.
Health authorities on Friday recorded more than 25,00 new coronavirus cases, after Thursday’s record of over 30,000. A total of 122 people were said to have died of the virus in 24 hours.
The mood in the streets of the capital Paris ahead of the curfew taking effect was something akin to New Year ‘s Eve, with tables overflowing in bars and the sound of laughter in the air.
AFP
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Katrina Grace Kelly 2.20pm: Politics and pandemic policy a dangerous mix
If ever there was a spotlight on the impotence of our federal government, it is now. Members from Scott Morrison down, in the face of determined actions by the premiers, can only stand by, making suggestions, criticisms and complaints through the media.
This week for example, Josh Frydenberg and Health Minister Greg Hunt had a bit to say about Victoria. Hunt declared the state had now met the commonwealth threshold to reopen and, as such, restrictions could be eased.
“We have a commonwealth definition in terms of hotspots, that’s a rolling average of less than 10 cases. Victoria is below that rolling average,” he said.
Hunt pointed out that Victoria’s numbers had reached the standard determined by the Chief Medical Officer. “Their simple way forward is the national standard of a rolling average of less than 10 cases and they are there.”
This all sounds very reasonable until we factor in the issue of borders. Melbourne may not be considered a hotspot any more by the feds but unfortunately, on this issue, their opinion counts for nothing. The states and territories have their own definitions of hotspots and they control their borders, which around the nation remained closed to Victoria.
Read Katrina Grace Kelly’s full analysis here.
Emily Ritchie 1.50pm: More light shed on travel bubble bungle
Acting Immigration minister Alan Tudge has defended border force officials, saying authorities went “straight to work” to provide the Victorian government with passenger arrival cards of the 17 travellers from New Zealand who arrived in Melbourne on Friday.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews criticised the ABF for not promptly providing his government with the relevant information.
Minister Tudge said the passenger cards were first requested by Victoria on Saturday morning.
“They were requested this morning just after 8am and they were delivered to the Victorian government at midday,” Mr Tudge said.
Mr Andrews said on Saturday he had made it clear Victoria was not part of the quarantine-free travel arrangements and was surprised when travellers were allowed to catch a domestic flight from Sydney to Melbourne on Friday afternoon.
“We see 17 people turning up on our doorstep without any notice, without any structure and we still can’t get the cards from Australian Border Force as to who these people are and where they have gone,” Mr Andrews said.
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Emily Ritchie 1.15pm: Minister hits back at Andrews’ ‘distraction’
The federal government has hit back at Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews over his claims the state was unaware people arriving from New Zealand under a travel bubble agreement with NSW could then travel on to Melbourne.
Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge told reporters on Saturday the issue had been discussed at the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee and that it had been widely understood people arriving from New Zealand “would be treated like any other person in NSW” and could travel to states that had not closed their borders, such as Victoria.
No state, including Victoria, had raised any concerns about that arrangement at the committee meeting, Mr Tudge said.
He accused the Premier of trying to create a distraction as pressure mounts on Mr Andrews to end lockdowns from tomorrow.
Mr Andrews said on Saturday he had made it clear Victoria was not part of the travel bubble and was surprised when travellers were allowed to catch a domestic flight from Sydney to Melbourne on Friday afternoon.
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Bernard Salt 1pm: Many to flee Melbourne’s ring of steel
Australians are remarkably fluid when it comes to shifting and shuffling around the Australian continent and especially during recessionary times. We’re very much inclined to move to places of opportunity and/or of lifestyle and especially when pursuing our penchant for a bit of a treechange or seachange.
The last recession triggered net migration loss from Victoria over four consecutive years to June 1994 before easing. There have been similar net-migration losses from other states at various times. In most cases the losses were offset by natural increase (excess of births over deaths).
Nevertheless the sudden outflow of locals to another state, or indeed from the capital city to the regions, reduces demand for housing in the place of departure and boosts demand in the place of arrival. A shift in net migration from positive to negative is the product of locals voting with their feet.
Read the full story here.
Emily Ritchie 12.30pm: Andrews fires up over federal pressure to open
Daniel Andrews has taken aim at Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt for suggesting Victoria had met the epidemiological conditions to reopen hospitality, movement and family reunions.
After it was revealed Victoria had recorded just one new case of COVID-19 on Saturday, Minister Hunt tweeted:
“The epidemiological conditions for a Covid Safe reopening of hospitality, movement & family reunions among others, have now been firmly met. Vic should now be able to move to the next step in line with NSW”.
But Mr Andrews said his government would “not be pressured”.
“If Minister Hunt is genuinely suggesting that we are keeping this lockdown on because somehow we think Victorians are enjoying it or it is a choice that we are making — it’s just wrong,” Mr Andrews said.
“Whilst people are entitled to different views, some people should reflect on the fact
that they are in fact a Health Minister and that actually requires a certain standard, I would have thought.
Great news for Vic- the rolling average of new cases is now well below 10. The epidemiological conditions for a Covid Safe reopening of hospitality, movement & family reunions among others, have now been firmly met. Vic should now be able to move to the next step in line w NSW https://t.co/x04HdZjgoo
— Greg Hunt (@GregHuntMP) October 16, 2020
“I will boldly predict that whatever I stand up here tomorrow and announce, there will be members of that federal government saying ‘It is not enough, you should have done more’. I will say it again, politics, this sort of stuff doesn’t work, it doesn’t work against this virus. We aren’t going to risk everything that Victorians have sacrificed. This is not a game. The stakes are too high.”
He confirmed he would be making “significant announcements” about the state’s road out of lockdown and the easing of restrictions on Sunday.
The state’s chief health officer Professor Brett Sutton echoed this, saying Mr Hunt was “not an epidemiologist”.
“We have gone broadly through our advice and modelling and inputs, we take the positive critiques and negative critiques equally and people will have different opinions but there is no question that the stakes in this are enormous,” Professor Sutton said.
Mr Andrews also confirmed regional Victorians were ‘very close’ to being able to travel into NSW and South Australia.
Mr Andrews said that once the ‘ring of steel’ between regional Victoria and Melbourne was brought down, there would be the possibility of interstate travel.
He said the “aim has always been, by Christmas, that there can be that freedom of movement” for all Victorians.
“We’re very close to having a situation where regional Victorians will be able to travel into New South Wales and into SA as well,” Mr Andrews told a press conference on Saturday morning.
“Those arrangements are for other Premiers to announce. We are closer to that.”
Emily Ritchie 11.50am: This wasn’t our fault, says Andrews as travellers slip in
Daniel Andrews has blamed federal authorities after 17 New Zealand travellers were allowed into Victoria in an extraordinary breach of the state’s coronavirus lockdown.
The Premier said his officials had no power to detain the travellers, who arrived in Melbourne last night.
Mr Andrews confirmed the 17 travellers, who arrived on the first day of the quarantine-free travel bubble between NSW and New Zealand, are still in the Victorian community but that his government is not aware of where they are or who they are because Australian Border Force had failed to provide travel cards to his government.
“We are still waiting, I am not sure why we’re waiting, but we are still waiting for Australian Border Force to provide us with the passenger cards for each of those 17 people,” Mr Andrews said during his daily coronavirus update.
“I don’t think we ever turned our mind to this happening. Our position had been clear. We are not in the New Zealand bubble.
Mr Andrews said he had written to Prime Minister Scott Morrison to express his disappointment, saying “something has gone wrong in this system”.
“I have written this morning to make it plain, there are more flights coming on Sunday from New Zealand and we don’t want a repeat of this...they shouldn’t have been allowed to come here because we haven’t signed onto the travel bubble arrangements. We were the last ones to find out about it. It doesn’t make any sense.”
He said his government would be visiting each of the travellers as soon as their travel details were handed over.
“As soon as we get that detail, we will be visiting each of those people and making sure that they are fully up to date, as it were, when it comes to the rules, the regulations, the structures that we have in Victoria,” Mr Andrews said.
Mr Andrews confirmed there were now just 148 active cases of coronavirus in Victoria, after just one new case was reported on Saturday morning.
The single new case is linked to a known outbreak, taking the rolling average for metropolitan Melbourne to 8.1 and regional Victoria to 0.5.
There are now 17 Victorians being treated for the virus in hospital, with none requiring intensive care or ventilation.
Eleven of the state’s current active cases are healthcare workers, and 13 are in aged care.
In the two weeks from October 1-14 there were 17 mystery cases reported, all in metropolitan Melbourne.
READ MORE: Angela Shanahan — We’ve let ideology affect health policy
Emily Ritchie 11.44am: US cases top 8 million, UK restrictions tighten
As of Friday afternoon, there had been 38,789,204 confirmed cases of COVID-19 globally and 1,095,097 deaths reported to the World Health organisation.
The number of coronavirus cases in the US has now surpassed 8 million, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, with daily increases now topping 60,000 - the highest figures since August.
The country continues to have the highest fatality rate, recording 215,199 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.
Confirmed virus cases and deaths are on the rise in the swing states of Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Wisconsin ahead of next month’s Presidential election.
India has the second highest number of confirmed cases at 7,370,468 and the third highest number of deaths behind the US and Brazil.
Countries across Europe are tightening their coronavirus restrictions this weekend following a surge in new positive cases across the continent.
The French capital of Paris and cities of Aix-Marseille, Grenoble, Montpellier, Toulouse, Saint Etienne, Lille, Rouen and Lyon will face a 9pm to 6am curfew starting from midnight on Friday, President Emmanuel Macron announced.
Violating the night curfew will carry a fine of AU$222 for a first offence, and AU$2475 if the offence is repeated.
Restrictions for the rest of the country have also been toughened with all private parties, including weddings, banned in public event spaces.
A further 30,621 infections were confirmed across France on Thursday, up from 22,591 the day before.
London will move from a Tier 1 “medium” to the Tier 2 “high” alert level of coronavirus restrictions from Saturday morning, UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced on Thursday.
This means Londoners will be banned from mixing with other households indoors in any setting, including in pubs and restaurants. Outdoor gatherings will be limited to six people and people should also avoid using public transport where possible.
The latest 24-hour update for the UK showed a drop in the new number of cases on Friday when 15,650 new cases were confirmed. This was down from 18,980 on Thursday and 19,724 on Wednesday.
Emily Ritchie 11.15am: NSW records seven new cases
NSW has recorded seven new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to Saturday, including five cases of local transmission.
Two of the new cases were diagnosed in hotel quarantine, with the other five locally acquired and linked to known cases or clusters.
Three of the cases are a family who attend the Greater Beginnings Childcare Centre in Oran Park, and a fourth new case is a teacher who works at the centre. All four cases are close contacts of a known case linked to the Oran Park cluster, which has now grown to 18 cases.
NSW Health said all staff and children who attended the childcare centre between October 2 and 13 are considered close contacts and must get tested immediately and self-isolate for a full 14 days from when they last attended.
“They must stay isolated for their full isolation period regardless of their test result,” NSW Health said in a statement.
“Contact tracing and investigations are continuing.”
The fifth locally acquired case is a student at Oran Park High School, where staff and students have been asked to self-isolate.
NSW has reported five new cases of locally transmitted COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) October 17, 2020
Two cases in overseas travellers in hotel quarantine were also diagnosed, bringing the total number of cases in NSW to 4,144. pic.twitter.com/W72uyveWer
Saturday sport has been cancelled for the high school, the NSW education department said, and classrooms will be deep cleaned over the weekend.
The student is a close contact of a known confirmed case linked to the Liverpool Private Clinic cluster which now contains 11 cases.
NSW Health have flagged that anyone who attended Woolworths Oran Park on Friday October 12 from 7-7.30pm is now considered a casual contact and must monitor for symptoms and get tested as soon as they develop.
NSW Health is treating 68 COVID-19 cases across the state, with none in intensive care.
This weekend brings eased restrictions in NSW for outdoor venues, with up to 500 people allowed to attend open-air concerts so long as they stay seated and four metres apart.
Limits on outdoor dining venues have also been relaxed, allowing one patron per two square metres with venues to use an electronic QR code to record contact details.
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Emily Ritchie 11am: No new cases in Qld, but traces in wastewater
Queensland has recorded no new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to Saturday, with just four cases remaining active in the state.
Deputy Premier Steven Miles flagged there had been positive traces of the virus detected in wastewater in Sandgate, Maroochydore and Wynnum, and is urging anyone in those areas to get tested and isolate as soon as symptoms develop.
“Samples taken at the Sandgate wastewater plant on the 12th, and the Maroochydore and Wynnum wastewater plants on the 13th, both returned positive results for virus fragments,” Mr Miles said.
“Of course, our four active cases compares incredibly well to the rest of the world. Most of which is now experiencing a second or even third wave.”
The state’s chief medical officer Jeannette Young said, despite the absence of new cases, Queenslanders should continue to carry masks.
“It’s really important now that people should just have a mask with them wherever they are,” Dr Young said.
“And if they can’t maintain social distancing, just pop that mask on. It sort of makes sense and it prepares us for when we do get the next case.”
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John Durie 10.25am: What lockdown has taught Melbourne CEOs
Victorians are anxiously awaiting Sunday’s news from Premier Daniel Andrews on what COVID restrictions will be lifted, but for ANZ’s Shayne Elliott, the thing he has missed most is the ability to plan and look forward to something.
It is a lockdown that is out of anyone’s control, and for 16 Melbourne-based chief executives of global companies that is their reality.
Given their roles they are generally upbeat and glass-half-full sort of people. For Nufarm’s Greg Hunt, one of the first things he will do when restrictions are lifted is get a haircut.
Incitec Pivot’s Jeanne Johns is looking forward to going to a restaurant. Ernst & Young’s Tony Johnson is looking forward to a game of golf, Orica’s Alberto Calderon wants a game of tennis, NAB’s Ross McEwan will be back on the mountain bike and KPMG’s Alison Kitchen is looking forward to a restaurant breakfast with her daughter.
Big business has spent the pandemic making itself as COVID-safe as possible and is ready to get back to work.
Read the full story here.
Emily Ritchie 10am: NZ bubble bursts as 17 travellers stopped
Seventeen travellers who arrived in Sydney during the first day of quarantine-free travel arrangements between NSW and New Zealand have been caught entering Victoria in a stunning breach of coronavirus restrictions.
The whereabouts of the travellers is currently unknown.
Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the arrival of the group into Melbourne late on Friday, but said its officers did not have the authority to detain them.
“Victoria has not agreed to a travel bubble arrangement with New Zealand and did not expect to receive international travellers as a result of NSW making that arrangement,” VIctoria’s DHHS said in a statement.
“The Victorian Government has made it clear to the Commonwealth that we expect NZ passengers who have not undertaken quarantine will not be permitted to board flights in Sydney bound for Melbourne.”
The travellers, who reportedly wanted to visit family in Melbourne, were able to slip through domestic flight checks to board their connecting flight.
It remains unclear whether the 17 travellers have been allowed to stay in Melbourne or if they have been sent back to Sydney, where they would be required to isolate for 14 days.
Victoria is not currently accepting any international travellers after the state’s hotel quarantine program for travellers was put on hold.
The news came as Victoria recorded one new virus case on Friday and no new deaths.
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John Ferguson 9.45am: Point of no return, no excuses for Andrews
Australia’s second coronavirus wave has crashed and is rolling gently up the beach.
One new COVID-19 case and a 14-day average of 8.1 on Saturday points to a victory of sorts.
While Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is being relentlessly cautious, the only thing that can mess this up now is more government incompetence.
Or, perhaps, a Victorian community, once set free, that collectively runs amok, pants down and drinks in hand, gaily spreading the virus around the countryside.
While there are some mystery cases, we are reaching the point of no return and no excuses; the government is either ready to ease restrictions or it has failed manifestly in its preparations.
I’ve never been someone who has supported an uncontrolled, uncontained reopening of Victoria, given the overseas evidence.
Read John Ferguson’s full analysis here.
Michelle Singer 9.15am: Wealthy are moving away from the cities
Many wealthy Australians are leaving the city and heading for the hills, or the beach, desperate to find a luxurious hideaway from which they can work and play.
Relocating to some of the country’s most desirable regional locations is an unexpected silver lining for the prestige property market after the pandemic resulted in strict lockdowns, social distancing measures across the country, and a ban on in-person inspections and onsite auctions.
It didn’t stop buyers from house hunting online, though, and that’s translated into a surprisingly active year for many regional real estate agents in Sydney’s northern beaches, NSW’s Byron Bay, Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, South East Queensland and Tasmania’s east coast.
Read the full story here.
Christine Kellett 8.40am: Victoria records just one new case of COVID-19
Victoria has recorded just a single case of coronavirus in 24 hours, raising hopes for an easing of restrictions from tomorrow.
No deaths have been reported.
As Melbourne chalks up the grim milestone of 100 days in hard lockdown today, the result sees the city’s 14-day rolling average of daily cases fall to 8.1.
Yesterday there was 1 new case & the loss of 0 lives reported. The rolling 14 day average is down in metro Melb & regional Vic. Cases with unknown source is stable. More info available later today. https://t.co/pcll7ySEgz #COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/yCu0ZgdCpI
— VicGovDHHS (@VicGovDHHS) October 16, 2020
It comes after just two new cases were reported on Friday – which until Saturday had been the state’s best result since June 8.
Saturday’s figures are the lowest since June 5.
Daniel Andrews is set to make “a significant announcement” about current lockdowns, as pressure mounts on his government.
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Remy Varga 8.30am: Hotel inquiry calls for special sitting
Victoria’s hotel quarantine inquiry will hold an extraordinary sitting next week, just days after Daniel Andrews and his senior staff were asked to hand their phone records to the investigation.
In a letter to relevant parties, solicitor assisting the inquiry Will Yates said witnesses were not expected to be called to appear at the Tuesday sitting.
The inquiry into how the state’s quarantine system broke down and allowed the coronavirus into Melbourne — resulting in the death of nearly 800 people and a tight lockdown — heard closing submissions last month after an appearance from the Victorian Premier and senior ministers.
Since that hearing, Health Minister Jenny Mikakos and Mr Andrews’ right-hand-man, former Department of Premier and Cabinet secretary Chris Eccles, have resigned.
“The Board of Inquiry proposes to hold an extraordinary sitting at 2pm on Tuesday 20 October,” a spokesman said. “Further details to be announced.”
It is unclear whether the inquiry, headed by former Family Court judge Jennifer Coate, will recall Mr Andrews. When asked, his office said: “This is a matter for the inquiry.”
Read the full story here.
Natasha Robinson 8am: Trial shows drugs have no impact on mortality
A major clinical trial by the World Health Organisation into the effects of four repurposed drugs to treat COVID-19 has found none of them has any effect on mortality rates.
The Solidarity Therapeutics Trial reported results from studies examining the effect of the antiviral drugs remdesivir, the antimalarial hydroxychloroquine, the HIV drug lopinavir and the auto-immune drug interferon, with the results published by the preprint server medRxiv on Friday.
The trial began six months ago and involved 11,266 COVID-19 patients in 450 hospitals in 30 countries.
“These remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir and interferon regimens appeared to have little effect on in-hospital mortality,” the study found.
The drugs also had no effect on the need to ventilate patients.
Read the full story here.
Rebecca Urban 7.30am: Hoteliers plead for grant final reopening
What could possibly be more lonesome than a pub with no beer?
How about a city with no open pubs on an AFL grand final day?
The previously unthinkable scenario is playing on the minds of embattled hoteliers across Melbourne — arguably the heartland of Australian football — who are desperate to reopen in time for what is, for some, the biggest day of trade for the year.
As coronavirus numbers fall to their lowest levels since early June, with just two new cases reported on Friday, the hospitality industry is urging the Victorian Premier to allow businesses to reopen after 100 days of lockdown.
“We’re not talking about flinging the doors wide open,” said Australian Hotels Association vice-president David Canny, “but for businesses to be permitted to operate in a COVIDSafe way”.
Read the full story here.
PM’s shindig causes angst among those on outer
Labor turncoat Fatima Payman has criticised Anthony Albanese for ‘secretly courting’ the teals after he hosted independent MPs at the Lodge.
Ex-CFMEU official ‘should face prosecution’ over transfer of $3m
Corruption buster’s explosive report recommends legal action against four former CFMEU officials.