Coronavirus Australia live updates: Pubs, clubs, churches, cinemas, casinos to close
Restaurants and cafes will only be able to offer takeways under the tough new social-distancing measures announced by Scott Morrison.
- Victorian schools to shut
- NSW Premier shuts down non-essential services
- Economic shock ‘worse than first thought’
- Australians to be given access to super
- PM urges end to all non-essential domestic travel
- US deaths quadruple in a week
- Italy’s grim tally soars
Welcome to The Weekend Australian’s live coverage of the unfolding coronavirus crisis. Cases in Australia have now topped 1000 nationwide as the federal government prepares to inject a further $66 billion into its stimulus package to save jobs. Overseas, American deaths from coronavirus have quadrupled in a week and parts of Africa have now gone into lockdown.
Simon Benson 11.01pm: What is being shut down
The following facilities will be restricted from opening from midday local time 23 March 2020:
• Pubs, registered and licenced clubs (excluding bottle shops attached to these venues), hotels (excluding accommodation)
• Gyms and indoor sporting venues
• Cinemas, entertainment venues, casinos, and night clubs
• Restaurants and cafes will be restricted to takeaway and/or home delivery
• Religious gatherings, places of worship or funerals (in enclosed spaces and other than very small groups and where the 1 person per 4 square metre rule applies).
They are on top of these measures already in place:
• No non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people outside or more than 100 people inside.
• All non-essential indoor gatherings of less than 100 people must have no more than one person per 4sqm. All Australians should expect their local businesses to be following this rule.
• Where possible, keep 1.5 metres between yourself and others
• Avoid non essential travel
• Restrictions on entering aged care homes to protect older Australians
Ben Packham 9.10pm Tough new social-distancing measures
Pubs, clubs, churches, cinemas and casinos will be closed under tough new social-distancing measures announced by Scott Morrison on Sunday night following a meeting of the national cabinet.
Restaurants and cafes will also be closed for customers, but will be able to operate takeaway services.
The Prime Minister said the new “stage one” measures could last six months, and be ramped up over time.
He said the medical advice was schools should stay open, although some states have flagged they will order them shut.
Mr Morrison said he and state and territory leaders had reluctantly decided on the new measures following the crowding of beaches and venues over the weekend.
“We now need to take action because we cannot have the confidence as a group of leaders that the social distancing guidelines and rules we put in place will be followed to the level of compliance that we require to flatten the curve and slow the spread and save lives,” the Prime Minister said.
The new restrictions will come into place from noon on Monday. The bans include nightclubs, all religious gatherings, and indoor sporting venues.
Mr Morrison said it was a “deeply regretful” decision because of the economic hardship that many would now face.
“But (it is) a necessary one in the view of the premiers and chief ministers and myself to ensure that we can control the spread of this virus,” he said.
“This should highlight to all Australians how serious this is and how hard we all have to work together to get this right.”
The Prime Minister said the medical experts were still recommending children continue to attend class. “Children should go to school tomorrow,” he said.
He acknowledged Victoria and the ACT had flagged they would close schools on Tuesday.
But he said there was unanimous consensus in the national cabinet that schools should reopen after the term break, if the medical advice supported that.
He said parents were free to choose to take their children out of school if they wanted, but they needed to take responsibility for their education.
“Those children are staying at home, it is not an excuse for them to go down to the shopping centre or to go and congregate somewhere else or potentially put themselves in contact with the vulnerable and elderly population,” Mr Morrison said.
The Prime Minister said the upcoming school holiday “won’t be a holiday as anyone has ever known it”.
“And it is important, I think, that families and households understand that, because over the course of the term break we need to ensure that we continue to follow the very strict rules around social-distancing. This is a critical time,” he said.
Chief health officer Brendan Murphy said Australians “have to live differently” to get through the pandemic.
He said while most young people didn’t suffer significant illness from the coronavirus, they needed to be responsible to protect older Australians.
“As a young person you don’t want to be responsible for the severe and possibly fatal disease of an elder, vulnerable Australian. We have to stop the rapid spread of this virus,” Dr Murphy said.
“We’ve had some events in Australia where 35 people have picked up the virus from one particular function. We cannot allow this sort of spread to happen.”
READ MORE: Gin distiller rubbing his hands together over his new sanitiser
Paige Taylor 7.48pm Controversial indigenous work-for-the-dole scheme axed
Indigenous Australians’ minister Ken Wyatt has pressed pause on a contentious work-for-the-dole scheme in remote communities, ensuring participants get paid regardless of whether they have met strict reporting requirements.
The Community Development Program has been heavily criticised as punitive and impractical for indigenous people in remote locations. Many were “breached” for failing to fulfil criteria including online training and fined $50 a day or their entire payments cut off for up to eight weeks.
The Federal Court has been asked to decided if the scheme is discriminatory, after indigenous people of the remote Ngaatyanjarra lands claimed they received significantly less than JobActive participants, were forced to do meaningless activities and punished by a scheme that only worked well for people who have internet access and mobile phones.
They had asked for the reinstatement old work-for-the-dole scheme, in which communities controlled payments and chose the work people had to do.
The CDP scheme sent service providers from capital cities and regional centres into remote communities for face-to-face training, but on Sunday Mr Wyatt cancelled that in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The health and wellbeing of all Australians remains our highest priority as we manage the threat of COVID-19 in remote communities,” Mr Wyatt said.
Work-for-the-dole and other activities delivered in group settings will be suspended. This will support social distancing measures, he added.
Online training — which often requires a person familiar with computers to sit close to the participant and help them — will be voluntary from now. Financial penalties are cancelled.
“The National Indigenous Australians Agency has instructed CDP service providers to not apply any job seeker compliance action, such as financial penalties, while the biosecurity arrangements announced by the Prime Minister on 20 March 2020 are in place,” Mr Wyatt said.
“I have also put in place arrangements to lift any existing suspensions and penalties for CDP job seekers.
“CDP Providers play an important role in the day to day life of the communities where they operate. Jobseekers will be able to access services on a voluntary basis where it is considered safe to do so.”
Greg Brown 7.41pm Olympians face travel ban: Morrison
Scott Morrison says Olympic athletes are included in Australia’s travel ban.
With the Olympic scheduled to go ahead in Tokyo in July, the Prime Minister said athletes would not be exempt from rules about travelling out of Australia.
“We have a complete travel ban to the rest of the world, so the Smartraveller advice, the advice from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is pretty clear there,” Mr Morrison said.
“The health of all Australians is the most important thing, and there’s nothing more important than that.”
Mackenzie Scott 7.27pm Gold Coast theme parks close
Village Roadshow has shut the gates on Gold Coast theme parks Movie World, Sea World, Wet’n’Wild and Topgolf.
The parks will close from the end of trade on Sunday, with no date set for when they will reopen.
Ardent Leisure Group — operator of DreamWorld and White Water World — is still operating as normal but The Australian understands it is also expected to close this week.
A note on the Village Roadshow website on Sunday night said the company would reassess the situation on March 31.
“Following recent government announcements, and the increase of confirmed COVID-19 cases both nationally and on the Gold Coast, the decision has been made to temporarily close Warner Bros Movie World, Sea World, Wet’n’Wild, Paradise Country and Topgolf from close of business on Sunday 22 March,” the note read.
“This is an extremely challenging time and this is not a decision which was made lightly. As a result of this closure, unfortunately many team members have been temporarily stood-down. Senior Executives salaries have also been reduced.”
Sea World Resort and Village Roadshow Studios will continue to operate, with the situation to be continuously reviewed and guided by the Queensland Hotel Association and government.
No cases of COVID-19 are believed to have emerged from the venues.
Ewin Hannan 7.25pm Better list of businesses to shut down urged
The Franchise Council of Australia called on NSW and Victoria to explain in detail how the shutdown of non-essential services would work, saying neither state had given
examples of which services would be considered non-essential.
The council said previous federal government advice pertaining to “non-essential indoor gatherings” included restaurants, pubs, cafes, cinemas, weddings and funerals.
“It’s understood that supermarkets, petrol stations, pharmacies, convenience stores, freight and logistics, and home delivery in Victoria and NSW will remain open,”
council chief executive Mary Aldred said.
”But, what about bakeries, fruit and veg, butchers and similar small businesses?”
She said there were approximately 90,000 franchised small businesses in metropolitan and regional Australia, employing nearly 600,000 Australians.
“Allowing the supermarket chains and big businesses to stay open while closing independent traders and family businesses providing essential products and services to their local community would be a travesty” she said.
“A defined list of which businesses can stay open and which should be closed needs to be explained and justified, rather than imposing an ill-thought-out blanket ban on core contributors to the wellbeing and maintenance of our communities.”
Greg Brown 7.21pm Biggest challenge since World War II, Morrison warns
Scott Morrison says the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic will “break our hearts” as he warns the nation faces its biggest challenge since World War II.
“I will be straight with Australians: this will be the toughest economic situation we’ve likely seen since the Great Depression and also,, when it comes to wartime, one of the biggest challenges of keeping Australians together and focusing forward since the Second World War,” the Prime Minister told Network Seven.
“So people need to understand that we are in extraordinary times.”
With NSW and Victoria preparing for statewide shutdowns of non-essential services, Mr Morrison warned that any implemented measures could be in place for “a lot longer” than six months.
“I know when people start talking about locking things down, you can’t just lock things down for two or four weeks then open again and think it’s going to be okay. That would be foolish,” Mr Morrison said.
“When you open it again, the virus takes off. When you shut things down, you have to understand if you do, you may well be doing that for at least the next six months and that has to be sustainable.
“That’s why I say the economic impacts of this and the broader health impacts, it’s going to break our hearts. I have no doubt. But it must not break our spirit or our resolve to continue to deal with this crisis in a sensible way and a compassionate way, helping each other to help us all through to the other side.”
READ MORE: Breweries warn of beer shortage
Richard Ferguson 5.29pm Canberra shuts down non-essential services
Canberra will shut down non-essential services in line with NSW and Victoria, ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has revealed.
“This decision is in the best interest of Canberrans,” Mr Barr said.
“Despite measures in place to discourage social distancing, there are still too many instances where people are exposing themselves to contracting the virus, which is leading to an unsustainable increase in confirmed cases across the country.
“We must also face the reality that, as a Territory inside NSW, it would be impossible for the ACT to have different arrangements than those in our surrounding region.”
READ MORE: What Morrison’s $66bn stimulus means for you
Richard Ferguson 4.32pm Albanese urges national stance on school closures
Anthony Albanese has called for the states to adopt a consistent nationwide policy on schools closure, after Victoria announced it will shut schools from Tuesday.
“Cearly the Victorian government appear to have made their decision. They would have been making that decision based on the best advice,” the federal Opposition Leader said.
“I’ve said when it comes to health issues we need to listen to the best health advice. But if we know that something’s going to happen down the track, we know that the sooner we act the better.
“There will be a meeting (of the national cabinet) tonight and that will become apparent. I would say though that common sense just tells you that whilst we are a nation of states and territories that people out there getting mixed messages is not a positive thing. And we need consistency.”
Yoni Bashan 4.32pm: NSW ALP calls for school closures
NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay released a statement on Sunday calling for the NSW government to give parents clarity on school closures.
Ms McKay said she supported the government’s prospective shutdown of non-essential services, but said NSW schools and TAFE should be closed from Tuesday.
The NSW government has committed to keeping schools open on Monday and to provide an update about future arrangements, though this has lead to some confusion in the community.
“Labor believes NSW schools and TAFE should be closed after tomorrow,” Ms McKay said.
“We must ensure there is comprehensive online learning and a schooling service for the children of key workers such as medical professionals, and other students who need the caring environment of a school.
“It is also time to ban non-essential gatherings. The message of social distancing is yet to get fully through to the community.”
Courtney Walsh 4.23pm: AFL season suspended
With states closing their borders due to the coronavirus crisis, the AFL has suspended the season indefinitely.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan is due to detail the decision at a press conference shortly, with matches still in progress to complete the opening round.
Paige Taylor 3.50pm: WA shuts borders
Western Australia is the latest state to close its borders, and intends to send people to a small island off Perth to self isolate.
The holiday island of Rottnest - famous for the small wallaby-like native animals called quokkas - will become a quarantine island. Historically it was a prison for Aboriginal men from all over the state. The McGowan Labor government is also trying to find hotels to turn into self-isolation zones for people who find it difficult to isolate or refused to.
WA premier Mark McGowan confirmed the biggest jump in COVID-19 cases overnight on Saturday - from 90 to 120 - as West Australia returned home from overseas.
There were seven COVID-19 patients in Perth hospitals and three of those were in a critical condition.
WA police commissioner Chris Dawson said the borders to WA would close at 1.30pm on Tuesday - people who arrived by car could be forced to self-isolate at the border town of Eucla, near the WA-South Australian border or at Kununurra, near the border of WA and the Northern Territory.
Exemptions for mine workers - considered essential service workers - were being worked out.
Tasmania, Northern Territory and South Australia closed their borders in the past two days.
The oil and gas industry in WA - which employs about 120,000 people - is making big changes to reduce its footprint.
Intrastate travel is still allowed in WA and the vast majority of the state’s oil and gas workers live in WA.
However, the number of oil and gas industry workers who fly in and out of WA from other states is being stripped back to about 2500 critical roles. Mining companies will not be allowed to use commercial flights to get their workers to mine sites and oil and gas projects. They will need to use charter flights.
Tessa Akerman 2.56pm: Victorian schools to close
Premier Daniel Andrews has announced Victoria will implement a shutdown of all non-essential activity over the next 48 hours.
“This is not something that we do lightly, but it’s clear that if we don’t take this step, more Victorians will contract coronavirus, our hospitals will be overwhelmed and more Victorians will die,” he said in a statement.
School holidays will be brought forward, starting on Tuesday 24 March.
Under the shutdown Victorians will still be able to go to the supermarket, the bank, the pharmacy and other essential stores, like petrol stations and convenience stores.
Freight, logistics and home delivery are also considered essential and will
remain open.
“All measures to be implemented by Victoria are consistent with the health advice provided by the Victorian Chief Health Officer,” Mr Andrews said.
The decision whether to re-open schools after the Term 1 holidays will likewise be determined following advice from the Chief Health Officer.
Mr Andrews said he will have more to say on these measures Monday morning.
Charlie Peel 2.55pm: Queensland records 259th case
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has urged people to stay in their neighbourhoods to prevent the spread of coronavirus as the state recorded its 259th case.
It comes ahead of possible enforced lockdowns of areas where there are a high number of cases.
The state recorded a further 38 cases of COVID-19 overnight, mostly related to people who have come into Queensland from overseas.
Health Minister Steven Miles said the positive tests brought the state total to 259 cases.
“We are seeing thousands of Queenslanders returning home from countries where COVID-19 is spreading,” Mr Miles said.
“We want them here … but that is what is driving the current numbers in terms of positive testing.”
All liquor licensing inspectors have been granted special powers to enforce social distancing rules in Queensland venues.
“They enforce all of our other rules in pubs and clubs and licensed restaurants and they will be able to enforce and potentially fine those who breach those laws,” Mr Miles said.
Some venues had received official warnings but no fines were issued by midday on Sunday.
Ms Palaszczuk, who on Friday urged people to stay indoors and avoid socialising at pubs and restaurants, said her views on whether such venues should be closed were clear.
The premier said “tough love” from authorities was essential to slowing the spread of the virus and warned against crowds descending on beaches.
“I need everyone on the Gold Coast to be listening very carefully,” she said.
It is a beautiful weekend. I’d love my family to be travelling to the coast as well but they’re not,” she said.
“I need you to stay near your village.
“As much as possible, you need to restrict your non-essential travel and stay close to home.”
Ms Palaszczuk said there would be tougher measures brought in over the weeks ahead.
“Every measure we take will save lives,” she said.
READ MORE: PM to inject extra $66bn
Charlie Peel 2.18pm: Experts say vaccine may be a year away
A coronavirus vaccine could be commercially available within a year after the University of Queensland’s team was given a $17 million funding boost to fast-track its development.
The funding is set to shave six months off the time it would normally take to conduct human trials of the world-leading vaccine.
Even the original 18-month outlook was incredibly quick compared with normal time frames, according to the researcher’s behind the vaccine.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the funding at the university’s campus in Brisbane on Sunday afternoon.
The state government will contribute $10 million in funding, on top of $3 million from the Federal Government and $3.5 million from the Paul Ramsay Foundation.
“Finding a fast, safe and effective vaccine to prevent infection from COVID-19 is an urgent public health priority,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“We will provide funding through our Advance Queensland strategy to fast-track a vaccine for this virus.”
The University of Queensland’s School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences has gained worldwide attention since it began its vaccine project in January.
Yoni Bashan 2.11pm: NSW Premier shuts down non-essential services
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is moving forward with a comprehensive shutdown of non-essential services in NSW over the next 48 hours.
Ms Berejiklian said supermarkets, petrol stations, pharmacies, convenience stores, freight and logistics, and home delivery will remain operational.
“Schools will be open tomorrow, though I will have more to say on this issue in the morning,” Ms Berejiklian said.
The premier said she would inform the National Cabinet of the plans on Sunday night, and provide an update to the community on Monday morning.
Ewin Hannan 2.05pm: ACTU calls for third virus stimulus
The ACTU is calling for a third stimulus package to deliver direct wage subsidies to workers displaced by the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic
ACTU president Michele O’Neil welcomed the measures outlined by the government on Sunday but said there were “gaps” in the second stimulus package.
Ms O’Neil said the ACTU welcomed the government’s acknowledgment of pressures being faced by casuals, contract workers and workers stood down without pay, but was concerned about the lack of guarantee that businesses keep people in jobs and use tax withheld for wages.
“Doubling the Jobseeker allowance by providing a coronavirus allowance and waiving both the waiting period and asset tests will provide some support for casuals and contractors that are impacted by coronavirus, but there is a need for further wage subsidies to mitigate the economic damage,” she said.
“Opening access to the $750 one-off payments to pensioners, carers, seniors card holders is a welcome recognition that they will have extra costs and needs during this pandemic.
“Making the $550 a fortnight payments available to casuals and contractors who have lost significant amount work is also acknowledgment that people in insecure work are highly vulnerable during this crisis. However, the priority must be keeping people in work and paid.”
She said the second package made no mention of the 1.4 million visa workers who currently had no access to any social safety net and the union movement was seeking clarification from the government to ensure they were protected at this time.”
“The Australian union movement is concerned that any changes to superannuation cannot put at risk people’s retirement savings and do not unfairly impact the lowest paid,” she said.
“There are already hardship provisions for early access to superannuation for those in genuine need. We urge the government to step in and provide real wage subsidy support so people are not putting their retirement at risk.
“The gaps in this second package highlight the need for another urgent package that will deliver real wage subsidies to keep people in jobs and a plan for how we will rebuild when the crisis is over.”
Tessa Akerman 1.55pm: Australian cases surpass 1200
Victoria recorded another 67 new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) on Saturday, bringing the total number of cases in Victoria to 296 and more than 1200 nationwide.
The new cases include 42 men and 25 women, with people aged from late teens to early eighties.
Victoria currently has three confirmed cases of COVID-19 that may have been acquired through community transmission.
At the moment, six people are recovering in hospital, and 70 people have recovered.
More than 22,900 Victorians have been tested to date.
Of the total 296 cases, there have been 256 in metropolitan Melbourne and 25 in regional Victoria.
Under the State of Emergency people who don’t comply with a directive could receive a fine of up to $20,000. Companies face fines of up to $100,000.
Tessa Akerman 1.48pm: Victorian government pushes for school closures
The Victorian state government will push for schools to be shut from Tuesday at the National Cabinet meeting tonight.
Victoria will go it alone if the rest of the cabinet disagrees, 7NEWS reports.
The last day of school in Victoria was due to be Thursday ahead of the Easter holidays.
Premier Daniel Andrews will also push for a total lockdown of all non-essential activities which would result in the closure of pubs, clubs and other “non-essential” public venues.
At a press conference earlier on Sunday prime minister Scott Morrison said widespread school closures would have a flow-on effect to other industries and the evidence was that the health risk to children was lower than to other parts of the population.
Brent Read 1.35pm: NRL moves to tackle virus lockdown
The NRL may accelerate plans to have all their teams in one city as they prepare for state lockdowns to combat the coronavirus.
The NRL believe they can continue to play games as it currently stands despite the Prime Minister announcing a ban on non-essential travel.
However, their season may be cast into doubt should state lockdowns come into effect in coming days, as has been widely predicted.
The only way the NRL could continue under those conditions would be if all the teams were located in one state.
NSW seems the likely option given 11 teams are already located in the state, 12 if you include the Warriors, who are based at Kingscliff on the NSW far north coast.
Interstate clubs could be relocated to western Sydney, where there is enough accommodation and venues to potentially house the Brisbane Broncos, Melbourne Storm and North Queensland Cowboys.
The alternative - the complete shutdown of the competition - would come at a hefty cost to the game given they receive $13 million each week from the broadcasters for their eight games.
READ MORE: Farewell to cricket, will we meet again?
Ewin Hannan 1.20pm: Unions slam super move as ‘fiscal stupidity’
Unions have declared the government’s assistance package for small business will be “burned through” in weeks and condemned the move to allow workers to access superannuation as “fiscal stupidity”.
Transport Workers’ Union national secretary Michael Kaine said the government’s assistance package on Sunday did not go far enough and the government was reacting too slowly to the unfolding pandemic.
“The offer of up to $100,000 to small businesses to keep workers employed will get burned through in a matter of weeks for many companies. For workers employed in larger businesses, there is no support,” he said.
“Qantas workers are being stood down now and the company is forcing them to bail it out and fund the airline through their own accrued and future leave.
“The Government is wasting time and not taking the necessary steps to save jobs and support workers. The lack of definitive intervention is creating anxiety among workers.”
Mr Kaine said allowing workers to access superannuation funds which have been dwindled significantly because of market turmoil was the wrong move.
“It is nothing short of fiscal stupidity to expect workers to dip into superannuation savings which in recent weeks have been reduced significantly. It will lock workers into significant market losses,” he said.
“Just like Qantas, the Government is expecting workers to shoulder the burden of this crisis. That is not just unfair, it is also dangerous as it will leave workers and the economy in a worse off position to bounce back from the crisis once the pandemic is under control.”
He said the Government should cover 80 per cent of the wages of stood down workers as is being done in England.
Yoni Bashan 1.15pm: Bondi backpackers among 97 new NSW cases
NSW Health officials say there have been 97 new cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in NSW overnight, marking another surge in daily infection rates across the state and the highest daily figure since tallying began several weeks ago.
There are now 533 confirmed cases of the virus in NSW, with 46 acquired locally without an identifiable source of the infection. Six people have died in the state, seven nationally.
Of the 533 cases identified, 251 have been confirmed as “overseas acquired”, health officials said. A further 131 cases are thought to have been contracted locally from a known contact with the infection. A further 105 remain under investigation.
In its latest briefing on transmissions of the virus, health officials said five cruise ships had been linked to COVID-19 cases, and revised up the number of people confirmed with coronavirus aboard the Ruby Princess cruise ship, which docked in Sydney on Thursday.
At the time, it had four confirmed cases of the virus. NSW Health now says the number has increased to 18 cases.
Backpackers have also emerged as an at-risk group, with officials identifying two parties where infections are believed to have been acquired.
The gatherings included Boogie Wonderland, which was held at The Bucket List in Bondi Beach on Sunday, March 15, and a party held at Club 77 in Darlinghurst from midnight on Sunday, March 15.
“People who attended these parties should be on alert for symptoms of COVID-19 and immediately isolate themselves if any symptoms develop,” a NSW Health statement said.
The 30-39 year age group accounts for 119 cases of the virus in NSW, statistics show, the most of any other bracket; those aged 20-29 account for 94 cases, while those aged 40-49 have registered 96 cases.
Officials said they have also identified a further two cases from the Sydney Church of Christ service held at the Ryde Civic Service centre on March 8, which was attended by 300 people. It takes the total number of people affected within that cluster to nine.
A childcare worker from Smeaton Grange Young Academics Child Care Centre has also been identified as another confirmed coronavirus case.
“All children and staff who attended the centre between March 2 and March 16 are considered close contacts and are being contacted and told to self-isolate,” the NSW Health statement said.
The centre has been closed until March 30.
Agencies 1.15pm: South Australia closes its borders
South Australia will effectively close its borders in a bid to stop the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.
Premier Steven Marshall announced on Sunday that anyone entering the state would be subject to a mandatory 14-day isolation period.
The new measures will take effect from 4pm on Tuesday and will not impact the state’s essential services, including the supply of food.
Courtney Walsh 12.30pm: Latest travel advice puts AFL under a cloud
The AFL is assessing the latest advice from the Federal Government amid the possibility the competition might last only this weekend due to the coronavirus crisis.
A meeting with Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the premiers of every state later on Sunday will have significant ramifications on whether the season continues.
Mr Morrison advised Australians against all non-essential travel during an address to the nation and warned of the prospect of introducing draconian measures in the near future.
The 18-club competition has teams based in five states, with six clubs travelling interstate in the opening round, which will be completed on Sunday with three matches.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan has stressed that the league needs to be agile and flexible as it seeks to play as much football as possible prior to a shutdown.
The matter may be taken out of the league’s hands as soon as Sunday night following the nationwide government teleconference.
Richard Ferguson 12pm: Economic shock will be worse than first thought
Josh Frydenberg has warned Australians that the economic shock of coronavirus will be deeper and wider than originally thought.
As he flagged extra fiscal rescue packages in the near future, the Treasurer said every arm of government will now be focused to cushion the blow of the COVID-19 crisis.
“We now expect the economic shock to be deeper, wider and longer,” he said.
“Every arm of government and industry is working to keep Australians in jobs and businesses in business and to build a bridge to recovery on the other side.”
Current government measures already make up nearly 10 per cent of Australia’s GDP.
Richard Ferguson 11.55am: PM says lockdowns may begin soon
Scott Morrison is warning Australians that states could be locking down suburbs and putting up tougher statewide restrictions soon.
“You will see more of this,” the Prime Minister said in Canberra.
“You will see more regional focus to this, more targeted responses from states and territories and that will be done at the instigation, based on their health advice and they will seek to do it as consistently as possible as states face with similar outbreaks in similar situations.
“Where possible it will be restricted but in some cases, I suspect, states and territories will take a broader application but this is what we are now facing.
“This is the next stage and this is what was anticipated some weeks ago, almost a month ago when we said we are now moving to prepare for pandemic like situations.”
Richard Ferguson 11.50am: Australians to be given access to super
Australians suffering financial hardship during the coronavirus crisis will now be able to access up to $10,000 of their own superannuation.
Eligible people will be able to apply to access their super accounts through MyGov before July 1 2020. After that, they will be access another $10,000 through the next three months.
Josh Frydenberg said in Canberra that the withdrawals would be tax-free.
“So if you are a sole trader or a casual and you have seen your income or your hours of work
fall by 20 per cent or more as a result of the coronavirus, you will be able to get early access to your superannuation,” the Treasurer said.
“This initiative builds on provisions (to access super) on the grounds of compassion grounds or hardship and up to $27bn of superannuation can be put back into the pockets of hardworking Australians.
“This comprises less than one per cent of the $3 trillion in superannuation today. The regulator APRA (Australian Prudential Regulation Authority) has advised it will not have a significant impact on the industry overall.”
Richard Ferguson 11.39am: Welfare recipients to receive an extra $550 fortnightly
Australians on welfare benefits will receive an extra $550 a fortnight to help them in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
A coronavirus supplement will be added to JobSeeker (formerly known as Newstart), Youth Allowance, parenting payment, farm household allowance special benefit for a period of six months.
Waiting times and asset tests for the Jobseeker allowance will be waived as more people lose their jobs due to coronavirus.
Josh Frydenberg said in Canberra that this move will essentially double welfare benefits.
“(The new payment) will be available to sole traders, casual workers who meet the income test,” the Treasurer said.
“This means, anyone eligible for the maximum jobseeker payment will now receive more than $1100 a fortnight, effectively doubling the jobseeker allowance.”
The government will also provide another $750 payment to people on social security and veteran benefits, on top of the $750 given out in the first round of stimulus measures.
READ MORE: Government unveils $189bn rescue package
Richard Ferguson 11.35am: PM flags further virus rescue packages
Scott Morrison is flagging more rescue packages on top of the second $66b tranche of fiscal measures he is unveiling now.
“This will not be the Treasurer and my last visit to these podiums to make announcements on these measures. This is focusing on those who are going to feel the first blows,” he said.
“There will be more packages and more support.
“There will be more issues that even now have not presented themselves or could not even be conceived at this point with what we may face over the next six months.
“And we will be working night and day to ensure we bring forward the measures Australia needs to get them on this bridge to the recovery on the other side.”
Richard Ferguson 11.30am: Australians urged to cancel domestic travel
All Australians are being urged to cancel all non-essential travel around the country to stop coronavirus, as Scott Morrison flags more draconian measures to stop people gathering.
The Prime Minister and the national cabinet decided overnight to recommend against travel unless it was on compassionate grounds, work-related or tied to essential supplies.
“All non-essential travel should be cancelled,” Mr Morrison said in Canberra.
Mr Morrison also touched on the huge crowds at Bondi Beach on Friday – which has led to its closure – and warned state leaders may have to take tougher measures to force social distancing.
“What happened at Bondi Beach was not OK. And served as a message to federal and state leaders that too many Australians are not taking these issues seriously enough,” he said.
“So the measures that we will be considering tonight means that state premiers and chief ministers may have to take far more draconian measures to enforce social distancing particularly in areas of outbreaks than might otherwise be the case.
“The more Australians themselves assist us in this fight against the virus to protect lives and livelihoods, the more and better able we are to ensure that Australia comes out stronger on the other side.”
Lachlan Moffet Gray 11.15am: Confusion at Sydney beaches amid closures
Like Bondi, beachgoers are confused at Sydney’s Bronte Beach, where Waverley Council workers are scrambling to erect fences and signs announcing the beach is shut. However, sunbathers and swimmer are still crowding the sand with no noticeable police or lifeguard presence ordering them to leave.
Christine Kellett 10.50am: Cruise ship passengers sailing in limbo
Australian passengers on the Norwegian Jewel cruise ship are facing an uncertain future after being refused port under the Morrison government’s tightened COVID-19 border controls.
Australian man Sakib Awan said passengers have been stranded at sea for 14 days, with no end to their ordeal in sight.
“We are heading to Hawaii and if we are not allowed to disembark … thereafter it is anybody’s guess,” Mr Awan told the ABC.
“We’ve crossed the (international) date line now four times.
“Some angry guests on board are really taking it out on staff who have nothing to do with it.”
Mr Awan said the ship’s captain had told passengers there were no cases of COVID-19 on the ship.
Cruise ships have contributed to the spread of coronavirus across Australia, with 10 confirmed cases traced to the Ruby Princess cruise which docked in Sydney this month. It’s been revealed 158 people who fell ill on the ship were allowed to disembark at Circular Quay.
And a WA man who had travelled aboard the Diamond Princess through Asia in February became the first Australian to die from coronavirus two weeks ago.
Richard Ferguson 10.25am: Labor urges Morrison to follow UK’s wages lead
Opposition treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers has called on Scott Morrison to consider adopting British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s policy to subsidise 80 per cent of the wages of workers hit by the coronavirus crisis.
“I think that there are real advantages in the UK model, because it does maintain a relationship between an employer and their worker,” he told ABC News.
“And so I think it’s something that the Government should be looking at very closely, because that would do, or could do a better job of maintaining that link.
“If we maintain the link between workers and their employers, then we give ourselves a better chance of recovering quickly after the virus has been contained.”
The government so far has ruled out adopting the British wage subsidy model, instead focusing on its plan to give small businesses $100,000 to keep staff on.
.@David_Speers: Should they should be producing a budget in May?@JEChalmers: Not a full budget.. But I don't think that they should prevent us seeing a.. cut down set of forecasts & the budget bottom line so that we can measure success of what these packages are intended to do. pic.twitter.com/xywVbCuUYf
— Insiders ABC (@InsidersABC) March 21, 2020
Lachlan Moffet Gray 10.05am: Police on patrol as Bondi closed
Bondi Beach is closed to the public, with Waverley Council erecting fences along the boardwalk and NSW police stationing themselves at strategic vantage points to watch for anyone trying to sneak on to the sand.
Several surfers are still milling about in the water, having snuck into the surf across the rocks at the far end of the beach, a NSW police officer said. Bondi Surf Lifesavers are standing by for police and council orders to remove them, a lifeguard told The Australian.
Residents of the area are puzzled by the beach’s closure. “I thought they were still letting people in if it’s under 500,” one local said to a police officer.
“There has been some mixed messaging,” the police officer replied.
“The beach is closed.”
Richard Ferguson 9.38am: Labor warns against allowing superannuation access
Labor has warned Scott Morrison against letting workers hit by the coronavirus downturn access more of their superannuation, but will not stand in the way of the overall package.
Opposition treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers on Sunday said it was not clear if the government would need legislation to broaden hardship provisions in super, but it is not a policy he would adopt.
“We think that early access to superannuation should be a last resort – not a first port of call,” he told ABC News.
“And we also think that there are real issues with encouraging people to divest from super when the market is in the condition that it is now.
“It’s not good for them, it’s not good for the system more broadly, and we don’t want to create problems for people’s retirement down the track.”
When asked if such a superannuation policy could see Labor vote against the government’s package, Dr Chalmers said he would not stand in the way of the Prime Minister.
“Firstly, we don’t know if it needs legislation. There’s a very strong prospect that it doesn’t and that it won’t be a parliamentary vote,” he said.
“But if it does come to the parliament, we’ve made it abundantly clear for weeks now, that we won’t be standing in the way of getting other kinds of support out into businesses and workers and pensioners and families and communities. The economy desperately needs that support. Our issue is getting it out the door.”
.@David_Speers asks @JEChalmers if he will vote against the Government's stimulus package announced later today.
— Insiders ABC (@InsidersABC) March 21, 2020
"If it does come to the Parliament, we've made it abundantly clear for weeks now, that we won't be standing in the way of getting other kinds of support.."#Auspol pic.twitter.com/aetdQazFBh
Richard Ferguson 8.40am: Government flags third stimulus
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has flagged a third fiscal package to fight the coronavirus downturn. in coming months.
The Finance Minister defended the government’s decision not to copy British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s policy of subsidising 80 per cent of workers’ wages if they are affected by the coronavirus downturn. Instead, the government has announced an extra $66 billion injection to save jobs via payments to small businesses for wage subsidies and other measures.
On Sunday, Senator Cormann said Australia needed to maintain some “fiscal firepower” for further government rescue packages.
“We have made judgments on what is most appropriate in an Australian context,” he told Sky News.
“We are providing substantial support to employing small to medium-sized businesses in the form of the cashflow support.
“It is essentially making sure that we maintain as much financial firepower to scale up the response as required. The package so far represents just under 10 per cent of GDP.
“We do believe we may need to do more and we’ll continue to monitor, obviously, the way the situation evolves.”
READ MORE: National 12-week lockdown ‘the best option’
Agencies 8am: Four more infected from Ruby Princess cruise
Four Tasmanians aboard the Ruby Princess cruise ship that disembarked in Sydney on Thursday are among latest confirmed cases.
A Tasmanian woman was diagnosed in Sydney on Friday after disembarking the ship there on Thursday.
She is still in Sydney, being managed by NSW Health.
Another woman and two men on the same ship were diagnosed in Tasmania on Saturday.
Fifty-four Tasmanian residents who were on the cruise have been contacted by health authorities, and those with symptoms will undergo assessment and testing. Meanwhile, the NSW government identified another four cruise ships affected by COVID-19, in addition to the Ruby Princess.
It’s now scrambling to contact thousands of people who were on-board the ships which visited Sydney this month, carrying passengers infected with coronavirus. NSW Health in a statement said its risk assessments for cruise ships were “far in excess” of those in other jurisdictions.
A couple who travelled on the Ruby Princess were later found to have the virus in the Northern Territory.
The Weekend Australian on Saturday revealed the cruise ship was allowed to dock in Sydney and passengers allowed to disembark despite 158 people falling ill.
READ MORE: For once, the government was better than its people
Agencies 7.30am: One death every two minutes in Italy
Victoria’s young people are being urged to take social distancing seriously, as the chief health officer warns coronavirus has claimed the lives of people as young as their 20s.
The state has recorded 229 cases, after 51 new cases were confirmed on Saturday. They include 30 men and 19 women, ranging from early teens to late 70s. Another two cases are under investigation.
However, young people are failing to take social distance measures seriously, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said.
“For young people especially, this message isn’t penetrating and they’re not getting an understanding of what it means for the entire population,” he said. “Younger people don’t get such severe infections, but people in their 20s have died, people in their 30s and 40s are going to intensive care – somebody is dying every two minutes in Italy from coronavirus.
“If you care about the people around you, if you think about protecting your family – your parents and your grandparents – then you have to think about making that distance between you and other people in all settings at all times whatever size.”
Dow Jones 7am: US cases surge to 20000 as death quadruple
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the US had surged to 20,000 as of Saturday, almost 10 times their level a week ago, as President Trump said he was considering a major disaster declaration for California and other states.
President Trump already approved such a declaration for New York, unlocking federal funding and assistance for the strained state. New York accounts for half the infections in the country.
Trump administration officials and congressional leaders were still working on a financial response of more than $2 trillion to address the outbreak and the economic fallout. The funding would include a nearly $1.5 trillion spending bill under consideration by U.S. Senators, as well as aid from the Federal Reserve.
“The package is coming in at about 10% of GDP,” Larry Kudlow, the director of the National Economic Council, told reporters Saturday as he headed into a meeting with Republican senators.
Globally, the number of infected hit 289,948 and deaths reached nearly 12,000, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, as more governments resorted to drastic measures to contain the spread. Italy again recorded the highest one-day death toll for any country.
Total cases are at 19,624 in the US, while deaths quadrupled to 260 from a week ago, according to Johns Hopkins University. New York State has 11,675, including 7,530 in New York City, state and city officials said Saturday.
More than 195,000 people in the US have been tested for the virus by Saturday, Vice President Michael Pence said Saturday. The vice president also said the government has ordered “hundreds of millions of masks” for healthcare providers.
READ MORE: Life in Lombardy a humbling reminder
Agencies 6.45am: 793 dead in a single day in Italy
Italy’s grim tally of coronavirus cases and deaths has continued to soar, with officials announcing new day-to-day highs: 793 dead and 6,557 cases. The country, the heart of western Europe’s rampaging outbreak, now counts 53,578 known cases. More than 4,000 people have now died there.
More than 60 per cent of the latest deaths occurred in the northern region of Lombardy, whose hospitals have been reeling under a staggering case load that has left intensive care beds hard to find and respirators in dire supply. The new increases come nearly two weeks into a national lockdown in a desperate bid to contain the spread of the virus.
READ MORE: Cruise ship allowed to dock in Sydney despite 158 sick on board
Agencies 6.30am: Virus lockdowns now spread to Africa
Lockdowns have begun in Africa in the latest rushed measures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
Rwanda’s prime minister announced that all unnecessary movements outside the home are banned as of midnight except for essential services such as health care and shopping.
The East African nation has 17 cases. It has told all public and private employees to work from home. Shops and markets not selling food, fuel or health or cleaning items are closed. All bars are closed and restaurants can only provide takeaway. The measures will last for two weeks.
Tunisia earlier imposed a lockdown.
READ MORE: Even optimists can do the math on Australian deaths
Agencies 6.15am: Queensland ‘needs to do more’
A greater economic stimulus is needed amid the coronavirus outbreak because it is crippling business, Queensland’s opposition leader says.
Cases of COVID-19 in Queensland jumped to 221 on Saturday with an increase of 37 cases.
The state needs to do more to match the $1.7 billion and $2.3 billion packages announced by the Victorian and NSW governments respectively, LNP leader Deb Frecklington said.
So far the Palaszczuk government has promised $27.5 million for tourism, agriculture and education sectors, $500 million in no-interest loans for businesses, and a deferral of payroll tax.
But Ms Frecklington says more needs to be done.
“(Premier) Annastacia Palaszczuk and Jackie Trad are failing to listen to the chorus of business leaders calling for payroll tax exemptions to protect jobs,” she said in a statement.
On Saturday authorities said an outside-of-school care worker was among the new coronavirus cases.
The staff member worked at a Helensvale centre for a number of days while symptomatic, and authorities are contacting those involved who will be required to quarantine for 14 days.
Health Minister Steven Miles also said there are reports of venues that did not follow strict new density requirements on Friday night.
READ MORE: Victorian Premier announces biggest ever relief package
Agencies 6am: Australian coronavirus cases reach 1073
A billion-dollar support package is expected to be unveiled on Sunday, as the national coronavirus toll reached 1073 on Saturday night.
The federal government will unveil an extra $66 billion on Sunday to help Australian businesses and workers stay afloat during the pandemic crisis. The package will be on top of the $17.6 billion already announced. Four Tasmanians aboard the Ruby Princess cruise ship that disembarked in Sydney on Thursday are among latest confirmed cases.
A Tasmanian woman was diagnosed in Sydney on Friday after disembarking the ship there on Thursday.
She is still in Sydney, being managed by NSW Health.
Another woman and two men on the same ship were diagnosed in Tasmania on Saturday.
Fifty-four Tasmanian residents who were on the cruise have been contacted by health authorities, and those with symptoms will undergo assessment and testing. Meanwhile, the NSW government identified another four cruise ships affected by COVID-19, in addition to the Ruby Princess.
It’s now scrambling to contact thousands of people who were on-board the ships which visited Sydney this month, carrying passengers infected with coronavirus. NSW Health in a statement said its risk assessments for cruise ships were “far in excess” of those in other jurisdictions.
All travellers from international cruises are required to self-quarantine for 14 days after they disembark, NSW Health said.
READ MORE: The real ‘China virus’ killed us long ago
Ex-union boss to lead Work Safe
One of Anthony Albanese’s closest union allies, Tony Maher, has been appointed to lead the workplace health and safety watchdog.
Federal review to give verdict on puberty blockers
A newly announced inquiry by the National Health and Medical Research Council will cut short the Queensland government’s review of puberty blocker prescriptions.