Coronavirus Australia live updates: States spell out path to normality
After the national cabinet released its three-step roadmap to unlock the economy, states have revealed when restrictions will be eased.
- Retail stocks rally on economy reboot
- Cafes, playgrounds first to re-open
- Early access to super halted
- Wuhan lab theory ‘could be wrong’
- Trump valet tests positive for COVID-19
Welcome to live coverage of the continuing coronavirus crisis. Cafes, playgrounds and house auctions will be able to open in the first stage of restrictions easing, as states reveal when residents can expect restrictions to be eased. The tax office is pausing applications for early access to superannuation after instances of identity fraud were detected.
Rachel Baxendale 5.45pm: ‘I asked people to be tested, 127000 did’
Asked whether he was worried he would lose the confidence of Victorians by insisting on a longer lockdown than other states, a supremely confident Daniel Andrews cited record numbers of people getting tested as an indication of support for his approach.
“Let me answer it this way: I asked people to come forward and get tested, and 127,000 people have come forward,” Mr Andrews said.
“This is not a one-minute process. People have queued, people have given a lot of their time. I’m very pleased with that.
“I’m absolutely thrilled that people have heeded that call and have done the right thing, exactly what we’ve asked them to do.
“I’ve asked parents not to send their kids to school unless they absolutely have to, and 97.5 per cent of kids are being educated at home.
“So I’m pleased to say I think Victorians are listening.
“It’s not like it’s one or two people that have queued (to get tested), 127,000 Victorians, by the time we’re finished, this will be the MCG and Marvel Stadium combined.
“That is such an impressive thing, such an impressive thing, and it gives us options, but we just have to be a little patient for a little longer, to make sure that we get these results.”
READ MORE: Coronavirus ‘a catalyst for change’
Brad Norington 5.40pm: NSW won’t see any changes this week: Berejiklian
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says she supports the national cabinet’s framework for easing coronavirus restrictions but has declined to allow any of the proposed changes to take effect in the nation’s largest state this week.
Ms Berejiklian described the national cabinet plan as a “clear pathway” to what people in NSW “can look forward to in coming months”.
In a statement issued by her office, the NSW Premier said her government had already eased a number of restrictions listed under the first stage of the plan and she would keep the community updated.
“As I stated earlier this week – there will be no further change to restrictions in NSW this week,” Ms Berejiklian said.
The NSW Premier’s decision means existing restrictions on venue closures and social gatherings that limit home visits by family or friends to two people will remain in place this weekend, including for Mother’s Day on Sunday.
Before the national cabinet met, Ms Berejiklian said she wanted time to analyse data collected in May and did not want to make any immediate decisions on further easing restrictions because “there’s eight million people I need to consider”.
“With Mother’s Day and another weekend coming along, we know there will be more visitations to peoples’ houses and we ask people to do that safely, especially if you’re visiting an older and vulnerable person,” she said.
“Please consider how you might conduct that visit to keep everybody safe.”
The extension of restrictions in NSW rules out most social gatherings, while keeping the maximum allowed at weddings or funerals to 10 people until further notice.
From Monday the state will increase face-to-face teaching in schools.
READ MORE: Why harbourmaster let Ruby dock
Rachel Baxendale 5.35pm: ‘Door open’ for return to school: Andrews
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews hinted at a relaxation of his policy of home schooling for the remainder of Term Two, which ends on June 25.
Mr Andrews said he would not pre-empt any announcements due to be made on Monday, but said the door had “always been open” to the majority of students returning to classrooms before Term Three.
“The door has always been open to that. We’ve always said people should plan for Term Two, if you can learn from home, you must learn from home, but if that was to change, and could be done, could be changed safely, then we would give people as much notice as possible,” the Premier said.
“I’ll have more to say about schools next week. The nature of that, I can’t pre-empt, because there’s still further work that has to be done.
“We’ve always said plan for the whole term, whole of Term Two being at home, unless you can’t be, but if we could bring it forward, we would.
“We’ve always been keen to give parents as much notice as possible.
“We did that when we brought the school holidays forward, and we of course will do that if and when those policy settings change.”
READ MORE: Three steps to reopening
Victoria Laurie 5.30pm: Thousands of controversial anti-viral tablets seized
Australian Border Force has warned of a surge in importations of the drug formerly promoted by US president Donald Trump as a therapy against coronavirus.
The ABF says Australians should not import and self-prescribe the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as a possible treatment. They warned of a surge in detections of the drug by officers screening medical supplies crossing the border.
Dozens of consignments, totalling more than 6,000 tablets, have been intercepted at the border since January. All have been referred to the Therapeutic Goods Administration for assessment.
President Trump told reporters on 5 April: “It’s a very strong, powerful medicine. But it doesn’t kill people.” He later retreated from promoting the drug he had claimed obtained “good results and some very good tests. “
Hydroxychloroquine is a prescription-only drug used in the treatment of malaria and some auto-immune diseases.
The ABF says the TGA has warned that hydroxychloroquine poses serious risks to patients, including the risk of heart attacks, irreversible eye damage and severe depletion of blood sugar.
It has also advised medical professionals of increased restrictions when it came to prescribing hydroxychloroquine.
ABF Acting Commander Susan Drennan said the ABF is keeping a strong presence at all international gateways, including mail, air and sea cargo environments, “to identify and examine medical supplies, both import and export, during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“ABF officers are on the lookout for consignments of this drug, along with all other prohibited imports and exports. Anyone considering further unauthorised imports will be wasting their money,” Acting Commander Drennan said.
READ MORE: How coronavirus hijacks the body
Rachel Baxendale 5.05pm: Premier pleads for patience on pub reopenings
Mr Andrews said some measures introduced on Monday would not take effect immediately, and indicated restaurants and cafe reopenings may be a way off.
“Quite logically, if you make an announcement on Monday it will take some time for different sectors, for different parts of the Victorian economy and Victorian community to be able to be ready for that change,” he said.
“If you think about the top line in that framework document that the Prime Minister has put out today, and the national cabinet agreed to, that’s a kind of menu, if you like, and we will choose the elements of that and the respective timing for the rollout of each of those elements that best suit Victoria, that best suit the unique circumstances that we face.”
Asked whether opening restaurants and cafes was off the “menu” for Victoria, Mr Andrews said: “I know, I know that everyone would love to be back at the pub, or at a cafe, or at a restaurant. But we’ve gotta do it in a methodical, careful way.
“When I have more to say about cafes and restaurants, when I have more to say about gatherings, inside and outside, when I have more to say about all the elements of that top line in that three stage framework, I will do that, and that process will begin on Monday.
Asked whether he was one of the leaders Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy had described as being a “more conservative voice” in national cabinet on reopening cafes and pubs, Mr Andrews said he would leave it to others to judge his approach.
READ MORE: Spend it and they will come
Rachel Baxendale 4.45pm: MP asks Andrews: Why stall on easing limits?
Victorian federal Liberal MP and former paediatrician and medical professor Katie Allen has called on Premier Daniel Andrews to reveal the evidence on which he has based his decision to delay lifting COVID-19 restrictions in the state until at least Monday.
Why is Premier Andrews deferring the baby step of Step 1 when the National Cabinet has built a strong health safety net to trace, track and trap covid. Less deaths in Victoria from covid than annually from the flu. What evidence is he using to inform his policy? #COVID
— Katie Allen MP (@KatieAllenMP) May 8, 2020
“Why is Premier Andrews deferring the baby step of Step 1 when the national cabinet has built a strong health (&) safety net to trace, track and trap COVID-19?” the MP for the inner Melbourne seat of Higgins tweeted.
“Less deaths in Victoria from COVID than annually from the flu.
“What evidence is he using to inform his policy?”
READ MORE: Why pick on Captain Cook?
Matthew Denholm 4.20pm: Tasmania to start easing lockdown from Monday
Tasmania will begin a slow, staged easing of COVID-19 restrictions from Monday, with limited opening of cafes and pubs from May 18 and all children to be back at school by June 9.
Premier Peter Gutwein on Friday outlined a detailed, three-stage lifting of the lockdown, but warned all stages depended on getting the green light from public health experts.
“Our pathway back will be gradual, it will be careful and always based on the best health advice,” Mr Gutwein said. “We are not out of this yet. We need to follow the rules ... no Tasmanian wants to see a second wave of the virus hit us.”
State borders would not be opened until case numbers dropped in other states.
From Monday, funeral attendance will rise from 10 to 20 mourners, aged care visits – once a week for two people – will resume, national parks and reserves will open to residents living within 30km, while TAFEs will be open for some practical sessions.
Stage One, from May 18, will see gatherings increase from two to 10 people, including for real estate purposes, religious meetings and weddings, and funerals will be extended to 30 people if outdoors. Gatherings at home will be limited to five people.
Restaurants and cafes, including inside pubs, will open to seating for up to 10 patrons at a time, complying with social distance rules.
From May 25, kindergarten to Year 6 students, as well as Year 11 and 12 students, will return to classroom learning. Aged care visits will be extended to two visitors, once a day.
From June 9, high school students from Years 7 to 10 will return to classrooms. From June 13, horse racing will resume.
Stage Two begins on June 15, with gatherings increased to 20, funerals to 50, accommodation reopened, camping and shack stays will be allowed, and community sport will resume for up to 20 people.
Stage Three begins on July 13, with gatherings rising to up to 100, aged care homes residents allowed five visitors and multiple visits, and full opening of bars will be “considered” and outdoor community sport will resume.
There have been 225 cases of coronavirus in Tasmania, mostly associated with a significant outbreak in the state’s northwest. There are 35 cases active and 177 people who have recovered from the virus, while 13 have died, including 12 in the northwest.
READ MORE: Coronavirus ‘a catalyst for change’
Rachel Baxendale 3.28pm: ‘Every state is different’: Victorian Premier
Asked how he would convince Victorians that there were legitimate reasons to delay a relaxation of restrictions until Monday when every other state is relaxing them sooner, Premier Daniel Andrews said “every state” was different.
“Everybody is in a unique set of circumstances, and trying to pretend that there’s some national lowest common denominator or national average, that would be silly,” Mr Andrews said.
“No one for a moment has ever suggested, least of all me, that Victorians are enjoying these rules. They’re there for a reason, though.”
Mr Andrews cited the Northern Territory and Tasmania, with much lower rates of infection, as evidence that Victoria needed to stick to tougher measures.
He made no reference to NSW, which has had more than double Victoria’s cases but is relaxing restrictions sooner.
“The Northern Territory haven’t had a case in a month or so. They never had any community transmission at all, so they’re in a very different position than what we’re in,” Mr Andrews said.
“Tassie, for instance, is in a different position, not on case numbers or those sorts of issues, but the mere fact that they have, as Premier Gutwein has made the point, they have a moat and can do things slightly differently to Victoria.
“Everyone’s in a different spot and the response needs to appreciate that, and it does.”
READ MORE: How virus hijacks the body from head to toe
Michael Carayannis 3.14pm: NRL anti-vaxxers stood down by Qld government
Three Queensland-based NRL players who have not been vaccinated have been stood down by the Queensland government.
The NRL is still awaiting word from the NSW government if they will take a similar stance. But the Queensland chief medical officer wrote to the Titans, Cowboys and Broncos this afternoon to inform them of her decision.
Gold Coast’s Bryce Cartwright is among the three players. It is understood two more of his Titans teammates have also been told to stay away from training.
Geoff Chambers 3.07pm: Retail welcomes three-step plan to reboot economy
Australian Retailers Association chief executive Paul Zahra welcomed the three-step plan to reboot the economy, declaring retail as a “bellweather for the overall economy”.
“When retail is firing, the economy is firing. And whilst we anticipate a slow path to recovery, today’s announcement gives retailers who are planning to reopen the clarity they needed to proceed with confidence,” Mr Zahra said.
“Retail is Australia’s largest private employer, with more than 1.3 million people, or almost 10% of the workforce, working in 135,000 businesses across the country. It contributes $325 billion to the national economy.
MYOB chief executive Greg Ellis said the three-step plan was crucial in “getting the economy moving again”.
“Our SME data shows this week, deposits are down 45 per cent in both the hospitality and arts and recreation sectors. These industries have been hardest hit by the necessary social distancing measures and steps announced today to assist a business resurgence will go a long way to getting these operators back on their feet,” Mr Ellis said.
“While it will be a steady return as we further relax measures over time, it is an important day for so many Australian SME owners and their staff, and for the economy. We now have a pathway back to full operation.”
Australian Medical Association president Tony Bartone said the three-step plan was in line with the AMA’s advice and recommendations.
“The gradual lifting of restrictions is welcome, but we must not become complacent. Patience and vigilance will still be required,” Dr Bartone said.
CommSec chief economist Craig James said the Reserve Bank of Australia forecasts and the government’s three-step process to ease lockdown provisions “represents an encouraging path out of the crisis”.
READ MORE: Three steps to reopening Australia
David Penberthy 2.31pm: SA lifts a raft of COVID-19 restrictions
South Australia will take a giant leap towards normality on Monday with the lifting of restrictions on regional travel, caravan parks, public swimming pools, outdoor dining at restaurants and cafes and face-to-face tutorials at universities and TAFE colleges.
The real estate industry will be kickstarted with the resumption of auctions and open inspections, while grassroots sports and activities will benefit from the reopening of community, youth and RSL halls, and lifting of the ban on outdoor sports training.
Funerals will also be expanded to allow 20 people indoors and 30 outdoors while up to 10 guests will be permitted at weddings.
From June 8, changes will be considered for cinemas and theatres, seated dining, galleries and museums, beauty salons, driving lessons, gyms, further easing on funerals and competitive sport.
With SA having recorded just one new case in the past fortnight, and with just two people in the state still infected with Covid-19 and none in intensive care, SA Premier Steven Marshall said the state’s early exit from lockdown had been made possible by high levels community compliance.
“We are very grateful to the people of SA for the way they have responded to the restrictions to date,” he said.
“That is the thing that has put us in such a great position in SA.”
SA has had the most liberal lockdown regime of any state, with schools remaining open throughout the pandemic and police allowing gatherings of up to 10 people provided social distancing is observed. Parks and beaches have been open at all times and playgrounds re-opened this week.
Chief Medical Officer Associate Professor Dr Nicola Spurrier urged all South Australians to maintain precautions including social distancing and good hygiene as restrictions started to lift. She said anyone with any symptoms of Covid-19, even mild, was urged to get a test.
“If there are people in your family who you believe better get tested, please encourage everybody,” she said.
READ MORE: Top End party with no peer
2.29pm: Restrictions in ACT lifted from midnight tonight
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr says state will start lifting restrictions from midnight tonight, allowing gatherings of up to 10 people in indoor and outdoor settings.
ACT #COVID19 update (8 May) There has been no new cases of COVID-19 in the ACT in the past 24 hours. The ACT's total is still 107. A total of 103 cases have recovered. The number of negative tests in the ACT is now 10,850. Read more https://t.co/YGW9pOHG3e pic.twitter.com/2PKDyuDKoN
— ACT Health (@ACTHealth) May 8, 2020
Mr Barr said the ACT will look more like NSW and Victoria than the NT over the coming months as the territory was “an island’’ within NSW.
READ MORE: Abbatoir doesn’t know which worker got sick
AAP 2.24pm: NSW to set aside $15m for more pedestrian space
Some $15 million will be set aside by the NSW government to help councils provide more space for people to walk, cycle and exercise safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The plan, announced on Friday by NSW Planning Minister Rob Stokes, also includes an extension of George Street’s car-free zone in Sydney’s CBD, a new pedestrian- only boulevard on Liverpool’s Railway Street and a “people’s loop” in Parramatta Park.
Whether it’s new cycle lanes, pedestrian-only streets or wider footpaths, our new Streets as Shared Spaces Program will fund council projects to provide more open space for our communities to safely walk, cycle and exercise. For more info https://t.co/AZtx833gH5 pic.twitter.com/eIeRkSsNCn
— Rob Stokes MP (@RobStokesMP) May 8, 2020
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said she was pleased by the George Street extension.
“With new street trees, planter boxes, outdoor dining, seating and pedestrianisation, people were already taking back and enjoying George Street before COVID-19 hit. When the crisis passes, it will once again be a place to linger and gather rather than just hurrying through,” Ms Moore said in a statement on Friday.
READ MORE: Revealed: Huge cost of PM’s virus rescue mission
Rachel Baxendale 2.17pm: Victoria to wait on lockdown rule changes
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is standing firm on his decision not to ease physical distancing restrictions for Victorians until Monday, saying he will have a “series of announcements” to make during the course of next week.
Mr Andrews emphasised the decision of national cabinet to allow individual states and territories to make decisions about which restrictions they will lift, giving a strong indication that Victoria’s approach is likely to remain more cautious than those of other states even after some measures are eased on Monday.
“Whilst I welcome the overall pathway, I also welcome the commentary from the Prime Minister and the decision of national cabinet that what is done and when, that is the timeline, the staggered nature of easing off the rules we’ve put in place, is fundamentally a matter for individual states and territories,” Mr Andrews said.
“Nothing changes today, nothing changes tomorrow, nothing changes Sunday.
“The rules remain in place, and I just reiterate: these are the rules, and the strong compliance we’ve seen from Victorians, for which I’m very grateful, that’s what’s delivered these numbers.”
Mr Andrews urged Victorians not to relinquish the suppression of the virus by letting their “frustration” get the better of them and breaking the rules.
“On Monday, and indeed throughout next week, I will have a series of announcements to make about changes to the rules,” he said.
“Those rules - that will not be all the rules going, and it won’t necessarily be that the moment I announce something a change happens right then.
“There may be time required to move from announcing a change to the effect of that.
“The key point here is that, even at the end of next week, even at the end of May, there will still be rules in place.”
READ MORE: RBA warns of slow recovery from virus crisis
Sarah Elks 2.09pm: When Queenslanders can go back to the pub
Queenslanders will be able to go back to the pub in a little over a week, with the state announcing its date to kickstart the economy.
BREAKING: Queensland’s roadmap to easing restrictions https://t.co/eKZ63xZC5v #coronavirus #qldjobs pic.twitter.com/8qQZkqi8p4
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) May 8, 2020
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said from Saturday May 16, Queenslanders would be able to dine in at restaurants, pubs, clubs and RSLs.
The state recorded zero new coronavirus cases overnight, keeping the total at 1045, with just 45 active patients.
From 11.59pm, Friday May 15, the following will be allowed:
• Gatherings of a maximum of 10 people together in a public space
• Dining in at restaurants, pubs, clubs, RSLs and cafes for a maximum of 10 patrons at one time as part of a gradual re-opening (no bars or gaming)
• Recreational travel of a radius of up to 150km from your home for day trips
• Some beauty therapies and nail salons for up to 10 people at one time
• Reopening of libraries. playground equipment, skate parks and outdoor gyms (a maximum of 10 at one time)
• Wedding guests increased to 10 people and funeral attendance increased to 20 (30 outdoors)
• Open homes and auctions with a maximum of 10 people at one time;
• Re-opening public pools and lagoons (eg South Bank, Cairns, Airlie Beach) with a maximum of 10 people at a time or greater numbers with an approved plan
READ MORE: Why harbourmaster let Ruby Dock
Eli Greenblat 1.50pm: Retail stocks rally on reboot
Australia’s biggest retailers have staged a massive rally on the sharemarket following months of sharp declines and dwindling profitability triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, with department store owner Myer leading the pack with a 20 per cent leap after the Prime Minister unveiled his plan to reopen the Australian economy.
Following a press conference with Scott Morrison where he reported the three step plan created by the National Cabine to bring the economy out of hibernation by July 1, which will include an easing of home isolation and more non-essential trips to tye shops, retail stocks have gone a bullish race higher.
Myer led the way with a gain of 4 cents, or 20 per cent to 24 cents, and has more than doubled its share price in the last few weeks, with Harvey Norman up 7 per cent to $3.05, Super Retail Group up 5 per cent to $6.56, JB Hi-Fi up 3 per cent to $34.95 and Wesfarmers - whose retail chains include Bunnings, Officeworks, Kmart and Target - up 2.3 per cent to $37.23.
READ MORE: Trading Day: Shares, Aussie dollar cheer economic reboot
Rachel Baxendale 1.45pm: Inspectors isolated after abattoir visit
Six WorkSafe inspectors are now isolating, after one inspector visited Cedar Meats, Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville confirmed.
Ms Neville said the inspector who had visited Cedar Meats was understood not to have had close contact with infected workers at the site.
“But as a precaution (they) have notified DHHS and they’ve been tested and they’re in quarantine, as are five others who have had contact with this WorkSafe inspector,” she said.
Ms Neville said no new cases had been linked to health or aged care workers, after a nurse at Sunshine Hospital and an aged care worker at Doutta Galla Aged Care in Footscray were confirmed as having COVID-19 earlier this week.
She said she understood all of today’s new Cedar Meats cases were detected in workers, other than a student at Marcellin College in Melbourne’s north who is understood to be a close contact of a worker.
READ MORE: Impossible to tally virus cost
Olivia Caisley 1.40pm: PM: Important to know virus’ cause
Asked about a theory that the coronavirus pandemic originated in a Chinese lab and whether it will make his push for an independent inquiry into the outbreak more difficult, Scott Morrison says it is important to discover the origin of the virus.
“I think what is important is we find out, and the world doesn’t yet know - I raised this at the meeting with international colleagues last night,” the Prime Minister says.
He explains his calls for an independent inquiry are not “directed at anyone” and “we just want to know what happened so it doesn’t happen again.”
“It’s a pretty honest question, with an honest intent and an honest motive,” Mr Morrison says.
Rachel Baxendale 1.30pm: ‘Trust health experts’ over Cedar Meats privacy
Victorian Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville has stood by the state health department’s decision not to give Melbourne abattoir Cedar Meats the name of a worker who tested positive to COVID-19 on April 2, despite conceding there are occasions when public health trumps privacy.
The Australian revealed today that the managers of Cedar Meats - which has now been linked to 71 coronavirus cases - have been unable to check the worker’s claim that he had not been at work for four weeks prior to testing positive, because the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services has refused to give them his name, citing privacy reasons.
The department’s decision not to treat Cedar Meats as a potential exposure site following the April 2 case meant the second case at the abattoir — which was rapidly followed by dozens of cases — was not confirmed until April 24.
Ms Neville said she did not believe the decision was a “black and white, privacy versus public health” matter.
“I think it’s about making the right decisions based on the information the health people had, about when information is provided more broadly beyond the individual involved,” she said.
“So I think that it is a case by case assessment.
“In some cases it is in the public interest that you override privacy, and in other cases it’s not in the public interest, and we’ve got to trust our health experts to make those judgments, and I think everyone across Victoria would say we have been made proud by our health officials and the work that they’ve done in an unprecedented time, and they have, I think, got those balances right and made those judgments in the interests of the public.”
Pressed on whether or not it was acceptable for authorities not to check the worker’s claim, given the worksite has not been linked to 71 cases, Ms Neville said the issue had been “well canvassed”.
“You mightn’t like the answer to it, but it has been well-canvassed,” Ms Neville said in response to The Australian’s question.
“For me, the biggest thing that’s come out of Cedar Meats is a reminder to all of us: firstly, this is incredibly contagious; secondly, the importance of contact tracing.
“When we say we’re easing restrictions, when people talk about the COVID app, the importance that will have in the future so that you can see where people have been in order to make sure you’ve got your contact tracing right, as well as of course all of the additional people who are doing the contact tracing, the ‘detectives’, as I think the Health Minister is using, are out there. “
All of these things are critical to the future of how we manage this disease.”
READ MORE: Abattoir didn’t know name of sick worker
Olivia Caisley 1.25pm: Return to classrooms in first step
Scott Morrison has said he wants to see students across the nation returning to the classroom as part of the first stage of his government’s three-step program to get the economy back up and running.
“I think it is important we all hold our nerve. That’s why I was saying before these are cautious first steps but important first steps,” he says. “You know, you can stay under the doona forever and you’ll, you know, you’ll never face any danger.”
“But we’ve gotta get out from under the doona at some time. And if not now, well, then when?”
Olivia Caisley 1.20pm: No international travel any time soon
Scott Morrison has warned that he can’t see Australia “opening up” international travel in the foreseeable future, however the government is considering allowing the arrival of international students.
The Prime Minister told reporters in Canberra that while the government had been speaking to New Zealand about a trans-tasman bubble, international travel was off the cards for now.
“I can’t see that happening any time soon. There’s nothing on our radar which would see us opening up international travel in the foreseeable future,” he says. “There are already some very, very minor exceptions, where the Border Force can provide an exemption for outbound travel, but that’s in areas like facilitating development aid in third countries and things like that.”
Earlier, he said considering international students came under the third step of the plan, but warned any arrivals would have to be carefully tested.
“We are open to that, and we would be working with institutions to see how that could be achieved but it has to be done according to those strict quarantine restrictions and how that’s done, and how those costs are met.”
“We’re open to everything pretty much to get the Australian economy back and firing again as much as possible,” he says. “We’ve just gotta step through it carefully.”
He said Greece had flagged opening its borders to travellers as it moved into the summer season at a meeting of “first mover” nations last night.
READ MORE: 200,000 new online shoppers
Olivia Caisley 1.15pm: Outbreaks ‘no reason to slow reopening’
Asked about the coronavirus cluster at Melbourne abattoir Cedar Meats, Scott Morrison warns that outbreaks are not a reason to stall the reopening of the economy.
“Outbreaks are not a reason to slow things down,” the Prime Minister says. “Outbreaks are going to happen. All Premiers and chief ministers understand that and so it’s how you respond to them.”
Mr Morrison again reminds Australians to download the COVIDSafe app to assist health authorities with contact tracing.
That’s why I think some of these automated tools are very helpful to the Premiers and health ministers in those jurisdictions. Each one of these is going to be tough. It’s not a reason to slow things down.
Geoff Chambers 1.10pm: ‘Work from home until workplaces safe’
Australians returning to work will be asked to avoid public transport in peak hour across all three steps, with steps one and two supporting working from home until workplaces develop COVIDSafe plans.
Universities and technical colleges will be urged to increase face-to-face learning, with step three considering reopening residential colleges and international student travel.
Under step one, cafes and restaurants may open and seat up to 10 patrons at one time, maintaining 4sqm spacing per person. Step two would increase capacity to 20 patrons, and 100 patrons by step three.
Funerals will be able to have up to 20 mourners indoors and 30 outdoors under step one. That is increased to 50 mourners under step two. By step three, funerals and weddings will be allowed to have gatherings of up to 100 people.
Indoor movie theatres, concert venues, stadiums, galleries, museums, zoos, pubs, clubs, nightclubs and gaming venues will remain closed under step one. Under step two, zoos, stadiums, concert venues, and galleries will be able to accommodate 20 patrons but pubs, RSL clubs, clubs and casinos would remain closed.
Strip clubs and brothels will remain closed across all three steps.
READ MORE: Banking on digital future
Olivia Caisley 1.05pm: ‘No goal[‘ for reducing unemployment
Scott Morrison has said he doesn’t have a specific goal when it comes to reducing unemployment and getting Australians back in the workforce, but he wants to see everyone back at work as quickly as possible.
“I don’t have an estimate in front of me,” the Prime Minister says. “What we’ve seen is the reductions in employment. That’s known.”
“What we have seen is the reduction in the incomes people are taking home... but whichever way you look at this, the economic impact has been very harsh.”
He says there are now one million Australians on JobSeeker and it has taken a Herculean effort from Services Australia and Centrelink to get those claims processed.
“I want to see everyone get back to work,” Mr Morrison says.
READ MORE: ‘Keep hotspots in lockdown’
Olivia Caisley 1.00pm: PM: States, territories will re-open at own pace
Scott Morrison says there will be “inconsistencies” and the states and territories “will and must move at their own pace as he outlines a three-step plan to relax social distancing restrictions by July.
He says the states and territories will “cut and paste” out of the Morrison government’s plan to “suit their local circumstances”.
Step one will “enable greater connection with friends and family, allowing gatherings up to 10 people, and five guests in your own home”, Mr Morrison says.
Working from home will be encouraged. Children will be back in classrooms and playgrounds. Golf is back, pools reopened, fitness bootcamps allowed in parks. Retail and small cafes and restaurants reopened, and interstate recreational travel will be allowed. Funerals can have up to 30 attendees outdoors, and weddings 10.
Step two will allow larger gatherings up to 20 people, including for venues such as cinemas and galleries, “more retail openings on sector-based COVID-safe plans, organised community sport, beauty parlours, and you’ll be pleased to know, barre classes open once again”.
Step three will allow gatherings of up to 100 people.
“This will become clearer as we move through the first two steps,” Mr Morrison said. “But most workers, by then, will be back in the workplace. Interstate travel will likely resume. Pubs and clubs with some restrictions will be open, and also possibly gaming venues.
“The pace, though, will be left to the states and territories.”
He says his government’s handling of the crisis has honoured a promise he made to the Australian people after winning last year’s election.
“A year ago, I made a promise to all Australians. That we would work each and every day to keep our economy strong, to keep Australians safe, and to keep Australians together. We’re keeping that promise to Australians,” Mr Morrison says.
“That’s the fight we’ve been in. That’s the fight we remain in. It’s the fight we’re winning. And it’s the fight we’ll continue to win together.”
READ MORE: Huge cost of PM’s recovery plan
Geoff Chambers 12.50pm: Step one to support $3.1bn economic activity
Step one of the COVIDSafe Australia roadmap is expected to support $3.1bn in economic activity and 250,000 jobs per month, $3bn and 275,000 jobs for step two and $3.3bn and 325,000 jobs for step three.
National cabinet will review the three-step process every three-weeks, with states and territories allowed to move at different times based on local conditions.
Under step two, caravan and camping grounds would be re-opened. Step three would see nightclubs be allowed to re-open their doors.
READ MORE: WA Premier ‘targeted by hackers’
Geoff Chambers 12.45pm: Cafes, auctions, playgrounds in first step out
Australia’s three-step roadmap to unlock the economy will focus on maintaining social distancing and hygiene measures and incremental increases in social gatherings, reopening businesses, recreational activity and travel.
Scott Morrison said he expected the three step process, contingent on health advice, would be fully operational by July.
Step one allows up to five visitors to homes, gatherings of up to 10 outside of home, reopening libraries, community centres, playgrounds and boot camps and increasing shopping, business and retail activity, including restaurants and cafes, home sales and auctions, and local and regional travel.
Step two will see most businesses operating, allowing gatherings of up to 20 outside of home, and re-opening gyms, beauty therapists, cinemas, amusement parks, galleries, museums and some interstate travel. Under step two, states and territories may allow larger numbers in some circumstances.
Step three will see most Australians back at work, gatherings of up to 100, and consideration of cross-Tasman, Pacific Island and international students travel. Food courts, saunas, bathhouses and all interstate travel would be expected to be back in operation.
READ MORE: Time for premiers to loosen things up
Adam Creighton 12.40pm: Economic damage will take years to reverse
Economic damage from the largest three month fall “in the history of the quarterly national accounts” will take years at best to reverse, the Reserve Bank has estimated in its latest quarterly economic statement.
The Reserve Bank has forecast a 10 per cent drop in economic output in the June quarter and a rise in unemployment to just above 10 per cent in its latest economic update, which predicts deflation in the second quarter of this year.
“The initial contraction in activity has been driven by necessary public health measures rather than the economic and financial developments that are typically involved in sparking economic downturns, so the speed and shape of the recovery could differ from the experience in the past,” the Statement said.
The RBA has modelled three scenarios for the economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, given the high level of uncertainty.
“A stronger economic recovery is possible, however, if further gains in controlling the virus are achieved in the near terms, allowing most containment measures to be phased out over coming months and with more limited damage to business and household confidence and balance sheets,” it said.
“Much of the near-term decline in GDP growth and the rise in the unemployment rate would be reversed over the next few years,” it added.
In the worst case scenario the jobless rate remains at almost 8 per cent in the middle of 2022 and the economy about 2 per cent smaller than it was in late 2019.
Olivia Caisley 12.35pm: PM: Walk before we run out of lockdown
Scott Morrison is kicking off a historic press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, declaring Australia will have to “walk before it runs” as it moves to achieve a “COVID-safe economy”.
The Prime Minister says Australia is dealing with the pandemic “better than many and most” around the world.
“Today, we have put Australia a position to go forward. We have strengthened our health system and put the protections in place,” he says. “On the front-line, our testing and our tracing capabilities containing outbreaks, all backed up by a health system with more ICU beds and ventilators, more personal protective equipment, doctors, nurses, first responses, ready to go.”
“JobSeeker and JobKeeper in place so with that work being done, today national cabinet agreed a three-step plan and a national framework to achieve a COVID safe economy and society.”
He says it is the Morrison government’s goal to move through all of these steps to achieve a “COVID safe economy” in July of this year.
“In this plan, we walk before we run.”
However, he warned there will be more outbreaks of coronavirus as the nation starts to ease restrictions.
“There will be more outbreaks,” the Prime Minister says. “Things won’t always go to plan. There will be inconsistencies. There will no doubt be human error.”
Lachlan Moffet Gray 12.25pm: Woolworths returns to normal trading hours
Woolworths stores will return to normal trading hours from Monday as coronavirus-led panic buying subsides and restrictions on product categories are lifted.
In an email to customers on Friday, Woolworths Group CEO Brad Banducci said the return to normal hours would mean a phase-out of the community hour scheme for senior and vulnerable Australians, which will be replaced by a permanent 10 per cent discount on grocery deliveries for people over 60.
“Over the last nine weeks, it has been both interesting and gratifying to see how we, as a community of grocery shoppers, have adapted to this time of dramatic change,” Mr Banducci said.
“We’ll phase out the Community Hour we introduced at Woolworths during the demand surge, but after receiving a lot of constructive feedback, it’s something we wouldn’t hesitate to bring back if required,”
“In parallel, later today we will start offering a permanent 10% discount on Delivery Unlimited for over-60s.”
Despite the return to normalcy, new health and safety measures instituted at Woolworths stores will not change.
“At the moment, we don’t foresee the need for any significant new social distancing or hygiene initiatives, but we do continue to fine tune and adapt what we already have,” Mr Banducci said.
“To help with customer flow and social distancing in some of our smaller stores, we’re introducing one-way aisles, which you’ll start to see in many Metro branded stores from this week.”
Mr Banducci said that toilet paper sales this last week were lower than the corresponding week last year - a sign of how much panic buying has subsided.
“This week we are on track to sell between 9m and 9.5m rolls, well down on our peak of 39.7 million rolls a week in mid-March or 11m rolls this time last year,” he said.
Just six product categories have purchase limits still in place - hand sanitiser, toilet paper, antibacterial wipes, flour, disinfectants and handwash - down from 45 product categories a few weeks ago.
Rival supermarket change Coles is also returning to normal trading hours, phasing out their community hour on Tuesday.
READ MORE: How will office life be after virus?
Lachlan Moffet Gray 12.20pm: BaptistCare Sydney home finally virus free
BaptistCare has formally confirmed that their Dorothy Henderson Lodge age care centre in Sydney - the first fatal coronavirus cluster in Australia - is now free of the virus, saying the two month period has been “one of the most challenging experiences in our 75 year history.”
The first case of coronavirus was detected at the facility on March 3 when there were just 41 cases of coronavirus in Australia.
The disease promptly spread throughout the Macquarie Park facility, infecting 18 people and killing six residents.
BaptistCare CEO Ross Low said the check mark from NSW Health - received on Thursday - “marks the end of a significant and sustained effort by the BaptistCare team, and especially our frontline staff who went above and beyond.
“We are grateful to be able to share this good news with our residents and their families and we hope they take comfort in the knowledge that we have done everything that we could to protect those people in our care,” Mr Low said on Friday.
“The tragic loss of six residents to this deadly virus will never be forgotten.
These residents were a much loved part of our Dorothy Henderson Lodge family and we will continue to feel their loss, with their families.”
“This has been one of the most challenging experiences in our 75 year history.”
READ MORE: Aged care warning as cases climb
David Murray 12.10pm: Aussies warned against anti-malarial drug
Australians have been warned against importing or self-prescribing an anti-malarial drug as a treatment for COVID-19 after a surge in border detections.
The Australian Border Force says its officers have intercepted more than 6,000 tablets of hydroxychloroquine in dozens of consignments since January.
The prescription-only drug, used in the treatment of malaria and auto-immune diseases, has been touted as a potential coronavirus treatment, including being championed by US President Donald Trump.
But the Therapeutic Goods Administration had warned the drug “poses serious risks to patients”, the ABF said in a statement.
The risks included “cardiac toxicity (potentially leading to sudden heart attacks), irreversible eye damage and severe depletion of blood sugar (potentially leading to coma)”.
A TGA alert to medical professionals on March 24 advised of increased restrictions on prescribing of hydroxychloroquine, the ABF statement said.
All border detections of the drug, picked up in screening of medical supplies, had been referred to the TGA.
“ABF officers are on the lookout for consignments of this drug, along with all other prohibited imports and exports,” ABF Acting Commander Susan Drennan said.
“Anyone considering further unauthorised imports will be wasting their money.
“Whether it’s individuals wanting to self-prescribe, or criminals aiming to sell the drug on the black market, our officers have the technology, skills and innovative processes to detect and disrupt their illegal importations or pharmaceuticals such as this.”
A study commissioned by the Australian Institute of Criminology recently found dark web vendors were trying to profit from the pandemic, selling products including drugs marketed as coronavirus vaccines. Hydroxychloroquine was being sold for inflated prices, the study found.
READ MORE: Aussie tests sent to Pacific Islands
Lachlan Moffet Gray 12.00pm: Vic police warn of fines for anti-lockdown protests
Victoria Police are urging anti-vaccination and anti-lockdown protestors not to go ahead with planned demonstrations in Melbourne’s CBD over the weekend
Around 100 people have signalled their intention to attend the protests on Facebook, with one focusing on protesting against coronavirus lockdown regulations and the other concerned with anti-vaccination and 5G conspiracies.
Victorian Police Minister Lisa Neville said that attendees to the protests would be fined and urged the organisers of the events to cancel them.
“I’m just making a plea here to those protest organisers to be aware that yes, Victoria Police will be there and they’ll disrupt and they’ll fine people for breaking restrictions,” Ms Neville said on Friday.
“But my plea is to cancel those protests.
“We have come so far and to blatantly breach those restrictions like that both put Victoria police in a difficult position and put our community in a difficult position.”
READ MORE: Hospitals set to open door to more surgeries
Olivia Caisley 11.50am: PM pushes call for virus origins probe
Scott Morrison reiterated his push for an independent inquiry into the origins of COVID-19 at a meeting with other “first mover” nations on Thursday night, despite China’s rejection of the proposal.
The Prime Minister met leaders from Israel, Denmark, Singapore, Greece, Czech Republic and Norway via video conference as part of the First Movers COVID Group that includes countries who have been relatively successful in containing the virus.
They discussed economic restarts, scientific cooperation and managing outbreaks.
There have been 97 deaths from coronavirus in Australia, while more than 6000 of the 6897 people infected have recovered.
READ MORE: Ruby Princess anchors in Manila
Victoria Laurie 11.45am: McGowan to keep WA border closed
A ban on entering Western Australia will be the last COVID 19 restriction to be lifted, despite calls for hard borders to come down between some states and territories.
Premier Mark McGowan said Victoria and New South Wales were “clearly in more trouble than WA” and he would not allow the state’s hard border to end until infection levels reduce in eastern states to “almost zero rates.”
“I’ve told the Prime Minister the last thing to come down will be our borders.”
He was speaking prior to today’s National Cabinet meeting, in which he predicted Prime Minister Scott Morrison would announce some baseline changes to restrictions.
But he underlined that each state and territory would have to make its own decisions about how and when to ease COVID 19 restrictions.
He said WA’s roadmap to economic recovery will be released on Sunday, and he anticipated that some further relaxing of restrictions will occur to stimulate economic activity.
“We can potentially loosen restrictions to a greater degree than the eastern states.”
He said WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson, who is head of WA’s emergency response, met with the AFL on Thursday.
Mr McGowan said an impasse remains about proposed hub arrangements, with eastern states’ clubs not wanting to come to WA and undergo quarantine requirements.
“We’re not going to compromise the health and needs of West Australians to satisfy the AFL hierarchy. That’s not going to happen.”
Western Australia’s run of zero new cases ended with a 29-year-old man testing positive to COVID 19 after returning from overseas. He has been in hotel quarantine. It brings WA’s total to 552.
Three more people have recovered, bringing down the state’s active cases to nine, the first single figure in several weeks. Four people remain in hospital and one is in ICU.
READ MORE: State gets back on the road
Lachlan Moffet Gray 11.40am: Sukkar: Super freeze for Friday only
Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar has said Australians can still apply to the ATO to access their superannuation early, with processing of applications paused only for Friday only “out of an abundance of caution” after the AFP detected that the client list of a tax advisor had been breached.
“So we’re investigating those (breaches), and as part of that process for today only, so today the ATO will pause requests for early superannuation being sent to super funds,” Mr Sukkar told Sky News on Friday.
“Just for today - so they’ll resume on Monday, because we want the ATO today, out of an abundance of caution, to make sure that there’s nothing more we can do to help people protecting their data, to ensure that people are not the victims of identity theft.”
The AFP says there has been no breach to any superannuation funds or the ATO itself, with only about 150 individuals affected by the breach.
READ MORE: Banking on a digital future
Anne Barrowclough 11.30am: From Sydney epicentre, Bondi now virus free
From taking the dubious prize of being Sydney’s early epicentre of the coronavirus, Bondi Beach is now completely virus free.
Clusters at the Bondi Hardware restaurant and a party at a backpackers’ hostel helped take the number of cases in Bondi to 112.
However the latest NSW health statistics reveal that while one person died, the other 111 have recovered, and no cases in Bondi Beaach - which takens in Bondi and Tamarama - have been reported since April 18.
After hundreds of people crowded Bondi beach in March, Waverley council closed Bondi and the surrounding beaches. Those bans have recently been lifted.
READ MORE: ‘Keep hotspots in lockdown’
Rachel Baxendale 11.20am: Victoria issues just 13 social distancing fines
Victoria Police issued only 13 physical distancing fines on Thursday, ahead of an expected relaxation of restrictions in other states over the weekend, and in Victoria on Monday
In the 24 hours to 11pm on Thursday, Victoria Police conducted 973 spot checks at homes, businesses and non-essential services.
Since 21 March, police have conducted a total of 39,956 spot checks as part of this Operation
Examples of breaches that resulted in fines over the past 24 hours included several people holding gatherings at private houses.
READ MORE: Henry Ergas writes: Australia is fortunate Abbott took action
Rachel Baxendale 11.15am: Victoria abattoir cases rise to 71
he number of coronavirus cases linked to Melbourne abattoir Cedar Meats has risen to 71 - with eight more people testing positive on Thursday.
There were also five cases community transmission in Victoria - with no link to overseas travel or other known cases, bringing the total number of new cases confirmed by Friday to 13.
Victoria has now had a total of 1467 COVID-19 cases, with 117 cases still considered active.
More than 20,000 tests were conducted on Thursday, bringing the total number of tests conducted since the Andrews government began its 100,000 test blitz on April 27 to 127,000.
“The way that Victorians have embraced this and gone out and got tested has just been amazing,” Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville said.
An additional positive case which was previously considered a community transmission has now been linked to the cluster.
This has seen the total number of cases linked to Cedar meats rise from 62 on Thursday to 71 on Friday - an increase of nine.
READ MORE: Abattoir doesn’t know which worker got sick
Lachlan Moffet Gray 11.05am: ‘Looking at women’ no excuse for breaching orders
NSW Police have charged a Sydney man with violating public health orders after his excuse for being away from home to “look at pretty women” didn’t make the cut.
The man is one of five individuals caught violating orders under the public health act in the past 24 hours, which a significant decline in the number of people in NSW violating coronavirus restrictions as the country prepares to chart a return to normal.
The 29-year-old man was stopped at Cabramatta Railway Station in Sydney’s south west for travelling without a valid ticket on Thursday.
When asked why he had travelled to the area, the Wiley Park man said he was bored and wanted to “look at the pretty women.”
Police checks revealed the man was not to attend Cabramatta, leading him to be arrested and escorted to Fairfield Police station.
Police allege the man became irate and began swearing. The man was charged with not complying with public health orders and using offensive language in a public place.
He appeared at court yesterday and was granted conditional bail to reappear on Thursday 21 May.
Among other violations was a 44-year-old man who was charged after being stopped riding an allegedly stolen bike in Haymarket and telling officers he “didn’t like being at home.”
Two men and a woman were also handed out $1000 fines for violating health orders, including a 40-year-old man who was drinking beer in an alcohol-free zone, a man who was carrying marijuana in public at Quirindi, and a woman who did not leave a home where 15 people were gathered for a birthday party after being ordered to leave by police.
READ MORE: Lockdowns reduce infections, not deaths
Amos Aikman 10.45am: Keg convoy for recovery of decade
Darwin is preparing for what could be the party of the decade as the Northern Territory aims to import 175,000 litres of beer in time for the opening of pubs and clubs next Friday as it goes first in lifting coronavirus restrictions.
Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s office has been ringing breweries to help facilitate a “keg convoy” to bring the beer to the territory as it seeks to become a template for post-COVID-19 recovery.
“The beers are here, and the jobs are back,” he confidently declared as he inspected the first shipment to arrive in Darwin on Thursday.
Some social-distancing measures will remain. Mr Gunner’s plan has scheduled a temporary two-hour limit on patrons visiting venues and a requirement for alcohol to be served with food. These restrictions are scheduled to expire in early June.
READ the full story here
Lachlan Moffet Gray 10.25am: Aussies allowed overseas to visit surrogate babies
Australian parents are being allowed to travel overseas to see the birth of their surrogate babies during the country’s coronavirus lockdown.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton says border authorities have approved 48 people to travel out of Australia.
“It is the right thing to do to help these people get through the process and the bureaucracy of it,” Mr Dutton told Nine on Friday.
But biosecurity measures in place by other countries could stop those parents visiting when they get there, Mr Dutton said.
He said Border Force was considering a further two permits for new parents to travel overseas to visit their babies.
Foreign affairs department officials were providing as much support as they could to parents of surrogates already abroad, Mr Dutton said
READ MORE: No knees up for most mums
Lachlan Moffet Gray 10.15am: Dutton confirms ‘element of fraud’ behind super freeze
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has confirmed “an element of fraud” surrounding various welfare schemes is behind a decision to halt the government’s early access to super scheme.
More than 1.2 million Australians have applied to the ATO to withdraw up to $10,000 out of their superannuation funds this year as part of the government’s response to the coronavirus crisis - but the ATO on Friday stopped accepting applications after the AFP revealed that up to 150 people have lost $120,000 due to identity theft after a tax agent had personal details of customers stolen by an online hacker.
Mr Dutton told Sky News on Friday that the AFP and other Commonwealth agencies like Austrac are investigating the matter.
“They are looking at an instance where there has been one tax agent that has been the subject of a hacking or cyber attack, and personal details of clients that are part of that business, they have been exploited,” Mr Dutton said.
“There’s been no cyber intrusion within the superannuation funds or within the ATO.”
Mr Dutton said the pausing of the scheme was “prudent” and did not indicate there was an ongoing threat to anyone’s superannuation.
“The AFP have really ramped up their engagement to make sure we can come down very heavily on those who would seek to rip off the funds of other taxpayers,” he said.
READ MORE: Easing on cards as app target nears
Lachlan Moffet Gray 10.00am: WA releases roadmap to recovery on Sunday
WA will release its roadmap to recovery on Sunday in a document detailing which coronavirus restrictions it will ease and when in an effort to focus on restarting the state’s economy.
Ahead of joining Friday’s National Cabinet Meeting which will clarify federal guidelines for the rollback of restrictions across the country, WA Premier Mark McGowan said his state - which has already relaxed guidelines surrounding outdoor activities, schools and gatherings or small groups - would concentrate on easing restrictions that suffocate economic activity.
“This time the focus will be more heavily on the West Australian economy, how can we get our economy going again,” Mr McGowan told reporters on Friday.
“How can we start the process of getting people back to work?
These are all difficult questions and they are extremely difficult issues to navigate through when all decisions must be considered with the best of health advice.”
Mr McGowan said the National Cabinet will agree on federal standards that each state can follow when relaxing restrictions, and that it was likely the eastern states would be more “conservative” in its removal of restrictions than the west.
“So Victoria and New South Wales, they are clearly in far more trouble than Western Australia,” Mr McGowan said.
“So they will have a different point of view than Western Australia.”
WA recorded one further case of coronavirus in the past 24 hours, a 29-year-old man who recently returned from overseas who is now in hotel quarantine, ending a nine day zero-case streak.
However, Mr McGowan said that because the new case was contracted overseas, community transmission in WA remains low, meaning it is safe to begin lifting restrictions - except for external and internal border controls, which will remain in place.
“Clearly the hard borders with the east are not coming down,” Mr McGowan said, adding that they will not be removed until infection rates in the east get near zero.
“I know there are some people who say we should bring down the borders with the east but we are frankly not listening to them.
The borders between the regions, we understand, are difficult for many people...But whatever we do, will be very cautious.”
WA has 552 confirmed cases of coronavirus. Nine people have died while 534 people have recovered.
READ MORE: Time for premiers to loosen up
Lachal Moffet Gray 9.45am: First deadly cluster site declared COVID-19 free
The location of the first deadly coronavirus cluster in Australia has been declared COVID-19 free by NSW Health.
BaptistCare’s Dorothy Henderson Lodge aged care centre in Macquarie Park, Sydney, became a hotspot for coronavirus when an employee was diagnosed with the virus on March 3, when there were just 41 confirmed cases of the disease across Australia.
The virus quickly spread throughout the home infecting 17 people and killing six residents, most recently a 90-year-old man on April 6.
Now the centre is coronavirus free, BaptistCare has told The Australian, with NSW Health labelling the facility as without risk on Thursday afternoon. A statement from BaptistCare is due to be made shortly.
READ MORE: Aged care warning as cases climb
Olivia Casiley 9.30am: Early super release scheme frozen on fraud fears
The tax office is pausing applications for early access to superannuation after instances of identity fraud were detected.
More than 1.2 million Australians have applied to withdraw nearly $10 billion from their super accounts during the coronavirus pandemic.
But Australian Federal Police fear up to 150 people have lost $120,000 due to identity theft.
Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar said claims to early super would be frozen while the alleged frauds were investigated.
“Today we will undertake that process just to make sure there is nothing more that the ATO could do,” he told Sky News on Friday.
Government authorities have urged Australians to be vigilant with personal information.
Australian Taxation Office commissioner Chris Jordan confirmed to a COVID-19 Senate hearing on Thursday that “some limited fraudulent activity” had been identified in connection to the government’s superannuation early access scheme and had been immediately acted upon.
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw told the hearing the “quite sophisticated” alleged fraud was detected by financial intelligence agency AUSTRAC on April 30 and was referred to the AFP the next day.
READ MORE: ATO issues fraud reminder to protect personal details
Ben Packham 9.20am: Australia sends rapid test kits to Pacific nations
Australia has partnered with international allies to provide rapid coronavirus testing kits to neighbouring Pacific Island nations, enhancing their capacity to battle the coronavirus pandemic.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne on Friday said the first batch of the test kits, which provide reliable results in less than an hour, arrived in Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New guinea and Nauru in the last few days.
Further tests will be supplied to nine more Pacific Island countries over the next fortnight and were secured in a collaborative effort between Australia, the US, New Zealand, the Pacific Community and the World Health Organisation.
Sarah Elks 9.10am: Queensland records no new cases overnight
Queensland has recorded zero new cases of COVID-19 overnight, with more patients recovering from the virus. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk tweeted that there were still 1045 total confirmed cases in the state, and now there is just 45 active cases, down from 50 yesterday.
Friday, 8 May – coronavirus cases in Queensland:
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) May 7, 2020
• 0 new confirmed cases
• 45 active cases
• 1,045 total confirmed cases
• 129,195 tests conducted
Sadly, six Queenslanders have died from coronavirus. 994 patients have recovered.#COVID19Aus pic.twitter.com/lpQFKiEP12
129,195 tests have been conducted in Queensland, and six people have died. 994 patients have recovered.
From Sunday, visiting restrictions will ease in Queensland, with up to five people able to visit another household, even if that household is beyond the 50km travel limit for leisure.
READ MORE: Gottliebsen — Messages from a defiant Wall Street
Valentine Low 8.50am: Duchess reveals: George is a handful in lockdown
Life during lockdown for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge is not all tiaras and footmen, it seems. It is spider sandwiches and a royal photoshoot that ended with the duchess being covered in rather more paint than she anticipated.
The duchess told how the couple and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were coping during an interview with ITV about a coronavirus photography project she is curating with the National Portrait Gallery.
Asked on This Morning how she was getting on with home schooling, she said: “George gets very upset because he just wants to do all of Charlotte’s projects. Making spider sandwiches is far cooler than literacy work!”
The Duchess of Cambridge shares an insight into homeschooling Prince George and Princess Charlotte as she talks to @Schofe and @hollywills about her new photography project, #HoldStill2020 with @npglondon
— This Morning (@thismorning) May 7, 2020
For details of how to get involved, head to our app! pic.twitter.com/alR4SHk2Tt
Although there is a children’s book called Spider Sandwiches, this is believed to have been a reference to actually making spider sandwiches — which, generally speaking, are not made from real spiders.
The duchess also revealed something of what really happened when she photographed Louis, two, making rainbow handprints. The pictures, which were released to mark his birthday, showed Louis with his hands covered in paint — and, later, his face also liberally smeared with paint.
It turns out that it did not stop there. Talking about the two contrasting photographs of Louis, the duchess told Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, the program’s presenters: “I should have taken a photograph of what I looked like after as well! Luckily, that wasn’t documented but I was pretty much, I looked like Louis at the end of those.”
Instagram Vs Reality
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) April 23, 2020
Thank you for your lovely messages on Prince Louis’s second birthday 🌈. pic.twitter.com/42IauvVpEB
Asked how her children are coping with lockdown, the duchess said: “It’s really hard and actually we hadn’t done a huge amount of Facetime and face calls and things like that, but obviously we’re doing that a lot more now and actually it’s been really great. We try and check in daily with family members and speak to them about news and things like that. In some ways I suppose we’ve got a lot more contact and a lot more face time than perhaps we would’ve done before.
“But it is difficult, it’s hard to explain to a five and a six, nearly seven-year-old, what’s going on. But the schools are being great at supporting them as well. Hard times, but we’ve got the support out there I think.”
The duchess’s photographic initiative, Hold Still, aims to capture the “spirit of the nation” during the coronavirus outbreak. It is encouraging people to submit snapshots of what life is like during lockdown. The categories include Helpers and Heroes, Your New Normal and Acts of Kindness.
As The Duchess of Cambridge launches her new project #HoldStill 2020 alongside @NPGLondon, she spoke to @Schofe and @hollywills about some of her favourite photographs that capture life in lockdown.
— This Morning (@thismorning) May 7, 2020
For details on how to get involved, head to our app! 📲https://t.co/Ha4AftQrSQ pic.twitter.com/Q8lNympVXM
The duchess said: “I think we’ve all been struck by the most amazing images that have come out recently. I know over the past few weeks we’re going through some desperately sad times and all those working on the front line are really showcasing the hardship that they’re going through, some of the tragedy that they’re witnessing and things like that.”
For the Helpers and Heroes categories she shared images of Captain Tom Moore and the intensive care nurse from Nottinghamshire whose face was covered in red marks from wearing personal protective equipment. “It’s a really harrowing image actually and some of the images are so important to document at this time,” the duchess said. “They’re the things that not everybody at home is going to witness, but I think it is so important for all of us to be able to see these sorts of images to showcase what some of those on the front line are really experiencing.” — The Times
READ MORE: EXPLAINER — What you can and can’t do this Mother’s Day
Lachlan Moffet Gray 8.35am: Clusters in two states source of most cases this week
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Paul Kelly has said Australia’s coronavirus case growth curve has been “flat” this week, with most new cases relating to cluster outbreaks in Sydney and Melbourne.
“A lot of those (new) cases are related to the two large outbreaks we are dealing with at the moment, one at the Newmarch aged care facility and the Cedar Meats in Melbourne,” Dr Kelly told Today on Friday.
“When you look outside of those things, there are actually very few cases right around Australia and in many states still no cases at all for quite some time.”
Dr Kelly said that despite isolated outbreaks at Newmarch House and the Dorothy Henderson Lodge earlier in the pandemic, Australia has done a good job at managing the aged care sector and preventing widespread infections of facilities.
“We have done a remarkably good job across the sector in the last little while, with some exceptions — Newmarch is one of those and Dorothy Henderson Lodge earlier on,” Dr Kelly said. “I was speaking to people in Canada, huge problems, and the same in the UK and other similar countries.”
Dr Kelly said he is hopeful that a repeat of the outbreak at Newmarch house, which has killed sixteen residents, does not happen again. “Well, I’m hopeful. Preparing for the worst but hoping for the best,” he said. “Will it happen again? It might. But the best way of making sure it doesn’t happen, is to keep that curve flat. If there are very few cases around in the community, it is not going to get into your aged care homes because it is not there.”
READ MORE: ‘Keep hotspots in lockdown, relax in safe areas’
Lachlan Moffet Gray 8.20am: Four new cases in NSW from 9400 tests
NSW has produced another “pleasing result” according to NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, with just four new cases diagnosed in the past 24 hours out of more than 9400 coronavirus tests. One of the new cases was a staff member at the Newmarch House Aged Care Centre, where 101 staff members were tested on Thursday. A further case was related to a confirmed case at the facility while the remaining two are under investigation.
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said that the staff member did not work at the facility, where more than 30 staff have been infected and 16 residents have died, while infectious. NSW has 3047 confirmed cases of coronavirus. The death toll remains at 44.
Ms Berejiklian restated that any decisions about easing restrictions made by National Cabinet later on Friday would not be implemented in NSW in time for Mother’s Day.
“A thank you to everybody for the role you have taken in keeping everybody safe and we are looking forward to everybody enjoying Mother’s Day, but any decisions that come out of National Cabinet won’t be applied in New South Wales over the weekend,” she told reporters.
“Stick to the existing rules and please make sure we make the most of a very special day for all our special mums.”
Ms Berejiklian said that NSW will implement National Cabinet recommendations at its own pace, flagging a cautious approach until the end of May. “NSW will consider the data we collect in May to make sure any further consideration of easing restrictions will be done in a good and solid way so we continue to gain ground in fighting the virus and we don’t lose ground,” she said.
“I want NSW to keep moving forward and not moving backwards and that is why it is important for us to do this in a gradual way.”
The Premier also gave an update on the number of returning Australians quarantining in hotels, saying that since the scheme was implemented in March, 13,000 Australians have been quarantined in 31 hotels across the state. More than 3000 people currently remain in quarantine.
READ MORE: Aged care warningas cases climb and adviser steps in
Finbar O’Mallon 8.15am: Health workers confident in virus response
Healthcare professionals are now extremely confident in Australia’s ability to handle coronavirus — a rapid turnaround in just one month.
More than 90 per cent of healthcare workers surveyed in April believed Australia is up for the fight, up from just 40 per cent in March.
Half of surgeons said they had been left with no patients to treat, while just 43 per cent of respondents to the TKW poll were worried about a second wave of infections. — AAP
READ MORE: Wildlife wet markets put on notice in Indonesia and Singapore
Lachlan Moffet Gray 7.45am: Littleproud: ‘It is clear meat products are safe’
Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud has issued an assurance that Australian meat is safe following an outbreak of coronavirus at the Cedar Meats abattoir in Melbourne, although the circumstances of the outbreak is still being investigated. More than 60 employees at the facility have tested positive.
“Food standards Australia and New Zealand, have through medical advice, made it quite clear the products are safe,” Mr Littleproud told ABC News breakfast on Friday. “There’s no risk and we can continue to enjoy the best beef and meat products in the world in Australia.”
Mr Littleproud said his department is still trying to work out why it was not informed about a coronavirus outbreak at the facility until April 30, despite the presence of four department employees — two of which were transient workers - at the facility.
“I had four department of agriculture employees there, two that are permanent, two that are transient,” he said. “We were concerned about the timeline when we were notified because two of the inspectors then moved onto another plant.”
Mr Littleproud said each state needs to establish clear health protocols with their meat processing industry to prevent this from happening anywhere else in the country.
“As I pushed all the state ministers yesterday, I think that each jurisdiction needs to sit down with their meat processing sector to ensure they have the protocols their state health officials would expect, then if there’s an outbreak, what does that protocol look like?”
READ MORE: Privacy means Cedar Meats abattoir doesn’t know which worker got sick
Lachlan Moffet Gray 7.45am: NSW Premier gives update at 8am | WATCH LIVE
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian will provide an update on the state’s coronavirus response at 8am AEST. The press conference can be viewed live above here on The Australian’s coronavirus blog.
Lachlan Moffet Gray 7.35am: Dutton slams Wayne Swan as a ‘disaster’
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has slammed former federal treasurer Wayne Swan for saying the government needs to outline an economic “bridge” to transition the economy out of a pandemic footing, saying he “doesn’t listen” to Mr Swan’s advice as he is a “disaster.”
“He baked in all the spending,” Mr Dutton told Today, referring to Mr Swan’s massive stimulus efforts in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis.
“We have put temporary measures in place. When we get back to normal that spending will be curtailed or removed altogether.
“It won’t be hitting the budget bottom line next year, the year after that...Honestly please don’t listen to Wayne Swan.”
Mr Dutton said that the government’s economic recovery plan would involve “cutting red tape” more than reforming individual taxes like the GST.
“All us ministers have been tasked at looking innovative ways in cutting red tape. We want the economy back in shape as quickly as possible,” Mr Dutton said. “I think the Prime Minister’s made it fairly clear that he is probably ahead of some of the states in terms of wanting them to get back to having businesses reopen and families back into a lane of normality. We have been upfront about that. But there are tough months to come.”
READ MORE: TradingDay — Follow the latest market moves
Lachlan Moffet Gray 7.20am: PM attends exclusive meeting of ‘first mover’ nations
Scott Morrison last night attended an exclusive meeting with the “first movers” group, a coalition of countries who have effectively contained the coronavirus pandemic.
Led by Austria, the group meets semi-regularly to compare notes on their efforts to contain the spread of the virus. It is the second time the Australian prime minister has attended the meeting.
Other countries in the group include Czech Republic, Singapore, New Zealand, Israel, Norway and Greece — countries which have managed to keep their coronavirus death toll well below 1000, despite many being in close proximity to nations that have seen tens of thousands die.
Many of the countries in the group, most recently Denmark, have begun to ease coronavirus restrictions — a possible source of inspiration for Mr Morrison, who will announce a federal plan to return to the country to normalcy later on Friday.
The group reportedly praised Australia’s COVIDSafe coronavirus tracking app while Mr Morrison spoke of the need for an independent global review into the virus’s origin in China, including the possibility for an EU-sponsored motion at the upcoming World Health Assembly meeting. The group will meet again next week.
READ MORE: ‘Impossible’ to tally virus cost
&j=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%3D){kind=link}
Lachlan Moffet Gray 7.10am: Swan calls for post-pandemic ‘economic bridge’
Former Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan says the government needs to start detailing an economic “bridge” to transition the Australian economy out of crisis mode as restrictions are eased, or risk “falling off a cliff” when various temporary stimulus measures finish in September.
“The Treasurer talks about a bridge, but there is no bridge, and if we’re not careful we’ll fall off a cliff at the end of September when the wage subsidy bail-outs are exhausted,” Mr Swan, who oversaw the government’s response to the GFC, told Channel 9’s Today on Friday.
“I don’t see any indication from the government at the moment that they’ve got some plans there to generate the private investment and the public investment and the public investment we need to avoid massive unemployment.”
The National Cabinet will meet today at 10am go discuss lifting restrictions. #9Today pic.twitter.com/WEpy5r0NDX
— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) May 7, 2020
Mr Swan said the government should avoid tax hikes or an increase in the GST in a bid to ease the deficit in the recovery period.
“That would be entirely the wrong way to go. The Australian budget is in good nick, it has been for a long time,” Mr Swan said.
“Debt levels in this country are modest compared to every other country in the world. If there’s one country you want to be in at the moment it’s Australia.
We have the capacity to do more.”
READ MORE: ATO reminder on personal details
Lachlan Moffet Gray 7am: Plea for Andrews to relax Victorian restrictions
Victorian opposition leader Michael O’Brien has called on premier Daniel Andrews to relax coronavirus restrictions in line with national recommendations when they are announced later today, saying the state’s strict regulations had not helped contain the pandemic better than any other state.
“Victoria’s had the toughest restrictions of any state and it doesn’t seem to have helped us that much,” Mr O’Brien told Channel 9’s Today on Friday.
“I don’t know that stopping people from fishing or playing golf or bowls is actually leading to any better outcomes in Victoria. I would like to see Daniel Andrews go back with the national consensus, the national moves. I think we should do this as a country because I think that will be better for Victorians.”
Mr O’Brien said that people in Victoria should be allowed to visit their mother on Mother’s Day, and at the very least should be permitted to gather in groups of two outdoors in line with regulations in NSW and the ACT.
“Daniel Andrews might be trying to be cautious, but when you look at what’s happening around the country, they’ve done a great job. Time for Victoria to catch up to the rest of the nation.”
READ MORE: Simon Benson — State premiers, what are you all waiting for?
Lachlan Moffet Gray 6.55am: Staged exit from lockdown proposed for UK
The UK could exit lockdown in different stages as soon as Monday, even as the country solidifies its position as the worst-affected country in Europe, with 30,689 deaths and 207,973 confirmed cases.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to detail a staged exit plan from the lockdown that has been in place since March 23 on Sunday.
Specifics have not been given but reports are circulating of a draft document that lays out a plan which includes lifting restrictions in parts of the country less impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, as well as an almost imminent scrapping of the government’s “stay at home: message.
We cannot risk a second peak of this disease.
— Boris Johnson #StayHomeSaveLives (@BorisJohnson) May 7, 2020
We must keep going. #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/msMcCqQ44n
Schools are reportedly set to be phased in through June and restaurants and pubs could reopen in August or September, followed by a complete return to normalcy with sporting events and gyms in October.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab did not confirm the reports but said changes to lockdown orders would be “incremental, relatively modest.”
“This weekend the Prime Minister will set out the next steps which we can responsibly take over the following weeks, guided by the scientific advice.â€
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) May 7, 2020
- Foreign Secretary @DominicRaab pic.twitter.com/fcthUYqhAf
The news came as the Bank of England warned the UK was set to enter its worst recession in 300 years in the aftermath of the virus, predicting a 30 per cent drop in economic output in the first half of 2020 — something not seen since the “great frost” of 1709 destroyed agricultural outputs and caused famines.
However, the BOE said the overall impact on GDP would be limited and anticipated the economy to quickly bounce back in the second half of the year.
THREAD 2/2: #Coronavirus press conference slides (7 May 2020)
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) May 7, 2020
🔵 People in hospital with COVID-19 (UK)
🔵 Critical care beds with COVID-19 patients (UK)
🔵 Daily COVID-19 recorded deaths (UK)
🔵 Global death comparisonhttps://t.co/8thn4kJ7jU pic.twitter.com/uPq5UU4o8g
READ MORE: Beginning of the end for UK lockdown
Lachlan Moffet Gray 6.40am: Wuhan lab theory ‘could be wrong’: Pompeo
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has walked back his earlier insistence that he has “enormous evidence” showing coronavirus originated in a lab in China, telling US radio the information he has received “could be wrong.”
On Sunday, Mr Pompeo said he had evidence to support the theory the virus may have escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which is known to experiment on coronaviruses. US intelligence officials have confirmed they are investigating.
.@SecPompeo: China is still refusing to share the information we need to keep people safe. Our truth-telling and calls for transparency aren’t about politics, or blame, or bullying…it’s about saving American lives. We need countries to share reliable data in a timely way. pic.twitter.com/ttIaEOorK3
— Department of State (@StateDept) May 7, 2020
Overnight (AEST), Mr Pompeo told US radio that: “There’s evidence it came from the vicinity of the lab, but that could be wrong.”
Mr Pompeo has previously said he was not contradicting any other sections of the US government in pushing the lab theory, saying there were many different pieces of evidence.
“A quarter of a million lives destroyed as a result of what happened in Wuhan,†Sec. of State Mike Pompeo says. “The Chinese government has an obligation to help us figure out how to make sure there aren’t increased lives lost as we move forward.†https://t.co/CyaM5ZiTF3 pic.twitter.com/OxxjjHFfm2
— CNBC (@CNBC) May 7, 2020
“We’re all trying to figure out the right answer. We’re all trying to get to clarity,” he told Fox Business on Wednesday.
“There are different levels of certainty assessed at different places. That’s highly appropriate. People stare at data sets and come to different levels of confidence. Every one of us stares at this and knows the reality. The reality of this came from Wuhan.”
China could have prevented the deaths of thousands of people worldwide and spared the world a descent into global economic malaise. They had a choice. China is still refusing to share the information needed to keep people safe. This is not about politics, it's about saving lives. pic.twitter.com/AT46I81mWv
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) May 7, 2020
The Chinese government has accused Mr Pompeo of spreading propaganda about the virus to rally President Donald Trump’s base ahead of the November Presidential election.
READ MORE: Italy to let 600,000 migrants stay
Lachlan Moffet Gray 6.30am: Trump’s personal valet tests positive for COVID-19
One of US President Donald Trump’s personal valets has tested positive for coronavirus.
The valet, a member of an elite navy unit dedicated to service to the White House, tested positive earlier this week.
Mr Trump was reportedly upset when he learnt the news and has subsequently been tested for coronavirus, returning a negative result.
“We were recently notified by the White House Medical Unit that a member of the United States Military, who works on the White House campus, has tested positive for Coronavirus,” deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley said in a statement.
“The President and the Vice President have since tested negative for the virus and they remain in great health.”
UPDATE: @realDonaldTrump tells reporters he had little contact with the valet at the White House who has COVID and calls the situation “a little bit strange.†https://t.co/SxGqXFmSUq
— Paula Reid (@PaulaReidCBS) May 7, 2020
Mr Trump confirmed the incident himself later on Friday AEST, telling reporters the close call was concerning.
“It’s a little bit strange but it’s one of those things,” he told reporters.
“As I said, you know, I said yesterday, all people are warriors in this country. Right now we’re all warriors.”
White House valets work closely with the President, responsible for his food and for travelling with him when he leaves the residence. However, Mr Trump claimed he had limited contact with the infected individual.
Mr Trump last left the White House on Wednesday to visit a mask factory in Arizona — his first trip out in more than a month.
When asked if he had concerns over travelling in close proximity to several personnel, he said: “The test result comes back in five minutes, and we have great testing. Or they wouldn’t be allowed to travel with me. It’s not my choice; it’s a very strong group of people that want to make sure they are tested, including Secret Service.”
The news comes as the US hits 1,245,622 confirmed cases of the virus and 75,054 deaths.
As you know, I designated this day to be a National Day of Prayer. As our Nation heals, our Spirit has never been Stronger! https://t.co/WWhvzsSDWq
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 7, 2020
READ MORE: Brazil deaths reach a record
Jacquelin Magnay 5.30am: Germany’s Bundesliga to resume on May 16
The Bundesliga football competition will resume on May 16, with football-starved fans across Europe and the United Kingdom poised to tune in by their millions.
The German football league announced on Thursday that both the Bundesliga and Bundelsiga 2 competitions would restart their season from match day 26 behind closed doors. The season will finish by the end of June.
A second wave of 1695 coronavirus tests scheduled before the start of team training is now complete, with two cases of infection identified.
The Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 season will resume from May 16th. In both leagues, the season will continue with the 26th matchday. The other matchdays will follow in the order originally scheduled.
— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) May 7, 2020
â„¹ï¸ https://t.co/7HVf6EwmkN pic.twitter.com/8NffqkFsaN
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin welcomed the return of German football, saying it was a “huge and positive step to bring optimism back to people’s lives”.
“It is great news that the German authorities have agreed that the Bundesliga can return,” Ceferin said.
“It is the result of constructive dialogue and careful planning between the football authorities and politicians and I am confident that Germany will provide a shining example to all of us in how to bring football — with all its excitement, emotion and unpredictability — back into our lives.’’
Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04 will be the first teams in action in the first football action since the season was stopped on March 22. Champions Bayern Munich will play Union Berlin on the same weekend.
BT Sport has confirmed it will be broadcast matches for UK viewers.
In the UK, the Premier League will on Monday continue discussions with the government about trying to get football restarted — also without fans — on June 13.
Germany has had more than 7000 deaths, but far fewer than other European countries Spain and France, which have more than 25,000, and the UK and Italy, both with more than 30,000.
The German 3 Liga competition will remain paused due to the prohibitive costs of the extensive testing that’s needed to restart.
READ MORE: Police probe Adelaide Crows over isolation breach
Rachel Baxendale 5.15am: Privacy prevents abattoir knowing sick worker
The owners of a Melbourne abattoir linked to 62 cases of coronavirus say they have been unable to check the claim that a worker who tested positive on April 2 had not been at work because the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services has not given them the man’s name.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews backed his public health team on Thursday, defending its decision to take “on face value” the man’s claim that he had not attended work at Cedar Meats in Melbourne’s west for four weeks prior to his diagnosis.
The defence came after the state’s Chief Health Officer, Brett Sutton, revealed on Wednesday that the department was yet to check the worker’s April 2 claim with Cedar Meats management.
Asked whether the company had checked its records to corroborate the worker’s claim, a spokeswoman for Cedar Meats general manager Tony Kairouz described the matter as a “privacy issue” and said the company had not been given the worker’s name. “We don’t know who that worker is,” she said.
Read the full story here.
Yoni Bashan 5am: Aged-care warning as cases continue to climb
The aged-care regulator has warned nursing home provider Anglicare that it expects to see an immediate “significant improvement” in its handling of the COVID-19 outbreak that has ripped through Newmarch House in Sydney’s west, leaving 16 residents dead.
On a day when three more Newmarch House staff members were found to have contracted the virus — bringing the overall total at the facility to 69 — Anglicare on Thursday accepted the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission’s demand for a raft of actions to protect the health and safety of the remaining residents.
The terms include appointing an independent adviser tasked with ensuring the safety and wellbeing of residents, and closing the home to new care recipients until otherwise notified. Failing to agree by 5pm Thursday would have put the nursing home’s licence to provide aged care at risk.
Read the full story here.
Simon Benson 4.45am: National cabinet mulls three-stage recovery plan
The national cabinet will today pave the way for a return to retail trading, greater freedom of movement within states and getting people back to work, in a landmark meeting to map out a plan for economic recovery.
But Australians will face weeks of tough restrictions in some states as nervous premiers resist reopening the economy, fearing a resurgence in infections despite new cases being reduced to a trickle and just 23 people with the virus in intensive care across the nation, using only 1 per cent of available beds.
A three-stage plan mapping out a framework for rolling back restrictions over the next two months is likely to see a first move to lift bans on outdoor gatherings, intrastate travel and a return to school for most children across the country within weeks.
Read the full story here.
Add your comment to this story
Toxicologist who identified the guests at fatal lunch were poisoned fronts court
A toxicologist who the court has heard suggest the four lunch guests who dined at Erin Patterson's house had been poisoned by death cap mushrooms is due to give evidence on Wednesday morning.
‘Gun shy’ Nats must crack whip more in Coalition, says Canavan
While stopping short of calling for a breakup of the Coalition, leading conservative faction figure Senator Matt Canavan said the Nationals had been led too much by the Liberals and 'all options should be on the table'.
To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register
Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout