Coronavirus: Now for the second wave … of protests
Activists are preparing to take to the streets again as an ‘industrial-scale’ investigation is launched to prevent a second mass outbreak.
Thousands of activists are preparing to take to the streets once again, defying health advice as an “industrial-scale” investigation is launched to prevent a second mass outbreak sparked by a Melbourne Black Lives Matter protester who tested positive for COVID-19.
As health authorities warn of a potential spike from last weekend’s rallies, the NSW Supreme Court on Thursday night banned a Sydney rally on Saturday planned by refugee activists.
NSW police warned that any protesters going to the Saturday rally — one of two planned for Sydney over two days — would be breaking the law and police would “take the appropriate action against them”.
Ahead of the national cabinet meeting on Friday morning, Scott Morrison said protesters who went to planned rallies — called by refugees activists in Sydney and Brisbane as well as BLM rallies in Sydney, Darwin and Perth — should be charged for breaking social-distancing rules.
The Prime Minister called out the double standards in some states. “The issues of last weekend were very difficult. But I think people carrying it on now, it’s not about that,” Mr Morrison said.
“It’s about people pushing a whole lot of other barrows now. It puts others’ lives and livelihoods at risk.”
In a bid to prevent a delay in reopening the economy, a team of 1000 Victorian epidemiologists, clinicians, nurses and phone operators has launched an investigation to track down anyone who came in contact with the coronavirus-infected “non-indigenous” BLM protester.
Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said on Thursday night health officials still did not “know a lot about this protester”.
“We know that … he didn’t have symptoms at the day of the protest, developed symptoms the day after and then got tested,” Professor Murphy said.
Despite the health threat posed by the positive COVID-19 infection, Melbourne rally organisers Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance said they would continue to “campaign for justice”.
Discussion on lifting restrictions at Friday’s national cabinet meeting is expected to be dominated by protesters’ moves to attend a second weekend of rallies.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said the government was “deeply concerned” that the BLM rally in Melbourne could trigger a “mass infection”.
Victorian health authorities on Thursday refused to provide details on the COVID-19-infected protester’s movements or release his identity, except to say he was aged in his 30s and wearing a mask.
Health officials have warned that mass gatherings could result in a single individual spreading the disease to more than 35 others.
A federal government official said it might be impossible to contact-trace everyone because of the size of the protest.
Medical authorities have discussed whether to release a photo of the man to help with the tracing.
The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee on Thursday released updated advice following the protester’s positive test, urging people to stay away from rallies, which presented a “very high-risk environment”.
Federal, state and territory leaders, who will discuss the new COVID-19 threat, are expected to agree on a date in July for the final stage of the lifting of restrictions after delaying a decision by a week because of the protests.
The Prime Minister has increased pressure on premiers and chief ministers to stick to their pledge, agreed to last month, that the final stage in the COVID-19 road map to unwind restrictions be completed by next month.
In a bid to break the deadlock on border closures in Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania, Mr Morrison on Thursday urged the states to re-open by July.
“I am getting a bit frustrated with it,” he said. “The step three process … would see interstate borders, interstate travel, happening in July. That was the timetable that was agreed.”
He called on state leaders to “get on with it” and “nominate the date” to reopen borders.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was “as one” with Mr Morrison in reopening state borders by July, despite last month suggesting they could remain closed until September. The Australian understands that Queensland is considering July 10 as the earliest date, which falls at the end of school holidays and risks a backlash from tourism and hospitality businesses.
Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox urged the hold-out states to re-open their borders and “hit the fast forward on our economy”.
“It is time for state leaders to acknowledge that it was not border closures that prevented transmission of COVID-19, it was the social distancing, testing and other measures that stopped the spread,” he said.
SA Marshall was due to tell national cabinet the state would move to reopen its borders but WA was expected to retain its isolation policy indefinitely.
Senior federal government sources said the protests could trigger delays on border announcements when national cabinet meets, with a further planned easing of restrictions around indoor gatherings also now in jeopardy.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, who did not appear publicly on Thursday, urged Melburnians not to attend rallies.
The Victorian BLM protester was among eight new coronavirus cases confirmed in Victoria on Thursday, only two of whom were recently returned overseas travellers in hotel quarantine.
Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said it was unlikely the man acquired COVID-19 at the protest and he was potentially infectious within 24 hours of attending the rally.
In line with AHPPC advice, Professor Sutton urged anyone who acquired “even the mildest of symptoms” to self-isolate and be tested immediately.
Professor Murphy said if there were small COVID-19 outbreaks related to the BLM protest case, health officials could manage the situation. “The biggest worry is that we have a large number of outbreaks that seed more community transmission,” he said.
Protests, including a BLM rally on Friday night and a refugee gathering, are being planned in Sydney in the coming days, though only the refugee rally had sought approval via the NSW Police Force, The Australian has learned.
Ian Rintoul, spokesman for the Refugee Action Coalition, said he was determined to find a way for the Saturday Sydney protest to go ahead regardless of the legal judgment handed down by the NSW Supreme Court.
A NSW government source said the remaining protests would not be allowed to proceed, and police were determined to break up any non-authorised action.
Additional Reporting: Rachel Baxendale, Yoni Bashan
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