Politics live news Australia: CMOs to plan reopening of global borders; lawyer’s tweets triggered Porter outing
Plans are to be drawn up for further reopening of Australia’s global borders. Buckingham Palace says Prince Harry will be at grandfather Philip’s funeral next Saturday.
- Harry to be at Philip’s funeral
- 41-gun salutes for the duke
- Victoria records its first hotel quarantine case
- Liberals preselect nine women in SA
- Keep calm and keep getting the jab, PM urges
- Clot chances tiny, says expert
Welcome to The Weekend Australian’s live rolling coverage of the day’s political events and the coronavirus crisis. Here is how Saturday unfolded:
The nation’s chief health officers will draw up plans for further opening the international borders. Canberra has joined in 41-gun salutes to Prince Philip. Tasmania’s tainted election campaign has been rocked by new pedophilia claims, Victoria has recorded its first coronavirus case in the state’s rebooted hotel quarantine program and Scott Morrison is urging Australians to keep receiving the coronavirus vaccine if offered, calling it a “lifesaver” in the pandemic, despite blood clot links.
Agencies11.55pm:Philip’s funeral next Saturday and Harry to be there
Buckingham Palace says the funeral for Prince Philip will be held next Saturday and Prince Harry will attend.
The funeral would take place at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, on April 17, the Palace announced late on Saturday afternoon local time.
The planned funeral time was reported to be 3pm local time next Saturday, or midnight AEST.
The ceremony at Windsor, west of London, which will be televised but have no public element because of coronavirus restrictions, will be preceded by a national minute’s silence.
Royal officials said the 99-year-old Duke of Edinburgh’s grandson, Prince Harry, would attend, but his heavily pregnant wife, Meghan, had been advised against travelling from the US on medical grounds.
AFP
ALSO READ:Preparations for a no-fuss funeral
Stephen Drill9.15pm:Harry ‘has plan’ to get to Prince Philip’s funeral
Prince Harry has contacted members of the Royal Family about returning to Britain in time for Prince Philip’s funeral, the Herald-Sun reports.
Harry may be able to mend bridges with the royal family at the funeral following his Oprah Winfrey “car crash’’ interview.
The Duke of Sussex hopes to return from the US in time for his grandfather’s memorial service, which was expected to be on Saturday, April 17.
Prince Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, made a statement on their Archewell charity website shortly after Prince Philip’s death was announced.
“In loving memory of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh 1921-2021,” the couple wrote.
“Thank you for your service … you will be greatly missed.”
FULL REPORT is here.
Agencies8.50pm:Covid known global death toll nears 3m
The novel coronavirus has killed at least 2,917,316 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP at 8pm AEST on Saturday.
At least 134,648,510 known cases of coronavirus have been registered. The vast majority have recovered, though some have continued to experience symptoms weeks or even months later.
These figures are based on daily tolls provided by health authorities in each country and exclude later re-evaluations by statistical organisations, as has happened in Russia, Spain and Britain.
On Friday, 13,924 new deaths and 769,876 new cases were recorded worldwide. Based on latest reports, the countries with the most new deaths were Brazil with 3693 new deaths, followed by US with 931 and Mexico with 874. The US is the worst-affected country with 561,074 deaths from 31,085,251 cases.
The country with the highest number of deaths compared with its population is Czech Republic with 259 fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by Hungary with 238, Bosnia-Herzegovina 222, Montenegro 216 and Bulgaria 204.
AFP
Richard Ferguson7pm:Governments prepare for global borders easing
Federal, state and territory government medical experts around the country will draw up plans to reopen the international border and allow more people to enter the country without quarantine.
Scott Morrison and the national cabinet on Friday moved to significantly open up the economy just days after a two-way travel bubble with New Zealand was announced.
National cabinet asked Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly and the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee, which comprises state and territory government chief medical or health officers, to set up parameters for opening up to low-risk countries such as Singapore and Japan, and an eventual opening up to the whole world.
The Prime Minister and the national cabinet also moved to ease nationwide restrictions on indoor venues and stadiums, and began a shift away from snap state border closures.
Professor Kelly and the AHPPC, which he chairs, will determine how many people need to be vaccinated and the risk profiles of certain countries in a bid to open Australia’s borders and allow travellers to quarantine at home or avoid it entirely.
Mr Morrison said the AHPPC advice on international borders would give the national cabinet a road map to a position where Australia could treat COVID-19 like the flu and reopen to the rest of the world.
“The message from national cabinet is we want to open up more, we want to do it safely, we want to ease restrictions,” Mr Morrison said.
FULL REPORT is here.
BUT ... This report says some countries may be off-limits for many months.
Rhiannon Down6.15pm:WA Govt prepares state for Cyclone Seroja
WA Emergency Services Minister Reece Whitby says authorities are preparing for possible devastation as Cyclone Seroja bears down on the mid-west coast of the state with torrential rain and possibly winds as strong as 150km/h.
Mr Whitby said “the potential for widespread devastation is high’’.
He said the state government hoped “we can get through these next few days without loss of life and without serious property damage. We need to work on the basis of worst-case scenario.”
Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist James Ashley said the “rare” weather event would hit the coast on Sunday before moving inland on Monday.
FULL REPORT is here.
Staff reporter5.30pm:A 41-gun salute for Philip in Canberra
The joint-forces ceremonial unit, the Australian Federation Guard, has fired a 41-gun salute in the Parliament House forecourt in Canberra in honour of Prince Philip.
Six 45mm Howitzer ceremonial guns were fired at 10-second intervals on Saturday afternoon.
The Department of Defence says all Commonwealth countries were invited to fire a 41-gun salute, based on the traditional 21 rounds for a gun salute and an additional 20 rounds for royalty.
Flags are flying at half-mast at many sites across the country.
Gun salutes also echoed around the UK on Saturday as the military paid solemn tribute.
Later report: Coordinated 41-round salutes to the former Royal Navy commander were fired at one round per minute from midday local time in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, as well as at naval bases, from ships at sea, and in the British territory Gibraltar.
The number of shots fired, the longest salute used according to military protocol, has been fired in the past to mark the deaths of Queen Victoria and wartime prime minister Winston Churchill.
A similar salute was also held in Wellington, the New Zealand capital.
The well-rehearsed protocol for the duke’s death — codenamed “Forth Bridge” —- includes the recall of Britain’s parliament on Monday.
With AFP
Rhiannon Down5.10pm:Normalise undocumented workers for jabs: MP
Nationals federal MP Anne Webster has renewed called for an amnesty for undocumented workers to allow them to access the COVID jab.
Dr Webster said that in her seat of Mallee in regional Victoria, as many as 70 per cent of the workforce on farms were believed to be undocumented.
“This is for Australian wellbeing,” she said.
“Our communities need these people to be vaccinated. There is a requirement when you get a vaccination that you have your health identification number or a Medicare number that you have or a Medicare number in order to go onto the Australian vaccine or immunisation register,’’ Ms Webster said.
“That’s not possible for these people because they don’t have those numbers.”
The agricultural sector has been hit hard by a worker shortage as international borders remain closed during the pandemic.
Rhiannon Down5.08pm: GG expresses Australians’ condolences to Queen
Governor-General David Hurley has expressed his sorrow at the passing of late Prince Philip.
Mr Hurley, a retired general and former chief of the defence force, marked the “sad and sorry occasion” signing the official royal condolences book ahead of a 41-gun salute in Canberra.
Flags have also been flown at half mast across the nation.
“I take this opportunity to pass on my deepest condolences on behalf of all Australians to Her Majesty the Queen, on her passing of the Royal Highness, Prince Philip,” he said.
“A sad occasion. I’m sure all Australians who join with me in sending to Her Majesty our love, our prayers and our thoughts for her at this difficult time for her.”
The Governor-General has issued a statement of mourning, which is here.
You can sign Australia’s official online condolence book here.
ALSO READ:Australia’s leaders react.
Jess Malcolm4.30pm:‘Steady as she goes’ in Covid-19 vaccine rollout
Health authorities believe the timeline for vaccinating the nation’s most vulnerable people will be will largely unaffected by recommendation that under-50s receive the Pfizer rather than the AstraZeneca jab.
But the government cannot say if the switch to Pfizer for younger people will cause a blowout in waiting times for the less at-risk members of the community.
Scott Morrison announced the government had secured an extra 20 million Pfizer jabs in the wake the decision to recommend it rather than AstraZeneca for under-50s.
But many of the extra doses will not become available until the final three months of the year.
The federal government had anticipated four million doses would be administered by the end of March, and all Australians vaccinated by October.
On Friday, Australia reached more than one million doses administered since the vaccination rollout began on February 22.
The highest priority elements of the vaccination program continued largely unaffected by the switch on Friday.
Read the full story here.
Joyce Moullakis3.58pm:House boom a global problem, says RBA
Many economies have experienced sharp house price growth since mid-2020, given government measures to shore up household balance sheets and expectations that interest rates will remain very low for a prolonged period.
That’s the view of the Reserve Bank as it uses its biannual Financial Stability Review to address concerns about rampant house price growth in Australia, and points to other global markets with similar trends.
The central bank on Friday signalled that house price growth locally is being “watched closely” and cautioned that historically low interest rates and rising asset prices did create a risk of excessive borrowing.
Read the full story here.
Rhiannon Down3.20pm:Tales of Duke’s famous humour emerge
Tributes continue to flow for Prince Philip with many Australian politicians sharing memories of the Duke of Edinburgh’s trademark wit on his many official visits.
Former Victorian Deputy Premier John Thwaites recalled an exchange he had with the Prince when he visited the state during his time in office.
“I met Prince Philip when he visited Victoria with the Queen,” he said on social media.
“He said to me, ‘What do you do?’ I said ‘I’m Deputy Premier’.
“He said, ‘I know how you feel’.”
Annastacia Palaszczuk also expressed her condolences for the loss of the Prince who was a “friend to Queensland”, visiting on more than 12 occasions.
“When the Gateway Bridge was officially opened by the Duke of Edinburgh on 14 May 1986, it had been carrying cars for four months,” the Queensland Premier said in a tweet.
“Displaying his trademark sense of humour, Prince Philip declared it ‘more open than usual’.”
Acting Victorian Premier James Merlino also paid tribute to the Prince on social media today.
“We extend our deepest sympathies to the Queen and the Royal Family following the passing of His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh,” he said.
“Prince Philip accompanied the Queen to Victoria on many occasions and lived a life dedicated to serving the Crown and the Commonwealth.”
READ MORE: Safety to top agenda at national cabinet
John Ferguson2.36pm: Tweets triggered Christian Porter outing
Would-be Labor senator Josh Bornstein started a Twitter pile-on where some of his followers prematurely identified Christian Porter as the cabinet minister accused of the historical rape of a 16-year-old girl in 1988.
Mr Bornstein tweeted “Christian” to his nearly 37,000 followers on the same day that news broke that a then unidentified cabinet minister had allegedly raped a girl during a university debating competition in Sydney that year.
The original ABC story did not name Mr Porter but there was speculation that he was the minister being referred to after he had featured in an earlier Four Corners program on Canberra’s seedy political culture.
Mr Bornstein’s “Christian” tweet triggered a wave of identification of Mr Porter on February 26 and February 27 under Mr Bornstein’s Twitter account.
The posts included two photographs posted by followers of a barely concealed Mr Porter, another of a basketballer with the name “Porter” on his back and multiple mentions of Mr Porter’s name, even though he was not formally identified until days later.
Mr Bornstein’s “Christian” post attracted 69 comments, 51 retweets and 394 likes, along with a cryptic post about how Mr Bornstein had “finally converted”.
Read the full story here.
Rhiannon Down2.15pm:Albanese’s nod to ‘a truly remarkable life’
Anthony Albanese has paid tribute to the “truly remarkable” life of Prince Philip.
“His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh, knew war and peace, he knew Empire and Commonwealth, turbulence and tranquillity,” the opposition leader said.
“Throughout it all, he never lost his famously irreverent sense of humour, nor his equally celebrated dedication to public service.”
Mr Albanese noted the significant contribution the Duke of Edinburgh had made to Australia through his many visits, as well as his work in creating an award scheme in his name.
“He developed multiple connections here and ultimately built a lasting legacy, not the least of which is the Duke of Edinburgh’s award scheme,” he said.
“An award scheme that my own son participated in as a local high school student. One that gave great encouragement and support to young people as they grew into adulthood.”
Mr Albanese also paid tribute to the enduring bond the Prince shared with the Queen, and their incredible marriage.
“Prince Philip’s death brings to an end one of the most remarkable and enduring partnerships of our time,” he said.
“Queen Elizabeth often found ways to describe the utter centrality of Philip in her life. “Indeed, she once said that she owed him, to quote her, a debt greater than he would ever claim or we should ever know.”
READ MORE: The botched rollout could spell doom for PM
Rhiannon Down1.55pm:‘Gun went off, but Duke didn’t move an inch’
Western Australia governor and former deputy PM Kim Beazley has honoured the memory of Prince Philip.
Mr Beazley, speaking at a press conference from WA, paid tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh’s deep bond he and the Queen shared, throughout their 74-year marriage.
“This will be a terrible blow to Her Majesty,” Mr Beazley said.
“And as we start to think about all our memories of the Duke, all our memories of the Duke with the Queen, how close they were, how much they were a shoulder for each other, and for that, for her to now be deprived of that, is a body blow.
“Her Majesty is a stoic lady. This will test her stoicism. We appreciate how she must be wearing that burden, and there is going to be a long period of mourning and we will be in it.”
Mr Beazley said the Prince had been fascinated by the Australian military on his many visits to the country and he had guided him on many tours as defence minister.
He said his favourite memory of the Prince had been when unexpected ceremonial gunfire had surprised a crowd, but the Royal remained composed under fire.
“People jumped a foot. He didn’t move an inch,” he said.
“Somebody said, ‘What was that?’ And he said, ‘Well, all I know is that it didn’t get me’.
“So he was a man used to naval gunfire.”
Read the full story here.
Rhiannon Down1.13pm:MPs trade barbs over vaccine rollout
Labor MP Andrew Giles has slammed the federal government’s vaccine roll out, saying it has failed to meet its targets.
“This is extraordinary. If there were a vaccine for incompetence, Scott Morrison and his cabinet should be at the front of that queue,” he told the ABC.
“Because what we have seen here is something quite extraordinary, and a government failing to do its most important job.”
The barbs come as the government announced it was reviewing its vaccine advice for under 50s, amid mounting concern over a possible link between the jab and a rare blood clotting disorder.
“We were promised we would be at the front of the queue,” he said.
“We were promised there would be 4 million Australians vaccinated by the end of March. Time and time again we have seen the government set a goal and not reach it.”
Liberal MP Jason Falinski hit back at the criticism, saying the problems stemmed from a supply issue and there was no way it could have been anticipated.
“I wish there was a vaccine for hyperbole,” he said.
“The foundry can point to me, where anyone from the opposition was predicting that the European Union would block 80 per cent of our orders, I would love to see that quote, or where any expert predicted about.
“It is absolutely absurd, the way the Labor Party is carrying on.”
Mr Falinski also weighed in on the clotting issue emerging in connection to the AstraZeneca jab, saying these instances were extremely rare.
“So when very rare cases of blood clotting and as you’ve had medical experts on your program over the last few days point out, these are situations that are even rarer than people who take panadol and paracetamol,” he said.
“We have made adjustments because we have the capacity to do that.”
READ MORE:House boom a global problem: RBA
Rhiannon Down12.35pm:Queensland records zero local cases
Queensland has recorded another day of zero locally acquired cases of COVID-19, and one new case in hotel quarantine.
The state is currently treating 63 people in hospital for the virus.
Some 7425 tests were processed in the last 24 hours, and 3457 people were vaccinated.
Queensland #COVID19 update 10/04/21
— Queensland Health (@qldhealthnews) April 10, 2021
Today we have recorded 1 new case of COVID-19.
The case was overseas acquired and detected in hotel quarantine. pic.twitter.com/uUtubcqX0c
Rhiannon Down12.30pm:MPs pay tribute to Prince Philip
Liberal MP Jason Falinski has honoured the late Prince Philip, acknowledging the decades of prosperity over which he has served beside the Queen.
“It is obviously very sad, but it is a reminder that for a lot of people, Her Majesty represents and is the head of state for Australia,” Mr Falinski told ABC Weekend Breakfast.
“She represents a period, especially post war, when there was a lot of development that occurred both here and around the world, and that she is closer to the end of her reign than the beginning of it, and her passing will, I think, be a monumental event.
“It is also, I think, reminder, as strange as it may be for a lot of people, especially those younger than us, that Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth have been very significant forces in the history of the Crown in terms of modernising it and opening it up for all of their subjects.”
Labor MP Andrew Giles also extended his condolences to the Queen and the royal family on the program.
“I think it is important that we recognise that 70 years in public life is something that is extraordinary and unlikely to be repeated,” Mr Giles said.
“And that period of marriage is also a very remarkable contribution.
“Prince Philip obviously touched the lives of many Australians and I am sure his passing will be a very sad day for many in the community.”
READ MORE:‘Life will be completely different’: royals mourn Philip
Agencies12pm:EU rollout facing multiple hurdles
Europe’s stuttering vaccine rollout is facing multiple hurdles as EU regulators said they were reviewing side effects of the Johnson & Johnson shot and France further limited its use of the AstraZeneca jab.
The US drugs regulator said it had not found a “causal” link between the J & J vaccine and blood clots, but that its probe was continuing after “a few individuals” suffered complications.
Much of the world is still in the clutches of the pandemic that has killed 2.9 million people, from Brazil, where the virus is killing more than 4,000 people a day, to Japan where the government has tightened restrictions once again.
In India, the worst-hit state of Maharashtra is running out of vaccines as the health system buckles under the weight of the contagion. Home to megacity Mumbai, Maharashtra has been placed under a curfew and weekend lockdowns.
READ MORE: Vaccine dispute sees EU-UK rift deepen
Rhiannon Down11.30am:NSW records zero local cases
NSW has recorded zero locally acquired cases of COVID-19, and four new cases in hotel quarantine.
It comes as the state processed 8686 tests in 24 hours yesterday, with health authorities urging anyone with any symptoms to come forward for testing.
“There were 4401 COVID-19 vaccines administered by NSW Health in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, bringing the total to 151,125,” NSW Health’s Dr Jan Fizzell said.
“NSW Health is treating 41 COVID-19 cases none of whom are in ICU, 98 per cent of these cases are being treated in non-acute, out of hospital care including returned travellers in special health accommodation.
NSW recorded no new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) April 10, 2021
Four new cases were acquired overseas, bringing the total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 5,135. pic.twitter.com/HfVzfgDEdX
“Maintaining a high rate of testing is vital if we are to detect potential cases in the community and prevent further transmission.
“We strongly urge people across the state to isolate and be tested immediately if they have even the mildest of cold like symptoms.”
READ MORE:Diplomatic darling joins the dark side
Rhiannon Down 11.15am:Howard pays tribute to Prince’s ‘grace and flair’
John Howard has paid tribute to the late Prince Philip, remarking on the “remarkable partnership” he shared with the Queen over their 74-year marriage.
The former Prime Minister said he had had the joy of meeting the Duke of Edinburgh on 21 occasions and noted his fondness for Australia.
“I can recall the last time my wife and I were honoured to be in the company of both the Queen and Prince Philip at an order of merit lunch at Windsor Castle just under two years ago,” Mr Howard said.
“And he spoke quite affectionately to my wife of the years that he spent in Australia as a young naval officer.
“So this is an occasion obviously of sadness but it is also an occasion to salute and honour a remarkable marriage. A remarkable partnership in service.
And to again say how valuable, how strengthening and how reassuring that marriage and partnership has been to the Queen’s role both as the Queen of Australia and also as the head of the Commonwealth.”
Mr Howard commended the Prince for this “extraordinary grace and flair and intelligence” in a life spent walking a step behind the Queen.
“He had a great sense of humour and gave a short drift to political correctness when he encountered it and that endeared him to millions of people,” he said.
He said the Prince’s informal style endeared him to the Australian people.
“He took an alert interest and his mannerisms and demeanour went down well in Australia,” he said.
“He was a great combination of dignity, tradition and informality. You know, it is quite a tricky balance. Some try too hard to be informal and they lose their dignity. Others can’t be informal.”
READ MORE:Royal reactionary was really a progressive
Matthew Denholm10.45am:Scandals hit tainted Tasmania election campaign
Tasmania’s volatile election campaign has been rocked by shocking new revelations, with police investigating an apparently false statutory declaration accusing a minister of pedophilia, and a Labor candidate being accused of offensive social media posts.
The Weekend Australian understands Tasmania Police are investigating a detailed statutory declaration, purportedly made by a woman alleging she was abused as a child by a senior Liberal minister. It has been circulated to Labor politicians, one or more of whom it appears forwarded it to the police, who suspect it is a fake.
“Police are reviewing a copy of a document as there are concerns about the authenticity of the document,” a spokeswoman said.
The Weekend Australian understands there is no record of the existence of the woman whose name appears on the statement.
A northern Tasmanian Justice of the Peace whose name appears as a witness on the document told The Weekend Australian he was “not at all satisfied” it was genuine.
“My information is that it (the alleged complainant) is a non-person,” he said.
Other smears have been made against the minister, who is understood to have taken civil action to restrain a person from making false accusations.
Read the full story here.
Rhiannon Down10.15am:Experts back federal AstraZeneca call
University of Sydney infectious disease expert Robert Booy has backed the government’s move to not recommend the AstraZeneca jab to under 50s.
Professor Booy said it was “the correct approach” in light of the emerging link between the jab and a rare clotting disease, but stressed the risk was very slim.
“It is what has been taken by other prominent countries around the world, Canada and Germany included,” he told ABC Weekend Breakfast.
“We had a small risk. One in 200,000 of a blood clot which one in one million vaccine recipients might have died from. We don’t like risks from vaccines.
“They should be as safe as they can and we have got a safer alternative that we’ve moved to.”
Prof Booy said the new recommendations surrounding the vaccine would undoubtedly slow the vaccination process.
“It has to slow the rollout,” he said.
“But it is fantastic that the government has procured more doses of Pfizer and they have been in negotiation with other companies and Novavax is coming in three or four months as
well.
“We are the lucky country. We have an incredibly low rate of the disease. We’re still observing the appropriate social distancing, but we can get on with the vaccination with the alternatives that are being put in place.”
READ MORE: The AstraZeneca vaccine — what we know so far
Rhiannon Down9.40am:Victoria records first Covid case in rebooted hotel quarantine
Victoria has recorded its first coronavirus case in the state’s rebooted hotel quarantine program, and zero cases of local transmission.
This is Victoria’s third incarnation of hotel quarantine after it put a temporary freeze on overseas arrivals after a five day snap lockdown in February.
It comes as the state marks 4810 vaccinations and 13,099 COVID-19 tests.
Yesterday there was 1 new case reported. The case was acquired overseas and is in hotel quarantine.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) April 9, 2021
- 4,810 vaccine doses were administered
- 13,099 test results were received
Got symptoms? Get tested.
More later: https://t.co/0xmnS4N9DN#COVID19Vic#COVID19VicDatapic.twitter.com/OxeLp4J1jc
READ MORE:Daniel Andrews able to walk just 18 minutes a day
David Penberthy9.15am:Signs of light as women run for change
These nine South Australian women are the exact people the Liberal Party must find to shield itself from claims of indifference to gender equity and demonstrate its commitment to promoting female talent.
After decades as a safe haven for gentlemen farmers and suburban male solicitors, the state Liberal Party is moving to address years of gender imbalance, not with quotas but a grassroots recognition that things have to change.
Over the past four months, and before the sexual assault and harassment scandals beset federal politics, the South Australian division has ensured that nine of its past 10 preselected candidates for winnable seats have been women. It has done so without a formal target or any rules demanding a set number of female preselectors.
Read the full story here.
Christine Kellett8.45am:Morrison’s heartfelt tribute to Prince Philip
Scott Morrison has held an early morning press conference to remember the life of the late Prince Philip.
The Prime Minister emphasised the Duke of Edinburgh’s deep connection to Australia and offered his prayers to Queen Elizabeth as she mourns the loss of her husband of 73 years.
“There are many towering figures that the world has lost and known, but few have been before us in our lifetimes for such a long time,” Mr Morrison said.
“His presence and service a reassurance, a reminder of the stability we so often need to a world that can be so uncertain. With his passing, we say farewell to another of the greatest generation. The generation that defied tyranny, but won peace, and built a liberal world order that protects and favours freedom — an order that Australia still shelters under for our own peace and prosperity and stability to this day. But above all, today, we think of our Queen.
“While your strength and stay, your Majesty, may now have passed, Jenny and I pray that you will find great comfort in your faith and your family at this time. But we also, your Majesty, say to you as a Commonwealth, let us also now be your strength and stay, as you continue to endure, as you continue to serve so loyally and so faithfully, as you have done over so many generations. You have been there for us over such a long time. Let us be there now for you, your Majesty, and allow us to send our love to you on this, I am sure, one of your most sad of days.”
Mr Morrison said he and Governor-General David Hurley would sign the official royal condolences book ahead of a 41-gun salute in Canberra later today.
Prince Philip died at home at Windsor Castle on Friday morning, UK-time, after a stint in hospital in February and heart surgery last month.
READ MORE:Royal ‘larrikin’ was devoted to Australia
Natasha Robinson, Greg Brown8.30am:‘Stay calm, and keep getting the jab’
Scott Morrison has urged Australians to keep getting coronavirus inoculations and declared the AstraZeneca vaccine a “lifesaver” as the government secured another 20 million doses of the Pfizer jab to be given to under-50s.
The government is pushing Pfizer to speed up the distribution of its vaccine after health advisers recommended it as the preferred jab for under-50s, rather than AstraZeneca which has a rare risk of bloodclotting.
But it insists phases of the program aimed at the most vulnerable will be largely unaffected.
The Prime Minister, speaking after a meeting of national cabinet, sought to reassure those aged over 50 that the balance in favour of them getting the AstraZeneca jab outweighed the small risk of the vaccine by many orders of magnitude.
“My mum is getting it in a couple of weeks,” Mr Morrison said. “She is back at The Lodge at the moment and she told me she is booked in and she is looking forward to having her AstraZeneca vaccine and she was pretty happy for me to tell people about that.”
Read the full story here.
Jess Malcolm8am:Clot chances tiny, says expert
Infectious diseases expert Peter Collignon has moved to quash fears over the AstraZeneca vaccine, saying the risk of death from COVID-19 for elderly Australians is much higher than the risk of blood clots.
Speaking on Sky News, Mr Collignon said the risk of developing blood clots is extremely low, on data from Europe where a lot of people have received the jab.
“If it really is associated with this vaccine at increased numbers, it’s occurring at one in 100,000 cases,” Mr Collignon said. “While there is a valid concern because the complication they’re worried about is clots in the veins and in the head associated with something called platelets.
“But to put this in perspective, if you’re over the age of 70 and you get COVID you’ve got a one in 100 chance of dying, and if you’re over 85, you’ve got a one in five or one in 10 chance of dying.”
Mr Collignon cited the contraceptive pill — which has a much higher rate of risk of blood clots but is widely prescribed — as another reason why people should not be alarmed.
Read the full story here.
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