Coronavirus Australia live news: GPs to help ramp up Pfizer rollout this week; NSW records 16 new local cases, Queensland one
Selected GPs will this week begin offering Pfizer to those aged 40-59 from this week; NSW records 16 new Covid cases, Qld one.
- NSW records 16 new local cases
- Qld records one new local case
- Sydney lockdown deadline looms
- Spike doesn’t deter Sydney crowds
- Vaccine first doses pass 8 million
Welcome to coverage of Australia’s battle with the Covid-19 pandemic. Live coverage has ended for now, read on to see how the day’s events played out.
Selected GPs will begin offering the Pfizer vaccine this week to people aged 40-59.
NSW records 16 new local cases, of which 14 were linked and 13 already in isolation. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk welcomes ‘excellent news’ as the state records just one new locally acquired case. Despite 35 new locally-acquired cases, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian remains confident Sydney’s lockdown can end on time on Friday. The news comes as the Brisbane and Moreton regions last night exited the lockdown imposed by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, despite eight new cases in Queensland.
Brent Read7.40pm:Dragons NRL players fined for Covid breach
A dozen St George Illawarra players have been fined by NSW Police and further sanctions are set to follow from the NRL in coming days after ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys vowed that there would be serious consequences for any players found to have flagrantly put the competition at risk by breaching Covid-19 guidelines. Read more here
Agencies6.40pm:Russia sets Covid record as world battles fresh wave
Russia reported its fifth record for daily Covid-19 deaths in a row on Saturday, as countries around the world rushed to contain the rapid spread of the highly contagious Delta variant. Read more here
Darren Cartwright5.45pm:Miner fined $5000 for failing to isolate
A Northern Territory miner who was supposed to be in isolation at a worksite has fined more than $5000 for breaching health directions and transferred to Darwin to quarantine at his own cost.
The 38-year-old had been required to remain in his room at the mine site at Tanami in the NT’s central west.
However, NT police claim he left his room on Saturday evening.
He was located some three blocks away and was not wearing a mask at the time when he was required to remain within the mine site, police said.
The man committed multiple breaches of NT’s health directions and had been flown to Darwin where he will be in enforced quarantine” incident controller Shaun Gill said. “This man’s actions breached two of the chief health officer directions,” Mr Gill said.
“The gentleman was escorted back to his room by mine security, and this morning police issued him a $5056 infringement notice.
“He has been flown to Darwin to complete the remainder of his quarantine period under supervision and at his own cost at Howard Springs.”
The penalty for failing to abide by the chief health officer directions is $5056 for an individual and $25,280 for a business.
— NCA NewsWire
Ben Wilmot4.45pm:Sydney, Brisbane auctions cop a hit
The number of homes sold at auctions nationally held above the 70 per cent mark in the face of subdued activity with two key markets Sydney and Brisbane hit with Covid-linked lockdowns. Read more here
Joseph Lam3.45pm:GPs to give Pfizer jabs to 40-59s
Selected GPs across the nation will begin offering the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine to those aged 40 to 59 from this week.
Deputy chief medical officer Professor Michael Kidd announced the news on Sunday while providing the nation’s updated vaccine tally.
“This week, 500 general practices will start to have the Pfizer vaccine available for those 40-59 years of age. During this month, another 800 general practices will come online with the Pfizer vaccine as well as the AstraZeneca vaccine,” he said.
“This includes many Aboriginal community controlled organisations, which will be offering the Pfizer vaccine progressively through July and August.”
Nearly 30 per cent of Australians over the age of 16 have received at least once dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.
Professor Kidd called on Australians, particularly those feeling fatigued from the pandemic, to keep following health advice and not become complacent.
“We are now approaching the middle of winter, and this is a time when people may develop symptoms of cold or flu,” he said.
“But please, do not ignore these terms, it may be COVID-19.”
Heath Parkes Hupton 3.00pm: Chant: Don’t lie to contact tracers
NSW’s chief health officer has issued a call-out to young people, urging them not to socialise or lie to contact tracers fighting Sydney’s growing Covid-19 outbreak.
Speaking after another 16 locally acquired cases were revealed on Sunday, Dr Kerry Chant said she knew it was a “trying time” for young adults confined to their homes during the city’s two-week lockdown.
Dr Chant said authorities would be “sad” if people were breaching health orders but honesty was the best policy if they became contacts of positive cases popping up across Sydney – or caught the virus themselves.
She said people could be confident that any information given to NSW Health would be kept private.
“We’d also like to do a particular call-out to young adults in the community,” Dr Chant said.
“We know that this is a trying time for young adults who want to socialise with others. Please, continue to get tested.
“And also be assured that any information that is given to public health will not be shared.
“It is important that when people are speaking to contact tracers, that they feel reassured about the fact that we will hold information in a confidential way.”
READ MORE: Planning Covid weddings
Evin Priest2.35pm:‘No kissing, cuddling’ warning from Hazzard
New South Wales Health Minister has delivered a breathtaking and unusual warning against “kissing and cuddling” within homes as greater Sydney battles cabin fever during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Overnight, NSW recorded 16 new locally acquired cases of coronavirus with 13 of those in isolation for their infectious periods.
Greater Sydney is in its second week of stay-at-home order issued on Saturday, June 26.
However, concerns are mounting that residents are breaching the restrictions after Sydney’s beaches were seen packed with people over the weekend.
Mr Hazzard was also concerned Sydney residents were leaving their homes to visit friends and family.
That includes food shopping, work, exercise or to provide care to family members.
Visitors are not allowed to a home except for a number of provisions including helping a person to move or parental arrangements.
Mr Hazzard referenced cult classic Australian comedy The Castle in issuing a warning against visiting other residences.
“Right now the most dangerous place is actually our homes,” Mr Hazzard said on Sunday.
“Aussies tend to think of their home as their castle, but right now it can be Covid central.
“There is only one reason why you should be leaving your home at the present time, and that is caring for somebody who needs that care.
“If you do have the need to go to someone’s home, it would be very wise for you to avoid kissing, cuddling, closeness or any proximity at all could mean this virus can get you and spread it then to others when you leave that house.”
READ MORE:One place Sydneysiders urged not to go
Nicholas Jensen 2.20pm:Albanese canes government over Pfizer access
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese has criticised the federal government for failing to provide clear timelines on when under 40s can expect to get the Pfizer vaccine.
Despite new government plans, Mr Albanese told reporters on Sunday that the rollout continues to lack clarity: “The fact that we’re last in the developed world in the rollout of the vaccine in ensuring our citizens are fully vaccinated, comes down to a failure of the government to plan.”
Mr Albanese took aim at Finance Minister Simon Birmingham for saying there was no date set for under-40s to access Pfizer, saying: “That’s what happens when you think it’s not a race.
“When you think that you can just be complacent and sit back and boast about how well you’re going, about how you’re at the front of the queue.”
On Sunday morning, Senator Birmingham told the ABC there would be plenty of vaccines available for the under-40s, with the government expecting the delivery of doses to double by September.
“We will see a marked step-up in terms of availability of the Pfizer vaccine, from around 300,000 doses a week up to an average of 600,000 doses a week and further increased forecast in September.”
However, Mr Albanese said the answer provided no certainty.
“The fact is, the rest of the world is opening up,” he said. “But Australia continues to be in lockdown in large part and that is a direct result of the failure of the government.”
READ MORE: When Aussies could be fully vaccinated
Paige Taylor2.15pm:Perth man tests positive to Covid
A sixth person has tested positive to coronavirus as a result of the cluster in Perth’s north that began when a physiotherapist returned from Sydney unknowingly infected.
The new case is a man in his 30s and a known, close household contact of another case. He has been in self-quarantine since Wednesday, June 28. As a result, the WA Health Department believes there are no contacts to follow up or any new exposure sites.
A total of 398 close contacts have been identified in this community cluster and all of these have now tested negative. Of 2838 casual contacts, 2462 have tested negative so far.
Perth went into a four-day lockdown in response to the northern suburbs cluster. This ended at midnight Friday, but severe pandemic restrictions remain including a 4sqm rule at cafes and restaurants. Masks are mandatory indoors and outdoors.
WA premier Mark McGowan has flagged some of those restrictions will be eased at midnight Tuesday.
READ MORE:A nation at the Covid crossroads
Nicholas Jensen1.55pm:NT records no new local cases
The Northern Territory has recorded no new cases of Covid-19 for its third consecutive day, after more than 2500 test results were recorded on Saturday.
Chief Minister Michael Gunner said he was pleased with the new results, adding that the snap lockdown, which ended on Friday, had clearly helped to bring the outbreak under control.
“So far it’s negative in all the right areas,” Mr Gunner told reporters.
The lockdown was imposed in Greater Darwin and Alice Springs last week in response to the Granites Gold Mine outbreak in Central Australia.
Following last week’s positive case at Alice Springs Airport, Mr Gunner confirmed that 26 of 37 close contacts have returned negative results, with 11 tests still pending. Additionally, 97 of the 104 casual contacts detected at the Stuart Park grocery shop also returned negative results, with seven tests pending.
Health officials are also awaiting five test results linked to the Buff Club exposure site, but Mr Gunner said he was confident they would return negative results.
NT Health is continuing to monitor ten active cases.
READ MORE: Vaccine targets to unlock path to freedom
Wally Mason1.00pm:Dragons probed for Covid breaches
As many as 12 St George Illawarra players are under investigation for breaching the NRL’s Covid-19 protocols after a party at the home of forward Paul Vaughan.
The Nine Network reported on Sunday morning the party had been exposed after a noise complaint was made.
The NRL will be thrown into chaos if the reports are correct.
The Dragons held a crisis meeting on Sunday morning and the NRL integrity unit will interview all the players involved on Sunday.
It is understood the three Dragons players currently involved in the State of Origin series, Ben Hunt, Andrew McCullough and Tariq Sims, were not in attendance.
It’s not Vaughan’s first Covid drama. Last August, he was forced to undergo 14 days in isolation after breaching the NRL’s bubble by visiting a cafe, ahead of a Dragons game against the Sydney Roosters.
Then coach Paul McGregor called Vaughan’s behaviour “selfish”.
Last week the Bulldogs copped a $50,000 fine after five players, including former Origin star Dylan Napa, had a night out at a hotel in Bondi.
The players involved were also hit with individual fines, the stiffest $5000.
READ the full story
Robyn Ironside 12.45pm:NRL game goes ahead day after lockdown
Queensland authorities are satisfied that an NRL match scheduled for Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on Sunday does not pose a threat to public health, less than 24 hours after lockdown conditions were lifted in the city.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced just two new cases of Covid-19 in the state on Sunday, including one in hotel quarantine, and one in home quarantine and linked to the Portuguese restaurant cluster.
She described the low numbers as “excellent news” but warned the risk of widespread infection still existed following the four-day lockdown and said mask-wearing must continue.
“It appears that everything is under control at this point in time so we’re very very relieved about that,” said Ms Palaszczuk.
READ the full story
Anne Barrowclough12.40pm:WA records 1 new local case, ACT zero
WA has recorded one new local case in the 24 hours to 8pm last night while the ACT has recorded zero cases.
WA Health Minister Roger Cook said the new case was the partner of a previous case and has been in quarantine since June 26.
WA has recorded one new local case of COVID-19, a household contact of Case 1023. However, as this case has been completing 14 days of quarantine, they do not pose a risk to the community. pic.twitter.com/ZOTnoUJMDI
— Mark McGowan (@MarkMcGowanMP) July 4, 2021
Nicholas Jensen11.25am:Premier warns numbers ‘could still bounce around’
Three of today’s cases were linked to the Ocean Foods outbreak, bringing the total number of cases linked to the outlet to 27.
Gladys Berejiklian welcomed the drop in new cases from Saturday’s high of 31, saying: “We are seeing numbers go the right way,” but warned that cases numbers could still “bounce around”.
“While the results overnight are very pleasing, there’s no doubt the impact of the lockdown has been evidenced. However, to keep that trend going, we need to make sure people don’t give in and don’t break those rules we’ve put in place.”
There are three further cases associated with Great Ocean Foods, bringing the total number of cases linked to this location to 27.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) July 4, 2021
Despite the new cases, Dr Chant said it was promising that 13 were already in isolation throughout their infectious period.
“If we do see cases occurring but people are in isolation, then they pose no risk of generating further cases in the community,” she said.
“For those that are close contacts who have been told you are a contact of a case, isolation means removing yourself from all others unless you were all co-exposed, and because you’re an adult caring for a child, isolating together as a group … Isolation means not leaving your house unless you need urgent medical care.”
READ MORE: When Aussies could be fully vaccinated
Anne Barrowclough11.20am:Chant confirms Summit Care patients test positive
Dr Chant also confirmed three of today’s cases are patients in Summit Care’s Baulkham Hills facility have tested positive.
“As you recall, we did have some healthcare workers at that facility who tested positive and were infectious at that facility,” she said.
Three of today’s new cases – a woman in her 80s, a man in his 80s, and a man in his 90s – are residents of the SummitCare Baulkham Hills aged care facility.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) July 4, 2021
“That facility is in lockdown and there’s been a program of testing, repeated testing of all the staff and the patients.
“Late last night, that came back to indicate that three of the people at that facility – residents of that facility – a woman in her 80s, a man in his 80s, and a man in his 90s. Now, pleasingly, those three individuals were fully vaccinated.
“But out of the abundance of caution, they have been offered transfer to Westmead Hospital for observation, and to date no further residents have tested positive”.
READ MORE:A nation at the Covid crossroads
Nicholas Jensen 11.15am:14 NSW cases linked, 5 household contacts
NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant said 14 of the new locally acquired cases are linked to previously confirmed cases and five have been linked “as household contacts”. No new cases were acquired overseas in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
Of today’s 16 new locally acquired cases, 13 were in isolation throughout their infectious periods and one case was in isolation for part of their infectious period. Two cases were infectious in the community.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) July 4, 2021
After recording more than 45,000 tests in the last 24 hours, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said: “We’re encouraged that so many people came to get tested on a weekend, and we encourage similar numbers today.”
“Those high testing rates are so important in convincing us that we’re not missing any chains of community transmission.”
READ MORE:Spike fails to deter Sydney beach crowd
Anne Barrowclough11.03am: NSW records 16 new cases
NSW has recorded 16 new locally acquired cases in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, out of more than 45,000 tests. Of those cases, 13 were in isolation throughout their infectious period, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said. One person was in isolation for part of their infectious period and two were infectious in the community.
NSW recorded 16 new locally acquired cases of #COVID19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, 14 of which are linked to previously confirmed cases.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) July 4, 2021
No new overseas-acquired cases were recorded in the same period. pic.twitter.com/ICvpPvFFoZ
Nicholas Jensen10.55am:Young: More tests on ‘person of interest’
Queensland chief health officer Jeannette Young said the one new local case had been in home quarantine because they were a close contact of the Greek community centre, and had now been admitted to hospital.
“Ultimately, this is good … these are Alpha cases, we know they are linked directly to the outbreak that we have going on. There is some good news from yesterday … It is very reassuring,” she said.
COVID-19 is strong – but Queensland is stronger 💪 pic.twitter.com/RPyooEpEGY
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) July 3, 2021
Dr Young said there was another person of interest who was having further tests as they were a close contact of the Greek community centre.
“So just working through whether or not that is a case,” she said.
“Ultimately, this is good. These are alpha cases, we know they are linked directly to the outbreak that we have going on. There is some good news from yesterday. It is very reassuring.”
Dr Young clarified that a previous local case detected in a worker at Brisbane Airport has since been confirmed as a false positive.
“We have done repeat testing, multiple repeat testing on different platforms and it has confirmed that this was a false positive … This person was not a case, which is very good.”
Dr Young also confirmed that the Brisbane hospital worker that tested positive for the Alpha variant had been working at the Prince Charles Hospital for one day while infectious.
“They have the alpha variants and it is confirmed that it is clustering with that outbreak from the Portuguese restaurant,” she said.
Health Minister Yvette D’Ath also confirmed that QR check-ins will become mandatory in Queensland on July 9.
“Get that QR code up outside your business and also make sure that someone is checking that people have actually checked in before they walk around your supermarket, restaurant, cafe, business.”
Compulsory mask wearing will remain in place in several Local Government Areas across Queensland until Friday, July 16.
Queensland Health now has 46 active infections.
READ MORE:Covid weddings: logistical cold feet, joyous absurdities
Nicholas Jensen10.40am:Three Sydney aged care patients test positive
Three residents at the Summit Care aged care facility in north west Sydney have tested positive for Covid-19, with all three cases transferred to Westmead Hospital for further observation.
In a statement, Summit Care said it was informed by NSW Health on Saturday that three of its Baulkham Hills residents had returned positive tests.
“All three residents, who are fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine, were transferred to Westmead Hospital last night as a precautionary measure for their safety and wellbeing, and that of the other residents and staff,” the statement read.
Summit Care said 96 per cent of its 149 residents were vaccinated at the time of the infections.
“The fact that the affected residents are showing no symptoms at this stage shows their early vaccinations have worked,” the statement read.
It’s understood the facility has been placed in a full lockdown, with deep cleaning and further testing currently underway.
Nicholas Jensen10.34am:Queensland records one new local case
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk welcomes ‘excellent news’ as the state records just one new locally acquired case, and one case in an overseas traveller. The one local case is linked to the Portuguese restaurant cluster, Ms Palaszczuk said.
The Premier added she was “very relieved” by the results, adding “we still have a long way to go, but we are very happy and very comfortable where we are at the moment”.
Olivia Caisley10.20am: ‘No fixed date’ for under-40s to access Pfizer
Finance Minister Simon Birmingham confirmed there is “no fixed date” for when under-40s will be able to access the Pfizer vaccine as the Morrison government comes under pressure over the sluggish pace of the vaccine rollout.
Senator Birmingham also defended the hotel quarantine system on ABC Insiders on Sunday after national cabinet agreed to halve the number of foreign arrivals to 3034 per week from July 14 due to concerns about the highly contagious Delta variant.
“Hotel quarantine has worked incredibly well as a means of returning Australians in very difficult circumstances,” he said. “But, of course, we have limits in terms of what can be maintained. I know for many of the states and territories there are pressure points.”
Scott Morrison on Friday won an agreement from state premiers for a four-step ‘new deal’ plan returning life to normal based on key vaccine targets, but but was forced to accept a 50 per cent cut to international arrivals pushed by Labor states in a move that dampened the repatriation hopes of 34,000 Australians stranded overseas.
Senator Birmingham said the government would do as much as they could to support returning Australians.
“The Delta variant does change that profile in terms of the transmissibility of that and risks associated with it, and so we will continue to do what we can to support returning Australians,” he said.
Asked about who was behind the decision to dramatically slash arrival numbers, Senator Birmingham said: “Obviously some of the health officials in some of the states were clearly working with their state leaders”.
Last week NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said that while she didn’t agree with the decision to reduce numbers of incoming travellers she would respect her fellow state and territory leaders.
“I just want to be very clear, I don’t support the view that other premiers have that this means mistakes aren’t going to happen and we’re not going to have outbreaks,” she said.
READ MORE:Vaccine targets to unlock path to freedom
Staff reporter 10.10am: Berejiklian to give NSW update at 11am
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian will provide an update on the situation in her state at 11am.
Nicholas Jensen9.50am: Children ‘contracting newer Covid variants’
Infectious disease expert Paul Griffin says children are beginning to contract newer variants of Covid-19, warning that the inoculation of Australians under 16 years old should be a greater priority in the vaccine rollout.
“I think we absolutely should look at vaccinating children,” Professor Griffin told ABC News Weekend. “I think in terms of doing it in a prioritised way, children are down that list.”
While children are “less likely to get it”, Professor Griffin says the emergence of the Delta variant should prompt health officials to consider more carefully when and how children are going to be protected against new strains.
“We know they’re less likely to get it and much less likely to get really unwell from this, but we’re seeing particularly with this more infectious Delta variant, children can get it … I think the rollout should try to include everybody, including children.”
Asked about further safety to mitigate the spread of the virus, Professor Griffin said it is likely that masks and social distancing will be required long after the virus subsides.
“I think masks for places where we can’t social distance, like airline travel and public transport, might be something we continue to do ... I think we just get used to doing it forever from now on.”
READ MORE:Watching tide of despair roll in
Staff reporter9.35am:Palaszcuk to give update at 10.30am
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will provide an update on the situation in her state at 10.30am.
Today’s COVID-19 update expected at 10:30am. Make sure you tune in here to watch it live.
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) July 3, 2021
Olivia Caisley 9.20am:Ruston: States should use lockdowns sparingly
Social Services Minister Anne Ruston says she would “hope” all state and territory leaders abide by the national cabinet’s plan to end snap lockdowns after Scott Morrison announced a four-phase plan to “return to normal”.
The Prime Minister on Friday signalled the abandonment of any pursuit of an elimination strategy, making it clear he wanted to get to a stage where Australians had enough protection through vaccinations so that Covid-19 “would be like the flu”.
Senator Ruston told Sky News on Sunday that state leaders would “need to be using lockdowns very, very sparingly, and only using them at an absolute last resort”.
“The pathway that was charted on Friday I think is a really important and positive move,” she said. “It can give Australians confidence that there is an outcome. “We will be working towards that outcome and hopefully the territory and state premiers and chief ministers will abide by that and play by the rules of the plan that they agreed to on Friday.”
READ MORE:Spike fails to deter Sydney beach crowd
Adrian McMurray8.26am:Fourth day of zero local cases in Victoria
Victoria has continued its run of zero local cases, with no local Covid-19 transmission detected in the state for the fourth straight day.
There was one case acquired overseas.
Over 20,000 tests were processed in the 24 hours to midnight, with 15,151 vaccine doses administered.
Reported yesterday: 0 new local cases and 1 new case acquired overseas.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) July 3, 2021
- 15,151 vaccine doses were administered
- 20,441 test results were received
More later: https://t.co/lIUrl0ZEco#COVID19Vic#COVID19VicDatapic.twitter.com/3g2z20I2c3
READ MORE:Pandemic tests our ability to revitalise our national purpose
Joseph Lam4.50am:Sydney lockdown deadline looms as Brisbane exits
Australia recorded 48 new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours as the country reached a new vaccination tally of 8.12 million doses.
NSW recorded 40 of those new cases – 35 locally-transmitted, five overseas acquired – and Queensland the remaining eight, five of which were local cases.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and chief health officer were largely positive about the new cases which were “as predicted”, saying that the “green shoots” of the lockdown were in place.
The two-week lockdown for Sydney and nearby regions is due to end at midnight on Friday, July 9.
“The green shoots of the lockdown doing what we hoped it would are certainly there. We have not seen a huge surge in cases and we certainly feel through our contact tracing that we are not at stage missing any chains of community transmission,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Despite recording eight new cases in her state, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk decided that 6pm Saturday was the right time to lift the Brisbane and the Moreton Bay local-government areas out of the lockdown that had been placed on them since 6pm Tuesday.
Some other parts of eastern Queensland also in lockdown had emerged earlier. The latest advice is here.
Restrictions requiring mask wearing and social distancing continue to apply until Friday July 16 in all local-government areas which went into lockdown — not only Brisbane and Moreton Bay.
“We need everyone to pull together and act cooperatively and put our trust in one another, and really think about the most vulnerable people in our community,” Ms Palaszczuk said as she reminded her state it was “not yet out of the woods”.
Saturday also saw Perth emerge from a four-day lockdown, one that was welcomed by its residents but immediately by some businesses, many of which decided it was not financially viable to operate under temporary measures imposed by Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan.
“Even though we’re out of lockdown, we still need as many Western Australians as possible to get tested. The more people get tested, the more confidence we can have when taking the next steps,” Mr McGowan said.
The interim rules require masks to be worn, a one person-per-four square metre rule and no more than 20 patrons at indoors and outdoors venues.
On the political front, and despite welcoming the majority of Australia’s international arrivals since the pandemic began, Ms Berejiklian found herself in the firing line from Ms Palaszczuk and Mr McGowan for expressing disappointment over Friday’s national cabinet decision to halve the number of international arrivals into Australia.
Ms Palaszczuk told reporters she and Ms Berejiklian tend to share a different view.
“My view, which is shared by, I think, the majority of the states and territories and I think the commonwealth, is that actually, if you reduce the caps, you reduce the risk,” she said.
Mr McGowan said: “You cannot go into the meeting and agree to something and come out and say you do not agree with it.”
The ACT and Victoria both recorded zero new Covid-19 cases in the 24 hours to Saturday, a figure celebrated by Victoria chief health officer Brett Sutton, who took to Twitter to share his excitement: “Crushing it, Victoria.”
Crushing it, Victoria. https://t.co/1SRaYtCfeH
— Chief Health Officer, Victoria (@VictorianCHO) July 2, 2021
READ MORE: Most states ‘disagree with NSW’ on border
Joseph Lam4.30am:Sydney spike fails to deter beach, park crowds
It seems little can deter Sydneysiders from getting out about on a sunny winter day — not a highly infectious Covid-19 variant, a city lockdown or a plea from its Premier.
Crowds could be found yesterday at the city’s most iconic beach, Bondi, as well as one of its most treasured grounds Centennial Park on Saturday as NSW recorded its largest spike in Covid-19 cases since lockdown began.
A total of 35 locally acquired cases and five overseas-acquired cases were recorded in the 24 hours to 8pm Friday.
NSW Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys confirmed that dozens of Sydneysiders have broken public health orders, some of whom have been caught hundreds of kilometres from the city.
Mr Worboys confirmed a group from Sydney who drove more than 200km to the Jenolan Caves because “they were feeling bored” have been fined $1000 each.
The owner of a cafe in Jindabyne, some 460km from Sydney, who refused to follow police orders has also been arrested, he said.
âš ï¸PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT – ADDITIONAL VENUES OF CONCERN âš ï¸ pic.twitter.com/Xk7cGN2dg7
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) July 3, 2021
Read the full story here.
Joseph Lam4am:First vaccine dose tally passes 8 million
More than eight million Australians have now received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine after the nation administered a total of 151,496 doses on Friday.
The new tally, now at 8.12 million, representing nearly one-third of the population, was welcomed by Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt, who said the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation’s change of age recommendation for the AstraZeneca vaccine had not deterred Australians from coming forward to get vaccinated.
“To see the strength of those results, both first doses and second doses, coming forward I think is very heartening for the nation,” he said.
Mr Hunt said Australia was due to receive a further 2.8m vaccines doses this month which would arrive in lots of 300,000, 500,000 and 1 million
This daily infographic provides the total number of vaccine doses administered in Australia as of 2 July 2021. Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccine information here: https://t.co/TUKfzVuGVm#COVID19#COVID19Vaccinespic.twitter.com/Qtw1o0VJRb
— Australian Government Department of Health (@healthgovau) July 3, 2021
READ MORE: Lockdowns can end in two months with vaccinations
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