PoliticsNow: Household contact of Bondi man tests positive, NSW Health confirms
A household contact of the Bondi man who tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday has also returned a positive test, NSW Health has confirmed.
- Bondi, Vaucluse, Ryde venue alerts
- Covid alert in Bondi
- Victoria eases restrictions
- Victoria records 5 new local virus cases
- Morrison, Johnson sign historic FTA
- ‘Ritual abuse’ in report, despite claims
Welcome to PoliticsNow, our live coverage of the latest headlines from Canberra, as well as updates on the Covid-19 pandemic.
NSW Health issues venue alerts as health officials race to find close contacts as new Covid infection confirmed in a 60-year-old flight crew driver from Sydney’s eastern beaches.
Melburnians will regain some much missed freedoms on Friday as a further easing of restrictions will see the 25km household boundary limit lifted, gyms reopened and public gatherings of up to 12 people. It comes as Victoria records five new locally-acquired coronavirus cases in the 24 hours to Wednesday.
Nicholas Jensen 10.05pm: Household contact of Bondi man tests positive
A household contact of the Bondi man who tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday has also returned a positive test, NSW Health has confirmed.
NSW Health has not released any further information about the new positive case, but has again updated its exposure list, including:
Tuesday, June 15
● Harry’s Coffee and Kitchen, 500 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction, 3pm to 3.40pm
● NAB in Westfield, 500 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction, 2.45pm to 3.10pm
● David Jones in Westfield, 500 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction, 3.30pm to 4.15pm
● Field to Fork, 101 New South Head Rd, Vaucluse, 12pm to 4pm
Anyone on the following public transport service is also considered a close contact and must immediately get tested and self-isolate for 14 days from the date they were on the bus:
Tuesday, June 15
The 200 bus from Bondi Junction interchange to Blue St, North Sydney (near North Sydney Station). Departed about 4.25pm, arrived about 5pm
Anyone who attended the following venue at the listed time is a casual contact and must immediately get tested and self-isolate until a negative result is received.
Tuesday, June 15
Fruitologist, 151 Bondi Rd, Bondi, 1pm to 2pm
Nicholas Jensen9.30pm: New Sydney exposure sites
NSW Health has identified further “venues of concern” associated with the Bondi infection that was confirmed on Wednesday afternoon, listing new exposure sites in Zetland and Redfern.
Earlier on Wednesday NSW Health said the new case of Covid-19 was detected after a man in his 60s presented for a saliva test on Tuesday. They said he had not travelled overseas in recent times, but “works as a driver, which includes transporting international flight crew”.
With health officials scrambling to pinpoint the source of the infection, NSW Health is asking anyone who has attended the following sites during the relevant times to get tested and self-isolate until you receive further information.
Monday, June 14
● Coles, East Village Shopping Centre, Zetland, O’Dea Avenue, 11am to 1pm
● Taste Growers, East Village Shopping Centre, Zetland, Shop 39/2 Defries Avenue, 11am to 1pm
● Wax Car Wash Cafe, 375 Cleveland Street, Redfern, 12pm to 3pm
To meet the demand a new pop-up testing clinic will open on Friday at 8am at the Albion Street Centre Laverty Pathology, 150 Albion Street (Crown Street entrance), Surry Hills. It will then be open 8am to 6pm, seven days a week.
A number of other clinics have also had their opening hours extended:
● Bondi Beach drive-through, Parks Drive, North Bondi (enter on the junction of Campbell Parade and Beach Road), open 7.30am to 10pm, seven days a week
● Prince of Wales Hospital, enter via Building 14B, Avoca Street, Randwick, open 9am to 8pm, until Friday initially
● Bondi Junction Laverty drive-through, Level 2, car park, 38 Waverley Street, Bondi Junction, open 8am to 8pm, seven days a week
● Rose Bay Laverty drive-through, Lyne Park, Vickery Avenue car park, Rose Bay, open 8am to 10pm, seven days a week
● St Vincent’s Hospital, East Sydney Arts Centre, 34-40 Burton Street, Darlinghurst (access from Palmer Street entrance) open 8am to 10pm, seven days a week from Wednesday
● North Ryde Laverty drive-through, 60 Waterloo Road, North Ryde, open 7.30am to 8pm, seven days from Wednesday
Nicholas Jensen9.15pm: Queensland to delay border opening
Holiday plans will be thrown into chaos for Melburnians wanting to escape this winter, as QLD Health intends to delay lifting its border to the Greater Melbourne region.
A spokesperson from Queensland Health told The Australian that anyone who has been in the Greater Melbourne area in the past 14 days “will only be able to enter the state if they are a returning Queensland resident or required to enter for a limited range of essential reasons”.
QLD Health also confirmed that “residents returning to Queensland from a hotspot must quarantine for 14 days on entering Queensland in government arranged accommodation at their own expense.”
The decision is expected to be confirmed by the Palaszczuk government on Thursday.
A spokesperson said the government is continuing to monitor the situation in Victoria and would be reviewing border restrictions for Greater Melbourne as the state continues to ease its local restrictions.
It comes as the Queensland government lifted its restrictions to regional Victoria on Friday, with Health Minister Yvette D’Ath saying: “If you are from Greater Melbourne, and you are a non-resident of Queensland, you cannot enter the state without a travel declaration and an exemption.”
At that time Ms D’Ath said the government would be constantly reviewing the restrictions but warned that the Melbourne border closure would remain in place for at least for another week.
AFP9pm: Britain asks EU to extend ‘sausage war’ deadline
Britain has asked the EU to extend a grace period for some post-Brexit trade rules in Northern Ireland, Brexit minister David Frost said on Wednesday, as a sausage-centred dispute between London and Brussels sizzles on.
Mr Frost confirmed the UK has asked the bloc to delay an end-of-month deadline to implement a new trading regime around chilled meats in the British province, which could see Northern Irish imports of products like sausages banned.
“We have asked and suggested to the EU that the right way forward would be to agree to extend the grace period, at least for a bit,” Mr Frost told a British parliamentary scrutiny committee.
He said an extension would “provide a bit of a breathing space for the current discussions to continue and try and find solutions.” But Mr Frost added “we’re not having much progress”, and warned “if we can’t agree it we’ll obviously have to consider all our options.” Britain and the EU have agreed that a special “protocol” will govern trade with Northern Ireland in the post-Brexit landscape as part of their divorce deal.
Since the start this year, it has remained effectively inside the EU customs union and single market for goods.
The scheme prevents a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, a former flashpoint in “The Troubles” sectarian conflict which largely ended in 1998.
However, the protocol is deeply unpopular within the pro-UK unionist community, who argue it creates a de-facto border with mainland Britain.
While various grace periods have been agreed, London is threatening to act unilaterally to extend the next one coming into force next month.
Such a move would be seen by Brussels as unravelling the post-Brexit accords negotiated in painstaking detail since the 2016 referendum.
The so-called “sausage war” dominated the G7 summit in England last weekend. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and EU leaders duelled over the subject as it spiralled into a faceoff about UK sovereignty over Northern Ireland.
Tensions are high in the territory — home to 1.9 million — which is still markedly divided between pro-Ireland nationalists and pro-UK unionists.
In April unionist anger over the protocol fuelled more than a week of rioting which saw 88 police injured.
“The difficulty that we’ve had since the start of the year ... is that there has been a very visible weakening of consent in one community in Northern Ireland for the arrangements in the protocol,” said Frost.
“That’s obviously produced instability and uncertainty.” There are fears that unrest will reignite in July — a traditional time of disruption in Northern Ireland — if discontent over the protocol is not settled.
Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney said the protocol “is a technical trading arrangement to manage the disruption of Brexit”.
Expressing frustration on Twitter he said “it’s not about constitutional matters.
Nicholas Jensen 8.25pm:Sydney shopping centre reveals exposure
A shopping precinct in inner Sydney has released a statement confirming that an infectious customer attended a number of its stores on Monday, June 14.
East Village, in Zetland, notified customers on social media on Wednesday night of the infectious case, saying NSW Health had informed them that the individual had visited Coles and Taste Growers.
“We are working closely with NSW Health to confirm the times visited which will be listed on the NSW Health website.”
It comes as NSW recorded its first local infection for more than 40 days after a man in 60s tested positive for Covid-19 in Bondi.
Geoff Chambers7.50pm:PM sets ‘gates’ for troubled subs contract
Scott Morrison has flagged a series of crucial “gates” in Naval Group’s $90bn future submarines program, after raising concerns about the contract directly with the company and French President Emmanuel Macron.
The Prime Minister has met with Naval Group and Mr Macron separately in France on Wednesday (AEST), where he raised Australia’s expectations over a series of key milestones and speeding-up timelines on the project.
After meeting with OECD secretary-general Mathias Cormann in Paris, Mr Morrison confirmed he had talked to Mr Macron about the contract.
“We’re coming up to some important gates in that contract and there have been issues we’ve had to address over particularly the last eight months,” Mr Morrison said.
“President Macron and I have a very open and a very transparent and very friendly relationship where we can speak candidly to each other about these issues. But what is most important is we understand the strategic imperative of our broader relationship, we obviously have a relationship as it presents with that contract.
“But it is far bigger than that. We both have a shared interest in the strategic security of the Indo-Pacific.”
Charlie Parker 7.10pm:China enlists student influencers
China’s state TV station has been targeting British university campuses and offering students the chance to win thousands of dollars by becoming pro-Beijing social media influencers.
CGTN had its broadcasting licence revoked and was taken off the air in Britain in February after an investigation by Ofcom, the media regulator, found that it was editorially controlled by the Chinese Communist Party.
The network has since launched a “media challengers” campaign to recruit internet influencers and vloggers globally, some of whom will promote China and counter Western narratives that damage its image.
Rachel Baxendale6.35pm:Seven new exposure sites in Melbourne’s north
Seven new venues in Melbourne’s northern suburbs have been added to the Victorian health department’s list of coronavirus exposure sites on Wednesday afternoon.
The addition of the new sites comes after Myer in the CBD was added earlier on Wednesday.
Three of the new sites are located at the Barkly Square shopping centre in Brunswick, where a series of exposure sites were listed just over a fortnight ago.
All of the latest additions to the list are Tier 2 sites, requiring attendees to get tested and isolate until they receive a negative test result.
The exposure sites added on Wednesday:
● Kmart Barkly Square, Brunswick, 12.45 to 1.15pm, Sunday, June 13
● Coles Barkly Square, Brunswick, 1pm to 1.40pm, Sunday, June 13
● Chemist Warehouse Barkly Square, Brunswick, 1.20pm to 2pm, Sunday, June 13
● Mile End Bagels, Brunswick, 1220pm to 12.50pm, Sunday, June 13
● Chatime Westfield, Airport West, 10.10am to 10.40am, Monday, June 14
● Coles, Coburg North, 7.45am to 8.15am, Tuesday, June 15
● Australia Post LPO, Hadfield, 4pm to 4.30pm, Tuesday, June 15
● Myer CBD (Ground Level to Level 5), 2.45pm to 3.15pm, Sunday, June 13
AFP6.15pm:EU members approve return of US travellers
EU member states have agreed to lift coronavirus travel restrictions on travellers from eight countries and territories including the US, officials and diplomats said on Wednesday.
The whitelist of countries and regions exempted from the travel ban will be expanded to include Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia, Lebanon, the US, Taiwan, Macau and Hong Kong, they said.
AFP5.30pm: Taj Mahal reopens as India eases restrictions
The Taj Mahal has reopened to visitors, as Indian authorities loosened restrictions following an easing in the country’s devastating recent coronavirus surge.
Infections and deaths soared to record levels in April and May, overwhelming health services in some places and prompting lockdowns and other curbs.
Cases have declined in recent weeks, with several major cities including New Delhi and Mumbai easing many restrictions.
In Agra, where the Taj Mahal is located, tourist guides and shopkeepers were upbeat as India’s top tourist attraction sprung back to life on Wednesday.
The 17th-century monument of love built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan was shut in March last year, reopened in September and closed again in April.
Crowds were thin on the first day of the reopening, with authorities restricting visitor numbers to 650 per day.
Covid-19 precautions meant visitors were not allowed to touch the shining marble mausoleum, but those making the pilgrimage to one of the New Seven Wonders of the World were still delighted.
“I am very glad I got to see it, it is amazing,” gushed Brazilian visitor Melissa Dalla Rosa, 40.
“I cried when I first saw, oh my God... (it was) a very special experience.”
Ewin Hannan4.45pm:Unions disappointed at wage increase delay: McManus
ACTU secretary Sally McManus said unions had secured a 2.5 per cent rise for a quarter of all workers despite opposition from employers and the federal government.
But she said unions were disappointed the commission decided to delay the increase for hundreds of thousands of workers, including those in retail where many companies had posted record profits.
“This wage increase has come about because of unions — the Morrison Government and big business wanted pay cuts or freezes,” she said.
“However, it is extremely disappointing that the commission has delayed increases for any workers – but especially those who have worked throughout the pandemic and whose employers have posted record profits.”
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the “premature and irresponsible” pay rises would cost businesses $3.6 billion a year.
Chamber chief executive Jenny Lambert said the pay rise combined with the 0.5 per cent increase in the Superannuation Guarantee “represents a huge burden on business”.
“Nearly a third of all people who will be receiving an increase work in retail, food and accommodation services – sectors routinely forced to stop trading or reduce the number of patrons in their stores over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic,” it said.
“This is a bitter pill to swallow for the approximately 230,000 small and family-owned businesses which dominate these particular sectors. Australians who have managed to battle on through, keep their business afloat and keep people in work now face a highly risky hike in wages – always their biggest cost.”
She said the delay in some industries was “some acknowledgment of the ongoing risks to small businesses and jobs”.
However, the staggered dates are very limited, and with just six months between increases in the retail and nine in the hospitality industries, some employers and jobs are going to be placed at unnecessary risk in what remains a highly uncertain environment,” she said.
READ the full story here.
Olivia Caisley4.30pm:Bill for Christian Porter parliamentary inquiry blocked
Greens Senator Larissa Waters has been unsuccessful in introducing a bill for a parliamentary inquiry into whether Christian Porter is fit to remain in Cabinet.
She was joined at Parliament House on Wednesday by Jo Dyer, a friend of a woman who accused the former attorney general of raping her three decades ago, to lobby for support for the bill. Mr Porter strongly denies the allegations.
But the private bill was blocked after the Senator moved it be read for the first time.
A division was called and the government won the vote 33 to 30 with help from the votes of One Nation and Jacqui Lambie. Labor and Independent Senator Rex Patrick both voted with the Greens.
“As Jo Dyer sits in the Senate to hear intro of a bill to deliver some semblance of justice to her friend Kate, this Gov under this PM who didn’t even read the dossier & just believed Porter without any inquiry, just blocked the bill,” Senator Waters tweeted. “What an insult to survivors everywhere”.
At an earlier press conference Ms Dyer said Mr Porter’s defamation action against the ABC had ended with an “embarrassing whimper”, as she called for “justice” for her friend.
READ MORE:ABC paid $100k for Porter lawyer
Nicholas Jensen4.10pm:Bondi Covid case: cinema among first exposure sites
NSW Health has issued a public health alert with the first of exposure sites an infected 60-year-old man has visited.
Anyone who attended a screening of the Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard at Event Cinemas, Bondi Junction on Sunday, June 13 at 1.45pm is considered a close contact. They must get tested, self-isolate for 14 days regardless of the result, and call NSW Health.
For the following exposure sites, people should call NSW Health, self-isolate and get tested until they receive further information:
Tuesday, June 15
Belle Cafe, Vaucluse, 103 New South Head Road – 9.50am to 10.25am
Celeste Catering Macquarie Park Cemetery Cafe, North Ryde – 1pm to 1.20pm
Monday, June 14
Rocco’s, Vaucluse, 103B New South Head Road – 10.55am to 11.30am
Saturday, June 12
Belle Cafe, Vaucluse, 103 New South Head Road – 10.20am to 10.45am
David Jones, Bondi Junction, 500 Oxford Street – 11am to 11.40am
Myer, Bondi Junction, 500 Oxford Street – 11.40am to 12.15pm
Washoku Vaucluse, 52 New South Head Road – 12pm to 1.30pm
Belle Cafe, Vaucluse, 103 New South Head Road – 1.20pm to 1.50pm
Friday, June 11
Belle Cafe, Vaucluse, 103 New South Head Road – 9.15am to 9.50am
Sourdough Bakery, Bondi Junction, 500 Oxford Street – 12.40pm to 1.10pm
The list will continue to update, with people urged to check the NSW Health website regularly.
Nicholas Jensen3.45pm:Bondi Covid mystery case confirmed by NSW Health
NSW Health has confirmed a new local case of Covid-19 on Sydney’s eastern beaches, and is racing to find close contacts and issue alerts.
In a statement, NSW Health said the man, in his 60s, “has not travelled overseas in recent times, however, he works as a driver, which includes transporting international flight crew.”
“The man had a saliva test yesterday (Tuesday 15 June). The positive result on this test was confirmed today in a PCR test (Wednesday 16 June). This case will be included in tomorrow’s numbers.
“Urgent investigations into the source of the infection and contact tracing are underway, as is genome sequencing.
“Close contacts are being urgently contacted, and asked to get tested and isolate. The man visited a number of venues while potentially infectious.”
The case follows an alert from NSW Health on Tuesday night, sparking fears of a hotel quarantine breach in Sydney after it was found the Alpha strain of the virus had jumped between rooms, infecting three returned travellers.
NSW Health says meetings are currently underway to determine where the individual has visited, with a list of exposure sites expected later this afternoon.
âš ï¸NSW PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT – COVID-19 CASEâš ï¸
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) June 16, 2021
NSW Health has been notified this afternoon of a new #COVID19 case who resides in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. pic.twitter.com/EhRW3jHEsL
Ewin Hannan3.40pm:Annual minimum wage to increase to $20.33 per hour
The Fair Work Commission has awarded a $18.80 a week pay rise to 2.2 million low-paid and award-reliant workers.
The new national minimum wage will be $20.33 per hour, or $772.60 a week.
The pay increase, more than double the amount supported by employers, will generally apply from July 1 but will be delayed until later this year for workers in a number of Covid-stressed industries.
The ACTU had sought an increase of $26.38 a week while most employer groups wanted the rise capped at $8.30 a week and delayed for workers in some Covid-stressed industries until February next year.
In the lead up to Wednesday’s decision, the Morrison government had warned against significant minimum wage increases, and urged the commission to take a cautious approach.
Adeshola Ore3.15pm:No plague plan, but Coalition farmers’ ‘friends’
Acting Prime Minister Michael McCormack has vowed that the Coalition will always be “friends” of farmers, after Labor criticised the Morrison government for not developing a commonwealth plan to tackle the devastating mouse plague.
Opposition agriculture spokeswoman Julie Collins used Question Time to accuse the federal government of “abandoning farmers when they need them the most” after it was revealed at Senate estimates that there was no national plan to tackle the waves of mouse that have swept across multiple states.
Mr McCormack said states understood that “these sorts of things” were the “remit of states.”
“We will always be the party, the parties for farmers, the Nationals and the Liberals will always protect the interests of farmers,” he told parliament.
Mr McCormack said his community was also “ravaged” by mice.
“There is nothing worse than the stench of mice, nothing worse than having mice eat your grain, mice running around your house, farm and factory,” he said.
“I agree they should be rehomed, into their inner city apartments so they can nibble away at their food and their feet at night and scratch their children at night.”
READ MORE:Push for national plan to tackle plague
Rachel Baxendale3.06pm:Melbourne CBD Myer on exposure site list
The Myer department store in Melbourne’s CBD has been listed as a Tier 2 coronavirus exposure site on Wednesday afternoon.
Anyone who visited any of the five levels of the iconic Bourke Street store last Sunday June 13 between 2.45pm and 3.15pm is required to get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result.
More information on the 133 venues currently listed as Victorian exposure sites is available on the health department website.
Nicholas Jensen2.55pm:NSW Health ‘set to report Covid case in Bondi’
NSW Health is expected to issue a new Covid-19 alert amid reports of a new Covid-19 infection in the Bondi area.
According to The Daily Telegraph the new positive case is from an unknown source, with health officials not denying reports of the new infection.
More to come
Will Glasgow2.53pm: Sick US needs medicine, Beijing says
Beijing has said the United States is “sick” and in need of “medicine” after China was the subject of unprecedented criticism at the G7 and NATO.
The strident reaction from China’s foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian underlined Beijing’s extreme sensitivity to the Biden administration’s co-ordination of allies and partners.
Mr Zhao said the criticisms of China revealed “the bad intentions of the US and a few other countries” that were trying to create confrontation and widen differences.
“The United States is sick. The G7 should feel its pulse and prescribe medicine for it,” he said at a press conference in Beijing.
Xi Jinping’s administration has launched a sweeping sneer campaign on America, Europe and their allies and partners including Australia after China was criticised at the G7 and NATO.
In Beijing, Brussels and Britain, Xi’s regime has scoffed at the rich world’s criticism and made veiled threats at retaliation.
READ the full story here
Jack the Insider2.25pm:Four Corners misses the big stories on QAnon
Let’s face it, the report into the cult of QAnon was a nothing burger. Obsessions about what a PM did or didn’t say are small beans compared to the big Q picture.
The same claims made in the ABC flagship program had been reported over a year ago by other media.
READJack the Insider’s full QAnon commentary here
Adeshola Ore2.20pm: Australian vaccinations pass 6m doses
Health Minister Greg Hunt says more than six million Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered across Australia.
During question time, Anthony Albanese attacked the government’s rollout, telling parliament that less than 3 per cent of Australia’s population had been vaccinated.
But Mr Hunt said the government expected in the next 24 hours more than 25 per cent of eligible Australians would have been vaccinated.
“Yesterday was 152,000 vaccinations … It was the second highest day we received so far. And that is a very positive sign in terms of Australians stepping forward to be vaccinated.” he told parliament.
Mr Hunt said 62 per cent of over 70s and 45 per cent of over 50s had been vaccinated
“Now we have passed six million total doses for Australia. And in addition to that, what’s very, very important is that we are seeing Australians stepping up around the country,” he said.
READ MORE: Most students want blend of face-to-face and online learning
Wally Mason12.54pm:Small crowd allowed for Geelong v Western Bulldogs
The Friday night blockbuster between heavyweights Geelong and the Western Bulldogs will go ahead in front of a small crowd after a backflip from the Victorian government.
Health officials will allow 7000 fans to attend at GMHBA Stadium – provided they are local residents and a member of either the Cats or the Bulldogs.
The AFL and the Cats had been desperate to secure some sort of supporter presence, given regional Victoria has been free of coronavirus for some time.
The crowd of 7000 will see Kardinia Park at about 20 per cent capacity for the top-four clash.
“We’ll work with the AFL and the clubs to allow a crowd of up to 7000 people from the region,” acting Premier James Merlino said on Thursday.
“So Colac, Otway, City of Greater Geelong, Queenscliff and the Surf Coast to attend at Kardinia Park, provided they are members of the two clubs so we can keep a very tight record of who attends.”
READ MORE: Chemistry with Cameron has Cats purring
Joseph Lam 12.46pm:Fears of further spread as nurse tests positive
Victorian authorities are scrambling to trace the possible spread of Covid-19 after a Melbourne nurse tested positive for Covid-19.
Authorities fear the nurse, one of five new cases reported in the 24 hours to midnight who are all linked to the Kings Park Apartment cluster had worked a shift at Epping Private Hospital while infectious.
Covid-19 Testing Commander Jeroen Weimar confirmed the nurse worked two shifts, on June 9 and June 14, while potentially infectious.
“The circumstances, we understand, is that she worked two shifts in June. She may have been infectious for the second shift,” Mr Weimar said.
“We are working to support her and primary contacts around the hospital and also any others she may have.”
Mr Weimar added that all staff at Epping private hospital have had at least their first dose of the vaccine.
READ MORE: Police unrepentant over Covid data breach
Joseph Lam12.28pm:Victoria to be reunited as Melbourne restrictions lift
Melburnians will regain some much missed freedoms on Friday as a further easing of restrictions will see the 25km household boundary limit lifted, gyms reopened and public gatherings of up to 12 people.
Acting Premier James Merlino on Wednesday announced the changes, saying that Victorians had worked hard to curb the spread of Melbourne’s latest outbreak.
“We know that since the pandemic started, distance has been one of the hardest things to live with, distance from our neighbours, workplaces, places we love and people we love,” he said.
“We have been waiting to see those people and places that we love, which is why I am very pleased to confirm that on the advice of the Chief Health Officer, the Metropolitan border and the 25 kilometre limit will be removed, and the state will come back together from 11.59pm tomorrow night.” he said.
Other changes include allowing up to two visitors in homes, indoor entertainment venues reopened and hospitality venues hosting 25 people before density rules apply. Masks will no longer be required in outdoor settings.
Mr Merlino added that while working from home is encouraged, offices can have up to 20 people or 50 per cent capacity.
READ MORE: Unis’ 6000 foreign deals for scrutiny
Joseph Lam12.10pm:Hotel quarantine case may be classified as local infection
A Covid-19 case recorded in hotel quarantine could be reclassified as locally-acquired pending a NSW Health investigation into the spread of the virus between guests at a Sydney quarantine hotel.
NSW announced late on Tuesday it was investigating transmission of the virus between a traveller and a couple who stayed in adjacent rooms on the fourth floor of the Radisson Blu Hotel in Sydney’s CBD.
The couple tested for the virus on their second day in hotel quarantine on June 3. The traveller returned a negative test on June 3 but later tested positive for the virus on June 5.
“All three cases arrived into Sydney on the same flight from Doha on 1 June and stayed in adjacent rooms in the quarantine hotel,” NSW Health said in a statement.
“Early possibilities as to where transmission may have occurred from the couple to the secondary case include on the flight, on transport from the airport to the hotel, in the lobby of the hotel, or while in quarantine.”
All three have been transferred to specialist health accommodation following their positive tests, NSW Health said.
At least 21 people have exited quarantine at the Radisson Blu between June 1 and June 5.
NSW Health said those guests and staff who worked on the fourth floor have been asked to get tested immediately and isolate until receiving a negative result.
“Currently, there is no evidence of further transmission,” NSW added.
Rachel Baxendale11.54am:Victorian leaders set to provide Covid update
Acting Victorian Premier James Merlino, Health Minister Martin Foley, chief health officer Brett Sutton and Covid-19 logistics chief Jeroen Weimar are due to address the media at 12.15pm.
The press conference comes as the Andrews government is expected to announce an easing of restrictions for Melburnians from 11:59pm on Thursday, and after five new coronavirus cases were identified in the 24 hours to Wednesday.
WATCH live in the videostream above
EWIN HANNAN11.21am:2.2m workers to learn minimum wage decision
The Fair Work Commission will hand down its annual minimum wage decision impacting 2.2 million low-paid and award-reliant workers at 3.30pm on Wednesday.
The ACTU is seeking a rise of $26.38 a week, or 3.5 per cent, from July 1.
Employers want the increase capped at $8.30 a week and delayed for workers in some Covid-stressed industries until February next year.
The Morrison government has warned against significant minimum wage increases, urging the commission to take a cautious approach.
The national minimum wage is currently $19.84 per hour, or $753.80 a week, and the 1.1 per cent increase proposed by a number of employer groups equates to 22c an hour.
READ MORE:Some pay rates too low
Joseph Lam11.10am: ABC staff head west to ‘keep relevant’
More than 300 ABC staff will wave goodbye to the public broadcaster’s inner-city newsroom and head to Parramatta in a bid, David Andersen says, will keep the national news giant “relevant”.
The ABC Managing Director on Wednesday advised staff of the move over email, part of a five-year plan announced last year seeking to shift 75 per cent of its “content makers” away from Ultimo by 2025.
“It will help us to be more connected, relevant, and engaged with communities in the demographic heart of Sydney,” the email read.
“We are only at the very start of this process. We will come back to you in the next few months about this process, including our work in developing a timeline for the relocation.”
The ABC’s announcement arrives on the back of it opening a smaller bureau in Parramatta in March last year, doubling its once three-staff newsroom, equipping it with the capacity to broadcast live radio programs and hiring two dedicated ‘local communities reporters” to cover Western Sydney.
In a statement later published online, ABC said it was trying to bring its operations closer to different areas, shifting its “content-makers closer to the communities they serve”.
READ the full story here
Melissa Iaria10.44am: Julie Bishop as you’ve never seen her before
Julie Bishop has been honoured with her own Barbie doll for being a “glass-ceiling-shattering icon”.
Ms Bishop, the first woman to serve as foreign affairs minister, has had a doll made in her likeness for being honoured Barbie’s official 2021 role model for Australia.
Toy giant Mattel hailed Ms Bishop as a “true trailblazer” as part of its annual celebration of role models breaking boundaries to show girls they can be anything.
The doll even clasps a miniature Australian passport, a nod to Ms Bishop’s years as the nation’s chief diplomat, and wears the blue suit and famed red satin block heels she wore on the day she resigned. The outfit was seen as a bold statement and a symbol of solidarity and empowerment among Australian women at the time.
Ms Bishop said she was “thrilled” to be honoured.
“I have been a fan of Barbie since I was a very little girl. And Barbie asked me this year if I would accept this honour and I was just delighted,” she told Nine’s Today program on Wednesday.
Ms Bishop revealed she still had the Jackie Kennedy Barbie her parents gave her as a little girl in the 1960s.
“She is wearing a fake fur and she looks like Jackie Kennedy did back in the ’60s. So I played with this little doll and just dreamt of being a glamorous First Lady,” she said.
Mattel described Ms Bishop as a model of empowerment for girls and a woman of firsts.
Ms Bishop was also the first woman to serve as deputy leader of the Liberal Party in her 20-year political career.
Known for her keen fashion eye, she also formalised a partnership between the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Australian Fashion Chamber to promote and nurture Australian fashion designers and connect them with their counterparts overseas.
Today, she is the first female chancellor of the Australian National University and a member of the newly formed G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council, championing the principles of freedom, opportunity and dignity for women and girls globally.
“I hope it will encourage young women and girls to aspire to set big goals, work hard to achieve them and be leaders in their field,” Ms Bishop said. – NCA Newswire
READ MORE:The Sketch – MickMack’s in charge … what could go wrong?
Ben Packham 10.00am: ‘It’s time to sink French submarine deal’
Federal parliament’s only submariner Rex Patrick says the time has come for the government to cancel its $90bn billion order for 12 French submarines and switch to an off-the-shelf boat or “Son of Collins” design.
The South Australian independent senator said Defence’s relationship with French company Naval Group was now “estranged”, and the company would never dedicate its design “A-team” to the Attack-class when it was also designing France’s next generation of ballistic missile subs.
As Scott Morrison was preparing to discuss the Attack-class submarines with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, Senator Patrick described the program as “unsalvageable”.
“We’re not at the stage of needing a Plan B, we’re at the stage where we should simply move to it,” he said.
READ the full story here
Adeshola Ore 9.50am:Open borders to Victoria, Tehan tells other states
Trade Minister Dan Tehan has urged states and territories to open their borders to Victoria, as the state’s authorities prepare to announce eased restrictions.
Victoria recorded five new locally-acquired coronavirus cases in the 24 hours to Wednesday, including three cases in addition to two which were confirmed on Tuesday. The state government is expected to make an announcement today on reducing restrictions for Greater Melbourne from 11.59pm on Thursday.
Mr Tehan said it would be “great” if other jurisdictions ended their border restrictions with Victoria.
“It is really in the interests of Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory to open their borders because it means that Victorians will be able to travel there to their wonderful tourism destinations,” he told the ABC.
“So that’s my hope that that’s what we’ll see. Ultimately, it will be decisions for them to make, especially with school holidays approaching. It would be wonderful if we could see those borders reopen to Victorians.”
“They have done it tough over a long period of time and especially through this latest lockdown.”
READ MORE: Tropical holidays the go when cold snap bites
Greg Brown 9.13am: Liberals vent fury over party’s Christian ‘purge’
Conservative South Australian Liberal MPs have urged Josh Frydenberg to intervene in the state branch after venting outrage that hundreds of Pentecostal Christians had been forced out of the party.
Nicolle Flint, Tony Pasin and Alex Antic lashed out at the moderate-dominated state branch in a meeting of federal Liberal MPs on Tuesday, after 150 conservative members were terminated and a further 400 members asked to “show cause” as to why they should not be kicked out.
In what was described as a “robust discussion”, the conservative MPs called on the Treasurer — the acting Liberal leader while Scott Morrison is overseas — to intervene in the state branch “as a matter of urgency”, according to sources in the meeting.
READ the full story here
Rachel Baxendale8.56am: ‘Bolting chairs to floors makes zero sense for events’
Victoria’s event industry says coronavirus restrictions have made doing business in the state a “complete farce”, citing orders from the government during a roundtable last week to bolt chairs to floors.
Save Victorian Events spokesman Simon Thewlis said the current limit of 50 people for indoor venues had already ruled out the vast majority of events. Eased restrictions likely to be announced on Wednesday would see that number increased to 75 from midnight on Thursday.
“We’ve continued to push for clarity on (the order to bolt chairs to floors) but nearly a week on we are still unable to get a sensible answer from the government,” Mr Thewlis said.
“A cafe or restaurant can operate with chairs that are not bolted to the floor. But it seems a business event can only happen if all the chairs are firmly bolted to the floor – which is not possible in the majority of venues.
“From a risk management perspective, this makes zero sense but it is just another example of the bizarre nonsense that event organisers have had to struggle with over the last year as they just try to survive.”
Mr Thewlis said the industry had also been shocked to learn that cinemas had been included as part of their industry and given $12,000 each in funding, despite the majority of event businesses being left empty-handed.
“Half – so $10 million – of the “$20 million for targeted Event Industry support” that the Acting Premier only promised on May 30 was diverted to the Arts (which had already received $508 million),” Mr Thewlis said.
“We ask the Acting Premier to honour his public promise to the Event Industry.
“A further $7 million was allocated to ‘major events’ with grants only available to companies with an annual payroll greater than $3 million – which is a tiny proportion of event industry businesses.
“This has left the vast majority of Victoria’s struggling event management, audio, lighting, audiovisual, rigging, staging, theming, equipment, etc … companies again empty-handed – with still no targeted support through this entire crisis.
“The event industry was one of Victoria’s most iconic industries. We have little hope left.”
READ MORE:Albrechtsen – She’ll be right won’t cut if for the kids’ future
Rachel Baxendale8.46am: What Melburnians can expect from eased restrictions
The Andrews government is meeting on Wednesday morning to make a final decision to sign off on easing coronavirus restrictions from 11.59pm on Thursday, with an announcement expected to be made later on Wednesday.
The decision comes as Victoria recorded five locally-acquired coronavirus cases in the 24 hours to Wednesday, all of which are linked to previously identified clusters.
At least two of the new cases are among at least six linked to a Southbank apartment complex, where the health department failed to test residents until more than a fortnight after a positive test result from a resident who worked at the Arcare aged care facility in Maidstone in Melbourne’s west.
Should the decision to ease restrictions go ahead, the new rules for Melbourne are likely to be similar to those currently in place in regional Victoria.
Those rules include:
– Relaxation of the 25km limit on non-essential travel
– Relaxation of the requirement to wear masks outdoors
– Up to two visitors permitted in private homes
– Outdoor gatherings of up to 20 people
– Offices are open to up to 50 per cent of staff or 20 people, whichever is greater. People are still encouraged to work from home if they can.
– Religious gatherings are permitted up to 150 people outdoors and 75 indoors, with weddings limited to 20 attendees including couple, celebrant and witnesses, and funerals limited to 75- Gyms reopen to up to 50 people per venue indoors, with classes capped at 10
– Restaurants and cafes are open with a density requirement of one person per four square metres with a maximum of 150 people (indoors and outdoors) and no more than 75 indoors. Only seated service is permitted when dining in. This is an increase from a maximum of 50 indoors.
READ MORE:Chapter closes as virus brings shop to book
Rachel Baxendale 8.32am:Victoria records five new local virus cases
Victoria has recorded five new locally-acquired coronavirus cases in the 24 hours to Wednesday, including three cases in addition to two which were confirmed on Tuesday.
The two cases confirmed on Tuesday were those of two adult male residents of separate apartments in the Kings Park complex in inner city Southbank, bringing to six the total number of cases linked to the building.
Reported yesterday: 5 new local cases and 3 new cases acquired overseas (currently in HQ).
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) June 15, 2021
- 14,870 vaccine doses were administered
- 17,538 test results were received
More later: https://t.co/0xmnS54Kvl#COVID19Vic#COVID19VicData [1/2] pic.twitter.com/LJ0xQNo2sW
The index case for the apartment complex cluster is a worker at the Arcare aged care facility in Maidstone, in Melbourne’s west, where a staff member first tested positive for the virus on May 30.
While the worker was moved into hotel quarantine soon after testing positive, exposure sites listed by Victoria’s health department on Tuesday indicate they had already passed the virus on to another resident, who was moving around the apartment complex while infectious from as early as June 2.
The health department did not organise testing for residents until Monday, and it was not until Tuesday that the complex was declared a Tier 1 exposure site.
Victoria’s health department said the three new cases were linked to known outbreaks.
The latest cases after 17,538 tests were processed on Tuesday, compared with 15,067 on Monday but down from 28,485 the previous Tuesday and well down on the June 2 record of 57,519.
There was also a dramatic decline in the number of state-administered vaccinations, as Victorians eligible for the Pfizer vaccine struggle to secure appointments for both first and second doses.
There were 14,870 vaccine doses administered at state-run facilities on Tuesday, compared with 9,997 on Monday, 19,533 the previous Tuesday and the June 3 record of 24,169.
There were also three new cases detected in overseas returned travellers in hotel quarantine in the 24 hours to Wednesday.
The total number of active cases in Victoria is currently 55 – one more than in the previous 24 hours.
READ MORE: Novavax records over 90pc efficacy in trials
Adeshola Ore 8.23am: Agriculture visa offered to ASEAN countries first
Agriculture Minister David Littleproud says the new agriculture visa will be extended to ASEAN countries first, after Australia became the first nation to secure a post-Brexit free trade deal with the UK.
Under the deal, Australia will phase out by 2027 the requirement for British backpackers to work on farms to extend their working holiday visas, with the labour shortfall in the agricultural sector to be made up through the introduction of an agricultural visa by the end of 2021. British backpackers had provided the agricultural sector with up to 10,000 workers a season.
Mr Littleproud said the agriculture visa would help build capacity in the sector that has suffered coronavirus-driven work shortages.
“It’s something not just the National Party, but most of the agricultural sector has been asking for,” he told the ABC.
“The 10 ASEAN countries will now be offered this visa to allow their citizens to work here, but must go back to their country-of-origin for at least three months.”
“Once we can do that in a Covid-safe way, it gives confidence into the future and it’s important to understand the conditions on the UK working holiday-maker piece in agriculture won’t be phased in for five years. But we intend to have this visa up by the end of the year.”
READ MORE: Australia central to Indo-Pacific strategy, France’s Macron says
Dennis Shanahan7.55am:Japan guarantees our coal-fired future
Japan has guaranteed the future of new coal-fired power stations and Australian exports at the G7 meeting in Cornwall as part of a push to allow nations to chart their own pathways towards achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Japan insisted the final communique of the G7 meeting – initially aimed at stopping investment and construction of coal-fired power plants – had to allow for coal-fired power plants that used technology to lower or capture carbon emissions.
Energy Minister Angus Taylor told The Australian: “Brokering international partnerships is a key part of the government’s plan to develop and deploy low emissions technologies to support the global effort to reduce emissions while strengthening economic growth and job creation.
“Partnerships with Japan, Singapore and Germany are part of the government’s $565.8m commitment to build new international technology partnerships that will drive investment in Australian-based projects and create up to 2500 jobs.”
Anthony Albanese and Labor, however, say Scott Morrison was “isolated” at the Cornwall meeting and the leaders of the US, Germany, the UK, Italy and Japan have said a new coal-fired power station would not be built in Australia.
Yet the final communique of the G7 meeting said there should be only a transition away from building and financing “unabated coal power”, which Japan insisted on as a G7 member heavily reliant on imported coal and an exporter of coal-fired power technology to developing nations.
READ the full story here
Joseph Lam7.30am: US records more than 600,000 deaths
The US has hit a grim new milestone overnight, with more than 600,000 lives lost to the coronavirus.
The country, which has seen 33,442,107 Covid-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic, once saw more than 300,000 cases reported in a single day.
As the US races to vaccinate its population, new cases reported daily have dropped more than 80 per cent now seeing an average of 14,000 as of June 14, according to data from the New York Times.
About 52 per cent of the US population have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and about 44 per cent are now fully vaccinated.
Read more:America’s international image improves after Trump
Jacquelin Magnay7.25am: Olympic athletes deported if they breach Covid rules
Olympic athletes face deportation from Japan and heavy fines if they break any of Tokyo Olympic Covid-19 countermeasures, which includes all winners having to wear a mask when they are presented with their medals.
The newest version of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic coronavirus rules, known as the “playbook”, was released on Tuesday and detailed that athletes also face other penalties including a withdrawal of accreditation and the right to participate in the games for various breaches.
In a direct threat to athletes, the organisers said the penalties and potential consequences were “non-exhaustive’’.
The playbook said medallists as well as medal presenters would have to wear masks during the ceremonies at the competition venues.
READ the full story
Steven Swinford 7.20am:Mandatory vax for NHS, care home staff
NHS workers and care home staff will be legally required to have coronavirus vaccinations under plans that have the personal support of Boris Johnson, The Times has been told.
The government will open a consultation on Thursday on making vaccinations a condition of employment for health service workers in an attempt to reduce transmission in hospitals and save lives.
Ministers will also announce that they are changing the law to make vaccines compulsory for staff employed in care homes amid concerns about take-up in some parts of the country.
According to official figures, 151,000 NHS workers, equivalent to slightly more that one in ten, are unvaccinated and 52,000 care home workers, equivalent to 16 per cent, have not been jabbed. In some regions take-up is significantly lower, and there are particular concerns about the rate of vaccination among people from ethnic minorities.
A study by The BMJ in February found that vaccine rates among ethnic minority doctors and healthcare staff were significantly lower than the rate among white staff.
READ MORE:Quick fix postpones day of reckoning
Joseph Lam7.10am:Dozens of new alerts after Melbourne complex cases
Dozens of new exposure sites were added to the Victoria exposure list overnight after two new Covid-19 cases were reported in a Melbourne townhouse complex where an Arcare Maidstone aged-care worker and resident have previously tested positive to the virus.
The new cases were both men living in adjacent apartments to the other positive cases at the Southbank complex home to some 100 housing units.
âš ï¸PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT: NSW HEALTH INVESTIGATING SOURCE OF #COVID19 CASEâš ï¸ pic.twitter.com/quLCsl8eS1
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) June 15, 2021
A total of 45 additions to the exposure list were added on Tuesday, a number of which were the same venue listed at different exposure times.
New venues of concern include the Kings Park Apartment Complex, a Bunnings, an Ikea, a Kmart and an IGA.
Tier 1
Kings Park Apartment Complex, Dodds & Wells St, Southbank VIC 3006. This complex is listed as an exposure site for 24 hours per day from June 2 to June 14
South Melbourne Central male bathrooms, 113 Cecil Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205: June 12 1.45pm to 2.15pm
Padre Coffee, South Melbourne Market, 322-326 Coventry St, South Melbourne VIC 3205: June 12 11.30am to 12.30pm
Sakura Kaiten Sushi II, 282 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000: June 13 from 12.30pm to 1.50pm
Tier 2
Queenie’s Restaurant and Cafe, 41 Coventry St, Southbank VIC 3006: June 10 from 10am to 10.15am
Woolworths Melbourne Square, Shop 1/10 Hoff Boulevard, Southbank VIC 3006: June 10 from 3.30pm to 4pm
IGA Plus Liquor, 151 Sturt St, Southbank VIC 3006: June 10 from 8pm to 9pm
Queenie’s Restaurant and Cafe, 41 Coventry St, Southbank VIC 3006: June 11 from 10am to 10.15am
Jardin Tan, Royal Botanic Gardens, Birdwood Ave, South Yarra VIC 3141: June 11 from 10.30am to 11am
Officeworks, 231 Kingsway, South Melbourne VIC 3205: June 11 from 12.30pm to 1.10pm
IGA Plus Liquor, 151 Sturt St, Southbank VIC 3006: June 11 from 5.50pm to 6pm
IKEA Richmond, Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre, 630 Victoria St, Richmond VIC 3121: June 11 5.50pm to 7pm
Mister Margherita, 1/52 Park Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205: June 11 from 6.15pm to 6.35pm
Kmart Richmond, Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre, 630 Victoria St, Richmond VIC 3121: June 11 from 7pm to 7.20
Food Court at Victoria Gardens, Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre, 630 Victoria St, Richmond VIC 3121: June 11 from 7.20pm to 8pm
South Melbourne Market, 322-326 Coventry Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205: June 12 from 11.30am to 1.30pm
Fruits on Coventry, South Melbourne Market – Stall 46, 322-326 Coventry Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205: June 12 from 12.20pm to 12.50pm
Golden Dragon Asian Grocery, South Melbourne Market – Stall 80-81, 322-326 Coventry Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205: June 12 from 12.44pm to 1.10pm
Asian Grocery Store, South Melbourne Market – Stall 38, 322-326 Coventry Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205: June 12 from 12.55pm to 1.15pm
Bunnings, 501 Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne VIC 3207: June 12 from 1pm to 1.25pm; 4.07pm to 4.30pm
K and L Poultry, South Melbourne Market – Stall 27, 322-326 Coventry Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205: June 12 from 1.02pm to 1.21pm
Kirkpatrick’s Meats, South Melbourne Market – Stall 10, 322-326 Coventry Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205: June 12 1.08pm to 1.30pm
South Melbourne Central, 113 Cecil Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205: June 12 from 1.44pm to 2.15pm
Nine Yards Coffee Shop, 228-230 Dorcas St, South Melbourne VIC 3205: June 13 from 11.35am to 12pm
Bunnings, 501 Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne VIC 3207: June 13 from 11.45am to 12.15pm; 2.30pm to 2.55pm
Melbourne Central – Axil Coffee Roasters, Shop GD087, Melbourne Central Tower, 360 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000: June 13 from 1.20pm to 1.45pm
Melbourne Central – JB Hi Fi, Shop 101B, Level 1, Melbourne Central, 211 La Trobe Street, Melbourne VIC 3000: June 13 from 1.35pm to 2.20pm
Kmart Melbourne CBD, 236 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000: June 13 from 2.40pm to 3.30pm
QV Melbourne – Dan Murphy’s, Corner of Lonsdale & Swanston Street, Level 1, Queen Victoria Building, Melbourne VIC 3000: June 13 from 3.50pm to 4.20pm
QV Melbourne – Woolworths, Corner of Lonsdale & Swanston Street, Queen Victoria Building, Melbourne VIC 3000: June 13 from 4.10pm to 4.30pm
Tier 3
Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre, 630 Victoria St, Richmond VIC 3121: June 11 from 5.50pm to 8pm
Jacquelin Magnay6.15am:PM tells Queen ‘you were quite the hit’
Scott Morrison told the Queen that she was “quite the hit” and that “everyone was talking about you at dinner the next night” in an extraordinary conversation at Windsor Castle on Tuesday.
Mr Morrison, who in a previous meeting bonded with the Queen over a discussion about champion thoroughbred Winx, felt comfortable enough overnight (AEST) to attempt to flatter the Queen, reassuring her about her success among the world leaders US president Joe Biden, French president Emmanuel Macron, German chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian prime minister Mario Draghi and Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau at the G7 drinks reception on Friday evening.
The Queen, 95, appeared slightly taken aback by the unprompted comments, and looked down at the floor before muttering “oh Lord, were they really?”
READ the full story
Nicholas Jensen5.45am:Same viral sequence found in 2 Sydney hotel cases
NSW Health says it is investigating the source of a Covid-19 case detected in hotel quarantine after officials found two cases staying in an adjacent room recorded the same viral sequence.
On Tuesday evening, NSW Health said it remains “unclear how and where transmission occurred from a couple to another returned traveller who were all staying on the fourth floor of the Radisson Blu quarantine hotel”.
The couple, who were asymptomatic, tested positive for the virus on a routine second day test on June 3.
Genomic sequencing later revealed that all three cases have identical viral sequences of the so-called Alpha strain.
The other returned traveller – the secondary case – returned a negative second day test on 3 June before developing symptoms and testing positive on June 5.
In a statement, NSW Health confirmed that the couple and the secondary case had been transferred from the Radisson to the Special Health Accommodation.
All three cases arrived into Sydney on the same flight from Doha on June 1 and stayed in adjacent rooms in the quarantine hotel.
“Early possibilities as to where transmission may have occurred from the couple to the secondary case include on the flight, on transport from the airport to the hotel, in the lobby of the hotel, or while in quarantine,” the statement read.
There is currently no evidence of further transmission.
While investigations into the transmission continue, health officials have said all staff and returned travellers who were on the same floor of the hotel between June 1 and June 5, and were subsequently discharged, are being contacted and asked to get tested and isolate at home pending further advice.
READ MORE: Business backs vaccine alliance
Rachel Baxendale5.05am:Restrictions still ‘a day-to-day proposition’: Foley
Melburnians still do not know whether they will be permitted to leave their city this weekend as the Andrews government refuses to confirm whether a planned easing of restrictions will go ahead, despite several days with low numbers of new Covid-19 cases.
Tuesday’s official locally acquired case count was zero for only the second time since the first of Victoria’s current outbreaks emerged on May 24.
However, Health Minister Martin Foley confirmed early on Tuesday afternoon two new cases had been detected in residents of the Kings Park apartment complex in inner-city Southbank, bringing to six the total number of cases linked to the building.
The index case for the apartment complex cluster is a worker at the Arcare aged-care facility in Maidstone, in Melbourne’s northwest, where a staff member tested positive for the virus on May 30.
While the state government has previously flagged an easing from midnight on Thursday of restrictions that currently see Melburnians banned from driving further than 25km from home for non-essential reasons, Mr Foley on Tuesday refused to guarantee it would go ahead.
“In terms of restrictions announcements, it’s a day-to-day proposition, and we know that families, businesses, all sorts of people need the certainty that the review of the restrictions that is under way and when we’ve got more to say about that, as always, we’ll have more to say,” he said.
Read the full story here.
Geoff Chambers5am:Morrison, Johnson agree to historic free trade deal
Australia is the first nation to secure a post-Brexit free trade deal with the UK in a historic breakthrough, as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson vowed to stand shoulder to shoulder with Scott Morrison against Chinese aggression.
The pair signed an “agreement in principle” after a three-hour working dinner the night before at 10 Downing Street, with Mr Morrison describing the breakthrough as “the most comprehensive and ambitious agreement that Australia has concluded”, alongside New Zealand.
At a joint press conference, the British Prime Minister raised concerns with China’s global conduct and said he was hopeful his country could become a more significant trading partner with Australia given the scale of the trade relationship with Beijing.
Read the full story, by Geoff Chambers and Greg Brown, here.
Richard Ferguson4.45am:‘Ritual abuse’ in sex abuse report, despite claims
Ritual abuse was identified by the royal commission into institutional child sexual abuse as a regular experience of victims, despite claims Scott Morrison used the term in a speech under the influence of a conspiracy theorist.
The ABC’s Four Corners reported on Monday that Tim Stewart – a family friend of the Prime Minister who believes the world is controlled by a cabal of Satanic paedophiles – sent text messages claiming he’d had the phrase “ritual abuse” inserted into Mr Morrison’s 2019 apology to victims of institutional sex abuse.
The term “ritual abuse” has been identified as a key word for followers of the QAnon conspiracy, who also believe a global child sex trafficking ring is being led by Hollywood actors and former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton, in their online forums.
But the ABC on Tuesday said there was a distinction between the “rituals” and “ritualised abuse” detailed by the royal commission, and the “ritual sexual abuse” mentioned by Mr Morrison in 2019.
Read the full story, by Richard Ferguson and James Madden, here.
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