PoliticsNow: ‘No evidence’ PM’s staffers backgrounded against Brittany Higgins’ partner
Scott Morrison’s chief of staff unable to find anyone in PM’s office who backgrounded against former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins’ partner.
- Four new cases bring Melbourne cluster to nine
- ‘No evidence’ PM’s office backgrounded
- No secret: PM to release Higgins report
- NZ travel bubble suspended
- Restrictions return to Melbourne
- ‘Inner-city cafe policies’ slammed
- Kabul embassy set to close
Welcome to PoliticsNow, our live coverage of the latest headlines from Canberra as well as updates on the continuing battle against the coronavirus pandemic.
Labor has used Question Time to accuse the Morrison government of keeping “secret” an internal review into serious workplace incidents in Parliament House that was prompted by Brittany Higgins’ rape allegation.
Earlier, Labor frontbencher Katy Gallagher named those three staffers during Senate Estimates.
That hearing was also told by the AFP Commissioner told a Senate estimates hearing that a brief of evidence regarding the Higgins matter would be sent to the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions in coming weeks.
Victoria’s virus outbreak has grown to nine – with four fresh cases confirmed on Tuesday afternoon.
From 6 o’clock tonight Melburnians must again wear masks indoors and face limits to numbers for gatherings.
Courtney Walsh11.55pm: Positive Covid case attended Magpies MCG game
Victorian health authorities were scrambling to contact fans who attended the thriller between Collingwood and Port Adelaide at the MCG on Sunday.
An alert from the Victorian Department of Health issued shortly before midnight on Tuesday said a person with Covid-19 had attended the game.
“People seated in Zone 4, Level 1 – those with a bay between M1 and M16 on their match ticket – will be contacted directly with advice to get tested & isolate until negative,” the alert read.
“Further reviews of CCTV footage will be undertaken to determine if the advice to test and isolate will be broadened beyond these areas.
“Some individuals with the closest contact to the positive case will be directly provided more specific advice from the Department of Health. Others attending the MCG not located in these areas will be advised to check for symptoms and be tested if any develop.
“The AFL and the MCC have prepared for this situation in multiple simulations, with contact information linked to ticketing data and QR codes. We are grateful for their contribution to Victoria’s public health response.”
The alert comes as health officials and the government consider whether to introduce capacity restrictions on matches played this weekend in Victoria due to the spate of Covid-19 positives.
Essendon players are also due to fly to Perth to play West Coast and will have to isolate until returning negative tests in the West Australian capital.
Olivia Caisley11.35pm: All requests to fly to India denied: Border Force
Australian Border Force Commissioner Michael Outram has told a Senate Estimates hearing that of the 1122 Australians that were denied permission to travel to India as the nation battled a second wave:
• 747 applied for “compassionate or compelling” reasons;
• 36 applied for “urgent and unavoidable personal business”;
• Fewer than ten sought to leave Australia for business travel;
• Fewer than ten sought to leave for urgent medical treatment not available in Australia;
• Fewer than five applied to leave due to “reasons related to COVID-19 response”.
“So that’s a total of 1122 between the 23rd of April and the 19th of May, 100 per cent of which were declined,” Mr Outram said on Tuesday.
A controversial temporary ban was introduced as India battled a deadly wave of the virus to try and prevent Australia’s quarantine system from becoming overwhelmed.
There are still more than 11,000 Australians in India who have registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs as wanting to return home — 1000 of which have been assessed as “vulnerable”.
Patrick Commins11.30pm: Global inflation fears are ‘overblown’: S&P
Australia’s budget position could comfortably digest a shock three- percentage-point surge in borrowing costs and global inflation fears are “overblown”, an S&P Global Ratings report says.
The new analysis comes as world financial markets begin to factor in a higher probability that the trillions of dollars in fiscal support aimed at fighting the pandemic globally will supercharge economic growth and force central banks to tighten policy more quickly to offset a sharp increase in consumer prices.
S&P’s report offered a robust rebuttal: “Global inflation fears are overblown, and … orderly reflation is a positive development for the world economy.”
AFP10.50pm:Moderna says vaccine ‘highly effective’ in adolescents
US biotech firm Moderna says trials have shown its Covid-19 vaccine is “highly effective” in adolescents aged 12-17 and the company will seek regulators’ approval next month.
“We are encouraged that mRNA-1273 was highly effective at preventing Covid-19 in adolescents,” CEO Stephane Bancel said in a statement.
“We will submit these results to the US FDA and regulators globally in early June and request authorisation.”
Amanda Hodge, Ben Packham 10.10pm:War crimes probe ‘put at risk’
Australia’s decision to close its embassy in Afghanistan by the end of this week could impede investigations into alleged war crimes by ADF troops who served there, the Office of the Special Investigator has warned.
Scott Morrison on Tuesday confirmed a report in The Australian that the embassy in Kabul would close this month and its diplomats revert to a fly in, fly out presence from a nearby regional base (likely the UAE) because of the uncertain security situation as the last foreign troops leave the country.
The Prime Minister said the departure of US, NATO and Australian forces from Afghanistan by September 11 meant “security arrangements could not be provided to support our ongoing diplomatic presence”, although he expected the move to be temporary and for a permanent presence in Kabul to be restored when “circumstances permit”.
The Afghan government on Tuesday rejected claims it could not provide sufficient security for foreign missions and diplomats, saying it had been consulting foreign embassies over their security needs for more than six months.
“We obviously respect Australia’s decision (but) Afghanistan and the office of the National Security Council have been holding ongoing consultations with the diplomatic community to hear all concerns in the lead-up to the full troop withdrawal, and address how we as a host nation can fulfil our obligations under the Vienna Convention,” Ahmad Shuja Jamal, International Affairs director-general for the NSC, said.
“Our allies have asked for specific measures. We have granted all of those, and offered all assistance in every specific case. We are working continually with our diplomatic partners, including the US and NATO, to address any outstanding issues of concern with respect to diplomatic security.”
The Afghan Foreign Ministry also emphasised its commitment to securing all foreign embassies, but thanked Australia for its “comprehensive support and co-operation with Afghanistan”.
“We hope, as mentioned in the Australian government statement, that this measure will be temporary and Australia will soon resume its permanent presence in Afghanistan,” it said.
The Australian understands a joint Afghan and NATO security briefing to foreign diplomats on Tuesday was expected to address some of Canberra’s security concerns by outlining plans for continuing NATO security support at Bagram and for the government to establish a comparable trauma care centre at Kabul airport.
Australia is the first nation to pull its diplomats from Afghanistan ahead of September’s troop withdrawal but may not be the last, with one Kabul-based foreign defence official telling Agence France-Presse that “several other embassies will follow Australia in the coming weeks or months”.
OSI director-general Chris Moraitis told a Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday that closing the embassy could make it more difficult to prepare briefs of evidence into the alleged unlawful killing of 39 Afghan prisoners and civilians by Special Forces soldiers between 2005 and 2016.
“Clearly having access to Afghanistan and witnesses in Afghanistan is important, therefore the closure of an embassy would not be ideal. However, we have contingencies to deal with and we look forward to what comes in the future,” Mr Moraitis said.
Ellie Dudley 9.25pm: ‘No simple way’ to bring those stranded in India home
Finance Minister Simon Birmingham has said he “wish there were a simple way” to enable Australians stranded in India home, but “that’s not the case”, Senate Estimates has heard.
Mr Birmingham, speaking on behalf of the Prime Minister, said “large” numbers of Australians had managed to return through Australia’s hotel quarantine facility.
He added “specific flights” would assist vulnerable Australians in India in coming home.
Labor senator Penny Wong disputed this claim.
“I received many emails from Australians stranded in India who were not only bemoaning or upset about the repatriation flights,” she said.
“You still have no coordinated plan to bring anyone home.”
Some 11,000 Australians are stranded in India, and are registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to come home.
Ellie Dudley 9.05pm: Birmingham refuses to put date on end of quarantine
Simon Birmingham, appearing on behalf of the Prime Minister at Tuesday’s Senate Estimates, has refused to indicate when hotel quarantine would end.
Labor Senator Penny Wong asserted the “world is not going to be sufficiently vaccinated... for us to not have (hotel) quarantine in two or three years” and then asked the Finance Minister when he expected the process to end.
Senator Birmingham said he would not “draw those sort of conclusions”.
“Decisions around border reopenings are decisions we will take based on the health advice,” he said.
“We see a continued need to use quarantine facilities for the foreseeable future.”
Senator Birmingham said the federal government would “negotiate” with the Victorian government about who would foot the bill for their purpose-built quarantine facility.
“That would be a process for negotiation,” he said.
“I believe when the Victorian government publicly announced it they indicated at that stage they expected the federal govt to pay 100 per cent of the establishment costs.”
Ellie Dudley 8.45pm:No co-operation on remote quarantine facility
No one from the federal government is working with the Queensland government on a proposal for a remote quarantine facility, a Senate Estimates hearing has revealed.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has proposed an alternative to hotel quarantine in the form of a purpose-built hub at the Toowoomba Wellcamp airport.
At a Senate, Environment and Communications Legislation Committee Hearing on Tuesday evening, Labor Senator Penny Wong asked whether anyone from the Prime Minister’s Office was involved in the planning of the facility.
Alison Frame, Deputy Secretary of Social Policy said: “No one is at the moment.”
“We have had more frequent discussions with members of the prime minister’s office (in regards to the proposal)” she added.
Senator Wong said her response was not adequate, and pointed to the impact this could have on prolonged international border closures.
“Now we have Australians dying,” she said. “So yes, I agree there is a lot to do, but perhaps it should have been done.”
Michael McKenna 8.40pm:MPs plead for Premier to back mine extension
Federal Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon has pleaded with Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to approve expansion of the New Acland mine, where 120 workers were told last week they would soon be sacked without access to new coal reserves.
The Australian-listed company New Hope, owners of the decades-old open-cut mine near Oakey, west of Brisbane, on Monday gave notice to the Australian Stock Exchange that it would stop production in October or November unless there was approval to the expansion.
An application for the expansion was first made almost 13 years ago, and has faced a series of legal challenges launched by an alliance of environmental groups and some local farmers.
Greg Brown 8.35pm: We’re ‘heading off a cliff’: Labor MP
Labor’s Meryl Swanson has told fellow MPs she is worried the party is heading “off a cliff” at the next election, as Anthony Albanese opens up another stoush with the Coalition on energy policy.
With Scott Morrison targeting three seats in the NSW Hunter Valley, Ms Swanson — the MP for Paterson, which is based in the region — addressed Tuesday morning’s caucus meeting and told colleagues she was concerned about Labor’s prospects.
Her comments followed a primary vote swing of 7 per cent in the state by-election in the Upper Hunter on Saturday.
mong the concerns raised by Ms Swanson was Labor’s decision to criticise companies that profited from JobKeeper, arguing targeted businesses such as Harvey Norman were popular with consumers.
Mr Albanese said it was justified Labor was talking about how taxpayer funds were spent.
“If we gave the sort of money that this government did to people who didn’t need it, we would have been smashed,” he told MPs.
Sources said Mr Albanese also took thinly veiled swipes at Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon by declaring it was important Labor stayed on message.
Yoni Bashan, Charlie Peel7.50pm:Catholics dig in on cemetery takeover
Sydney’s highest-ranking Catholic is hoping to mount a last-ditch legal challenge to prevent the NSW government from forcing it to relinquish oversight of some of the city’s oldest cemeteries.
The Australian has learned Archbishop Anthony Fisher is among several prominent Catholic leaders to seek legal advice from a barrister on Tuesday after a number of planned reforms were outlined in a letter to crown cemetery trusts on Monday.
The overhaul, led by Property Minister Melinda Pavey, will see a consolidation of five crown cemetery trusts – including the Catholic Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust – which manage burial sites across NSW. They will be amalgamated into an entity known as OneCrown whose board, which is yet to be appointed, will select a single cemetery operator.
Michael McKenna 7.15pm: Federal amendment sought with VAD law
Annastacia Palaszczuk has written to Scott Morrison seeking legislative amendments giving Queensland doctors an exemption from federal law to enable them to give phone or internet advice to terminally ill patients about voluntary assisted dying.
The Queensland premier wrote the letter on Tuesday as her government introduced draft legislation to legalise euthanasia in the state, which will face a vote in September.
The Queensland Law Reform Commission, in a report on the state’s new draft VAD legislation, said the Commonwealth exemptions were needed to shield medical practitioners from potential prosecution for using a “carriage service” to encourage suicide, a federal offence.
In her letter, Ms Palaszczuk said the exemptions were needed to ensure rural, remote and regional Queensland residents could have access to the VAD laws if they are passed.
Concerned by the possible intersection of the federal law with its VAD scheme, the first to be enacted, Victoria in 2019 advised doctors not to use telehealth conferencing to talk with patients about voluntary euthanasia.
Ms Palaszczuk said she hoped that Commonwealth prosecutors would be given guidelines not to charge doctors using a carriage service before her proposed legislative amendments can be introduced and passed in the federal parliament.
“I am concerned that the operation of the Commonwealth law may particularly affect individuals suffering and dying in regional, rural, and remote areas, and that access to VAD may be greatly impaired if these forms of communication cannot be used to obtain information and advice,’’ she wrote.,
Paul Garvey 6.32pm: New WA restrictions for arrivals from Victoria
Western Australia has announced new Covid-19 test requirements for arrivals from Victoria but has stopped short of fully closing its border to Victorians.
WA Premier Mark McGowan announced that from 6pm Perth time on Tuesday, all arrivals into WA from Victoria will now be required to be tested for Covid-19 upon arrival, and must self-quarantine until they return a negative result. Anyone in WA who has visited any of the exposure sites associated with the latest outbreak must also isolate for 14 days.
Mr McGowan said the latest outbreak was a “very concerning situation” and warned that rules may tighten if conditions worsen further.
“I hope this additional testing regime is all we have to do, but I will do whatever it takes to keep Western Australia safe, and we won’t hesitate to put in place additional border controls if that is what the health advice recommends,” Mr McGowan said.
The Essendon AFL team is due to arrive in Perth on Thursday ahead of Saturday night’s match against the West Coast Eagles. The team will need to isolate upon arrival until they return a negative result, but the match is currently expected to go ahead as scheduled.
AFP 6.25pm:EU cuts air links with Berlarus over forced landing
The EU has cut air links with Belarus as dictator Alexander Lukashenko’s regime paraded a dissident journalist arrested after his flight was forced to land in Minsk.
Lukashenko sparked international outrage by dispatching a fighter jet on Sunday to intercept a Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius carrying wanted reporter Roman Protasevich, 26, and his girlfriend Sofia Sapega.
European leaders meeting in Brussels called for the release of the pair and hit back at Minsk by agreeing to ban Belarusian airlines from the bloc and urging EU-based carriers not to fly over its airspace.
Angelica Snowden5.55pm:‘Time will tell’ if restrictions can stop virus spread
Australian Medical Association Victoria president Julian Rait says “time will tell” if new Covid-19 restrictions can suppress the virus from spreading further in the state.
“Rather than have a lockdown I think changing people’s behaviour particularly indoors is really important but time will tell whether these initial measures will be sufficient,” Professor Rait said.
“I’m more optimistic today than I was yesterday that contact tracers are getting on top of things,” he said.
Given the Indian variant of the virus is highly transmissible and Professor Rait said the government should consider vaccinating returned overseas travellers in hotel quarantine.
“The question arises whether we should be vaccinating people when, if they’re not already vaccinated, when they arrive at hotel quarantine,” he said.
“I think that would be a thought because I think that would provide an extra level of protection, so that people are at least developing some sort of immune response.
“Hopefully that will mitigate or reduce the severity of the infection. It would take them at least 10 to 14 days to develop an immune response but it would at least reduce the chance they would get sick and pass it on.”
He said there has been a “mismatch” in the amount of vaccine available to general practitioners - where most of the demand has been - versus mass vaccine hubs.
“I think there is continuing frustration for many GPs that they haven’t had enough supply to meet their demand,” he said.
“Equally there has probably been less demand on the mass vaccine centres and so they have had viles sitting unused that they have had to redeploy.”
Professor Rait said the lack of queues at Melbourne’s Exhibition Centre was likely because not as many people knew about it compared with other hubs such as the Royal Exhibition Building.
READ MORE:Case may have been infectious in community for 10 days
Rachel Baxendale5.10pm:Daniel Andrews could be back next week
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews could be back at work as soon as next week, his deputy says.
Mr Andrews has been recovering at home on sick leave since March, when he fell on slippery steps at a Mornington Peninsula holiday rental property, breaking his back and several ribs.
Announcing new restrictions in response to Victoria’s latest coronavirus cluster on Tuesday, acting premier James Merlino said he had “absolutely been in touch with Dan” regarding the decision.
“As I’ve said a number of times whenever there’s a big issue that we need to respond to or raise, they’re raised with the Premier, so he is aware, fully aware and supportive of the changes that we’re making,” Mr Merlino said.
He said there was “no change” to Mr Andrews’ last statement on his condition, which said he hoped to return to work in June.
“That is on track. Exactly when in June, I can’t tell you. That will be based on his doctors’ advice, but I’m looking forward to Dan getting back on his feet as Premier full time,” Mr Merlino said.
“It’s an honour to have the deputy premiership and working as acting premier for the time that Daniel needs to get well, and I very much look forward to the day that he’s back.”
Mr Merlino said he was not receiving any extra pay to do the Premier’s job.
“No I’m not,” he said.
“These are appropriate arrangements. I am in constant contact with Dan, he’s across the big issues. In terms of the day-to-day working of government, we want him focused on his recovery and not on that, but on these big issues, including what we’re talking through this morning, he’s fully aware.”
READ MORE:Andrews itching to get back to work
Rachel Baxendale5.07pm:First new case may have been infectious for 10 days
A man in his 60s confirmed early on Tuesday as having coronavirus may have been infectious and moving around the community up to 10 days before he came forward for testing, Victoria’s chief health officer said.
Professor Brett Sutton said the man, whose household contacts brought Victoria’s latest cluster to nine cases late on Tuesday, had likely been infectious as early as Saturday, May 15.
The man developed symptoms on May 17, and had a business meeting on May 18 with a man who tested positive for coronavirus along with three of his family members on Monday.
It was not until Monday May 25, that the man in his 60s presented for testing, having been linked to Monday’s original case.
“He was symptomatic on the 17th and we’ll go with a presumption that he was infectious from the 15th, and we’ll explore all of the places he’s been during that period,” Professor Sutton said.
Professor Sutton said it was possible the man in his 60s had caught the virus from the Wollert man who caught it in South Australian hotel quarantine, although that man was in isolation from May 11 onwards.
“He’s within the incubation period so he might identify one of these exposure sites (visited by the Wollert man),” he said.
“He hasn’t in very initial discussions with him, but it might turn out that he’s been to one of the exposure sites.
“It’s possible there’s another missing link. We obviously have to finish the interview with (the man in his 60s) today, and if there is an identified crossover with an exposure site for the Wollert case, that would be very reassuring, but there might be other cases out there.
“That’s why the message is very, very clear. Symptomatic? Get tested and get a negative result.”
Rachel Baxendale5.05pm:‘No evidence’ site bungle contributed to outbreak: Sutton
Victoria’s chief health officer has denied that a health department bungle which saw the wrong supermarket labelled as an exposure site may have contributed to the spread of the state’s latest coronavirus cluster.
Following the detection of coronavirus fragments in sewage in Melbourne’s north on Friday, the department revealed it had wrongly declared the Epping Woolworths as an exposure site visited by man in his 30s who returned home to Wollert in Melbourne’s outer north on May 4, having contracted coronavirus in an Adelaide quarantine hotel.
In fact, the man had visited the Epping North Woolworths 5.40pm to 6.38pm on Saturday May 8, with authorities blaming electronic banking records and the Epping Woolworths’ proximity to a spice shop the man had also visited for the mix-up.
The Health Department confirmed late on Monday that the first case to be identified in the latest cluster — also a man in his 30s — had attended Epping North Woolworths between 4:45pm and 5:45pm last Saturday May 22.
However, that man is believed to have caught coronavirus from a man in his 60s, with whom he conducted a business appointment on May 18.
On Monday morning, Professor Brett Sutton said there was “no evidence” that the Epping North Woolworths was a transmission site.
“There’s no evidence at all at the moment that any of the five cases that we have identified over the last 24 or so hours are linked to that particular site,” he said.
“There are many other sites, there are many other potential casual contacts where transmission might have occurred. It’s been an entirely thorough process with the contact tracers and I’ve only got praise for the work that they do.”
Professor Sutton said that while all potential exposure sites needed to be examined, he was more concerned about a journey the Wollert man had taken on Friday May 7 from Craigieburn in and out of the CBD on a train crowded with AFL fans.
“There might still be cases out there from that train trip. They’re probably not infectious, but it would be great to identify them if they’re a missing link,” Professor Sutton said.
Ellie Dudley4.55pm:National vaccination numbers near 3.7 million
A total of 77,569 doses were administered across Australia on Monday, building to a total of 3,690,622.
Some 2,391,582 of the total number have been given through the Commonwealth’s rollout, and 1,299,040 delivered by the states and territories.
Victoria continues to lead the states, having given 369,504 jabs, with NSW following close behind on 357,917.
Queensland (193,002) and WA (151,723) have both cracked the 100,000 mark, with SA (94,361) hovering just below it.
Tasmania has administered 59,667 jabs, the ACT has done 44,514 and the NT shortly behind on 28,352.
Rachel Baxendale4.35pm:McDonalds, Chinatown restaurant latest exposure sites
Bamboo House restaurant in Melbourne’s Chinatown, and McDonald’s in the inner northern suburb of Clifton Hill have just been added to a growing Victorian Health Department list of coronavirus exposure sites.
The Little Bourke Street restaurant — known as a venue favoured by Liberal Party politicians - has been declared as a Tier 1 exposure site from 11:00am to 11:50am last Friday May 21.
The McDonald’s — famed for its art deco building and neighbouring brothel — has been declared a Tier 1 exposure site from 6pm to 7pm last Saturday May 22.
Anyone who visited either venue during the listed times must isolate, get a coronavirus test, and remain quarantined for 14 days from the time of exposure.
The Chemist Depot store at the Pacific Epping Shopping Centre in Melbourne’s north has also been added to the list as a Tier 2 exposure site from 11:15am to 12pm last Sunday, with visitors during that time required to get tested and quarantine until they receive a negative result.
READ MORE:Four new cases bring cluster to nine
Ben Packham4.10pm:AFP chief clarifies MPs, staffers sex claims bombshell
AFP commissioner Reece Kershaw has clarified that some of the 40 reports of 19 alleged incidents involving federal MPs and their staff — including alleged sex crimes — following former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins’ allegations she was raped at Parliament House, did not all necessarily relate to alleged sexual assaults.
“Some of these might be sensitive matters or matters that perhaps MPs have not known what to do,” he said.
He said some did relate to sexual assaults, and some related to allegations against politicians or staff.
Mr Kershaw said some were also historical allegations.
He said he did not believe all of the matters had yet been referred to the Home Affairs Minister, as the Brittney Higgins allegation was.
He took question on notice on whether the AFP was currently investigating any members of parliament, and whether any of the alleged incidents occurred in Parliament House.
READ the full story here.
Rachel Baxendale3.40pm:BREAKING: Four new cases bring Vic cluster to nine
Four more people in Melbourne’s northern suburbs have tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday, bringing the total number in Victoria’s latest cluster to nine.
Genomic sequencing has linked the nine to the case of a man who caught the virus in South Australian hotel quarantine before returning to Wollert, in Melbourne’s north, three weeks ago.
The four latest cases are household contacts of a man in his 60s who tested positive overnight.
Health authorities believe that man transmitted the virus to a man in his 30s who was the first person in the cluster to return a positive test result on Monday, with his relatives — a man and a woman in their 70s and a preschool-aged child — also testing positive.
Victoria’s Health Department said the man in his 60s had developed coronavirus symptoms on Monday May 17, and presented for testing a full week later on Monday May 24.
“Extensive contact tracing continues for the individuals who have tested positive to COVID-19 in Melbourne’s north yesterday. All are isolating at home,” said chief health officer Brett Sutton’s daily press release.
“Interviews with the individuals have identified more exposure sites which have been published at https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/exposure-sites.”
The department said it had identified 168 primary close contacts of the cluster, 84 of whom had tested negative as of Tuesday morning.
“This includes 39 contacts from the Bundoora Swim School exposure site, of which 24 negative results have been returned,” it said.
“There is new advice for people who attended the Highpoint Shopping Centre exposure site, with CCTV footage allowing the Department to provide more specific information on which individual stores the positive case visited.”
READ the full story here.
Rosie Lewis 3.15pm:Kunkel report ‘professional smear’, Labor says
Labor slammed the report by Scott Morrison’s chief of staff, John Kunkel into whether anyonein his office backgrounded against former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins’ partner, David Sharaz as “an exercise in professional smear”.
Opposition finance spokeswoman Katy Gallagher said Mr Sharaz’s privacy had been “thrown out the window”.
“Just when you think you couldn’t go low enough, this gets tabled,” Senator Gallagher said.
“I didn’t think you would actually print and table in the parliament the actual smear that was used against Mr Sharaz and put it in a way that has Ms Higgins responsible for that.”
Rachel Baxendale3.09pm: Melbourne Covid cases are Indian variant
Victoria’s chief health officer has confirmed the state’s latest coronavirus cases have “sub-lineage one” of the Indian strain of the virus, also known as B1617.
“The Indian one is at least as infectious as any other variant of concern that’s been reported historically, so it’s by no means one to be complacent about,” Professor Brett Sutton said.
“Sub-lineage two is probably even more of a concern, so I guess it’s a good news story that it’s not that sub-lineage, but it’s been called the double mutant variant, in fact it’s got 15 mutations, two of which are of concern that relate to transmissibility, so we shouldn’t be complacent about this variant.
“It is at least as infectious as the so-called UK or Kent variant.”
Emily Cosenza3.02pm:Kiwis pause travel bubble with Victoria
New Zealand will pause its trans-Tasman bubble arrangement with Victoria from Tuesday evening after the Melbourne outbreak grew to five cases.
Chris Hipkins, New Zealand’s Covid-19 Response Minister, announced on Tuesday that an initial 72-hour pause would come into effect as of 7.59pm NZT.
He said the travel pause would remain under “constant review” as it had with other previous pauses.
“While the case announced today is not unexpected as a contact of a case announced yesterday, New Zealand officials have assessed that the most cautious option is to pause the travel bubble with Victoria as there are still several unknowns with the outbreak,” Mr Hipkins said.
“The government understands the disruption this will temporarily cause affected passengers. It was a close call but the correct one given the current unknowns.”
Mr Hipkins said anyone who was currently in NZ who had been to one of the exposure locations listed on the Victoria Health website needed to contact Healthline on 0800 358 5453 as soon as possible to receive testing and isolation advice.
READ the full story here
Rosie Lewis2.57pm:Kunkel report says no evidence PM staff backgrounded
Scott Morrison’s chief of staff, John Kunkel, was unable to find anyone in his office backgrounded against former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins’ partner, David Sharaz.
In a four-page report tabled in parliament, Mr Kunkel said on first-hand evidence “I do not make a finding that negative briefing against Mr Sharaz of the sort alleged has taken place”.
“In the context of my inquiry, such a finding would be based upon hearsay (in some instances, second- or third-hand). The evidence before me falls well short of the standard that would be needed to arrive at such a finding in conformity with due process,” the report says.
“While I am not in a position to make a finding that the alleged activity took place, the fact that those allegations have been made serves as an important reminder of the need for your staff to hold themselves to the highest standards.”
Mr Kunkel did not deny that Ms Higgins’ sincerely believed backgrounding had occurred and said his finding should in no way be taken as a reflection upon her honesty or sincerity.
Ms Higgins wrote to Mr Kunkel in March saying she was made aware “by numerous journalists” about backgrounding happening against her partner by members of the Prime Minister’s media team.
She said at the time “various sources” at News.com.au, The Daily Telegraph and Ten Network told her personally about the backgrounding, which was also referenced by Ten’s political editor Peter van Onselen on ABC radio.
As part of the review, Mr Kunkel interviewed all senior members of Mr Morrison’s media team and Ms Higgins. He also “endeavoured to speak” with journalists and editors at relevant media outlets referenced by Ms Higgins and interviewed members of the press gallery “based on these approaches”.
Following his interview with Ms Higgins, he held additional discussions with Mr Morrisons’ media team.
“All senior members of the media team rejected the allegation of backgrounding with the purpose of undermining the reputation of Mr Sharaz,” the report states.
“No member of the press gallery interviewed in this process recounted, or was in a position to substantiate, first-hand experience of such activity by the PMO media team.”
Mr Kunkel said a journalist who contacted him in March in relation to allegations that PMO staff had engaged in negative backgrounding against Mr Sharaz subsequently “did not wish to be identified, did not wish to make a complaint, and did not wish to participate in this process”.
“The first-hand evidence provided to me was uniformly to the effect that there were extensive discussions in the press gallery concerning the distressing allegation of Ms Higgins’ sexual assault, the awareness (or lack thereof) of the incident on the part of PMO staff, and the personal circumstances of Ms Higgins and her partner,” the report states.
“Members of the PMO media team participated in those discussions in the context of responding to inquiries and in the ordinary course of their interactions with the press gallery.”
Rachel Baxendale2.51pm: Western Bulldogs quarantine after staff member exposed
The Western Bulldogs AFL team is in quarantine after a staff member visited the Highpoint Shopping Centre.
The western suburbs mall – Victoria’s third-largest – has been listed as an exposure site linked to the state’s latest coronavirus cluster.
The Herald Sun is reporting players and coaches have had coronavirus tests and will quarantine until they return a negative result.
It is expected they will be able to return to training tomorrow ahead of Friday night’s match against Melbourne.
READ the full story here
Rachel Baxendale2.46pm:Melbourne Covid exposure sites updated
Victoria’s Health Department has reclassified exposure sites at the state’s third-largest shopping centre after confirming details of specific shops visited, as well as adding new exposure sites in the northern Melbourne suburb of Preston.
Levels Two and Three of the Highpoint Shopping Centre in the western suburb of Maribyrnong between 5:15pm and 6:35pm last Thursday May 20 have now been listed Tier 2 sites, meaning anyone who was present must get tested for coronavirus and isolate until they receive a positive result.
Anyone who visited any of the following five Highpoint stores, which have been classified as Tier 1 exposure sites, must get tested and isolate for 14 days from the time of exposure:
– Smiggle, between 5:55pm and 6:30pm on Thursday;
– Kidstuff, between 5:20pm and 5:55pm on Thursday;
– Ishka, between 5:45pm and 6:20pm on Thursday;
– Lush Cosmetics, between 6:05pm and 6:35pm on Thursday;
– Toyworld, between 5:30pm and 6:20pm on Thursday.
The Adams Reserve Playground in Preston between 2:15pm and 3:45pm on Sunday, and ALDI Preston South supermarket between 3:45pm and 4:25pm on Sunday, have also been listed as Tier 2 exposure sites.
For more information, visit: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/exposure-sites
READ MORE: Masks, limits return as Victoria records new case
YONI BASHAN2.41pm:Secord quits NSW shadow ministry
NSW Labor treasury spokesman Walt Secord has resigned from the shadow ministry.
Opposition Leader Jodi McKay has earlier said she was considering a cabinet reshuffle after Labor’s loss in the Upper Hunter by-election at the weekend. The poor result has created significant leadership instability for Ms McKay.
This morning, an internal dirt file on Ms McKay’s leadership rival, Chris Minns, began to circulate. Ms McKay has said she was not aware of the document and did not authorise its release.
But Mr Secord has accused the office of Ms McKay’s deputy, Yasmin Catley, of distributing the file. “In short, it was absolutely disgusting,” Mr Secord said in a statement.
“I can no longer serve in a Jodi McKay-led Shadow Ministry.
“Over the last two years, it is well known that Jodi McKay and I have disagreed on key policy, parliamentary and strategic decisions and directions.”
READ MORE: ALP repeats yesterday’s mistakes
Adeshola Ore 2.39pm:‘No evidence’ staff backgrounded against Higgins partner
Scott Morrison says his chief of staff has not found evidence that anyone in his office backgrounded against former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins’ partner public.
Earlier in Senate estimates, Finance Minister Simon Birmingham confirmed the Prime Minister’s chief of staff John Kunkel, who was tasked with finding out if anyone from their office had done the backgrounding, had spoken with journalists and members of Mr Morrison’s press team as part of his review.
He also had contact with Ms Higgins.
The Prime Minister tabled the report in parliament and said “my chief of staff found in the negative.”
Adeshola Ore2.27pm: PM to release Higgins review to all parties
Labor has used Question Time to accuse the Morrison government of keeping “secret” an internal review into serious workplace incidents in Parliament House that was prompted by Brittany Higgins’ rape allegation.
In February, Scott Morrison tasked Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet deputy secretary Stephanie Foster with investigating what support is available for political staffers making complaints.
Scott Morrison today confirmed he had received Ms Foster’s final report and published a press release about its findings. The review recommended the development of an independent and confidential complaints agency, and implementation of face-to-face respectful training for managers and staff. An education program in this space is already underway.
Opposition women’s spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek told parliament Mr Morrison was “keeping it a secret” by not publishing the full report.
The Prime Minister said he expected the report would be taken to cabinet next week and noted the full review would be made available to all parties and MPs.
“It contains very useful recommendations about how our parliament can work together to support our staff and ensure the right mechanisms are in place,” he said.
Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins is also leading a nine-month investigation into parliament’s workplace culture.
Mr Morrison said he had “no intention of waiting” for Ms Jenkin’s report before implementing the recommendation to establish an independent complaints body.
“I think we can get on with it now,” he said.
Rosie Lewis2.05pm:PM to release report into staff backgrounding against Higgins
Scott Morrison will make a report into whether anyone in his office backgrounded against former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins’ partner public, according to the government.
Finance Minister Simon Birmingham confirmed the Prime Minister’s chief of staff John Kunkel, who was tasked with finding out if anyone from their office had done the backgrounding, had spoken with journalists and members of Mr Morrison’s press team.
He also had contact with Ms Higgins.
While he was not aware of what the findings were, Senator Birmingham said Mr Morrison was being briefed on the report and expected it would be released “shortly”.
READ MORE: Rape case sparks sex misconduct bombshell
Angelica Snowden1.50pm:One vax hub packed as another empty
Long queues have formed at one of Melbourne’s mass vaccine hubs, while another was virtually empty.
Different story at the Royal Exhibition Building, long queues and an hour + wait for a Covid-19 jab @australianpic.twitter.com/1LX2ZfZ4QG
— Angelica Snowden (@ang3snowden) May 25, 2021
There is a one-and-a-half hour wait at the Royal Exhibition Building for a Covid-19 vaccine.
Auslan interpreter Neil Phipps said a nurse at the mass vaccine hub told him yesterday was far busier than today.
“The nurse said she dis expect everyday to be a bit more busy now,” the 43-year-old said.
READ MORE: Crown changed scope of money laundering probe
Joseph Lam 1.44pm:‘Less popular’ McKay still NSW Labor leader
NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay says no one in her party has the backing to go up against her despite suffering a loss in the Upper Hunter by-election over the weekend.
Ms McKay said following the weekend that not a single party member challenged her position as leader.
“No one in those 48 hours (following the election loss) challenged me. No one in those 48 hours asked me to step aside,” Ms Mckay said at a press conference on Tuesday.
“No one has the numbers within our caucus to mount a challenge against me – which means I am the leader of the Labor Party!”
While criticising Gladys Berejiklian, Ms McKay also conceded she was not as popular as the NSW Premier.
“Perhaps I’m not as popular as Gladys Berejiklian,” she said.
“Yes, for me popularity is not what’s important. It’s actually about getting out of bed every day and making sure that I do the right thing that I’m shaping a party that is able to govern in 2023.”
“We have some real fundamental issues in the state that need to be addressed, it’s not just about the fact that the Premier knew about corruption and did nothing,” she said.
“That is just the tip of the iceberg, because there is so many scandals within this government.”
“And because you have a premier that turns a blind eye, those standards are allowed to continue.”
READ MORE: Ministers at odds over energy
Patrick Commins1.22pm:Payroll jobs extend post-JobKeeper falls
The post JobKeeper decline continues as the number of payrolled jobs fell by 0.5 per cent over the fortnight to May 8 leaving 1.5 per cent fewer employees than in late March.
The latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showed that accommodation and food services jobs led the decline, dropping by 3.8 per cent since the wage subsidy scheme came to a close.
ABS head of labour statistics Bjorn Jervis said seasonal factors, including the impact of Easter holidays and short Covid-19 restrictions in some states, “may” have influenced payroll job levels since the wage subsidy ended.
Payrolls down in the fortnight to May 9, not a clear read through to the monthly labour force read but not the best trend emerging #ausbizpic.twitter.com/Fo3bpe8SoO
— Alex Joiner (@IFM_Economist) May 25, 2021
The payrolls figures, which are based on the Taxation Office’s single-touch payroll system, cover the vast bulk of the workforce and told a similar story to last week’s labour force statistics for April, which showed a net 30,600 fall in employment in seasonally adjusted terms.
The unemployment rate, however, dropped further to 5.5 per cent last month due to a lower participation rate. The ABS said the end of JobKeeper had had no “discernible” effect on the monthly movement of Australians in and out of work, and economists largely concluded that the end of wage subsidies had not derailed the powerful post-Covid jobs recovery.
Adeshola Ore1.10pm:Proposal for freedoms, but don’t call it a passport: PM
Scott Morrison has conceded that “passport” was the wrong term to use for a proposal to allow vaccinated Australians greater freedom in the event of Covid-19 lockdowns.
The Prime Minister planned to take the proposal to next week’s national cabinet to allow vaccinated Australians to move between states in the event of COVID-19 lockdowns, despite resistance from several state premiers about the initiative.
During a joint party room meeting on Tuesday, the Prime Minister told MPs that that “passport” was the wrong word to use, according to a Coalition spokesman. He said he wanted to make it easier for Australians vaccinated against the virus to prove they had been immunised.
Mr Morrison also said there was feedback from the tourism industry about people being hesitant to travel because of potential state restrictions, as he warned that vaccinated Australians should not face additional hardships.
He stressed there was no intention to use a vaccine certificate to restrict access to pubs and cafes and noted the commonwealth would only use it for the international border.
READ MORE: Vaccine passports ‘to leave Aussies divided’
Rachel Baxendale 1.05pm:Contact tracing key to keeping venues open
Acting Victorian Premier James Merlino says the Andrews government has opted to impose limits on private gatherings but not hospitality venues or ticketed public events because the latter are easier for contact tracers to manage.
From 6 o’clock on Tuesday, private gatherings involving anyone from greater Melbourne will be limited to five people indoors, and 30 outdoors.
“There’s a reason why we’ve focused in these areas, as opposed to businesses and workplaces that will continue under the existing arrangements: it is harder to contact trace in those private and informal settings,” Mr Merlino said.
“That’s why we’ve got the limit of five visitors per household in the home, and 30 gathering outside. Our workplaces, our businesses have Covidsafe plans, QR codes, it is much easier for contact tracers.”
READ MORE: Bramston – Does fact-based journalism still matter at ABC?
Angelica Snowden12.21pm:Few queue at mass vax centre despite Melbourne cases
One of Melbourne’s mass vaccine centres remained quiet at lunch time on Tuesday amid new restrictions announced after Covid-19 once again escaped into the community.
No queues at the Melbourne Convention Centre mass vaccine hub @australianpic.twitter.com/4pAQLgoV5P
— Angelica Snowden (@ang3snowden) May 25, 2021
Clive Letts said a “jolt” was needed to prompt people to get vaccinated after he noted there were few people queuing for the vaccine at Melbourne’s Convention Centre.
“There is a huge queuing capacity but no customers it seems,” the 77-year-old said.
“I would hope (more people turned up) in the public interest. I think there seems to be a fair degree of complacency and a jolt is needed so people think it’s not all over,” he said.
It comes despite news of five new cases of community transmission in Melbourne.
READ MORE:Did Covid escape lab? Scientists no longer immune to theory
Rosie Lewis11.55am:Labor senator names PM’s ‘backgrounder’ staffers
Labor frontbencher Katy Gallagher has named the three staffers in Scott Morrison’s office that Brittany Higgins says backgrounded against her partner.
The opposition finance spokeswoman threatened to name the men earlier in the estimates hearing and just before a break in proceedings asked Finance Minister Simon Birmingham to confirm if staffers Andrew Carswell, Julian Leembruggen and Nick Creevey had been interviewed by the Prime Minister’s chief of staff John Kunkel.
Mr Kunkel has been investigating who in Mr Morrison’s office allegedly backgrounded against her partner, David Sharaz.
“Senator Birmingham, just in terms of preparing for the come back and for us to ask more questions, I would ask that you provide an answer as to whether Mr Carswell, Mr Leembruggen and Mr Creevey have been interview by Mr Kunkel,” Senator Gallagher said.
“We would like an answer on that because Ms Higgins’ understanding is they are the staff that were backgrounding against her loved ones during that week, that it was those three staff. I’d like to know if they’d been interviewed by Mr Kunkel as part of his investigation.”
Mr Carswell, Mr Leembruggen and Mr Creevey had been contacted for comment.
Joseph Lam11.49am: ‘Lottery ticket won’t induce Aussies to get vaccinated’
David Gillepsie doesn’t believe incentives will get the majority of Australians on board to get vaccinated.
The Nationals MP and doctor on Tuesday told Sky News that for those hesitant toward the vaccine, incentives did little in changing one’s mind.
“I don’t think people are going to get a vaccine because you get a potential lottery ticket,” Dr Gillepsie said.
“It is an incentive on a broad scale but some people are committed to waiting or not even having it.
“With the advent of an outbreak in Victoria, I suspect a lot of those hesitant people will jump on board now.’’
READ MORE:Editorial – Great expectations of the NDIS need to be managed
Rachel Baxendale11.33am:AFL suspends ticket sales for next two rounds
The AFL has suspended ticket sales for the next two rounds of the footy season, amid Victoria’s latest coronavirus cluster.
Tickets for Rounds 11 and 12 were due to go on sale on Tuesday morning, but have been suspended as the Andrews government announced new restrictions including compulsory mask-wearing in all indoor venues and a limit of 30 people at public gatherings.
While hospitality venues and ticketed events are exempt from the 30-person limit, a panel including representatives from the Department of Health, Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions and the AFL was expected to meet on Tuesday to establish what limits, if any, would be imposed on AFL crowds.
READ MORE: Death of the tackle? Suns to challenge ban
Adeshola Ore 11.24am:PM confirms Kabul embassy will close
Scott Morison has confirmed Australia’s embassy in Afghanistan will close on May 28 following the government announcement it would pull its last 80 troops from the country.
The Australian exclusively reported that the closure was imminent, with private security companies notified that their contracts were to end next month.
Last month, Mr Morrison announced Australia would pull its troops from Afghanistan by September, following US President Joe Biden’s pledge to end America’s “forever war” before the anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.
Mr Morrison and Foreign Minister Marise Payne said Australia would revert to the pre-2006 model of diplomats visiting Afghanistan from a residence in another part of the region. But the government expected a permanent bricks-and-mortar presence would be established in Kabul “once circumstances permit.”
READ MORE: Canberra ‘barely in loop on Biden’s Afghan exit’
Joseph Lam11.20am: NSW issues warning over Victorian Covid cases
NSW has recorded two new cases of Covid-19 among overseas returned travellers in the 24 hours to 8pm Monday.
NSW recorded no new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) May 25, 2021
Two overseas-acquired cases were reported in the same period, bringing the total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 5,385. pic.twitter.com/3xxHgh0Ovf
Authorities are urging those who have visited the Whittlesea LGA or greater Melbourne to check exposure lists and to get tested if they have visited those areas or develop symptoms.
“NSW Health continues to work closely with our Victorian counterparts as they investigate new COVID-19 cases detected in Melbourne’s northern suburbs. The cases visited a growing number of venues while infectious, “a statement from health read.
“People who have been in the Whittlesea Local Government Area should not visit residential aged care facilities, or hospitals unless seeking medical attention.”
READ MORE: ABC ‘obstructing’ Luna Park inquiry
Greg Brown11.01am:Labor move sets up fresh war on energy
Labor will move a disallowance motion against the government’s decision to expand the remit of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, opening up another energy war with the Morrison government.
The move will mean Anthony Albanese opposes using funding from ARENA to invest in carbon capture and storage and hydrogen made from gas.
Opposition energy spokesman Chris Bowen outlined his position in caucus on Tuesday morning.
READ MORE: No more ad hoc energy plans, Taylor says
Ben Packham10.45am: AFP told of 19 incidents of MPs, staff sexual misconduct
AFP commissioner Reece Kershaw says police have received 40 reports of 19 alleged incidents of sexual misconduct involving federal MPs and their staff following Brittany Higgins’ allegations she was raped at Parliament House.
“Twelve reports have been identified as sensitive investigations, ten matters have been referred to state and territory police for assessment,” he told Senate Estimates.
He said one of the reports was still with AFP for ongoing inquiries, one had been finalised, while seven didn’t relate to electorate offices, ministerial staff or official establishments.
Five matters were referred to state and territory police for assessment, with two finalised without criminal offences identified.
Mr Kershaw and fellow senior AFP officers at Senate Estimates were unable to immediately say how many were related to alleged incidents at Parliament House.
Mr Kershaw told the committee that a brief of evidence regarding the Higgins matter would be referred to the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions in coming weeks.
Earlier, the AFP revealed in an answer to a Labor question on notice that it contacted then-Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton’s office in October 2019 “in relation to a media inquiry received by ACT Policing, about an alleged sexual assault at Parliament House”.
The new date provided by the AFP is well before the February, 2021 date that Mr Dutton maintains he personally learned of the alleged sexual assault of Brittany Higgins.
The 2019 tip-off followed a media query to the AFP after a whistleblower contacted a media organisation claiming to have details of a sexual assault allegation at Parliament House in the lead-up to Senate estimates in October, 2019.
“In accordance with routine practices, in October 2019 AFP Media notified the then Minister’s office in relation to a media inquiry received by ACT Policing, about an alleged sexual assault at Parliament House,’’ the answer to Senate Keneally states.
READ MORE: Travel warning a hammer blow to ‘unwanted’ Olympics
Ben Packham 10.24am:Keneally in clash over Higgins probe ‘interference’
Opposition frontbencher Kristina Keneally has clashed with Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee chair as she alleged government interference in statements by AFP commissioner Reece Kershaw on the investigation into the alleged rape of Brittany Higgins.
Mr Kershaw told Senate Estimates today the head of the Prime Minister’s department Philip Gaetjens phoned him – not the other way around – to discuss his evidence to a March Senate Estimates committee on the administrative inquiry into the alleged rape of Ms Higgins at Parliament House.
Mr Kershaw told Senate Estimates on Tuesday that he believed he had called Mr Gaetjens to discuss pausing his department’s administrative inquiry because it could have interfered with the AFP’s investigation.
But he had been mistaken, realising Mr Gaetjens had in fact called him.
“After our testimonies … it became apparent that there was confusion in the nuance of the language used that I wanted to immediately clarify,” he said.
“And Mr Gaetjens called me after my testimony given there was seemingly misunderstanding about different interpretations of our evidence.
“This is not unusual or surprising given the circumstances and if he had not called me I would have made the call.”
As Senator Keneally pressed Mr Kershaw on the content of his conversation, Senator Henderson accused the Labor senator of “performing for the cameras” and threatened to shut down the hearing to the media.
At issue is previous evidence by Mr Kershaw, who told Senate Estimates on March 22 that he had not made any specific requests of Mr Gaetjens in relation to his inquiry.
At the time, Mr Kershaw said: “No, I think we looked at the terms of reference and that’s a matter for the secretary, not me, to make that determination.”
After a phone conversation with Mr Gaetjens the same day, Mr Kershaw issued a statement clarifying his evidence.
“I confirm I informed Mr Gaetjens on 9 March it was strongly advisable to hold off finalising the records of interviews with staff until the AFP could clarify whether the criminal investigation into Ms Higgins’ sexual assault allegations may traverse any issues covered by the administrative process he was undertaking.”
READ MORE: PM’s office alleged rape probe may not be made public
Joseph Lam10.18am: ‘Reassuring’: How Melbourne’s cases are linked
A Victorian man in his 60s who tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday met with a man in his 30s who tested positive on Monday.
The 60-year-old man is the fifth positive case in Melbourne over the past 24 hours, following on from four cases recorded on Monday.
On the origins of Melbourne’s latest cases, Victoria Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said there was no definitive link between the fifth case and a case which originated from South Australia three weeks ago, but genomic sequencing had linked them.
“With this fifth case what has been reassuring is that all of his close contacts have tested negative so for many of the days that he has been interacting with others he was probably not infectious because we identified and tested and they tested negative,” Professor Sutton said.
“There was clearly someone who was not identified, probably a casual contact that he could not recall because he did not know.”
“It is reassuring to have a case potentially linked to the four yesterday.”
Professor Sutton said Victoria Health does net yet know whether all five people were vaccinated or not. All five cases are isolated at home.
Greater Melbourne will remain under restrictions until June 4.
READ MORE:Grave test for government that failed on so many levels
Rosie Lewis10.01am:Gaetjens tight-lipped over Higgins inquiry
The head of the public service is refusing to say how many people in Scott Morrison’s office he has interviewed for his inquiry into who knew what and when about the alleged rape of former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins.
Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Philip Gaetjens has told the Senate he has not yet interviewed Ms Higgins as part of the inquiry but it was “scheduled” at a time convenient for her.
He pleaded public interest immunity when asked how many interviews he’d conducted on the basis of personal privacy, saying if he revealed that number there would be speculation about who in the Prime Minister’s office had been questioned.
Labor’s Senate leader Penny Wong said Mr Gaetjens had taken on notice the facts he was verifying, was refusing to say how many staff he had interviewed and could not provide a date for when the inquiry would be finished.
Her colleague Katy Gallagher declared it was “like a triple cover up”.
READ MORE: ALP repeats yesterday’s mistakes
Joseph Lam9.45am:Restrictions return as Victoria adds new Covid case
A 60-year-old man has tested positive for Covid-19, joining four new cases which were detected in Melbourne’s northern suburbs on Monday.
Victorian authorities believe the man may be the source of the new outbreak with genomic sequencing linking the man to a case which originated in Wollert, South Australia.
Restrictions will be imposed from 6 o’clock on Tuesday evening following the spike in cases.
Face masks will now be mandatory indoors, private gatherings will be limited to five people and public gatherings will be limited to 30 people.
While schools and workplaces will remain open, anyone who travels from greater Melbourne to regional Victoria will be required to follow Melbourne’s public health orders, abiding by mask use rules and public and private gathering restrictions.
Rosie Lewis9.17am:Higgins inquiry to take ‘weeks, not days’: Gaetjens
Scott Morrison’s top bureaucrat has told the Senate his inquiry into who in the Prime Minister’s office knew what and when about the alleged rape of former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins will take “weeks, not days” to complete.
The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Philip Gaetjens is being grilled by Labor at Senate estimates, with opposition finance spokeswoman Katy Gallagher declaring he’s working on “secret interviews” for a “secret report”.
Mr Gaetjens has undertaken to Mr Morrison’s staff that he would keep their interviews confidential.
He said it was not his report to make public, prompting Labor to demand an undertaking the Prime Minister would release it to the parliament.
Mr Gaetjens said he had interviewed “all relevant people” in Mr Morrison’s office but was waiting to receive material back from “some” of them.
READ MORE:Apple watches, overseas trips: Judges’ expenses splurge
Rachel Baxendale9.10am:Victorians brace for update as 0 new cases recorded
Victoria’s Acting Premier James Merlino is due to address the media at 9:30am, after four community-acquired cases of coronavirus were detected in Melbourne’s northern suburbs on Monday.
Mr Merlino will be accompanied by Health Minister Martin Foley and Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton.
The Health Department confirmed overnight the four cases are in a man in his 30s, a man and a woman in their 70s and a preschool-aged child, who live across three households in the Whittlesea local government area in Melbourne’s outer north.
The Australian understands a fifth case, which will be included in Wednesday’s numbers, has been detected, with details to be confirmed at the press conference.
Eight new exposure sites which were visited by members of the cluster while likely infectious have been added to the Health Department’s list overnight, including venues in Brunswick, Reservoir and Epping.
A swim school in Bundoora and the Melbourne’s third-largest shopping centre, Highpoint, in the western suburb of Maribyrnong, were listed as exposure sites on Monday, with thousands of Melburnians consequently quarantined.
Among the new venues is Woolworths in Epping North, which was at the centre of a Health Department bungle last week.
The department revealed on Friday it had wrongly declared a different Epping Woolworths as an exposure site visited by man in his 30s who returned home to Wollert in Melbourne’s outer north on May 4, having contracted coronavirus in an Adelaide quarantine hotel.
There are huge queues at testing centres throughout Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs on Tuesday, with the Northern Hospital clinic closed to new patrons from 8:30am due to demand.
Reported yesterday: 4 new local cases and no new cases acquired overseas.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) May 24, 2021
- 8,269 vaccine doses were administered
- 14,892 test results were received
More later: https://t.co/lIUrl0ZEco#COVID19Vic#COVID19VicDatapic.twitter.com/jWTpe4h25P
WATCH: Acting Premier James Merlino and Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton deliver an update at 9.30am. Stand by to watch them in the livestream above.
Joseph Lam8.47am:Australia has helped ‘make Afghanistan a safer place’
Michael McCormack says Australia’s efforts in the Middle East have made Afghanistan a better place.
The Deputy Prime Minister on Tuesday said that while Australia must mourn for the lives of those lost, the outcome of the nation’s efforts have made the country safer for women and children.
His comments come as Australia packs up its embassy in Kabul and prepares to withdraw troops from the strife-torn nation.
“This has been a conflict which has been Australia’s largest and longest and of course we mourn for those more than 40 men who lost their lives serving our country and making sure for Afghanistan there were better outcomes,” Mr McCormack said.
“Thanks to our involvement in that long and deadly conflict we’ve been able to make Afghanistan a better place in which to live and yes, it’s come at a high price.”
READ MORE: Sheridan – Honourable nations do not leave allies to persecution
James Hall8.35am:‘Pull their heads in’: Shorten fires up over Fitzgibbon
Former opposition leader Bill Shorten has called for his colleagues calling for Joel Fitzgibbon to leave the Laborto “pull their heads in” after the party was rocked by an embarrassing by-election in NSW.
The demand comes after Mr Fitzgibbon threatened to abandon the party, insisting Saturday’s dismal result in the Upper Hunter was a reflection of the working class ditching the Labor Party in favour of the Liberal-Nationals Coalition.
Mr Shorten was pressed about the uneasiness among the ranks and asked directly if Mr Fitzgibbon should be booted from the party.
“In terms of Joel, I think it should be fixed,” the former party leader told Nine’s Today on Tuesday morning.
“I don’t think he should leave the Labor Party, I think it would be better if the issues were being sorted out in-house – division doesn’t look good.
“On the other hand, some of the people trying to goad him to leave should pull their heads in.”
The declaration comes after Mr Fitzgibbon described the result in the Upper Hunter as “diabolic” and a “real wake-up call” for the opposition as the federal election looms. – NCA Newswire
READ MORE: The Sketch – Na na na na, hey, goodbye
Joseph Lam 8.24am:Istanbul flight lands in Darwin with 220 Aussies
More than 200 Australians have returned on a repatriation flight from Europe carrying Aussies from several nations across the region.
A flight carrying 220 Australians departed Istanbul, Turkey and touched down in Darwin on Monday night.
Passengers have since been transported to the Howards Springs quarantine facility, joining 165 Australians who have returned from India.
READ MORE: Doctors back travel exemption after jab
Joseph Lam8.11am:Dutton’s office told of Higgins allegation in 2019
Peter Dutton’s office was tipped off about an alleged sexual assault in Parliament House as early as October, 2019 according to new information revealed by Australian Federal Police.
Mr Dutton maintains he learned of the alleged sexual assault of Brittany Higgins on February 11, 2021, a date confirmed by AFP.
The then Home Affairs Minister’s office was contacted on the earlier date following a media query to the AFP from an anonymous whistleblower who claimed to have details of an alleged assault, news.com.au reports.
The AFP revealed the details in response to questions on notice lodged by Labor senator Kristina Keneally.
“In accordance with routine practices, in October 2019 AFP Media notified the then Minister’s office in relation to a media inquiry received by ACT Policing, about an alleged sexual assault at Parliament House,’’ the response read.
AFP confirmed that direct contact with Mr Dutton was not made until February 11, 2021.
READ MORE: Barbs fly at house access inaction
Joseph Lam7.52am: Queensland scientists close in on rapid Covid ‘cloak’
Queensland scientists are working to develop two new drugs which could prevent Covid-19 from entering cells and duplicating.
QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute researchers told the Brisbane Times the new drugs would act as a “cloak” as well as to stop the cells from duplicating once infected with SARS-CoV-2.
“We believe the drugs can be used individually or they can be combined, and so as part of the clinical trials we want to see if they have utility individually or work best together,” Professor Sudha Rao said.
Professor Rao said the new drugs would have a rapid effect as opposed to being vaccinated which takes the body’s immune system some time to build resistance.
“If you’re in quarantine or if you’ve been exposed, then you can be given this drug to protect you in the short term.”
READ MORE: Covid claims against insurers head to court
Joseph Lam 7.46am: ‘The only good mouse is a dead mouse’: McCormack
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack says those who criticise the eradication of mice in regional NSW’s mouse plague should rehouse them in their own homes.
Mr McCormack on Tuesday told Sunrise hosts “the only good mouse is a dead mouse”.
He added that, “for anyone to actually contemplate (safely removing the mice), that is absurd”.
READ MORE:Shy mice may not take bait
Anthony Piovesan7.25am:Melbourne’s Covid exposure sites expanded
A number of popular shopping centres in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, a Woolworths and a Nandos are among the businesses exposed to coronavirus as four new cases were revealed on Monday.
Victorian health authorities provided an updated list overnight with a number of new venues across Melbourne’s northwest added to the list. There are now 10 sites among Tier 1 and Tier 2 status.
New exposure sites linked to community cases of COVID-19 have been published.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) May 24, 2021
See the full list here: https://t.co/SQ5trZH2NI
The sites are located in Epping, Reservoir and Brunswick, as well as Bundoora and Maribyrnong (Highpoint Shopping Centre) from earlier today. pic.twitter.com/XdrIUMUocP
The Jump Swim School in Bundoora was exposed to Covid-19 on May 21 between 8.35am to 10am.
A Nando’s in Epping on Dalton Road was a new addition the list, exposed on May 19 between 8.30pm and 9.20.pm. It is classified as a Tier 1.
A Woolworths in Epping North is also a Tier 1, visited on May 22 between 4.45pm to 5.45pm.
An infected person also visited Highpoint Shopping Centre in Maribyrnong on May 20 between 5pm to 8pm.
Victoria’s Health Minister Martin Foley on Monday afternoon revealed two new infections in addition to the two “likely cases” announced in the morning.
The first person tested positive on May 23, joined by a male relative who was asymptomatic.
The next two positive cases was an adult woman and a child.
All the cases reside in the city of Whittlesea in Melbourne’s outer north.
— NCA NewsWire
READ MORE:Victorian authorities scramble
Joseph Lam7.05am:Palaszczuk reveals when she’ll get vaccinated
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and chief health officer Dr Jeanette Young will roll up their sleeves and be vaccinated in the next fortnight and receive their Covid-19 after coming under heavy criticism from political counterparts.
In around two weeks’ time, we’ll get the COVID vaccine.
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) May 24, 2021
Dr Young will receive AstraZeneca.
I’ll talk to my GP about which one I’ll receive. pic.twitter.com/jMM4XU2z7B
Ms Palaszczuk and Dr Young were criticised for not leading by example in their state, with the Queensland Premier remaining the only Premier over the age of 50 yet to receive a Covid-19 vaccine.
“A lot of people are getting their flu shots first because we’re coming into the flu season so I’ll be doing that and then I’ll be getting my Covid vaccine,” the Premier said last week.
Ms Palaszczuk received her flu shot on Monday and announced she would receive her Covid-19 vaccine 14 days later following medical advice.
READ MORE:Doctors back travel exemption after jab
Agencies6.50am:US warning casts cloud over Tokyo Olympics
The US has warned its citizens not to travel to Olympic host Japan, citing the growing risk of the Covid-19 pandemic in the Asian nation just two months before the Games begin, AFP reports.
The warning came in a travel advisory issued by the State Department as Japan, which has been criticised for its slow inoculation rate, opened its first mass vaccination centres in a push ahead of the Olympics, which were postponed last year due to the pandemic.
The decision was based primarily on government health advice, as well as “secondary factors such as commercial flight availability, restrictions on US citizen entry, and impediments to obtaining Covid test results within three calendar days,” the advisory said.
Just two per cent of Japan’s population of 125 million has been fully vaccinated so far.
It began giving the Pfizer shot in February first to medical workers and then over-65s, whom the government aims to finish inoculating by late July, when the Olympics begin.
But ministers say the Games do not figure in their rollout schedule, and no date has been announced for other age groups.
Japan has seen a relatively small coronavirus outbreak, with around 12,000 deaths overall, but a recent surge in infections has put hospitals under strain.
Tokyo, Osaka and eight other regions are under a state of emergency curbing commercial activity until the end of May, with reports saying the measures could be extended for another three weeks.
Public opinion is largely opposed to holding the Olympics this summer but organisers say the event can be held safely.
The majority of athletes and others staying in the Olympic village will be vaccinated before they enter Japan, but inoculation is not required to participate.
— AFP
READ MORE:Can the Olympics really go ahead?
Agencies6.30pm:WHO pushes for Covid vaccination target
The WHO chief on Monday called for a huge global effort to ensure that 10 per cent of the population in every country is vaccinated against Covid-19 by September, AFP reports.
World Health Organisation director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for a “massive push to vaccinate at least 10 per cent of the population of every country by September”, in a speech at the opening of the UN health agency’s main annual assembly.
— AFP
Rosie Lewis6am:Doctors back push for travel exemption after jab
Doctors say exempting people vaccinated against Covid-19 from interstate travel restrictions, a proposal to be taken by Scott Morrison to national cabinet next week, will encourage young people in particular to be immunised.
Despite the plan splitting the national cabinet, the Coalition backbench and business groups, Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid said the “important thing is giving Australians a good reason to get vaccinated – and recognising that if you have been vaccinated, the chances of you contracting the disease is dramatically reduced, and of giving it to someone else is dramatically reduced”.
“Particularly young Australians who don’t feel vulnerable to Covid; it might be just the thing to give them a reason to go and get the vaccine,” Dr Khorshid said.
Australia’s chief medical officer Paul Kelly conceded national cabinet and the country’s top health experts needed to look for “as many incentives as we can” to get people vaccinated, saying the freedom to travel interstate, merchandise and even cash lotteries were “potentially on the table”.
Read the full story here.
Rachel Baxendale5am:Victoria in frantic hunt for Covid-19 ‘missing link’
Victorian health authorities are scrambling to find what they believe may be a “missing link” after four people in Melbourne’s north tested positive for the coronavirus on Monday.
Thousands of Melburnians have been forced to quarantine after a swimming school in the city’s northeast and the busy Highpoint shopping centre were listed as exposure sites visited by members of the cluster — who are from the same family but spread across two households.
No direct link has yet been established between any of the four and a man in his 30s who returned three weeks ago to Wollert, on Melbourne’s northern outskirts, having contracted coronavirus in an Adelaide quarantine hotel.
However, state Health Minister Martin Foley said authorities’ “working thesis” was that the cluster was linked to the Wollert case, with genomic sequencing results expected to confirm or rule out that theory in coming days.
“The dates don’t line up immediately, so we can’t rule out if there is a missing link out there,” Mr Foley said.
Read the full story here.
Greg Brown4.45am:Albanese warned over ‘inner-city cafe policies’
Anthony Albanese has been warned by the head of the NSW CFMEU mining and energy division to stop developing Labor policies in “inner-city coffee shops” or risk losing three federal seats in the Hunter Valley at the next election — an outcome almost certain to relegate it to three more years of opposition.
Former Labor frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon also threatened to quit parliament if Mr Albanese’s agenda did not go further in backing blue-collar workers, opening up a split within opposition ranks following Labor’s defeat at the weekend by-election in the state seat of Upper Hunter.
CFMEU NSW northern mining and energy president Peter Jordan, who represents workers in the Hunter Valley, said he believed the electorates of Shortland, Paterson and Hunter, held by Pat Conroy, Meryl Swanson and Mr Fitzgibbon, were under threat.
Mr Jordan said it was “absolutely disgraceful” Labor opposed a $600m government-funded gas plant in the region, declaring it needed to “stop developing their policy in inner-city coffee shops”.
Read the full story, by Greg Brown and David Tanner, here.
Amanda Hodge4.30am:Kabul embassy packs up as troops prepare to leave
Australia is packing up its embassy in Kabul less than six weeks after the government announced it would pull its last 80 troops from Afghanistan and promised a “new chapter” in the bilateral relationship.
Sources in Australia and Afghanistan have revealed the embassy’s closure is imminent with private security companies notified that their contracts are to end next month, and most Australian diplomats to be out of leased buildings inside the capital’s fortified diplomatic zone in the next fortnight.
It is not clear whether Australia will retain a bricks-and-mortar diplomatic presence in the strife-torn country – by moving back into the US embassy compound from where it had operated until 2011 – or operate a “fly-in, fly-out” embassy from the United Arab Emirates.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne’s office refused to comment on Monday, though an announcement on the future of Australia’s diplomatic presence in Afghanistan is expected within days.
Read the full story, by Amanda Hodge and Ben Packham, here.
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