Daily blog, April 22: $3 million rescue package for temporary visa holders announced

Four new Tasmanian coronavirus cases have been confirmed, including two North-West hospital workers.

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Homes light up to thank our ‘true heroes’
• What went wrong in the North-West?
• IVF clinics in the state have been shut down
• Politician slammed for staying at East Coast shack

READ: Everything we know about all 201 cases of COVID-19 in Tasmania

Have questions about business and retail, finishing school or how your movements are restricted?

8.30pm: ANOTHER TWO HOSPITAL WORKERS INFECTED WITH COVID-19

FOUR new Tasmanian coronavirus cases have been confirmed since 6pm Wednesday, including two North-West hospital workers.

Director of Public Health Mark Veitch said all four new cases were from the North-West and included three women and one man.

One person is in their 20s, one in their 30s, one in their 40s and one in their 50s.

Tasmania’s COVID-19 tally now stands at 205.

“Two of the cases are healthcare workers who have worked at either the North West Regional Hospital or the North West Private Hospital,” Dr Veitch said.

“Another case is a close contact of a confirmed case. The other case remains under investigation.”

He said there had been no further cases from any of the three North-West nursing homes where residents and staff were tested late last week.

The State Government’s next daily COVID-19 update will take place at 11am Thursday and will be live-streamed on the Mercury website.

A concerted effort is being made to identify any further cases of coronavirus in the North-West.

Anyone who lives in the North-West who currently, or in the last few days has had respiratory symptoms like a cough, sore throat, runny nose, or fever should arrange testing through the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 or their GP.

7.55pm: BUILDERS LAID OFF AS PROJECTS DRY UP

A NUMBER of workers in Launceston have been laid off by one of the state’s leading construction firms as the coronavirus pandemic continues to put pressure on the industry.

Fairbrother employees were reportedly told they were out of the job in recent days, and there are growing fears more building companies will be forced to lay off workers as projects dry up.

Fairbrother’s CEO Craig Edmunds blamed the weakening of the construction market and the impact of COVID-19 for the “restructuring decision”.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

6pm: SKILLED FOREIGN WORKERS FACING UNCERTAIN FUTURE

THE Juchem family of Sandy Bay are typical of the 26,000 Tasmanian working visa holders who have been left with no Federal Government support as the coronavirus pandemic destroys jobs and devastates the economy.

John and Eline, originally from Brazil, have been in Australia for four years.

Baby Juca was born here, and the family want to make Hobart their permanent home.

Mr Juchem was been working as a restaurant manager at Bellerive, but now the business has dried up.

“I have a really good job. The owners of the cafe are really nice and I am really happy, but they had to close the restaurant three weeks ago and I have been stood down,” he said.

“We are on a skilled visa. Technically, the government asked us to come here to help improve the economy.”

It is a story repeated thousands of times across diverse industries: long-term residents, considered valuable and vital workers, who are ineligible for any Federal Government support and are now facing an uncertain future.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

4.40pm: FURTHER PROTECTION FOR RESIDENTIAL TENANTS

RESIDENTIAL rent increases have been frozen until the end of June, Premier Peter Gutwein said, adding further protection for tenants on top of an existing ban on evictions.

It comes in addition to a ban on rent rises for commercial tenants.

Mr Gutwein said the orders, in force until June 30, would be extended if circumstances required.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

4.20pm: NORTH-WEST OUTBREAK TO BECOME GLOBAL CASE STUDY

THE Tasmanian Health Department’s investigation into what went wrong in the North- West will be shared with the rest of the world as a case study in methods of clinical care and infection control during a coronavirus pandemic.

Health Minister Sarah Courtney said clinicians and scientists had already expressed interest in learning the findings of the investigation as the state worked to get on top of the deadly coronavirus cluster stemming from the region’s hospitals.

“Clinicians and scientists are examining the methods of clinical care and infection control in a hospital setting and the findings will be released,” Ms Courtney said.

“What we learn will be applied to the THS and then be shared with other jurisdictions”

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

12pm: RESCUE PACKAGE FOR TEMPORARY WORKERS ROLLED OUT

THE Tasmanian Government will roll out $3 million to help the thousands of temporary visa holders stuck in the state without work or a way of getting home.

The government’s movement on the issue puts more pressure on Canberra to extend its pandemic rescue measures to foreign workers.

Premier Peter Gutwein on Wednesday announced what he called a “modest package”, saying many of the temporary visa holders who were in Tasmania — such as students, farm workers, chefs and medical workers — were hurting.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

11am: LIVE: WATCH THE PREMIER’S DAILY UPDATE

9.30am: PLAN TO BAN ‘PETRI DISH’ CRUISE SHIPS

AN AMBITIOUS councillor wants a complete ban on next year’s cruise ship season in the name of community safety.

Alderman Ken Dorsey at the Burnie City Council has put a motion to be debated on April 28’s meeting for visits from cruise ships to be banned for the entire 2020-21 season.

But the state’s tourism peak body has said it is up to the Tasmanian Government to lift restrictions.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

8am: WHAT TIME IS TODAY’S DAILY UPDATE?

PREMIER Peter Gutwein’s daily update will take place at 11am today. Stay tuned to watch with the Mercury.

7am: POLITICIANS SPLIT ON COVID-19 TRACER APP

LOCAL politicians are split on whether they will download the Federal Government’s anti-coronavirus app.

The smartphone app, which will use bluetooth to keep track of people each user has been in proximity to, and alert those close contacts in the event of a coronavirus diagnosis, has raised privacy concerns.

Premier Peter Gutwein said persuading enough people to download the app was critical to its success.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

6.30am: PILOT TESTS POSITIVE TWICE, DESPITE QUARANTINING

IT came as no shock to Qantas captain and Sydney-Hobart skipper Michael Crew when he tested positive for the coronavirus last month — what did shock him was testing positive a second time.

Mr Crew, 53, of Hobart, thought he was clear of the virus after a month in quarantine.

He was due for a lung capacity test on Monday in Perth, where he is based as an international airline pilot, but that was scrapped when the test to clear him of the virus came back positive.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

7.45pm, yesterday: ONLY ONE NEW CASE OF CORONAVIRUS CONFIRMED

Just one new case of coronavirus has been confirmed in Tasmania today, taking the state’s total to 201.

The new case is a North-West man aged in his 90s.

Director of Public Health Dr Mark Veitch confirmed the man was a patient at the North West Regional Hospital.

“A concerted effort is being made to identify any further cases of coronavirus in the North-West,” he said.

“Anyone who lives in the North-West who currently, or in the last few days has had respiratory symptoms like cough, sore throat, runny nose, or fever should arrange testing through the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 or their GP.”

The situation with coronavirus is changing frequently. People can stay up to date by visiting the Department of Health coronavirus website www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au or the Australian Government Department of Health website at www.health.gov.au. 

6pm, yesterday: PREMIER IN FAVOUR OF RETESTING POSITIVE CASES

PREMIER Peter Gutwein admits he has had “vigorous debate” with health officials about the merits of retesting positive coronavirus cases in Tasmania to clear them of the deadly disease.

Mr Gutwein indicated yesterday he was in favour of the concept — but said Public Health advice was that it did not need to occur.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE