What happened today, Wednesday 2 June
And with that, another hectic day of news comes to an end. Here’s everything that went down today:
- The lockdown will be extended for another seven days in Melbourne, with small changes to restrictions.
- Victoria recorded six new cases overnight, including a family that travelled through NSW.
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Regional Victorians will most likely see restrictions ease from Thursday – depending on the results over the next 24 hours.
- Another resident at Arcare Maidstone has tested positive for Covid-19, the aged care facility confirmed earlier today.
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Queensland is looking to prioritise aged care workers in a vaccination blitz similar to Victoria’s.
- South Australia’s chief public health officer defended a decision to give Collingwood an exemption to travel to Adelaide for this weekend’s AFL game.
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Labor accused the Coalition of handing Administrative Appeals Tribunal jobs to their ‘Liberal mates’.
For everyone in Victoria, here is the Guardian’s quick guide to exposure sites and to lockdown rules this time out. Wishing everyone in lockdown luck and strength.
Updated
Nurses and midwives across six hospitals in NSW today have taken industrial action in protest at staffing levels.
The nurses and midwives were on strike, after expressing frustrations at the NSW government’s refusal to improve staffing by implementing shift-by-shift ratios.
Staff are currently striking at Belmont hospital, the Mental Health Centre at Waratah and at Shoalhaven hospital.
Nurses and midwives at Bowral hospital in the Southern Highlands walked off the job for two hours. Blue Mountains District Hospital stopped work for one hour and closed beds to match available staffing levels, as did Springwood hospital.
NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association general secretary, Brett Holmes said that precautions were taken to ensure no one’s care was affected, and that such strikes are not taken up lightly.
Our members are exhausted and tired of feeling taken for granted.
This past year has exacerbated ongoing staffing issues and taken a heavy toll on many nurses and midwives.
Today’s actions indicate just how fed up nurses and midwives are with the current staffing shortfalls. They are constantly dealing with excessive overtime and unreasonable workloads.
Updated
Overcrowded Western Australian hospitals turning away patients
Patients in Western Australia’s overcrowded public hospitals are having surgeries postponed as the system grapples with “unprecedented” demand.
AAP has the story:
Premier Mark McGowan has announced elective procedures will be delayed indefinitely for category three and non-urgent category two patients.
“That’s very unfortunate but that’s something we’re going to have to do, at least for the short term to make sure we get through this difficult situation we face,” he told reporters on Wednesday.
“Hopefully it’s only a short period of time that we will look at slowing down some of that surgery.”
It comes after emergency departments at all but one of Perth’s hospitals were reported to be at capacity for consecutive days.
Ambulance ramping - where patients are forced to wait for more than 30 minutes before being handed over to emergency departments - also reached a daily record earlier this week.
“There is just massive numbers of people presenting at emergency departments,” Mr McGowan said.
“The advice is that it’s overwhelmingly mental health presentations that are causing a huge slowdown in the system. And that’s happening around Australia.”
Australian Medical Association WA president Andrew Miller said at one point on Tuesday, there were only 13 beds available for new patients across the entire Perth metropolitan area.
He renewed calls for the resignation of Health Minister Roger Cook, whose relationship with doctors and nurses has been strained by his handling of the death of Aishwarya Aswath at the Perth Children’s Hospital.
“It’s a system in crisis already and now we’re finding that people who need elective surgery ... are being delayed when there is no COVID,” he said.
Dr Miller said he had been told of people with broken arms and legs being sent home to wait until beds became available for their surgery.
“This is dangerous for people, it’s very demoralising for them, it’s quite damaging and likewise for the elective surgery patients,” he said.
Updated
Victoria’s opposition leader is calling for the government to reveal the health advice behind the extended lockdown.
Michael O’Brien says the decision to extend the lockdown today has taken Victoria from a “circuit-breaker to heart-breaker.”
It’s also going to go for more than seven days than the government has announced, because they’ve already said Melburnians won’t be able to travel for the Queen’s Birthday long weekend.
So it looks like we’re facing up for a lockdown until at least that Monday of the Queen’s Birthday weekend, and that’s a real concern.
Don’t underestimate how much damage this extra lockdown is going to do. Not just to our economy, but to people.
O’Brien welcomed the exclusion of regional Victoria from the extension, but said Melbourne needed a roadmap out of lockdown.
It’s not good enough to simply have a press conference. Victorians are seeing their lives turned upside down by this lockdown, and we need to see the health advice on which it’s based.
Earlier today, the Make Healing Happen: It’s Time To Act report was released and it called on the government to introduce a national reparations scheme to allow for healing for stolen generations survivors and their descendants.
.@HealingOurWay has released their #MakeHealingHappen report today. Important reading on the #StolenGenerations and their survivors this National Reconciliation Week.
— National Apology Foundation (@NationalApology) June 2, 2021
Read the report here: https://t.co/KAbJry9Canhttps://t.co/hkeYIlxg6J
The Healing Foundation CEO, Fiona Cornforth, spoke at the press club earlier, making an impassioned call for a national intergenerational healing strategy.
The removal of children creates cycles of intergenerational trauma which has not been widely acknowledged, let alone addressed or resolved.
Many stolen children have already passed on to the dreaming, without reparations for the harm they experienced – and for the effects on their descendants.
We must not delay justice for stolen generations.
Updated
Multiple activists have been arrested after protesters reportedly breached a major weapons and defence expo through an unlocked door.
AAP has the story:
There has been successive days of rallying at the Land Forces 2021 expo at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The three-day event, partly funded by the Queensland government, has 600 participants exhibiting and buying weapons, vehicles and communications, surveillance and training systems.
Police confirmed nine people had been arrested as of 3pm on Wednesday, however anti-war activists from Disrupt Land Forces said it was as many as 15.
A number of the group entered the expo through an unlocked side door to occupy a Rheinmetall tank, the group said in a statement.
One member who used a bike lock to chain themselves to the tank had been removed, they said.
“When it comes down to it, all the police and security measures of this convention couldn’t stop people getting and disrupting the conference. Land Forces is not about defence at all, it’s about corporate profits and selling weapons that make the world less safe,” spokesman Andy Paine said.
The group plans to continue the disruption as the event enters its final day.
In response to questions about a “heavy-handed” police response, Minister Mark Ryan said he would always back the state’s officers.
“Whilst we respect the right of people to protest, they’ve got to do it in a way that is respectful to others and respectful to our police,” he said.
If you want a short and sharp explainer on how exactly Australia bungled the vaccine rollout, look no further:
This daily infographic provides the total number of vaccine doses administered in Australia as of 1 June 2021. Stay up to date with #COVID19 vaccine information here: https://t.co/TUKfzVuGVm #COVID19vaccines #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/TNa3O2LjaD
— Australian Government Department of Health (@healthgovau) June 2, 2021
Arcare confirms second aged care resident has tested positive
Another resident at Arcare Maidstone has tested positive for Covid-19, the aged care facility has confirmed.
An email sent on Wednesday afternoon to the families of residents in the facility confirmed the resident would be transported to hospital. It is the second resident to test positive at the centre in Melbourne’s west, along with two workers.
“We are saddened to report that we have 1 additional client who has tested positive. This client will be transferred to hospital for public health reasons, coordinated by the Victorian Department of Health,” Arcare chief executive officer Colin Singh said in the email.
“As always, you will be contacted directly should your loved one return a positive result. We will update you on the remaining results tomorrow.”
Updated
And now Kristina Keneally is on the ABC’s Afternoon Briefing and is firing on all cylinders.
She said the PM is “quite frankly, lying” when he said the Halton review was fully implemented:
To hear the prime minister in question time say that they have fully implemented the Halton review, quite frankly he is lying. People are sick of a prime minister who blames everyone else, takes no responsibility.
They want the prime minister to fix it, just get on and fix it. We need the vaccine rolled out, a fit-for-purpose quarantine system, and some support going into Victoria as they face an extended lockdown.
Then, on whether the federal government should be in charge of quarantine, saying the Victorian lockdown was a result of Morrison’s “failure of leadership”:
Since day one, the commonwealth should have been a part of those decisions, integral to those decisions, should have been controlling borders and quarantine. That is what the constitution says, it is their job. As we know, Mr Morrison finds somebody else to blame and takes no responsibility.
This is a failure of leadership, and why the lockdown in Victoria sits at his feet. It is his failure, and Victorians going through the lockdown know that if we had national fit-for-purpose quarantine, if we had had an accelerated rollout of the vaccine, this is a lockdown they didn’t need to have.
Finally, on the vaccine rollout, Keneally says the government has “just given up” on vaccine targets:
They have abandoned all targets for vaccination rollout. So abjectly have they failed to meet the initial targets of getting all aged care residents vaccinated by Easter, of getting all disability care residents vaccinated, 4 million Australians vaccinated by the end of March. They have just given up.
Updated
David Coleman, assistant minister to the prime minister for mental health and suicide prevention, is currently on the ABC discussing the mental health concerns around Melbourne’s fourth lockdown.
Coleman was grilled by presenter Patricia Karvelas on the impacts financial support would have on people’s mental health, referring multiple times to a meeting between the PM, the treasurer and Victorian state ministers.
I think financial pressures are a part of mental health concerns, as are, you know, many other issues and the PM and treasurer have said they will discuss those issues further with Victoria but the provision of support to Victoria since Covid has been immense.
Karvelas tried multiple avenues to pin Coleman on the need for financial support to alleviate mental health concerns, but he continued to offer answers that refer to the overall health of the economy.
The federal government has not only provided direct support, the $45m, but it is also played a very important role in the success of the Australian economy which is, has helped many more Victorians to be in jobs which is hugely important.
In terms of the specifics of the current request, from Victoria, I’m not going to add to what the PM and treasurer have already said about that and they will be discussing that further with their colleagues down there.
Updated
Good afternoon, and a quick thanks once again to Amy Remeikis for her expert guidance today.
We’re still waiting on confirmation on whether a second aged care resident tested positive or not, but there is still much to get through, so let’s get stuck in.
Updated
We are still working on getting confirmation on reports a second aged care resident has tested positive for Covid at the Arcare Maidstone facility.
We should have information on that very soon.
In the meantime, I am going to leave you in the more than capable hands of Mostafa Rachwani to take you through the afternoon. I’ll be back tomorrow for more of ... well, everything.
Melbourne, I am so sorry that you received the news you did today. I know it doesn’t help, but we are all thinking of you, and hoping this ends very soon. We are also hoping that the Victorian and federal governments come to an agreement to support workers who have just lost another week of work. Given bills still need to be paid, and people need to eat, there needs to be some sort of support – and it needs to come soon.
Thank you for joining me today – please, as always, take care of you.
Updated
'Negligible risk': SA's Nicole Spurrier defends decision to allow Collingwood to travel to Adelaide
Here is why Collingwood is being allowed to travel for the game, despite the restrictions (via AAP):
South Australia’s chief public health officer has defended a decision to give Collingwood a COVID-19 exemption to travel to Adelaide for this weekend’s AFL game against the Adelaide Crows.
With Victorians banned from travelling across the border, Professor Nicola Spurrier said it was not her job to make moral judgements about the importance of football compared to other activities or requests for exemptions.
“My job is to make it as safe as possible,” she told reporters on Wednesday.
“I don’t think that this is risky. I think this is a negligible risk.”
As part of the exemption, a smaller than usual Collingwood contingent will travel to Adelaide, flying in and out on the same day on a charter plane.
A sterile corridor will also be established between the airport and Adelaide Oval.
Collingwood players have gone into quarantine with their families and must return a negative COVID-19 test before being allowed to play.
They must also sign a declaration that they have not visited any of the exposure sites in Melbourne.
Professor Spurrier said Collingwood and Crows players would also be required to have another virus test within 48 hours of the game and will be subject to restrictions on their movement until they return a negative result.
She said SA Health officials had worked hard with the AFL to mitigate any risks to the wider South Australian public.
She said it had not been deemed necessary to reduce the size of the crowd allowed at Saturday’s game.
The exemption had also been given following a review of the current situation in Melbourne with the outbreak standing at 60 cases.
Prof Spurrier said she did not consider the outbreak to be evidence yet of widespread community transmission.
“We have also had more experience of bringing people into this state and doing risk mitigation,” she said.
“Only those people who are essential to this game are being allowed to come. We’ve got it right down to the very minimum.”
Updated
Cue jokes about Collingwood not actually touching the ball either.
South Australians who go to the footy on the weekend have just been told to “duck” if the ball goes into the crowd - so as not to touch a ball the Collingwood players have touched. Oh dear. 🤦♀️
— Fiona Clark (@fionaclark_) June 2, 2021
Updated
From Mike Bowers to you:
‘Sure, but just switch it up a little so they don’t notice.’ Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
Updated
Reports of second aged care resident testing positive for Covid
We are seeking confirmation on this.
News
— Rafael Epstein (@Raf_Epstein) June 2, 2021
One new positive case at Arcare Maidstone..
Now two residents, presumed link to previous resident so a close contact testing positive.
Earlier female resident already in hospital (asymp), second case to be transferred today.
Updated
Defence developing new policy after Dutton criticises 'woke agenda'
AAP has a reporter watching defence estimates – here is some of what the hearing covered today:
Australia’s defence chiefs have ducked questions on the importance of inclusion in the military after introducing a ban on “woke” events.
Defence held morning teas earlier this year where staff wore rainbow clothing to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia.
Employees were encouraged to show support for LGBTI people by standing against prejudice and discrimination and demonstrating inclusion.
Defence deputy secretary Justine Greig could not say how many morning teas went ahead.
“We are a very large organisation and clearly it’s hard to know what activities are going on in any given place on any given day,” she told a Senate hearing on Wednesday.
“I don’t have particular information about what events proceeded or didn’t.”
Even still, defence minister, Peter Dutton, issued a stern directive days afterwards, ordering his department and serving military personnel to stop pursuing a “woke agenda”.
Mr Dutton demanded an end to events where personnel were encouraged to wear “particular clothes” in celebration, claiming they did nothing to build morale.
Defence secretary, Greg Moriarty, was the first to receive the ministerial direction.
“He let me know he wanted the department to concentrate on only acknowledging events that were directly related to government and defence objectives,” Mr Moriarty told the committee.
“We are in the process of developing policy to implement the minister’s direction.”
He and Chief of Defence Angus Campbell have since issued a note to all staff.
General Campbell struggled to define what constituted a “woke agenda”.
“The use of the word ‘woke’ varies with its user,” he said.
“I am focused on encouraging and seeking to model and ask others to model the values that drive a high performing organisation.”
General Campbell acknowledged it was important to show support.
“I’m a very strong believer defence should be an organisation that lives, acts and behaves based on its values of service, courage, respect, integrity and excellence,” he said.
“It’s about our values, and every time our values aren’t being lived, we are not being the most effective organisation we can be.”
Mr Moriarty also accepted inclusion was an important aim.
“It is important for us to remove barriers so defence can benefit from the contribution of all of our people regardless of gender, background or sexual orientation,” he said.
“We’re an organisation that is focused on inclusion, building people’s potential to best advance defence interests.
“I believe the department shows support for people through our values and behaviours.”
Mr Moriarty confirmed the Australian Defence Force would continue to participate in Mardi Gras parades, where participating personnel wear their standard military uniforms.
Updated
'Can't wait any longer': states prioritise aged care workers in vaccination blitz
For those who missed it this morning:
The Queensland government is reportedly planning a vaccination blitz on aged care workers to help make up for shortcomings in the federal program.
The Courier-Mail is reporting the state government is considering a similar blitz to that announced by the Victorian government this week.
The Victorian government’s five-day effort will put aged care workers at the front of the queue at its various state-run vaccination hubs.Health minister Yvette D’Ath told the Courier-Mail the state “can’t wait any longer”.
“I want all of our residential aged care and disability workers vaccinated urgently,” she said.
Updated
The house has gone into divisions – this will continue for the next 10 minutes or so, but the government has the numbers, which tends to make the outcome inevitable.
Updated
Scott Morrison ends question time, but Anthony Albanese jumps up in an attempt to suspend standing orders to debate this motion:
That the house, one, notes,
A, the Australian government is responsible for the funding and regulation of aged care.
B, more than one-third of aged care residents are yet to be fully vaccinated, with two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine.
C, the government does not know how many residential aged care staff have been vaccinated against Covid-19.
D, the aged care minister says he is “comfortable” with the pace of the vaccine rollout and the prime minister says vaccinating Australians is not a race.
E, the states have now been forced to step in to fix the prime minister’s bungled vaccine rollout in aged care and disability care.
F, the constitution provides the Australian government is responsible for quarantine, and
G, despite the fact there have been 21 breaches of hotel quarantine and the prime minister has had the Halton report since October last year, the prime minister has failed to establish a safe national quarantine system.
And two, therefore, we call on the prime minister to urgently fix his bungled vaccine rollout and establish a safe national quarantine system.
This prime minister won’t accept responsibility for anything! He said he doesn’t hold a hose ...
Peter Dutton approaches the dispatch box and very slowly says that leave is not granted, which Scott Morrison appears to find hilarious.
Updated
Keith Pitt is trying to turn putting something to a vote in caucus (you know, because Labor’s main difference as a political party is caucus gets a vote on policy) into Labor not supporting a policy.
It’s over the Beetaloo basin gas project, which Labor voted to support, despite push back from members of the caucus, because not supporting resource sector projects in this country is akin to political suicide at the moment, despite the climate consequences (and whether it even makes economic sense)
There is a reason my eye twitch is back.
Was this a record? In Question Time today the PM used the term ‘Mr. Speaker’ 23 times in one answer.
— Derryn Hinch (@HumanHeadline) June 2, 2021
Updated
Labor pursues Morrison over vaccinations
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:
I ask, does the prime minister take any responsibility for the ongoing lockdown in Victoria?
Morrison:
Mr Speaker, as the leader of the opposition would be fully aware, the decisions to implement lockdowns in states and territories around the country are solely and totally the responsibility of state and territory governments. Solely and totally, Mr Speaker.
The commonwealth government is not part of the decision-making process.
They are made by state governments, in this case, the Victorian state government, Mr Speaker.
But despite that, the commonwealth government seeks to work closely with the state government, Mr Speaker, as we have been doing, particularly in relation to the extension of further support through the ADF, to support the measures they have requested, and I am having further discussions with the acting premier this evening, as the treasurer is having with the treasurer in Victoria, Mr Speaker.
But lockdowns in states are decisions of state and territory governments, Mr Speaker, that, Mr Speaker, is a responsibility that the states and territories have jealously guarded over the course of the pandemic, Mr Speaker, and that is their responsibility and they are making those decisions and taking those responsibilities, Mr Speaker.
Updated
Angus Taylor is told to get to the alternative policies he is alluding to, and “not giving us, you know, another clip that he has read in the newspaper” by Tony Smith.
Updated
Richard Marles to Scott Morrison:
Does the prime minister understand that Victorians are dealing with the impact of an extended lockdown, including the closure of schools, disruption to small businesses without jobkeeper, concerned about loved ones in aged care and ongoing mental health impacts.
Wouldn’t this have been avoided if instead of insisting it is not a race, he simply would have done his job.
Why should Victorians be punished for your negligence?
Morrison:
I have greater faith in the people of Victoria than what is been suggested by the assertions by the member. Australians understand, whether they are in Victoria or anywhere else, that we are combating a virus that is insidious.
... They understand the job of the government is to do two things, save lives and livelihoods.
In this country, Mr Speaker... ‘when is it going to start?’ I’ll remind the [member] that in this country, had we had the same death rate from Covid as the average rate in the OECD more than 30,000 people would have lost their lives here in this country, Mr Speaker, that is not what occurred in this country.
It has been our job to save livelihoods as well and as the national employment figures explained today, there are more people at work today than they were before the pandemic and those opposites, the Labor party might seek to undermine the Government ‘s efforts and top-down Australia but I know is Victorians face this challenge and able face it with the same strength and resilience as all Australians have all around this country and this government will continue to provide support,
Mr Speaker, as we had in the past and as we continue to do even now. Emergency cash assistance, jobseeker payments, the relaxation of the work activity test and the income arrangements that apply to these payments and waiting lists provided and I’m speaking further again today to the state governments.
Those opposition may use the pandemic to their political purposes but we will continue doing our job of saving Australian lives and livelihoods.
Updated
You know we are in an election year because the home affairs minister (it’s Karen Andrews in case you had forgotten. It’s easy to do) is talking about boat turn backs.
Peter Dutton starts his (almost daily) how safe are you? dixer (the answer being ‘very but just IMAGINE how bad things would be under Labor’) and gets into trouble with Tony Smith for using the dixer to attack Labor.
Dutton:
... we know that Labor withdrew $18bn from the defence force when they were last in government because they lost control of the borders and needed to put money into that policy failure. I am asked about alternative politics ...
As the Australian public knows, right through the course of the way we have responded to the pandemic and the economic recovery, this individual, this leader of the opposition, has sought to undermine outstanding of our country from day one when it comes to the vaccine rollout.
Smith:
The minister for defence will resume his seat. I would like to invite the leader of the opposition to resume his seat at this point and point out, as I did, in the last few question times that when ministers are asked about alternative approaches that really is a way in the standing orders to talk about alternative policies.
In fact, the standing orders make clear that questions cannot ask directly about opposition policy which is why that tag phrase has existed for a very long time.
Just because you asked about alternative approaches does not mean you can embark on character assessment.
You’re going to have to find an alternative that is relevant to the question asked. It is not curtailing debate, there are other forms of the house for exactly the approach the minister was taking but they are not open in question time if it is not relevant to the question.
Dutton tries again:
I am coming to the Labor policy right now and the policy in relation to defence is missing on display by the leader of opposition today is not in our national interest.
At a time when our partners are coming together and understand the intelligence and threats within our region, the leader of the opposition is seeking to undermine the position ... That is the Labor policy ...
Smith:
No, the minister will not argue with me. Members on my left, particularly behind the front bench are assisting no one.
The minister has asked if there are alternative approaches. He needs to say what they are, not state what they are and what the consequences are.
If you asked about alternative approaches on policy, you at least can state what they. I do not think that is an overly stringent requirement.
Dutton:
The leader of the opposition is enunciating a policy of the Labor party at the moment which is an alternative policy in contrast to the government policy that is, we are standing up for our country’s interest – you are not!
Smith:
I have just asked the minister to pause for the second time. I think I have made my ruling clear. If the minister wants to say what he is saying, he cannot do it in response to this question and we can do this the long way or the short way but he really can’t.
Let me be really clear about it. If you want to launch this sort of character attack he is doing, I have tightened up on these, and have made it very clear, and other ministers have given very robust answers by saying, this is the alternative approach, this is the alternative policy. If you want to go down the path he is going, he really has to use another form of the house.
Dutton tries to salvage some of his answer, but it’s like watching a robot malfunction.
Updated
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:
My question as to the prime minister, who has had the Halton report since October last year. That is eight long months in the life of this eight-year-old government, and today Jane Halton said the government should, to quote her, ‘be getting on with expanded national quarantine centres as a priority’.
With 21 breaches of the hotel quarantine system, why does the prime minister still say that building a safe national quarantine system is not a race?
Morrison:
Mr Speaker, first of all, the quote that the leader of the opposition suggested there is just completely false.
I have never said that, Mr Speaker, about quarantine facilities, at all, Mr Speaker. I have not said that.
The leader of the opposition comes to the dispatch box and basically tells complete untruths and misrepresents what I have said, Mr Speaker.
I have never referred to quarantine facilities in that context at all, Mr Speaker.
I haven’t said that at all. Mr Speaker, that goes to the character of the Leader of the Opposition and it goes to the way he comes to the dispatch box and puts these issues in public domain.
Albanese:
On relevance, it is a very clear question about why this prime minister has not responded to the Halton report, eight long months of the recommendations ...
Tony Smith:
It is not an opportunity to restate the question. The prime minister is entitled to respond to the subject matter and the question, as he has done, and I think he is doing that with the last part of the question.
Obviously he is entitled to do that, and it was a long question, taking the full 40 seconds. So he is certainly in order.
Morrison:
The recommendations of the Halton report said ‘The Australian government should consider a national facility for wanting to be used for emergency situations, emergency evacuation or urgent scalability’.
The government has adopted this recommendation and implemented it, Mr Speaker, at Howard Springs, with a 2,000 bed facility, at a cost of $500m, Mr Speaker.
And the 2000 bed capacity is available now in the Northern Territory, Mr Speaker.
It is available now, despite, despite, despite the assertions made by the leader of the opposition to misrepresent the facts when it comes to these issues, Mr Speaker.
The recommendations of the Halton report have been fully adopted, Mr Speaker, by the government, and implemented Mr Speaker.
And now, Mr Speaker, we are going further in receipt of the proposal by the Victorian government, which we are very, very close to, Mr Speaker, coming to a position which will enable us to go forward with a facility, Mr Speaker.
I will be speaking further to the acting premier this evening, as part of a regular dialogue we have, addressing the issues in Victoria at the moment, and we are moving forward on that issue as well.
Mr Speaker, the Labor party leader of the opposition are engaged in a daily exercise of undermining the pandemic response of this government, Mr Speaker.
This has been their approach all the way through this pandemic, all the way through this pandemic. This is a Labor party, a leader of the opposition, that Australia cannot rely on, Mr Speaker ...
Smith:
I was about to say to the prime minister, while he was entitled to start to respond to what was a direct accusation, I allowed him to do that, he now needs to remain relevant to the question if he wishes to give a character assessment of those opposite, there are many ways in which he can do that, but not in answer to this question ... the prime minister has concluded.
Updated
While we make our way through these never ending dixers, here is some of how Mike Bowers has seen the day:
Updated
For the record though, you can question a roll out, without questioning the vaccine.
Scott Morrison has turned a question on the slow roll out of vaccines in disability care from Bill Shorten into an attack on the Labor party for undermining the effectiveness of a single vaccine
The transcription service is down, but you can see where this is going – now that the vaccine roll out is starting to bite the federal government, and people are paying attention, Morrison and the government will try and shift any criticism over to Labor for not supporting the program.
All the dixers have been on the economy, given the GDP figures, in case anyone was wondering.
Andrew Giles to Scott Morrison:
Rory is a 42-year-old with autism. He is non-verbal and has complex dental health issues. He lives in disability group accommodation in my electorate.
Rory and everyone in his group are scared because they are not vaccinated and protected against Covid.
The government should be racing to vaccinate people in disability care so why hasn’t the prime minister done his job?
Morrison:
The government continues with various agencies to support the various platforms they have to distribute the vaccine through the national vaccination strategy which includes the work we do with the states and territories which is part of the plan that was agreed with back in April that’s a greater role for the states and to provide more platforms and more points of access for the vaccination program to reach all Australians, particularly the most vulnerable Australians.
There have been more than 10,000 doses now and more than 7,000 people have been vaccinated, around 25% of people in residential care have been vaccinated and that is towards the end of last month, the 29 May.
The commonwealth and in-reach vaccination program will reach accommodation sites in Victoria to vaccine vulnerable citizens.
The first of these hubs ... was established the week before last and has vaccinated more than 120 people a day.
Of the broader population, 35,000 participants had been vaccinated on the most recent information I have on the 29 May. We will continue to roll out these programs to the most vulnerable Australians.
Particularly those living with disability. One of Australia’s greatest successes during the course of Covid-19 has been that we have been able to avoid the situation where people with disabilities and, in particular those in remote Aboriginal communities, we have been able to avoid Covid-19, having high levels of infection rates in those communities and that is a great credit to those who work with people with disabilities, their carers, those who are working in those residential facilities and the control facilities put in place. We will continue to roll out that vaccination is quickly and safely as possible.
Updated
The current deputy prime minister is doing his approximation of someone who knows what he is talking about, and I have to say, after all his time in the role, it still needs a lot of practice
Bob Katter just Kattered his way through a question, which almost failed to launch when he forgot which minister he was directing it to.
Kate Thwaites to Greg Hunt:
At an age facility in my electorate staff were notified they were to be given an injection by a contractor just minutes after, the vaccinations were cancelled at the facility as it was not considered to be a sufficient risk.
Why when aged care workers were not vaccinated did the prime minister say it is not a race?
Hunt:
I would be pleased to receive the details. However, we would be very much keen to receive the details to understand the circumstances and to ensure that the details are available. In relation to aged care workers, at this point in time, over 40,000 workers, 17.3% of commonwealth aged care workers have received doses.
Of those 44,390 have received second doses so there is a significant program and for additional channels available for those workers.
The first, of course, is in relation to the general practice reach program and the second to the ability to be vaccinated at general practices, the third is in relation to the ability to be vaccinated at commonwealth GP respiratory clinics or commonwealth clinics, fourth is in relation to state and territory Pfizer clinics and that was a decision of the national cabinet. I believe, prime minister, on the 22 April, adopted by the majority of states and territories and one has added to that in the last 24 hours.
And finally the reach program which has seen well over 70,000 vaccination programs. If the details can be provided, we would be happy to follow up and respond.
Updated
Catherine King to Greg Hunt:
At an aged care home in my electorate, five residents missed out on their first dose of Covid vaccine because federal government contractors arrived without enough doses. The residents were told to go to a GP clinic to get them, but the residents are frail and immobile.
Why is the government telling people who are frail and immobile to find their way to a local GP clinic for their vaccine?
Hunt:
I would be pleased and grateful to receive the details of the facility, in particular, what we know that across Victoria, all facilities have received a first dose.
We currently have 50 in-reach clinics which are being conducted this week for any facilities where there are residents who have, within that facility, not received a first dose, we would be very happy, as we are right through all of these, to ensure that those residents are scheduled.
I cannot speak for what was said to them at the time, I can say that our program is to ensure that there is, in reach, over and above that which has already occurred, 100% of commonwealth residential aged care facilities within Victoria have received a first dose, and so we now currently have the next phase, but of delivering the second doses to all facilities, and if they do not receive a dose on the first round, they would be entitled to receive it ... they would be entitled to receive it on the second, and if that is not the case, there is also the additional program, which is in relation to the outcome of the roving clinics which are being provided. There are 50 such mobile clinics which are occurring inside facilities on my advice this week.
Updated
Mark Dreyfus accuses Coalition of handing AAT jobs to 'Liberal mates'
Labor has asked the auditor general to probe payments to members of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal after alleging Liberal-linked, part-time members are getting tens of thousands of dollars more than their full-time counterparts.
Shadow attorney general Mark Dreyfus used a speech to parliament on Tuesday to allege that 79 AAT jobs had been handed to “Liberal mates”.
“That’s at least 79 former Liberal party staffers, failed Liberal party candidates, and Liberal party donors and members who have been given secure and very highly remunerated jobs on the tribunal,” Dreyfus said.
“And for many of them, their only qualification seems to be a Liberal party membership card.”
He said in some cases, the newly-appointed members were doing no work or “very little work”, finalising fewer than 25 applications a year, despite a significant backlog in the AAT.
Some part-time members, he said, were being paid “tens of thousands more” than their full-time counterparts.
He revealed Labor has asked the auditor general to examine the remuneration system used to pay AAT members.
“Let me be clear, membership of a political party is not a disqualification for appointment to the administrative appeals tribunal,” he said.
“But the Morrison government has been treating membership of the Liberal party as the only qualification for appointment.”
Dreyfus said Liberal-aligned lobbyists had been employed on the AAT while still working for lobbying companies. That posed a significant conflict of interest, he said, given AAT members were required to review government decisions, and lobbyists were employed to influence government decisions.
“This government is so shameless and so lacking in integrity that it has even appointed Liberal-aligned lobbyists to the tribunal.”
“There could hardly be a more flagrant conflict.”
Updated
Question time begins
Peta Murphy to Scott Morrison:
Marion called my office furious when she heard the prime minister say the vaccination rollout was not a race. For Marion, it is a race. It is a race to see her husband again in aged care. It is a race to protect herself after her battle with breast cancer.
Why has the prime minister failed Australians like Marion with his vaccine rollout?
Morrison:
I would be very pleased to receive further details so we can extend our care and support to the constituent that you have referred to, as she particularly is facing these difficult days ahead with her treatment, as cancer sufferers around the country, Mr Speaker, this is a very difficult time no doubt for them, and as these other issues have been impacting the nation I can understand how that can add further distress, Mr Speaker.
It is very important to move as quickly as we possibly can as effectively and safely as we can to vaccinate as many Australians as possible, Mr Speaker. As quickly as possible. That is [what] our health advisers have said also.
Mr Speaker, today we received the news that over 700,000 Australians have been vaccinated in the past week. Over 130,000 Australians in one day, Mr Speaker. They are record numbers again. Mr Speaker, in because of the past month, the rate of vaccinations in this country among eligible Australians has increased by over 100% Mr Speaker.
It has doubled, it has doubled in the course of the past month; 2 million and a further 66 days, Mr Speaker, a further 2 million in the next 30 days.
The changes that were introduced, as I do National Cabinet together, Mr Speaker, back in April, to put the plan in place that ensured we increase the vaccination rates in this country has been affect, because we have seen vaccination rates double, Mr Speaker, over the course of the past month.
Now, Mr Speaker, Mr Speaker, it is important for all Australians to roll up their sleeves on this project, Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker ...
Meryl Swanson is booted out of the chamber with this rebuke from Tony Smith:
I asked the member for Patterson to leave under standing order 94A, on her way out, she interjected yet again. Does she know that is highly disorderly and usually results in a naming? Does the member for Paterson wish to apologise to the house?
Swanson:
I apologise, Mr Speaker, wholeheartedly.
Smith:
You can now leave under 94A. That is the last time I will do that. I am very happy in question time, if this arises again, to explain the practice and to explain how I have been lenient on that occasion. I have done that, so as not to disturb question time for the vast bulk of members who are not interjecting, but I will have no choice if members think they can backchat the chair on the way out. It is not going to happen. It is disrespectful to the rest of you, and it is unbecoming of an elected member of parliament. The prime minister has the call.
Morrison:
So we must move forward effectively and quickly and safely, Mr Speaker. The remarks I made on this matter back in March, Mr Speaker, reflected the remarks made by Queensland Health when they said on March 3, this is not a race. The AMA president, on April 10, it is not a race to the finish line, Mr Speaker. And by Professor Murphy. Professor Murphy, Mr Speaker, with whom I wholeheartedly agree, Mr Speaker, he made further comments yesterday which I also agree with. So Mr Speaker, rather than the opposition getting into arguments about words, Mr Speaker, perhaps they would like to support the government ...
(these comments were about the TGA approvals)
Tony Burke intejects:
On direct relevance, Mr Speaker, this is about a woman wanting to be able to see her husband again, he was a cancer survivor, and for that to be ridiculed as being an objection about words is offensive and irrelevant to the question that was asked.
Morrison:
I reject what the member, in coming to the dispatch box ... I was referring to the comments about a race, Mr Speaker. I already extended my great sympathies, Mr Speaker, to the constituent in question, as the member should know.
Mr Speaker, the opposition can continue to play politics with the vaccination program or they can support the national effort. Over the course of this pandemic, Mr Speaker, the opposition has sought to play politics with the pandemic, and they should be ashamed of themselves.
Updated
Then we get a couple of questions on house prices, given that children will not be able to afford to buy houses in the areas they grew up in.
Josh Frydenberg:
Again, we have seen a rise in housing prices, but I think that the measures that we have introduced will enable more first homebuyers to get in the market.
Obviously there is both a supply and demand side to this equation. We don’t have the lead as much about supplies much of the states do, in terms of land release.
But yes, house prices have got up, but as you would know, household asset tended to be around five times household debt, so Australians have a capacity to meet these higher obligations, with interest rates at historic lows, we also see more people get into the housing market for the first time.
So will the federal government provide assistance to Victoria, given the lockdown has been extended?
Josh Frydenberg:
I want to speak to the Treasurer first, I want to understand what his plans are for support through the state, he has already announced his first package, our health officials wanted to understand the various reasons and that the thinking behind it because in the snippets that I have seen, some students I go back to school, but not all of the students go back to school, but I tell you is a Victorian, it has been devastating for our state.
If you take the period, since the end of that first national lockdown, I know it will be longer after today’s announcement, but Victorians have been subject to 140 days of lockdowns, if you take stage III and stage IV, whereas the average across the other states is just six days.
And that is an incredible contrast. To know that in New South Wales, as I understand it the students have not been at school for, I think it was 29 days, and Victoria some students have not been in school for 21 week.
This has been a terrible time in Victoria over the course of this pandemic, much more so in terms of what Victorians have gone through that other states.
So I will listen to Tim Pallas, the Prime Minister will speak to James Merlino, and our officials will talk, and we will consider what they say.
Josh Frydenberg is asked about the new variants of the virus changing the situation and says:
The assumptions [in the budget] were based on the new information we had at the time, and they are again assumptions not policy decisions of government, but the [Kappa] variant, or indeed the lockdown into Victoria more broadly, does remind us of the challenges that we face.
I note the prime minister and others were heavily criticised at the time that they took a very cautious approach to Australians coming back from India* given the situation over there, and the variant of that virus.
This is a very difficult time, we’re still in the middle of pandemic, there is no, despite the strong national account numbers today, there is no reason for anyone to become complacent about our economic recovery.
But the budget was predicated on the fact that there would be further outbreaks, and we have seen those outbreaks.
*The prime minister and government was criticised for banning Australians from returning home from India, because no plans had been enacted to ensure we could deal with these sorts of cases. The vaccine roll out is delayed, and hotel quarantine is not up to withstanding outbreaks from more contagious variants of the virus.
Updated
Josh Frydenberg, who is holding a press conference to speak about the GDP numbers Paul Karp updated you on earlier, is of course, asked about whether there will be support for Victorian workers and (after a long spiel on the previous support offered through jobkeeper) says:
What we need to think about obviously, given the pandemic is still with us, is how we approach this on a national basis.
It is not about Victoria, or individual cases, it is about on a national basis, and we will stick to our principles, namely, our approaches will continue to be national, sustainable, where support is offered it is through existing systems, those principles have served us well, from the start of this crisis, and they will continue to serve us well.
I want you to understand that with Victoria, I will be speaking to the treasurer, I will hear him out, our position with respect to the first week of the lockdown was based on the view that with a short lockdown a state has the capacity to respond as they announced.
That the budget anticipated that there would be lockdowns, further lockdowns. I will speak to Tim Pallas later today, I have got question time in a few minutes, and will consider his request.
Updated
And now we are rolling into question time.
Honestly, this calls for chocolate for lunch as well. Haighs if you have it (I do not).
Updated
Wastewater in the areas of concern in NSW have seen an increase of testing – so far, there has been no Covid found.
Updated
NSW press conference
NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant has an update on the advice for NSW residents who may have visited an exposure site after a Melbourne family traveling through the state tested positive for covid (those who had checked in through QR codes at the venues have already been contacted).
We’ve currently put a stop-and-stay – an isolate until you get tested and await advice.
That’s because, at the moment, the family of this member has also tested positive.
We are working with our colleagues in Victoria to determine the onset.
If this individual was the source for those individuals, they were not infectious when they were in New South Wales.
If the reverse is the case then that may take back the exposure period into New South Wales. We are working through that with our colleagues, can I thank my colleagues in Victoria with close interaction with working through this case.
... Clearly the situation in Victoria continues to evolve, and it does highlight the fact that we need people to come forward for testing.
It is critical, particularly if you have been in those general areas of that case, but also across New South Wales.
It is critical to get tested.
Updated
Victoria’s construction industry has called for federal help to pay the wages of workers who are at risk of losing their jobs during Melbourne’s newly-extended lockdown, increasing the pressure on the Morrison government to financially assist the state.
In a statement, Master Builders Victoria, which represents construction employers, said it welcomed new guidelines that allow some smaller builders to resume work.
Bigger sites, which have detailed plans to deal with Covid, didn’t stop when the lockdown was first announced last week, but work was barred on some smaller ones.
MBV said new rules announced by the Victorian government today would allow work to resume on activities that were previously banned, including building pools and decks, doing outdoor maintenance and installing solar panels.
“However, our thoughts and efforts are focused on small scale construction including those mum and dad builders and tradespeople with stalled indoor renovations projects who are still not permitted to work – including in regional Victoria,” MBV said.
“These small businesses are the lifeblood of the Victorian economy and have received no financial support, which is now vital – especially since the JobKeeper program ceased operating. We hope that the Federal Government will consider supporting these workers’ wages during their time of need.
“We know our members are doing everything they can to keep people employed – including apprentices - but many cannot hold on for much longer – some not even during the next 7 days of lockdown.”
Updated
Victorian press conference wrap up
So what did we learn in that 90 minutes?
Six new cases, including a family who travelled through regional NSW. How they contracted the virus is yet to be determined.
The lockdown will be extended for another seven days in Melbourne, with a slight easing on how far you can travel for shopping and exercise (10km) and a few more outdoor jobs added to the approved list.
Regional Victorians will most likely see restrictions ease from Thursday – depending on the results over the next 24 hours
Year 11 and Year 12 students will return to face-to-face teaching. Masks must be worn.
Victoria has announced a further $209m to its $250m assistant packages for business and industry.
Victoria is strongly calling on the federal government to step up with wage subsidies for workers.
Melbourne residents will not be able to travel to regional Victoria for the coming long weekend. Regional Victorian businesses will be asked to the check the ID of any patron
Updated
James Merlino finishes the press conference with this:
My summing up for all Victorians, for Melburnians, is that Victorians know that we can get through this. And Victorians also know that the only option available to all of us – whether it’s governments, whether it’s individuals – is that we all follow the advice of our public health experts.
That is our path out of this. It does mean, for a period longer, there will be the lockdown and the five reasons to leave home.
But at the end of this next period of seven days, we will be in a position - we expect to be in a position - where we can announce further easings for Melbourne.
We can get through this. But the alternative cannot be considered.
We live in a world where only 2% of our population is fully vaccinated.
Where only 2 out of 10 people have received their first jab. We can’t let this get out of control. We’ve got to drive this down, because that is what will save Victorians, keep us safe, and ensure that lives are not lost.
Updated
What if you have travelled to regional Victoria for the lockdown – moved to a second residence, or have permission to be there, but your ID says Melbourne?
James Merlino:
The ID either shows you should be in Melbourne, not regional Victoria.
Or, if you are from Melbourne and in regional Victoria for a legitimate reason, you’ve got the utility bill at your holiday house, you’ve got the receipt from the accommodation in terms of where you’re staying.
It’s very easy for people to show businesses, “I’m in regional Victoria appropriately and not in contravention of the rules that are in place.”
Updated
James Merlino on how regional Victorian businesses are supposed to police whether their customers should be there or not:
If it’s clear that the person who’s coming into the cafe or restaurant shouldn’t be in regional Victoria, then the expectation that we have on those businesses is that those people are not served, and quite clearly told, you know, it’s not appropriate. We want to support businesses doing this.
We know this is an imposition on staff and on businesses, but we think for very, very good reasons. You know, if it’s not followed, then there are fines that may be placed.
But I think this sends a very simple message to businesses. Simple message to all Victorians. If you shouldn’t be in regional Victoria, don’t go there. And you may be pulled over by the police asking why you’re in regional Victoria.
You may be asked at a business when you’re asking to be served, ‘should you be in regional Victoria?’
I think this is going to be a critical thing. And frankly, supported by people in regional Victoria. Regional Victorians don’t want the virus to spread into regional Victorians, and we think this is an easy thing for people to do.
Why has the 5km exercise and shopping limit been extended to 10km?
Brett Sutton:
Extending the 5km radius to 10km is really a reflection of some of the feedback through last year that people look to have exercise sometimes in areas beyond that 5km that is safer for them, or that is in an area where it’s more appropriate for them to exercise.
There are some significantly built-up areas in the suburbs, and that 10km – for retail purposes, where permitted for food and for exercise – is just a little bit easier.
It doesn’t make a world of difference. I totally recognise that. But for some people, it is the difference between exercising in a place that they feel is safer than would otherwise be the case.
Updated
If you are approved to travel from Melbourne to regional Victoria for work, your restrictions travel with you – so no dining out.
Updated
What is the best case scenario for Melbourne in a week’s time?
Brett Sutton:
I haven’t put my mind to it. I don’t expect that we’ll get zero cases for the next week. We will look at the data every day.
If there is no transmission whatsoever, if there are no new exposures, if there are no new cases, that will be – that will put us in a really good position to ease substantially, with the recognition that there will still be thousands of people who need to finish their incubation period who could still become cases, that there still might be unknown chains of transmission who haven’t stepped up and gotten tested.
I know we’re not some of those countries with very substantial transmission, but Taiwan – not a lower-middle income country, a pretty developed country, probably got complacent about where they were at.
They are facing 10 to 15 deaths per day, 300 new cases per day, from nothing. So we have to bear in mind that we’re not a special case in Victoria. This is a virus that could take off anywhere in the world.
Updated
Brett Sutton on the mental health impact of the lockdowns:
As I’ve just said, we are so acutely aware of that dilemma.
The choice about extending a lockdown now is about avoiding even worse consequences down the track. Because transmission is too substantial. It gets ahead of us in terms of the case numbers or the number of close contacts.
Those harms are so acutely known to us. But you only have – again, you have to look around the world to see what’s happened when it’s escaped, where transmission just continues with huge numbers affected, and lockdowns that never really ease off, where businesses close for months and months on end and people are isolated from their loved ones, air for their friends, for weeks and weeks on end because transmission continues.
It’s an awful dilemma but, as I say, the dozen countries that had no community transmission for a year and were living life freely are now in lockdown and seeing thousands and thousands of cases. And for some – like Thailand – they will not get back to being free of community transmission.
So they’ve got, you know, those tough choices about how their communities are affected for months and months from now. We don’t want to have to face that dilemma in Victoria.
Updated
On supply of the vaccine, Brett Sutton says:
You’d have to go to the commonwealth in terms of what the production capacity is for AstraZeneca at the moment.
It might be close to 1 million now. A huge number of those are going to GPs. So people should shop around for their vaccine, book for the GPs who are providing it.
You may well get a booking in advance of the mass vaccination centres from the state. So look around and look for something nearby.
But the AstraZeneca doses – some are held in reserve. Half for that second dose. Same with Pfizer. And a lot are going to GPs. So it’s not all about the allocation to state mass vaccination centres.
Updated
Limited supply hampering vaccination of 'millions of people', Brett Sutton says
When is Victoria getting an online booking system for vaccines, given the phone has been clogged since the program was opened up to 40-49 year-olds?
Brett Sutton:
I appreciate the frustration of people who are really keen to get vaccinated.
It’s fantastic to see people so keen to get vaccinated.
There are limits. Supply is one of them.
With hundreds of thousands of people – millions of people have actually called the hotline over the last week.
That’s a terrific sign that most of Victoria’s ready to get vaccinated tomorrow if they could. There are about 71,000 Pfizer vaccines a week being supplied.
That is not expected to increase in the immediate future. That’s a constraint. We will get through that supply on current use.
But we can’t step up more than that with that current supply. AstraZeneca supply is less than that.
But we know that the second dose for AstraZeneca will be coming online, if you like, for a lot of people in coming weeks.
So we’ll need to step up the numbers of vaccines with AstraZeneca we give in coming days.
We’ve got constraints at the moment, but the call centre could have 10,000 people on, and there’d still be more calls, given the demand at the moment.
So, please be patient, I would say. If you can’t get it today, check back in in a week’s time. Everyone will get a chance over a period of time, and we’ll be in a better place for it.
In terms of the online portal – we are working through testing. We want to make sure that it works perfectly well when it comes on.
But it’s not going to create spots that aren’t there already at the moment. We’ve got pretty full bookings through the call centre. We’ve got full bookings as people walk in and queue up very patiently as well.
So for a lot of people, it’ll just be a case of being patient, waiting for that supply to increase in coming weeks, and getting a vaccine when the chance comes.
Updated
What are the missing links in the Victorian outbreak?
Jeroen Weimar:
At this point in time, yesterday, we had two links that we were continuing to explore – the link between our original Victorian alert originally came out of South Australian hotel quarantine.
We’re still investigating that link into the main outbreak. We’re still investigating the exact link between the two staff members and the resident at the aged care facility into the rest of the outbreak. Now, of course, we have our mystery case – the family of four Victorians who have just returned from New South Wales.
We’re of course trying to identify what their connections have been.
We expect to get genomics, as Brett [Sutton] has said, hopefully late tonight or tomorrow morning. That, of course, will help us to tie into the wider outbreak, and we’ll continue to work around contact tracing for that family.
Updated
Melbourne's Rising arts festival cancelled for second year
Melbourne’s Rising arts festival has canned its entire program for the second year in a row, in the wake of Victoria’s extended Covid-19 lockdown.
Festival organisers hit the pause button on all events on 27 May, just one day after opening, as Victoria prepared to enter the first stage of yet another lockdown.
Just after midday on Tuesday, Rising’s co-artistic directors Hannah Fox and Gideon Obarzanek made the decision to throw the towel in, promising refunds for all ticket-holders.
The extended quarantine is also threatening Tasmania’s Dark Mofo festival, which is due to open on 16 June and involves an undisclosed number of Victorian artists.
On 28 May, Dark Mofo organisers announced they would extend the delay of ticket sales until further notice.
On Tuesday a spokesperson said the festival was monitoring the situation in Victoria closely but, at this stage, it would still go ahead. At the time of publication, online ticketing services for Dark Mofo had not been reactivated.
Updated
What is to stop Melbourne residents from going to regional Victoria next Friday, ahead of the long weekend (given there will be no ‘ring of steel’ containment, and instead police will just be doing spot checks and patrols)?
James Merlino:
I think Victorians are overwhelmingly doing the right thing. That’s what we have seen throughout last year. It’s the reason why we defeated the second wave.
So Victorians - whether they live and work in Melbourne or in regional Victoria - Victorians will do the right thing.
We’ve also outlined, as part of these new settings, that businesses in regional Victoria will be required to check the ID of patrons coming into a cafe, restaurant, other settings, to make sure that they are able to be in regional Victoria - either because that’s the period in which they’re staying in regional Victoria at a holiday house, or in accommodation. The combination of businesses checking ID and very prominent patrols 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and spot-checks by Victoria Police, as well as Victorians doing the right thing - we think this is the best approach.
Updated
Things move very swiftly, but at this stage, the federal government doesn’t look like budging.
#COVID19Vic Finance Minister @Birmo indicates any financial support for Vic workers will likely be left up to the State Government to provide. @10NewsFirst #auspol pic.twitter.com/HV1oYN0KQT
— Tegan George (@tegangeorge) June 2, 2021
Updated
Victoria’s council of social service has responded with a pretty quick statement:
Another seven days in lockdown. 😕
— VCOSS (@VCOSS) June 2, 2021
The Federal Government now must now step up and provide emergency support.
Our full statement: 👇👇👇 pic.twitter.com/qJACMhgmXB
What will the restrictions look like on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend?
James Merlino:
The advice is based on the advice that we get from Professor Sutton and the public health team. It is a day by day assessment.
We expected to be in a position in seven days’ time to ease restrictions in Melbourne. We expect to be in a position in seven days’ time to further ease restrictions in regional Victoria.
But it is fair to say and I want to be absolutely upfront with the people of Victoria today that they will continue to be different settings between metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria for a period of time and that will, unfortunately, include the long weekend of the Queen’s Birthday.
... We will have more to say once we get towards the end of this period, this additional seven-day period of the lockdown for Melbourne, in terms of what the easing of restrictions for Melburnians look like and what will be the settings.
But I want to be clear today that it will include a difference in settings between metro Melbourne and regional Victoria, that you will not be able to travel.
So how that is expressed in terms of distance from home, we will have more to say about that towards the end of this next period of lockdown.
Updated
Should the national cabinet just decide on an automatic threshold for when assistance kicks in?
James Merlino:
That is a good question. Our immediate proposal, what we are putting forward to the federal government is a jobkeeper-style support for workers during this period of lockdown.
The question of whether we need a more standing support package available in the event of other lockdowns in other parts of the country or, indeed, in Victoria, that would be a decision of national cabinet but the immediate ask, the clear ask, the demand [from] Victorian workers and Victorian businesses is that the federal government step up to its responsibility in terms of wage subsidies alongside the support that the state government is providing.
Updated
What happens if the federal government says no to further financial support for workers?
James Merlino:
That would be an incredibly poor reflection on the federal government and their support for Victorian businesses and Victorian workers.
Victorian workers are crying out for support. We are doing all that we can.
The funding we have provided on the table, applications will open tomorrow giving direct support to businesses either to pay rent, to assist in paying wages, to purchase food and other goods that are perishable.
We are putting all the support that we can and in terms of broader support in the welfare sense, working with food bank, working with other welfare agencies to make sure that we give support to people who are doing it incredibly tough during this lockdown.
Ultimately, you know, you can only do what we are responsible for in putting forward a significant support package.
The ball is in the federal government’s court. Victorian businesses, Victorian workers are demanding that they respond. That is what the treasurer is advocating for and what I am advocating for. And I am hopeful of a positive outcome.
Updated
James Merlino: 'We need an alternative quarantine facility'
James Merlino is asked why Victoria doesn’t go it alone on quarantine:
You have got to do the planning and design work and that is happening right now. So nothing is holding up the construction of this facility.
We have access to both sites and we are doing the planning and the design work in the $15 million that we put on the table, but I remind people that quarantine is a federal responsibility.
Howard Springs is a federal facility. What we are saying is that we need an alternative to hotel quarantine.
This outbreak that we are talking about and have been talking about for some time now originated from a hotel quarantine breach in South Australia.
I think we are up to about 21 breaches of hotel quarantine right across our nation. And that is why we need an alternative quarantine facility. It is absolutely appropriate that it is a Commonwealth responsibility in terms of the funding of the construction and ultimate ownership.
We are prepared, as long as it is related to covert response, we are prepared to operate and run the facility. It is on Commonwealth land and it should be constructed as soon as possible.
Updated
James Merlino gets stronger in his language on the need for financial support from the federal government:
We are putting our position clearly to the federal government, as we outlined on Sunday.
We are stepping up to the plate in terms of support for business. A quarter of $1 billion announced on Sunday, a further $209 million and we will have more to say on regional tourism and accommodation over the next couple of days.
In terms of what we are asking the federal government to do, that is a jobkeeper-style support program for Victorian workers, for the period of this lockdown.
That is what we have been advocating for and the treasurer has been trying to call the federal treasurer this morning. I will speak to the prime minister and we need to see this support.
We have stepped up to the plate in supporting business and the federal government needs to do exactly the same thing.
...That is a question that we are putting to the Morrison government.
Victorian businesses are absolutely devastated by this lockdown, as our families and communities.
They need support and the support we are providing is eager and broader than the support we provided in the February lockdown but we need the federal government to deliver on what they are responsible for and that is around wage subsidy.
Updated
Brett Sutton doesn’t want to give a number on what percentage of the population in Victoria needs to be vaccinated to prevent future lockdowns. But he says if 75% of the adult population was vaccinated, you would be breathing a little easier.
He says discussions are happening at national cabinet about whether thresholds will be put in place if most of the vulnerable population has been vaccinated:
They will be continued to be looked at and those deliberations will be presented to National Cabinet.
It is not just for public health to be making decisions in that area. I would say it is one thing to cover every vulnerable person with an offer of a vaccine but that does not necessarily stop hundreds of thousands of people getting infected.
Long Covid is still a significant issue for people and people are disabled by long Covid, people can carry neurological and neuropsychiatric, respiratory and other organ damage for months and months and so that should not just be set aside as a non-issue.
It should not be set aside that there are people who are not classic vulnerable groups who are, who do not have pre-existing illness who do still die from coronavirus. So we have to bear in mind the kind of scenarios that play out with modelling with 40-50% coverage versus 70 or 80%.
Updated
Was seven days ever going to be enough?
Brett Sutton:
No crystal ball gazing is possible in advance of this. What has played out has played out and we did not know that we would see it introduced into an aged care facility.
We do not know that someone who is incredibly infectious just sees their immediate family or goes to a nightclub or goes to a dining setting, with many other people. And so one week, fingers crossed, could have been absolutely enough. But we have seen explosion and exposure sites and we need to bear that in mind in extending them.
Brett Sutton on why the lockdown extension is necessary:
We are pulling up neck and neck with the virus, no question and the contract tracing effort that has been done has been instrumental.
There are 5000-plus close contacts, all of whom are at risk of becoming cases and there are others out there who we are still identifying who do not know where they got it from.
So they are unrecognised chains of transmission.
So it is through lockdown and the number of unique contacts that they have that we will manage that.
That is why Avalon shutdown in Sydney pre-lockdown, they would have had 100 close contacts. Afterwards they had four or five. It makes a huge difference.
Updated
Asked again about the difference with this variant and what Victoria has seen before, Brett Sutton says:
We could not see that granularity of detail through wave two in Victoria last year but through the Black Rock outbreak and the Holiday Inn outbreak we have not seen the proportion of cases who are describing a transmission that is fleeting.
I do not want to overemphasise it.
We know that most transmission happens within a household, it happens within the prolonged indoor settings, we still need to have a lockdown to minimise the number of people who will be in those settings.
It is a key feature of extending this by one week. So it is not that all transmissions occurring casual settings, it is just to illustrate that the contagious nurse of this virus is not insubstantial.
...It could have been transmitting through the second wave and it probably was.
I don’t think it happened to that extent and in the granular examination of transmission with these new variants of concern, compared to other variants and compared to the wild-type last year, we are seeing greater contagiousness, we see a takeover is a variant and that is why it became, you know, B117, the Alpha variant became the predominant one across all of Europe and North America. That is why the Delta variant is now overwhelmingly the variant in India and becoming the predominant variant in the UK. The variant we see now may or may not go in that direction but it is of concern.
Updated
Brett Sutton: 'We suspect transmission two hours after case left indoor space'
Prof Brett Sutton on what he sees as some of the issues with the Kappa variant:
We are seeing a great proportion of our total number of cases arising from transmissions in those casual or more fleeting exchanges.
We do have a suspicion that there has been transmission two hours after an infectious case has left an indoor enclosed space and was therefore a substantial period of time but they had left two hours before the next exposed individual came in who has become a case.
That’s in the kind of measles category of infectiousness.
[It] probably relates to an unventilated setting where someone spent a great deal of time but to come in two hours later and be infected. It may be on surfaces but it could absolutely be through airborne transmission as well because of that indoor setting.
Updated
Prof Brett Sutton is asked what the concern is, with this particular outbreak:
So we have managed that exponential growth unmitigated.
I talk about the R-0 for this virus. It might be 5.
That means if you are not altering your behaviour, if are you not doing contact tracing, every person [will] pass it is on to five others.
Clearly that is not happening here. We are chasing down every case, we are chasing down their primary contacts but we have seen a growth of probably a dozen primary close contacts for that first case to thousands upon thousands.
Those are individual whose could become positive and we are seeing individuals wither we don’t know how they’ve acquired it.
That means there are people out there potentially, probably, who have it and who are not aware that they are infectious. So we need the number of contacts that each and every person across Victoria has, Melbourne in particular, to be limited to just a few people and not 100 people.
Q: Can you just explain the 10% of people who have got it in an unusual situation, how do you compare that to last year? You had hundreds of mystery cases last year, how can you actually say this is worse than last year?
Sutton:
So, certainly through the Blackrock outbreak, the holiday inn outbreak, where we were able to trace those close contacts, we didn’t see those numbers in the very casual or short-lived exchanges, they were overwhelmingly in work and home and prolonged contact situations.
Through wave 1 and wave 2, no, we didn’t have that level of detail, so it’s hard to say, but we know that these viruses, these variants of concern that we are dealing with now, are more transmissible.
We know the secondary contact rate, the number of people within households, within workplaces who end up getting infected is much higher than the original wild type virus, so it is not surprising it is happening in casual settings.
Updated
Prof Brett Sutton says one or two cases will not extend the lockdown beyond the next seven days:
We will review, as we always do, on a day-by-day basis. I have great confidence we will be able to go to eased settings at the end of next week.
What does he need to see to make sure that happens?
Well, obviously people will be in quarantine as they are identified as new cases now.
In large part that is a real rationale for lockdown, that everyone is at home to the fullest extent that they can be, and therefore if they are incubating this virus and become symptomatic and get tested they have not exposed anyone else.
Pre-lockdown, each and every one of us has, on average, about 100 close contacts, unique close contacts.
We are all moving around that much, if we are transmitting to other people and they all have 100 close contacts, that is hugely exponential transmission of this virus.
So the lockdown is to make sure that we see cases who are already quarantining, like one of the new cases from overnight. I would love to see cases driven down to zero by virtue of that, but if the number of exposure sites stabilise and we are really not seeing new or concerning exposure sites, that gives us all great confidence that we can ease up.
Updated
Traces of Covid virus in unexpected locations: Foley
If you have been to a tier two or tier three exposure site, it might be worth getting tested.
Victorian health minister Martin Foley says there has been unexpected detection of covid in Victoria’s wastewater:
As we know, we routinely and thoroughly test wastewater for coronavirus right across the state and that has obviously been stepped up considerably during the course of this outbreak.
We have had a number of unexpected detections and by that I mean traces of the virus in locations that don’t necessarily easily line up with where we know infectious cases are present.
And while these unexpected detections may be due to a range of factors, [such as] someone who has had Covid-19 in the past who may no longer be infectious, it is also possible that they can be an indicator as to an undiagnosed infectious case.
And I can advise that we have had new, unexpected detections in Bendigo, particularly between 27th and 28th May, and we’ve had one unexpected detection down on the Mornington Peninsula, in that section of the peninsula between can Safety Beach, down to St Andrew’s Beach and across to Portsea.
That was recorded between 27th and 31st May. There are listed exposure sites in both of these regions and we are working through those possibilities with our public health team, but the advice to members of the community in those particular areas is if you have any symptoms and if you particularly live in these areas, please get tested now.
Updated
You can see the whole statement here:
Statement from Acting Premier @JamesMerlinoMP https://t.co/0Tt1KAkK2y #springst pic.twitter.com/8yij7NLKtt
— Political Alert (@political_alert) June 2, 2021
Professor Brett Sutton:
I have described it as an absolute beast because we have to run it down to the ground.
There are a dozen countries that had no community transmission going into 2021 that have now lost control of that and have community transmission and will probably not bring it back to a point where they’ve got no community transmission again.
We have to take a path where we drive this virus back down completely so that we can get control into the longer term.
The fact that we are seeing transmission in some of these casual tier 2 exposure sites or even tier 3 exposure sites means we have to re-examine those sites.
We have to reach out to people in some of those exposure sites and ask them to quarantine rather than just test and isolate because of the more contagious strain.
Again, I’m not giving it magical qualities, I don’t need to overplay the danger here.
With 150 million cases globally, with 3.5 million deaths, with probably one to 3 million deaths just in India in recent months with the gross underestimation in many countries with the number of true deaths that have occurred it is absolutely clear we need to run this completely to ground to be happy that we can open up appropriately.
We can’t let it get away. We can’t go to settings where it would move unchecked with huge numbers of people exposed.
So we’ve got restrictions on for another week to limit the number of unique close contacts that people will have and contain this virus as we did last year so successfully.
Updated
Prof Brett Sutton says the family of the man who NSW Health issued the alert about have also tested positive. They are still working out how the index case, and the family, acquired it, as the first interview hasn’t shown any crossover with exposure sites.
The other cases have been linked, although one exposure was an outdoor dining area – which has been rare, but the ‘Kappa variant’ (as it is now known) is throwing up a whole bunch of new challenges.
Updated
James Merlino: 'If we don't do this, this thing will get away'
James Merlino:
I know that this is not the news that everyone wants to hear, for Melbourne today, but given the cases that we’ve had and that we are still seeing, the chief health officer had no choice but to put this advice to government and the government had no choice but to accept that advice from the chief health officer.
If we don’t do this ... this thing will get away. This variant of concern will become uncontrollable and people will die. No-one - no-one - wants to repeat last winter.
To stop that from happening, we need all Victorians to follow the rules, to get tested and to get vaccinated when it’s your turn. We can do this, but we need to do it together.
Updated
James Merlino on workers:
As we did last week, we have also renewed our request to the Commonwealth to activate a JobKeeper-style support for Victorian whose have been impacted by these restrictions.
The Treasurer has been calling Josh Frydenberg this morning to put that request, and I will be speaking to the Prime Minister later today and I do hope that the Commonwealth will swiftly confirm that they will step up and provide that support.
If they do not, I will be raising this directly at National Cabinet on Friday.
A lot of Victorians, a lot of Victorian businesses are doing it tough right now and it is our clear expectation that the Federal Government will provide them the support that they deserve.
The Victorian government is adding a further $209m on top of its $250m business assistance packages
If you are restricted to one week, then it is a $2,500 grant. If you are restricted to the two weeks of this lockdown period, then you are eligible for 5,000. So there will be a single application. $28 million to increase the licensed hospitality venue Fund and those grants increase from $3,500 to $7,000. Again, if you have been impacted for two weeks, then you are eligible for the $7,000.
Restrictions most likely easing in regional Victoria
James Merlino says regional Victoria will most likely see an easing of conditions – depending on testing over the next 24 hours.
The five reasons to leave home will be removed and there will be no limit on the distance you can travel from home.
You can only travel to Melbourne for a permitted reason and you must follow Melbourne restrictions once you are there.
Outdoor gatherings can occur with up to 10 people.
Gatherings are no longer limited to two people, and infants under 12 months are not included in that cap.
Food and hospitality will be open for seated service only, with a cap of 50 people per venue, subject to density requirements of one per 4 square metres.
Retail can open and personal services such as beauty and tattooing can resume for services where masks can remain on. Religious gatherings and ceremonies are permitted for 50 people plus one faith leader indoors or outdoors.
Gathering limits for weddings will be 10 people and for funerals, 50 mourners. Junior outdoor community sport will return and adults will be able to resume training outdoors.
Outdoor pools, including swimming classes can operate with a limit of 50 people with a density quota of one per 4 square metres.
Libraries and toy libraries can open with a cap of 50 people subject to density requirements.
Outdoor entertainment, seated and unseated will have a patron cap of 50 people or 50% of the venue’s seating capacity, whichever is lower.
Updated
Melbourne to stay in lockdown for another seven days
There are still just the same reasons to leave home, but you will be able to travel 10km outside of your home.
Students in Year 11 and 12 will return to face to face learning.
Outdoor jobs, like landscaping and painting, will be added to the OK list.
All other restrictions, including mask wearing, remain in place.
While restrictions will most likely be eased at the end of the next seven days, travel to regional Victoria from Melbourne won’t be allowed during the Queen’s birthday long weekend
Updated
James Merlino:
We have right now 60 cases and over 350 exposure sites and a variant of the virus that is quicker and more contagious than we have ever seen before. The best way to stop this virus is via vaccination, but as we know, only 2% of our population is fully vaccinated. If we let this thing run its course, it will explode.
We’ve got to run this to ground because if we don’t, people will die.
And if that happens, it’s our most vulnerable - it’s our parents, it’s our grandparents, it’s Victorians with underlying conditions or compromised immunity, it is those Victorian whose will pay the price.
In the end, this is about saving lives.
Victorian press conference
Acting premier James Merlino starts with the data – six new cases, which means 60 cases in this outbreak.
Here is AAP with some more detail on the WA hotel quarantine breach:
West Australian authorities are investigating another Covid-19 hotel quarantine breach after a traveller at Perth’s Pan Pacific was infected by a neighbouring guest.
WA Health on Tuesday said genome testing had confirmed two men in adjoining rooms at the end of a corridor had the same strain of the virus.
It comes just a month after a security guard was infected while working at the Pan Pacific and passed the virus onto two of his housemates.
Twelve guests staying on the same floor as the latest hotel-acquired cases have left quarantine after returning negative day 13 tests.
They will be retested three and seven days after leaving.
“Because of the way the floor is set out they were some distance away, so it’s fairly unlikely that they would have been infected,” chief health officer Andy Robertson said.
All security guards who worked on the floor during the period of infection have tested negative in the last four days and all are vaccinated.
Robertson said one of the infected men had arrived at the hotel on May 21 from Colombia via the United States.
He tested positive two days later.
The man staying next door had been in the hotel since May 16 and returned two negative tests before testing positive on day 13.
A family of three staying opposite one of the men remain in quarantine and have been moved to a room further away.
All have tested negative and are asymptomatic. They will be retested and may remain in quarantine beyond the standard 14-day period.
It’s not yet known how the virus was spread between the two rooms.
WA Health said it had been advised by the Pan Pacific that all its rooms were negative pressure, a mitigating factor in preventing airborne transmission.
Hotel quarantine chief Robyn Lawrence said the use of rooms at the end of corridors would be limited given the higher risk of transmission.
Updated
Mark McGowan says only a purpose-built facility will be able to guard against leaks in ventilation and the like:
Unless the government wants to build something next to a major international airport, unless they want to open Christmas Island to it, there is no easy alternative. If we were to open another facility somewhere, the same issues can arise. The best solution is obviously the Commonwealth using a remote location for these purposes, next to an international airport but so far they have steadfastly refused to do so.
Updated
Mark McGowan has given an update on the hotel quarantine breach in WA – a returned traveler caught the virus from another returned traveler in a different room:
Because of the measures we have put in place, the chief health officer has assessed it as a low-risk hotel.
It just goes to show that hotel quarantine was not built for these purposes. This is something we are doing our very best, our utmost to cope with, but there is always risk.
That is not the preferred policy. The written advice is that you do not move a person from the room next door for a range of reasons.
The first reason is that, if you do, that person might already be positive and the risk to other people in the hotel. Secondly it takes around five staff to move that person. Security, other people taking baggage and there is a risk in moving that person.
Thirdly, when you move that person you have to clean that room which has some risk associated with that and fourthly there is limited capacity within the hotel so once you move that one, you probably have to move the rooms around that person.
There is a whole range of knock-on effects. The written advice we have is you do not move people in these circumstances.
Obviously, I queried that at length, at length because it does not accord with what you might think but that is the advice we get from all our health professionals. It is better to leave a person next to a single positive case rather than to move them.
Updated
The ABS notes that private investment is up 5.3% in the March quarter, or 3.6% higher through the year - the first through the year rise since June 2018.
The government is going to be crowing about this - because it looks like measures in the October budget, such as instant expensing, have increased business investment and HomeBuilder has spurred construction activity.
The ABS said:
Both business and housing investment increased, supported by government initiatives and improved confidence.
Business investment was driven by a 11.6% rise in machinery and equipment, the strongest increase since December quarter 2009. Dwelling investment rose 6.4% with increased construction activity on renovations and detached housing, coinciding with the federal government’s HomeBuilder scheme.
Updated
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released the latest gross domestic product figures - revealing the Australian economy grew by 1.8% in the March quarter (in seasonally adjusted terms).
Other key statistics are:
- Through the year GDP rose 1.1%
- The terms of trade rose 7.4% (meaning Australia got a better price for exports)
- Household saving ratio decreased to 11.6% from 12.2%
Victorian authorities will hold their press conference at midday (aest).
Updated
There is a lot flying around about the lockdown extension (which is not confirmed) and it can be confusing.
All we know for sure is that the signs have not been looking overly good for the lockdown ending as scheduled on Thursday. With more than 500 exposure sites and a more virulent strain of the virus, authorities are worried they have not caught all the cases as yet. An extra week would give time to get on top of the incubation period.
Regional Victoria has not been as impacted. School holidays means travel though, and Vic Police have already made it clear that the ‘ring of steel’ approach (stopping movement between Melbourne and the regions) is resource intensive. Still, if there are no cases in regional Victoria, and not as many primary and secondary contacts in the area, it will be hard to justify keeping those regions locked down.
The press conference should be soon, when everyone can learn exactly what is happening.
Updated
We are still waiting on confirmation, but you are going to start seeing the tweets, so you should know that some sources are saying the Victoria lockdown will be extended for another seven days.
Breaking
— Rafael Epstein (@Raf_Epstein) June 2, 2021
Lockdown for at least another 7 days
Regional Vic likely still have restrictions but at a different level. Will depend on results coming in over next 24 hours
Updated
Mark McGowan should be holding a press conference soon - one of issues will be a hotel quarantine breach which was discussed in estimates overnight.
As AAP reports:
The Australian Medical Association is calling for urgent changes to hotel quarantine after a man was infected by a returned traveller in the room next door in Perth.
State health authorities are investigating how the transmission took place.
It is the latest in a long list of breaches in hotel quarantine across the country.
“This would be the 21st (breach) according to our own records of issues within hotel quarantine,” Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly told a Senate hearing.
“But we have to think about what the background is, that 352,000 people have come through hotel quarantine over that period.”
Federal health officials said there had been no other transmissions detected in WA’s hotel quarantine system after the case emerged.
NSW records no new locally-acquired cases
NSW Health has released its official update, which includes information on the case from Melbourne it alerted on overnight:
NSW recorded no new locally acquired cases of Covid-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
One new overseas-acquired case was recorded in the same period, bringing the total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 5,399.
There were 21,551 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day’s total of 9,801.
The total number of vaccines administered in NSW is now 1,339,751, with 447,260 doses administered by NSW Health to 8pm last night and 892,491 administered by the GP network and other providers, to 11:59pm on Monday 31 May 2021.
NSW Health was advised last night (Tuesday 1 June) by the Victoria department of health and human Services that a confirmed case of Covid-19 from Melbourne visited venues in Jervis Bay, Goulburn, Hyams Beach and Vincentia while potentially infectious on 23 and 24 May.
The person, who reported onset of symptoms on 25 May and was tested on 31 May, drove back to Melbourne on 24 May, three days before Victoria’s stay-at-home measures took effect.
If anyone was at the venues of concern at the times listed, NSW Health asks them to immediately call 1800 943 553, get tested, isolate and await further advice.
Updated
Mark Butler is then asked about the cost of dedicated quarantine (apart from not wanting to own the quarantine responsibility, or blowback if it goes wrong, the federal government also doesn’t want to pay for it all).
Butler:
There are different estimates from different economists but it is broadly agreed that a week lockdown is costing about $1 billion, and if it is extended, it will be hundreds and hundreds of millions additionally with the lockdown in Perth, the hotels industry said it cost $150 million just over three days.
Treasury said at estimates yesterday that they have factored into their budget estimate that there would be, on average, three-week long lockdowns every quarter over the course of the coming year so the economic cost is there for all to see and that does not mention distress, the mental anguish, the isolation involved in this.
Just on economics, it is also accounted to say we are not going to stop these hotel breaches when we see the broad economic costs, let alone the non- economic costs of these lockdowns.
We also know that this pandemic is not going away anytime soon and we know, from advice, that there is always the risk of future pandemics so we should spend a dime now to prevent these regular breaches from hotels built for tourism and not quarantine.
Updated
Mark Butler is speaking about the need for more purpose built quarantine facilities – which fall under the jurisdiction of the federal government. Jane Halton, in her review of hotel quarantine, did recommend more purpose-built sites. So far, the government has not exactly jumped to pick up the proposals.
Butler:
We have had so many messages from the government. Peter Dutton, the defence minister, described the Victorian proposal as smoke and mirrors and yet now it would appear the government is putting some effort into giving a proper assessment to the Victorian proposal.
Last night, we heard from the health department that they had not even been asked to assess the Toowoomba proposal ... the prime minister in particular [needs to realise] it is not his job to sit back and wait for proposals to come forward.
The Commonwealth is responsible for quarantine and they have received advice after advice or purpose-built facilities.
The former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett has said we need to other facilities in addition to Alice Springs.
They should be seeking proposals for a network of facilities to take the pressure off our hotel system which is leaking the virus almost on a weekly and fortnightly basis and was built for tourism purposes.
Updated
Liberal senator Dean Smith opens his questions to Brendan Murphy with:
Professor Murphy, the virus doesn’t sleep, I presume?
Murphy laughs and says ‘no’.
Smith is now outlining the “enormity of the exercise” Murphy and health officials have had in “keeping this country safe,” including Murphy going back to the office to answer emails after he finished his estimates appearance at 11pm. Smith thanks him and the department for their work.
“The arguments and discussions we are having are around the fringes of the issues,” Smith says.
Labor senator Murray Watt says everyone is grateful, but it is still the job of estimates to ask questions about things which have gone well and things which have not gone so well.
So, that’s settled. Everyone is grateful for the job officials have done, but there are still things which have gone not as well as they could have, and that should be questioned.
Updated
Labor MP Clare O’Neil was a guest on RN Breakfast this morning, where she was asked by Hamish Macdonald why Victoria ‘can’t seem to get on top of outbreaks’ like other states.
Her answer has caused a little flurry on social media, after she compared movement in Sydney and Melbourne.
I‘m in lockdown in my home in Victoria, right now. It feels like a little bit of an unfair question and we’ve got to remember that this outbreak actually came through a leak from South Australian quarantine.
You would have heard a number of epidemiologists answering the question that you’ve just asked me over previous days and so I don’t want to get into the science too deeply as that’s really their role.
But, I think, they’ve referred to a bunch of specific things about Victoria - the layout of the city, for example, is one where people move around a lot more than they do versus Sydney, for example, where people tend to stay within their suburbs or their regions.
But, the most important thing that’s happening right now in Victoria, Hamish, is that we are dealing with a much more contagious form of Covid than we’ve seen in any previous outbreaks. You mentioned, in your opener there, that we’ve had situations in Victoria where people have caught Covid from one another by brushing past one another in a store. This has never happened before in a Covid outbreak and I personally am glad that the Victorian government’s being pretty conservative. We’ll get on to aged care in a minute but we know, through bitter, bitter experience, the agony that can be caused when we don’t get on top of outbreaks and we’re proud as Victorians that we’re working together as a community to protect people that are vulnerable.
At least in my feed, Sydney residents seem incensed at being described as dwelling in the suburbs a little more.
But an epidemiologist did say it:
Professor Mary-Louise McLaws attempts to answer one of journalists' most tiresome questions:
— Mark (@mark_melbin) May 31, 2021
"Why does this keep happening to Victoria?"
Note: Luck is also a big component.#afternoonbriefing #melbournelockdown #journalism #MorrisonLockdown #IStandWithDan #auspol pic.twitter.com/VDKiO8AbRw
Updated
The Greens senator Rachel Siewert is questioning Professor Brendan Murphy why ventilation is not in the guidelines for quarantine. Murphy says the states and territories are looking at it, but it is not in the guidelines, because it’s a building and engineering process.
Siewert says that is ‘semantics’.
Murphy says CMO Professor Paul Kelly will be able to answer more of those questions later this afternoon.
Updated
So things are going well then.
#auspol Hate it when I think I deliver a sweet line and then have to repeat it because the Minister wasn't listening .... 😳 @10NewsFirst #estimates #Quarantine pic.twitter.com/q8b1zgv6kE
— Tegan George (@tegangeorge) June 1, 2021
Updated
For those asking, we learnt yesterday that Victoria doesn’t give any information to its federal counterparts until it has sent out its tweet with the daily numbers.
That is something that happened during the second outbreak. Once the numbers are out, Victorian authorities, through their usual departmental channels, share the information with other health authorities.
It’s part of the information share that lets each jurisdiction know what is happening, so they can make their own decisions regarding health orders and borders.
Brendan Murphy is the head of the federal health department and he is facing estimates today – it is only normal he would receive the information, and when asked in estimates, he is sharing that information.
Updated
Over in health estimates, Prof Brendan Murphy has given a little more information about the six new Victorian cases.
Five are linked to known cases, he says, while the sixth is the person NSW Health put an alert out about last night.
Updated
As we wait on the Victorian press conference, which is likely to confirm an extension of the lockdown, please keep in mind the thousands of people who have lost a week’s pay with no warning, and are on the cusp of losing another.
As late as yesterday afternoon, federal Liberal party MPs were arguing it was the job of the Victorian government to provide financial support if it extended the lockdown, pointing to lockdowns in WA and Queensland, which have occurred with no jobkeeper assistance. But both were much, much shorter. Three days is one thing - and it is hard enough. A week can be devastating. Anything longer than that, and you risk your whole life falling apart.
Not everyone has the bank of mum and dad to fall back on. Not everyone has savings. Not everyone can just ‘go a week’ without pay. The uncertainty so many people must be facing right now is heartbreaking.
Updated
This is some more good news.
Brendan Murphy telling estimates there are no aged care cases in today's new infections in Victoria #auspol
— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) June 1, 2021
Updated
Mike Bowers has been out and about this morning.
Updated
The department of health is in front of senate estimates today – with quarantine the topic of the morning hearings.
Last night, estimates heard there had been 21 breaches of hotel quarantine.
It was a hotel quarantine breach in Adelaide which sparked the most recent Victorian lockdown.
Updated
Jane Halton, who (among many, many other reviews) was handed the job of reviewing Australia’s hotel quarantine system, was asked on ABC radio RN this morning how she thought quarantine was going.
She was fairly plain spoken:
Well, I’m disappointed that it certainly appears that we don’t have continual adoption of best practice right across the system. One of the things I talked about in October last year is the need to make sure best practice is adopted.
And as we’ve discussed before, this virus is not staying still waiting for us to catch up with it and get in front of it, the virus continues to change.
That means our systems need to continue to adapt. And certainly, as it’s been reported, some of the breaches we have seen recently are a direct reflection of an absence of best practice in some of these systems.
So to say that I’m disappointed about that I think is the minimum, I would say.
Halton said while she welcomed the expansion of the Howard Springs dedicated quarantine facility, she also found it “a bit perplexing that it’s taken us this long”.
Halton had recommended national quarantine facilities, purpose built to handle the job. She doesn’t care where they are - as long as they are built to purpose.
I’m not wedded to one particular location over another. I think the style of quarantine that we’re talking about here is what’s important. And having that as a significant component of our quarantine program is certainly desirable. And that’s what I talked about.
The interview finished with this:
Hamish Macdonald:
I know you’re someone who in Canberra has been known to be frank. Would your frank and fearless advice to government now be, ‘Alright, pull your socks up, get on with this’?
Halton:
Certainly, that is my advice. That we should be getting on with this as a priority. Definitely.
Updated
Victoria records six new cases
The numbers are in. These six new cases bring the total number associated with this outbreak to 60.
More than 51,000 tests though, and 20,500 vaccinations. That’s incredible, Victoria.
Reported yesterday: 6 new local cases and no new cases acquired overseas.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) June 1, 2021
- 20,585 vaccine doses were administered
- 51,033 test results were received
More later: https://t.co/lIUrl0ZEco #COVID19Vic #COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/x1EhMbKNjC
In defending the federal government for not vaccinating aged care workers (in June), a group of people who were meant to be in the priority 1A group, Queensland senator Matt Canavan attacked the Queensland Labor government for not immediately vaccinating health care workers months ago.
(The Queensland government, like Victoria, is launching its own vaccination blitz to speed up the vaccination roll out for aged and disability care workers)
Canavan told the Nine Network:
This is from the government only a few months ago had failed to vaccinate their frontline workers and partly led to the Brisbane outbreak. It’s a bit hypocritical for them to be throwing mud about aged care centres when they didn’t do the same in their own hospitals just a few months ago. Queensland is also the state with the lowest utilisation rate of the vaccines. They’ve never properly explained why they’ve only used 64% of their vaccines when Victoria and NSW are 80%. Maybe Queensland will finally start using its vaccines, that will be a positive.
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For reasons unknown to anyone, members of the federal government continue to argue over whether or not the vaccine roll out is “a race”.
Here was Dan Tehan on the Seven Network this morning:
If it was a race, how would you handicap at? Let’s get serious about this. It is a rollout, I can tell you I’ll be having my second vaccination this week and I say to all Australians listening to the show, go up, get vaccinated. That’s the best thing all of us can do.
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Labor has announced a new ‘youth engagement’ model:
If elected, an Albanese Labor government will:-
- Establish a framework to directly and formally engage with young Australians on an ongoing basis.
- Establish an Office for Youth so that, rather than youth engagement being an afterthought or duplicating functions across departments, there is a dedicated unit within government to feed in the contribution from young people and advocates, improve and harmonise policy across government, and ensure government is communicating effectively with young people.
- Commit to a Minister for Youth to improve and facilitate a holistic response across portfolios on issues affecting young Australians.
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The ABC has reported the crew member who tested positive to Covid and was removed from a freight ship docked in WA has now tested negative.
He is thought to be a historical case.
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We are all still waiting on official confirmation of today’s results (as well as official word on the lockdown being extended) but this is hopefully some good news.
One of the cases of ‘fleeting contact’ - the woman who caught the virus at a Mickleham display home has since returned a negative test, the ABC understands @abcmelbourne #springst
— Bridget Rollason (@bridgerollo) June 1, 2021
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It being June means Mathias Cormann is officially the OECD head.
As part of his maiden speech Cormann, apparently a huge fan of the Paris agreement now, said:
Across the OECD’s diverse membership, different countries and regions around the world have different opportunities to make the strongest possible contribution to our collective emissions reduction outcomes and the net-zero emissions target locked into the Paris Agreement.
We all face similar transition challenges and can all agree that effective global action on climate change is a must and we must get to zero net emissions as soon as possible.
Climate policy responses will increasingly need to factor into long-term planning. Economic recovery efforts to Covid-19 are a key opportunity to target support towards investments that drive the development and commercialisation of new technologies.
Through the OECD, we can come together to share ideas about our collective green recovery effort on our journey towards a low emissions future.
As Secretary-General I will strive to make the OECD a place that inspires collaboration and action in support of a sustainable future.
📣 @MathiasCormann is now the 6th Secretary-General of the 38-Member #OECD.
— OECD ➡️ Better policies for better lives (@OECD) June 1, 2021
The discussion continues with OECD Ministers today on the Organisation's work for better policies and better lives.
Read more 👉https://t.co/yfvKUA97D7 #OECDMinisterial pic.twitter.com/vu2vgWLYVE
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Good morning
We start today with NSW authorities worried about potential for Covid to have spread, after a Melbourne traveller was potentially infectious while on holiday.
⚠️PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT – JERVIS BAY⚠️
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) June 1, 2021
NSW Health has been advised by the Victoria Department of Health and Human Services that a confirmed case of COVID-19 from Melbourne was in Jervis Bay, Goulburn, Hyams Beach and Vincentia while potentially infectious on 23 and 24 May. pic.twitter.com/h6FKv177wU
The reason for the worry is because of the highly contagious nature of this variant of Covid. Victorian authorities have spoken about how they are seeing more stranger to stranger transmission with this variant. It’s not just spending time with people which can spread the virus, it could be passing them in a small store. Hence the worry. We’ll be keeping an eye on that today, and will bring you all the Victorian news as we wait to see whether or not the lockdown will be lifted.
Unfortunately, it’s not looking overly positive at the moment, with all signs pointing to the lockdown being extended beyond Thursday. There are still a lot of primary and secondary contacts in isolation and the list of exposure sites sits at more than 500.
We’ll bring you the news as soon as we know for sure.
Parliament and estimates continues today as well. Richard Colbeck, the aged care minister, didn’t have the best day yesterday, as he struggled to answer simple questions like ‘who is responsible for vaccinating aged care workers’.
Then there was some friendly fire, with Amanda Stoker, a Liberal senator, questioning James McGrath, also a Liberal senator, over what questions he was allowing as chair of the committee. McGrath beat Stoker to the number one spot on the Queensland ticket, leaving Stoker at number three (winnable, but not guaranteed).
Please enjoy this clip of Liberal Senator Amanda Stoker questioning Liberal chair James McGrath about what questions he is allowing, much to the amusement of Labor senators (McGrath beat Stoker to the number one senate ticket spot recently)
— Amy Remeikis (@AmyRemeikis) June 1, 2021
(Reposted due to typo) pic.twitter.com/leURoPAvZx
We’ll bring you all the day’s events. You have Mike Bowers with you as always, taking you into the parliament, with Katharine Murphy, Paul Karp, Daniel Hurst and Sarah Martin keeping you updated on what’s happening around parliament. It being a sitting day, you’ll have Amy Remeikis on the blog for most of the day.
I just had chocolate cake for breakfast so it’s going to be great.
Ready?
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