This liveblog is now closed. To follow all updates on Australia’s response to coronavirus on Tuesday 17 March, please go to this link:
That’s it for Q+A tonight and the blog for this evening.
I think it’s fair to say that the big take aways were around the government’s response, and the information (or lack thereof) being provided by the government.
Bill Bowtell:
“You’ve had, since the beginning of January to do this. And when the situation got serious in Taiwan, they created a national unified command I think on January 20. Eight weeks ago.
“Nothing like that was done here. There was no public education campaign. There was no mobilisation of the people. The state governments did not sanitise and disinfect the transport systems. And people would go around saying that as recently as on Friday your PM was saying nothing to see here. Social distancing next week. Everybody go out and it’s not a problem.”
Should we try for herd immunity?
Bowtell says there is no immunity yet.
“Well, it’s extremely controversial because it assumes, it makes a set of assumptions that are not scientifically evident. Coronavirus is a novel new infection. Nobody’s immune to it. There is no immunity like there is to influenza.”
He says it is “extraordinarily reckless” and questions whether Australia has adopted the herd immunity approach.
Haikerwal says herd immunity is a “cop-out” and a decision will ultimately need to be made on whether to keep schools open.
A mother of a 10-year-old child with cystic fibrosis is concerned what the impact of coronavirus will have on her son, and whether he will still have access to the health services he needs.
Colbeck says it is about reducing the impact on the healthcare system, and reducing the rate of infection.
Mostyn says the government needs to open up the funding for the NDIS to make it easier for parents to get payments with the money that is available.
She suggests casual workers put out of work could be trained up quickly to cope with the surge in demand for other services such as that in the NDIS.
Take the politics out of it, Bowtell argues, like Bob Hawke and Andrew Peacock did during the Aids crisis in the 1980s:
“The people who then ran the response to that were funded, were eminent experts from across the field of virology, epidemiology and public communication. There was no politicisisation, there was no political party brawling in the parliament. And it worked very well. We saved tens of thousands of lives and hundreds of thousands of unnecessary infections, unlike in the US for example. That was the model.
“We used to be a leader in this field.”
He says this response should have happened already.
“[What we] are facing on the verge of a serious national calamity, with the fierce urgency of now, tonight, is to correct all the things that have not been done and to really take effective action to persuade the people to basically isolate themselves until we can figure out what is going on and what to do.”
Updated
Did the government launch advertising too late?
It was only launched over the weekend. Colbeck argues there has been a consistent message, but Haikerwal says it should have been sooner, and a more consistent message about what people should be doing to protect themselves.
Gallagher agreed:
“It’s been too late, Hamish. And now the government is having to deal - everyone is having to deal with the level of anxiety and fear in the community that could have and should have been dealt with better by earlier access to information, so that you build trust.
“If you don’t have trust, then you’ve got real problems.”
Asked what the government would do for casual workers put on leave, Colbeck says government won’t be able to do it all on its own, and discussions were underway with industry, unions and workers.
“This is going to be extremely difficult for us all...This will work across the entire economy. It will continue to evolve and we’ll have to continue at looking at what we’re doing.”
Sam Mostyn tells the panel that there needs to be a single voice of authority. Colbeck argues that is the role of the chief medical officer, Brendan Murphy.
“It’s unfortunate we’ve had other voices that have split off from that process which I agree has confused the message,” he said.
“There’s no question that’s what’s happened. That’s why Brendan Murphy has been there every day so that he can in the same way that we did during the fires, have somebody who has access to all the information that’s required and can then be part of transmitting that to the Australian community.”
Bowtell tells Colbeck the government is not ahead of the curve, and hospitals will not be able to cope with the exponential growth in cases NSW forecast earlier today:
“You’ve had, since the beginning of January to do this. And when the situation got serious in Taiwan, they created a national unified command I think on January 20. Eight weeks ago.
“Nothing like that was done here. There was no public education campaign. There was no mobilisation of the people. The state governments did not sanitise and disinfect the transport systems. And people would go around saying that as recently as on Friday your PM was saying nothing to see here. Social distancing next week. Everybody go out and it’s not a problem.”
Updated
Former AMA president Dr Mukesh Haikerwal is asked about the violence facing front-line medical staff as people panic over access to healthcare.
He says it has been seen across the country, and the key to reducing violence is in part about reducing demand through the efforts to spread the curve of the infection rate.
Labor senator and shadow finance spokesperson Katy Gallagher says the government has a role beyond the healthcare response and needs to show leadership to the community.
Colbeck is asked about the availability of test kits, and says it is public knowledge there is a shortage of a vital chemical in the testing process.
Bill Bowtell, argues older Australians are not more vulnerable, pointing out 80% of cases in NSW are people under 60.
Colbeck says it’s not about who does and doesn’t get the virus, it’s about fatality, and it’s older people who are dying from it.
Bowtell says it is a “lazy assumption”.
Colbeck: “Other people do contract it, but I’m talking about the impact when they do.”
First question to minister for aged care Richard Colbeck - what’s being done to limit visits to nursing homes?
Colbeck says he’s released advice to aged care facilities today to limit access to the facilities due to the heightened risk facing the elderly.
People who don’t need to be there are being advised not to visit, and people are also being told to limit their visits.
Live updates from Q+A
I’ll post updates from the Q+A coronavirus special on this live blog.
It’ll come as no surprise there isn’t a live studio audience tonight, after the ABC cancelled all live studio audiences.
Updated
Here’s Paul Karp on why schools are still open (the ones that haven’t decided to close of their own volition, that is).
Updated
Katharine Murphy on why the government is already talking about a second stimulus package despite not yet having legislated the first:
The precise timing for unveiling round two of the stimulus package is unclear, but government sources say options are being worked up urgently, and the package will be announced well ahead of the May budget, not in the May budget, which was the plan last week.
Events are moving so rapidly the government is telegraphing round two even though it is yet to legislate its first tranche of stimulus measures. Legislating round one will happen next week, with parliament expected to gather for a short session with the building in a partial lockdown.
Updated
The home affairs minister, Peter Dutton, who is under home isolation, was on Sky News (on the phone) earlier tonight and claimed the two women who were on the same flight as him from Sydney to the US and also contracted coronavirus “detest” him and are “long-standing opponents of the government”.
Medical experts have said Dutton wasn’t infectious on the flight, and only became sick when he returned to Australia.
Updated
In what is likely a sign of the times for the near future, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra livestreamed a performance of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade to an empty audience in Hamer Hall.
It’s very good. You can still watch it here.
Updated
ICYMI earlier today, my colleague Christopher Knaus explained why Australia is soon going to get tests for coronavirus that take just three hours:
Roche, a multinational medical device company, says it has rushed to develop a new test to support “the urgent need for patient testing during the novel coronavirus pandemic”.
Roche says results can be returned within three hours of testing. That allows for 384 tests in an eight-hour shift.
Updated
The ACTU has a list of employers who are offering their staff paid leave in the event they need to work from home.
Summary as of 8.30pm AEDT
Here’s a rundown of what has happened so far on Monday:
- There are now 361 cases nationally – 171 in NSW, 68 in Queensland, 57 in Victoria, 29 in South Australia, 28 in WA, two in the ACT and six in Tasmania.
- Five people in Australia have died from coronavirus.
- Public health emergencies have been declared in Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT.
- States impose penalties for people failing to self-isolate or comply with over 500 people event bans.
- The federal government is planning a second stimulus package.
- The WA government announced a $600m response package.
- The ASX suffers its worst one-day fall since 1987.
- There have been a number of event cancellations, including Anzac Day in WA, Tasmania and NSW, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in Victoria, and the Sydney Writers’ Festival.
- The AFL season has been reduced by five rounds to 17, and lower rung seasons postponed to the end of May.
- A second federal politician, the LNP senator Susan McDonald, has tested positive for coronavirus.
- Several universities, including UTS, the University of Queensland and others, halt classes or move them online.
- Random breath tests are cancelled in Queensland and NSW.
- Federal parliament is to be scaled back with no public gallery and reduced access for lobbyists and former politicians for the sitting week next week.
- The national cabinet will meet on Tuesday.
- Coles and Woolworths will close early from Wednesday night (8pm) to restock shelves and open for the elderly and disadvantaged only between 7am and 8am.
Updated
We’ve heard from the AFL and the FFA about what their plans are for the season but the NRL is still figuring out what to do, particularly because the NZ Warriors may not be able to play here.
Via AAP:
NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg revealed on Monday that the radical step of shifting to a 15-team competition was among a handful of scenarios being considered to combat the impact of the coronavirus.
It comes as ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys revealed the league has organised chartered flights for teams travelling interstate this weekend.
“We’re flying the players on individual flights rather than commercial flights,” V’landys said on NRL 360 on Monday.
“We are bringing them back straight after the game so they’re not staying at hotels. As long as we can reduce the social interaction, it’ll minimise the risk.”
Random breath tests are also being suspended in NSW, following Queensland, according to 7News.
BREAKING: In an extraordinary move, Random Breath Testing has become the latest victim of coronavirus and is being suspended for the first time since it started. https://t.co/TWh1KQycs4 @ebatten7 #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/HzGhYUifj1
— 7NEWS Sydney (@7NewsSydney) March 16, 2020
Updated
The Sydney Writers’ festival, which was set to run from the end of April until early May, has now been added to the growing list of literary and artistic events being cancelled.
“This is an unprecedented, deeply upsetting and challenging time for everyone, but the health and safety of writers, audiences, staff, publishers, volunteers and our community must come first,” said the artistic director, Michaela McGuire.
“This program is now a time capsule, representing one day mid last week when 437 writers from 14 countries were still appearing across 346 events.”
Updated
Football Federation Australia has announced games will still go ahead, but without crowds. Any players who have flu-like symptoms will be told to stay home.
You can read the full guidelines announced by FFA here.
Updated
On universities: the University of NSW is moving to remote lesson delivery where possible, and the Australian National University is also looking at online delivery.
Updated
The Queensland Police Service will suspend roadside breath-testing for drugs and alcohol for the time being in order to minimise the risk of transmission of Covid-19 to police officers and the community.
Some more university-related updates:
- The University of Wollongong will bring forward the mid-session recess to start Monday 23 March for two weeks to move to remote delivery for courses. Classes will continue as normal this week, but classes and tutorials will not be mandatory.
- The University of Melbourne is moving to online classes for classes with over 500 students from tomorrow, and for less than that by the end of the month. Tutorials will continue as normal for now, with social distancing.
- Swinburne University will pause all on-campus work from tomorrow until Friday to get staff prepared for online course delivery from Monday.
Updated
AFL season reduced to 17 rounds
The AFL season has been reduced to 17 rounds, with each team facing off every other team just once in the season.
The first round could still go ahead, but the AFL will not announce whether that will happen until the end of tomorrow at the latest. The first game between Richmond and Carlton is set down for Thursday.
The state leagues and talent programs are suspended for 2020, and VFL has been suspended until the end of May.
Here’s an updating list of the major sports in Australia that have been affected by the outbreak.
Updated
Another Australian federal politician tests positive
Another Australian politician has tested positive for coronavirus. This time the LNP senator Susan McDonald.
QLD Senator Susan McDonald has tested positive to COVID19 #auspol @SBSNews pic.twitter.com/t7d15O9EIl
— Brett Mason (@BrettMasonNews) March 16, 2020
She joins fellow Queenslander, the home affairs minister, Peter Dutton, in testing positive for the virus.
Updated
NBN Co says it saw a 5% increase in demand on its network on Saturday, compared to the previous Saturday.
The company is working with retailers to ensure there’s adequate bandwidth capacity (which it calls CVC) for retailers so if more people are working from home, then the network can cope with that extra demand.
Non-essential network maintenance has been scaled back over the next few weeks to reduce outages.
Labor wants concessions on the CVC charges for this time so retailers not forced to buy even more to cope with the demand.
NBN Co has suggested people who need to work from home should look at their plans and make sure they’ve got speeds needed to do work – like taking video calls or uploading large files.
Updated
#BREAKING: Aria-award winner Thelma Plum tests positive for #COVID-19. She is currently receiving treatment in a #Brisbane hospital @9NewsQueensland @Ninecomau
— Rebeka Powell (@RebekaPowell) March 16, 2020
The University of Technology Sydney has cancelled classes for a week from tomorrow until 24 March.
The university says it is doing this to redesign the face-to-face delivery of courses to cope with social distancing from that date. The campuses, study spaces and libraries will remain open, staff will be working and the university say there have been no confirmed cases of coronavirus at UTS so far.
Updated
Western Australia has announced 10 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total in the state to 28, with more than 6,000 people tested.
Updated
Just a small update on the situation in Queensland:
There are 68 cases of coronavirus in Queensland, with the first Queenslander dying from coronavirus late yesterday – a 77 year-old woman who died in Sydney after leaving her home in Noosa.
None of those other cases are in intensive care at this stage, and very few have been more than mild symptoms at this stage.
There will also be new legislation introduced into Queensland parliament this week, but the detail on that will be provided after the opposition has been briefed.
The Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, also said people concerned about information they’re seeing on Facebook should fact-check it first. She said there was no need to panic-buy because Queensland produces so much food.
Updated
There will still be a dawn service for Anzac Day in Victoria, but the public will not attend.
RSL Victoria held an emergency meeting on Monday and decided it would go ahead at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne with a small number of official guests, but the march through the CBD and the midday service have both been cancelled.
RSL sub-branches will be asked to conduct a single Anzac Day service but the public will be asked not to attend that.
NSW, WA and Tasmania have cancelled their Anzac Day services.
More on the ASX:
The Australian stock market tumbled 9.7% on Monday, the biggest one-day fall in decades for the benchmark ASX200 index, wiping out nearly four years of gains.
About 30% of the value of Australian shares has been wiped out in less than a month due to coronavirus-inspired panic selling, with an index that hit a peak of 7,162 on 20 February closing trade on Monday at 5,002.
A market that is now trading at levels last seen in March 2016 was dragged down on Monday by collapsing entertainment, travel and education stocks, but every sector shared in the pain.
Monday’s fall is the biggest since at least 1987’s Black Monday stock market crash.
Updated
Telstra is boosting the amount of data on offer for its customers over the next month for those who have to isolate at home and might need that extra data.
Broadband consumer and small business customers will get unlimited data until the end of April.
Post-paid mobile customers will get an extra 25GB over the next 30 days, while pre-paid customers with an active recharge of over $40 will get 10GB of extra data within 28 to 30 days.
Eligible pensioners with a Telstra home phone will get unlimited local, national, 13/1300 calls and unlimited calls to mobiles.
WA government announces $607m stimulus package
Included in the WA government’s announcement:
- A $402m freeze on household fees and charges until 1 July 2021 at least. That includes electricity, water, motor vehicle charges, emergency services levy and public transport fares.
- Energy assistance payment doubled from $300 to $600 for vulnerable Western Australians.
- $114m of help for small business, including a one-off grant of $17,500.
- Businesses impacted can defer payroll tax payments until 21 July 2020.
“We are in uncharted territory and there’s no doubt our economy is going to feel the effects of Covid-19,” said the WA premier, Mark McGowan.
“For the first time in 16 years, household fees and charges will be frozen, providing relief and certainty to each and every Western Australian.
“It’s this relief and certainty that can help give Western Australians the confidence to continue to spend and support our local economy during these times.
Public sector employees in WA will also get access to 20 days of sick leave if they need to stay home.
Updated
The federal court is reducing its number of hearings over the next four months, and where possible judges will attempt to deal with case management and interlocutory matters in writing without the need for a hearing.
They will also use video conferencing and telephone hearings.
The court will look at which appeals that were to be heard in May can be delayed and new filings will be triaged to identify those that are the most urgent.
The legal sector will be given more detailed information on the arrangements soon.
Updated
The communications and arts minister, Paul Fletcher, says he will hold a teleconference roundtable tomorrow with cultural and industry bodies to discuss the impact of coronavirus in that sector – particularly after all the event cancellations over the past few days.
He says he’ll try to get an understanding about how the stimulus package already announced could be used to help this sector out.
Updated
The disability royal commission has announced it has suspended all public events, citing concerns about the spread of coronavirus.
It had been due to hold education sessions next week in Brisbane, as well as hearings focused on justice issued and First Nations people with disabilities in April and May.
“The commission has suspended all other public events until further notice,” said the royal commission chair, Ronald Sackville.
“We had already decided to postpone community forums that were to be held in Tasmania this week. Face-to-face private sessions have also been suspended for the time being.
“The commission’s over-riding responsibility is to protect, as far as possible, the health and safety of people with disability, members of staff (who include people with disability) and the community at large.”
Sackville said the “measures were necessary in view of the risks to health, especially to people with disability who are often particularly vulnerable to infections”.
Updated
Australian shares plunge nearly 10%
The Sydney stock market has closed almost 10% down on another disastrous day of trading. It dropped 9.7% to 5,002 points.
The massive losses came despite an announcement by the Reserve Bank that it will begin buying bonds in a quantitative easing operation to prop up the country’s cratering economy.
JUST IN: The Australian share market has plunged after another volatile day. The ASX 200 index dropped 9.7% to 5,002 points – its worst day since at least the global financial crisis via @abcnews #coronavirus #COVIDー19 #ausbiz #auspol #markets #ASX
— David Taylor (@DaveTaylorNews) March 16, 2020
Updated
Anzac Day services cancelled in NSW
Anzac Day services have been cancelled in New South Wales.
The RSL’s acting president, Ray James, said the risk was too high.
“Given the significant concerns around the spread of Covid-19, it would be irresponsible to allow such large gatherings as we see each year on Anzac Day to go ahead.
“This is not a decision we have taken lightly. The RSL has a responsibility to act in the best interests of veterans and the general public. In these uncertain times we must follow the advice of medical experts and do everything we can to protect the community.”
This follows similar cancellations in WA and Tasmania, despite the date falling for more than a month from now. Other states have indicated their events may have to be cancelled but there is nothing definitive yet.
Updated
Coles is also following Woolworths with the 7am-8am hour for elderly and disadvantaged people, and closing at 8pm to allow stores to be cleaned and restocked.
The company has also announced plans to hire 5,000 casual staff to help with the increased demand.
new: Coles follow Woolworths in giving first hour of each day (7-8am) exclusively to "elderly and disadvantaged" shoppers
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) March 16, 2020
also:
- closing stores 8pm every night to restock shelves
- "temporarily" suspending home delivery for most customers
- putting on 5000 new casual workers pic.twitter.com/8nvpQ6iuIE
Updated
Just some more on the plan for Woolworths:
Stores will close at 8pm each night from Wednesday to allow staff to restock shelves (because people had often been taking the stock before it was put on shelves) to attempt to calm the panic.
That’s much earlier than some Woolworths stores close – some are open as late as 11pm.
This move is in addition to the dedicated hour between 7am and 8am for elderly and disabled people to shop.
Updated
Hazzard says 67 of the 171 acquired coronavirus overseas, while 44 were transmitted onshore.
Qantas flight QF8 on 11 March from Dallas had one confirmed case. People who were seated in rows 73-77 or 11-15 are being urged to contact health authorities.
Similar for Virgin Australia flight VA2 from Los Angeles, for those seats in rows 2-6.
Those seated in rows 11-16, 45-49 or 58-62 on Emirates flight EK414 from Dubai on 8 March are also urged to speak to authorities.
On Virgin domestic flight VA480 from the Sunshine Coast to Sydney on 13 March, people in rows 1 to 4 should contact health authorities.
People who were at the Oakvale winery in Pokolbin in the Hunter Valley between 4 and 13 March are also advised to contact authorities.
The phone number is 1800 022 222.
Updated
'Exponential' increase in coronavirus cases in NSW, health minister says
Since 11am yesterday there have been another 37 cases of Covid-19 diagnosed in NSW, bringing it up to 171 cases since the outbreak started, Hazzard said.
There are 1,282 cases under investigation. There have been 25,511 tests so far.
“So I would remind the community of the importance of being with us in partnership in trying to minimise this virus, but also understand that the number of people who are still being impacted in our community are still relatively small, compared to the total number of tests and the broader population,” Hazzard said.
“Having said that, it is starting to look as if there will be a fairly substantial, what we would understand to be, an exponential increase in numbers over the next few weeks.”
He said people should be sensible about whether they need to get a test, because most people start to get coughs and colds this time of year and won’t need a test.
Updated
People who breach the quarantine order could face fines of up to $11,000 or six months in prison.
The NSW health minister, Brad Hazzard, is giving an update.
He said since last night he’s made two orders. First, no gatherings of 500 or more people (as per the federal guidance). Corporations could be fined $55,000 for holding such events, with $7,000 fines for each day after that.
The second order is that anyone entering Australia in NSW will be required to quarantine for 14 days.
Updated
The University of NSW says it will shift most of its classes and lectures online – but won’t close its campus.
“This is achievable for lectures and many tutorials,” the university said. “Labs that can be conducted incorporating social distancing will continue to be held on campus.
“It is now sensible to take these additional steps.”
⚠️ #CORONAVIRUS UPDATE (16 March): We are continuing to carefully follow the guidance of @NSWHealth in our response to COVID-19.
— UNSW (@UNSW) March 16, 2020
It is now sensible to take these additional steps to help shape the profile of the epidemic. pic.twitter.com/Qc60nvwfsL
Updated
An important and only slightly baffling message from Arnold Schwarzenegger. His advice on social isolation is sound, and his miniature horses are incredible.
Stay at home as much as possible. Listen to the experts, ignore the morons (foreheads). We will get through this together. pic.twitter.com/FRg41QehuB
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) March 16, 2020
The president of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has warned against fake medical advice floating around, including a “virus protection” guide reposted by Miranda Kerr.
The RACGP president, Dr Harry Nespolon, said “the best sources of information on Covid-19 include the RACGP website and the official health.gov.au website, not Miranda Kerr’s Instagram account”.
The model and businesswoman had shared a post from Anthony William – who believes that celery juice can cure a range of illnesses – claiming to provide advice about Covid-19.
Nespolon said this was irresponsible.
“I call on people such as Miranda Kerr, who have extraordinary numbers of social media followers, to exercise some personal responsibility. If you aren’t a healthcare professional you shouldn’t be handing out free medical advice, leave that to the experts.
“If you want to encourage people to wash their hands that is fine, but advising social media followers that they can avoid Covid-19 by not eating eggs is not helpful.
“No one can be sure what will be required in Australia in coming months to limit the damage of Covid-19 but I can reliably tell you that the answer doesn’t lie in listening to a ‘medical medium’ such as Anthony William.”
Updated
Parliament will still sit next week, but “temporary and precautionary” changes are being announced as part of what the prime minister, Scott Morrison, said would be a “scaled back” parliament.
Under the changes, Parliament House will remain open to the general public to access the public areas and the marble foyer, but the public galleries in each chamber for the next sitting week will be closed.
All school group bookings and tours during the next parliamentary sitting week will be
postponed or cancelled and a number of large events being held in the function spaces of the building are being postponed or cancelled. Restrictions will also be put in place for some passholder categories that will minimise “non-essential visits” to the building.
The following categories of passholder will lose automatic access to the private areas of the building: former parliamentarians; elected members of other legislatures; volunteers; and sponsored passholders.
All non-essential attendance will be discouraged, with external departments and agencies asked to reduce use of commonwealth departmental passes to a minimum, and public servants encouraged to avoid non-essential attendance.
The speaker of the House of Representatives, Tony Smith, and Senate president, Scott Ryan, issued a statement outlining the new measures, which also suggested committee business should take place via tele or video conferencing.
The statement also asks that members and senators “only bring essential staff” to Canberra and Parliament House for the next sitting week commencing Monday 23 March. “These decisions have not been taken lightly and are being taken following detailed discussion and advice from the relevant authorities,” the statement said.
Updated
More on the Parliament House restrictions:
Chamber galleries in APH closed for next week. Also:
— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) March 16, 2020
• Former parliamentarians;
• Elected members of other legislatures;
• Volunteers; and
• Sponsored pass holders
will not have automatic access to the secure areas of the building #auspol #COVIDー19
Updated
Labor’s Michelle Rowland is calling for temporary capacity relief for the NBN, if it becomes overwhelmed from people working from home.
The shadow communications minister is asking the government to consider waiving fees for retail providers at peak hour.
“At present, retail providers must purchase connectivity virtual circuit (CVC) capacity from the NBN to support their peak hour traffic demands, in addition to an access price for the network,” she said in a statement.
“Consideration should be given to providing retail providers with temporary capacity charge relief.
“Labor welcomes steps by the minister, NBNCo and industry to examine these issues early on. Historically, there has been a lot of tension between NBNCo and retail providers on CVC pricing. If the need arises, this presents an opportunity for NBNCo to make a temporary gesture of goodwill in the public interest.”
Updated
In Brisbane, a legal team has successfully applied for a last-minute judge-alone trial to stop the case being delayed by a potential disruption to juries due to coronavirus.
New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria have all delayed the start of new jury trials.
But a woman charged with manslaughter in the Brisbane supreme court will have her case heard by judge alone, AAP reports.
Justice Martin Burns allowed the defence application for a judge-only trial of Elisabeth Mary Coman, who is accused of killing her partner at a property at Wamuran, north of Brisbane, in July 2018.
“We are living in unprecedented times,” Burns said.
Coman’s lawyer, Michael Copley, made a no-jury application on Monday and said there was “real possibility” the trial may not finish, and jury seats were affixed that did not allow them to be least 1.5 metres apart as suggested under health guidelines for preventing the spread of coronavirus.
Burns agreed, saying: “Requiring 14 people to deliberate in a small room, a relatively small room, may not be the best conditions to secure a just outcome,” he said.
The prosecutor, Noel Needham, did not oppose the application.
Updated
A bit more on the second stimulus package.
The prime minister has been having discussions throughout today with ministers in portfolios where the coronavirus is having a substantial impact – and has spoken to both the treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, and the finance minister, Mathias Cormann, about further measures to support the economy, business and households.
There is a regular cabinet meeting tomorrow and also another meeting of the national cabinet (which is the prime minister and the premiers) tomorrow evening. Scott Morrison and Greg Hunt have also met the president of the Australian Medical Association this morning.
Updated
Shares fall again after Reserve Bank's QE announcement
After showing some signs of recovery at lunchtime the Australian market is again tanking following the Reserve Bank’s announcement it is ready to wade into the market and start buying government bonds.
At around 1.30pm the benchmark ASX200 index was down by about 7.8%.
The RBA and other regulators are trying to avoid a credit freeze. On Friday, the central bank waded into debt markets and spent $8.8bn to keep money flowing, and this morning it said it would be doing more through a program of so-called “quantitative easing” – basically, buying up Australian government bonds and other assets.
On the markets, travel stocks have taken a pounding. Brisbane-based Corporate Travel Management, which is under siege by short-sellers, has plunged almost 18% and Flight Centre has fallen 13%. Sydney Airport stock has tumbled almost 16%.
But losses have been clawed back at Qantas, which is down just 1.26%. The other Australian-listed airline, Air New Zealand, is in a trading halt after announcing savage capacity cuts and job losses this morning.
Updated
The Australian arts industry has called for an “emergency support package” after the new social distancing restrictions cancelled any event with more than 500 people.
A swathe of concerts, festivals, shows and galleries have closed or been cancelled – including the entire Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
Germany and the UK have already instituted similar packages, and the Australian arts industry raised millions of dollars in bushfire relief over the summer.
Second stimulus package will be prepared
Most readers will know the Morrison government last week unveiled an economic stimulus package worth $17bn. It wasn’t clear at the time that would be enough, and obviously events are now moving at a clip. The Reserve Bank this morning signalled it is preparing to move to quantitative easing.
I gather the government has begun work today on a second package of measures. People are telling me round two will involve support for business and another round of stimulus for households. Cabinet (the regular one, not the special one, which is the rolling meeting of the prime minister and the premiers) is due to meet tomorrow.
The government is working up a second stimulus package #auspol #COVIDー19
— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) March 16, 2020
Peter Dutton was “not infectious on the plane” with coronavirus while returning from the US, Kelly says.
“I spoke to Mr Dutton in his hospital room on Friday night and I’m not going to go into the details of his particular illness but I can say he was not infectious on the plane,” the deputy chief medical officer said.
“Whether he caught it on the plane or before that it’s hard to know. The incubation for this particular virus is quite long. It can be up to 14 days. He had been back in Australia for six days by the time he became sick.”
However, earlier today, two women who sat near Dutton on the plane have tested positive for coronavirus. Last week, Kelly also advised the prime minister, Scott Morrison, that he did not need to be tested for the virus, as he had not met Dutton in person in the 24 hours before he developed symptoms.
Updated
Remote Indigenous communities and people in aged care “are front of mind” in the government’s response, Kelly says. He also broadens that out to say the focus is on anybody vulnerable.
He says they are looking at measures to prevent infections in aged care homes, including some they already put in place during flu outbreaks. Restricting access to the homes is among some things “on the table”, he says.
In response to a question about how many ventilators Australia has, Kelly says he “stresses again most people will not require a ventilator”.
“Eighty per cent of people will be mildly affected and won’t even end up in hospital, let alone intensive care, let alone needing ventilation. That’s very much the end of the spectrum.
“We’re looking at the supply [of ventilators] and looking at what we can do to dampen the demand.”
Updated
The deputy chief medical officer, Paul Kelly, is speaking now in Canberra.
He says that Australia now has nearly 300 cases of Covid-19 and, sadly, five deaths.
He says “this week it’s all about slowing the curve of the epidemic”. He notes “80% of the people who get sick with this disease develop a mild illness”.
But he warns that “people over the age of 60 are more susceptible to this disease. And we are finding in the much older age groups 80 and above, the death rate is actually quite high.”
Updated
Explainer: what is quantitative easing?
The Reserve Bank this morning announced it would begin so-called quantitative easing (QE) this week to support the economy amid the coronavirus crisis. It involves the central bank buying up government bonds and other financial assets from banks and pensions funds, thereby flooding the system with liquidity. The hope is that the financial institutions will use the extra funds to increase lending to households and businesses.
It’s often referred to as a “money printing scheme” because although the money used to buy the bonds is electronic and not printed notes, those funds are nevertheless simply created by the central bank at the push of a button.
We don’t know yet how much the RBA scheme will be worth but it will run into billions of dollars. When the Bank of England started the scheme in the GFC, it racked up £375bn (A$750bn) over three years before it stopped in late 2012. The US Fed reached US$4.5tn in its first five years. Japan’s total is also in the trillions.
So what does it mean and how has this come about?
This is an extraordinary, radical measure used by central banks in the US, UK, Europe and Japan in the past decade to prop up the financial system in the wake of the global financial crisis.
Back then, the mechanics of the system seized up as billions of dollars worth of financial instruments were exposed as worthless and bank after bank collapsed. Central banks cut interest rates to flood the system with cheap money but when that failed to stem the crisis, notably when the mighty investment bank Lehman Brothers crashed, they got together and launched QE.
It was considered an emergency measure but despite attempts to wind back the scheme, especially by the US Fed, the schemes have underpinned western economies ever since. The massive amount of cheap money unleashed by the schemes has inflated asset bubbles all over the world, with stock markets reaching all-time highs as recently as February. Attempts to deflate the bubbles met with panic in the financial markets – notably the Fed taper tantrum fiasco.
This time around it’s a different problem because the economy itself is seizing up as normal daily activity grinds to a halt across the world. But the response of central banks is the same because all of them – including the RBA – have already cut rates as far as they can in recent years and have no alternative except to unleash QE and hope that it reassures investors that they will prop up the system “whatever it takes”.
Updated
The National Gallery of Australia, in Canberra, will suspend tours, school visits, events and talks – but will remain open.
In an email to members, the gallery said that the suspension would last at least four weeks.
Updated
Bluesfest, a NSW music festival due to host Patti Smith, Crowded House and Dave Matthews Band, has been cancelled today. It was due to start on 9 April and go over five days.
Updated
Correction - MLC school not closed
Contrary to an earlier post, MLC school in Sydney has informed us that the school is not closed, despite a year 2 student coming into contact with someone who had confirmed case of Covid-19. The Guardian apologises for the error.
The former prime minister Kevin Rudd has written for the Guardian offering some advice on how the government should be responding to the coronavirus. He is not flattering of the response:
If the battle cry of our government’s response to the Global Financial Crisis was “go early, go hard, go households,” this government’s approach to the current crisis seems to be “go late, go half-measures, and go... well...go to Hillsong”.
For a decade we have been accused of having gone too far in our efforts to avoid the GFC. When we look back on the decisions taken over the last month, they will be seen (as with the bushfires) as the mark of a complacent and negligent government.
His conclusion about the response so far?
Like their response to the public health challenge: too little, too late.
You can read the full column here
ASX claws back some early losses
The Australian sharemarket had clawed some losses by midday after diving 7% at the opening bell, with the benchmark ASX200 index down 5.3% from Friday’s closing price.
In reactions to the coronavirus crisis this morning, Air New Zealand has cut 85% of its international flights and will cut jobs, Crown Resorts has closed every second poker machine at its casinos and the hearing implant company Cochlear has withdrawn its previous profit forecasts.
But the big development is that financial regulators are going to meet with the big banks this week. The immediate problem is that small to medium businesses have no money to repay their loans. Banks have said they will allow those customers to delay repayments, which in turn will put pressure on their own businesses.
If small businesses start sacking people in droves, defaults on home mortgages become more likely. This is a potentially big problem for the banks, which have lent heavily against houses.
Updated
Reserve Bank says it is prepared to start quantitative easing
The Reserve Bank of Australia has confirmed it “stands ready” to purchase Australian government bonds – that is – it is prepared to use quantitative easing to boost the economy, a move it flagged in November.
A full announcement will be made on Thursday, but in the meantime, the RBA governor, Phil Lowe, said in a statement:
As Australia’s financial system adjusts to the coronavirus (Covid-19), financial regulators and the Australian Government are working closely together to help ensure that Australia’s financial markets continue to operate effectively and that credit is available to households and businesses. Refer to earlier CFR press release. Australia’s financial system is resilient and it is well placed to deal with the effects of the coronavirus. At the same time, trading liquidity has deteriorated in some markets.
In response, the Reserve Bank stands ready to purchase Australian government bonds in the secondary market to support the smooth functioning of that market, which is a key pricing benchmark for the Australian financial system. The bank will also be conducting one-month and three-month repo operations in its daily market operations until further notice to provide liquidity to Australian financial markets. In addition the bank will conduct longer term repo operations of six-months maturity or longer at least weekly, as long as market conditions warrant. The Reserve Bank and the AOFM are in close liaison in monitoring market conditions and supporting continued functioning of the market.
The bank will announce further policy measures to support the Australian economy on Thursday.
Updated
Domestic violence service providers say the sector needs more support to deal with the effects of coronavirus.
The Australian Women Against Violence Alliance has warned of a possible spike in domestic violence cases if people are forced to self-isolate at home, AAP report.
The program manager, Dr Merrindahl Andrew, said China had experienced an increase in domestic violence rates as people were forced to stay indoors.
Andrew pointed to the Brisbane murder of Hannah Clarke and her three children – Laianah, Aaliyah and Trey – by her ex-partner, Rowan Baxter.
“The services are already experiencing spikes in demand because of that,” she told AAP. “The underlying level of resourcing for services is already too low so when there are crises overlapping then we can expect that there’ll be even more problems.”
Andrew said she was disappointed that a meeting of federal, state and territory leaders on Friday had not delivered any more support for the sector.
Likewise, Domestic Violence Victoria’s acting chief executive, Alison Macdonald, said enforced isolation could lead to a rise in domestic violence cases.
Macdonald said she would be looking to have a domestic violence sector briefing with Victorian authorities this week.
Updated
The Sydney chicken chain Chargrill Charlies is banning dining in, and is implementing cashless payments only.
The roast chicken purveyor will now be takeaway only, and will close shops in the middle of the day for cleaning.
Can imagine other chains might do similar soon - Chargrill Charlie’s is only doing cashless payments, going takeaway only, closing dine-in options, and closing shops for 1.5 hours a day for cleaning pic.twitter.com/02V0ICT6e7
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) March 16, 2020
Updated
More on the upcoming 28 March Queensland local elections.
The electoral commission says they will go ahead with extra hygiene precautions, report AAP.
“We recognise that this is an extraordinary situation and are adapting our service model accordingly,” said the electoral commissioner, Pat Vidgen.
Updated
Labor is targeting Australian Border Force for refusing to provide paid sick leave to casual workers. The government has trimmed one week from the wait period for people to access sickness allowance, but has not budged on whether employers should be forced to provide paid sick leave to casuals, who do not receive it.
The workplace relations branch of Peter Dutton’s Department of Home Affairs has confirmed this applies to its own workforce. In an email to staff it said:
While the department acknowledges your request to provide paid miscellaneous leave to casual employees, it is not appropriate to do so given the nature of their employment. While we appreciate the efforts and commitment that casual employees are displaying, the nature of their employment is clear and the department is not in a position to afford them a paid leave entitlement.
The shadow home affairs minister, Kristina Keneally, said: “Coronavirus can’t tell the difference between a casual or a full-time worker and casual ABF officers should have access to the same coronavirus sick leave as their full-time counterparts – it’s that simple.
“Peter Dutton is asking his ABF officers to protect Australians from coronavirus – the least he can do is help protect them, their families and their pay packets.”
Updated
ABC News Breakfast will no longer allow guests into the studio – from now on it will all be via video-link.
Life is changing for all Australians, including all of us here at @BreakfastNews. From today, other than ABC staff, we'll have no studio guests. They will join us remotely, via camera or Skype. We're doing our bit to help limit the spread of this virus. #COVID19Aus
— Michael Rowland (@mjrowland68) March 15, 2020
Another school has also been closed – St Christopher’s Catholic primary school in Panania.
As reported by the Sydney Morning Herald, the school will be closed today but will reopen tomorrow.
A person who attended a “professional development event” at the school last Thursday – but who was not a teacher – has since tested positive for Covid-19.
The executive director of Sydney Catholic Schools, Tony Farley, said the school was leaving “nothing to chance” but that NSW Health had advised that the risk of transmission was minimal.
Updated
Also from earlier today, Sydney’s MLC school has said one student had contact with a person with a confirmed case of Covid-19.
The student and her family decided to self-isolate proactively, and are not confirmed to have the virus or symptoms, according to an email sent to parents.
The family of the student “hosted other families at their house” last Friday, and had come into contact with the person with Covid-19. The family have not been classified as a “close contact” by NSW Health, but “they have elected to self-isolate in the interests of community safety”, the email said.
“Importantly, as this occurred on Friday evening, they have not had contact with others from the school community … I will update you should I receive any further information, but at this stage, I hope to see every girl at school as usual tomorrow morning.”
Updated
I’ve just been tested for COVID19, as per NSW guidelines. It is crazy in there. Many ppl refused tests getting v. aggressive w/ staff. I know it’s scary right now but PLEASE dont get tested if you don’t meet criteria & PLEASE don’t abuse health staff working on the front line ❤️
— Amy Corderoy (@AmyCorderoy) March 15, 2020
Performances of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child have been suspended in Melbourne, in line with the ban on non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people.
The play, which is showing at the Princes Theatre, will not be run until at least 12 April, with that date to be revised in line with medical advice. People who have bought tickets for performances dated between 18 March and 12 April will be contacted by their point of purchase and refunded, the producers said. More information on that is available here.
Because the cancellation takes in the Victorian Easter school holidays – which start next Friday – the play will run for an additional three weeks in the September/October holidays. The show’s executive producer, Michael Cassel, said the performers would “reignite the magic of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child as soon as circumstances allow”.
Updated
Jury trials in South Australia have also been suspended for at least 24 hours.
From AAP:
In a statement released on Monday, Chief Justice Chris Kourakis said jurors who would have been empanelled on Monday have been asked not to attend.
“A review will be undertaken to determine if jury trials can be run effectively whilst ensuring safe distancing,” he said.
Cases being heard in the magistrates court will go ahead, but those seeking an adjournment are encouraged to contact the other people involved. The court will grant adjournments by phone or email if both parties agree.
“We encourage all members of the public who are not required to be in court to not attend because of the difficulties caused by close proximity,” Kourakis said.
Updated
On testing in remote communities:
The NT’s deputy chief medical officer, Dianne Stephens, said:
We can do the swabs in remote communities and then those swabs are transported into the Darwin laboratory. We are looking at ways of expanding our laboratory capacity into Alice Springs, but this is a very specific molecular biology test that needs certain expertise and equipment to do.
So we are looking at expanding ways of testing in Alice Springs, but we certainly will not be testing in every remote community. That’s not possible, nor pragmatic. The tests will go into the major centre to be done.
Updated
The NT has conducted more than 500 tests and had only one positive result, Stephens says.
Updated
The Northern Territory chief minister, Michael Gunner, is also speaking now. Nothing new has been announced but the territory’s deputy chief health officer, Prof Dianne Stephens, is giving advice.
“What we’re asking Territorians to do is to be sensible in implementing the social distancing we are asking you to do,” she says. “The markets are OK, but we don’t want you queuing closely for hours to get your favourite laksa.
“If you are not well, don’t go to markets and public places.”
Updated
The health minister, Greg Hunt, has warned of a fake letter circulating about school closures in Victoria.
Please note there is a forged letter circulating on social media purporting to be from myself and the Victorian Minister Mikakos.
— Greg Hunt (@GregHuntMP) March 15, 2020
This letter is a fake and falsely asserts school closures. Schools remain open with the unanimous support of the States and Commonwealth. The matter is being reported to the police.
— Greg Hunt (@GregHuntMP) March 15, 2020
“This letter is a fake and falsely asserts school closures. Schools remain open with the unanimous support of the States and Commonwealth. The matter is being reported to the police.”
Updated
Two women who were on a flight with Peter Dutton have contracted coronavirus, AAP reports
The Indigenous activist Boneta-Marie Mabo, who is Eddie Mabo’s granddaughter, and the prisoners’ rights advocate Deb Kilroy were on the same plane from Sydney to Los Angeles as the federal minister, before he found out he was infected.
UPDATE Tests came back for #COVIDー19 & @BonetaMarieMabo & I have virus We are not being hospitalised as there’s limited beds We are the first ones being quarantined in community Yes it’s frightening but I’m healthy & should be fine after 14 days ♥️ Take care of yourselves plz 😍
— Debbie Kilroy (@DebKilroy) March 15, 2020
Kilroy said Dutton had been sitting just two seats in front of her and, while she can’t be sure she caught the virus from him, he was the only confirmed case she’d had contact with.
Updated
Queensland’s electoral commission has received nearly 100,000 postal vote applications ahead of upcoming local government elections.
Since Friday afternoon, the ECQ has received over 96,000 applications for postal votes for the 2020 local government elections. Applications close at 7pm on Monday, 16 March 2020. To apply call 1300 881 665, email ecq@ecq.qld.gov.au or online. More info: https://t.co/EAYfy28w9H
— ECQ (@ECQInfo) March 15, 2020
In more business news, Air New Zealand has further slashed its flights as sweeping travel bans crippled operations and will start sacking staff soon.
The company, which is listed on the Australian exchange, put its shares into a trading halt before the market opened on Monday morning.
Qantas and Virgin have also slashed flights and the entire airline sector is under extreme financial pressure.
Air New Zealand’s long-haul flights will be slashed by 85% and domestic ones by 30%.
Flights between Auckland and Chicago, San Francisco, Houston, Buenos Aires, Vancouver, Tokyo Narita, Honolulu, Denpasar and Taipei are suspended from 30 March to 30 June. The London-Los Angeles route is suspended from 20 March.
“The Tasman and Pacific Island network capacity will significantly reduce between April and June,” the company said.” Details of these schedule changes will be announced later this week.”
The company said it would begin talks with unions about making permanent positions redundant. “We have deployed a range of measures, such as leave without pay and asking those with excess leave to take it, but these only go so far,” chief executive Greg Foran said.
New jury trials in NSW have been suspended. This is across all court levels, from district to supreme.
“Current trials, where a jury has already been selected and empanelled, will continue,” a statement said.
New jury trials temporarily suspended from today in NSW due to COVID-19. Current jury trials will continue. Potential jurors with a summons to attend court should contact juror info line on 1300 780 199 or visit https://t.co/ZzceuQj4Wc.
— NSW Supreme Court (@NSWSupCt) March 15, 2020
For more details: https://t.co/MIy9TyqH9C
ASX falls 7.3% at open
The Australian market plunged 7.3% on Monday morning as coronavirus fears again gripped traders.
This follows a rollercoaster day on Friday when the benchmark ASX200 index plunged as much as 8% before roaring back to finish the day up 4.4%.
A-League to go ahead, behind closed doors
This just in. The CEO of Football Federation Australia has confirmed that the A-League will not be suspended, all remaining games will be played, but they will do so behind closed doors.
The W-League grand final will also go ahead on Saturday, also behind closed doors.
All remaining matches will also be played only in Australia – ie, no matches in Wellington – due to the government’s new mandatory 14-day self-isolation period for new arrivals.
James Johnson confirms that all Australian football will go ahead according to government guidelines. FFA will provide stricter guidelines for clubs & leagues to follow as well: actions before playing, football activities, & good hygiene & social distancing.
— Samantha Lewis (@battledinosaur) March 15, 2020
Updated
Also in news you may have missed last night, it was confirmed that the Channel Nine presenter Richard Wilkins also has coronavirus.
This was after Wilkins met Rita Wilson twice: once after her show at the Opera House on 7 March and once when she appeared on the Today Extra.
Hey ....sincere thanks for all the messages...I really appreciate it. It’s actually a bizarre feeling to have tested positive to this thing we’ve all been talking about. I feel 100% ...no symptoms at all ! Thanks again ....love to all RW xx
— Richard Wilkins (@RichardWilkins) March 15, 2020
A Nine spokesperson said Wilkins “is not showing any symptoms of the virus and has been self-isolating, on his own at home, since Thursday last week”.
Updated
The corporate regulator has told high-volume stock market traders to reduce the number of orders they place by up to a quarter after last week’s market chaos.
There were “exponential increases in the number of trades executed, with a particularly large increase in trades last Friday, 13 March”, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission said.
“If the number of trades executed continues to increase, it will put strain on the processing and risk management capabilities of market infrastructure and market participants,” Asic said.
“Accordingly, Asic has issued directions under the Asic Market Integrity Rules to a number of large equity market participants ... These directions require those firms to reduce their number of executed trades [a day] by up to 25% from the levels executed on Friday.”
The Australian market, which has been falling since 20 February, plunged as much as 8% on Friday before rallying strongly to finish the day up more than 4% – a turnaround unprecedented in living memory.
Asic’s direction comes after the US Federal Reserve slashed official rates to effectively zero overnight. The New Zealand central bank has also made a surprise move to cut rates by 0.75%, to 0.25%.
Pressure is now building on the Australian Reserve Bank to make an out-of-cycle cut and bring rates to 0.25%, which the bank has previously said is effectively zero.
Central banks, including the RBA, have also been spending up in debt markets in an effort to stop the flow of credit freezing over, as happened in the run-up to the global financial crisis.
Updated
And meanwhile, while in self-isolation in Queensland, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have impressed Australians with a courageously thick spread of Vegemite on their Sunday morning toast.
Thanks to the Helpers. Let’s take care of ourselves and each other. Hanx pic.twitter.com/09gCdvzGcO
— Tom Hanks (@tomhanks) March 15, 2020
Updated
Last night Anthony Albanese got his chance to address the nation – after Scott Morrison’s address earlier in the week.
He said:
I want to assure you that we approach this in a spirit of bipartisanship. We will be constructive. We will support the government to protect the health of Australians, but also to protect their jobs and our economy.
Albanese’s focus was things the government should be doing better, including:
- More consistent advice – such as when to self-isolate and when to get tested
- Getting more people tested more quickly
- The fast tracking of fever clinics
- Expanding Medicare to allow people to call or Skype their GP
- A serious reduction in large gatherings of people
- Timely and comprehensive travel advice and restrictions that are updated more frequently
“There is now no room for delays,” he said.
You can watch the full address here.
Updated
Melbourne’s public libraries and recreation centres will be closed temporarily, the City of Melbourne has announced.
“Our six libraries and four recreation centres will close from 2pm today until Tuesday 31 March 2020, with the possibility of this closure being extended,” the council said.
The following libraries, arts centres and recreation centres will be closed:
- City Library in Flinders Lane, Kathleen Syme in Carlton, Library at The Dock in Docklands, East Melbourne, North Melbourne and Southbank Library at Boyd.
- Melbourne City Baths, Kensington Recreation Centre, Carlton Baths and North Melbourne Recreation Centre.
- Meat Market, Signal, ArtPlay and Arts House. This excludes artists’ studios.
“While none of our staff members have been diagnosed with Covid-19 we need to protect the safety of our staff and slow the spread of the virus within the community,” said the lord mayor, Sally Capp.
“Our libraries, recreation and cultural centres are important community meeting places so this is not a decision we take lightly.”
All of the council’s childcare facilities will continue to operate as usual. Planning, building, waste and recycling, animal management, and parking and traffic services will also continue to operate.
Updated
University of Queensland halts classes
And also earlier, the University of Queensland has announced it will halt all classes for a week, as the number of Covid-19 infections in the state rise.
The vice-chancellor, Peter Høj, announced that all coursework would pause at the Brisbane-based university – including in-person and online lectures and classes. This comes after the government on Sunday warned against all non-essential static gatherings of 500 people or more.
The university has approximately 53,000 student and 2,800 full-time equivalent staff, and is a member of Australia’s “Group of Eight”, a body of Australia’s oldest and most prestigious universities. Three students at UQ have so far tested positive for Covid-19.
But the campus and its libraries and study spaces will remain open. Høj also said the university would work on changing courses to “meet the new social distancing guidelines” over the week.
Updated
And some news from earlier that you may have missed with those rolling, multiple press conferences.
Woolworths has announced a dedicated shopping hour for elderly people and people with disabilities. That will be from 7am to 8am, starting tomorrow, at most (but not all) stores.
From AAP:
Access will be granted if the shopper has a relevant government issued concession card. All other shoppers will be granted access after 8am.
Meanwhile, the small national supermarket chain IGA is considering whether to roll out a pensioners-and-seniors-only shopping hour across its 1,300 Australian stores.
The idea is being trialled at an IGA in Melbourne’s Altona, with a shopping hour between 6am to 7am.
“I would think that we could make a decision as a network in the next 24-48 hours,” IGA’s chief executive, Fred Harrison, told Nine.
Updated
More detail on those fines for organisers of events with more than 500 people.
In NSW the health minister, Brad Hazzard, announced that today he had made an order under section section of the Public Health Act 2010 that will “force the immediate cancellation of public events with more than 500 people”.
“Individuals who fail to comply could face up to six months in prison or a fine of up to $11,000 or both, plus additional penalties for each day the offence continues. Corporations face even harsher fines.”
Updated
ACT declares state of emergency
The ACT chief minister, Andrew Barr, has also declared a state of emergency, after Victoria did the same earlier today.
He says there are two confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the territory.
On Sky, Scott Morrison has confirmed that further restrictions are under consideration including controls on visits to aged care centres and how to deal with enclosed gatherings (rather than mass gatherings in open).
Referring to the death of his father over the summer, Morrison said: “When you have elderly relatives in nursing homes you obviously want to see them – it might be the last time you get to see them ... That needs to be done sensitively ... We need to lessen the broader risk for people in these facilities.”
Morrison confirmed that the widespread closure of schools was not recommended, although “specific instances” of outbreaks in specific schools had attracted closures in NSW and Victoria. He said the government made decisions based on “facts not opinions”.
“We need to keep meeting, keep considering information, keep making decisions. When you slow the spread you save lives.”
Morrison confirms he has not been tested for coronavirus, because “there is no need, I have no symptoms”.
Updated
Parliament public galleries to be closed
Speaking to the broadcaster Alan Jones, the prime minister, Scott Morrison, confirmed “scale-back arrangements” would be imposed when parliament meets next week, including staff not travelling to the capital and closing public viewing galleries.
He applauded the move by Woolworths to reserve a dedicated shopping hour for elderly and vulnerable people and said the violent scenes at shopping centres were disappointing and “not Australian”.
“Each of us have got to check each other on this kind of stuff,” he said.
In response to a question about whether banks could be persuaded not to foreclose on small businesses, he said the government was discussing the issue with lenders.
“They are very real issues,” he said. “I am finding the banks to be very constructive. A lot of those practical issues we are now addressing.”
Updated
CHO Brett Sutton says the quarantine order doesn't mean people need to IMMEDIATELY self-isolate when they land in Melbourne if their actual destination is further on. If you're headed regionally, can get to your end destination before quarantining.
— Calla Wahlquist (@callapilla) March 15, 2020
Scott Morrison has clarified that the new requirement for all international arrivals to self-isolate does not apply to their families.
Morrison told ABC AM that people arriving from overseas would be issued with personal protective equipment to wear on their journey home, where they would need to self-isolate for 14 days. But their family would not need to self-isolate because they were a “low-risk group”, he said.
Asked about false social media claims that NSW would be locked down, Morrison said traditional media should not report the claims and the government would reach out to social media companies to combat misinformation.
Asked about the Victorian premier Daniel Andrews’ declaration of a public health emergency, Morrison said that was approved at the national cabinet on Sunday.
Morrison has defended the pace of rolling out national ads, saying “several weeks ago we put in place the resources for a national campaign”.
Guardian Australia has reported that a contract for the campaign was only awarded on 3 March but Morrison said the government had taken the disease seriously “since mid January” – citing travel bans and the evacuations from China and Japan.
Updated
The number of Victoria cases of Covid-19 has risen by 14, taking the state’s total to 71.
“My understanding is the majority again are overseas acquired,” says the chief health officer, Prof Brett Sutton.
He also said Victoria would have “further discussions around schools and the evidence for or against school closures”.
“But we really want to work through broader strategies for social distancing and one of the key things to take out of this is that there is nothing magic about 500 people.”
Sutton said while there was no ban on gatherings of smaller than 500 people, “people should do the right thing”.
Daniel Andrews said concerns about aged care would be discussed in detail at the national cabinet on Tuesday.
He said the advice at the moment was that “closing schools en masse ... could do more harm than good”.
Crown Casino has been allowed to continue operating its gaming floor, with social distancing in place. Andrews said “a number of machines have been turned off so there are bigger gaps between patrons”.
The mandatory self-isolation did not apply to people from Pacific Island nations who had to travel through Australia or New Zealand to get home, he said.
Updated
Morrison says 80% of people who contract coronavirus have mild symptoms, including the home affairs minister, Peter Dutton, and people should not panic.
“Our advice is that eight out or 10 Australians who contract this virus will have mild symptoms,” he said.
“Peter Dutton, who has the virus, joined the national security committee meeting of cabinet by video conference yesterday. We changed our meeting arrangements so people are joining by video conference. The world can continue to turn.
“Shops remain open, the power is still on ... we can get about our daily life as best as we can.
“A state of emergency is not a state of panic,” he says, in regards to Victoria’s announcement today.
Updated
Scott Morrison is now speaking on Channel Nine’s Today show.
The host Karl Stefanovic tells him he feels uncomfortable that schools are still open. Morrison says he is still following the advice of the chief medical officer and the experts.
“You’re not a doctor, Karl, and neither am I,” Morrison says. “I am interested in facts. I am a parent, you are a parent, I think we all have the same anxieties about the health of our kids.
“This could change in the future and if it does it is because of a change in the medical situation.”
Updated
Brett Sutton, Victoria’s chief health officer, is now speaking.
He says the ban on gatherings above 500 people does not apply to: “Airports, public transportation, medical and health services, emergency services, aged care, prisons, correctional facilities, youth justice centres, parliament, food markets or an office building, factory or site of construction that is necessary for normal operation.”
Updated
Victoria declares state of emergency
Victoria’s premier, Daniel Andrews, has just declared a state of emergency to combat the spread of coronavirus.
That is effective from noon today and will last four weeks.
“It is likely that state of emergency will be extended and will be in place for as long as it needs to be,” Andrews says.
That state of emergency also means that Victorian police can enforce self-isolation measures and punish those who do not comply.
“Under the state of emergency that has been declared, it is an offence under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act to not comply with the orders that have been made.
“Those orders relate to the mandatory – it is not optional in any way – mandatory home quarantine or at a hotel if you are not a resident. Now, that is a proportionate and appropriate response.
“These powers have never been used before,” he says. “That gives, I hope, a sense of the unprecedented nature of this public health emergency”.
Andrews also warns against panic buying and emptying supermarket shelves and says residents should look after the most vulnerable.
Updated
Potential jail time and fines for failing to self-isolate
At a press conference this morning, the New South Wales premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has just confirmed that police can fine or imprison people who fail to self-isolate, and arrest event organisers who defy the closure of events with more than 500 people.
Yesterday Scott Morrison announced new restrictions to slow the spread of coronavirus, including 14-day self-isolation for anyone arriving from overseas, and a 30-day ban on cruise ship arrivals.
“Whilst the chief medical officer can issue notices, police can enforce that and there are penalties in place for people who don’t respect what we’ve done, through the Public Health Act,” Berejiklian said today.
Yesterday the Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaczszuk, said laws passed last month also allowed police to fine people $13,000 for not complying with self-isolation. The Western Australian premier, Mark McGowan, also said similar.
When asked if people could also report those who fail to comply, Berejiklian said yes but “hopes that it doesn’t come to that”.
“You can let the relevant authorities know, and the police can turn up and enforce that person to stay home. So we do have that provision. We’ll be enacting that.
“If you’re an event organiser and you have a planned event which will have 500 people at once, that can no longer take place. So if anybody doesn’t follow those instructions, there’s a hefty fine and also potential jail time.”
Section 70 of the NSW Public Health Act says it is an offence not to comply with a public health order, and section 71 says police may arrest a person who contravenes public health orders – under certain circumstances.
But the premier said she hoped that “most people will step up and do the right thing [and self-isolate]”.
“Don’t just think of yourself and your own family ... you could unintentionally be infecting and causing the death of so many other people.”
Updated
Good morning and welcome back to our continuing coverage of the coronavirus outbreak in Australia.
This morning, Woolworths has announced a dedicated shopping hour for elderly and disabled people – to combat shelf shortages due to panic buying – while the University of Queensland will pause all its classes for a week.
The New South Wales premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has also just spoken about potential powers the government can use to enforce self-isolation. We’ll bring you updates from that press conference to you first.
Updated
