What we learned today, Sunday 26 September
Enjoy your evening, all, and thanks for having me! Here’s just a taste of what we learned today:
- The ACT had 25 new Covid cases, NSW had 961, and Victoria 779 - NSW will announce plans for reopening next week, while Victoria will ease some restrictions from Tuesday.
- Victoria is going to have “vaccinated economy trials”,
- Nationals MP Darren Chester is taking a break from the party because he’s frustrated with the leadership.
- Prime minister Scott Morrison told the premiers to stick to the national reopening plan (not all of them are all in).
- Katharine Murphy took a good look at what’s been happening back home while prime minister Scott Morrison has been away.
See you tomorrow!
Updated
In case you missed this earlier (I did) please enjoy this piece by Arwa Mahdawi on cancel culture, critical race theory and ... sexy seahorses.
It’s very easy to laugh at a bunch of rightwing moms clutching their pearls over sexy seahorses – but there’s nothing funny about the systemic, organised way in which conservatives are trying to rewrite history and restrict freedom of speech.
Updated
Here’s Katharine Murphy wrapping up some of the troubles facing Scott Morrison on his return from Washington with her usual clear-eyed aplomb:
So, given his internals are a tinderbox, Joyce has stopped saying no to net zero.
Instead of no, we are treated to a word salad.
On Sunday morning, the deputy prime minister told the ABC no coal jobs should be lost “by reason of domestic policy”. But shortly after that declaration, he said protecting coal jobs was “not the bottom line”. He thought he’d quote Voltaire, but then he remembered he wasn’t quoting Voltaire but someone Voltaire adjacent.
You could call this stumbling. But what it actually is is stalling.
(The famous free speech often attributed to Voltaire was used by Evelyn Beatrice Hall in a Voltaire biography.)
Updated
Just in case you haven’t had enough numbers in your day, the prime minister’s office has sent out a bunch of statistics on who has had two vaccine doses:
- 77% of over 70s
- 69.33% of over 50s
- 51.49% of over 16s.
And just a smidge over half of all Australians (remembering that we keep leaving people aged 16 and under out) have been fully vaccinated.
If it was a race (it’s not a race! Or is it?) the ACT is a nose in front of NSW with 61% of residents double dosed, compared with 60.1%.
Updated
Top job today by Justine – and I’m a total newbie, so please forgive me if I don’t stack up. And now for some gratuitous promotion of this story that really tickled my fancy: the guy who used GPS mapping to trace out the Nirvana naked baby on the streets of Adelaide...
Updated
That’s all from me today. I’m handing over the blog to my wonderful colleague Tory Shepherd.
Updated
This is our COVID-19 weekend update for Sunday 26 September 2021.
— Mark McGowan (@MarkMcGowanMP) September 26, 2021
For official information on COVID-19 in WA, visit https://t.co/qA5jY6mVkv https://t.co/Yxl4OlzeeS pic.twitter.com/mXxDMDB363
Stick to reopening plan, Scott Morrison tells premiers
There has been several comments thrown around by state premiers in the last few days around whether they are going to open up their borders once 80% of the population is fully vaccinated. The prime minister says that they need to stick to the national plan, AAP reports.
AAP:
Scott Morrison is putting pressure on premiers who are wavering on opening borders, once they strike a rate of 80% rate of double-dosed vaccinations, to stick to the national plan.
The premiers of Queensland and Western Australia are showing reluctance to commit to that reopening target, even though it was a key part of the national Covid-19 recovery plan agreed to by the national cabinet.
“There comes a time when you’ve got to honour the arrangement you’ve made with the Australian people, and that is when you get to 80% vaccination, it’s very clear that you can start opening up,” Morrison told the Seven Network in an interview while he was in Washington.
He said at that stage there will still be some common-sense controls, like QR code logins and mask-wearing in certain circumstances.
“But, you know, comes a time when you’ve just got to move on and get on with it,” he said.
Deputy Nationals leader and Queensland MP David Littleproud said the prime minister has tried to show leadership by bringing premiers and first ministers together through the national cabinet.
“Then they walk out and go different directions. The question has to be why are you changing your mind,” he told Sky New’s Sunday Agenda program.
“All Queenslanders want, all Australians want, is hope and certainty.”
He also had little time for those involved in the violent protests in Melbourne last week.
“That small element are society scum and quite frankly they should be forced into isolation at her majesty’s pleasure,” Littleproud said. “Those people do not deserve to live in this society freely.”
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said he agrees with the national plan but some of the restrictions being seen now are the result of the Morrison government’s failures.
“Scott Morrison should accept responsibility for that rather than doing what he always does, which is always to look to blame someone else, always looking for a look-over-there moment,” he told reporters in Sydney.
“No one wants any restrictions to be in place for one day more than necessary. I certainly don’t. It’s very frustrating that it has occurred.”
Updated
Yeah yeah, we get it Queensland. You have no new cases.
Keep it up, Queensland 👏🍩 pic.twitter.com/fg2j3iVhvE
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) September 25, 2021
Therapeutic uses for illegal substances – including MDMA, DMT and psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms – are now being explored in clinical trials.
Dr Martin Williams, executive director of Psychedelic Research in Science & Medicine and a research fellow at Monash University, is co-leading a clinical trial at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne into psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy to treat anxiety and depression in people who are terminally ill.
The trial, which will run until 2023, involves 40 people with terminal conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and motor neurone disease, who are receiving either one, or two, 25-milligram doses of psilocybin in conjunction with therapy.
Read the full story by Donna Lu here:
Victoria Covid Commander Jeroen Weimar confirmed at today’s press conference that a man who attended Melbourne’s anti-lockdown anti-vaccination protests has tested positive for the virus.
“We’re also aware that there is an individual in Geelong who was at that protest who has also turned positive, so there’s another little flurry of activity going on there,” he said.
Weimar said that the man was likely at the protest during his infectious period.
National MP Darren Chester has confirmed reports that he is taking a break from the party, and says he will reassess his position in October.
Chester wrote: “My decision follows months of frustration with the repeated failure of the leadership to even attempt to moderate some of the more disrespectful and offensive views expressed by a minority of colleagues.”
Darren Chester is on a break from the Nationals "to reflect on a number of significant issues" including "failure of the leadership to even attempt to moderate some of the more disrespectful and offensive views expressed by a minority of colleagues" pic.twitter.com/IH72yYZXTH
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) September 26, 2021
Chester was dumped from the ministry by Barnaby Joyce when Joyce returned to the Nationals leadership in June.
Chester has divided members of his party over his support for a net zero by 2050 target, and just this week declared that the National party needs to have a “credible policy” on emissions reduction and sustainability.
Updated
Time for another lighthearted tweet: the moment two people in a car realised they were talking about NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her “security uncles”.
This brought me great joy pic.twitter.com/n1R6rAMrza
— Hunter Smith (@MrHunterSmith) September 26, 2021
Feral-free national park for Sydney's west
Remember how earlier I said that the NSW Covid-19 update was held in front of Shanes Park in north-west Sydney?
That’s because the state government was announcing that it is being turned into a national park and ready to open to the public by 2023.
As usual, AAP have the full story:
The national park will be a feral-free area and the government says it wants locally extinct species to be reintroduced in the sanctuary, including quolls, brush-tailed phascogale and bettongs.
Emus and koalas will also be reintroduced to the area. Some 30 species will be returned to the parkland, which is yet to be named. Specialist perimeter fencing will enclose the site.
Environment minister Matt Kean says the feral-free area across NSW’s national parks will soon stretch to almost 65,000 hectares, with a 40,000-hectare site near Cobar currently under construction.
“We’re announcing our very own Noah’s Ark,” Mr Kean said on Sunday.
The NSW government will establish a 500-hectare national park in western Sydney - the largest in the area in more than a decade.
The site at Shanes Park, between Penrith in western Sydney and Windsor in the city’s northwest, will be ready for the public by 2023.
Updated
New Zealand reports 21 new Covid cases
New Zealand has reported 21 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, 18 of which were locally acquired.
This brings the total number of active cases in the country to 225.
Updated
NSW premier wants overseas travel restart
NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters at today’s press conference that she wants international travel to resume “at the earliest opportunity”.
The premier added that the state government would reveal this week what restrictions will look like once the state hits 80% of people fully vaccinated.
Our friends at the AAP have the full story:
Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Sunday told reporters the government’s plans for 80 per cent double-dose vaccination coverage - expected in roughly late October - will be revealed in the coming days.
This plan will extend the restoration of freedoms – which will commence at 70% coverage – to fully vaccinated Australians.
It is likely to include larger gathering caps, larger major event crowds, auctions and the resumption of community sport.
But it may also involve the government delaying the resumption of regional NSW travel from 70% to 80% coverage.
Berejiklian has already promised to rapidly increase international flight arrival caps for Australians stranded overseas.
On Sunday she expressed her hope that outbound travel, currently banned by federal authorities, would also be allowed again imminently.
It comes a day after Berejiklian’s Queensland counterpart Annastacia Palaszczuk expressed her strong aversion to the resumption of international travel any time soon.
Prime minister Scott Morrison has previously expressed his support for NSW residents resuming international travel before other states.
“Other states may not be ready for that yet but that’s OK, NSW is moving fast and if we feel it’s safe to do so, of course we’ll allow our double-vaccinated citizens to move freely,” Berejiklian said.
“I’d like NSW residents who are fully vaccinated to be able to go overseas at the earliest opportunity ... if they’re double vaccinated and have those plans, and the airlines are flying in, why not?”
Freedoms for the unvaccinated will be also restored at an unspecified later date, Berejiklian said, but not in the short term.
There are currently 1146 Covid-19 cases in hospital in NSW, with 222 people in intensive care and 117 on ventilators ...
Greater Sydney has now been in lockdown for more than 13 weeks, with some residents given marching orders after large crowds gathered at beaches in Bondi and Manly on Friday.
Police issued three fines for breaching public health orders and a number of move-on directions as they dispersed the throngs.
“I ask everybody to please hold the line, it’s really important we work hard now so when we do start opening up at 70%, we’re able to do so safely and by bringing everyone together,” Berejiklian said.
“All of us would like to think that once we get to that 80% double dose, it will be back to living without Covid, but it will not be.
“It will be a new Covid normal but we will enjoy so many more freedoms than what we have today and we will all adjust our lives.”
Updated
Labor leader Anthony Albanese has weighed in on prime minister Scott Morrison’s call to open the country up once 80% of eligible people are vaccinated. Albanese said he supports the national plan but that Morrison’s “failures” on vaccine supply and quarantine mean restrictions are still in place.
No one wants any restrictions to be in place for one day more than necessary. I certainly don’t. It’s very frustrating that it has occurred. (The restrictions) are there as a result of this government’s failure. And Scott Morrison should accept responsibility for that rather than doing what he always does, which is always to look to blame someone else.
Updated
Several media outlets are reporting that Victorian authorities are considering what restrictions might be required to allow students to return to schools safely next year.
Reports say that large group activities like excursions, school camps, assemblies, and performances may not be allowed to go ahead at schools next year. Parents may not be allowed to mingle at school pick up and drop off. Students over 12 may reportedly be required to have at least one dose of a vaccine before they return to school, while those in years 11 and 12 will need to be fully vaccinated.
Nothing has been confirmed yet.
Excursions, school camps, assemblies and performances at Victorian schools could be banned when students return to the classroom next year. #9News pic.twitter.com/aYN7846Jmw
— 9News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) September 25, 2021
Updated
Our friends at the AAP have provided more detail about the 25 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases in the ACT.
AAP:
The ACT has recorded 25 new coronavirus cases, most of which were linked to outstanding known infections.
However, only three were in quarantine during their entire infectious period, Health minister Rachel Stephen-Smith told reporters on Sunday.
She said said there was positive news on the outbreak at the Canberra hospital where no new positive cases were identified.
“More than 200 hundred negative tests have so far been returned from both staff and patients,” she said.
“I was advised this morning that all staff tests have now been returned and have come back negative. There will be more testing today, and the situation is being closely monitored.
Two virus cases had been reported last week in patients sharing a room at the hospital.
ACT chief minister Andrew Barr said on Saturday that as regional NSW health services began feeling the burden of Covid caseloads, some patients were being sent to ACT hospitals for treatment, a trend he expected to continue.
Updated
ACT records 25 locally acquired cases, only three in isolation
The ACT has recorded 25 new coronavirus cases, only three of which were in isolation for their entire infectious period.
Updated
27% of 12-15 year olds have had their first Covid-19 vaccine dose
I want to highlight that Hunt said Australia has already seen 340,000 of those between 12-15 years old receive a Covid-19 vaccination in the two weeks since they were made eligible.
That means that 27% of Australians aged 12-15 years old have received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.
“So to the kids, the teams and the parents coming forward thank you very, very much,” Hunt said.
Updated
Hunt was also asked whether it is safe for states and territories ease restrictions as soon as they hit 70% or 80% vaccination targets, given that it takes around two weeks from the second shot to have good immune coverage from the virus.
Hunt says that this fact was built into the Doherty Institute modelling, and that the modelling deemed it safe to open up as soon as those targets are hit.
Hunt:
The 70% and 80% represent the point at which they think it is safe to open. That included all assumptions in relation to the efficacy time. So the trigger for those is actually the time those thresholds are achieved.
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Reporter:
The prime minister had said that he would like to give all Australians their lives back by Christmas Day. He said that as a gift that is within the power of government. Just wondering how confident you are that Christmas might be a milestone where Australian lives to return to normal, and I suppose how much do you think the state premiers are aware of the presence of those you can see by Christmas?
Greg Hunt:
We would like to see every Australian seeing every other Australian by Christmas.
We have enough vaccines for every Australian to be vaccinated by the end of October. As we have over 12m mRNA vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna, by the end of October, on top of the 26.6m that have already been vaccinated, plus the AstraZeneca ... there is ample vaccine available for everyone who seeks to be vaccinated to have had that opportunity before the end of October.
... That means that we can achieve not just the 80%, but I think we will see in some states and territories well above the 80% mark, over 85% now ... with others on that pathway.
So all of that, all of that means that there should be no barriers to any Australian being able to travel. It will be up to some premiers to follow the national plan that has been committed to, but I am confident in vaccine protection and our common humanity will mean that Australians will be able to connect with every other Australian at the earliest possible opportunity.
Updated
Hunt has been asked what Australians can expect once we hit the 80% double-vaccination mark across the country, especially when it comes to travel.
In short: it’s up each state and territory what that looks like.
Hunt:
The national plan sets out 80% double vaccination and we are on track not just to reach that but to beat that. To do that not just this calendar year, but potentially well earlier than that.
And that means that we can have reduced restrictions, return to our freedoms. The capacity to travel across state borders, and locally, each state and territory will have to determine within the national plan what are the public health and safety measures that they need. But at the end of the day this is about families getting together, people being able to attend weddings and funerals, to attend births and to attend all of the great human events of life.
In non-Covid news, Greg Hunt has announced that, under the government’s Medical Research Future Fund, $12m will be made available to fight glioblastoma, an aggressive type of brain cancer.
“... brain cancer is another hideous disease, it has, this one in particular, has a less than 5% five-year survival rate. So today, in partnership with the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation, we will be making $12m available for grants to help double survival rate for glioblastoma, to take it to a much higher level indeed than just a doubling.
Updated
Federal health minister Greg Hunt says that Australia will finish receiving its shipment of 1m doses of Moderna from the EU today.
Updated
Over 50% of Australians over 16 are fully vaccinated
Meanwhile, federal health minister Greg Hunt has been providing an update on our vaccination rates across the country:
There are very important cause for hope, that what we now know is that we are on track for a record vaccination week. At this point, [there were] over two million vaccinations in the last seven days and we will have the figures tomorrow from this week.
But importantly, what we see is that ... we are at 26.6 million vaccinations all up ... and very significantly, well over 75% first vaccinations at 75.8% for 16 [years] and over, well over 50% second vaccinations at 51.5% vaccinations for 16 and over.
That means I think importantly, that we are at 15.6 million first doses ... so 870,000 Australians are needed to achieve the 80% first dose mark.
Updated
Victorian authorities have said that the commonwealth is working “very quickly” to try and secure Medicare against people trying to hack in and wrongly change their vaccination status so they can access the privileges afforded to vaccinated people.
Minister for tourism, sport and major events Martin Pakula:
I have seen the reports and would say that there is some - some ability for a smart hacker to try to alter that digital record, and I understand that the commonwealth is working to protect it from that. But that is really part of what the trial is about.
The trial is partly about ensuring that we understand all of those different pressure points and all those different possibilities so that by the time we get to 70% and 80% we have a much better idea of what is secure and what is not. So I think the IT behind this is getting better all the time. I know that in other parts of the world this is being done in a way that is, you know, protective of attempts to defraud...
But we can’t let the availability of the IT solution delay us unduly because 70% and 80% is coming upon us quite soon and we need to run these trials to make sure that we’ve got all of the answers to questions like that.
Updated
Victorian authorities have been asked about the ‘vaccinated economy trials’. One reporter asked whether this means vaccines will be made mandatory for those in the hospitality sector:
Premier Daniel Andrews:
That decision has not been made. We have had this discussion a few times about the proper process that needs to be going through. The Chief Health Officer needs to do that proved to be lawful. But it would be strange if you weren’t allowed to stand at the public bar to have a beer ... unless you are vaccinated, but the person who was pouring the beer didn’t have to be vaccinated. That might be where we get to, but that is not a matter for me.
It is a matter for the Chief Health Officer and he is looking at all different sectors. But look, think about it, if you have a busy place, lots of customers coming in and out, lots of staff, you - people are staying for sometimes a short period of time, sometimes a longer period of time - it makes sense to have as many people vaccinated as possible. Hopefully everybody in that environment would have had two jabs because the risk of people spreading in those environments as much, much higher.
Victoria to trial opening venues to the fully vaccinated from 11 October
Another important point from Victoria’s press conference is the announcement of vaccinated economy trials.
Basically, the state government is going to trial opening up parts of the economy for those who are fully vaccinated.
Here is what we learned:
- The trails are scheduled to start on 11 October. This is a fortnight before authorities anticipate reaching the 70% double dose threshold, which at the moment they expect will occur on about 26 October.
- Chosen venues, events and locations which authorities nominate as trial sites, will be able to operate at that 70% threshold number.
- Up to 20 trial sites will be chosen across regional Victoria, in local government areas with low case numbers and high vaccination rates.
- The trials will give authorities an opportunity to look at how they can best establish someone’s vaccination status as part of these trials. E.g. how the data from Medicare Online and Express Plus Medicare and vaccination certificates can be integrated with the Service Victoria app.
Updated
Victoria’s Covid-19 Commander, Jeroen Weimar, has provided a breakdown of today’s 779 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases.
Our outbreak map is very similar to what we have seen over the last four weeks.
Over half of our cases are in the northern suburbs: 417 cases in the northern suburbs including suburbs such as Craigieburn, Meadow Heights, Roxburgh Park.
In the western suburbs we have seen 216 cases, just over a quarter of today’s total, in Altona North, Point Cook and St Albans.
In our south-eastern suburbs, we have 93 cases, just over 10% of today’s total in Pakenham, Dandenong and Cranbourne East.
In our eastern suburbs we have 31 cases, particularly in Templestowe.
In regional Victoria there are 20 cases overnight and I will spend a bit more time on regional cases given the news that we have just been given. Of the 20 cases in regional Victoria, we have six in Geelong, they are all linked and connected and understood, five cases in Mitchell Shire, two in Ballarat, two in Shepparton, and a single case in Bendigo and a few other cases here and there. All of those cases with the exception Mitchell Shire are reasonably linked and understood from the primary close contacts.
There are two cases we are still investigating in today’s total numbers.
Updated
Mitchell Shire will not exit lockdown tonight
Mitchell Shire will not exit lockdown tonight, due to high case numbers in adjacent local government areas.
Associate Professor Deb Friedman:
Mitchell Shire being directly adjacent to some of the local government areas that have the highest rates of Covid anywhere in Australia, [and are] perennially vulnerable to the incursions from the suburbs they are adjacent to and that is what we’re saying regularly on a daily basis. So unfortunately we are not yet in a position to release lockdown in Shire and if you live there, you can help your community by getting tested, getting vaccinated, staying home and staying safe.
Updated
Surf Coast and greater Geelong to exit lockdown at 11.59pm tonight
Victorian authorities have announced that the Surf Coast local government area, and greater Geelong will exit lockdown at 11:59pm tonight.
Updated
Restrictions won’t ease today, since we haven’t hit the 80% first dose vaccination rate as hoped yet.
But Andrews says that the Chief Health Officer has confirmed that from 11.59pm on Tuesday 28 September, there will be a modest easing of restrictions. Here’s what will change:
In regional Victoria:
- Outdoor venue limits will go from 20 to 30 people
- Masks can be removed by the client during beauty services if the service requires it.
In metro Melbourne and regional Victoria:
- Residents will be able to undertake recreational outdoor activities, like boating, tennis, golf. The same conditions will apply here as with picnics (up to two people unvaccinated, five people vaccinated)
In metro Melbourne:
- The travel limit will go from 10km from your house, to 15km.
- Exercise will move to four hours a day.
- Up to five fully vaccinated people will be allowed to workout with a fully vaccinated personal trainer.
Updated
Andrews has announced that 77.7% of people aged 16 and over have received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, and 47.3%have received two doses.
Andrews says that we are set to hit 80% of people vaccinated with at least one dose on Tuesday (we had originally hoped to hit this number by today):
In terms of restrictions, I am pleased to be able to announce that it is estimated on Tuesday will reach that 80% single-dose number, very important threshold, and I think our single-dose numbers will go beyond the 80% mark, which is very good. That means we can be very confident about reaching 80% double dose on the timelines we have outlined. I thank everybody, everybody who by Tuesday will be part of that 80%.
Updated
Andrews is making the point that young people are not immune from the devastating impacts of the virus.
He says that 82% of yesterday’s cases were under the age of 50.
There are 325 people currently in hospital and 73 in ICU, and 54 on a ventilator.
Andrews says that four people in their 20s are currently in intensive care, all on a ventilator. Eight people in their 30s are in ICU, three of whom are on a ventilator.
So that makes the point very clearly that this is now by and large a pandemic in the unvaccinated and otherwise healthy people who are young, who do not have long lists of underlying conditions, if not vaccinated, are finding themselves in hospital. That is not a point of criticism. It is a point to motivate everyone to come forward and get vaccinated as quickly as possible.
Updated
OK, we are ducking across to Victoria, where premier Daniel Andrews is delivering today’s Covid-19 update.
Remember: today the state recorded 779 locally-acquired cases, bringing the total to 8011 active cases across the community.
Two people with Covid-19 who have sadly passed away: a man in his 80s from Moorland, and a man in his 70s from Hume.
Updated
Reporter:
Are they the restrictions that New South Wales will carry through to Christmas? Or is there are likely to be another major update following 80%?
Berejiklian:
New South Wales will be the first date that in all likelihood hits 80% double dose, but there will also be a point in time after that where unvaccinated people will be able to participate in activities, so that is the information we are providing this week to make very clear when those key milestones will occur, to provide everybody with certainty and I think the community will be very pleased firstly to have that certainty, to know that we are just a few weeks away from doing all of those things we have missed four months, and that is a very exciting proposition. But we also have to say and I don’t want to be a party pooper by saying there is no such day as freedom day but our reopening and finding Covid normal will be a step-by-step process. It will not happen in a day. It will take a couple of weeks or months for us to go starting to open up to what Covid normal looks like and that is the responsible way to do things.
Updated
The conversation deviates briefly to the announcement of a new national park in Western Sydney. But as soon as questions open up, the press conference turns back to the state’s Covid-19 update and future plans for unvaccinated people.
Berejiklian says that authorities are working out what restrictions will look like for unvaccinated residents, and will announce the plan this week:
The fact that we have so quickly already reached 85% demonstrates the vast majority of our citizens know how important this is. We will reopen to everybody when it is safe to do so, we’re going through the final touches of what our policy will be in that regard, and I am looking forward to sharing that with the community this week.
Can I strongly urge everybody to come forward and get vaccinated. If you don’t have a medical reason as to why you should not be vaccinated, please come forward, we know that if you want to live with Covid safely, keep our loved ones protected, the best way to do that is have great coverage of vaccination and I urge everybody to do that.
Updated
NSW Health’s Dr Jeremy McAnulty is providing a breakdown of today’s 961 new Covid-19 cases:
McAnulty says the highest numbers of cases include the suburbs of concern Auburn, Guildford, Punchbowl, Maryland, Penrith, Bankstown, Bossley Park and Liverpool.
He adds that there have also been a number of Covid detections in sewerage.
We have seen a number of sewage detections and regional areas with cases and we would like to callout those areas and really encourage people in those towns to come forward for testing, even with the mildest of symptoms. Musselburgh, in the Hunter Valley, Grafton, Grafton North and South sewage systems have tested positive, and Wardell and Barrett have a number of positive sewage tests on the far-west corner of the Southern Highlands.
In terms of hospitalisations, McAnulty says “there are currently 1146 patients admitted with Covid symptoms, 222 people in ICU, 117 requiring ventilation.”
The state sadly recorded nine Covid-related deaths, including six men and three women. One person was in their 40s, two in the 60s, two in the 70s and four in their 80s. Of those, eight were unvaccinated and one had received only one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. Three were from south-western Sydney, four from Western Sydney, one from Sydney’s inner-west and one was from Sydney’s Eastern suburbs
Updated
59.25% of eligible NSW population now double vaccinated
Berejiklian says that 85% of the eligible NSW population has received at least their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. She adds that 59.25% of eligible people have received both doses.
50% of 12-15-year-olds have a received their first dose.
Berejiklian:
There is not long to go before NSW starts approaching that 70% double dose figure and I ask everybody to please hold the line. It’s really important we work hard now so that when we do start opening up at 70%, we are able to do so safely and by bringing everyone together.
And I do want to foreshadow that the NSW government is very close to finalising our roadmap for 80% double dose but also our roadmap as to when unvaccinated people will be able to participate in greater activity and we will be releasing back this week.
Updated
NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian is providing today’s Covid-19 update right now from ... the site of a future national park in western Sydney.
But first Berejiklian says she is going to give today’s health update.
Updated
NSW reports 961 new Covid cases and nine deaths
NSW has recorded 961 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases and nine deaths.
Updated
Victoria: get ready. Premier Daniel Andrews is set to speak at 11.15am. We should learn whether restrictions will ease in regional towns, despite the fact we haven’t yet hit the 80% statewide first-dose vaccination rate as hoped.
There are also questions around whether restrictions will lift in Geelong and Mitchell Shire given concerns over rising case numbers in those areas.
Premier, Daniel Andrews, Minister for Industry Support and Recovery, Martin Pakula, Deputy Chief Health Officer, Deb Friedman, and COVID-19 Commander, Jeroen Weimar will provide a coronavirus update, 11:15am #COVID19Vic
— Political Alert (@political_alert) September 26, 2021
Updated
Have you been getting anti-vaccination flyers in your post? Well that may end soon.
Anti-vaccination flyers, such as those distributed by the United Australia party, could be banned from being delivered by many of the nation’s largest mail distributors.
The industry’s self-regulatory body has decided to change its code so that signatories could not mail content containing misinformation with the potential to harm health.
Read Josh Taylor’s full story here:
Updated
A moment of joy among all the Covid-19 news. A journalist called Phil McCann was sent to cover a story about petrol shortage.
The correspondent the BBC sent to cover the petrol shortage this morning is called Phil McCann pic.twitter.com/t64piutcg6
— Talia Shadwell (@TaliaShadwell) September 25, 2021
Even the BBC wrote about the moment:
The perfect man for the job!
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) September 25, 2021
BBC journalist Phil McCann's name sparks jokes on social media as he reports from a petrol station in Stockport https://t.co/d4mz8MsvLb
Phil McCann is now in this very specific & rare hall of fame pic.twitter.com/vs09B83il1
— claire. (@blissfulfiction) September 25, 2021
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Good morning. Today's the day! The sun is shining, the tank is clean, and I am on the @GuardianAus live blog again!
— Justine Landis-Hanley (@justinel_h) September 25, 2021
Come hang out - https://t.co/IsEZwolA44 pic.twitter.com/19cAqggQoq
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For those just joining us now: deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce confirmed this morning that he is in talks with Scott Morrison about setting a target of net zero emissions by 2050.
Joyce’s election as Nationals leader complicated the Morrison government’s attempts to move towards committing to net zero emissions by 2050.
But treasurer Josh Frydenberg warned this week that investors could take their money elsewhere if they saw Australia was lagging on climate action.
Here’s a recap of what Frydenberg said this week:
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NSW contact tracing improves as cases fall
Our friends at AAP have reported that NSW contact tracers are interviewing positive Covid-19 cases more quickly as case numbers across the state slowly decline.
AAP:
The number of people to be fully interviewed by contact tracers within a day of their positive result nearly doubled last week, data published by NSW Health reveals.
Contact tracers fully interviewed 58% of new cases within one day of notification in the week ending September 20. The week before, tracers only reached 31% of people within that time frame.
It is the first time that metric has surpassed 50% since the end of August. The improvement in contact tracing comes as the number of new local cases continues to dip.
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Finally, Speers asked Joyce about the Murugappan family, who this week were granted 12-month visas but are not allowed to return to the town of Biloela where they raised their two daughters.
Speers:
Earlier this year you said you would fight for the Murugappan family for their return to Biloela. What have you done in the past week [as acting prime minister] to help with that fight?
Joyce:
We have a cabinet system of government and I’ve had discussions with previous ministers. My views don’t change. They surround the fact that the girls were born in Australia ...
Speers:
... You are acting PM, did you express those views to the minister. He made a decision this week to keep them out of Biloela.
Joyce:
Look, I’m aware of the decision, right, and I’m not going to go into any discussions or otherwise what I might have had with ministers or not had with ministers, that’s my right of the ... Once you start doing that, people stop having discussions with you.
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Speers also asked Joyce about the news that his National party colleague, Darren Chester, is taking a break from the party.
Speers asked the deputy prime minister whether Chester is “fed up with you not reining in George Christensen and Matt Canavan with their comments”.
Joyce:
The National party room is the most democratic organisation in that federal parliament, more democratic than the Greens or the Labor party or even the Liberal party. In the past, a good mate of mine, Kevin Hogan sat on the crossbench. These issues happened before, but I will address the George Christensen thing. Now, George Christensen is retiring from politics and I do talk to George, but this idea that somehow you can just go up there and demand that ... I don’t know ... gaffer tape his mouth up – that’s not going to work ...
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Barnaby Joyce, speaking to David Speers on ABC Insiders, appeared to support the position of his National colleagues Michael McCormack and Darren Chester, who are willing to sign up to net zero by 2050 as long as regional jobs are protected.
That seems like a perfectly plausible position. I’ve read the total quotes of Michael McCormack and Darren Chester and they take into account exactly what I’m saying ... making sure we are looking after our people and that sounds like an incredible sensible thing to say. Look after your people. You’ve got to paint this in pictures so people understand. If I said the way we will have a carbon strategy in Sydney is to shut down three lanes of the Harbour Bridge and shut down the M2and M7 and we are there, folks. You would lose your mind. That’s outrageous. You get it.
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Speers and Joyce are going back and forth on what his position is around Australia hitting net zero by 2050. On the one hand, Joyce appears to say that the world is moving on from coal. On the other hand, he says he wants coal jobs protected.
Speers:
I’m trying to establish what your position is here. As you say, the world is moving on. Coal – the world will stop using coal at some point, do you agree and how can you protect those jobs indefinitely?
Joyce:
Well, let’s say that that’s – let’s work that statement out. If it does, people will stop buying it off us and that’s the progression.
Speers:
Shouldn’t you helping the transition of the industry now and those jobs in those regions?
Joyce:
That’s part and process of anything. As technology moves on, I’ve got no problems on that. But to make a statement, “Oh, the world is moving on from coal today,” it is just not right. We have the highest prices and highest volumes in the sale of thermal coal and because they’ve completely botched it in the UK unfortunately they’ve had to go back and recommission coal-fired power plants to keep the lights on.
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OK, but Speers wants to know how net zero discussions can be happening if Joyce says that he doesn’t want any jobs in coal lost.
Speers:
I want to be clear on this. As I say, pretty hard how you agree to any net zero 2050 or any time if you are demanding the protection of all coal jobs. This is the bottom line for you: no coal jobs lost?
Joyce:
It is not the bottom line. As I say, I won’t go to the particulars and I do credit your astuteness process of trying to see if I do. What I can say – you would believe the world is moving on from coal, and if that’s the case, there won’t be any demand for the product and of course, you clearly understand, the listeners understand that that is our biggest export. If you start shutting down your biggest export, the government has less money. So when you want money for more pensions or the NDIS, schools hospital, the ABC, you have to accept that we’ve made a decision that we will bring in less money, so there is less places for the government to spend it on. As simple as that. You can’t just keep borrowing money and thinking that’s not ending. Everybody looks at that and economically says, “Hey, guys, Australians, how do you pay us back?” What product are you selling the world that the world wants and if we haven’t got that product, we’re in strife.
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The acting prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, is speaking with David Speers on ABC Insiders this morning.
Speers has started by asking Joyce whether he is working with the prime minister Scott Morrison on a plan for net zero by 2050.
Joyce says that “obviously the discussion is happening”.
It would be absurd to think that people are not having discussions, but ultimately we have to know the process as well and my party room, the Nationals party room, is absolutely part and parcel of that and discussions will be taken back to that party room. We look at it through the eyes of making sure that there is not an unreasonable loss of jobs or any loss of jobs in regional areas. We’ve got to remember this is the area where we have the mining industry and this is the area where we have the agricultural industry and not just those farms, not just the mines, it is the towns that are attached to the commerce of those industries. It is the hairdressers, the tyre business. These people also rely on the Nationals to make sure that we don’t pull the economic rug out from underneath them. If we look at what pulling the economic rug looks like, it is something that I’m sort of perplexed that there is not more discussion about it.
Joyce even gave the Guardian a shout out:
What’s happening in the UK and Europe with energy prices, sixfold increases in one year. 260% increase since the start of the calendar year. A few days ago 850,000 people losing their energy provider, and a real concern over there about their capacity as they go into winter to keep themselves warm and even keep their food production processes going through and as quoted by the Guardian, so you don’t think it is rightwing rant that says total chaos.
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As New South Wales hospitals brace for the peak in admissions and overwhelmed intensive care units next month, health department and hospital codes of conduct restrict staff from speaking to media, leading to scarce insight into their experiences.
Read Anne Davies’ brilliant story here:
Victoria records 779 new Covid cases and two deaths
Victoria has recorded 779 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases, and two related deaths.
Reported yesterday: 779 new local cases and 0 cases acquired overseas.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) September 25, 2021
- 34,280 vaccines administered
- 46,322 test results received
- Sadly, 2 people with COVID-19 have died
More later: https://t.co/OCCFTAtS1P#COVID19Vic #COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/8J2JOHhd7O
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The Melbourne Demons won the Australian Football League final last night, the team’s first premiership win since 1964.
The Demons orchestrated a remarkable second-half turnaround to thrash the Western Bulldogs by 74 points in Saturday’s grand final.
Led by Norm Smith medallist Christian Petracca and fellow standout Bayley Fritsch, the Demons rallied from behind in the third term, kicking 16 of the last 17 goals en route to finishing 21.14 (140) – 10.6 (66) and sealing their first flag since 1964.
Read more here:
All eyes are on Victoria today.
The state had hoped that by today at least 80% of eligible people would have received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, but it looks as though they are going to fall short of that figure. Fear not though, the state is set to hit 80% later this week.
The surf coast region of Victoria will get out of lockdown at 11.59pm tonight, but no decision has been made about greater Geelong and the Mitchell shire, which have seen a spike in local cases.
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Good morning on Sunday 26 September.
It’s Justine Landis-Hanley here, ready to bring you today’s stories as they happen.
Before we dive in, let’s recap the biggest headlines from yesterday:
- Victoria recorded its highest ever day of Covid cases, with 847 cases and one death.
- 94 people were arrested at an illegal anti-lockdown anti-vaccination protest in St Kilda in Melbourne yesterday.
- New South Wales recorded 1,007 cases and 11 deaths, including three people who died in their homes and were diagnosed with Covid-19 after their deaths.
- Social media photos and footage showed hundreds of people gathered at a Bondi Beach park in Sydney on Friday evening, many not wearing masks. Waverley Council mayor Paula Masselos said that it was “disappointing” that NSW police attended but didn’t issue any penalty infringement notices.
- Western Australia has upgraded its travel ban against Victoria to “extreme risk”, the same category as NSW, meaning that only a limited group of people, including members of parliament, will be granted permission to travel – and even they will have to do 14 days of hotel quarantine.
- The ACT recorded 32 new cases, including 10 more linked to an aged care home.
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