Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Josh Taylor (now), Mostafa Rachwani and Nino Bucci (earlier)

All New South Wales residents told to monitor for symptoms – as it happened

NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian
Coronavirus live news: NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian provides update on Sydney’s northern beaches Covid cluster, which has risen to 28 cases. Qld, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia imposed new border restrictions and quarantine measures on visitors from all or part of NSW. Photograph: Janie Barrett/AAP

End-of-day summary

That is where we will leave you for Friday.

If there is major news, we will endeavour to bring it to you through our global live blog which you can find here.

Here’s some of what made the news today:

  • The cluster of Covid-19 cases associated with the northern beaches outbreak in NSW grew to 27 cases on Friday, with an additional 10 overnight, for a total of 28 in the state.
  • It is expected there will be even more cases in the coming days, going beyond the northern beaches, with NSW Health advising late on Friday a number of new locations where Covid-19 cases had visited, including Westfield Bondi.
  • The other states and territories imposed restrictions on travel for those entering from the northern beaches, but Victorian premier Daniel Andrews went a step further and warned Victorians not to travel to Sydney because of the risk they might not be able to return without quarantining.
  • One of the Covid-19 cases travelled to Brisbane before they were contacted about being a close contact. They have since travelled safely by car back to NSW after testing positive.
  • The cluster is believed to be part of a strain of Covid-19 from the United States, which is similar to a returned traveller from LA on 1 December, but NSW health authorities are not certain of the index case.
  • The prime minister, Scott Morrison, announced a minor reshuffle of his cabinet, including moving Dan Tehan from education to trade, and Alan Tudge to education.

I will be back with you tomorrow morning covering the Covid-19 outbreak in New South Wales from our global live blog from 8am AEDT. Until then, stay safe.

This from a couple of hours ago... Safe to say a lot of people in the northern beaches are getting tested.

All residents of NSW are being told to monitor for symptoms now.

Queensland has just put out a list of locations visited by the Covid-19 case from the northern beaches who travelled to Brisbane (and then subsequently drove back to the northern beaches after getting tested):

Wednesday 16 December

  • Brisbane Domestic Airport, 9.00am- 9.54am AEST
  • Hertz Car Rental, 1980 Sandgate Road, Boondall. 10.00am- 10.30am AEST
  • The Glen Hotel, Eight Mile Plains, 11.00am - 2.30pm AEST
  • Sunshine Coast University Hospital, Birtinya, 5.00pm- 8.30pm AEST
  • Hungry Jacks, Kawana Waters, 8.00pm- 10.00pm AEST

Thursday 17 December

  • Kawana Waters Nightcap Hotel, Buddina, 9.00pm- 7.00am AEST
  • Hertz Car Rental, 1980 Sandgate Road, Boondall, 8.30am- 9.00am AEST
  • The Prince Charles Hospital (TPCH) Fever clinic, Chermside, 10.19am - 10.26am AEST

Risk is low, so people are just being told to monitor for symptoms.

The big piece to take out of those new locations is that quite a few are not in the northern beaches area, including Lane Cove, Woolloomoolo and Bondi, so it hasn’t been as confined to the area as people had been hoping.

Whether more infections have occurred from those locations outside of the northern beaches, it’s not clear whether we will get more information before the case update at 11am tomorrow.

Travellers in New South Wales are rushing to get back to their home states in case restrictions once again change and tighten further. Some people have rebooked their return flights that were scheduled for over the weekend or next week to instead fly back today, only to have their rebooked flight cancelled or not confirmed – as has been my experience.

There is a lot of concern among travellers that more places will be declared hotspots, making a return to their home state more difficult.

The websites for the major airlines have been crashing at the point of entering credit card details. Exploitative prices are also occurring, with people paying upwards of $1,000 just to ensure they get home.

Traffic into Sydney airport is busy at the departure terminals and there are lines to get through security.

Updated

NSW Health issues alerts for more locations

NSW Health has just released a long list of locations where Covid-19 cases have visited around Sydney, including notably, Westfield Bondi Junction.

Close and casual contacts:

  • Sienna Marina, 7-41 Cowper Wharf Road, Woolloomoolo, 11 December, noon-2pm. Anyone who spent one hour or longer at the restaurant at this time must get tested and isolate until December 25. Other patrons should monitor for symptoms, and isolate and get tested immediately if symptoms appear.
  • Pilgrims Vegetarian Café, 97 Gerrale Street, Cronulla, 16 December 11.30am-2.30pm. Anyone who was at the café during this time for one hour or more must be tested immediately and isolate until 30 December. Other patrons should monitor for symptoms, and get tested immediately if they appear.
  • Cronulla RSL Club, 38 Gerrale Street, Cronulla on 16 December, 5pm to closing time. Anyone who was at the RSL at this time must get tested and isolate until further notice. Close contacts will need to isolate until 30 December.

Anyone who attended the following locations is considered a close contact and must get tested and isolate for 14 days regardless of the result:

  • Hair by Erika, Village Shopping Centre Lane Cove, 11 December, 3.30-5pm
  • Rusti Fig Café Newport, 12 December, 9-10am
  • Salon of Hair Turramurra, 15 December, 10am-3pm, and 16 December, 9.30am-3.30pm

People who have visited the following locations are casual contacts, and should get tested immediately and isolate until they receive a negative result:

  • Coles Newport, 11 December, 5-7pm, and 12 December, 3.15-3.30pm
  • Hills Florist, Terrey Hills, 12 December, 8-8.45am – close contacts have been contacted directly by NSW Health
  • Restaurant Lovat, Newport, 12 December, 2.15-2.25pm and 4.10-4.15pm
  • Nourished Wholefood Café, Avalon, 12 December, 7.30-7.40am
  • RAN Sailing Association Darling Point, Navy Bear Cafe and Christmas party, 13 December, 10am‑4pm
  • Sabiang Thai Restaurant, 4/49 Old Barrenjoey Rd, Avalon Beach, 13 December, 6-8pm
  • Seven West Media Building, 8 Central Ave, Eveleigh, 14 December, 8-11.30am
  • Mentmore and Morley Café and public toilets, 55 Mentmore Ave, Rosebery, 14 December, 10am-3pm
  • Harris Farm, Mona Vale Plaza, 14 December, 11-11.10am
  • Paris Seafood Café, 136 Cronulla, 15 December, 8.30-9pm
  • Cronulla Mall, 15 December, 8-9pm and 16 December 11am-12pm
  • Blend @ Grantham Café, Riverstone, 16 December 11-11.45am
  • Westfield Bondi Junction, 15 December, 1-2.30pm
  • Forest Way Fruit Market, 2 Myoora St, Terrey Hills, 16 December, 4-4.10pm

Transport

Confirmed cases travelled on the following transport services. Other passengers are considered to be casual contacts, and should get tested and isolate until a negative result is received.

  • Ferry from Palm Beach to Wagstaffe, 16 December, 6.15-6.35pm
  • Forest Coach Lines buses between Forestville and the CBD
  • Route 273, 15 December, Departing Jamieson Square, Forestville, 7.10am and arriving QVB, 8am
  • Route 271, 15 December, Departing QVB 5.25pm and arriving Austlink Business Park Belrose 6.28pm
  • Route 273, 16 December, Departing Jamieson Square, Forestville 7.10am and arriving QVB, CBD, 8am
  • Route 271, 16 December, Departing QVB 5.25pm and arriving Austlink Business Park Belrose, 6.28pm

Updated

For those wondering about the site to apply for a permit for travelling from NSW to Victoria, the site isn’t up yet, but the aim is to get it up by midnight tonight. If I see it go up in the next couple of hours, I will chuck the link in here.

Updated

The warning from Victorian authorities to not travel to Sydney.

Acting chief medical officer, Prof Paul Kelly, was on ABC News just before explaining why he was optimistic the northern beaches outbreak can be contained.

He said so far it appears all cases are limited to just the two Avalon locations, at which there seems to have been a super spreader event:

The second thing, is all of the cases so far, virtually all of the cases have been in that northern beaches area, a very small cluster of suburbs in that northern part of Sydney. The third thing is the tremendous response from the community in terms going out and getting tested. Extraordinary there. And the last thing which I would say
which is positive there, is this is NSW Health. We know how competent they are and they have gone through these type of events before. People will remember the Cross Roads Hotel and other clusters. They know what to do and are doing in the calm, consistent rapid fashion.

He says he doesn’t think masks need to be mandatory in NSW yet, but advises people to wear them when they can’t social distance.

Updated

Supercell thunderstorm and giant hail warning for northern NSW

BOM has just sent out this warning.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging, locally destructive winds, large, possibly giant hailstones and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding over the next several hours in the North West Slopes and Plains and parts of the central west slopes and plains districts. Locations which may be affected include Tamworth, Gunnedah, Moree, Narrabri, Mungindi and Coonabarabran.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding over the next several hours in the mid north coast, north west slopes and plains and parts of the Hunter, central tablelands, central west slopes and plains, upper western and northern tablelands districts. Locations which may be affected include Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Taree, Armidale, Tamworth and Moree.

Updated

Victorian premier Daniel Andrews has just tweeted information about the permit system for people travelling from NSW to Victoria.

From midnight tonight, you’ll need to apply for a permit to travel across the border to Victoria. If you’ve been in the red zone (northern beaches) you’ll be required to go into quarantine for 14 days. If you’ve been in greater Sydney, you’ll be encouraged to get tested and isolate until a negative result comes back.

He’s said people in Victoria should not travel to Sydney, because the red zones are likely to grow in the next few days.

NSW Health issues 'strong advice' to wear masks

NSW Health has issued a strong advisory for people in the Northern Beaches LGA to wear a mask at all times when indoors for at least the next 72 hours.

The areas where masks should be worn include:

  • Shopping centres and supermarkets
  • Public transport
  • Healthcare facilities
  • Aged care facilities
  • Workplaces

Situations where mask use is not expected include:

  • In your home
  • Infants or young children unable to tolerate mask use
  • Where there is a relevant medical condition

Race discrimination commissioner Chin Tan on ABC News has called the North Melbourne social housing tower lockdown in July “a very dramatic overreaching intervention” that effectively “caged in” the over 3,000 residents.

“The concern was the lack of preparedness, lack of capacity, the lack of being sensitively and culturally appropriately able to work with communities, in a particular setting,” he said.

Former GG Michael Jeffery dies

Former governor general Michael Jeffery has died, prime minister Scott Morrison has announced.

Here’s the full statement:

It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of Major General the Honourable Michael Jeffery.

Major General Jeffery will be remembered as a brave soldier, a dedicated governor and governor general, and a passionate defender of the causes he believed in.

Major General Jeffery was a great Australian who served Australia throughout his adult life. He was a remarkable man who I am proud to call a friend.

His contribution to public service began at age 16 when he arrived at the Royal Military College, Duntroon, where he graduated in Infantry. His military career took him to Malaya, Papua New Guinea, Borneo and Vietnam. It was during his tour of Vietnam that he was awarded the military cross.

His leadership and camaraderie allowed him to rise through the ranks, being made commanding officer of the Special Air Service Regiment (SAS), Major General and finally Assistant Chief of the General Staff Materiel.

From 1993, Major General Jeffery served as Western Australia’s 27th governor.

Ten years later, he was sworn in as Australia’s 24th Governor-General; an office he fulfilled with distinction and honour.

In retirement, as Australia’s first National Soils Advocate, he was an ardent advocate of conserving and improving the land.

Major General Jeffery left an impressive legacy. He will be remembered both for his many achievements, and as a man of faith, integrity, decency and warmth.

On behalf of the Australian people, I express my deep gratitude for one of Australia’s finest leaders and most devoted servants.

Jenny and I offer our heartfelt condolences to his beloved wife Marlena, to their children and extended family.

Updated

This is all anecdotal, but it is interesting seeing how many people moved their flights out of Sydney to today out of concern of further restrictions.

Also as a Melburnian who was recently in Sydney, I was struck by how relaxed people were about social distancing and mask use. It will be interesting to see if that changes now.

Deliveroo is offering free delivery to people in the northern beaches this weekend, in an effort to get people to stay at home.

Worth remembering in light of the ongoing issues surrounding the treatment of delivery riders that if you absolutely need to use one of these services, it doesn’t hurt to tip them. They’re frontline workers and more in danger of Covid than many.

This is something that came up again and again during Victoria’s second wave.

Updated

Summary of restrictions

AAP has this good rundown of the current state of play on travel restrictions for NSW:

  • Western Australia - Anyone who enters WA from NSW must self-isolate for 14 days. Those who have arrived in WA since 11 December must get tested and self-isolate until they receive a negative result.
  • Northern Territory - Anyone who enters NT from Sydney’s Northern Beaches Council area will need to undergo 14 days of supervised quarantine.
  • South Australia - Anyone who has since 11 December entered SA and previously been on Sydney’s northern beaches must get tested and self-isolate, counting from their most recent day on the northern beaches. Those who have already entered SA and previously been at the Avalon RSL and Avalon Bowlo will be placed into hotel quarantine. Those who have been at Avalon RSL or the Avalon Bowlo will from Friday be barred entry.
  • Queensland - Anyone who has since 11 December entered Queensland and previously been on Sydney’s northern beaches must get tested and self-isolate for 14 days, starting from their most recent day on the northern beaches. From Saturday, all people who have been on the northern beaches and who wish to enter Queensland will be forced into 14 days of hotel quarantine.
  • ACT - Anyone who has since 11 December entered the ACT and previously been on Sydney’s northern beaches must get tested and self-isolate for 14 days, starting from their most recent day on the northern beaches.
  • Victoria - Anyone who has since 11 December entered Victoria and previously been on Sydney’s northern beaches must get tested and self-isolate for 14 days, starting from their most recent day on the northern beaches. All NSW travellers will from Saturday need a permit to enter Victoria, and anyone who has visited Sydney’s northern beaches will be barred from entry.
  • Tasmania - Anyone who has since 11 December entered Tasmania and previously been on Sydney’s northern beaches must get tested and self-isolate for 14 days, starting from their most recent day on the northern beaches. Anyone who has visited the Northern Beaches Council area since December 11, or any of the close-contact venues on NSW’s health alert list, is barred from entry.

Updated

My colleague Nick Evershed has updated our NSW stats page, which will have all the latest data on the Covid-19 cases as it comes through.

Updated

AAP reports Uber Eats and other delivery apps have met with the NSW government and unions to discuss rider safety following a number of deaths of delivery riders.

The state government described Thursday’s meeting as the first industry roundtable on improving safety in the gig economy and food delivery industry.

The meeting comes after five cyclists died in NSW while delivering food in the gig economy in the past few months.

It was the first step of the gig economy taskforce, announced by the government late last month.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the major platforms including Uber Eats, Deliveroo, Menulog and Dominos.

Government agencies including Transport for NSW, NSW Police, SafeWork and NSW Fair Trading were also present, as were drivers’ associations and trade unions.

The taskforce will now develop the state’s first Food Delivery Rider Safety Action Plan. The government promises the plan will include tangible actions for drivers and operators.

Better Regulation Minister Kevin Anderson said the roundtable allowed regulators to deliver clear messaging on workplace health and safety, road safety and other compliance measures.

“This is a new sector of the economy, and yesterday’s meeting started the important work of establishing best practice safety and clarifying the roles and responsibilities of all parties under the NSW work health and safety laws,” Anderson said in a statement on Friday.

Mr Anderson said safety was managed differently from platform to platform and from rider to rider.

The plan will look at what it is working well and transform that into practical guidelines, he says.

“Everyone deserves to return home safely to their families at the end of the working day and it’s our priority to work alongside every operator in this sector to put safety first,” he said.

Tasmania to quarantine travellers from northern beaches

Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein says anyone already in Tasmania who has been in northern beaches since 11 December should immediately self-isolate.

He says they should contact the public health hotline, and seek a test. They will be assessed on a case by case basis, depending on their movements in those areas.

He says Cronulla and Penrith may also be declared a hotspot.

Tasmanians returning from high-risk areas will be able to return home and quarantine at home if they have suitable accommodation, otherwise they will be required to go into hotel quarantine. They will need to apply through the Good to Go app.

People returning from the high-risk areas will be required to have a Covid test within 48 hours.

The flight from Tonga for seasonal workers has been delayed due to weather. They will not be coming to Tasmania this evening, he said.

Updated

We are expecting a press conference from Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein shortly, where he will no doubt give an update on the rules for people travelling from NSW to Tasmania.

Updated

More than 20 northern beaches closed

Good afternoon, Josh Taylor here taking over from Mostafa for the afternoon.

Northern Beaches council and Surf Life Saving NSW have announced 21 beaches from North Palm beach to Manly have been closed until Monday.

Volunteer patrols have been suspended, and surf clubs closed to members over the weekend.

Avalon Beach Surf Life Saving club has been deep cleaned.

People who swim at beaches with no surf lifesavers do so at their own risk, Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Steven Pearce said.

“Please don’t go to the beach, both to limit the risk of spreading the virus, along with staying safe because beaches will not be patrolled, however, lifeguards are maintaining surveillance capability.”

Updated

The Labor leader, Anthony Albanese, has taken a swipe at Scott Morrison over today’s cabinet reshuffle, and his reluctance to hold former aged care minister, Richard Colbeck, to account.

Updated

Price for flying out of Sydney skyrockets

The price of flights from Sydney have skyrocketed in price in the past 24 hours, as people scramble to leave the state and salvage their Christmas plans.

Prices for one-way flights from Sydney to Brisbane have jumped to almost $800, jumping from a recent low of $89 on a Virgin flight.

It comes as chaos grips the airport, which has been overwhelmed with people worried more border restrictions will be announced.

News.com.au is showing that the cheapest one-way tickets to Brisbane are at about $300 for Virgin and Qantas.

Virgin Australia is offering fee-free changes to all bookings until 31 January in response to the recent border changes. Change fees can also be waived up until 31 March for Covid-19 reasons.

Updated

I just want to return to an issue raised during WA premier Mark McGowan’s press conference – that testing sites have had to turn people away after changes to the border rules for NSW arrivals.

“It’s ridiculous. Don’t call us in an emergency to come in for testing and then you can’t test us,” one man told the Seven Network’s Sunrise program.

McGowan said 2,000 people turned up to testing clinics on Thursday, about four times the usual daily number.

There is a testing clinic at the Fiona Stanley hospital in Perth.
There is a testing clinic at the Fiona Stanley hospital in Perth. Photograph: Paul Kane/Getty Images

“I know many people have been caught in long lines and have had to wait for long periods,” McGowan said. “Everyone is doing the best they can to respond in these very difficult circumstances.”

Testing clinics at Royal Perth hospital, Fiona Stanley hospital and Sir Charles Gairdner hospital will be open from 8am to 8pm for the next three days, while Joondalup hospital’s clinic will remain open until 10pm on Friday.

McGowan announced yesterday that travellers from NSW must quarantine for 14 days and get tested on day 11. People who have been in NSW since 11 December were contacted yesterday and told to get tested as soon as possible and to self-quarantine until they returned a negative result.

Updated

Sydney to Hobart yacht race in doubt

AAP reports that the Sydney to Hobart yacht race is in doubt:

The end of the 2019 race in Hobart harbour.
The end of the 2019 race in Hobart harbour. Photograph: Carlo Borlenghi/AP

Sydney to Hobart organisers will hold crisis talks on Friday with the 2020 yacht race in doubt because of the northern beaches outbreak.

By Friday morning the cluster of cases had grown to 28, prompting Tasmania to close borders to anyone who lives or has visited the hot spot since 11 December.

It’s understood a number of sailors are from the area and will not be able to compete in the Boxing Day race.

In a statement on Friday morning, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia said it would continue planning for the race.

Organisers expect an update about 6pm AEDT.

“The CYCA is closely monitoring the recent NSW health Covid-19 advisory warnings for Sydney’s northern beaches and the current Tasmanian government exclusions,” it said.

“The CYCA continues to work with NSW health and the Tasmania Department of Health and we will put any additional measures in place to ensure that the race remains Covid safe.

“The club will have further discussions with the Tasmanian Department of Health this morning and provide an update later in the day.”

It’s the latest complication for the historical race which has run for the past 75 years consecutively.

About 100 entries were expected this year, but numbers had dropped to 75 as travel restrictions and economic circumstances affected participants from around the world.

Strict protocols were to be in place for crews arriving in Hobart, with everyone to be screened for symptoms by Tasmanian health and biosecurity experts.

Updated

McGowan is urging NSW to implement “tougher measures” to deal with the outbreak.

“Both Victoria and South Australia showed how it was done,” he said. “Victoria, Labor premier, South Australia, Liberal premier, they took it incredibly seriously and they dealt with it and it looked like their measures worked.

“I mean ... we’re very sympathetic and supportive of our NSW brothers and sisters, but it’s debilitating for the country. It’s debilitating for everyone else.

“Keeping the model of kicking the virus out, and not having it and killing it where you can, is better than having the virus, and constantly chasing your tail.”

Updated

NSW police fine 13 aircrew

We heard earlier in NSW that aircrews have been found breaching quarantine requirements after returning from abroad.

NSW police have just confirmed they have fined 13 who breached quarantine requirements after arriving on a flight from South America on 5 December.

Airline crew are only required to self-isolate at accommodation chosen by either themselves or their employer.

Police received a tip that on 5 December a crew member from a flight from South America had left his accommodation in Mascot.

.

“As part of inquiries, officers from South Sydney police area command attended the hotel about 9.30pm that day, before speaking with management and air crew members,” police said.

Police allege that several crew members left the hotel and went to “nearby businesses at Mascot”.

Police have issued $1,000 fines to 13 crew members for failing to comply with public health directions.

The NSW government has since announced an overhaul of its quarantine arrangements for aircrew. Crew will now be kept in two hotels, close to the airport, and monitored by police and health authorities.

Updated

Asked why he isn’t implementing a hard border with NSW, McGowan says it’s because the outbreak is not as “spread out” as the Adelaide outbreak, when he did implement a hard border.

“It’s based upon the number of cases and the spread of the cases,” he said. “So if the cases are out from their existing location to other parts of Sydney or NSW, if the numbers grow as they have, or even more, then there may well be a requirement to go to a harder border arrangement.

“That may be today, tomorrow or the next day. We’ll wait and see.”

Updated

WA health minister Roger Cook has announced one additional case in the state overnight, which takes total cases to 844.

In relation to the clinics, he says all travellers who have arrived in WA from NSW between 11 and 17 December are required to immediately self-quarantine and be tested at a Covid clinic. They will have to remain in quarantine until they receive a negative result.

Updated

Mark McGowan says no changes to WA border

WA premier Mark McGowan is speaking now on the outbreak in NSW, saying that the state will not be making any further changes to their borders.

“We will continue to monitor the situation extremely closely, and do whatever is needed. This may well mean that the hard border with NSW needs to return in the near future. I will not hesitate to do that if that is what the health advice recommends.

West Australian premier Mark McGowan
West Australian premier Mark McGowan Photograph: Paul Kane/Getty Images

“We must do whatever is required to keep us safe.”

“Our best defence to keep Covid-19 out of our community is border controls. WA’s controlled interstate border is in place for that very reason.”

He says 522 people were tested yesterday on arrival from NSW after the 3pm announcement on arrivals. Anyone who arrives from NSW must self-quarantine for 14 days and present for a Covid test on day 11.

Updated

NSW experiences severe thunderstorms

While we wait for the WA premier to speak, the AAP has a story on severe thunderstorms moving through NSW:

Severe thunderstorms are moving eastwards through NSW, with much of central and eastern areas expected to cop a drenching.

Western NSW has experienced several hours of thunderstorms on Friday, just the latest in a wild week of weather for the state.

The state’s far north has been particularly hard hit in recent days.

Bilambil Heights in the Tweed shire in the far north recorded 190mm in the 24 hours to 9am.

The northern rivers town of Lismore faced heavy rain and flash flooding on Thursday evening after another deluge earlier in the week.

Several areas across northern NSW received more than 60mm on Thursday night, and some areas collected more than 100mm.

The Bureau of Meteorology is concerned that saturated grounds in the north could lead to riverine and flash flooding over the next few days.

“The prime concern is flash flooding,” meteorologist Helen Reid said on Friday.

“Some of these thunderstorms can be quite intense and with so much moisture in the air it can come down all at once with a severe thunderstorm.”

But specific flood warnings mostly eased off on Thursday evening after a dramatic few days, with minor or final warnings in place on Friday for a number of rivers including the Tweed, Wilsons and Gwydir.

The Orara river at Coutts Crossing and Glenreagh was still under a minor-to-moderate warning, and minor flooding of the Richmond river was subsiding.

The weather bureau’s Helen Kirkup said thunderstorms would drench the the mid-north coast, Central Coast and much of Sydney on Friday afternoon.

“But [in northern NSW] we’ll still have an environment conducive to the development of thunderstorms and there’s lots of moisture in that part of the world,” Kirkup said.

She said riverine flooding in the NSW central west on Friday was unlikely but flash flooding was a possibility.

More thunderstorms are likely in northern NSW over the weekend.

The NSW State Emergency Service asked people to move their cars under cover and avoid floodwaters, secure loose items around their homes and keep at least eight metres away from fallen power lines.

The SES has responded to more than 2,300 requests for assistance across NSW over the past eight days.

Updated

WA premier Mark McGowan is expected to speak in a moment, and we will bring you those updates.

Scott Morrison was also asked a bunch of leading questions on the Covid outbreak in Sydney, inviting him to smack the premiers for responding to the outbreak with border closures.

Interestingly, he declined to smack anyone. A change of posture.

Updated

Back at the reshuffle, the prime minister is asked whether Tehan can turn a page in the China trade dispute.

Morrison says Tehan brings technical expertise to the portfolio (he’s a former diplomat) and that’s welcome, and he also represents a regional seat. (The Nationals wanted trade back in this reshuffle and there was no way that was happening, so this is the next best thing.)

The new education minister Alan Tudge.
The new education minister Alan Tudge. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

The PM is then asked whether Tudge should have been promoted to education given the Four Corners program of a month or so ago. Morrison says Tudge has done a good job in the ministry, he’s restored issues in his personal life and there are no issues before him that would preclude him from the portfolio.

Then a question about the obvious demotion of Colebeck, the aged care minister. Morrison says it was important to have aged care in the cabinet and the take out from today’s change is there will be more focus on aged care, not less.

Updated

Adelaide Test affected by northern beaches outbreak

The outbreaks effects have rippled over into the cricket, with multiple members of the broadcast teams of the Adelaide Test stood down as a precaution.

The Advertiser is reporting that Brett Lee has flown home from the Test, in addition to several members of the production staff from broadcasters Fox Sports and Channel Seven.

Cricket Australia has already issued a memo, asking for any members of the media covering the game to contact CA if they had been in the northern beaches over the past three weeks.

Updated

Dan Tehan moves from education minister to trade

The prime minister is now on to the reshuffle. As we predicted earlier in the week, it’s limited in scope.

As we predicted: Dan Tehan moves from education to the trade portfolio. Morrison says aged care will move into cabinet rather than the outer ministry. Some responsibilities will go to Greg Hunt, the health minister, including dealing with the aged care royal commission response.

Richard Colebeck will keep aged care services and sport. Alan Tudge gets education and youth. Paul Fletcher, the communications minister, gets cities. David Coleman returns to parliament after a long absence on personal leave – he gets mental health and suicide prevention in an assistant ministry. (He was formerly immigration minister.)

The new trade minister, Dan Tehan, and the new housing and homelessness minister, Michael Sukkar.
The new trade minister, Dan Tehan, and the new housing and homelessness minister, Michael Sukkar. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Jane Hume is promoted to the ministry and gets digital transformation as well as superannuation. Michael Sukkar gets housing and homelessness. Jonathan Duniam becomes assistant minister for development. Alex Hawke (a key Morrison ally) gets immigration. Zed Seselja gets Hawke’s old portfolio of the Pacific.

Ben Morton gets the public service and electoral matters. Amanda Stoker becomes an assistant minister to the attorney general. Andrew Hastie gets a gig as assistant minister for defence (replacing a Morrison ally Steve Irons who has clearly made way).

Morrison ends his list by saying stability is important, so this is a modest set of changes.

Updated

The system will operate under a “traffic light” system, with hotspots like the northern beaches considered red zones, not be permitted enter Victoria.

The rest of Sydney has been designated an orange zone, with residents encouraged to get tested and self-isolate until they get a negative result.

The rest of NSW is considered a green zone.

Updated

Just returning to Victoria’s permit system. Authorities are contacting all airline passengers who arrived from NSW from 11 December.

The state is taking no risks, with anyone who’s travelled from the northern beaches and other hotspots now required to get tested and self-quarantine for 14 days.

All travellers will require to carry their permit when flying, and health authorities will meet them at Tullamarine airport and Albury, Mildura, Bendigo and Avalon regional airports.

Vic police will also begin roving patrols on the border in a similar response to the South Australian outbreak.

Updated

There are going to many strange stories to come out of this outbreak. This is one.

Updated

Scott Morrison to announce reshuffle

Scott Morrison is addressing reporters in Canberra.

The prime minister is standing up to announce a reshuffle of his ministry, but starts by addressing the NSW cluster.

Morrison says NSW has demonstrated “an extraordinary capacity” to deal with outbreaks and he has full confidence in the premier and the state health bureaucracy to deal with the cluster.

Morrison says the new infections remind us we are in the middle of a pandemic. The threat has not subsided. The prime minister tells people to keep calm and carry on, essentially.

Updated

The prime minsiter is speaking now, and we will shortly bring you his update on the cabinet reshuffle, but he has given a short comment on the outbreak on the northern beaches.

“New South Wales has dealt with many of these challenges over the course of recent months and over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, New South Wales had demonstrated an extraordinary capacity to deal with these challenges and I retain full confidence in their ability to do that.

“They are working around the clock, as you have seen, with the amount of detail and information they’ve been able to identify in such a short period of time. So our advice is to just take heed of the information.

“We’ve dealt with this before, and we’ll deal with it again.”

Updated

Victoria’s health minister, Martin Foley, also said earlier:

Victoria’s health minister at his press conference on Friday.
Victoria’s health minister at his press conference on Friday. Photograph: James Ross/AAP

“We share the concerns of the New South Wales government about that rapidly evolving situation.

“We are very strongly advising all Victorians not to travel to Sydney. As conditions are expected to deteriorate, and you may not be able to reenter Victoria without undertaking quarantining for 14 days.

“Don’t come from Sydney if you’re planning to come to Melbourne. Don’t go to [Melbourne] if you’re planning to go to Sydney. It won’t be a holiday. It won’t be a Christmas. It won’t be the Christmas or the holiday you were planning. The situation in NSW and Sydney is rapidly evolving.”

Updated

Victorian chief health minister Brett Sutton says it will take “weeks” for the NSW cluster to be brought under control.

Victoria will also transition to the same system flagged earlier in NSW in relation to aircraft crews by reducing the number of hotels they can stay in and increasing enforcement.

Updated

Road patrols will increase on the NSW-Victoria border, and the same permit system will apply.

Updated

No travel from NSW hotspots to Victoria from tonight, permit system to be put in place.

Victorian health minister Martin Foley has said nobody should be travelling to or from Sydney and that from tonight a permit system will be in place. No travel will be allowed from tonight from the northern beaches hotspots.

Victorian health minister Martin Foley says the state will do everything to protect it’s enviable record of 49 days without a local case.

“We are not going to put that at risk, we will take all the steps that the evidence tells us to to protect that.

“We will make sure Victoria has a covid-safe Christmas, but it will be a Christmas like no other.”

Not just the airports are busy.

Updated

No visitors to northern beaches aged care centres: Greg Hunt

Federal health minister Greg Hunt is also giving an update. He says all visitors will be prevented from aged care centres near the northern beaches cluster.

Updated

Victoria’s health minister Martin Foley is telling people not to travel into the state from Sydney at this time, and stresses that Victorians should not travel there.

Updated

Fascinating that it is considered necessary for this to be broadcast.

Residents on the northern beaches have told Guardian Australia the community is largely respecting the stay at home orders, are widely getting tested and are hopeful the outbreak will be contained by Christmas.

Speaking on her way to getting tested, Katie Smallwood said she’s a little nervous, but was happy to see people getting tested:

“From what I’ve seen, everyone seems to be doing the right thing, getting tested, and I’m seeing a lot more people in masks.

“I’m not panicking, but certainly trying to do the right thing.”

Peter and Judy Koenig were also on their way to get tested, with plans this weekend to help their pregnant daughter move homes now scrapped:

“I’m wanting to get tested so I can see her, so I’m feeling a bit anxious to say the least.”

Making the most of freedom at Avalon Beach on Friday.
Making the most of freedom at Avalon Beach on Friday. Photograph: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

Working from home today, Kirsty Kennel Webb said it was “disappointing” to hear of the outbreak but the community was taking it seriously:

“Everyone is just trying to make sure it doesn’t get any more out of control than it already has.”

She had plans to see her brother on the Central Coast over Christmas but that may now be scrapped She would accept a lockdown if it needed to be implemented:

“If you have to lock down the northern beaches to keep people safe, then it is what it is. This is our new normal – we have to live with it.”

Katie echoed the notion: “If that’s what we need to do so that we can make it to next Christmas, then we’re prepared to do that.”

Updated

More on how the NSW outbreak is being handled in South Australia:

Updated

Queensland police to meet all incoming flights

Queensland police are now meeting all flights coming into Queensland and checking passengers.

Those who come from the declared hotspot – Sydney’s northern beaches – are being given home quarantine orders today. Tomorrow they will be placed in self-paid mandatory hotel quarantine.

One plane coming into north Queensland today had 12 people who had been to the hotspot area.

At road borders, police will be stopping cars randomly and targeting those with NSW plates.

Updated

Guess people should start packing their cars then.

Updated

Yes, quite.

Updated

Meanwhile, in South Australia:

Queensland is also concerned about a traveller from Sydney’s northern beaches who arrived in Brisbane on 16 December and has since tested positive.

The woman, in her 50s, was on Virgin Australia flight VA925 that arrived in Brisbane from Sydney at 9.30am.

She later visited the Glen Hotel at Eight Mile Plains for lunch.

The state will do additional testing in the Eight Mile Plains area.

“We are currently contact tracing the rows behind where she sat and in front and either side,” Queensland’s chief health officer, Dr Jeannette Young, said.

“But anyone who was on that flight should get themselves tested if they have any symptoms at all.”

The woman’s test result came back positive last night.

Queensland’s chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young
Queensland’s chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young Photograph: Dan Peled/AAP

Updated

There are three new cases in Queensland, two in hotel quarantine from Iraq and Afghanistan and the other a previously mentioned woman from Sydney’s northern beaches. Queensland health authorities are contacting those who sat in front of the woman on the flight.

Updated

Palaszczuk: “It is a rapidly growing situation which we are all keeping a very close eye on.”

Updated

The Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, says police will be doing “intercepts” of flights from Sydney and random road border checks to prevent people from Sydney’s northern beaches entering without going into hotel quarantine.

“That has been declared a hotspot and from 1am tomorrow people from the northern beaches will have to go into mandatory hotel quarantine,” she said.

“My message very clearly is that if people are from the northern beaches of NSW it would be well advised for them to stay in the northern beaches and not travel to Queensland.”

Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Photograph: ABC

Updated

Here is some more detail about the person who travelled from the northern beaches to Queensland and back again, coming from a press conference the Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is giving now:

Updated

Chant confirms that over the next three days NSW Health will get in touch with everyone who has been at the venues they are most concerned about, but she says there has been a “deficit” in record keeping at some venues.

Updated

Chant: “My anxiety is we have not found the direct transmission route and we cannot be sure we have blocked the transmission line.”

Updated

Chant: “If you have to go out, please wear a mask.”

She confirms there are “missing” people who were possibly responsible for chains of the virus but have not been identified.

“The critical element is get tested and please do not go out and about if you have symptoms.”

A sign urging commuters to wear a face mask on a Sydney train.
A sign urging commuters to wear a face mask on a Sydney train. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

Updated

Berejiklian said earlier that we shouldn’t make the assumption there is a “super-spreader”.

Chant adds now they are still looking for people who could be the source, despite the traveller who returned on 1 December being treated as if they were infectious at the time they arrived in Sydney.

“We’ve got to keep a very open investigation.”

She confirms the aircrew who played up a few weeks ago were tested, and the breaches were notified to NSW police.

Updated

Brad Hazzard tests negative to Covid

Hazzard also confirmed he had a Covid test last night.

He lives on the northern beaches and had symptoms that were similar to hay fever, but he tested negative.

Updated

Hazzard says there are 2,000-3,000 people aircrews coming into NSW each week, and it was important for the state to deal sensibly with airlines.

“We don’t want them to say we aren’t flying into NSW,” he said. “We are delicately negotiating.”

Qantas aircraft parked on the main east-west runway at Sydney’s International Airport.
Qantas aircraft parked on the main east-west runway at Sydney’s International Airport. Photograph: James D Morgan/Getty Images

Updated

The premier says one airline was found to have breached its own guidelines a few weeks ago when its crews were allowed to attend venues around Sydney.

None of the venues were on the northern breaches.

She said it was difficult to punish the crews, given many weren’t Australian and were travelling in and out of the country.

“In any given time there are ... several hundred travelling in and out on any given day.”

Updated

Chant is being asked again about the possible source of the cluster who she said earlier could be a traveller infected with a strain of the virus that is similar to that found in the US.

The NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant
The NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant Photograph: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

“This is a person who was in hotel quarantine. It’s similar, but it doesn’t allow us to confirm that person is the source.”

Hazzard confirms the woman arrived in Australia on 1 December and went into hotel quarantine. She fell ill a few days later, was transferred to a “health hotel” for possible and confirmed cases, and tested positive soon after.

Updated

Berejiklian hopes it does not come to enforcing strict lockdown rules in the northern beaches. She says the community has responded well so far so she did not feel there was a need to go down the “mandatory path” but “we will if we have to”.

“I can’t rule out that option until we know what the next 24 to 48 hours looks like.”

Updated

“We can’t risk that ... The infection rates in North America and in Europe are going through the roof.”

Cars line up at a pop-up testing station in Avalon on Friday.
Cars line up at a pop-up testing station in Avalon on Friday. Photograph: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

Updated

Berejiklian stresses that the existing systems were not the problem – compliance was. Because crews were able to stay at more than 20 hotels, it was difficult to check up on them. She is also emphasising that does not mean the infection has been confirmed to have come from airline workers.

Updated

Berejiklian confirms that from Tuesday there will be only two hotels where aircrew will be allowed to stay, and they will be near the airport, making it easier for police and health officials to check up on them.

“It means there will be better compliance.”

Premier Gladys Berejiklian talking at the press conference today regarding the Avalon cluster.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian talking at the press conference today regarding the Avalon cluster. Photograph: ABC

Updated

Chant confirms that a person from the Avalon RSL cluster was contacted in Queensland by contact tracers, and told to come back to NSW. They had flown to Queensland, but drove back, and received the positive test result during the drive back.

Authorities are now contact tracing those on the plane.

Updated

“This is a journey for everybody. Be on it and get tested.”

Updated

“This is a salutary reminder that we are in a one-in-100-year pandemic,” Hazzard adds.

Updated

'Complacency just cannot continue': Brad Hazzard

Health minister Brad Hazzard is up. He’s speaking about an “avalanche” of complacency across Sydney.

“Complacency just cannot continue.”

NSW health minister Brad Hazzard.
NSW health minister Brad Hazzard. Photograph: James Gourley/AAP

Updated

“We are at the moment looking for where that potentially could have matched. We have found a case in a returned traveller ... It is similar to a strain we have seen in a returned traveller [from] early December,” Chant says.

Updated

Cluster linked to US strain of virus

Chant confirms genomic sequencing appears to indicate the cluster is linked to a strain of the virus from the United States. Still unclear how it has arrived in NSW.

Updated

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant is giving an update. She says no further cases are linked to the airport bus driver who tested positive earlier this week.

Updated

Berejiklian urges leaders of other states and territories to implement “measured” and “proportionate” responses to the outbreak.

She said vast parts of the state were completely unaffected, and people living there who had gone through months of “torture” should be free to see their loved ones.

She agreed with any action that related to declaring the northern beaches as a hot spot.

Updated

“We do have the potential to get on top of it, but it does require hard work on the behalf of all of us.”

A general view is seen of Avalon Beach RSL Club on December 18, 2020 in Sydney, Australia.
A general view is seen of Avalon Beach RSL Club on December 18, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. Photograph: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

Updated

She says that some businesses have been great at keeping records of customers with QR codes, but others have been “hopeless”

Berejiklian says do not go on public transport, to supermarkets, or places of worship without masks.

“Nobody should be getting on public transport without a mask ... It would just be crazy if people are undertaking those activities without wearing a mask.”

Updated

10 new cases overnight, premier says

Confirming again Berejiklian says 10 new cases overnight, for a total of 28.

Updated

The premier is urging people in the northern beaches to stay away from high-risk places so we can “get on top of this” in the next couple of days.

Updated

Berejiklian confirms 28 cases in NSW cluster

There are now 28 cases linked to that cluster in NSW, Berejiklian has confirmed.

Updated

A reminder that an update from NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian is imminent about the number of Covid-19 cases in the state. She is due to speak at 11am.

Reports that a positive case from Avalon attended a business in Cronulla.

Updated

The New Zealand government is monitoring the NSW cluster before making a decision on the trans-Tasman bubble.

“As previously stated, a travel bubble won’t start until the first quarter of 2021,” it said.

“Commencement is dependent on no significant change in the circumstances of either country.

“Decisions on whether or not to proceed with a travel bubble will occur in the new year and we will assess the situation at that point.

“We’re monitoring the situation closely, but it’s too early to make any decisions based on the current community cases in NSW.”

Updated

Queensland police say they believe the murder of an elderly Brisbane couple yesterday is linked to a man shot by police officers early yesterday morning, and that they are treating the matter “as a terrorism event”.

It is understood the man, Raghe Abdi, had an item in his possession when killed that police believe was taken from the Parkinson home of a couple who were discovered dead late yesterday.

While police say they are still trying to establish the motivation of the Abdi, 22, they say he was on the radar of a counter-terrorism taskforce and spent more than 12 months on remand until September.

The charge related to refusing to give police access to his mobile phone.

He was arrested in 2019 for attempting to board a plane to Somalia, though the Australian federal police dropped charges against him “due to a lack of evidence”.

His lawyer, Terry O’Gorman, has told the ABC the idea Abdi was involved in terrorism or radicalised was supported by “precious little evidence”.

“Mr Abdi was not a bad person – he was a young man who – on information known to me – suffered a significant adverse mental health event yesterday and last night.”

Updated

Gladys Berejiklian due to speak at 11am

We are just waiting for a crucial press conference at 11am with NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian, who has already warned to expect an increase in Covid-19 cases.

It’s been a busy few days for the premier: yesterday she was in Lismore with the Prime Minister Scott Morrison receiving an update on damage from this week’s storm.

Morrison and Berejiklian at the State Emergency Service Headquarters in Lismore
Morrison and Berejiklian at the State Emergency Service Headquarters in Lismore Photograph: Jason Obrien/EPA

Updated

More concerning reports around masks on planes, including from someone who left the northern beaches for Queensland.

Updated

Reports of large numbers of people being tested in Canberra.

Here is where to get tested if you’re in the northern beaches.

But then again, maybe not so bad.

This is quite something. Also seeing some reports that masks were not worn on board flights.

This is what passengers arriving from NSW in Melbourne are reportedly receiving this morning

AGL reports there has been an incident at Liddell power station and a worker is seriously injured.

Here is another piece analysing what our economic recovery could look like next year

Just a reminder that this is what the federal government had to say yesterday about the economy – before the full extent of the northern beaches cluster was known.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and finance minister Simon Birmingham insisted this morning they do not believe the cluster will have a dramatic impact on these forecasts.

Updated

Airport crews a ‘weak link’ in Australia’s quarantine arrangements: epidemiologist

The northern beaches outbreak has prompted renewed scrutiny of the way aircrews are treated in Australia’s quarantine system.

Health authorities say one confirmed case – not currently linked to the northern beaches cluster – was an airport driver who worked exclusively for aircrews. Most states and territories allow aircrews to skip the government-mandated quarantine and quarantine at home or at accomodation of their employer’s choosing.

I’ve just spoken to Prof Adrian Esterman, a biostatistician and epidemiologist at the University of South Australia. Esterman was the SA government’s principal epidemiologist and has worked in the field for the World Health Organization.

A crowd at the pop-up testing location at Avalon Recreation Centre on Friday.
A crowd at the pop-up testing location at Avalon Recreation Centre on Friday. Photograph: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

He says the quarantine arrangements for aircrews must be strengthened.

“It definitely is a weak link and needs to be tightened nationally. Aircrew are a bit different in that they are constantly flying in and out of the country, but none-the-less, while in Australia, they should be in secure quarantine until their next flight.

“There is also a role for rapid antigen testing pre-departure and on arrival, which might allow a more relaxed quarantine regimen for aircrew.”

Updated

While we hold our breath for more news out of New South Wales, which is expected around 11am, it might be worth reflecting on how things are going in the UK

This from AAP about a fatal police shooting in Queensland on Thursday:

Queensland police are investigating possible links between the alleged murder of an elderly couple in Brisbane and a man shot dead by police on one of the city’s major motorways.

Raghe Abdi, 22, threatened police with a knife before being shot on the Logan motorway on Thursday morning.

It has since been revealed Abdi had been influenced by Islamic State, was on bail and had previously been arrested by counter-terrorism officers.

Police are investigating links to the deaths of an 87-year-old man and an 86-year-old woman whose bodies were discovered on Thursday afternoon with significant injuries.

“Police are investigating whether the alleged murder of a man and woman at Parkinson may be linked to the fatal shooting of a man at Drewvale this morning,” police said.

Queensland police deputy commissioner Tracy Linford said Abdi’s bail conditions included wearing a GPS tracking device, which he appeared to have cut off.

“We were notified last night that there did appear to be some tampering with that tracking device,” she said on Thursday.

Officers attended the man’s address twice and searched bushland where the GPS device was pinging, but couldn’t find the man or the device.

Australian federal police deputy commissioner Ian McCartney said Abdi was known to the Queensland joint counter-terrorism team.

The AFP suspect he had been influenced by Isis and he was arrested on suspicion of an attempted foreign incursion when trying to depart Brisbane airport for Somalia in May 2019.

He was released without charge due to insufficient evidence but had his passport cancelled.

In June 2019 he was charged with further offences including refusing to give the passcode for his phone.

He was remanded in custody after refusing to answer the magistrate or acknowledge the authority of the court, before being granted bail in September 2020.

Linford said the officers who responded to Thursday morning’s incident did not know the man’s identity and confirmed she had seen body-worn camera footage of the shooting.

“There are occasions when lethal force is the only option available to the police,” she said.

The ethical standards command is investigating the shooting with oversight by the Crime and Corruption Commission.

Updated

As someone from Melbourne I chuckled at this.

Updated

Speaking of 2020 being rubbish, voting closes on this poll at 2pm!

We’ve been sent this picture of a van in Adelaide yesterday, which sums it up nicely.

A van speaking truth in Adelaide on Thursday.
A van speaking truth in Adelaide on Thursday. Photograph: Jenna Prisk

Updated

Looks like another vaccine is a step closer to approval in the US.

Updated

One of the world’s leading tennis journos has made the point that a cluster this size in Melbourne early next year could scupper the Australian Open.

Updated

Lots of tweets about despairing that people in Sydney are unmasked, despite this emerging Covid-19 cluster.

A few wags are asking whether Victorian Liberal MP Tim Smith visited the northern beaches during his trip to Sydney on 11 December to appear on talkback radio. Will try and get an answer to this today.

Updated

49th day of no local cases in Victoria

Meanwhile, in Victoria: 49 days without a local case.

Updated

PM expected to announce cabinet reshuffle today

In other news, it is expected the prime minister, Scott Morrison, will announce a cabinet reshuffle today. Here’s how we reported on this earlier this week:

Updated

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is also telling people (and the states) to be cautious but not frightened (while saying everything is going great with the economy).

“As the health authorities go about their contact tracing and their world-class testing regime we do note that there will be more cases,” he told the Seven network.

“The question has never been whether we had eliminated Covid-19. The question was always how will we respond to the new cases as they arise? NSW has been the gold standard.

“We should have confidence in the NSW system. Obviously this is a developing situation and the state premiers and chief ministers will take their actions based on medical advice, but I would just ask everyone to monitor the situation closely, to follow the medical advice, but also to have faith and confidence in the ability of the
NSW health system.”

Early visitors to Avalon Beach on Friday.
Early visitors to Avalon Beach on Friday. Photograph: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

When asked about the impact of a hard lockdown, he didn’t want to “pre-empt” such actions but “what we did see yesterday was an improvement in the economic numbers, which were very encouraging going into Christmas”.

“That was a result of the Australian economy opening up, restrictions being eased, the virus being successfully suppressed, Australians going back to work and then spending more freely.”

He said that in the past 15 weeks there had only been one week where there had not been a rise in consumer confidence: the week in November when South Australia announced restrictions after an outbreak there.

Updated

Trade and finance minister Simon Birmingham told the ABC this morning that states should “exercise restraint” when it came to border closures with NSW.

Look, we urge other states and territories to exercise some restraint in relation to border closures. Let’s recognise that New South Wales has shown an exemplary capacity to get on top of these clusters.

Their systems, their processes, that lead to the tracing, the contact tracing, the isolating, really are quite exceptional and so we should have confidence they can do it again.

I’m standing here in my home state of South Australia, and it’s not that long since we similarly saw one case that turned to 16 and 17, ultimately it was a cluster of 30. But a really strong process of isolating, contact tracing, all of the work that’s necessary there, that enabled everyone to get on top of it, and I’m sure that’s what New South Wales Health are doing right now and of course anyone in New South Wales should be following the advice of those health officials very closely.

People line up for Covid-19 testing at Mona Vale Hospital’s walk-in clinic on Thursday
People line up for Covid-19 testing at Mona Vale Hospital’s walk-in clinic on Thursday Photograph: Dean Lewins/EPA

He said that the midyear financial update released yesterday had included assumptions that there would be outbreaks of Covid-19 in some states.

We haven’t assumed that Covid has gone from the face of Australia forever. We do recognise these threats, these uncertainties remain, and that’s built into the assumptions there.

The budget update saw the economy growing stronger than previously forecast, employment and jobs growth growing stronger than previously forecast, and that means we’ve got more Australians in work, fewer people needing to receive payments, more taxes coming in, this is of course strong, all strong signs of recovery and what we want to do is make sure we keep it going as strongly as possible.

Updated

Northern Beaches council mayor Michael Regan told us on Thursday night he had been in conversation with health minister Brad Hazzard, and that the council had agreed to close a number of its facilities including libraries, skateparks and council-managed golf and tennis courts.

He also said a number of private venues had announced they would voluntarily close, including the Manly Bowling Club and Harbord Diggers Club in Freshwater.

There’s a lot of surprise, definitely, and an element of disappointment and anxiety coming so close to Christmas.

The good thing there has been a positive response and we have each other’s back. Everyone’s going to get tested and playing their role to make sure this doesn’t spread.

Hopefully all the cases related are to one source, that’s the hope and I guess if they can trace that back and get it knocked on the head we’ll be able to get back to normal quickly.

Updated

Looks like there’s a run on the border, judging by this report from the Nine Network.

Here is the current list of NSW hotspots:

Picking up on some more detail from Berejiklian which highlights why this cluster has grown so rapidly.

Every time there’s an outbreak it’s extremely concerning. On December 11 there is a major event at Avalon RSL where many people got the disease. And subsequently at the ... bowling club.

We know these events have really spread the virus through the community and people have gone home and given it to their loved ones.

Updated

Berejiklian confirms again to the ABC it is an international strain of Covid-19, but it remains unclear how the outbreak started.

How it got into the community is the next challenge.

There will be no new restrictions immediately, but she urged those on the northern beaches to stay home, and reiterated that throughout Sydney people should be wearing masks on public transport and in other busy locations.

Updated

The NSW premier is doing the breakfast television rounds this morning, and the message is consistent. She is on the ABC now where she has just said:

We’re bracing ourselves for more cases today, no doubt about that.

We are concerned, extremely concerned.

Everybody should be on high alert, we’re taking this extremely seriously, we want to get on top of this as soon as possible.

Updated

Berejiklian: brace for 'considerable amount of cases'

Berejiklian told the Seven Network this morning: “I am asking people to brace themselves today, we are going to see more cases overnight”, adding that she was “absolutely concerned”.

We are going to have a considerable amount of cases come during the day and that’s because people have come forward for testing.

Updated

NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian has reportedly confirmed more positive cases were recorded overnight, and that an update will be provided at 11am.

Updated

Border restrictions imposed so far

Here is the latest in border control measures implemented by each state following the Sydney outbreak:

  • Victoria: anyone who was in the northern beaches region on or since 11 December and is in Victoria must get tested and quarantine in their home or accommodation for 14 days from the date they left the northern beaches. Anyone who was in the exposure sites on or since 11 December and arrives in Victoria from now on must get tested and quarantine in their home or accommodation for 14 days from the date they left the northern beaches. Will announce further advice for those arriving from tomorrow.
  • Queensland: anyone who has visited the northern beaches since 11 December must get tested and quarantine in their home or accommodation for 14 days from the date they left the northern beaches. Anyone arriving in Queensland after 1am on Saturday - including Queenslanders – would be required to enter hotel quarantine at their own expense for 14 days after the date they left the northern beaches.
  • Western Australia: all arrivals from NSW now required to quarantine for two weeks. Anyone who travelled into WA from NSW since 11 December required to be tested for Covid-19 and self-isolate until they received a negative result.
  • Tasmania: anyone who has been in the northern beaches on or since 11 December are not permitted to enter Tasmania. Those who have travelled there between 11 December and yesterday must self-isolate.
  • Northern Territory: Northern Territory authorities said anyone from the northern beaches area travelling to the NT will need to undertake 14 days of mandatory, supervised quarantine in either Alice Springs or Darwin.

Updated

Morning all, the main news this morning is that growing Covid-19 cluster on Sydney’s northern beaches, which has now reached 17.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Tori Spelling recalls her childhood friendship with Paris Hilton
Describing a long-standing bond between their families that began when they were young, Tori Spelling has recalled her childhood friendship with Paris Hilton.
BANG Premier
BANG Premier
Is dark chocolate healthier than milk chocolate? 2 dietitians explain
Easter chocolate is all over supermarket shelves. Some people reach straight for milk chocolate eggs while others pause at the darker varieties, assuming they’re healthier.
The Conversation
The Conversation
Astronauts may struggle to reproduce in outer space, study suggests — what does that mean for the future of space colonization?
A new study found that microgravity simulated on Earth hindered sperm cell movement, egg fertilization and embryo development ‪—‬ findings that have serious implications for the future of space colonization.
LiveScience
LiveScience
Keith Urban Allegedly Claims Nicole Kidman 'Villain Narrative' Is 'Very Unfair,' Vows Revenge
Keith Urban is reportedly furious over a perceived 'villain narrative' around his split from Nicole Kidman, after she omitted him from a recent interview and left him feeling erased.
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
Former WWE Superstar Braun Strowman Takes Down 7,300 Calories A Day, But It's His Grocery Bill That Has Me Sweating
And it's not just the meat sweats...
Cinemablend
Cinemablend
Black Comedian Faces Backlash After Donning “White Face” To Mock Erika Kirk
The skit features Druski with his face painted white, wearing a blonde wig, heavy makeup, and bright blue contact lenses.
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play