What we learned, Thursday 20 May
That’s where I will leave you for this evening. Thanks as always for reading. Here’s what we learned today:
- Comments by the health minister, Greg Hunt, that for anyone uncertain about the AstraZeneca vaccine, there will be enough of Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine, sparked confusion about the government’s position on the rollout. It prompted further calls for a large-scale campaign to encourage Australians to receive the vaccine.
- The Australian economy appears to have shrugged off the end of jobkeeper wage subsidies, with new jobs data showing unemployment falling to 5.5% despite the loss of 30,600 jobs in April.
- The Australian government is in talks with the International Air Transport Association about a new digital certificate that could unlock quarantine-free overseas travel for vaccinated Australians.
- NSW celebrated passing one million vaccine doses, as the state’s premier, Gladys Berejiklian, announced the state would open more mass vaccination hubs across the state.
- The Victorian government has promised to massively outspend the federal government on mental health services, committing $3.8bn over the next four years in its budget handed down on Thursday. It amounts to some 65% more than the federal government announced in its mental health investment last week.
- Six blood clot cases in the past week were “likely” linked to AstraZeneca jab, the Therapeutic Goods Administration announced. Experts stressed though that the cases remain incredibly rare, and that people over 50 are recommended to take AZ because the blood clot risk is lower than the risk of harm from Covid-19.
- Australia’s private health insurance industry is in a “death spiral” and the federal government and the industry must agree on significant overhauls if the system is to be sustainable into the future, a report from health thinktank the Grattan Institute says.
Updated
Suicide Prevention Australia has welcomed the Victorian government’s decision to establish a Suicide Prevention and Response Office in the state budget handed down today.
It comes ahead of an impending national agreement with states and territories scheduled for November this year.
Chief executive Simon Pont said:
It is very encouraging to see that now both the federal and Victorian governments have committed to Suicide Prevention Offices.
Suicide Prevention Australia has called for a whole of government approach to suicide prevention in every jurisdiction and a coordinating office is a key part of achieving that. We look forward to seeing further details on the scope and role of the new Victorian Suicide Prevention and Response Office.
Overall, the $173m investment over four years for suicide prevention in the Victorian budget will pave the way for saving lives.
The funds will continue to support nine adult Hospital Outreach Post-suicidal Engagement (Hope) sites, and four new sites for youth across Victoria.
The additional investment in aftercare services like Hope to support people who have survived a suicide attempt will make a difference.
Updated
Want to read about Barack Obama maybe believing in UFOs? The Guardian has you covered.
NSW passes one million vaccine mark
New South Wales has passed one million vaccine doses, including commonwealth government-administered jabs.
NSW health minister Brad Hazzard tweeted the news of the milestone on Thursday afternoon.
“On the journey to Covid-19 freedom,” he wrote.
Yayyyy! 0ne Million vaccinations here in NSW. On the journey to COVID-19 freedom. ✅. @NSWHealth pic.twitter.com/b7RVA3lm2C
— Brad Hazzard (@BradHazzard) May 20, 2021
It comes as the state government says people aged between 40 and 49 can now make a booking to receive the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine at 25 sites around the state.
For those in the 40-49 age bracket, the Pfizer vaccine has until now only been available only at the mass vaccination hub at Sydney Olympic Park.
But premier Gladys Berejiklian says Pfizer vaccines will now be available for anyone aged between 40 and 49 at 25 sites, including 17 in regional areas.
An additional six sites for Covid-19 jabs will open next month, AAP reports. Berejiklian said on Thursday:
We know (vaccination) gives us an opportunity to ease any restrictions but also to think about how we reconnect with the rest of the world.
NSW wants to be as ready as possible, as soon as possible, to make sure we don’t get left behind.
The NSW government is aiming to administer 60,000 vaccines a week, despite Australia’s vaccine rollout lagging behind other countries.
Updated
'A destroyer not a builder': John Barilaro condemns Malcolm Turnbull
A few weeks ago former prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, endorsed independent candidate Kirsty O’Connell in Saturday’s Upper Hunter byelection.
The news that he has now donated $3,000 to her campaign has been greeted predictably calmly by NSW National party leader John Barilaro, who labelled his support for O’Connell “treacherous” in an interview on 2GB on Thursday,
On the eve of this election ... he continues to show this level of treachery.”
Turnbull, who owns a farm in the Hunter Valley, endorsed O’Connell in a video a few weeks ago. A fifth-generation farmer from Aberdeen in the Upper Hunter, O’Connell has called for a moratorium on new coal mining projects, and is one of the few candidates running in the election who has questioned the future of the industry in the region. You can read more about her, and the byelection, in this feature I wrote last weekend.
Polling suggests the result in the previously blue ribbon Nationals seat in the NSW coal mining heartland will be decided on preferences with a razor thin margin between the leading candidates.
What a joke! Barilaro called on me to resign when I was the Liberal Prime Minister of Australia! https://t.co/nAP10gwAH1
— Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) May 20, 2021
Barilaro said on Thursday that he had tried and failed to get O’Connell to preference the Nationals. He – along with much of the conservative Sydney media – has tried to label her as a Labor-lite candidate.
“She asked for a moratorium on coal ... she’s anti-mining and anti gas ... and that was the end of that conversation,” he said on Thursday.,
A small YouGov poll last week found 25% of voters support Nationals candidate Dave Layzell while Labor’s Jeff Drayton is sitting on 23%.
Support for O’Connell was at just 6% and she has declined to preference the major parties.
However, Labor is hoping to pick up her preferences with brochures saying: “Voting Kirsty O’Connell? Vote 2 Jeff Drayton.”
A furious Barilaro accused Turnbull of wanting “to see the Berejiklian/Barilaro Liberal National coalition government go into minority”.
He’s just showing his treacherous colours once again.
“This is his track record. He’s a destroyer not a builder.”
Updated
Victoria's $3.8bn commitment to mental health: 'It has taken a national crisis to catalyse this change'
Mental health experts have been calling me to respond to the Victorian budget’s $3.8bn commitment to mental health.
Professor of youth mental health at the University of Melbourne Prof Patrick McGorry described the investment as “historic” given mental health had formed the centrepiece.
He said he expected the announcement to trigger some intense discussions between the states and federal government.
“The premier and the state government really deserve our thanks as a community.
“This budget covers the first stage of a complete rebuild of the system. All bases are covered, especially youth mental health, with the alignment of state services with Headspace and a range of other reforms.
The new structures and major state investment will catalyse intense federal state negotiations, as the federal government prepares for the national agreement on mental health in November and MYEFO [Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook] pre-election.”
McGorry said the scale of investment required to meet the level of need for mental health care in the community had not been understood by other governments.
“It has taken the collapse of the system and a national crisis to catalyse this change.
Daniel Andrews deserves enormous credit as the first leader in the world to recognise this and act. The prime minister is committed and is acting too and there will be much more to come. Other states also have to get more serious now.”
However the vice-president of the Australian Medical Association’s Victorian branch, Dr Rod McRae, said he wanted to see exactly where the money would be spent.
While the budget provides some of this detail, such as 3,000 clinicians to assist with mental health support and management, McRae said:
Does that mean 3,000 psychiatrists, or other types of clinicians? What other ratios of staff and support will be offered, because we need more than just psychiatrists.
“However we are glad the government has seen there is a crisis, and they reacted.
“But we do need to see the level of detail. The headlines detailing this big spend are fantastic. But we need to see where it goes. The overarching theme of the budget, I think, really relates to jobs and employment and keeping the economy moving after Covid. But that requires both physical and mental health.”
Updated
Gender Equity Victoria has welcomed the state government’s budget, including increased funding for Women’s Health Services, a gender equality budget unit within Treasury, 47,000 gender equal jobs in the so-called “care economy” (mental health, early childhood, Covid-19 healthcare and teaching) and prioritised funding for women’s economic participation.
Chief executive Tanja Kovac said in a statement:
A gender equal recovery from COVID-19 needed targeted investment in jobs, healthcare and the economy. We’re pleased to see so many of our members’ priority areas addressed in the budget. A good start has been made for Women’s Health Services and we’re pleased to see the creation of 47,000 jobs in the care economy where the majority of employees are women.
“Despite these strong steps towards a gender equal future, we know that there is much more to do. With vaccine hesitancy high amongst older women, ensuring women’s confidence in their healthcare choices is essential to primary prevention and health promotion. They will need sustained investment over the next few years.”
“We look forward to applying a gender lens to the $3.8bn investment in mental health reform so that women and gender diverse people are not forgotten in this historic moment.”
Updated
Good afternoon! Thanks as always for reading.
The Queensland government says it will put off a mass vaccination hub until the last quarter of the year because it is no longer administering the AstraZeneca vaccine, AAP reports.
The state government is administering the Pfizer vaccine to frontline healthcare workers and vulnerable people, but has stopped administering the AstraZeneca jab.
That decision follows official health advice that Australians under the age of 50 should get the Pfizer vaccine over the AstraZeneca jab.
AstraZeneca doses are instead sent directly to Queensland GPs, and the state has ruled out using them in a mass vaccination hub like those operating in NSW and Victoria.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the state is too “decentralised” to set up an AstraZeneca hub, but she’s planning Pfizer and Moderna hubs later this year.
Queensland is a big state, it is so decentralised, that so much planning is happening at the moment for that final quarter of the year. When we have more supply in Pfizer, Moderna it is going to ramp up.
And I know that Queenslanders are going to go out there in droves when we have all that supply ready.”
It’s unclear what impact the state government’s decision to abandon AstraZeneca has had on the pace of the rollout.
Queensland receives 180,000 vaccine doses per week, but less than 3,000 are being administered, according to the federal Department of Health.
In comparison, NSW administers 11,000 doses and Victoria is giving about 9,000 jabs each week.
Both of those states operate mass vaccination hubs in Sydney and Melbourne using AstraZeneca.
The federal government has pledged to provide 50% of the funding for mass vaccination sites in states and territories, but Queensland is holding off until supplies of Pfizer and Moderna arrive.
Updated
With that, I will now pass you onto my colleague Michael McGowan.
Updated
Here’s a summary of Qantas’ announcement earlier today about job cuts to international crew, a two-year company-wide wage freeze and other cost-cutting measures, as well as the industry’s furious reaction to the news.
The company is set to post a $2bn loss this financial year, with the prolonged international border closure currently costing it $3m a week (this was $5m a week before the trans-Tasman bubble opened). Qantas expects its net debt to drop to just below $6.05bn by the end of June. It believes it has lost $16bn in revenue as a result of the pandemic. And it still plans to find $1bn in savings by the end of the 2023 financial year.
At a press conference announcing the financial position today, chief executive Alan Joyce repeatedly named New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian as having a sensible approach to aligning the vaccine rollout with a border reopening.
Joyce said:
The vaccines are key to freedom... [and the rollout] feels like it’s lower than it should be. And we need to get the same effort we got behind the control of the virus here in Australia over the last year behind the rollout of the vaccine, encouraging people to take it, giving people the clear indication of what it does in releasing more freedoms on people over time.
Joyce urged the government to bring forward its plan to reopen borders from after mid-2022 to after December this year, when its vaccine rollout is set to be complete. Joyce said Qantas was planning to resume international flights from December, and warned there could be further redundancies if there were further changes to border reopenings.
Our plan is still that we think borders are going to open up in 2022. If something left-field happens, if there’s a new variant of the virus that vaccine is not effective against or some other changes that take place, then of course the planning assumptions will have to change ... You can never say never.
The industry has slammed Qantas’ announcement today. Despite Joyce saying he believed the Transport Workers Union would be supportive of the wage freezes, Michael Kaine, the union’s national secretary, accused the airline of “acting like a dictator” and of mismanaging the $2bn in government assistance it had received.
Joyce said when announcing Qantas would cut commissions to agent bookings from 5% to 1% from July next year that he believed the Australian Federation of Travel Agents understood the need for fee changes.
However, the federation’s board released a statement saying it was “very disappointed” in Qantas.
The reality is that the ongoing paralysis of international travel to and from Australia has hit travel agents and businesses extremely hard and this is another unwelcome blow.
Updated
Federal parliament culture review launches
AAP has a bit more detail on the start of the independent review of parliament as a workplace.
Anyone who has worked as a federal political staffer or at Parliament House in Canberra can now give feedback on their experience to an inquiry led by Australia’s sex discrimination commissioner, Kate Jenkins.
She is set to report back with recommendations by November.
Finance minister Simon Birmingham has assured those looking to provide a submission that their confidentiality will be paramount, after laws were changed to ensure feedback could not be made public through freedom of information.
He said on Thursday:
I encourage all who wish to participate to do so with confidence.
Legal protections are in place to ensure confidentiality, along with additional supports where needed. Participation is important to help achieve effective improvements to culture and systems.
Former and current political staffers can make written submissions to the review or have a confidential interview outlining their experiences, whether positive or negative.
The inquiry was sparked after former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins went public with allegations she was raped by a colleague at Parliament House in 2019.
She accused the government of making her choose between reporting the incident or continuing her career.
Updated
One new case in South Australia, someone in a medi-hotel (what SA calls hotel quarantine).
South Australian COVID-19 update 20/5/21. For more information, go to https://t.co/mYnZsG7zGQ or contact the South Australian COVID-19 Information Line on 1800 253 787. pic.twitter.com/rPGLk01ILD
— SA Health (@SAHealth) May 20, 2021
The co-director of health and policy at the University of Sydney’s brain and mind centre, Prof Ian Hickie, has applauded Victoria’s $3.8bn commitment to mental health, the centrepiece of its budget unveiled today.
This represents $800m a year, and will be partly funded by a new tax on businesses with more than $10m in wages.
“It sets the benchmark for other states, and makes the feds look small,” Hickie said, referring to the federal budget’s $2.3bn mental health package.
For one state alone that’s big, and consistent with models we’ve been producing. We now need each state to do the same, and for the federal government to match it.
Updated
South Australia’s chief health officer, Nicola Spurrier, on the risk assessment for having Covid versus the risk of the vaccine:
People need to think about the one-in-100,000 risk. We are not out of the woods from Covid-19.
Updated
South Australia confirms blood clot case after AstraZeneca jab
As the Therapeutic Goods Administration reported earlier, there is a blood clot case associated with a 53-year-old man in South Australia who is in intensive care after receiving his first dose of AstraZeneca on 4 May.
He was admitted to hospital on 18 May with severe abdominal pain, the state’s chief health officer, Dr Nicola Spurrier, told reporters.
She said there was also a probable case in an 87-year-old woman who had the shot on 28 April and had symptoms from 8 May. She was admitted to hospital and was now in a stable condition.
Spurrier said:
With this particular syndrome that has been linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine, it can occur anywhere from four days to 28 days after having the vaccination. It is important for people that have had the AstraZeneca vaccine to monitor themselves for symptoms ... It includes having a severe persistent headache or severe abdominal pain.
Spurrier said the condition remained rare – for one in 100,000 people given the AstraZeneca vaccine.
It is a rare occurrence but because of the number of vaccines that we are giving across our whole community ... it would not be unexpected for this to occur.
Updated
A constable in Tasmania has been sacked after stealing from the police force and possessing and using testosterone, AAP reports.
The 33-year-old man from the state’s south was dismissed on Wednesday following an investigation.
Acting deputy commissioner Donna Adams said in a statement:
The investigation established that the constable had stolen items from Tasmania police and had possessed and used illicit drugs (testosterone).
The officer has been charged and prosecuted with stealing and the possession and use of a controlled drug and possession of a thing used for the administration of a controlled drug.
Adams said the constable had been suspended from duty during the prosecution and Tasmania police would make no further comment.
Updated
Ambulance officers strike over pay in NSW
Ambulance workers in New South Wales have voted to take immediate strike action in non-emergency situations over a “humiliating” and “pathetic” pay rise offer, AAP reports.
Non-emergency patient transport officers will strike until 6am on Friday, the Health Services Union announced on Thursday.
The workers were outraged at an offer of a 0.3% pay increase, especially given the critical role they played in the pandemic, the union’s NSW secretary, Gerard Hayes said.
For the last year, patient transport officers have ferried Covid-positive patients from the airport to hotel quarantine, exposing themselves to a deadly, unknown pathogen.
In return, the treasurer has made a humiliating annual pay offer that wouldn’t even buy a cappuccino each week. This is pathetic.
Patient transport officer Alana Fernandez said her colleagues had made sacrifices for the state during the pandemic and deserve better.
Roughly half her colleagues have had to quarantine at home with their families for two weeks after coming into contact with COVID-19 patients. She said:
We’ve been the frontline workers ... and this is the slap in the face that we get?
The union is seeking a 4.7% pay increase and better salary packaging. Instead, a 0.3% raise has been offered to the whole public sector.
Hayes said that had pushed paramedics to the brink of industrial action too.
The cost of living is rising across NSW, with surging property prices and rents and increased inflation.
This means the treasurer’s pay offer is effectively a pay cut. That’s a hell of a way to reward the heroes of the pandemic.
Widespread industrial action across the health system would follow if a fair pay increase was not offered, he said.
NSW treasurer Dominic Perrottet’s office has been contacted for comment.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters on Thursday:
The budget process will outline our wages policy moving forward but we’ll make sure we’re extremely fair to our frontline workers. We’re very grateful for everything they’ve done.
Updated
Six blood clot cases 'likely' linked to AstraZeneca jab in past week
Just some more on the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s vaccine report on blood clots.
One is an 18-year-old vaccinated before health authorities advised under-50s that AstraZeneca was not recommended for them.
We remind all readers that thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) is a rare event and that people over 50 are recommended to take AstraZeneca because the blood clot risk is lower than the risk of harm from Covid-19.
The TGA said:
Since last week’s report, a further six reports of blood clots and low blood platelets have been assessed as TTS and considered likely to be linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine. Three are newly reported confirmed cases: one in a 57-year-old woman from Victoria, one in a 53-year-old man from South Australia and the final case in an 18-year-old woman in Queensland. Review of an earlier case in a 79-year-old Victorian man has now been confirmed as meeting the diagnostic criteria. Two other new cases, in an 87-year-old woman from South Australia and a 71-year-old woman from Victoria, were deemed probably related to the vaccine, but more clinical information is required for any confirmations to be made.
The 18-year-old was vaccinated prior to the 8 April 2021 recommendation by Atagi [the Australian technical advisory group on immunisation] that Comirnaty [Pfizer] is preferred over the AstraZeneca vaccine in adults aged under 50 years. The information reported to the TGA meets the criteria for confirmed TTS. However, the case remains under investigation as there are ongoing clinical investigations including consideration of other medical conditions.
This takes the total Australian reports of cases assessed as TTS following the AstraZeneca vaccine to 24. So far about 2.1 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine have been administered. Overall, 21 of these cases are considered confirmed and three are considered probable. Three of the four cases reported as probable in last week’s report have since been confirmed as TTS. The other case remains under investigation.
Updated
Six blood clot cases likely linked to AstraZeneca jab in past week
The Therapeutic Goods Administration’s weekly vaccine report is out.
It says there were six additional cases of blood clots with low blood platelet associated with the AstraZeneca vaccine. When assessed with the UK case definition, four cases are confirmed and two are deemed probable, it says.
Diarrhoea and vomiting have been added as potential side effects of the Pfizer vaccine, and the TGA also said it was monitoring reports of cardiac issues following the Pfizer vaccine and reports of Guillain-Barre Syndrome following vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine. But no causal association with either vaccine has yet been established.
Updated
The sex discrimination commissioner, Kate Jenkins, is seeking submissions on the independent review into the parliamentary workplace.
Anyone who currently works, or has previously worked, in a Commonwealth parliamentary workplace is now invited to participate in @AusHumanRights's Independent Review via a written submission or confidential interview: https://t.co/kePetQdoEs pic.twitter.com/FtBnpPNabz
— Kate Jenkins (@Kate_Jenkins_) May 20, 2021
And with that, I’ll hand back to Josh Taylor, who will keep you across the latest developments.
Victoria promises to outspend commonwealth on mental health
The Victorian government has promised to massively outspend the federal government on mental health services, committing $3.8bn over the next four years – 65% more than the federal government announced last week in its mental health investment last week.
It’s part of a big-spending budget that also includes spending more than $10bn over the next four years on infrastructure including schools and hospitals, designed to drive Victoria’s economic recovery after the state bore the brunt of the impact from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The spending is powered by a rapidly recovering economy, with gross state product expected to increase to 6.5% in 2021-22.
But the budget papers say that recovery has so far been entirely driven by government spending, and warn that a protracted global recovery from Covid-19, and drawn-out vaccine rollout, could cause further economic shocks.
And they set out a plan to increase stamp duty and land taxes on properties worth more than $2m and $1.8m respectively, and to introduce a new windfall gains land tax to capture up to 50% of the profits from developers benefiting from government rezoning decisions.
Updated
The Greens leader, Adam Bandt, has accused the health minister, Greg Hunt, of “giving mixed messages” on the vaccine rollout in a way that could undermine it.
Hunt, of course, suggested earlier today that Australians could wait and get the Pfizer, instead of AstraZeneca.
Comments today by Greg Hunt could lead people to think they should wait a few months to pick another option, undermining the central message of the vaccine rollout.
Winter is coming, the spectre of further Covid outbreaks is real and the Morrison government hasn’t built large-scale remote quarantine facilities, so the message must be to get vaccinated now, not to think about waiting a few months.
The minister is giving mixed messages. Saying ‘why not wait a bit’ encourages vaccine hesitancy.
The prime minister and minister Hunt must immediately show support for all of the vaccines approved by independent health authorities and cease up-selling brands that are yet to arrive in sufficient quantities.
Updated
Victorian budget gives $3.8bn for mental health system reform
The Victorian budget has been released. We’ll have further detail for you soon.
Our reporter Calla Wahlquist has been in the lockup and says the government has committed $3.8bn to reform the mental health system, compared to the $2.3bn provided in the federal budget.
Vic budget coverage coming up soon on @GuardianAus. Topline figures - the Victorian government has committed $3.8bn on reforming the mental health system. That's compared to $2.3bn toward mental health in the federal budget.
— Calla Wahlquist (@callapilla) May 20, 2021
The treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, spoke a little earlier after the release of those job numbers, which showed a reduction in the unemployment rate from 5.6% to 5.5% in April. That bucked predictions that the end of jobkeeper would cause a spike.
Frydenberg jumped on the figures. He said they showed “the strength of Australia’s economic recovery”.
This is the seventh consecutive monthly unemployment has fallen. Underemployment has fallen to its lowest level in seven years, and we have seen youth unemployment full to its lowest level in 12 years. Full-time jobs saw an increase of 33,800 new full-time jobs being created in the month of April. We have to bear in mind that these job numbers came after the end of jobkeeper, a program that had supported 3.8 million Australians, and the ABS have said in today’s statement that the end of jobkeeper did not have a major discernible impact on the job numbers, and that, again, underlines the strength of Australia’s economic recovery.
Let’s not forget the Labor party said thatthe sky would fall in with the end of jobkeeper. The Labor party will be very disappointed with today’s job numbers because they have been talking down the Australian economy for the full 15 months of this pandemic, yet the Australian economy strengthened, even after the end of jobkeeper.
We heard a huge whinge yesterday at the press club from the shadow treasurer – all smears, no ideas. The Labor party credibility has been shredded with these economic numbers that we have seen from the unemployment coming down, yet again.
Updated
Just sticking with the press freedom report for a minute. The Human Rights Law Centre this morning called on the Morrison government to implement all 17 of the report’s recommendations.
Senior lawyer Kieran Pender said Australians had a right to know what the government did in its name.
Protecting whistleblowers who speak up about wrongdoing and the journalists who write about it is vital to our democracy.
This report, like several before it, confirms that we urgently need to rein-in the secrecy and surveillance laws which are impeding public interest journalism and democratic accountability in Australia.
Whistleblowers shouldn’t face prison for doing the right thing and journalists shouldn’t be raided for doing their job.
As recommended by the committee, the government should urgently reform whistleblowing law, overhaul draconian secrecy law and legislate better protections for journalists.
Updated
GetUp has unveiled a new mural of Scott Morrison at Sydney’s central station, coinciding with the release of the press freedom inquiry report yesterday.
The inquiry found laws protecting public interest journalism should be beefed up and a culture of transparency promoted, and called for reforms to freedom of information laws.
Hey @ScottMorrisonMP how good is press freedom?
— GetUp! (@GetUp) May 12, 2021
The Morrison Government's attacks on journalism are on full display in our massive new mural that stares down on Sydney's Central Station! pic.twitter.com/jMMeebJEwx
Updated
Kate Jenkins, the sex discrimination commissioner, is calling for submissions in her inquiry into parliamentary culture.
The inquiry was established after former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins alleged she was raped in the then-defence minister’s office in 2019.
Anyone who currently works, or has previously worked, in a Commonwealth parliamentary workplace is now invited to participate in @AusHumanRights's Independent Review via a written submission or confidential interview: https://t.co/kePetQdoEs pic.twitter.com/FtBnpPNabz
— Kate Jenkins (@Kate_Jenkins_) May 20, 2021
Updated
Novavax seeking partner to manufacture vaccine in Australia: reports
The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting that Novavax, the pharmaceutical giant, is searching for a manufacturing partner to produce its protein Covid-19 vaccine in this country.
Australia has 51m doses of Novavax vaccine on order, though it is yet to receive final approval in Australia and abroad. The company has previously flagged some delays to its regulatory approvals.
But in an interview with the Herald and the Age, chief commercial officer John Trizzino said Novavax had had early talks about manufacturing its vaccine in Australia.
We would love to have a manufacturing facility in Australia, but we’ve got to find the right partner.
Updated
Virgin Australia chief executive Jane Hrdlicka has reiterated the intent behind controversial comments she made earlier this week about Australia’s international border reopening, but said she would now use different words to convey the same message.
On Monday, Hrdlicka told a Queensland University of Technology business lunch that Australia’s borders should reopen sooner than the middle of next year and that “some people may die” once Australia’s vaccine rollout was completed and borders were reopened to international travel.
Earlier today, Hrdlicka said:
I very much understand that my words taken in isolation may have hurt some people and if I had my time again I would use different words to make the same point.
I’m just delighted that we can today say very loudly and proudly that we are a domestic airline that is absolutely committed to keeping the community safe and that the most vulnerable in Australia, and people who generally want to be vaccinated, should have the opportunity to do that before international borders open.
Today, Virgin announced it was adding 700 extra weekly flights across its domestic network by October, including five new direct services between Sydney and Darwin, Sydney and Townsville, Adelaide and Cairns, Melbourne and Townsville, and Perth and Cairns.
As a result of the growth, the airline will hire 250 new employees across operational and corporate teams.
Earlier on Thursday, Qantas announced a further round of redundancies would be offered to its international crew, as well as a two-year company-wide wage freeze.
Updated
Consumer group Choice has released new postcode data showing the worst-affected areas for mortgage stress.
The data shows significant parts of western Sydney and Melbourne’s west are already in mortgage stress. More broadly across New South Wales and Victoria, Choice estimates about 130,000 people are on the brink across the 10 crisis postcodes.
Nationally, the five postcodes with the worst mortgage stress were:
- NSW – 2560: Airds, Ambarvale, Appin, Bradbury, Blair Athol, Bradbury, Campbelltown, Englorie Park, Gilead, Glen Alpine, Kentlyn, Leumeah, Rosemeadow, Ruse, St Helens Park, Wedderburn, Woodbine.
- NSW – 2170: Casula, Chipping Norton, Hammondville, Liverpool, Liverpool South, Lurnea, Moorebank, Mount Pritchard, Prestons, Warwick Farm.
- Western Australia - 6065: Ashby, Darch, Gnangara, Hocking, Jandabup, Landsdale, Lexia, Madeley, Mariginiup, Melaleuca, Pearsall, Pinjar, Sinagra, Tapping, Wangara, Wanneroo.
- Queensland – 4350: Athol, Centenary Heights, Cranley, Darling Heights, Drayton, East Toowoomba, Finnie, Glenvale, Harlaxton, Harristown, Kearneys Spring, Middle Ridge, Mount Kynoch, Mount Lofty, Mount Rascal, Newtown, North Toowoomba, Northlands, Prince Henry Heights, Rangeville, Redwood, Rockville, South Toowoomba, Southtown, Toowoomba, Toowoomba East, Toowoomba South, Toowoomba West, Top Camp, Wellcamp, Westbrook, Wilsonton, Wilsonton Heights, Wyalla Plaza.
- Victoria – 3805: Fountain Gate, Narre Warren, Narre Warren South.
It’s particularly interesting data given the government is still trying to repeal safe lending laws. The Coalition’s plans were dealt a blow yesterday when One Nation publicly rejected the government’s plans.
Updated
Another upside in the labour force statistics: youth unemployment has decreased 1.1 points to 10.6%. It is now 3.4 points lower than in April 2020 and one point lower than March 2020.
The underemployment rate has also decreased to 7.8%. The Australian economy added 33,800 full-time jobs but lost 64,400 part-time jobs in April.
The drop in the participation rate appears gendered, with women more likely to withdraw from the labour market (down 0.5 points to 61.3% participation) than men (down 0.1 point to 70.8% participation).
There’s a large state-by-state variation in jobs growth. In positive territory in April were: South Australia (1.8% growth in the number of people employed); the ACT and Northern Territory (+1.4%) and Victoria (+0.1%). The others were in negative territory: Western Australia (-1%), New South Wales and Tasmania (-0.9%) and Queensland (-0.3%).
Updated
NSW records no new local Covid cases
Welcome news again for NSW, where no new locally acquired coronavirus cases were recorded in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
Two overseas-acquired cases were recorded.
About 16,178 tests were conducted to 8pm last night, and about 11,343 vaccines were administered in the same timeframe. Testing numbers were slightly down on the day before.
NSW recorded no new locally acquired cases of #COVID19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) May 20, 2021
Two new cases were acquired overseas in the same period, bringing the total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 5,378. pic.twitter.com/sesc4Cs3S1
Updated
The Australian Bureau of Statistics directly addressed the end of jobkeeper, and the TL;DR message seems to be: “Cliff, what cliff?”
The ABS said:
The end of the jobkeeper wage subsidy on 28 March 2021 was expected to result in some people losing their jobs or changing jobs, and reflected in labour force statistics for April and May 2021. The reference period for the April survey was 4-17 April, entirely after the end of jobkeeper.
However, analysis by the ABS of changes in employment and hours between March and April did not identify a clear aggregate impact from the end of jobkeeper. There were not large changes in the indicators that the ABS has been highlighting throughout the Covid period (eg people working reduced or zero hours for economic reasons and flows out of employment across a broad range of population groups).
Some of the underlying movements in the labour market may include some people leaving employment at the end of jobkeeper, even if they did not result in a large discernible impact at the aggregate level. However, the underlying movements also appear to show signs of the usual month-to-month variation in the labour market and some larger-than-usual seasonal changes (similar to those in January 2021, particularly for hours worked).
Updated
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released the April labour force statistics.
This is the first set of jobs numbers since the jobkeeper wage subsidy ended in March.
In April, the Australian economy lost 30,600 jobs, and 13m fewer hours were worked.
Nevertheless, unemployment fell from 5.6% to 5.5%. That’s because there was also 33,600 fewer unemployed people, causing the participation rate to fall by 0.3% to 66%.
All in all, it’s a very mixed set of numbers.
But given the treasury and Reserve Bank had predicted the end of jobkeeper could cause a slight spike in unemployment, the fact the economy has absorbed the shock is slightly positive.
Updated
Unemployment rate falls to 5.5%
The unemployment rate has fallen to 5.5% in April, down from 5.6%, despite jobkeeper ending in March.
Positive signs for the economy.
We’ll have more shortly.
#breaking ABS stats show unemployment down to 5.5% in April, despite jobkeeper ending at end of March.
— Paul Karp (@Paul_Karp) May 20, 2021
BUT participation down and employed people down -30,600#auspol pic.twitter.com/dsvPiSqWfe
Updated
Speaking to media about the expansion of the Pfizer clinic footprint, Gladys Berejiklian said more ambition was needed to vaccinate people quickly.
We’re really keen to make sure we vaccinate our population as quickly as possible, as safely as possible, and in as efficient a way as possible. So far, the public feedback we’ve had in relation to people going through that process has been extremely positive. New South Wales has always said that we want to vaccinate our populations ... because we know that gives us an opportunity to ease any restrictions but also to think about how we reconnect with the rest of the world. And these are conversations happening in different countries across the globe, and New South Wales wants to be as ready as possible, as soon as possible, to make sure we don’t get left behind and make sure we provide our citizens with the best opportunities available.
We’ve worked really, really hard to get to where we have already in relation to Covid, in relation to the vaccine rollout, and we’ll continue to make sure that we work hard to continue to provide not only good safety outcomes for our public, our population, but also good economic outcomes. We know that when it comes to job security, new jobs, we want New South Wales to remain in a leadership position on that and it’s very important for us to continue getting that balance moving forward.
Pleasingly, we’ve also had some interesting information on the take-up rate, so out of more than 120,000 people who in the very first few days told us they were interested in getting the Pfizer jab, we’ve contacted 23,000 of those people and ... more than half of those people have already made booking.
So [we’re] finding that in a short number of days, people are not only taking up the opportunity to book but are coming in to get their jabs, some within 24 or 48 hours of being told they could book. The system is running efficiently, but as we scale up it will become more challenging. That’s why we made sure our systems were in place to be able to provide that efficient service and make the experience as positive as possible.
Updated
NSW expands Pfizer vaccination sites
The New South Wales government has announced it has expanded its “footprint” of Pfizer vaccination sites, with 25 such centres now taking bookings for people aged 40 to 49, including about 17 in rural and regional NSW.
The premier, Gladys Berejiklian, said about 23,500 people have been invited to book a vaccine at a NSW health clinic, and 12,000 people had already been booked in for a Pfizer jab. In total, about 120,000 had registered their interest with the government to receive the Pfizer vaccine.
I want to thank the more than 120,000 people aged 40 to 49 who have already registered their interest to receive the Pfizer jab. We are working hard to ensure you receive the vaccine as soon as possible.
The health minister, Brad Hazzard, said:
We’re making it easier for people right across NSW to access Covid vaccines as quickly as possible.
Updated
Alan Joyce speaks on Qantas redundancies, lost revenue from Covid
Thanks very much, Josh. Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce spoke to the media in Sydney a little earlier about the huge impact Covid-19 has taken on the company, which, of course, has prompted new job losses in its international division.
He said the company had lost $16bn in revenue due to Covid-19.
Today, we’ve given an update on how the Qantas Group is performing and what we expect the end of financial year will look like. We’ve also given some further details on our recovery program. In broad terms, the numbers show that we’re slowly turning the corner but we still have a long way to go.
Let me highlight some of the reasons we’re saying that. Firstly, most of our people are now back at work; 16,000 of our people, in fact. That’s all of our domestic employees. That’s all of our corporate employees. And it’s a small number of our international crew. We still have 6,000 of our international employees stood down. Of course, we want more back, but this is a huge improvement on where we’ve been. Secondly, the business is now generating enough cash to start paying back some of the debt we took on to get through Covid. In fact, we raised over $4 billion in debt and new equity to get through the last two years.
This fact that we’re paying down debt is a significant milestone that shows we’re on a sustainable footing. But today’s figures also show the ongoing financial damage of Covid. We expect to post a statutory loss.
Joyce said a voluntary redundancy program would be established for international cabin crew.
Today, we’ve given additional details on some extra steps we’re taking to manage the cost side of the recovery. Briefly, they are: a two-year wage freeze for all Qantas Group employees, including management. This certainly isn’t a reflect of the hard work of our people. But it is a reflection on the tough reality we face.
There’s a reduction in the sales conditions we pay travel agents on international fares from 5% down to 1%. This won’t take effect on mid-next year, to give agents time to adjust their business model in line with what many overseas markets have already implemented. And the Australian federation of travel agents has already recognised the need for this industry to change and to mover more to ... a charging model for the great services they provide to the travelling public.
We’ve also announced a limited voluntary redundancy program for Qantas international cabin. We think this is important given the extra layers these crew now face but we’re focused on retaining skills for the future.
Updated
And with that, I will hand over to my colleague Christopher Knaus, who will take you through the next little while.
Updated
What percentage of the population needs to be vaccinated for herd immunity? Scott Morrison says there’s no set number:
There’s no hard and fast rule on that. And the medical advisers continue to look at that. I’ve said that overseas what we’ve been seeing is many populations levelling out at about the 60% mark, but medical opinion differs on those issues.
It is not just a population-wide measure. You’ve got to look particularly when you’re at a vaccination program at your most vulnerable populations. That’s why we’ve focused so much on those in residential aged care facilities, those over 70. These are the ones at most risk for serious illness and fatality.
If you’re over 70, our priority is to ensure that you’re vaccinated, and I encourage you greatly to make that appointment, have a chat to your doctor and they’ll be able to talk you through any of the questions and any of the issues that you have. And that’s where we’re finding vaccination rates improving, because people are having those conversations and they’re learning that it’s in their best health interests to be able to get that vaccination to ensure they’re protected in the middle of a global pandemic which is raging more today than it was a year ago.
Updated
Scott Morrison says he is looking forward to discussing with the states about the possibility of passports for people to travel interstate in the event there are border closures due to Covid outbreaks in the future, and denies it is dead in the water because NSW and Queensland have rejected the idea:
“I think it’s a reasonable thing to work through that where states and territories, I suspect, will continue from time to time to make decisions which would see lockdowns - hopefully in just contained areas - put in place, that where people have been vaccinated they would have the opportunity, let’s say they happen to be in another state, they can return home to Victoria and not be kept out of their home state, or that they may be able to move into other states and territories. That’s something that Australians would support and I think it recognises the reality that states and territories from time to time will be making decisions which will restrict movements of Australians across the country.
“Now, I know the New South Wales premier would prefer there were no restrictions, but she can is make decisions in relation to New South Wales but other premiers, whether it’s here in Victoria, Queensland, WA or other places, I’m sure will continue to exercise judgements that they believe to be in the best interests of their states. And so it’s a practical proposal and I look forward to discussing it further with premiers and chief ministers.”
Scott Morrison is holding a press conference in Melbourne.
The prime minister is asked whether the government will open up access to the AstraZeneca vaccine to the under-50s, because of the lack of take-up. He said the government was following the medical advice (which is AZ not for under-50s without underlying health conditions).
We’re following the medical advice on this and we’re focusing on the over-50 population right now. I’d say to you in Victoria: they’re leading the country in terms of the state-run facilities presently and I congratulate them for that and thank them for their strong support, but the overwhelming number of vaccinations are being performed by GPs so their books are pretty full, I’ve got to say. And so we’re providing them with ... We’ve [upped] the doses from 50 to 150. Those who were on 100 are now 200.
Each week it gets stronger, the rollout goes further, and it’s reaching more, and in particular it’s ensuring that more of our most vulnerable populations are getting vaccinated.
Updated
Liberal senator apologises to Sarah Hanson-Young over Sky News comments
Liberal senator Jonathon Duniam has unreservedly apologised to Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young over false and defamatory comments claiming her niece was put in harm’s way at an anti-logging rally.
On 20 April, Duniam went on Sky News with Rita Panahi to discuss a Herald Sun story about anti-logging protesters in Gippsland, Victoria, allegedly using a two-year-old to help block heavy machinery. Duniam said:
I’m disgusted, Rita ... In 2021, for mums and dads to be using their kids as political pawns, an infant, a toddler, walking around a dangerous work site full of big moving machinery, spinning blades, trees falling on the ground. What kind of parent does that? Someone who doesn’t actually care; someone more interested in scoring a political point than the welfare of their own child.
What concerns me more is this happens to be the niece of an Australian senator, I understand ... It’s a shocking thing, so I say to Sarah Hanson Young and all other Greens senators: ‘Clean up your act – and make sure you do what the rest of us think is right - and don’t put your kids in harm’s way.’
Panahi exclaimed “oh” when Duniam dropped this bomb – but did not follow up by asking what his evidence for the extraordinary claim was.
Guardian Australia understands Hanson-Young’s lawyers wrote to Sky News and Duniam.
On Wednesday, Duniam issued a statement saying:
During that interview I made some allegations about senator Sarah Hanson-Young. I accept that the claims made about Senator Hanson-Young during that interview were false and defamatory. I unconditionally withdraw those claims and unreservedly apologise to Sarah Hanson-Young for the hurt and offence caused to her by reason of my conduct.
Updated
Queensland pharmacies first to deliver Covid vaccine
Queensland pharmacies will be the first to roll out a coronavirus vaccination program, Greg Hunt says, with 56 community pharmacies approved for vaccinations.
The health minister, speaking to the Australian pharmacy professional conference on the Gold Coast, didn’t say which community pharmacies had been approved, or when vaccinations would begin, but it is expected to start soon.
The move is a boost for Queensland’s vaccination program, with the state yet to plan for any mass vaccination hubs, as it remains concerned over supply issues.
Still, the pharmacies are happy. The acting president of the Queensland branch, Chris Owen, said it would help with the rollout, particularly in regional areas.
He said in a statement:
[Queensland health] minister [Yvette] D’Ath has been focused on ensuring that regional and remote communities in Queensland have access to the Covid-19 vaccination through community pharmacies. She understands that many Queenslanders don’t have easy access to other primary healthcare services or local GP clinics...
Community pharmacies are highly accessible, with 97% of consumers in capital cities and 65% in regional areas living within 2.5km of a pharmacy. Pharmacies are also the most frequently visited primary healthcare destinations, and staff are well placed for significant interactions with members of the public.
Updated
Always good to have the most up-to-date cultural references.
Does Scott Morrison actually have a vaccination plan for under 50s? pic.twitter.com/zLLk7BALFK
— Australian Labor (@AustralianLabor) May 20, 2021
A hazard reduction burn is taking place today in the Maramarra National Park near Canoelands. Smoke from this burn may be experienced locally and in areas of the Hawkesbury, northern parts of Greater Sydney and Central Coast today and tomorrow. https://t.co/XrE2qbbZzP #NSWRFS pic.twitter.com/KHE7esp0Y6
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) May 20, 2021
ANU aims to be country's first negative-emissions university by 2030
The Australian National University wants to reach net zero in its emissions of greenhouse gases by 2025 and be the first university in the country to be a net-negative emitter by 2030.
The university’s vice-chancellor, Brian Schmidt, this morning announced the Canberra-based university’s targets, which would require offsetting some of its emissions as part of its Below Zero Initiative.
ANU said it would be the second university in the world to aim for a net-negative target, where operations and offsets would mean the university was absorbing more greenhouse gases than it was emitting.
The university would only use offsets that had either a research or teaching connection to the university. There are several Australian universities with net-zero goals.
The first university in the world to announce a net-negative target is Finland’s LUT University, which wants its two campuses to be carbon negative by 2024.
Schmidt said:
Achieving below zero is ambitious and it will involve big changes to the way we do things – but as the national university, we must show leadership in driving a societal transformation to address climate change.
The University of Adelaide also officially opens a $7m solar and energy storage project at its Roseworthy campus today. The solar farm, power network upgrade and batteries should cover 42% of the campus’s energy needs, the university said.
Updated
The Transport Workers Union has accused Qantas management of “acting like a dictator” after the airline today announced further job cuts to its international wing, a two-year company-wide freeze on wages and other cost-cutting measures.
Michael Kaine, the union’s national secretary, is scathing of the $2bn in commonwealth assistance the airline has received and is calling for the federal government to “take an equity stake” in Qantas over what the union sees as “mismanagement” of public funds.
Kaine said:
Qantas management is acting like a dictator, using public resources to shore up its position, cut jobs and impose unilateral decisions on its workforce. There is a system of enterprise bargaining in place so that both sides can sit down and compromise.
This announcement to the ASX flies in the face of enterprise bargaining and should ring alarm bells to the government and investors that Qantas is out of control.
Regarding government funding to Qantas, Kaine said:
We cannot see the benefit of this funding for the public when it continually results in job losses, outsourced workers and lower wages.
We clearly need direct control over this critical infrastructure so that taxpayers don’t keep getting blindsided by a crazy corporation that seems to believe we are living in the republic of Qantas.
Updated
NSW deputy premier lashes Turnbull for backing independent in byelection
NSW National party leader John Barilaro has blasted former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull over his “treacherous” support for an independent candidate in the crucial Upper Hunter byelection, AAP reports.
Barilaro told 2GB radio on Thursday:
On the eve of this election ... he continues to show this level of treachery.
Barilaro, the NSW deputy premier, is urging Nationals voters to vote one on Saturday, only “to make sure that your preferences aren’t being skewed to a candidate that you don’t have any idea of or any will to support”.
Turnbull, who owns a farm in the Hunter Valley, is backing anti-coal farmer Kirsty O’Connell and has reportedly donated $3,000 to her campaign – the maximum allowed for independent candidates under electoral commission rules.
Polling suggests the result in the previously blue ribbon Nationals seat in the coalmining community will be decided on preferences, with a razor thin margin between the leading candidates.
Barilaro said he had tried and failed to get O’Connell to preference the Nationals and now fears “the ugly web of preferences” could see her supporters’ preferences go to Labor.
She asked for a moratorium on coal .... she’s anti-mining and anti gas ... and that was the end of that conversation.
Updated
Qantas announces more job cuts
In its market update today, Qantas has announced further job cuts as the airline continues to be hit by the prolonged international border closure.
The airline will offer voluntary redundancy for Qantas international cabin crew as an expression of interest program.
Qantas expects “several hundred” employees to apply, but has said the total number accepted will “be balanced against retaining key capability for the longer term”.
This latest round of cuts are in addition to 8,500 redundancies announced earlier in the pandemic.
Qantas will also implement a two-year wage freeze to the next round of enterprise agreements across the entire business, including the management level. Following the freezes, wages will increase by 2% each year, compared with the 3% growth rate pre-Covid.
As another cost-cutting measure, Qantas will also cut the commission it pays travel agents for international airfare bookings, from 5% to 1%. The changes will kick in only from July 2022, to give the industry “time to adapt”.
The airline is seeking to cut $1bn in costs by the end of the 2023 financial year, with $600m to be delivered this financial year.
Increased demand for domestic travel is improving the airline’s financial position. However, net debt peaked at $6.4bn in February, and is expected to be $6.05bn by the end of June.
The Qantas chief executive, Alan Joyce, said:
We have a long way still to go in this recovery, but it does feel like we’re slowly starting to turn the corner. It’s great to see so many of our people now back at work and the majority of our fleet back in the air.
Our recovery strategy of targeting cash-positive flying rather than pre-Covid margins is helping increase activity levels and repair our balance sheet.
The fact we’re making inroads to the debt we needed to get through this crisis shows the business is now on a more sustainable footing. The main driver is the rebound of domestic travel, which now looks like it will be bigger than it was pre-Covid, at least until international borders reopen.
Managing costs remains a critical part of our recovery, especially given the revenue we’ve lost and the intensely competitive market we’re in.
Updated
The mouse plague in New South Wales is now hitting mobile networks in the Riverina and southern NSW as a result of mice causing damage to the power supply to the exchange near Barmedman.
A Telstra spokesperson said power was restored at about 6.35pm last night, with more power backup added to hopefully prevent another mouse-caused outage.
Updated
The Australian competition watchdog will not oppose customer-relationship management giant Salesforce’s purchase of workplace messaging company Slack.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chair, Rod Sims, said the two companies were different, and no affected parties had raised major concerns about the acquisition.
He said:
Salesforce and Slack mostly supply different software with distinct purposes, so there is minimal direct competitive overlap between them.
We focused on whether Salesforce having both CRM and team collaboration solutions could give rise to a substantial lessening of competition.
Most interested parties raised no concerns. Market participants said that if Salesforce engaged in anti-competitive bundling or foreclosure conduct, customers could switch to alternative CRM solutions, including global enterprise software companies such as Microsoft, Oracle, SAP and Adobe. Similarly, customers could switch to alternative team collaboration solutions, such as Microsoft Teams.
Updated
This clip from the health minister, Greg Hunt, telling people they can choose to wait for the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines later this year is getting a lot of attention. There seems to be a lot of mixed messages about getting the vaccine if you’re over 50.
The government is encouraging people to get vaccinated now if they’re eligible, but this doesn’t really help.
Health Minister @GregHuntMP says over 50’s need to get vaccinated as early as possible, but reminds those uncertain about AZ there’ll be more doses of Pfizer and Moderna available later in the year. #auspol pic.twitter.com/bJPjFb05WD
— Michael Rowland (@mjrowland68) May 19, 2021
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce has reiterated a plea for the Morrison government to reopen borders when the Covid-19 vaccine rollout is completed.
Qantas has pushed back its timeline to resume a significant level of international flying to late December 2021 – in line with when the government says the vaccine rollout will be complete.
Joyce maintains the airline will not push back its international resumption to the second half of 2022 – the timeframe outlined in last week’s federal budget for when the government believes international travel will begin to resume.
Instead, Joyce is urging the government to bring forward its timeline for travel or risk “Australia being left behind”.
Joyce said:
We’ve adjusted our expectations for when international borders will start opening based on the government’s new timeline. But our fundamental assumption remains the same – that once the national vaccine rollout is effectively complete, Australia can and should open up. That’s why we have aligned the date for international flights restarting in earnest with a successful vaccination program.
No one wants to lose the tremendous success we’ve had at managing Covid but rolling out the vaccine totally changes the equation. The risk then flips to Australia being left behind when countries like the US and UK are getting back to normal.
Australia has to put the same intensity into the vaccine rollout as we’ve put on lockdowns and restrictions, because only then will we have the confidence to open up.
Updated
Australia’s private health insurance industry is in a “death spiral” and the federal government and the industry must agree on significant overhauls if the system is to be sustainable into the future, a report from health thinktank the Grattan Institute says.
The causes of the malaise are well-documented and include an ageing population, increased use of healthcare services, and rising healthcare costs that drive up premiums and make health insurance less affordable – and less attractive – to young and healthy people in particular.
Updated
Domain site the victim of phishing attack
Real estate website Domain has alerted customers that it has been the victim of a phishing attack – where an email is made to look official and gets a user to hand over their login details.
It means hackers had access to the company’s administrative system and were able to access the personal information of people who had recently made inquiries about rental properties.
They then emailed some of those people asking them to pay a deposit in advance to secure the property, but Domain said so far it had received no reports of anyone paying the deposit.
People’s Domain logins and passwords were safe, the company said, but information accessed could include name, postcode, email address, phone number and the property of interest.
Updated
Another day of zero cases in Victoria.
Yesterday there were no cases reported.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) May 19, 2021
- 9,497 vaccine doses were administered
- 21,488 test results were received
More later: https://t.co/lIUrl0ZEco#COVID19Vic #COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/rTYblQWl9E
Australian meat could go tariff-free to UK
Australian meat could soon be granted tariff-free entry to the United Kingdom under a major free-trade deal, AAP reports.
Trade minister Dan Tehan is confident he can finalise the agreement in the next six weeks as both nations sprint to the finish line.
However, the deal has caused consternation within Boris Johnson’s government and British farmers have accused Australia of not playing by the rules.
They claim Australian meat imports do not meet UK standards, and warn the deal will create an uneven playing field.
Tehan said Australia wanted to offer British consumers the option of high-quality Australian goods over other imports.
He told the Australian on Thursday:
I had two days sitting down with [UK trade secretary] Liz Truss on my recent visit to the UK and we are now meeting every week in a sprint to have an in-principle agreement by the end of June.
Australian food is of the highest quality. We are world leaders when it comes to food safety, traceability, animal welfare standards, land management and environmental management.
We have a robust regulatory framework for the use of agriculture and veterinary chemicals and strong compliance among producers.
Tehan said Australia’s red meat industry had set ambitious carbon targets, meeting Britain’s demand for climate-friendly products.
Australian beef and sheep-meat producers face inhibitive tariffs and caps on exports to the UK.
National Farmers’ Federation president Fiona Simson said the UK was a small market a very long way away for Australian farmers.
She said she did not want to get into a tit-for-tat battle with the National Farmers’ Union in Britain.
Simson said the UK would be a niche market for Australian farmers, but stressed the importance of exporting to a diverse range of countries.
Updated
Scott Morrison was asked on 3AW radio about the idea of a vaccine passport for interstate travel in Australia.
Both the NSW and Queensland premiers have poured cold water on the idea but the prime minister said it might be useful that, if there was a state-based outbreak of Covid-19 and states closed their borders, people could still travel into other states if they could prove they had been vaccinated.
I’m happy to talk through the states, and ultimately they’re the ones who put those restrictions on.
Morrison said he hadn’t spoken to Victorian premier Daniel Andrews since his back injury a few months ago, but had been texting and hoped he was on the mend and back in national cabinet soon.
The hosts were discussing tourism slogans for Australia, so the PM ended the interview talking about the budget and came up with this:
I’ve got another slogan for you: ‘Come to Australia, the home of lower taxes.’
That was a thing he definitely just said.
Updated
Scott Morrison is on 3AW radio in Melbourne. The prime minister was asked about an advertising campaign around the vaccine. He said the government had invested $40m in advertising but there was little point in embarking on advertising targeting people who currently couldn’t get the vaccine, such as those in their 30s.
He said the advertising was targeted at people over 50s or those who worked in frontline roles, or those with underlying health conditions, and spending more on advertising would not bring the supply of Pfizer or Moderna to Australia any faster.
Updated
The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, will provide an update on the vaccine rollout at 11am.
Morrison has not been briefed on quarantine camp proposal, Palaszczuk says
The prime minister, Scott Morrison, hasn’t been properly briefed about Queensland’s quarantine camp proposal by his own department, the premier says.
AAP reports the Wagner Corporation wants to build a Covid-19 quarantine facility that would host up to 1,000 travellers and 300 staff at Wellcamp near Toowoomba.
The federal government has repeatedly said the plan lacks crucial detail such as who would run the health operations and how much it would coast.
Annastacia Palaszczuk won’t put a price tag on the facility but insists the prime minister has all the information required.
She told Nine Network on Thursday:
All of the information has been forwarded to the departments, and I sat down with my department officials yesterday, and there have been so many conversations going back and forth.
So I really do think that the prime minister needs to get a thorough briefing from his department.
Palaszczuk said regional quarantine would keep potential Covid-19 cases out of Brisbane and allow more freedom of movement along the broader east coast.
Updated
Queensland is still pushing for the Toowoomba quarantine facility, too.
.@AnnastaciaMP wants to know why the federal government hasn't set up more regional quarantine facilities as quarantine is a federal responsibility.
— News Breakfast (@BreakfastNews) May 19, 2021
"Why wouldn't you put all of your cards on table and think - what more can I do to keep Australians safe? It's pretty basic!" pic.twitter.com/ysFe3O3RpL
CSL’s head of medical affairs, Dr Jonathan Anderson, was on after the Queensland premier to encourage people to get the flu shot, but was also asked about the AstraZeneca vaccine, which CSL is producing in Australia.
He said CSL is producing around 1m vaccines per week now, and is available from GPs and the mass vaccination hubs now for those who are eligible. He said people concerned about the vaccine should speak to their GP:
What I can say when it comes to vaccination is that we really want people vaccinated against any infection before it occurs in the community. So if we do have outbreaks of influenza, if we have outbreaks of Covid, we want people to be vaccinated before they arrive in the community rather than after they arrive.”
Updated
The premier of Queensland, Annastacia Palaszczuk, was just on ABC News Breakfast and was asked about the lack of vaccine take-up in the state so far. She said it was being delivered through GPs, and there is an expectation that the federal health minister, Greg Hunt, will announce today pharmacies will be able to vaccinate people. She said a major issue was the size of Queensland:
You know how decentralised we are here in Queensland. And then that will be offering Pfizer and Moderna during that last quarter. So a lot of work, a lot of planning is going into it.
When asked about vaccine hesitancy, she said people need to sit down and talk with their GPs, but added she thinks the federal government will increase its communications campaign around people getting the Covid-19 vaccine in the coming weeks.
There has been speculation that the federal government might require people travelling interstate to have a vaccine passport, but Palaszczuk said she agreed with her NSW counterpart, Gladys Berejiklian that it wasn’t necessary:
Well, I think that the New South Wales premier and I are on one on this. I don’t know how a passport would work around Australia. To me, there’s been no discussion at national cabinet of how it would work, why it would be necessary. So I just think – you know, we need to have more of a discussion about that, and as I said yesterday, perhaps it needs to go to the prime minister’s federal cabinet first for them to have a discussion, to see what they think of the idea.
Updated
New Zealand to unveil budget today
It is also New Zealand’s budget day. That will happen at 12pm AEST. AAP has a rundown on some of what we can expect today.
The government has trickled out announcements so far in each of those areas, with Jacinda Ardern’s government setting aside $NZ1.4bn ($A1.3bn) for vaccines.
“Everybody acknowledges this is one of our number one priorities,” Covid-19 minister Chris Hipkins said.
“It is going to be the single biggest undertaking we have ever asked our health system to do.”
The funding envelope covers 30m doses of vaccine, from four manufacturers, as well as the rollout costs.
In March, under mounting pressure to ease an out-of-control housing market, it announced a $NZ3.8bn ($A5.4bn) package to remove blocks on supply.
In recent days, government figures have suggested that will be the majority of its housing spend.
Labour has come good on a budget commitment to pay early childhood educators the same as kindergarten teachers, which will cost $NZ170m ($A158m).
It has also funded a $NZ67.4m ($A62.6m) public sector climate package to electrify its car fleet and transition to clean energy sources for schools.
Roughly $NZ110m ($A102m) will go towards improved breast and cervical cancer screening services.
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NSW secures mice killer poison for farmers
NSW has acquired what the government calls “one of the world’s strongest mice-killing chemicals” to combat the rodents which are causing catastrophic damage in regional areas, AAP reports.
Farmers and people in regional towns have been struggling since last year with a mouse plague that has ruined crops, damaged tonnes of stored hay and grain, infiltrated homes and tank water and caused millions of dollars of damage.
The NSW government said on Thursday it had secured 5,000 litres of the anti-coagulant bromadiolone – enough to treat about 95 tonnes of grain – and would provide it free of charge once federal authorities had approved its use.
“By securing a local supply of the chemical we ensure the NSW government is ready to roll – no waiting for overseas shipments, no immediate supply issues,” agriculture minister Adam Marshall said.
Experts will treat growers’ grain with bromadiolone completely free of charge to build a mice-free fortress to protect paddocks.
When used in conjunction with in-field zinc phosphide baiting, farmers will have a multi-layered defence against the rodents.”
Farmers will be notified about where to bring their grain for treatment once the locations of sites were confirmed.
The poison still has to be approved for use by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to bail corp perimeters.
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Good morning, and welcome to the live blog for Thursday. I’m Josh Taylor and will be taking you through the news this morning.
The Australian Medical Association is warning people aged over 50 should not be waiting for the mRNA vaccines to be more widely available later this year, and should get vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine now.
Vice president Chris Moy told the ABC the AMA is concerned that because of the closed borders and strict quarantine system, Australians were becoming complacent about Covid-19:
I would say as somebody who’s sitting in some of those meetings and seeing for example what’s happening overseas where there’s a tsunami of Covid and also the development of variants, that we’re sitting ducks as a country and as individuals until we get a significant portion of the population vaccinated, particularly those over 50.
Meanwhile, the Australian government is in talks with the International Air Transport Association about a new digital certificate that could unlock quarantine-free overseas travel for vaccinated Australians.
Qantas has been trialling the vaccine passport, but it will likely still be some way off as the prime minister, Scott Morrison, says Singapore will likely be the next country Australia forms a quarantine-free travel bubble with, but again he has said it is some way off.
It’s also Victoria’s budget day. We will have the full news out of the lock-up at 1pm, but it is being reported that the budget deficit is $17.4bn, $6bn better off than forecast late last year as the state which went through the longest lockdown in Australia bounces back.
Let’s get into it.
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