Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Luke Henriques-Gomes and Matilda Boseley (earlier)

Blues festival cancelled as Queensland records two cases and NSW one – as it happened

Medical staff have their temparature checked outside the Byron Surfclub in Byron Bay, NSW.
Medical staff have their temparature checked outside the Byron Surfclub in Byron Bay, NSW. Photograph: Jason Obrien/AAP

What happened today, Wednesday 31 March 2021

We’ll leave it there for now. Thanks for following along.

Here are today’s main stories:

  • Queensland recorded two local community cases of Covid-19, with greater Brisbane expected to come out of lockdown tomorrow.
  • One case was recorded in New South Wales, prompting the state government to cancel the Byron Bay Bluesfest festival that was scheduled to begin tomorrow.
  • A war of words erupted between the commonwealth government and the states and territories over the vaccine roll out. The NSW health minister, Brad Hazzard, said the federal government should apologise, accusing the commonwealth of releasing “misleading” data it had not even shared with the states.
  • Amid the war of words, it was a record day of 72,000 vaccinations, but Australia still fell well short of a target of 4m vaccines that was supposed to be met today.
  • The Northern Territory chief minister, Michael Gunner, who has been in self-isolation, received a negative Covid test.
  • In non-Covid news, the NSW MP Michael Johnsen quit parliament, bowing to pressure from the premier, Gladys Berejiklian, and deputy premier, John Barilaro.

See you tomorrow.

Updated

Further to the questions to Greg Hunt around the PM’s 6 million vaccines by May target, some important context.

Australia’s airports have suffered significant losses throughout Covid-19.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has released its airport monitoring report for 2019-20, which examined the operations of Sydney, Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne’s Tullamarine airport.

While it only captured the first few months of the pandemic, it has laid bare some stark numbers for the sector.

  • Total passenger numbers fell by 26.5%, from 121.7 million to 89.4 million travellers.
  • Revenue for the four airports dropped by between 15.5% and 21.6%, while operating profits fell between 47.4% and 61.8% for the year. Sydney Airport’s profit fell by 55.9% to $180.8m.
  • Car parking revenue at the airports was down by between 20.5% and 26.1%. This was still $60.5m at Sydney airport, $52.8m at Melbourne, $50.4m at Brisbane and $26.4m at Perth.

(Towards the end of the 2019–20 monitoring period, Melbourne and Sydney airports offered free parking for consumers.)

In its report, the ACCC said:

“Passenger numbers and revenue were significantly down, yet costs remained high due to a range of fixed costs for the airports, including those that allowed them to continue to remain open.”

The ACCC is bracing for the results in the next monitoring report to “more fully reflect the impact of Covid-19”.

Australian Airports Association chief executive James Goodwin said the figures in the report illustrate “the devastating impacts of government decision to close borders”. He said:

“Despite these continued losses, airports have been good corporate citizens throughout the pandemic staying open to assist the government in repatriating Australians, bringing freight and essential supplies in and out of the country and moving essential workers to where they’re needed most.”

Sydney Airport at the height of the Covid outbreak.
Sydney airport at the height of the Covid outbreak. Photograph: Loren Elliott/Reuters

Updated

The Victorian health minister, Martin Foley, says federal Nationals deputy leader David Littleproud’s claim the states and territories had done “three-fifths of bugger all” in the vaccine program were “a bit rich”.

He told ABC Radio Melbourne:

That was a bit rich – data that hadn’t been provided to the states, that was structured in a way that was, to be generous, misleading and didn’t reflect the reality.

Foley says the release of data for political reasons has “got to stop” and that the commonwealth needs to be more transparent.

Updated

Queensland nurses being 'verbally abused and threatened'

The Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union says its members have reported being “verbally abused and threatened” after healthcare professionals were linked to the spread of coronavirus within the Brisbane community.

Three workers at the Princess Alexandra hospital’s infectious diseases ward – two nurses and doctor – contracted Covid from patients. These cases have been detected as the link between quarantined and hospitalised cases and subsequent community transmission.

The union’s secretary, Beth Mohle, said in a statement to Guardian Australia:

The QNMU has received member reports some nurses and other staff are being verbally abused and threatened following the return of positive Covid-19 tests and the lockdown of the Princess Alexandra hospital.

This is completely unacceptable. The QNMU is assisting members with their concerns and supports the reporting of any and all threats to the Queensland Police Service.

Queensland’s frontline nurses, midwives and all health workers continue to do their best to protect the community.

They do this in the face of the pandemic, population growth and increased Emergency Department (ED) presentations and other increasing demands on our public health system. These staff are facing immense pressures at work and while in the community and should be supported and commended.

These staff dedicate their working lives to the care and protection of others and should be honoured for their hard work and courage.

Organisations representing doctors on Tuesday raised concerns about the extent of fit-testing for protective masks.

Mohle also said the QNMU had called for an audit of all health and hospital services for fit-testing programs “so we can be assured that appropriate arrangements are in place across the state”.

Updated

An adviser to a South Australian MP has had his employment terminated after being charged with child abuse-related offences, reports AAP.

Ben Waters, 38, faced Adelaide magistrates court on Wednesday after being charged along with another man whose identity has been suppressed.

Their alleged offending came to light after links were made to previous investigations including one involving a man in Victoria.

In a statement, the Labor MP and opposition human services spokeswoman, Nat Cook, said she was shocked to learn of the charges against her staff member.

“As soon as I was made aware of the charges, I took immediate action and advised the Department of Treasury and Finance and requested that his employment be immediately terminated and that all access to buildings and IT be blocked,” she said.

“I also advised the Labor party who I understand held an emergency state executive meeting this morning and expelled this person as a member.”

Waters is charged with one count of producing child abuse material through a carriage service and four counts of possessing child exploitation material.

The other man, a 37-year-old from Port Lincoln, has been charged with two counts of producing child exploitation material, one count of indecent filming and possessing and disseminating exploitation material.

The Australian federal police said the allegations stemmed from records of online conversations between a 39-year-old SA man and a 27-year-old Victorian man about the sexual abuse of children.

Waters was remanded to appear in court again in April while the other man will next appear in the supreme court in a bid to have his suppression order continued.

Updated

Pressed on the future of Andrew Laming on the ABC just now, his Liberal colleague Trent Zimmerman says it would be the “best course of action” if the embattled Queensland MP moved to the crossbench.

“I don’t think his behaviour is consistent with the values we want in the party room,” he said.

Asked if the PM should force him out of the party, Zimmerman says he’ll leave that to Scott Morrison.

Labor’s Peta Murphy says he should leave parliament.

If he’s not a fit and proper person to run again for the parliament, how is he a fit and proper person to come and sit in the crossbenches over near my side of the parliament? I don’t want him sitting there.

Updated

Investors have had a good day on the Australian share market and their best month since November’s record gains.

The S&P/ASX200 benchmark index closed up 52.3 points, or 0.78%, to 6790.7 on Wednesday.

The index reached a session high of 6862.6 at about the halfway point of the session, but could not sustain those heights.

Since the pandemic, investors have been reluctant to raise the index to much more than 6800 points.

For the month, the ASX200 gained 1.76%. That is the highest gain since November’s 9.96 per cent, which was a record month for the index.

Meanwhile, the All Ordinaries on Wednesday closed higher by 47.2 points, or 0.68%, to 7017.

The Australian dollar was buying 75.99 US cents at 1620 AEDT, lower from 76.52 US cents at Tuesday’s close.

Jane Halton, of the Covid-19 Coordination Commission, has told ABC Radio Melbourne the “war of words” between the federal government and the states and territories is unhelpful.

She has called for more transparency.

“I think everyone should be clear about what they hold, what they’ve used, and what they’re intending to use,” she said.

The states and territories have been calling for the federal government to be more open about how many vaccines they have on hand.

Updated

Byron Bay Bluesfest cancelled

Tomorrow’s Byron Bay Bluesfest has been cancelled after the NSW coastal town was hit by a coronavirus outbreak.

NSW Health said in a statement on Wednesday the health minister, Brad Hazzard, today signed a public health order cancelling the event.

Hazzard said: “While the cancellation of Bluesfest is disappointing for music lovers and the local community, I hope that ticket holders would support Bluesfest and hold on to their tickets as I understand Bluesfest will be working on a new date as soon as possible.”

The statement said the decision was taken to minimise the risk of the virus being spread in the area, and noted confirmed cases from Queensland had attended a number of venues in the Byron Bay area.

A newly acquired case recorded today was also infected at one of those venues.

The statement acknowledged the outstanding cooperation of organiser Peter Noble and his team.

The festival was expected to host 15,000 people over the Easter long weekend and would have featured artists including Jimmy Barnes, Tash Sultana and Ocean Alley.

A security guard stands at the entrance to Bluesfest on the outskirts of Byron Bay. NSW health minister Brad Hazzard has issued a public health order cancelling the event
A security guard stands at the entrance to Bluesfest on the outskirts of Byron Bay. NSW health minister Brad Hazzard has issued a public health order cancelling the event Photograph: Jason Obrien/AAP

Updated

The ABC is reporting that the Byron Bay Bluesfest has been cancelled. NSW authorities said earlier today they were still in talks with the organisers, following an outbreak in the area.

We’ll bring you more details when they come to hand.

Just to wrap up some of that Greg Hunt press conference.

He didn’t respond directly when asked when Australia would hit the 4m vaccines mark, which was originally supposed to happen today, nor did he says when 6m would be administered, which the prime minister said would happen in mid-May.

Hunt did reiterate that the targets hadn’t changed, and insisted Australia was on track to ensure every Australia had one dose of the vaccine by October.

His comments on the efforts of the states and territories – doing a “first class job” also contrasted sharply with deputy Nationals leader David Littleproud’s suggestion they were doing “two-fifths of bugger all”.

Here is that Morrison quote to the Daily Telegraph.

How are we going to make the target of every Australian having their first dose by October, when the vaccine rollout is so far behind?

Hunt says:

We were conservative in our estimates. The best advice that we have, as Prof Murphy reaffirmed when he stood up with the prime minister recently, is that we remain on track to complete first doses for all Australians who seek it by the end of October.

Updated

Question: On 15 March the prime minister told the Daily Telegraph that 6 million Australians would be vaccinated by May 10. If you are to reach that deadline it will require 170,000 people to be vaccinated every day, currently you are only at 72,000, will the government meet that deadline?

Hunt says:

I’m not aware of that particular figure that you had mentioned but I’ll go back and check the record on that but our goal is to make sure that we are in a position where phase 2A begins in the middle of the year. That remains on track, that all doses are done for everybody who seeks it, for first dose.

Updated

Amid claims from the states they have not received a detailed 12-week plan on vaccine delivery, Hunt says “the 12-week plan, the iteration was provided on 16 March and that sets out the doses expected each week”.

We have been delivering on exactly that basis. And so I think 16 March, that was provided in its latest form to all states and territories. Overwhelmingly we have had a very positive response to that.

Updated

Andrew Probyn of the ABC notes those David Littleproud criticisms and then says the PM said today he is “not interested in playing politics”.

He asks Hunt which school he is in? Littleproud’s or Scott Morrison’s.

Firstly, I’m in the school of working with the states and territories, that’s what we’ve done for over a year now and that is what we will continue to do.

Hunt is also asked when Australia will hit the 4m mark, as was originally planned for today.

He doesn’t answer directly.

Secondly, in terms of the vaccinations, what we’re doing now, we are working towards the rapid acceleration to see a result such as today with 72,000 vaccinations done. As we see the rollout of the phase 1B, as we see the CSL production which we have fought to have done in Australia come online which expands our capacity, there’s been no change in our timelines. We did, back on January 25th, once there was a collapse in international supply, revise them. So our timelines in terms of the completion of the doses for first doses for Australians by the end of October hasn’t changed and then along the way we will just continue to keep ensuring that those vaccines rollout.

The vaccination centre at the Royal Exhibition building in Melbourne.
The vaccination centre at the Royal Exhibition building in Melbourne. Photograph: James Ross/AAP

Updated

A journalist notes Brad Hazzard, the NSW health minister, is angry about the release of the data I just mentioned (it was leaked, or provided, to the Daily Telegraph). Hunt is asked if he is also angry.

No, is the short answer.

I’m very thankful for the work of all of the states and territories, thankful for the work of the GPs, thankful for the fact that in Australia we have a sovereign vaccine manufacturing facility which is allowing us to ramp up dramatically the vaccines that are going into arms. That is the great thing, we have confidence in all of the states and territories. They are all managing their programs as they best see fit and they are working towards making sure that all of those vaccines are used.

Updated

Asked about whether national cabinet might agree to provide more detailed vaccinations data – that is, also data on how many vaccines are delivered to states, not just administered – Hunt says “it’s a matter for the members [of national cabinet]”.

“We’re very flexible and able to work with them on that.”

Updated

Of concern that there is a case “amongst maintenance staff at the Tri-Care Mermaid Beach facility linked to the outbreak that came from the Queensland hospital”, Hunt says:

We have tested 114 staff and residents. All of those staff and residents are negative. Very significantly this facility has been vaccinated.

Updated

Hunt says the decision to declare greater Brisbane a hotspot triggers “provision of PPE, actions for aged care facilities which themselves have PPE and single site workforce supplement, assistance with contact tracing, reallocation of vaccine supplies if required”.

Overall, Hunt says there have been 670,000 vaccinations so far.

He adds:

The states and territories are doing a first-class job, the general practices have stepped up, theCommonwealth is contributing and all are coming together to see that figure of 72,000 vaccinations in the last 24 hours and 670,000 vaccinations cumulatively.

Suffice to say that’s a different tone to earlier comments from the deputy Nationals leader, David Littleproud, who said today:

We’re going to help the states but they have to admit they have a problem because they’ve done three-fifths of bugger all.”

Hunt adds that more than 99,000 people in aged care have been vaccinated. There have been 848 aged care homes where vaccination has been completed.

Record day of vaccinations

Greg Hunt is speaking now.

He says today is a record day of vaccinations.

There were 72,826 vaccinations in the 24 hours to midnight last night, Hunt says.

That’s showing that the national vaccination program is accelerating exactly as intended in the manner that was intended at the time it was intended, off the back of a very clear development. That is the capacity to have sovereign domestic manufacturing with strong, stable supplies coming out of CSL.

Meanwhile, Tasmanian Liberal hopeful Dean Ewington will resign as a candidate, after it emerged he described Covid restrictions as “silly” and attended an anti-lockdown rally in Melbourne earlier this month.

Some interesting developments in the Tasmanian election, where it has emerged the Labor opposition has signed a memorandum of understanding with the powerful Tasmanian Hospitality Association (THA).

You might remember Labor went to the 2018 election with a bold policy to ban poker machines, prompting a fierce public campaign from the pubs and clubs lobby and a flood of industry donations to the Liberals.

The MOU says Labor now “supports the rights” of pubs and clubs to operate pokies and among the commitments is a pledge that opposition leader Rebecca White would meet with the THA chief executive each quarter.

According to the ABC, Labor shared the document publicly after it was leaked to the media today.

NT chief minister tests negative while in self-isolation

An update on the situation with NT chief minister Michael Gunner from AAP.

The Northern Territory chief minister Michael Gunner has returned a negative Covid-19 test after coming into contact with family members visiting from Queensland and developing cold-like symptoms.

Gunner’s family arrived in Darwin from Toowoomba on Friday, a week after a man infected with the UK strain of the virus started moving about the state’s southeast.

“The chief minister did the right thing and after feeling unwell, he isolated and he’s returned a negative test,” NT health minister Natasha Fyles told reporters on Wednesday.

“I don’t think he stopped working thanks to modern technology.”

The NT declared Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan, the Toowoomba region, the Moreton Bay region and Redland hotspots from 4.30pm on Monday.

The NT chief health officer declared a further hotspot for the Byron Bay area in NSW from 4.30pm Tuesday.

Anyone travelling to the NT from hotspots since the declaration dates is required to enter into 14-days mandatory supervised quarantine.

Gunner’s family arrived from Queensland before Monday’s deadline, but under NT law they were required to self-isolate and get a Covid-19 test within 72 hours, and remain in quarantine until a negative test result is returned.

Greater Brisbane remains in lockdown with two new virus cases reported on Wednesday, taking the total number of community infections to 17.

One known case lives on the Gold Coast and others have visited Toowoomba, Gladstone, Hervey Bay and Gin Gin while infectious.

Gunner went into self-isolation late on Monday after calling into an NT’s Covid-19 state emergency management committee meeting from another office at NT parliament house.

It is not known whether Mr Gunner’s family has returned negative virus tests or if they have left self-isolation.

Northern Territory chief minister Michael Gunner.
Northern Territory chief minister Michael Gunner. Photograph: Aaron Bunch/AAP

Updated

While we wait for the health minister, my colleague Antoun Issa has been crunching the numbers on women’s representation in parliament.

We’re expecting the federal health minister, Greg Hunt, to begin a press conference about 3pm.

Approvals to build private homes struck a record high in February, fuelled by the federal government’s HomeBuilder grants program which is due to end on Wednesday.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics said since the introduction of HomeBuilder in June 2020, private house approvals have risen by almost 70%, reports AAP.

In February, home approvals jumped by 15.1% to 13,939 houses, breaching the previous peak set in December last year.

“HomeBuilder has driven strong demand for new homes across the country,” Housing Industry Association chief economist Tim Reardon said.

“The record volume of work will see home building absorb workers from across the economy in 2021 and into 2022.”

The HomeBuilder scheme was introduced during the depths of the Covid-19 pandemic and late last year was extended to March, although the size of grants were trimmed from $25,000 to $15,000.

While it is now wrapping up, applications can still be submitted until April 14 and work has to start within six months of signing a new contract.

Hey Hey It’s Saturday star Daryl Somers has apologised to Kamahl for his “plainly inappropriate” treatment on Hey Hey It’s Saturday and conceded that the “offensive” skits which targeted the entertainer’s skin colour would not go to air today.

Amanda Meade has more.

Melissa Davey has more on the big bust up today between the federal government and the states over the vaccine roll out.

Luke Donnellan, Victoria’s disability minister, has hit out at the federal government over its plan to introduce independent assessments within the NDIS.

We’ve covered that issue here.

The new federal NDIS minister, Linda Reynolds, is tasked with implementing these changes, and she faces opposition from disability groups, some former NDIS executives, and now the Victorian government.

WA records four new cases in hotel quarantine

Western Australia has reported four new cases of Covid-19 overnight, the state’s health department says.

In a statement, it said the new cases were travellers from overseas – a mother in her 40s and her teenage son, a woman in her 20s, and another person in their 20s.

They are all in hotel quarantine.

There are 15 active cases of Covid-19 in the state.

Updated

A gas supplier has been fined more than half a million dollars after an explosion caused a worker and a woman serious burns at her home next door to a public school in the NSW Hunter region, reports AAP.

Elgas Limited was investigated by SafeWork NSW and pleaded guilty to two offences of failing to comply with health and safety exposing a worker and other persons to the risk of death or serious injury.

Truck driver David Orrock drove LPG gas in a large tanker to a Muswellbrook family home on a December afternoon in 2015.

Natalie Remnant and others were home at the time when Orrock used a high-flow hose to fill a large cylinder outside the house.

Gas was observed leaking during this process, but the “precise cause, source and location of the leakage is not known,” according to the facts of the case.

Judge Andrew Scotting ruled in the state’s District Court on Wednesday that despite extensive steps taken by Elgas to minimise risk, including training given to truck drivers, it had been inadequate in this instance.

The offender failed to ensure that the relevant instructions were being followed through the supervision of the drivers during the LPG deliveries.

Elgas Limited has since implemented a wide array of extra procedural changes and invested significant amounts of money in preventing another explosion of this nature.

It has been ordered to pay a total of $525,000 and the prosecutor’s costs of the proceedings.

Updated

The two Queensland teams still in the state have been told by the NRL to leave in a bid not to disrupt the season. The North Queensland Cowboys and Gold Coast Titans will pack their bags and cross the border into NSW later today, where they will join the Brisbane Broncos, who are in Sydney after making the dash south earlier in the week.

The Cowboys and Titans were scheduled to play against Cronulla and Canberra respectively in south-east Queensland on Saturday, but they will now play in a double-header at Kogarah’s Jubilee Stadium.

An NRL statement on Wednesday read: “The Titans will relocate to Sydney this afternoon and remain in Sydney until the NRL’s health experts are comfortable the risk of infection on the Gold Coast has subsided. The Cowboys will remain based in Townsville.”

The Broncos’ game against the Storm will go ahead at Melbourne’s AAMI Park on Friday night after the Victorian government gave the green light for the team to travel from NSW.

The moves mean all NRL games will go ahead this week, despite the logistical challenges thrown up by the Covid outbreak in Queensland.

“Our priority is ensuring all matches proceed this weekend. While the infection rates in south-east Queensland are positive today, the risk of further outbreaks emerging between now and Saturday exists,’’ NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said.

By confirming the relocation of games today all clubs, players and fans have certainty to plan for the weekend’s fixtures and as a game we eliminate the risk around whether those matches will take place.

I want to thank all clubs who are making sacrifices for the greater good of our game. These are difficult decisions to make but decisions that ensure our competition continues this weekend without interruption.

Updated

Further to Mel’s post on the AMA, there is this.

AMA wants end to 'blame game', says feds must improve transparency

The president for the peak body for doctors, the Australian Medical Association has called for more transparency in the Covid-19 vaccine roll out and “an end to the ongoing blame game”. However, he called on the federal government to be more transparent.

Dr Omar Khorshid said the war of words between the commonwealth and Queensland government over vaccination rates and supply was “unhelpful and diminished public confidence in the vaccine roll out”.

Vaccines only protect the community when they are in people’s arms and governments needed to work together to maximise access to available vaccines. There is no excuse for them sitting in fridges and freezers.

Australian Medical Association (AMA) president Omar Khorshid.
Australian Medical Association (AMA) president Omar Khorshid. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

The Australian community has been patient and understands the need for a well-managed vaccine rollout that carefully manages the administration of the vaccine on a priority basis with the limited supply we have access to. Stage 1a of the vaccine rollout has been underway for some time and any unnecessary delays in the roll out leave the community more vulnerable, endangers people’s health and put the population at risk of further lockdowns and more economic pain.

The latest outbreaks in Queensland have been linked to unvaccinated health care workers.

It is unacceptable that there are still unvaccinated doctors and nurses in our public hospitals caring for Covid-19 or even potential Covid-19, patients,” Khorshid said. “We also know that our rural doctors in some parts of the country are struggling to access vaccinations for themselves as they often work hundreds of kilometres away from vaccination hubs.

All governments are accountable for the safe and timely delivery of a vaccine that will protect us from this rapid-moving, and very infectious virus.

The Commonwealth government needs to be transparent on the number of vaccines that have already been distributed, and what the projected quantities will be going forward.The government also needs to detail what contingency supply is being held so that the community has faith that there will be vaccine available when it comes time for their second dose.

Data showing how many vaccines have been administered by providers compared to what has been supplied should be available to the community.

Khorshid said just a few weeks ago, some of this data was being published but it was quickly removed following criticism of delays in the rollout of vaccines.

This does not help build confidence in the rollout of the vaccine at a time when we really need Australians to pick up the phone and make an appointment to protect themselves and their loved ones.

The Commonwealth and the states and territories have an obligation to tell the public what role the States and Territories will have in the rollout of vaccines beyond stage 1a. While some jurisdictions have moved to vaccinate people under stage 1b, there does not appear to be any agreed national plan which has caused public confusion.

Updated

Hello everyone, Luke Henriques-Gomes here. Thanks to Matilda Boseley, who I hope is laying off the coffee for the time being.

I’ll be with you this afternoon, so please get in touch if you’d like. My email is luke.henriques-gomes@theguardian.com and I’m also on Twitter @lukehgomes.

Look not going to lie, hands are shaking from the caffeine intake today, so reckon I’ll hand over to the wonderful Luke Henriques-Gomes to take you through the afternoon.

Queensland deputy premier Steven Miles has entered the war of words criticising the slow vaccine rollout, echoing comments from his boss, premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, and from NSW premier Gladys Berejeklian and NSW health minister Brad Hazzard.

Miles took aim at comments made by Nationals deputy leader David Littleproud on Nine’s Today program on Wednesday. Littleproud said: “If the federal government hasn’t done their job, we deserve an uppercut. But let me say the states have been sitting on their hands, they’ve been too complacent.”

Queensland deputy premier Steven Miles during a press conference in Brisbane, Wednesday, 31 March 2021.
Queensland deputy premier Steven Miles during a press conference in Brisbane, Wednesday, 31 March 2021. Photograph: Darren England/AAP

Miles retorted on Twitter that Littleproud should “give himself an uppercut”.

“Federal government ministers have once again lined up to attack Queensland over our Covid response,” he wrote.

They attacked our borders and they attacked our lockdowns. Now they’re attacking our vaccine progress, something THEY’RE responsible. This morning David Littleproud said that the Federal Government should get an uppercut if the vaccine rollout wasn’t up to scratch. Well he should give himself an uppercut.

The rollout saga prompted The Greens on Wednesday to call for an urgent independent review into what they described as “the serious and widespread problems with Australia’s vaccine rollout”.

“The vaccine rollout for which both the federal and state governments have responsibility is having more than so called ‘teething problems’ and these are having real-world consequences with the latest Covid-19 outbreaks spreading in Queensland and threatening in NSW,” Greens spokesperson on health, senator Rachel Siewert, said.

Targets have well and truly been missed. There are low supplies of vaccine and some of what vaccine is available is apparently sitting unused. It appears there is poor communication between levels of government, and some doctors are reported to be requiring pre-vaccination consultations. Frontline workers and vulnerable people are being let down. We are a month into the vaccine rollout and we still haven’t vaccinated all of our frontline workers, aged care and disability care staff.

It appears that the only way to get governments to take responsibility for these failures is through an urgent and rapid independent review to identify and fix the current issues.

Updated

Michael Johnsen has issued a statement following his resignation from the NSW parliament.

I vehemently deny this allegation, which is devastating, unfair and unfounded. And has significantly impacted on my mental health and overall wellbeing. Given the harassment of some sections of the media, which has gone beyond that which could be considered professional, the only way to navigate this situation has been to withdraw from public life.

A serious allegation has been made against me via the process of parliamentary privilege and the immediate leaking of my name to the media associating it with the speech – an action with clear political intent by that member of parliament and her support team to politically and personally damage me outside of the due process already underway.

Updated

Honestly, a little bummed Victorian premier Daniel Andrews is still on sick leave for this states vs. federal scrap. He tends to get a little firey about this stuff and that would have been a press conference worth watching!

NSW opposition leader Jodi Mckay has made a statement on the resignation of Nationals MP Michael Johnsen.

Ruling: OFFICIALLY ADOPTED

(I would like to note though that turns out I was right to be suspicious about the NSW numbers being 8 minutes late. Just not quite in the way I thought!)

The federal environment minister, Sussan Ley, has extended an emergency declaration stopping the construction of a contentious go-kart track at Wahluu/Mount Panorama in Bathurst for a further 30 days.

Ley made the Section 9 declaration on 5 March, three days before construction was due to begin at the famous motor racing site in regional New South Wales, over concerns the development threatens a sacred Indigenous site.

The Wiradyuri Traditional Owners Central West Aboriginal Corporation in 2019 lodged a protection application over concerns a sacred women’s site would be destroyed.

Ley said on Wednesday she would use the 30 days to consider whether the site should be given long-term protection under section 10 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection (ATSIHP) Act and said she had drafted a potential declaration.

My recent visit to Bathurst allowed me to meet with community groups, Traditional Owners and the Bathurst Regional Council to discuss their concerns...

I am considering a declaration for protection under section 10 of the Act and have drafted a potential declaration. The contents of which will be subject to consultation with stakeholders.

It is one that recognises the significance of the site to Traditional Owners, but which also ensures the current usage of Mount Panorama/Wahluu as a racing venue, and as a venue for camping and other activities is preserved.

She said the declaration being considered would mean the proposed site would cover a smaller area than that originally sought, “ensuring protection for current use and for the council’s ability to maintain the site”.

I am considering a declaration that would prevent the construction of any buildings, or the undertaking of bulk earthworks.

The minister will make a decision by 4 May.

Updated

Okay that NSW press conference was so wild I never even got the chance to bring you this fairly bold comment from Scott Morrison on Australia’s slow vaccine rollout.

Prime minister Scott Morrison and South Australia premier Steven Marshall at the Launch of Australian Space Discovery Centre in Adelaide, 31 March 2021.
Prime minister Scott Morrison and South Australia premier Steven Marshall at the Launch of Australian Space Discovery Centre in Adelaide, 31 March 2021. Photograph: Morgan Sette/AAP

He was asked about the government’s failure to reach their original target of four million people vaccinated by the end of March. (This goal has since been revised down to four million by the end of April, which we are still falling behind on.)

Morrison:

Not interested in people wanting to play politics with vaccine and distribution, I will leave the politics to those who want to play politics. It’s my job and the premier’s shop to get people vaccinated and that is exactly what we’re are doing...

Well, that target was explained months ago, that that was dispensed with because of the problems we had with vaccines not coming from overseas. That it was dealt with months ago, so that being put up some constant target is just politics.

Updated

Just on the Michael Johnsen news. This means there will now be a byelection in the powerhouse seat of Upper Hunter.

Now Upper Hunter is a marginal electorate and while there was a slight swing (0.4%) towards the Nationals in 2019, they still only hold on to the seat by a margin of 2.6%.

It’s worth noting though, even if the Coalition did lose this seat they would be sitting pretty comfortably in the lower house.

Before 10 minutes ago, the numbers sat at:

  • Coalition (government) – 46
  • Labor (opposition) – 36
  • Crossbench – 11

I dare say this might have something to do with why the NSW government’s response to Johnsen has been so vastly different to the federal government’s response to Andrew Laming, who has been accused of harassing women both on and offline but will remain in the Liberal party until the next election.

Updated

Michael Johnsen resigns from parliament

NSW Nationals leader John Barilaro has just published a statement following the resignation of former Nationals MP Michael Johnsen.

Johnsen stepped aside from his position as a parliamentary secretary and moved to the crossbench after it was revealed he was the subject of a six-month police investigation into serious allegations made by a sex worker.

Today Barilaro confirmed the resignation:

Last week I sought the resignation of the Member for Upper Hunter Michael Johnsen as Parliamentary Secretary, removed him from the Nationals and Coalition Party Rooms and he was suspended from the National Party in light of serious allegations and an active police investigation.

Yesterday, following further reports, I told Mr Johnsen his position as a Member of Parliament was untenable and called for his resignation.

Today I welcome Mr Johnsen’s resignation from the NSW Parliament.

My message to the people of the Upper Hunter is I will always put integrity before politics, which is why I called for Mr Johnsen’s resignation.

I want to say to the communities of the Upper Hunter that I am sorry, but please be assured the NSW Nationals’ focus has always been, and will always be, on delivering for the Upper Hunter and keeping our communities safe and secure.

Updated

Berejiklian has been asked about the figures reported in the media this morning – suggesting NSW had received 190,610 doses but only delivered 100,000.

I can’t confirm the figures that you have given me because they are not the most recent figures I had. I had a meeting this morning with minister Hazzard and health officials. This is the point, it is unfair to go out publicly and comment on the rollout when you literally only let the state know in the last 24-48 hours or delivered what those new doses are.

Updated

NSW government demands apology over federal vaccine comments.

Hazzard:

I know our front line health staff, our public health staff have been working into the wee small hours, night after night to do what they have done in the last 15 months.

One day we are the gold standard and the next day we are being told we are not.

We are still the gold standard because we have amazing frontline health staff and if we are given the clear evidence and indications of what we are going to get, we will work to that.

Not happy at all today and I think the federal government should be offering apologies to not only our government but other governments around the country.

You need to know if you are going to win a war, you can’t have the tanks and artillery all dropped at airport and told about it and then go public with it a few days later. You have to know what your supply lines are and you have to be able to work to those. We are at frontline of a war, New South Wales and the other public health teams and we have been doing a very good job with our public health officials, working hard.

I find this very offensive.

Updated

Hazzard says the vaccine numbers published by the federal government are “misleading”:

Let me make it very clear, I am as angry as I have ever been in this 15 months of war against this virus. All governments in Australia should be working together. Can I point out also that just in New South Wales alone last week, we are in week six, last week was the fifth week, we were under the impression from the advice we received from the federal government that we would receive just over 13,000 vaccines. What they actually gave us, with no forward announcement, was 45,000 and then a few days later there is a press report saying we haven’t distributed them all. Well, you get 45,000 items dumped on your front door at night and told “Now you should have it out by the next morning” no one would be able to do that.

Updated

OOOOOOOOOOOFT! The deputy premiers are taking no prisoners today!

Brad Hazzard sounds furious about the federal government’s comment’s this morning imply states were to blame for the slow vaccine roll out.

(By the way, sip coffee for “gold standard”.)

Let’s get this really, really clear: the New South Wales government was asked to roll out 300,000 vaccinations to the groups in 1A and 1B. Of that we have done 100,000. The federal government was asked and is responsible for 5.5 million people and they have rolled out 50,000. I think the figures speak for themselves...

I am extremely angry and I know there are other health ministers in the country who share similar views, state and territory health ministers. It is not appropriate that we wake up and find figures put into the media that haven’t been shared with any state or territory governments. It is not appropriate that those figures be put in a light that is misleading...

We have all heard some complaints in the media from GPs about that rollout and we know that many aged care facilities that were expecting to see the vaccine haven’t got it. I think that is understandable because it has been difficult for the federal government to know what amount of a vaccine, particularly the AstraZeneca, would be available, bearing in mind the problems that were existing in Europe. They have been reliant on the CSL rollout from Victoria. We have been understanding of that but to then go dumping figures into the media which actually are quite misleading is wholly inappropriate, very disappointing and I think is not really helpful in ensuring community confidence.

Updated

Health minister Brad Hazzard says the Byron Blues festival will be allowed to continue for now, but if you ask me, it sound’s like it’s on shaky ground.

What I would say is that if it were absolutely safe, then we wouldn’t be making this comment. At this stage, we do have concerns, the government has concerns ...

It is difficult, it would have been better if the Blues Fest had been perhaps in another few months instead of right now. Or it would have been better if we didn’t have a hen’s party in Byron Bay that appears to have brought down our more secure north coast area into a highly suspect area now.

At this point, all I can say to those people who might be intending to attend and to the organisers themselves, which I have expressed to them personally, but to those who might be intending to come, just be alert to the messages that will come from the New South Wales government in the next 12-24 hours as we look at the unfolding situation on the north coast.

Updated

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant says it’s believed the NSW case was infected with Covid at the Byron Beach Hotel.

The case was a gentleman in his 20s who attended the Byron Beach Hotel with three other of his friends and he sat in proximity to the travellers from Queensland who were infectious at the time. Three of those friends have already been tested and were negative and this gentleman promptly, on hearing about this issue, presented for testing immediately did the right thing, in terms of self-isolation.

Because we go back, in terms of infectious period, we have identified some venues that he went to and can I reiterate, he went there not knowing he had ever been exposed to Covid.

That is Ballina, the Henry Rouse Tavern at 117 River Street in Ballina, on Sunday 28 March between 1.20pm and 2.20pm.

East Ballina, at the Ballina golf and sports club pro shop on Jamieson avenue on Sunday, 28 March between 2.25pm and 2.35pm.

What we are asking people to do, if you attended those venues, please immediately self-isolate and get a test and we will be advising you after we have done that formal risk assessment.

Updated

Oh my goodness gracious! Liberal premier and usual close buddy of the prime minister Gladys Berejiklian has come out swinging against the federal governments.

This morning federal government ministers were speaking to the media attempting to lay the blame for the slow vaccine rollout on states, suggesting they are slow to administer their doses and stockpiling vaccines.

You know the Liberals have really upset people when NSW is public condemning their comments!

I was very concerned to read particular reports in the press today about the New South Wales government vaccine rollout. The facts that were presented are not true...

To put things into perspective, around 150,000 people in New South Wales have received the vaccine, either the first shot or the second shot or both. 100,000 of those were provided by the New South Wales government. 50,000 of those were provided by the commonwealth, just to put things into perspective...

What is also extremely unfair is that when we are given 24 or 48 hours notice about how many new doses we are getting, and as you can appreciate, disseminating that within 24 hours or 48 hours is a difficult task and so I just want to put the facts on the table because it is so important for us to not only vaccinate as many people as soon as possible, but also to make the vaccine available through multiple channels.

We want to work with the federal government to make that happen but I will not have untrue statements made publicly about what is a complex system and I want to take this opportunity – I cannot tell you how grateful I am to all the health workers who are involved in the vaccine program but also the people who have received the vaccine.

Our quarantine workers, our high-risk health workers have put themselves on the line every day for more than a year. I don’t know what that is like. Unless you are in their shoes, fearing you are going to get the virus or give it to someone else, and I haven’t heard of a single incident where people have resisted, or not followed those health instructions. I am deeply grateful to everybody who has been in that situation. Please know that the New South Wales government supports you. We are grateful for what you’re doing and we are really keen to work with the commonwealth cooperatively to ensure the vaccine rollout is done as quickly as possible.

Updated

People advised not to travel to Byron Bay for Easter

Those heading up to Byron Bay for Easter have been advised not to go, but the NSW government has stopped short of banning travel.

Berejiklian:

Similarly, we won’t tell people to stop going to those four regions over Easter but, given the new restrictions about the four square metre rule, venues which could previously take more people may have to take less people.

We ask everybody who was attending those local government areas to reconsider their plans. Although we’re not saying it is compulsory not to go. Certainly, we want everybody to be on high alert.

Updated

NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian is urging people in the shires of Byron, Ballina, Tweed and Lismore not to leave this area until after Easter.

Berejiklian:

We also ask for people in those four local government areas to wear masks and we will make this mandatory in retail, if you are going shopping, in hospitality venues if you’re a worker, on public transport, although we know most people will be going around in driving, so that includes taxis and Ubers. Make sure you wear masks until at least the end of Easter...

It is our strong preference, it will not be mandatory but it is our very strong preference that if you live in any of those four local government areas, that you don’t travel outside those local government areas.

We won’t be policing that but it is very strong advice. We don’t want, if there is community transmission, we don’t want it seeded to other parts of New South Wales.

We are asking everybody if you live in those four local government areas, feel free to travel within those four local government areas but we would ask for you to reconsider your plans if you were planning to go to other parts of the state.

Updated

Additional Covid-19 restrictions for Byron, Ballina, Tweed and Lismore

Berejiklian:

As a result of this case of community transmission, there are some things that we are going to announce by way of restrictions in relation to four shires, which related in and around the Byron community. Byron, Ballina, Tweed and Lismore shires are on extra high alert. We know through this one case of community transmission that there could be others.

Until the end of Easter, those four local government areas will be subject to some restrictions.

We want you to limit the number of people that come to your home to 30 and, as we know, during this time of year, there may be house parties or other events. We want all of those limited to 30 and please make sure you have a list of everyone who attended or is attending your home.

Secondly, all venues in that – in those four local government areas, will resort to the four square metre rule and we ask for everybody to stay seated and not stand. The positive news in all of this is we’re not saying to businesses shut your doors, quite the opposite. We are saying you can keep your doors open but because of the risk that is there, we want you to be extra cautious. Until the end of Easter, you are able to keep your doors open but make sure you revert to the four square metre rule and make sure that all of your patrons are seated and not standing up and mingling.

Updated

One new local Covid case in NSW

There has been one new Covid case in NSW – however, as it was discovered after 8pm it was not included in today’s numbers.

Berejiklian:

I want to advise that since 8pm last night, New South Wales has had one case of community transmission. The person did attend at the same time, at the same venue of the hens party and Dr Chant will provide further detail on that. The good news is that the person did take our advice and has got tested and has been in isolation.

Updated

Okay, Morrison has been asked about the slow vaccine rollout.

Originally the government committed to four million doses by the end of March. Well, it’s the end of March and we have just passed 600,000. So not going amazing.

But you wouldn’t know it was bad news from the way Morrison is talking about it this morning:

I wouldn’t over-interpret this*. The vaccine schedule for delivery for 12 weeks have been provided to the states, I am not making any criticism. This is a big job, we are all doing it, the states and territories are doing it, with their frontline workers and hospitals and we are doing it through the GP rollout.

Of course, at the outset when three million or so vaccines are not able to be delivered to Australia because of the vaccine release out of Europe in particular, that was obviously going to impact the early success, but we are already at over 650,000 and I expect by next week we will be into the million and each week the distribution and the vaccination dosage gets stronger and stronger and stronger.

We are on track* for our first dose for everyone by the end of October. In particular, the states and territories are moving through their workforce as is their part of the responsibilities. We are working through the GPs as we move into 1B and the six million Australians that are part of that.

It’s not a race or a competition**, I am interested in Australians being vaccinated safely with appropriate care and support given to all of them. Australia has put itself in a position to have a manufactured vaccine here in Australia. We are not relying, like most of the countries in the world, for vaccines to be coming from somewhere else. They are getting made here in Australia, in Melbourne.

* We are not.

* * Seems like something someone losing a race would say.

Updated

Honestly, this is fairly dull. I’ll dip back in when we get to some juicy questions.

(Maybe giving up on a boring press conference should be another sip on the blog drinking game.)

Updated

AAP has a bit more info about these military announcements today:

Australia will produce its own guided missiles under a $1bn plan to build a new weapons facility in partnership with a global arms manufacturer.

The federal government expects to spend $100bn on missiles and other guided weapons over the next two decades, in response to a worsening strategic environment.

Prime minister Scott Morrison, who will announce the plan on Wednesday, said creating sovereign capability was essential.

As the Covid-19 pandemic has shown, having the ability for self-reliance, be it vaccine development or the defence of Australia, is vital to meeting our own requirements in a changing global environment...

It’s an imperative we now proceed with the creation of a sovereign guided weapons capability as a priority, accelerating this process following the idea first being explored in the force structure plan.

Companies such as Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems and Kongsberg are considered likely bidders for the work.

It would allow Australia to replace missiles shipped in from overseas.

The government expects the new facility could generate $40bn in local production and export sales over the next 20 years.

Updated

Scott Morrison is in South Australia today to launch a new defence industry roadmap:

This is part of our advanced manufacturing strategy joining together with other sectors like the medical sector, the minerals technology sector, recycling and other important sectors, food processing and the like. Key manufacturing sector is, so we continue to make things here in Australia, real programs with real support to build the capability of our small, medium-sized and larger enterprises so they can participate in the significant work that is being done and they become a partner of choice, whether it is in the defence industry also many other sectors stopping the planner launched today is about realising the next phase of developing a defence industry.

Oh, and South Australia premier Steven Marshall is also here:

It is a fantastic new defence manufacturing and defence capability, a $50m investment which is really showing the great confidence and South Australia, the defence state. I also want to massively acknowledge the vision, the bold vision that the prime minister has announced today, set up a new national guided weapons enterprise for Australia. This is an incredibly important issue for national security.

Updated

The prime minister is speaking now from Adelaide.

No new local Covid-19 cases in NSW overnight

Okay, I’ll stop being dramatic. No local cases in NSW overnight!

(Turns out they were just 8 minutes late to put out the data.)

Updated

Okay, Gladys Berejiklian is standing up for a news conference in about 20 minutes. There is a lot of concern that this Byron Bay hens party may have caused the virus to spread to NSW locals.

Their health department usually puts out the daily numbers by now, so I’m very keen to see what the situation is overnight.

Updated

So, just to recap:

Those two new locally acquired cases are a second nurse working at the Princess Alexandra hospital Covid-19 ward and her roommate.

That nurse was vaccinated and did not directly treat the patient who we know from genomic sequencing that she caught the virus from.

This is the same patient (recently returned from India) that infected the first nurse, who was working in a different ward altogether.

Updated

Okay, I’ll let her have this one. This graphic is fine.

Also wow! Only positives out of 33,408 tests.

That’s a pretty amazing result.

Okay an interesting point here for the blog morning coffee drinking game:

Now I think this might be a little harsh to McCormack (only a little) but I do agree that we should have to take a big gulp any time he tries to make a strange pun/acronym. (Also any time he accidentally says “all lives matter”, anyone else remember that?)

Updated

Now we are still waiting for NSW numbers (they usually come out around 11am), but there are concerns in the state due to this hens night party in Byron Bay that has so far led to seven confirmed cases, all from Queensland residents.

Queensland chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young addresses the media in Brisbane, Wednesday, 31 March 2021.
Queensland chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young addresses the media in Brisbane, Wednesday, 31 March 2021. Photograph: Darren England/AAP

Young gave an update on this gathering at the Queensland press conference:

There were 10 people at that party and one entertainment. Of those people, we have tested them all, of course, and already seven of them are positive, six of them were at the party and the entertainer.

Four of them are negative but of course they are in quarantine now and we are continuing to test them. If they were to become positive, they have been in quarantine for their infectious period so they are not a risk.

They are all from Queensland and they have gone back home. That is why we now have one in Toowoomba and one in Bundaberg and some in the Gold Coast.

So far this hasn’t caused any cases in NSW residents, but the Byron Bay cluster is especially worrying as thousands are set to pour into the beach town tomorrow for the five days annual “Byron Bay Bluesfest”.

The festival is currently going ahead but people from Brisbane have been told they are not allowed to attend the first day as lockdown will still be in place.

Updated

Oooft! Queensland is really drawing a line in the sand with this one.

Chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young says supply (which the federal government is responsible for) is the only issue Queensland’s vaccine rollout is facing.

The issue is supply. We cannot as a nation rely on supply until we are able to get those doses from CSL* , and they are only just starting to come through.

Once they really start coming through, that will assist enormously. That is the problem. It is supply. It is not any of the other issues, it is purely supply.

We do have to make sure that if we give the first dose, that we can give the second dose. And although the commonwealth has done their best to try and assure us that we will get those second doses at the same time, we are getting information that supply is not progressing as we had hoped

*She is referring to the AstraZeneca vaccines that are being domestically manufactured.

Updated

Everyone in Brisbane has been very well behaved during the lockdown, according to the deputy police commissioner Doug Smith.

I’m happy to say no fines have been issued. We have had one additional incident of a young person on a train who was a fair invader who didn’t want to wear a mask, didn’t comply and has been issued with a notice for failing to do so. That is the only action we have had to take in addition to the one I mentioned yesterday, so overall, the levels of compliance across the state has been fantastic.

Two women wearing face masks walking along the Kangaroo Point Cliffs in Brisbane.
Two women wearing face masks walking along the Kangaroo Point Cliffs in Brisbane. Photograph: Darren England/AAP

Updated

Steven Miles:

The prime minister hasn’t contacted the premiere about this at all. The fact of the matter is, our hospitals have used more of the doses on hand than any of the other states and territories, other than WA, they are just ahead of us. That is in a very complicated rollout.

Rolling this vaccine out across a distributed state like Queensland is much, much harder than other, more densely populated states. We have not had that certainty of particularly second dose supply but even first dose supply in many cases.

So yes, you are right, communication could be improved and one way of improving it is don’t just make it transparent to us, make it transparent to the public, make it transparent to you in the media so you can see what is going on.

Qld labels federal claims of stockpiling vaccines an 'outrageous, orchestrated attack'

Deputy premier Steven Miles has come back swinging after the federal government moved to lay the blame on the slow vaccine rollout on states for stockpiling vaccine doses.

Queensland deputy premier Steven Miles addresses the media in Brisbane, Wednesday, 31 March 2021.
Queensland deputy premier Steven Miles addresses the media in Brisbane, Wednesday, 31 March 2021. Photograph: Darren England/AAP

What we’ve seen throughout this entire pandemic is every time the Morrison government wants to deflect from their failings, they launch an attack on the states and territories. And that’s what we’ve seen overnight. An orchestrated attack by the Morrison government ministers against the states and territories. And it really is quite outrageous. I mean, God knows, they’ve got a lot to deflect from right now, not least of which their vaccine rollout...

The agreement between the states and territories and the commonwealth leave responsibility for 70% of the vaccination task with the federal government. And of course, that’s because we want our GPs and our pharmacists to lead the way. They are the trusted primary healthcare providers in our community. But ultimately, it is up to the federal government to work with them...

I want to specifically address the particularly offensive remarks made by David Littleproud on the Today Show this morning.

He said that if the federal government needs to do better, then they should get an uppercut. Well, it’s time that he should give himself an uppercut. The states are doing what they can with what has been distributed to them.

Updated

Palaszczuk has hit back at the federal government’s comments that states “stockpiling doses” was responsible for some of the vaccine delays.

She says they are only holding some vaccines back as second doses as there is no guaranteed supply.

We are not stockpiling vaccines ... Queensland is releasing its vaccine numbers everyday. We do not see that from the federal government.

Secondly, we need to have guaranteed supply and we need to have guaranteed times of delivery.

Now, I said this the other day and let me say it again. I was on the Gold Coast University hospital where they were undertaking their second vaccines. You’ll all remember that. Some of you were actually there with me. And we were told that the supply arrived just in time that morning to roll out the vaccine.

Now, we need surety of supply, a guarantee of supply by the federal government and if the states are releasing their figures everyday, I think that it is only fair, fair and reasonable, that the federal government releases their figures every day...

We don’t have the regular supply. What we needed to do is to make sure that we had enough for the second vaccine. If the commonwealth can tell us what their supply is, we are more than happy to roll out the rest of that as quickly as possible. But can you imagine what will happen if we do not have the second dosage for people who have had their first in the 12-week period?

Updated

Queensland’s chief health officer Jeannette Young says there may have been airborne transmission at the PA hospital leading to the spread of the virus:

She did not look after the patient but she’s somehow got it from the patient because the genome sequence is there. We know that it got to her but she wasn’t directly caring for that patient.

She didn’t have direct interaction, which means that there is most likely some environmental contamination or some aerosolisation of the virus when the person was admitted.

Remember that the person was admitted at 8.30pm into that ward and that nurse came on shift at 10pm. So that’s why that ward has been closed. No one is going in or out of that ward. Everyone who has been in there has been moved out and there’s been a very thorough clean being done of that ward.

Updated

Queensland likely to come out of lockdown tomorrow 'fingers crossed'

The premier says the decision on lockdown will be announced at 9am tomorrow but things are “looking positive”.

What I say to the public is – this is very encouraging and we’ll be providing you with an update again tomorrow at 9am, and fingers crossed, all will be looking good for Easter.

But like I said, it depends on the testing rates again. So if we see very good testing rates across Queensland and we don’t see any unlinked community transmission, the signs for Easter are looking positive.

Updated

Young says this second nurse was vaccinated on 19 March, meaning she did not yet have full immunity:

She’s only had the first dose, so it usually takes a week after the first dose before you get a significant degree of immunity. Then you need to have a second dose of the Pfizer vaccine three weeks later and it takes another week after that.

If it’s the AstraZeneca, you need to get that second dose 12 weeks after the first dose and it takes another week after that.

So she hadn’t had a chance yet to have full immunity.

So it’s a little hard to understand but it seems like this new nurse has been directly linked to a patient who recently returned from India, just like the first nurse was.

This second community case today is a roommate of that second nurse.

Young:

So the first [of today’s cases] is a nurse who has acquired it from that gentleman from India at the PA, and I have confirmation of that because I have the genome. They did that very rapidly.

Then, the second case lives in the same household as that nurse. So it’s household transmission, and we know that household transmission is our highest risk at the start of any outbreak ... I don’t have a genome sequence yet for the second person, so this is someone who lives in the same household as the second nurse ... I’m sure that it will be the same.

People outside the Princess Alexandra (PA) hospital in Brisbane on Wednesday, 31 March 2021.
People outside the Princess Alexandra (PA) hospital in Brisbane on Wednesday, 31 March 2021. Photograph: Darren England/AAP

Updated

Young:

Now, the first cluster [the doctor cluster], remember yesterday, I spoke about two cases that were we were investigating who we thought could be part of that cluster because of the epidemiological links and some initial testing?

They’ve now been confirmed as not positive. They’re not cases, which means that we now have eight in that cluster, that first cluster related to the doctor who acquired the infection at the PA hospital.

So those two clusters look like they’ve all been worked through and all of the cases are linked and we do not have any other cases out in the community anywhere in Queensland that are unlinked.

Updated

Chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young says both new cases are linked to the nurse cluster:

I already have the genome sequence back for one of those two cases and it is exactly the same as the genome sequences for that second cluster related to the nurse and her friends who were in that party who went down to Byron Bay. So that’s a linked case.

We’re now working through whether this second nurse in that cluster acquired it on the ward.

She does work on the ward and she was tested as part of the asymptomatic screening testing process for that ward and was found to be positive. She has since developed some symptoms, but she was part of that testing. So we just need to work out how she got it on that ward.

She had been vaccinated prior to working that shift. So we’re just working through all of that at the moment but that’s very good news. So we now have 11 people in that cluster.

Palaszczuk yesterday mentioned that there was a case in Hervey Bay, this is possibly the patient in Bundaberg hospital she is now referring to:

I just want to confirm that we do have a person who has Covid in the Bundaberg hospital. We are not worried about that at all. They have not been out and about in the community. And of course, Bundaberg has actually treated a Covid patient before.

I also want to confirm that we also do have a person in the Toowoomba hospital with Covid, and once again, they’ve also dealt with Covid patients as well. And they weren’t out and about in the community.

Updated

Palaszczuk:

The number of vaccinations that were done yesterday was 6,809 and our total vaccinations since the start have been 71,942. That is, of course, very good news. I know that the deputy premier will have more to say about that.

From 8am yesterday, only staff who had their vaccine can look after people who have Covid in our hospitals and I want to thank Dr Young for putting that mandate in place. That makes sense and that will be an added protective measure for our staff.

Updated

Two new local community cases in Queensland

Annastacia Palaszczuk is speaking now:

Today, we have some very encouraging news to start off with. We’re very pleased with the results and I think that all Queenslanders should be proud of the mighty effort that they’ve put in. So today, we only have three new cases.

Now, one is hotel quarantine. The other is community-acquired but they are linked to the PA nurse. So it is another nurse at that PA COVID ward. My understanding is that she was vaccinated.

Updated

I support all of these proposed rules for morning coffee drinking game:

We are just standing by now for this Queensland press conference.

Malcolm Turnbull has called for Liberal MP Andrew Laming to move to the crossbench.

The former prime minister was on ABC radio this morning, discussing mining in the Upper Hunter Valley.

This from AAP:

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said Laming’s position in the Coalition party room was untenable.

“It’s pretty obvious that he should be sitting on the cross bench,” Turnbull said. “His [alleged] behaviour is so out of order.”

Scott Morrison appears to be resisting pressure to expel the disgraced backbencher because it would plunge the coalition into minority government.

Laming took a photo of the woman in 2019 as she bent over at a landscaping supply business with her underwear exposed.

He has not denied taking the photo without the woman’s consent but denies it was an “upskirting” incident and says there was nothing untoward.

Laming is also under fire after complaints that he harassed various women online over several years.

The 54-year-old has been given a month of paid medical leave to seek counselling and empathy training.

But he intends to rejoin the Coalition party room upon his return and remain in parliament until the next election.

There are also questions around how much of Turnbull’s behaviour he was aware of as prime minister. He told ABC radio this morning that he was not aware.

Updated

If you are playing the blog drinking game, it’s time to take a big sip of coffee!

Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has put out some weird graphic design on Twitter again!

Speaking of, we are expecting that Brisbane update in about 35 minutes.

Updated

The Australian Conservation Foundation has thrown its support behind Labor’s proposed policy to reduce tariffs and taxes on electric cars.

Climate change program manager Gavan McFadzean said the policy could encourage more manufacturers to supply to Australia and reduce our reliance on heavily polluting petrol cars:

Under the Morrison government, Australia has fallen well behind comparable developed countries on the take-up of electric vehicles.

Labor’s announcement will encourage car manufacturers to supply more electric vehicles into the market, increasing consumer choice and making EVs more affordable to car buyers.

Meanwhile the announcement to increase the number of community batteries will stabilise the national grid and help the transition from coal to renewable energy while driving down power bills.

Updated

Missed it by that much!

Australia has administered nearly 600,000 doses of the Covid vaccine, which is 3.4m shots short of a 4m dose target set by the prime minister, Scott Morrison, for the end of March.

The current figure is also 1m doses short of what’s needed to meet the government’s revised target of 4m doses administered by the end of April.

Australia’s chief health officer, Prof Paul Kelly, said on Tuesday there had been 597,000 doses of either the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine administered to date. That’s 15% of Morrison’s original target.

The prime minister in January said that he was aiming for 4 million people to have received their first of two doses by the end of March.

You can read the full story below:

Updated

Australian of the Year Grace Tame has criticised the appointment of Amanda Stoker as the assistant minister for women, reports AAP.

The assistant minister has supported a controversial commentator who has expressed public sympathy for Tame’s abuser.

In 2017 commentator Bettina Arndt published an interview with the man convicted of raping Tame, suggesting she may have behaved provocatively.

Arndt last year received an Australia Day award for her contribution to gender equity, which was roundly criticised by survivor advocates.

But Stoker publicly backed the award.

Tame said on social media that in appointing the senator to the new role, the prime minister was either ignorant of the issues, or understood them and was making calculated moves to perpetuate them.

If the latter is true, then what we’re seeing is further abuse of power, masterfully disguised as progress ... the very same psychological manipulation at the heart of these recently exposed evils.

The prime minister’s appointment of Stoker has also drawn criticism for several other reasons.

The senator has accused women from her own side of politics of “playing the gender card” when they have raised bullying allegations. She strongly opposes abortion as well as transgender rights, arguing “gender isn’t something you choose”.

Updated

The Holiday Inn hotel quarantine facility near Melbourne airport is back in business this morning.

This hotel was at the centre of Victoria’s last outbreak, which plunged the state into a five-day lockdown, after an infected traveller used a nebuliser machine in his room, spreading the virus to multiple staff and other guests.

International flights were then paused so the majority of hotel quarantine facilities have lain dormant for a month, but now those who missed the 6pm Brisbane lockdown deadline on Monday will stay here.

Updated

OK, so it looks likes the Queensland update from the premier is going to be 9am Queensland time – 10am Sydney and Melbourne time.

We are likely to get today’s numbers and may get an indication as to whether the lockdown will be extended.

Given that the Guardian Australia understands today’s announcement will confirm that a second nurse working in the Princess Alexandra hospital’s infectious diseases ward has tested positive, I’m sure the thought of thousands travelling around the state on for the Easter weekend is weighing heavily on Annastacia Palaszczuk and Dr Jeannette Young’s minds this morning.

Updated

And finally, Anthony Albanese has had the chance to promote his new proposed electric car policy, which is the main announcement coming out of the ALP national conference today.

(Essentially he is promising if elected to cut tariffs and taxes on electric vehicles, which I’m sure Elon Musk is pumped about.)

This is about shaping the future and the vehicle behind us here at the Nissan showroom at Liverpool will be substantially cheaper by cutting tariffs, about $2,000.

In terms of fringe benefits tax encouraging corporate fleets to take up electric vehicles, it will save up to $9,000 – making a real difference for consumers.

There’s no auto manufacturer in the world that’s currently looking at a new internal combustion engine vehicle. The future is all about electric vehicles. We’re way behind the world when it comes to take-up here in Australia.

There’s just a mere few thousand electric vehicles in this country out of the 15m or so cars and vehicles that are on the road. We need to do much, much better and one way we can do that is to make electric vehicles more affordable.

Updated

Anthony Albanese is now discussing how his government would act differently when it comes to the rights of women:

I have 50 % of my shadow cabinet are women, two of the four leaders ...

Iskhandar Razak:

If I can interrupt you there. That doesn’t necessarily mean the problems disappear. Former Labor MP Kate Ellis has revealed some of the sexist language and treatment she endured when she was a politician and it happened when Labor was in power ... What can you do in your own party or if you become the government in some way do to change that?

Albanese:

Well, one of the things that Kate Ellis has said is that that changed during her time in politics. The 10-year gap between when she was first elected and a decade later which saw a massive increase in the number of women in the Labor caucus, which is now above 47%, saw a change in the culture.

When you change the composition of the parliament, you’ll change the culture, which is why the Liberal party are now talking about, after a long period of time talking about doing something in that area.

We have got the ALP national conference occurring over these two days and, of course, way back in 1994 we adopted an affirmative action policy. It’s made our party stronger. It certainly hasn’t made it perfect but it’s made an enormous difference to the culture of our party.

Updated

Anthony Albanese has slammed the government’s cabinet reshuffle, suggesting it counts for very little while Andrew Laming is still allowed to be part of the Liberal party.

Laming has been accused of harassing women on and offline, and while he says he will not contest the next election the government has not called him to move to the crossbench – an action that would plunge the government into minority.

Albanese spoke to ABC News Breakfast this morning:

Scott Morrison is always good at announcements. The problem is always the delivery and what we have here as well is a prime minister who says that Andrew Laming can stay in his party room.

That stands in really stark contrast with the response of John Barilaro and Gladys Berejiklian in New South Wales towards the member for Upper Hunter, where they have said he should go from parliament.

He should go from parliament – state parliament – but Andrew Laming should go from federal parliament, let alone continue to sit for the next year in the Liberal party room.

Updated

Victoria is still Covid-19 free, now just waiting for the NSW and Queensland numbers.

Second Brisbane nurse tests positive to Covid-19

Queenslanders should learn today whether greater Brisbane will remain locked down for Easter but early signs are the growing cluster will lead to restrictions being extended beyond tomorrow.

Guardian Australia understands that today’s announcement will confirm that a second nurse working in the Princess Alexandra hospital’s infectious diseases ward – the now-notorious ward 5D – has tested positive.

This is in addition to the doctor and nurse who are believed to be the links between Covid-infected travellers and two separate clusters of virus transmission within the Brisbane community.

The latest case last night prompted the effective lockdown of the entire PA hospital at Woolloongabba by Metro South Health. Another nearby hospital, the Mater mothers’ hospital at South Brisbane, sent home some staff after learning that a confirmed Covid case had visited the building.

Yesterday, doctors called for an investigation into the infections of healthcare workers – including their safety equipment, and why they had not been vaccinated.

For now, most of Queensland is understandably nervous at the potential for the situation to escalate. We won’t know the latest case numbers until premier Annastacia Palaszczuk gives her briefing later today.

Updated

Queensland has added a surf lifesaving competition at Tugun beach on the Gold Coast to its list of potential coronavirus exposure sites.

The finals of Surf Lifesaving Queensland’s state championships were held on the beach on Sunday. The infected person attended between 12.30pm and 2pm.

More than 1,000 people are understood to have been there.

Beachgoers at Tugun on the Gold Coast
Beachgoers at Tugun on the Gold Coast. Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAP

Updated

Deputy federal National leader and government frontbencher David Littleproud seems to be shifting blame for Australia’s extremely slow vaccine rollout on states, saying they have done “three-fifths bugger all”.

He spoke to the Today show this morning:

The states need to pull their finger out. The states have been tasked with this responsibility, we all have a responsibility, we all have a responsibility and a role to play and you just have to do it.

The fact is, they have left these in the rack when they could have put these things in people’s arm. Have confidence in the supply chain, we have plenty coming through. You cannot leave them in the rack you have to put them in people’s arms and get us out of this whole situation.

David Littleproud in parliament
David Littleproud in parliament. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

That is the only way to get the jabs moving. We are going to help the states but they have to admit they have a problem because they have done three-fifths of bugger all and they are holding this nation back. And unfortunately or premiers haven’t led on this.

I know Greg Hunt is trying to lean forward with our chief medical officer and say, “What more support do you need?” But I would have thought there is one lousy job they have to do and that is starting to put jabs in people’s arms and they have been asleep at the wheel. Now it is the time to dust yourself off and get it going.

Today show host Karl Stefanovic:

They are going to blame you.

Littleproud:

Of course they are going to blame us.

This comes after it was revealed that the nurse at the centre of one of Queensland’s clusters was unvaccinated and worked in a Covid ward. (Although authorities reckon she was infected elsewhere in the hospital.)

The state health minister said yesterday Queensland was stockpiling Pfizer for second doses as it was not confident the federal government would be able to guarantee supply.

Australia has administered 600,000 doses of vaccine, just 15% of the original target for the end of March.

Updated

So I’ve had a couple of people writing in asking what time the Queensland press conference will be today.

I’m trying to get an answer for you as soon as I can on that. As far as I know it hasn’t been announced but if I’ve missed it send me a message on Twitter @MatildaBoseley or email me at matilda.boseley@theguardian.com.

Updated

Now Victoria has been Covid-19 free for some time but looks like there is another danger growing in the state. Literally.

Poisonous mushrooms have been popping up following widespread recent rain and ideal growing conditions.

This has prompted deputy chief health officer, Dr Angie Bone, to issue a warning, urging people not to gather wild mushrooms around Melbourne or rural Victoria.

The recent conditions have been ideal for poisonous mushrooms, and recent rains have seen them start to sprout in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria...

While commercially-sold mushrooms are safe, poisonings can occur when people gathering wild mushrooms inadvertently include toxic species. Poisonous mushrooms may appear very similar to edible varieties.

According to the department of health 2020 saw a record number calls about mushroom poisoning incidents to Victoria’s Poisons Information Centre.

Potentially due to Covid-19 induced boredom, an ideal growing season, and personally I believe the rise of the “cottage core” aesthetic among disillusioned millennials.

There were 426 calls about potential mushroom poisoning in 2020, more than double the number of calls in the previous two years, a department spokesperson said in a statment.

So what to look out for? The main two offenders are

The Death Cap fungus, or Amanita phalloides:

The Death Cap is a large mushroom, with a cap ranging from light olive green to greenish yellow in colour. The gills are white, and the base of the stem is surrounded by a cup-shaped sac...

Usually found near deciduous trees, especially around oaks, in some Melbourne suburbs and rural areas.

And the Yellow Staining mushroom, or Agaricus xanthodermus.

The commonly found Yellow Staining mushroom turns yellow when the cap or stem is bruised by a thumbnail.

Bone said anyone who becomes ill after eating mushrooms “should seek urgent medical advice and, if possible, take samples of the whole mushroom for identification.”

Symptoms of poisoning can include violent stomach pains, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea Symptoms may subside after a day or two -- but this doesn’t necessarily mean recovery in the case of Death Cap poisoning.

Death can follow within 48 hours from serious liver damage. The Death Cap is extremely toxic and responsible for 90 per cent of all mushroom poisoning deaths.

If you have any doubts about a species of fungus or mushroom, don’t eat it. Cooking, peeling or drying these mushrooms does not remove or inactivate the poison.

How is it only Wednesday? Also, how is it already Wednesday? The mysteries of the universe.

Either way, good morning to you, Matilda Boseley here to get you over that mid-week hump.

If you are waking up in Brisbane today you might be a bit nervous as we are expected to get at least a partial update on whether the hard lockdown will end before the Easter weekend.

The lockdown is scheduled to lift at 5pm on Thursday, but premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said health authorities were taking things “day by day”. She has previously indicated Wednesday’s numbers would give health authorities a better picture of the situation.

So no promises that we will have any definitive answers today but it’s definitely something to look out for.

Also in Queensland, the hospital identified as the source of the two coronavirus clusters has been locked down as a precaution. Queensland Health on Tuesday evening confirmed Princess Alexandra hospital would be locked down for the second time in a month:

This additional lockdown will enable PA Hospital to put in place processes to manage impacts associated with these linked cases.

On the international front, the Australian government has joined 13 other countries to express “shared concerns” about the World Health Organization’s report investigating the origins of the Covid-19 virus.

Overnight a team from the WHO presented a first-phase look the early day of the pandemic. But the organisation’s top boss, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has acknowledged that his investigators were not able to access all the data they needed while visiting Wuhan.

Australia has put out a joint statement on the report with Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, South Korea, Slovenia, the UK, and the US:

Together, we support a transparent and independent analysis and evaluation, free from interference and undue influence, of the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this regard, we join in expressing shared concerns regarding the recent WHO-convened study in China...

We note the findings and recommendations, including the need for further studies of animals to find the means of introduction into humans, and urge momentum for expert-driven phase 2 studies. Going forward, there must now be a renewed commitment by WHO and all Member States to access, transparency, and timeliness.

It’s worth noting that Australia supporting this investigation to start with was one of the main factors leading to our increasingly tense relationship with China; including the country imposing trade tariffs on Australian barley and wine, warning Chinese students that they might be in danger of racist attacks going to school here, and a senior CCP official release a doctored image depicting an Australian soldier committing a war crime.

It’s worth keeping an eye out today to see if signing this letter will result in any diplomatic retaliation.

And with that, let’s get started.

If there is something you reckon I’ve missed or think should be in the blog but isn’t, shoot me a message on Twitter @MatildaBoseley or email me at matilda.boseley@theguardian.com.

Updated

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
Dallas man gets trapped in steakhouse nightmare after server’s astonishing blunder leaves him engulfed in flames
Not all table shows end with a fun viral video.
We Got This Covered
We Got This Covered
John Cena Will Be At WrestleMania 42, And Now We Know What He's Doing
The Champ will be there.
Cinemablend
Cinemablend
Popular cream cheese brand issues recall in multiple US states
The product was sold in a mislabeled packaging, which didn’t indicate that almonds were in the spread
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Fans Keep Roasting Gilmore Girls Stars For One Coffee-Related Reason, But Lauren Graham Isn't Having It
Justice for Lorelai.
Cinemablend
Cinemablend
Marvel Rumor Makes A Claim About Elizabeth Olsen's Return As Scarlet Witch (And I So Hope Its True)
Fingers crossed.
Cinemablend
Cinemablend
Trisha Paytas and Moses Hacmon controversy takes shocking turn as leaked messages and Ethan Klein response add new twist
Leaked messages shared in March 2026 have put Trisha Paytas and Moses Hacmon in the spotlight. Moses allegedly described fear and abuse in the relationship, while past clips of Trisha resurfaced online. Ethan Klein also reacted publicly, adding to the tension. No official clarification has been given yet, and the…
The Times of India
The Times of India
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play