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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Nino Bucci and Matilda Boseley

Victoria reports 1,377 cases with VCE students among them; NSW records 623 cases – as it happened

That's it for today – thanks for reading

Here are the main stories on Monday, 4 October:

Updated

NSW health have clarified an earlier statement about two LGAs coming out of lockdown. It says:

Stay-at-home orders for Cowra LGA will be lifted as scheduled from Tuesday 5 October at 12:01am and for Port Macquarie LGA at 11:59pm.

The ACT chief minister has called on Dominic Perrottet, who is likely to become the next NSW premier, to lead a state push for an injection of federal funds to hospitals under strain due to Covid-19.

Andrew Barr said he still believes the door is open for an agreement, despite prime minister Scott Morrison’s description of the push as a “shakedown”.

Barr said on Monday those comments were not “particularly helpful”. He also revealed that at last week’s national cabinet meeting the federal health secretary, Brendan Murphy, had conceded hospital beds were taken up by elderly and disabled patients usually cared for by the commonwealth.

Read more on this here:

Updated

Vote, vote, vote, vote.

Updated

A man accused of murdering four people in Darwin smoked dodgy drugs before the shooting spree, a court has heard. The full report is here:

Updated

The tale of the Launceston quarantine escapee is becoming quite the epic:

I don’t mean to be bossy, but you really need to vote glossy (black cockatoo). I’ve already backed two losers this year (vale hooded plover and orange bellied parrot) and my third choice is in absolute dire straits:

Handy form guide from AAP on the potential NSW Nationals leadership candidates:

  • Melinda Pavey - the water, property, and housing minister is the only MP to confirm her nomination for the top job, on Monday saying she was encouraged by the support of her colleagues. Raised on a dairy farm, the former broadcast journalist and small business owner succeeded former party leader Andrew Stoner as the member for Oxley in 2015 and has worked as roads and maritime minister.

  • Paul Toole - the deputy NSW Nationals leader and Bathurst MP is also reportedly seeking a promotion. Mr Toole - a former school teacher and mayor - was elected alongside John Barilaro in 2011, and has said he is deliberating “how best I can serve our party” over the next 24 hours. Currently minister for regional roads and transport, he has also held the racing, local government, and land and forestry portfolios.
  • Adam Marshall - the agriculture minister is yet to show his hand, but has also been touted as a potential successor. Also a former journalist and mayor, he was elected to the Northern Tablelands - the state’s third largest electorate - in 2013. At 37, the Gunnedah local is the youngest potential contender in the field.

Updated

This is interesting. Crossbench MPs in Victoria have been hammered with correspondence during the pandemic after their contact details were circulated in anti-lockdown groups.

Looks as if there’s another push on to pressure them regarding new Covid-19 laws, with Reason party MP Fiona Patten also revealing the state government is working on legislation that would replace the state of emergency powers.

Updated

Gunnedah to go into lockdown

NSW Health have confirmed the Gunnedah LGA, west of Tamworth, will go into a seven-day lockdown from midnight. The statement confirms that Cowra and Port Macquarie will come out of lockdown from tomorrow as planned. NSW Health said:

Stay-at-home orders will be changed in a number of local government areas (LGAs) in regional NSW due to the ongoing Covid-19 public health risk.

Due to recent transmission of Covid-19, stay-at-home orders will be introduced for the Gunnedah LGA from midnight tonight until 11 October. These stay-at-home orders also apply to anyone who has been in the Gunnedah LGA since 27 September.

Everyone in this area must stay at home unless it is for an essential reason, which includes shopping for food, medical care, getting vaccinated, compassionate needs, exercise and work or tertiary education if you can’t work or study at home.

Stay-at-home orders for Cowra and Port Macquarie LGAs will be lifted as scheduled from tomorrow, Tuesday 5 October.

NSW Health will continue to closely monitor the evolving situation with Covid-19 and will not hesitate to update its advice to protect the health and wellbeing of the people of NSW.

Updated

AAP has filed the “tributes flow” piece on John Barilaro:

Retiring deputy premier John Barilaro has been lauded as a “true champion of country” NSW, with federal Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce leading the tributes.

Mr Barilaro is quitting politics days after premier Gladys Berejiklian’s decision to resign following the announcement of an Icac investigation.

The NSW Nationals leader, who holds the seat of Monaro, said the next premier would be best served by someone who had the passion and fight to forge on.

A bevy of his colleagues on Monday praised the 49-year-old for his commitment to regional communities.

Federal party leader Barnaby Joyce said Mr Barilaro had been a “forthright advocate” for regional NSW despite the political consequences of doing so, a sentiment echoed by NSW Nationals chairman Andrew Fraser and the man seeking to become the state’s next premier, Dominic Perrottet.

“He was not a cookie-cutter politician and I think that was the key to his success,” Mr Joyce said in a statement on Monday.

John Barilaro speaks speaks to the media on Monday.
John Barilaro speaks speaks to the media on Monday. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

NSW Nationals MP Paul Toole, likely to be one of three to put their hand up for the vacant leadership position, said Mr Barilaro “never shied away from a challenge”.

Adam Marshall, also a potential contender, said he is “a colourful political brawler” admired and adored for his “mongrel and passion”.

Born in Queanbeyan to Italian migrant parents, Mr Barilaro worked as a carpenter and on the factory floor of his family’s business.

He never lost sight of his roots and the community he was representing, said water minister Melinda Pavey, so far the only MP to throw her hat in the ring for the top job.

“To John, the carpenters in Cooma were more important than the ministers on Macquarie Street,” she said in a statement.

Updated

There’s a little Covid-19 scare in the town of Mount Gambier in South Australia’s south-east, the ABC report:

Meet the man likely to become the next NSW premier. By Michael McGowan:

A prominent Indigenous organisation in the town of Shepparton says a member of the community has tested positive to Covid-19:

Launceston teen who tested positive to Covid-19 skipped quarantine

AAP have filed the below re the news from earlier about a teenager visiting a supermarket in Tasmania when he was supposed to be in quarantine:

A teenager in northern Tasmania who tested positive to coronavirus left home quarantine, likely while infectious, to go to a supermarket.

The 15-year-old boy flew into Launceston from Melbourne on Friday and quarantined at a family home before returning a positive test on Saturday.

Deputy Premier Jeremy Rockliff told reporters on Monday the teenager visited an IGA in the Launceston suburb of Newnham with his cousin on Saturday afternoon.

The supermarket has been declared an exposure site and anyone who visited between 2:20pm and 2:45pm has been asked to get tested and isolate.

The teenager, who wasn’t wearing a mask, was in the shop a few minutes.

“This is a very limited exposure time frame. However, out of an abundance of caution, we are declaring the IGA as an exposure site,” Mr Rockliff said.

The shopkeeper who served the teenager has been listed as a close contact and is quarantining.

Two other people who on Friday night visited the home where the teen and his family are staying are also now in quarantine.

The boy is in a medi-hotel after initially being taken to the Launceston General Hospital for assessment.

His close family contacts are in quarantine.

Updated

It looks rather puny when it’s laid out like this, but every little jab helps:

Fortescue Metals Group boss Andrew Forrest has criticised “failed” carbon capture and storage technology and said the general population is entitled to feel sceptical about its use.

As the Morrison government moves to award carbon credits to fossil fuel projects that promise to capture and store carbon dioxide, the mining billionaire has told a podcast such projects had failed “19 out of 20 times”.

You can read the rest of that story here:

Rob Stokes will contest the NSW Liberal Party leadership, despite a deal being done to install his friend Dominic Perrottet as the replacement for Gladys Berejiklian, AAP report:

Planning Minister Rob Stokes is refusing to back down from his bid to become the next premier of NSW, despite a deal done to install his “good friend” Dominic Perrottet in the top job.

The Pittwater MP has offered himself as a more experienced alternative to 39-year-old Mr Perrottet, arguing he was the party’s best shot at winning the 2023 election.

“Dominic Perrottet is a good friend of mine. He has a lot of great qualities. I just believe in terms of experience that I offer more,” he told reporters on Monday. But the 47-year-old remained coy on his chances of winning the leadership when the Liberal party room meets on Tuesday to vote for their new leader.

“That is up to my colleagues,” he said. “I feel very confident that I have every chance of being successful but, after all, the main game here is to give a choice to the people of the party room.”


Updated

Victoria’s ambulance network was down to just 5% of its fleet on Friday night amid pressures due to Covid-19, and at one point 72 people were waiting for an ambulance at the same time.

The Victorian Ambulance Union secretary, Danny Hill, said the peak stress on the system happened in the final hour of 1 October, with paramedics and patient transport officers so stretched and overworked that the union was concerned about their ability to drive home.

“This is the reality of the pandemic,” Hill told Guardian Australia.

Full story here:

All our Covid-19 data has been updated for the day right over here:

NSW water minister Melinda Pavey announces bid for Nationals leadership

Here is a story from AAP about a possible replacement for the outgoing John Barilaro (as flagged earlier):

NSW Water Minister Melinda Pavey says she wants to be the Nationals leader after Deputy Premier John Barilaro announced his resignation from state parliament.

Ms Pavey said it was sad to lose a great champion of the bush and she felt inspired to continue his work.

“To John, the carpenters in Cooma were more important than the ministers on Macquarie Street,” she said in a statement. “A strong National party is integral to a strong coalition and I am encouraged by the support my colleagues have shown me.”

MPs Paul Toole and Adam Marshall are also considered contenders to lead the party and become the new deputy premier. Mr Toole said he would deliberate on “how best I can serve our party” over the next 24 hours before announcing his final decision.

Updated

The ABC is reporting that a Covid-19 positive teenager skipped quarantine and went to the supermarket in Launceston, which seems suboptimal.

We’re getting frightfully close to 80% first dose, my fellow Australians.

AAP have filed an update on the Covid situation in New South Wales:

NSW has recorded 623 new local cases of COVID-19, the lowest daily case number for the state since late August and the third day in a row below the 700 mark.

Another six people have died, bringing the toll for the current outbreak to 378. Of the six people who died, four were not vaccinated, one had received a first dose, and one woman aged in her 90s was fully vaccinated.

But health authorities are contact tracing cases across much of regional NSW.

Fresh exposure sites have been listed for the towns of Bermagui, Cooma, Jindabyne, Queanbeyan and Thredbo.

Health authorities have also issued stay-at-home orders for the Lismore local government area, in place until October 11, for anyone who has been in the area since September 28.

Meanwhile, NSW Health says it is closely monitoring COVID risks in Cowra, Muswellbrook and Port Macquarie, after another three cases were reported in the mid-north coast on Sunday.

Casino is also in lockdown, with stay-at-home orders applicable to anyone who has visited the northern NSW town since September 24.

Dr Jeremy McAnulty speaks to the media last month.
Dr Jeremy McAnulty speaks to the media last month. Photograph: Joel Carrett/EPA

Dr Jeremy McAnulty from NSW Health reminded people that social gatherings are still not permitted inside homes.

The warning comes as homes and hospitality businesses hope to once again welcome visitors in about a week’s time as the state nears its 70 per cent double dose vaccination target.

Updated

Meanwhile, New Zealand is also forgetting about Covid zero:

A few more shots of the hail in Melbourne on Monday.

And won’t somebody please think of the golfers? Banned for so long, back for only a few days, then this.

The Victorian chief health officer, Brett Sutton, says he does not know the percentage of construction workers who have been vaccinated, a day before the sector is due to reopen, AAP report:

Victoria’s health boss is still in the dark on the level of COVID-19 vaccination among construction workers as the sector prepares to reopen after a two-week shutdown.

Construction workers in Melbourne and other locked-down areas can return to worksites from Tuesday, as long as they follow strict safeguards and have had at least their first jab.

The industry-wide mandate, and other restrictions brought in to curb transmission, sparked a protest outside the CFMEU’s Melbourne headquarters on September 20, the day the state government announced the sector would down tools for a fortnight-long reset.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said tens of thousands of construction workers had since come forward to meet the first-dose requirement, but could not say what proportion of the industry is now vaccinated.

“I haven’t asked the question,” he told reporters on Monday.

Professor Sutton believes the building industry is ready for Tuesday’s restart, having learned a “hard lesson” and reflected on compliance issues with masks and tearooms.
“We can absolutely turn it around,” he said.

Updated

One of Melbourne’s most prestigious legal chambers is considered a possible Covid-19 exposure site, after a positive case attended the building on Thursday.

The case attended the eighth floor of Owen Dixon Chambers East between 8am and 1pm on 30 September, according to an email sent to occupants of the chambers.

Another email sent by Victorian Bar Council president Christopher Blanden QC to council members says a “person within the bar community” has tested positive.

Blanden adds in the email that the council is in discussion with the Victorian department of justice to determine whether the announcement on Friday of mandatory vaccination for authorised workers would apply to barristers. He wrote:

In the interim, I encourage all members to consider whether vaccination is appropriate for them personally and as members of the Bar.

The more members who are vaccinated, the more the risks to each and all barristers are reduced.

The courts are more likely to have the confidence to open up faster when more Court participants are vaccinated.

There’s hail in some parts of Melbourne, just to give us poor constantly locked down saps something to be excited about.

An antiviral pill showing promising signs of slashing Covid-19 deaths and hospitalisations is set to be available in Australia next year pending regulatory approval, AAP reports.

Health Minister Greg Hunt anticipates molnupiravir, being trialled in the US, could be rolled out in Australia as early as the first quarter of 2022.

Manufacturer Merck has been invited to apply to have the antiviral drug approved for use by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

“An oral pill is obviously a much easier means of helping people,” Mr Hunt told reporters on Monday.

“These would be made available on the basis of need right across the country.

“We’re in advanced discussions with a variety of different (drug) makers.”

Greg Hunt at a press conference in Canberra last month.
Greg Hunt at a press conference in Canberra last month. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

The drug company earlier announced trial results showing the treatment reduced hospitalisations and deaths by around 50 per cent.

Meanwhile, Australia has received 15,000 additional doses of the antibody treatment sotrovimab, which is used to stop the virus replicating.

The national stockpile of the drug, administered by intravenous infusion within five days of patients developing symptoms, is expected to exceed 30,000 doses this year.

It has been shown to reduce hospitalisation or death in patients with mild or moderate infections and who are at high risk of severe illness.

While vaccines remain the first port of call for beating coronavirus, University of South Australia epidemiologist Adrian Esterman has emphasised the importance of finding new treatments.

“There has been not much emphasis placed on research into treatment since the start of this pandemic,” he told AAP.

“Even with 100 per cent of the population fully vaccinated, there will still be virus circulating because none of the vaccines is 100 per cent effective against transmission.”

Updated

Back on to Melbourne, the lockdown capital of the world.

The Victorian chief health officer, Brett Sutton, earlier called it “an awful sacrifice” to be locked down so long but a “triumph” to drive cases down.

Updated

The Australian news website Crikey has been suspended from Twitter for posting the phone number of Craig Kelly as part of its coverage of spam texts. Crikey’s story about the ban, which lasts until 7pm on Monday, is here (with a paywall).

Updated

Victorian VCE students among new Covid cases

Dozens of final-year Victorian students have tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of returning to classrooms to sit a statewide, annual test, AAP reports.

Victoria reported 1,377 new local cases and four deaths on Monday, taking the toll for the current outbreak to 53.

Education minister James Merlino said 33 VCE students from Covid hotspots were among the new cases, after 8,000 were tested in the lead up to Tuesday’s repeatedly rescheduled General Achievement Test.

The students are being contact traced and will not be able to sit the GAT, but can sit their exams at a later date.

Regional Victorian students in prep to grade two and year 12 returned to face-to-face learning on Monday under the first part of a staggered plan.

People exercise at Melbourne’s Albert Park Lake on Monday as Melbourne became the most locked-down city in the world.
People exercise at Melbourne’s Albert Park Lake on Monday as Melbourne became the most locked-down city in the world. Photograph: Daniel Pockett/EPA

It comes as Victoria prepares to roll out repurposed dental vans to administer Covid-19 vaccinations to boost rates in the state’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

The three vans are part of the Victoria’s Smile Squad dental fleet and will be staffed and run by Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and mainstream partners.

The first dedicated van will hit the road this week, stopping in locked-down greater Shepparton, which has the largest Aboriginal population in Victoria outside of Melbourne.

More than 65% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Victorians have received at least one dose of a Covid vaccine, a lower rate than the broader population – 82.8% of Victorians 16 and over have received their first jab and 52.5% are fully vaccinated.

Updated

Berejiklian approached to run for federal parliament

The outgoing New South Wales premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has been approached by senior Liberals in the state to run for the federal seat of Warringah.

Read our exclusive story here:

Senior NSW Liberals have approached outgoing premier Gladys Berejiklian about a tilt at the federal seat of Warringah.
Senior NSW Liberals have approached outgoing premier Gladys Berejiklian about a tilt at the federal seat of Warringah. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

Updated

The hands have started to go up for the outgoing NSW Nationals leader John Barilaro’s replacement.

Updated

This is a thought-provoking piece by Kate Hennessy about how Covid-19 is not just a “pandemic of the unvaccinated”.

Updated

A Queensland police officer who leaked the address of a domestic abuse victim to her violent former partner has resigned, more than five years after first admitting to hacking into a confidential police database.

Neil Glen Punchard had a criminal conviction for computer hacking and two-month suspended prison sentence reinstated by the state court of appeal in August.

Punchard’s subsequent decision to quit – before having his salary suspended – finalises a long saga that has deeply embarrassed the Queensland police service.

Read the full story here:

Here’s a wrap of the Covid situation in the ACT, via AAP:

Two more people have died from Covid-19 in the ACT, as the territory records 28 new community cases.

The two deaths announced on Monday, both women in their 80s, take the toll from the current outbreak to five.

One was a woman from an aged-care facility in Canberra’s north who was receiving palliative care, while the other was admitted to Canberra hospital on Friday.

Of the 28 new cases, 14 have been linked to existing infections, while 14 are under investigation.

There were eight new cases that were in quarantine during their infectious period, while 16 were infectious in the community.

A sign reminding people to stay at home during lockdown in Canberra.
A sign reminding people to stay at home during lockdown in Canberra. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

The new case numbers mean the ACT has recorded more than 1,000 infections since its latest Covid outbreak began in August.

There are 16 patients with the virus in Canberra hospitals, with five of those in intensive care and one on a ventilator.

While vaccine numbers are high in the ACT, health authorities have warned people not to become complacent.

Minor Covid-19 restrictions were pulled back in Canberra on Friday ahead of the ACT’s lockdown easing on 15 October.

The new measures allow for up to two people to visit another household.

Updated

Some wholesome Australian bird of the year adjacent content:

Updated

The disability royal commission has called the Covid-19 vaccine rollout “seriously deficient” and warned against opening up before everyone’s had a chance to be vaccinated.

Here’s a snippet from a feature on the issue by Luke Henriques-Gomes.

David Moody’s phone wouldn’t stop ringing. And everyone had the same problem.

“We started to get calls saying, ‘When are these guys showing up’?” says Moody, who was until June the chief executive of a peak body for national disability insurance scheme providers. “It’s fair to say that was the cry from providers for the next three months after. ‘When are they coming?’ It was clear something wasn’t working.”

It was the middle of March, a few months after the federal government promised the 27,000 people with disability who live in shared accommodation they would be at the front of the vaccine queue.

You can read the full story here:

Updated

I thought this piece from Rafqa Touma was really strong. It brings home the human side of all the Covid-19 figures we get thrown at us every day.

Thank you Matilda Boseley (for everything apart from the lousy bird suggestion).

With that, I will hand you over to the fantastic Nino Bucci who will be with you for the rest of the day.

Have fun guys, see you bright and early tomorrow. Vote for the pelican!

Updated

Not helpful: Andrew Barr takes on Morrison over hospital funding

The ACT chief minister, Andrew Barr, has taken on Scott Morrison over the issue of hospital funding, describing Morrison’s comments that states were engaged in a “shakedown” of the commonwealth as “not particularly helpful”.

Barr noted that all states and territories had asked the commonwealth for an extension of equal cost-sharing, including Liberal governments in NSW, Tasmania and South Australia, so it was “not party political – it’s not Labor vs Liberal”.

Barr made a number of arguments for a 50-50 funding agreement with the commonwealth, including noting that the federal health department secretary, Brendan Murphy, had acknowledged the problem of “bed blocking” – that people are being kept in hospital when they should be in aged case or the NDIS, which are commonwealth responsibilities.

Barr said that 50-50 funding of mental health should continue for at least 12 months and it is a “sound principle” to continue to share the costs of Covid, including by temporarily lifting the 6.5% cap on activity based funding.

Barr said he didn’t think the door was closed, despite Morrison’s comments, and called on the likely incoming NSW premier Dominic Perrottet to “lead engagement” with the commonwealth.

The ACT chief minister Andrew Barr.
The ACT chief minister Andrew Barr. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Updated

Reporter:

That sounds great but have you got your numbers? You must have been ... looking for number. How confident do you feel?

Stokes:

I feel very confident that I have every chance of being successful but, after all, the main game here is to give a choice to the people of the party room.

Reporter:

Why are you a better choice?

Stokes:

Dominic Perrottet is a good friend of mine, he has a lot of great calls, I just believe in terms of experience that I offer more. I think in terms of being able to speak to the people of New South Wales, we have a couple of challenging byelections ahead of us, and I believe I am equipped and prepared for that challenge and for that journey and that’s why I’m putting my name forward.

Updated

The other contender for New South Wales’s new premier, planning minister Rob Stokes, is speaking now, and despite most already taking Dominic Perrottet’s promotion as a given, he says he will still fight it out.

Bafflingly he is wearing a bright yellow shirt with red lining. That felt important to note.

There are always challenging times in politics. The biggest challenge for us is to be committed to focus on the people of New South Wales, after all that is what we are elected to do. We have a vote tomorrow, that is a great democratic tradition and I am putting my name forward.

Reporter:

What’s your chances?

Stokes:

That is up to my colleagues. Ultimately the only way we are going to know who the next premier of New South Wales will be is by testing that in a representative democracy by a vote of the members who, together with the National party, represent the majority of citizens of New South Wales.

Updated

Some news from Tamworth, NSW:

In fact, turns out we have a whole video about the sewage incident, with a great soundtrack. Please enjoy!

Updated

Ahhh! Thank you Betterrant! I did not remember this.

Penrith winger Brian To’o turned up to Suncorp Stadium with an engagement ring and left with a premiership ring and a fiancee after his NRL grand final proposal.

Moments after the Panthers’ heart-stopping 14-12 win over South Sydney in Sunday’s premiership decider, To’o went to where his partner Moesha Crichton-Ropati was sitting in the crowd before getting on one knee.

In a double win for the NSW State of Origin star, a thrilled Crichton-Ropati said yes and gleefully accepted the ring To’o proffered.

“Pretty happy that I’ve got a ring and she does as well,” he said, revealing he planned to ask the question regardless of the result.

“I just told her she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me then got down on one knee. I was planning to do it during Origin but due to Covid it didn’t happen, so made the next step to push for a grand final.”

You can read the full report below:

Updated

Can someone explain what this means to me? It seems funny and I want to be in on the joke. Thanks.

Victoria will be moving away from closing entire schools when a positive case is discovered among students or staff, with the state adopting a more targeted approach.

Merlino:

The Department of Education and Training is working closely with the public health team within the department to reduce the time and number of students.

So for example if there is an outbreak in a school, there will be the need to immediately close ... and clean a school, but in the past it has been for a 14 day period, all students during remote learning.

We are working with the Department of Health to ensure we can keep the number of students impacted and the time as short as possible.

Updated

More than 90% of the ACT’s over-12 population have now been vaccinated, which is quite the achievement since no other state or territory has reached 90%, even with the over-16 cohorts.

Andrew Barr:

On the vaccination front, the ACT’s first dose vaccination rate continues to climb at a very impressive rate, yesterday reaching 93.4% of the eligible 12-plus population.

This very high level of first-dose vaccination, when those people have the opportunity to have their second dose later this month, will give our community a very strong level of protection.

Our fully vaccinated coverage is currently 64.6% of the eligible population.

What we’re seeing is incredibly strong, nation-leading levels of vaccination coverage amongst over-40s. But it’s younger Canberrans who have just not yet had the opportunity to access vaccination where we still don’t have the required level of second-dose protection.

Our under-40s are less than 60% fully vaccinated. But that number will change as each day goes by.

Updated

Andrew Barr:

Overnight we had 14 cases linked and the balance, the other 14, still under investigation. We can confirm eight of the 28 were in quarantine during their entire infectious period. And at least 16 were infectious in the community.

We have 16 people currently hospitalised in the ACT. Five in intensive care and one requiring ventilation.

Updated

Here is ACT chief minister Andrew Barr confirming that both women who died were receiving palliative care:

Two [people] have passed away. Both in their 80s.

One was a resident of an aged care facility, receiving end-of-life care. She was fully vaccinated.

Another woman was admitted to Canberra hospital on Friday night where she received palliative care for Covid-19 and other health issues.

On behalf of the ACT community, we sent our condolences and our love to the family and friends of those two women at this very difficult time.

Updated

ACT records two Covid-19 deaths and 28 new local cases

The ACT has recorded two more Covid-19 deaths which will be included officially in tomorrow’s numbers.

Today the state recorded 28 new local Covid-19 cases.

Updated

James Merlino is doing a bit of a victory lap today after the state took out the top Naplan results despite the literal state of disaster that has been happening over the last year and a half:

We released the Naplan data earlier in the year and Victoria is leading the nation in Naplan results. Extraordinary, given the circumstances of the last 20 months or so. There was an evaluation conducted, an independent evaluation by Deloitte and it showed that the tutor learning initiative improved attendance, achievement and engagement. It has worked. And, given the continued impact of the pandemic through 2021, we need that support next year.

And that’s why I’m delighted to announce that a further $230m will be delivered to continue the tutor program for the whole of 2022. Each individual school will receive the same allocation as they received this year, except for our very, very small schools. Their allocation will actually go up from $15,000 to $25,000 as a minimum allocation, enabling our very small schools to provide more hours, more staff, to deliver the tutor program.

Updated

Just on Shepparton, where these vans are headed first, the regional city now only has a fully vaccinated rate of 28.37% of people over the age of 15, and only 56.6% have received at least one dose.

This is considerably below the state’s average.

Updated

James Merlino has announced a mobile vaccination van initiative to help ensure Indigenous people living in the regions of Victoria have access to the vaccine.

Today I’m also pleased to announce a really positive vaccination initiative.

The Victorian Aboriginal community-controlled health organisation, community leaders and other health services are partnering to bring dedicated vaccination vans into our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Three of Victoria’s Smile Squad dental vans will be repurposed as vaccination vans, with the first heading to Shepparton today.

Shepparton has the largest Aboriginal population in Victoria outside of Melbourne, and is currently in lockdown where it is battling an outbreak.

Vaccine uptake in Victoria’s First Nations communities is high compared to other states and territories, but it is still lower than the broader Victorian population with 65% having received a first dose.

We do know that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are at a higher risk of Covid-19 due to a number of factors, including pre-existing medical conditions and large households.

So this is a really important initiative which will bring the vaccine directly to some of our most at-risk communities.

Updated

New Zealand records 29 new local Covid-19 cases

New Zealand has recorded 29 new cases of Covid-19 in the community as Auckland waits to hear if its lockdown restrictions will be eased.

All but one of Monday’s cases are in Auckland, bringing the total number of cases in the outbreak to 1,314. A newborn baby in the maternity ward at North Shore hospital was one of the latest cases.

Lockdown restrictions were extended to areas south of the country’s largest city at the weekend, after the emergence of new community cases in the Waikato region, south of Auckland.

There are 21 unlinked cases from the past fortnight, which epidemiologists fear could indicate undetected strains of transmission within the community.

Cabinet will decide later on Monday if Auckland, which has been in lockdown for seven weeks, will have its restrictions eased. On Sunday, prime minister Jacinda Ardern promised to share a roadmap for ending Auckland’s restrictions and indicated a return to level four – the highest setting – will not be part of that plan.

Just over 46% of the eligible population – 12 years and over – is fully vaccinated, and 76% has had at least one dose.

Updated

James Merlino:

Fifty-two point five per cent of the over-16 population has now received a second dose of Covid-19 vaccine, and 82.8% have now received a first dose.

Interestingly, if we include the total eligible population of people 12 years and over, the first dose rate is very close behind at 81.1%.

And this really does reflect the rapid and enthusiastic uptake of vaccines in the newly eligible 12-15 cohort, with 160,000 young people coming forward for their first dose in the past few weeks.

Updated

Thirty-three students intending to sit VCE exams in Victoria test positive to Covid-19

James Merlino says a considerable number of students, headed to campus to sit the Gat exam this week, tested positive to Covid-19:

Over the weekend, we had around 8,000 VCE students getting tested ahead of the Gat tomorrow in hotspot postcodes, and from this Gat testing, we’ve identified 33 positive cases amongst students. We may not have found these cases otherwise, so that goes a long way to help us hold the gap as safely as possible tomorrow. The Department of Education is contacting these students and letting them know that they cannot sit the Gat and we’ll make arrangements for how they can sit their exams at a later stage, if indeed, they’re unable to sit any of their exams.

Updated

Victorian deputy premier James Merlino is speaking now and has given details about the four deaths of Covid-19 positive people overnight:

A woman in her 70s from Hume, a woman in her 60s from Hume, a man in his 60s from Manningham and a man in his 80s from Moorland. This will be an extremely difficult time for their family and friends and we extend our deepest condolences to these people.

Four hundred and ninety-eight people are currently in hospital with Covid-19. Ninety-six are in ICU and 59 are on a ventilator. Of the new cases we’re reporting today, 45% are aged between 10 and 29.

Updated

Jeannette Young:

I am very, very comfortable with the large amount of testing that we haven’t seen any cases.

It’s coincidental that this has happened at a time of increased testing. So if we hadn’t had all of that increased testing, I would be more cautious.

But at this point in time, I think with that increased testing, the fact that she’s double vaccinated, the fact that her household members are all negative, is reassuring.

So I just need that increased testing to make sure that we don’t have any transmission going on.

Updated

Queensland is not going into lockdown due to this case; Jeannette Young says the large amount of testing done would suggest that the virus hasn’t spread:

Well, the only thing that’s reassuring me is the amount of testing that we’ve done. So this has happened at the same time that we’ve had those restrictions in place and that enhanced testing.

So I’d like to see more testing just to make sure that we haven’t missed anything, but she’s been out and about and we haven’t seen any cases.

She also is double vaccinated, so she’s fully vaccinated – her second dose was back in August. And her household members are all negative. So there are three other people in that household and none of those have tested positive.

So I am reasonably reassured by all of that. But it would be good to see that enhanced testing response that we see every single time from Queenslanders.

Updated

Here is Queensland chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young:

A new locally acquired case who has been infectious in the community since September 23. So it’s really important that anyone who lives in that fits Fitzgibbon area or Redcliffe down to Chermside to Cannon Hill, please, any symptoms at all, come and get tested I’m really sure that we have done well over 100,000 tests in the south-east corner over the last week.

We’ve not picked up any other chains of transmission. But, we now do know that we have this case that tested positive and we got those results yesterday.

We do have this case, so I encourage and please ask anyone who lives particularly in the northern part of Brisbane to come forward and get tested, even if you have the mildest of symptoms.

Updated

Queensland records one local case, unlinked to any current outbreaks

Queensland has recorded one new local Covid-19 case, unlinked to any known cases.

It is a woman in her 50s who lives in Fitzgibbon. She was infectious in the community for 10 days.

Updated

The Australian Medical Association is calling for real-time data on Queensland hospitals as health officials plan for an “inevitable” Delta outbreak

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has previously called for more federal funding to help the state manage future outbreaks, but the AMA-led group says more action is needed, reports AAP.

The doctors are gathering for a roundtable meeting to discuss the “ramping crisis” before interstate borders reopen later this year.

Emergency physician Kim Hansen said:

There is a very real threat of our hospitals that are treating COVID cases becoming overwhelmed as we have seen happen already in New South Wales and Victoria.

We need our hospitals at 90 per cent capacity to allow the flow of those in emergency departments through the hospital system. It’s imperative we have an action plan developed this year, but we must be fully armed with data and collaboration.

Available hospital beds that are staffed for emergency patients are more important than the number of beds overall, Hansen said.

We need real-time data from Queensland Health on the number of beds in each hospital ward across the state for emergency patients with teams to support the patients.

Updated

We are just standing by now to hear from the Victorian leaders after the state recorded 1,377 new local Covid-19 cases overnight.

The New South Wales deputy premier, John Barilaro, has quit state politics, saying NSW needs a “new beginning” and that he had been thinking of leaving for some time.

Barilaro will immediately resign from the role of deputy premier and will also leave parliament, triggering yet another byelection for the NSW government.

A party room meeting will be held to choose a new leader on Wednesday with the water minister, Melinda Pavey, the regional roads minister, Paul Toole, and the agriculture minister, Adam Marshall expected to stand. Bronwyn Taylor, the mental health minister, who is now in the upper house, is expected to run in Barilaro’s seat of Monaro and could also put her hand up.

You can read the full report by Christopher Knaus and Anne Davies below:

Updated

Would you look at the curve! Here is the NSW outbreak daily case number graph by the wonderful Josh Nicholas:

Updated

Some news coming out of Victoria: the education minister is announcing a new initiative to get more mental health practitioners in schools across the state.

Updated

There will be no NSW press conference today, although NSW Health is doing a live stream with details of today’s numbers here.

Updated

Here are the details of those deaths from NSW Health:

Sadly, NSW Health is today reporting the deaths of six people with Covid-19 – three women and three men.

One person was in their 40s, three people were in their 60s, one person was in their 70s and one person was in their 90s.

Three people were from south-western Sydney, two people were from western Sydney and one person was from the Nepean Blue Mountains area.

Four people were not vaccinated, one person had received one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, and one person had received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine.

The person who had received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine was a woman in her 90s who died at Hawkesbury Living nursing home. This is the fourth death linked to this outbreak.

A man in his 60s from south-western Sydney, who died at Campbelltown hospital, acquired his infection at the hospital. This is the third death linked to this outbreak ...

There have been 378 Covid-19 related deaths in NSW since 16 June 2021 and 434 in total since the start of the pandemic.

Updated

NSW records 623 local Covid-19 cases and six deaths

The NSW numbers are out, with 623 new cases recorded.

Sadly, six people with Covid-19 have died.

Updated

Scratch what I said earlier. Queensland’s press conference will be at 10.30am AEST and 11.30am ADST. Not 10 and 11 respectively.

Updated

Here is what Nine news is reporting about the state of the NSW government. This has yet to be independently confirmed:

Updated

Well, here is some better breaking news for the morning! Peter Hannam is joining Guardian Australia as our new economics correspondent!

Updated

Now we also usually hear from the NSW leadership about 11am for the Covid-19 update.

I haven’t seen an alert yet but it wouldn’t surprise me if they were to shake it up a little bit today, given the whole “entire state government imploding in on itself” thing that’s going on.

Updated

The amount of confusion I had reading this tweet at 10.41am AEDT time!

But yes, we should be hearing from the Queensland premier about 10am AEST and 11am AEDT.

Updated

Dominic Perrottet, already acting like the NSW premier (fake it till you make it, I guess) has put out a statement on John Barilaro’s departure:

I am deeply saddened at the loss of a close friend and formidable colleague in NSW Parliament, however I know it is a decision John has been considering for some time and I understand and support him in his decision.

Updated

Aged care nurses who stay in the sector will receive bonus payments in a federal government bid to boost the country’s workforce, reports Georgie Moore from AAP.

Full-time registered nurses who work for the same aged care provider for 12 months can receive the $3,700 payment in 2022 and 2023.

Part-time and casual registered nurses are eligible for the payment on a pro-rata basis.

It is expected to average $2,700 a year for this cohort.

Nurses who work in a rural or remote area, have a postgraduate qualification or take on additional leadership and training responsibilities will be eligible for a further $2,300 on top.

The eligibility period for the 2022 payments opens on 1 November and runs until 31 October next year.

The second payment period runs from November 2022 until October 2023.

The measures, costing $135.6m, were announced in the May federal budget.

Health and aged care minister Greg Hunt said on Monday:

This payment recognises the integral role of registered nurses in delivering high-quality care for our most vulnerable.

We hope it encourages aged care nurses to continue working with older Australians and incentivises nurses in other sectors to explore a career in aged care.

Updated

There is no love lost between John Barilaro and federal Labor’s Julian Hill, it seems.

Updated

Vibe.

Barilaro says 'let’s see what occurs' when asked if there are 'other scandals about to break'

A reporter has asked John Barilaro if there is “nothing else going on” in relation to his resignation.

He is asked if there are “other scandals about to break”, and the deputy premier didn’t give an outright no, instead saying we should “see what occurs” in the months ahead:

Again, if that was case, I wouldn’t be allowed to comment anyway – as I said, Ive just don’t make any comments around the Icac. The weeks, the months ahead, let’s see what occurs. Today I have decided to go on my accord.

As I said earlier, I was thinking about leaving at a time in the future. I think the events now give me an honest opportunity to do this in a transparent way. So that is what I have to say.

I’m leaving today because of the very reasons that I’ve said earlier that it’s time because of the 10 and a half years, the defamation case, definitely playing a big part of this.

I don’t know how many of you can endure what I’ve endured online. I feel for young men and women, young boys and girls that get bullied on social media. I feel for them because as a – as someone who has been around the traps, a 49-year-old man that has played it rough and tough, I’ve got to tell you it has made it very difficult for me, very, very difficult for me, when you get online and the abuse you cop, started by disgusting, vile, racist commentary.

Updated

Barilaro says he will be taking the summer to get on the beers before looking for his next gig outside politics:

I will take some time. I have no job. I can make it clear I’m not going into any job. I have spoken to a number of recruiters about what is out there. Look, I’m comfortable with that. I’m looking forward to see what is in the next chapter.

But you know what? We’re opening pubs on Monday. Make sure everyone is double vaxxed for that, and we are in spring and then summer, so I will take a little bit of time to think about what is next.

Updated

NOOOOOOO! Not the cursed “father of daughters” line.

John Barilaro, please, you are allowed to respect women even if you don’t have daughters!

He has been asked if he would like to see a woman fill his role of leader of the NSW Nationals and deputy premier:

Well, one of my proudest achievements is on my watch, I promoted more women to ministry, to the cabinet of New South Wales under my leadership. It is something I’m very proud of.

All the women in my party are in senior roles, be it a minister or a whip or parliamentary secretary positions, they have all had the opportunity under my leadership, something as a father of daughters probably has made me realise that if you look at my whole career from my chiefs of staff to a lot of staff, I am surrounded by wonderful, strong women who have allowed me to be who I am.

I would love to see that happen, but at the same time one thing the National party do really, really well, we pick the right candidate for the right time. We’ve proven as a party not only do we have great women in the party but great men.

Updated

The outgoing NSW Nationals leader has been asked who he believes will be his successor.

John Barilaro:

Mate, I could talk about every member of my team, all of them could lead this party into this next chapter, next journey, and it’s not my job.

We don’t have factions in the National party. We actually do, we have either the freshwater Nats or the saltwater Nats, the coastal Nats versus inland. We will give everyone the opportunity to put their hand forward.

There have been members who have been with the team for a long time that could put their hand up. My deputy, Paul Tool, I’ve heard he is the frontrunner as picked by the media. The reality is all of them have the ability and the party room on Wednesday will make that decision.

Updated

'Leave the Icac stuff alone,' John Barilaro says

There has been a lot of commentary around over the week about the NSW Icac, but John Barilaro says he won’t be weighing in.

The first rule of fight club is not to talk about fight club. A great movie. The truth is this, if you are being subpoenaed by Icac, you can’t talk about it. Leave the Icac stuff alone – it is an independent body that needs to make a judgment on issues.

We saw on Friday what they have now publicly announced, there has been an outcry by the public. Let’s allow those proceeding to go ahead.

You won’t get any comment from me about what the Icac is, my position, or any other position of any other member, or even what the premier is facing. The reality is I’ve made it an absolute No 1 rule to never talk about Icac.

Updated

Barilaro says he was already planning to resign, probably after the state’s reopening, but last week’s upheaval brought his timeline forward:

I have to be honest, what occurred on Friday has not played in any part in the decision that I’ve made.

Many of you guys have been pushing me [about if I was leaving]. Unfortunately, I have not been able to be honest with you, but I’ve been thinking about this for a while.

I had another date picked in mind, not too far off, but I just think with the opportunities that have now arisen, and it would be unfair at some point this week that under Dominic Perrottet as premier, he would be swearing in a new cabinet.

It would be unfair and not right to go down to Government House, get sworn in and only weeks later to step aside.

Updated

Unlike Gladys Berejiklian, John Barilaro is taking questions during his resignation press conference.

First up he has been asked about his reasons for leaving and the defamation case he launched again YouTuber Jordan Shanks:

This is really difficult … The defamation case itself drags in even some of my staff who have been supporting me and some of my political opponents have decided to even try and play in this space, and I don’t wish on them what I’m enduring, so I make no quip about that and I’m careful about what I do say because it is a live defamation case.

I’ve got to say, my family – I couldn’t have done this – they gave me the privilege of being able to get into politics and without them I wouldn’t have been able to achieve it. They’ve paid the ultimate sacrifice, they’ve borne the brunt. To them I say thank you for giving me the opportunity. In the last 10 and a half years, last year was very tough when I lost Dad.

Dad was a big part of me running, getting into politics, someone who was part of his community and today it’s almost time to say farewell properly in honour of Dad.

Updated

John Barilaro:

To finish off in my style, as I always do, to watch Stuart Ayres gloat over Panthers winning yesterday in the grand final was too much to bear.

To the people of New South Wales, thank you for your support, thank you for allowing … me the privilege and honour to serve as deputy premier and for my colleagues to serve as the leader of the National party.

Updated

Barilaro says his defamation case against YouTuber Jordan Shanks is a “big reason” for his departure from politics:

Even in these recent months and over the past 12 months especially the very public defamation case that I have going at the moment – unbelievable that I have to defend myself from vile and racist attacks in a social media setting by individuals and a trillion-dollar company like Google allow that sort of vile, racial attack on any individual, regardless of public figure or not, to remain is something that I can’t believe in 2021 still exists.

A young boy of migrant parents, I grew up, I understood what racism was. Called many of those names. I didn’t think in 2021 that would continue. That in itself, can I say, was very difficult this year, and to be able to defend myself and continue with that case, I prefer to do it privately and not in the public eye. That has been a big reason for announcement, along with the opportunity that to reopen – now is the moment to refresh.

You can read some of Guardian Australia’s coverage of the case below:

Updated

Barilaro says he will not be running for federal politics

John Barilaro says he is not resigning to pursue a federal career, as many people have suspected:

I will be a keen watcher of politics but not a participant.

I make this clear now, so I don’t have to answer the question later: I have no intention and no will that I will be running for Eden-Monaro or for federal politics.

I’m looking to a new career. I turn 50 in November, maybe a bit of a midlife crisis, but definitely thinking about what happens next.

I will take some time out but I genuinely won’t be running for federal politics.

Updated

Perrottet will 'no doubt' become NSW premier, Barilaro says

John Barilaro seems pretty sure who will be taking over from Gladys Berejiklian as NSW premier:

Along this journey, I’ve been able to serve under incredible premiers, incredible friends, my colleagues in the National, my parliamentary colleagues in the Liberal party.

I wish, of course, the Liberal party in their deliberations about their next leader and as we saw yesterday no doubt it looks like Dominic Perrottet, someone I call a friend, someone I know who will take this state right now at a time that needs strong leadership through the opening up, the end of the pandemic, the start of the recovery, and I genuinely believe in his role as treasurer he has all the skills and all the ability and, if endorsed as the leader of the Liberal party, premier of this state, he will do a wonderful job.

Updated

Barilaro:

Ten and a half years is a long time in politics. Five years is a very long time as a leader of a political party, as a leader that takes on the role as deputy premier.

As the role of deputy premier, I’ve taken it seriously and given everything I possibly could have. For all of you who know me, I wear my heart on my sleeve, I fight each and every day for what I believe it and I genuinely do it because I care about the role and the people of New South Wales and it has been an absolute privilege.

Updated

NSW deputy premier John Barilaro is speaking now, delivering his farewell speech:

Good morning, everyone and thank you for taking time out this morning. For the past 10 and a half years, as the member for Monaro and for the past almost five years as deputy premier, it has been a real honour to serve the people of the Monaro electorate and the people of New South Wales.

Most importantly the people of regional and rural New South Wales, to be their voice and hope you can see that I have fought along the way.

Jeez, over that time, we’ve enjoyed some tough days – throughout the worst drought in regional New South Wales in recorded history, then the bushfires, floods, the mice plague, and then the global pandemic of Covid hitting not only the regions but our state, the nation and the globe.

It has been a tough run and being tasked by the premier of the day that I take on the role in areas of look, disaster recovery, the minister responsible, I’ve spent days in people’s kitchens, with people that have lost their homes, with people who are enduring the drought.

And I hope in that time you could see that not only did I shed tears with you, but I actually tried hard to make sure that we together were able to find hope and light for this state.

Updated

Barnaby Joyce compares Icac to Spanish inquisition

Deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce has compared the Independent Commission Against Corruption to the Spanish inquisition.

Joyce told Channel Seven’s Sunrise:

The process of Icac is lauded by people who want greater power for minority groups against the wishes of the majority, that’s how I see it ... This is not the great sort of righteous process – it’s a little bit like the Spanish inquisition ... We elect politicians, not bureaucrats. People should be the final arbiter of whether they want someone or not.

Joyce also claimed that politicians are “basically terrified to do their job and they have to make hard decisions”.

Outgoing Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon kicked off the Icac bashing on the same program, describing it as “a failed experiment” – which is certainly not Labor policy, because federal Labor wants to create a national integrity commission.

Fitzgibbon said:

I’m a great supporter of the principle innocent until proven guilty. With Icac over many years, just the opposite has been true. When you have a referral of any sort to them [they are] guilty until proven innocent. Three Liberal premiers with testify to that fact, none of them any had adverse findings against them in the eyes of the law but were certainly hung out to dry by what I think is a kangaroo court.

Updated

We are just standing by now to hear from the outgoing NSW deputy premier John Barilaro. He will be stepping up to speak at any second.

Sky News is reporting that Melinda Pavey will nominate as the next NSW Nationals leader.

Updated

Hmm, this is interesting. I’ll bring you more from this Greg Hunt interview as soon as I can:

Updated

By the way, we are expecting to hear from the (soon-to-be former) deputy premier in about 10 minutes when he steps up for a press conference.

Updated

Here’s a bit of the Barilaro resignation reaction from the NSW Greens:

And from the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers:

Updated

The seven-day rolling average for new daily cases in Victoria is now over 1,200, which is, well, not ideal:

Updated

Here are those Covid case numbers on the Victorian outbreak graph:

Updated

Victoria records 1,337 new local Covid-19 cases

Gosh, everything is happening right now and the Victorian numbers are in!

The state recorded 1,377 new cases of local Covid-19 transmission and, sadly, four people infected with the virus have died:

Updated

My official take on the Barilaro resignation:

There are going to be a slew of byelections coming up in NSW.

Updated

Barilaro continued:

I was entrusted by the Premier, as an original member of the COVID Crisis Committee, to be the architect of the roadmap out of lock down in both 2020 and 2021, and it was a responsibility that I did not take lightly, but I considered essential, to deliver hope and certainty not just for NSW, but for the Nation.

I have worked with three of the Liberal Party’s hardest working Premier’s in Barry O’Farrell, Mike Baird and particularly Gladys Berejiklian who steered this State through some of its darkest days.

The next Premier has big shoes to fill, but I wish them well and the best of luck, I will be cheering from the sidelines and I am excited for what is ahead under their stewardship.

My deepest and genuine gratitude goes to my NSW Nationals, our grassroots members, and particularly my Nationals colleagues who I have served alongside, for entrusting me to lead the Party and ensure our communities were heard.

People are sometimes quick to write off the National Party, but it’s the Nats in Government who are, and always will be, the praetorian guard of common sense.

National’s Leaders have led that guard, and I am proud to be in their company. Now I am passing on that honour.

Finally, thank you to my family for allowing me to have such an incredible opportunity and for their sacrifice.

I will be calling a Party Room meeting for this Wednesday 6 October where I will formally resign as Leader and call for a ballot for a new Leader.

Following that, I will work with the Speaker and the Electoral Commission in relation to a by-election for the seat of Monaro.

Thank you and farewell.

Updated

More from the Barilaro statement:

However it is the little things, and the beautiful people I’ve met, of whom I now call friends, that have made being the Local Member so special. Nothing is closer to my heart than the big hug and smile I received from Rosie Schenker when I delivered a renal unit at Cooma Hospital, so she no longer had to make long trips to Canberra.

To the people of Monaro, thank you for this honour.

In my time as Deputy Premier I experienced first-hand, alongside the communities of NSW, the effects of prolonged drought, the worst bushfires in living memory, severe storm and flood disasters and a 1-in-100 year global pandemic, and it was a privilege to work with our communities to endure and recover from those challenges.

I hope those communities could see my genuine and tireless effort to be there for them, especially as the Minister responsible for Disaster Recovery, a role I will never forget. I shared hugs, shed tears and brought hope for many.

My number one focus has always been to make regional NSW the best place to live, work, play and raise a family and to achieve that I proudly delivered the $4.2 billion Snowy Hydro Legacy Fund, the $2 billion Regional Growth Fund and the transformational Special Activation Precincts. These are record investments, which bring a sense of pride back into our towns.

To make sure regional communities are always at the heart of decision making in government, the Department of Regional NSW was born, and so too was the NSW Government’s Regionalisation Strategy which has herald a new era for the NSW Public Service in the bush.

The Future of Coal Statement and the Future of Gas Statement have given regional communities certainty around land use and job security, which NSW has craved for a generation, finding a balance between agriculture, the environment and the resource industry.

We thought 2020 was challenging, and then 2021 kept those challenges coming, but throughout these times, the resilience shown by the people of NSW has been truly inspiring.

Updated

Here’s the statement from John Barilaro:

As we emerge from lockdown, we must embrace this time as a new beginning for our state, and welcome the opportunity it presents for a refresh.

I have decided now is the right time for me to hand the reins over to new leadership, and resign as Deputy Premier of NSW.

Serving as Deputy Premier of NSW, as Leader of the NSW Nationals and as the member for Monaro has been the honour and privilege of a lifetime.

As the member for Monaro some of my proudest moments include delivering five new schools; Jerrabomberra, Googong, Bungendore, Jindabyne and the school for special purpose co-located at Karabar.

The iconic Snowy Mountains Brumby was saved when I legislated the Kosciusko Wild Horses Heritage Bill 2018 and we will continue to find a balance between protecting the Brumbies and protecting the most sensitive wilderness areas of the Park through the Kosciusko Plan of Management.

John Barilaro and Gladys Berejiklian at a press conference in July
John Barilaro and Gladys Berejiklian at a press conference in July. Photograph: Getty Images

Updated

NSW deputy premier and Nationals leader John Barilaro resigns

NSW deputy premier and state Nationals leader John Barilaro has resigned.

More details to come:

Updated

Gosh, it really is a public holiday in NSW, isn’t it? You know it’s a quiet morning when Jim Chalmers is the biggest name we hear from! (No offence, Jim, you get it.)

Updated

Casual workers bore the brunt of Australia’s Covid-19 lockdowns in 2021, with a new report finding they were eight times more likely to lose work than permanent staff.

The report by the Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work also found casuals were not being compensated for their “insecure” work, with median hourly wages 26% lower than permanent staff despite also lacking other entitlements like paid leave.

The report will play into political debate over whether the Coalition’s industrial relations changes are encouraging casual work in Australia and whether Covid income supports are being withdrawn too soon.

Last week treasurer Josh Frydenberg announced the federal government would phase out income support two weeks after each state and territory reached the 80% adult vaccination.

You can read the full report below:

Updated

If you like to watch men kick balls then people enjoy this amazing gallery of men kicking balls for the NRL grand final:

(Maybe this is just my “Melbourne” showing, but I swear these colours keep making me think the Rabbitohs were up against the Zimbabwean national side.)

Updated

Melbourne claims unwanted lockdown record

When it comes to Melbourne now, by some counts, becoming the most locked-down city in the world, premier Daniel Andrews says he is proud of the sacrifices Melburnians have made over the pandemic.

Yesterday he called on them to make a final push before lockdown ends in coming weeks, reports Callum Godde from AAP.

We are going to get past this. We are going to end this lockdown and open up, and all that we will enjoy then will be a result of all that we have given.

Epidemiologist Tony Blakely, a longtime supporter of the elimination strategy, told ABC TV on Monday the lockdowns saved lives but Victoria had been unfortunate to have so many:

If we let it rip last year, we would have had severe mortality and morbidity. It’s just that we haven’t had the same luck as other place.

Victoria is forecast to hit 70% vaccination coverage of its 16-plus population on 26 October, triggering the end of lockdown under the state’s roadmap before restrictions ease further at 80%.

Andrews is hopeful the reduction of the second dose Pfizer interval in state-run clinics from six to three weeks will speed up meeting those targets.

Melbourne’s city centre from Point Ormond in Elwood
Melbourne’s city centre from Point Ormond in Elwood. Photograph: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Updated

This is the energy this morning:

'Cheerleader for the let-it-rip brigade': federal Labor slams likely NSW premier

Federal Labor’s Jim Chalmers has told the Today show that Dominic Perrottet has been a “cheerleader for the let-it-rip brigade” and isn’t all too complimentary about the idea of him leading NSW:

He doesn’t have a good record as treasurer. Some things people liked about Gladys Berejiklian, he doesn’t have that.

Worryingly, he’s been the key cheerleader for the let-it-rip brigade, which is dangerous for the people of NSW.

While they spend this time sorting out who gets to sit in the big chair and who gets to sit in the slightly smaller chair, the people of NSW aren’t getting a look-in. We want to make sure that they are well supported.

And that the new government, whoever leads it after tomorrow, does the right thing by people.

Dominic Perrottet
NSW treasurer Dominic Perrottet. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

Updated

Federal shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers has been asked about the celebrations overnight after the Penrith Panther’s win in the NRL grand final (a side that seems to have way too many team colours):

I hope we put on a good show for people who are doing it tough around Australia, but particularly in Sydney. Ideally there would have been a few more masks in the crowd! I think that’s true.

But it was a really great event. A really great night. At the best rugby league ground in the world. And congratulations to the Penrith Panthers who deserved it. Not just getting over Souths in the GF, but Melbourne the week before. They deserve it. Well done to them.

(OK, this is my best attempt at covering the NRL through the lens of pandering politicians.)

Updated

While Melbourne escaped major damage in last month’s magnitude 5.9 earthquake, experts say thorough building inspections are needed to check for any undetected problems.

Buildings in Melbourne – particularly structures with masonry and reinforced concrete – may be vulnerable to “significant damage” even with low seismic activity, according to scientists who have assessed the impacts of the 22 September tremor.

Mark Quigley, an associate professor of earthquake science at the University of Melbourne, says:

Parts of Melbourne have extreme vulnerability to relatively low intensities of ground shaking.

After the magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck near Mansfield in September, scientists “raced to the scene” to monitor the seismic activity around the epicentre.

You can read the full report below:

Updated

Philip Ruddock, the president of the NSW Liberal party, has been asked on ABC radio just now if he thinks Gladys Berejiklian should have simply stepped down as premier but remained in state parliament:

It’s a matter of judgment. I think she looked at it in the context of how long it was likely to impact, and the approach that Icac takes in relation to its inquiries. I mean that could be very many months before her reputation would have been cleared.

It’s one of the reasons that I’ve commented on the way in which Icac undertakes inquiries ... I believe passionately that we need to deal with corruption. I don’t see any place for corruption in public life, but having said that, I don’t believe people’s reputations should be jeopardised because matters are put into the public arena before issues relating to culpability have been clearly established.

Philip Ruddock
Philip Ruddock, president of the NSW Liberal party. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

Updated

Just in case anyone was wondering what happened to transport minister Andrew Constance’s run to be NSW premier, he is actually quitting the state game altogether and having a crack at winning a federal seat:

Updated

A reminder to get in early and vote for the pelican in the Guardian/BirdLife Australia Bird of the year competition!

This blog is not unbiased on this front. This blog is EXTREMELY pro-pelican.

Good morning and welcome to the new week, it’s Matilda Boseley here and let’s dig right in.

First, a moment of commiseration for those in Melbourne, which by some counts is now the world’s most locked-down city, an accolade that truly no one was aiming for.

The city has now chalked up 246 days living under stay-at-home orders across six lockdowns, surpassing the record set by Buenos Aires sometime today or tomorrow ... yikes.

But the state’s leaders are hopeful that the reduction of the second-dose Pfizer interval in state-run clinics from six to three weeks from Monday will speed up the race to get to 70% of the over-16 population vaccinated.

Up north in NSW, there is unrest. It’s more of your traditional political dogfight variety.

After the shock resignation of premier Gladys Berejiklian on Friday after the state’s corruption watchdog disclosed she was under investigation for potential breaches of public trust, treasurer Dominic Perrottet now looks set to become her successor, after gathering the support of his own right faction and key moderate power brokers.

It will go to a vote tomorrow and moderate candidate Rob Stoke might still put up a fight, but it’s seeming more and more likely that the 39-year-old socially conservative Perrottet will scoop the top job.

Stuart Ayres, the NSW jobs, investment and tourism minister and a leading moderate, will run as deputy Liberal leader.

So far, Perrottet has avoided publicly committing to stick with Berejiklian’s reopening plan for Sydney.

That’s already way too much happening for a Monday morning, so why don’t we jump right in?

Updated

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