What we learned today, Friday 5 November
And with that, we will wrap up the blog for today. Here is what went down:
- Western Australian police released a statement from Cleo Smith’s family, where they thanked all those involved in the rescue, and said their family is “whole again”.
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Western Australia’s border restrictions will remain in place until 90% of its 12-and-over population is fully vaccinated.
- Australia passed the 80% double-vaccinated mark some time today, marked by the prime minister earlier today.
- The man accused of raping Brittany Higgins in a federal minister’s office has been committed to stand trial.
- The Northern Territory town of Katherine entered a 72-hour lockdown after it recorded two cases, with Darwin also in a “lockout”.
- NSW recorded 249 new cases and three deaths. Victoria recorded 1,343 new cases and 10 deaths. The ACT recorded six new cases and one death.
- The defamation case involving former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro and YouTuber Jordan Shanks (known online as Friendlyjordies) was been settled.
- A Chinese government spokesperson has called the Aukus deal “extremely irresponsible”.
- Two Melbourne Cup attendees have tested positive for Covid-19.
- People from low-risk areas will no longer need to provide a negative Covid-19 test before travelling to Tasmania from 15 December.
- Sydney’s inner-west light rail will be shut down for up to 18 months after extensive cracks were found in all the trams on the line.
- Australian entertainment icon Bert Newton will be farewelled by hundreds of relatives and friends at a state funeral in Melbourne next week.
- The ABC has signed a multimillion-dollar content deal with Google.
Updated
Cleo Smith's family release statement
Western Australia police have released a statement from Cleo Smith’s family, where they thank all those involved in the rescue, and say their family is “whole again”:
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved in the rescue of our daughter Cleo Smith.
In particular, we would like to thank WA police, all those involved in the initial search, the Carnarvon community, local businesses and of course our family and friends.
We are humbled by the love and support that we have received from not only our local community but the whole of Western Australia and across the country.
We are so thankful that our little girl is back within our arms and our family is whole again.
As we try to get on with our lives, we ask that you respect our privacy.
You can read up more on the case in this report from Elias Visontay:
Updated
National cabinet update
So, finally, we have an update from the national cabinet meeting, with details released in a (long and abbreviation-heavy) statement from the PM’s office.
On vaccination and booster plans, the national cabinet discussed the rollout, with existing vaccination infrastructure being used to reach as many people as possible. The statement noted that “hesitancy” continues to be an obstacle for both vaccination and booster shot uptake in vulnerable communities:
With supplies available, there are significant opportunities available to be vaccinated across urban, rural, remote and very remote areas.
Hesitancy continues to be a factor in low uptake, with all jurisdictions introducing measures to reduce hesitancy.
The statement also says they discussed the risks of outbreaks in Indigenous communities, noting that modelling will be revised to take into account higher vaccination rates as well as vaccine rates in remote communities.
National cabinet agreed that the commonwealth and all jurisdictions will update outbreak management plans, in partnership with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community sector, and ensure that Emergency Management Australia (EMA) is consulted in the updated planning, and that plans include timely requests for support through EMA where needed, particularly to support localised vaccine acceleration and/or establishing quarantine facilities.
The Doherty Institute found that localised health strategies may be required with high case numbers and for key high-risk groups, areas and settings, including Indigenous communities and in schools.
Doherty found that surveillance in high-risk areas to identify outbreaks early and contact management can reduce infections, keep schools open and minimise disruptions to face-to-face learning.
They also agreed to adopt a risk-based approach to changes to quarantine arrangements for contacts, including differential arrangements for fully vaccinated close contacts in phase 3 of the roadmap, while largely just confirming many of the measures already in there.
They confirmed they would “consider risk-based quarantine arrangements for fully vaccinated primary contacts, including no quarantine or minimal quarantine for up to seven days”.
Casual contacts will only be required to be tested and isolate if experiencing symptoms, under the revised measures.
Finally, the national cabinet also agreed to “release updated Doherty Institute modelling in coming days on health system capacities at living with Covid and surge capacity at different levels of community transmission”.
They noted that each state and territory apparently has “sufficient health system capacity to transition to living with Covid”.
Updated
Ambulance Victoria has doubled the capacity of its triple zero call triage service, which is aimed at freeing up ambulances for only the sickest patients, by directing people who don’t need emergency services elsewhere.
It reported improved response times, saying that its average response time to life-threatening emergencies was 13 minutes and 29 seconds, which was an improvement of five seconds on the previous quarter.
The Ambulance Victoria chief executive Prof Tony Walker said the emergency service had effectively adapted to the surge in calls that comes with the pandemic:
We’ve expanded our secondary triage service with an additional 97 paramedics and [57] nurses – effectively doubling the size of the referral service for less urgent triple zero calls.
This vital service frees up ambulances for the sickest patients by connecting patients who do not need an emergency ambulance with alternative care.
Updated
Earlier today, Northern Territory authorities warned against any anti-lockdown protesters from taking to the street over the weekend, after Darwin entered a three-day “lockout” on Friday morning.
Police commissioner Jamie Chalker said police would not tolerate anyone not complying with the restrictions, amid reports of a rally to be held tomorrow.
If people continue to act without compliance, then we will be forced into a position where [arrests] may have to be done.
If they are unvaccinated, if they’re not willing to demonstrate what the five reasons are, and they’re not going to be sound and reasonable, then they may force us into action.
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Just building on that announcement about the light rail shutdown, the NSW shadow minister for transport Jo Haylen has released a blistering statement, saying the government’s procurement policy was “in tatters”.
She says passengers will be forced to wait “years” for a reliable light rail and that thousands of passengers across the city’s inner west will experience delays and “unreliable services” for up to 18 months.
The government’s transport procurement policies are now in tatters. Every single overseas-built tram the government bought has had to be decommissioned.
An entire light rail line is now completely out of action. This will cost taxpayers millions of dollars. This is a debacle.
It’s time for the government to draw a line in the sand. They bought trains that don’t fit the tracks, ferries that can’t fit under bridges or operate at night, and an entire fleet of trams that simply don’t work. It’s time we started building transport infrastructure right here in Australia again so we can get a quality product and value for money.
Updated
Sydney's inner-west light rail decommissioned for up to 18 months
Sydney’s inner-west light rail will be shut down for up to 18 months after extensive cracks were found in all 12 trams that operate on the line.
Transport minister Rob Stokes confirmed the decision, saying he was told this afternoon the trams would need to be decommissioned while the issues were rectified.
I want to stress this is the worst-case scenario.
It’s my expectation that we rectify these issues much sooner than that, but I did feel it was appropriate to let the public know as soon as I have been advised that the worst-case scenario is 18 months to get these light rail vehicles rectified and back on the tracks.
Stokes said the cracking that was identified last week were “actually more significant than first thought and actually related to all 12 of the vehicles”.
On that basis, the safety advice has been for these vehicles to be withdrawn from service until they can be fixed.
Updated
Two positive Covid cases at the Melbourne Cup this week will not stop Stakes Day at Flemington racecourse on Saturday.
In a statement, Victoria Racing Club said the two cases were a contractor working at the course and a racegoer, and that both were fully vaccinated and unlinked.
The contractor who tested positive worked two full days in the Arbour in the purple zone on the ground floor of the Club Stand. The Department of Health has advised the VRC that patrons and staff who attended the Arbour on Cup Day are considered at low risk.
The patron who tested positive attended the deck bar within the green zone on Cup Day and the Department of Health is in direct contact with the patron and their two social close contacts, who are also fully vaccinated.
Patrons who attended the deck bar on Cup Day are being contacted directly via SMS by the VRC and staff have also been contacted. Patrons are advised to monitor their health and get tested if they develop any symptoms.
The two venues have been deep cleaned and will be ready for safe operation for Stakes Day on Saturday.
Updated
AAP is reporting that a maximum-security prison in regional New South Wales had to be emptied of inmates after it fell victim to a “horrendous” mice plague.
Rodents have been devouring crops and cutting a destructive swathe through properties in the state’s west and south since spring 2020.
In June, they caused all 420 inmates at Wellington Correctional Centre in the state’s west to be sent to other facilities after they damaged the building, a budget estimates hearing heard on Friday.
Prison staff were working in buildings where cavities and ceilings were full of dead mice, Acting Corrective Services NSW Commissioner Kevin Corcoran told the hearing.
“I got gravely ill after attending there and I know others did too,” Mr Corcoran told MPs.
There were problems with mites and faeces falling down when he toured the site, he said.
“Some of the buildings I went into were just horrendous. I mean, the smell,” he said.
“You’re almost throwing up just going into the places people were living. It’s just completely unacceptable.”
The mice, which first arrived at year ago, chewed through internal wiring and ceiling panels.
Mr Corcoran said the problems were most acute in the staff areas, and the situation “wasn’t so bad” in the inmates’ cells.
Nevertheless, Corrective Services Minister Anthony Roberts said removing the inmates and most of the staff was the best solution so remediation works could be done urgently.Asked how he could lose a maximum-security prison to mice, Mr Roberts replied: “We build prisons to keep people in.”
Updated
Medical device manufacturer Johnson and Johnson has failed in its bid to overturn a landmark ruling about harm caused by pelvic mesh implants, AAP reports.
The high court on Friday refused special leave to appeal a ruling finding the company acted negligently and concealed the true extent of complications from the pelvic implants.
It means Johnson and Johnson remains liable for millions of dollars in compensation to Australian women.
The federal court in 2020 awarded three lead litigants a combined $2.6m in damages over the implants manufactured by Johnson and Johnson subsidiary Ethicon.
The court was told the women’s surgeons weren’t warned about or aware of the extent of risks from the devices including severe chronic pain.
Johnson and Johnson earlier this year failed in its appeal of the original 2019 finding before heading to Australia’s highest court.
Updated
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce has called for fully vaccinated travellers to no longer face Covid tests “at every turn”.
Joyce was speaking at the airline’s annual general meeting and made comments on measures still in place for international arrivals, who must submit a negative test in the first 24 hours of arrival, and again after seven days.
Joyce said the measures were frustrating for travellers, who would “reasonably expect to move freely and easily”.
Hopefully these conditions, particularly PCR testing at every turn, is dispensed with as Australia becomes more confident living with Covid.
Surely that’s something we’ve all earned.
Updated
WA border restrictions criticised by Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch have released a statement, urging the Western Australian government to ease border restrictions and allow people who are double vaccinated into the state.
The international human rights group says the restrictions are “no longer proportionate”:
By this stage of the pandemic, and with widespread access to vaccines, there should be measures in place to allow families to safely travel to Western Australia and reunite with their loved ones.
It is no longer proportionate for the West Australian government to make it so difficult for compassionate cases to enter the state.
If individuals are double vaccinated and are willing to undergo quarantine, they should not be denied entry to WA.
Human Rights Watch is calling on the McGowan government to prioritise compassionate cases and family reunifications, and allow these cases to enter.
Governments can restrict people’s movement for compelling public health purposes, but any restrictions on these rights should be strictly necessary and proportionate.
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ABC signs multimillion-dollar content deal with Google
A multimillion-dollar deal signed by Google for ABC content under the news media bargaining code will create dozens of ABC jobs in regional and rural areas, ABC managing director David Anderson says.
I am pleased to announce today that we have just finalised a multi-year agreement that will see ABC content on the Google News Showcase.
In a speech at Charles Sturt University’s regional media summit on Friday, Anderson said the ABC is also negotiating a deal with Facebook.
Negotiations with Facebook are well advanced and I am hopeful that we will be able to finalise an agreement with that platform by the end of the month.
These agreements will provide a significant boost to our services in regional Australia.
When he announced the draft code, the chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Rod Sims, said the ABC and SBS were excluded because they were taxpayer-funded but Labor and the Greens pushed for the public broadcasters to be included.
While SBS has reached agreement under the code with Google, Facebook has refused to negotiate with either SBS or the Conversation, saying it had to draw the line somewhere.
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Police have seized cocaine and more than $250,000 in cash in their hunt to find fugitive Mostafa Baluch, who allegedly cut his ankle monitor after being granted bail for a drug importation charge, AAP reports.
NSW police Det Supt Rob Critchlow said two Sydney homes – one in Yagoona and another in Potts Hill – were raided on Thursday night.
“What we are finding as we chase this man to bring him back to justice is we are identifying a whole range of offences and a wider criminal group,” Critchlow said on Friday.
“The longer he is out the more pressure he is placing upon those he cares about including his family, his friends and his associates.”
Baluch, 33, was last seen on the night of 25 October on Sydney’s northern beaches.
Last month he was granted bail and released from custody, with strict bail conditions, after he was charged with a string of drug offences over a 900kg shipment of cocaine into Australia.
Police believe Baluch is “most likely” still in Sydney. “We are pretty sure we’re not far away,” Critchlow said. He said there were cars linked to Baluch at the properties.
Police seized more than $250,000 cash, about 200 grams of cocaine, 485 grams of an unknown substance, mobile phones, and an electronic money counter.
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So, the WA premier Mark McGowan has released a TikTok video that resembles a Bunnings ad, to encourage people to get vaccinated at particular Bunnings locations across the state.
It’s ... something to behold really:
Bizarre. I get that you can get a jab at Bunnings but just weird content pic.twitter.com/2FGEKBeQSF
— cam wilson, nft (@cameronwilson) November 5, 2021
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The Australian Medical Association’s president Dr Omar Khorshid was on the ABC earlier, discussing hospital wait times.
The group has released a report card that looks into public hospitals, and found that despite a drop in patient numbers due to the lockdowns, public hospitals still struggled to see people on time.
Khorshid said the pandemic had revealed the limited surge capacity public hospitals currently have:
Last year, when of course we were all in lockdown, the demand on emergency departments really plummeted and of course elective surgery was paused and yet the performance of hospitals in some states barely improved and in others it actually continued to decline.
When it comes to emergency departments, it is ACT at the bottom of the pile. And the sad thing about this report is it really does show, as it does each year, how much it matters where you live in Australia as to what access to public hospitals you have. When it comes to elective surgery waiting lists, it is Tasmania that has the worst performance in our report card this year.
We would like to see the long-term trends reversed. Rather than continuing with a way of funding public hospitals, it really only looks at throughput and where the states pick up the bulk of the tab or just over half the commonwealth a little bit less than half.
It’s a system that doesn’t actually in any way encourage state governments to build new hospitals, to employ new nurses and new doctors in order to meet that demand.
So we would like to see the funding package actually change in its nature so that it does encourage investment. And also reward hospitals for better performance.
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NT records another Covid case
The Northern Territory has recorded its second case in two days, after a mystery case emerged in Katherine yesterday.
Chief minister Michael Gunner held a press conference earlier today, telling reporters that a household contact of the man who tested positive yesterday had also tested positive.
The initial case was a man who works at Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal, outside Katherine. He and his close contacts have been transferred to the Howard Springs quarantine facility.
Gunner urged people to get tested and vaccinated as soon as possible.
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Details of Bert Newton's state funeral announced
Australian entertainment icon Bert Newton will be farewelled by hundreds of family and friends at a state funeral in Melbourne next week, AAP reports.
The man affectionately known as “Moonface” died aged 83 on October 30 at a private Melbourne clinic after his leg was amputated in May due to a life-threatening infection.
The Victorian government has confirmed the already-announced state funeral for the four-time gold Logie award-winning entertainer will be held at East Melbourne’s St Patrick’s Cathedral on November 12.
“A fixture of Australian television, Bert brought his wit and energy into our homes over many decades,” the Department of Premier and Cabinet said on Friday.
“He was an entertainer in every sense of the word and this send-off will honour his legacy.
“Family, friends and colleagues will be able to attend the state funeral service to celebrate Bert’s life and reflect on his contribution to the entertainment industry, numerous charities and the state of Victoria.”
Members of the public won’t be able to attend due to Covid-safe requirements, but can watch the service via an online stream.
Melbourne-born Newton started in the radio business aged 12 and scaled the heights of Australian entertainment on stage and screen.
His TV credits included In Melbourne Tonight, The Graham Kennedy Show, The Don Lane Show, Good Morning Australia, New Faces, Bert’s Family Feud and 20 to 1.
On stage he played roles in the musicals Wicked, Annie, Grease and as narrator in The Rocky Horror Show.
Newton is survived by Patti, his wife of more than 46 years, children Lauren and Matthew, and grandchildren.
Updated
And with that, the premier wraps up the presser, but took one final question: How did he feel in Carnarvon yesterday?
It was a very uplifting experience.
I really like the police officers. They were great people. The commissioner ushered me into a room and there was about 60 men and women in suits, a good-looking group of people, he then invited me to speak to them.
They did a wonderful job and everyone I spoke to was nice and had an underlying professionalism that you could feel, when I went to the house.
I met Cleo Smith and her family, they were just lovely, kind people ... They were positive. And they were happy. Their daughter has been brought home. She was a happy little girl.
Updated
McGowan has been asked about the fifth Ashes Test, which is scheduled to be held on 14 January.
The premier appeared confident the test would go ahead:
I understand the police and the health officials are working with Cricket Australia on all of those matters. And we have [hosted] sport for the last two years, whether it is both types of football, cricket, basketball, netball, all those things have been happening over the course of the last two years subject to rules. So that is something that will be worked on jointly and we are confident it will be a good outcome.
I am sure we will be able to hold other sporting events.
Over the last two years, police and health have put in place rules that require various forms of quarantine ... and we have done it consistently and allowed all the sporting codes to operate in a Covid-safe way.
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What if WA doesn’t actually reach 90% double vaxxed?
McGowan:
Some time in the first half of December we’ll hit 80% double-dose vaccination, and we’ll know exactly when — or we think we will know exactly when — we will hit the 90% double-dose vaccination rate.
That will allow us to open up to New South Wales and Victoria and the ACT. It will also allow us to open international borders, subject to all those restrictions I put in place before.
Once we set that date, it will be locked in. It will be locked in.
But if we don’t, on that date we reach the 90% double-dose vaccination, that means there will be further public health social measures put in place.
So, that would mean restrictions on venues, restrictions on workplaces, restrictions when it comes to masks, all those sorts of things that we’re desperately trying to avoid.
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So I want to stick with Western Australia for now, where premier Mark McGowan is seeking to justify the move to keep borders closed until the state reaches 90% double vaccinated.
The problem, a journalist has asked, is that differs from the national plan, which sets out that borders should open up at 80%.
McGowan stuck to his guns:
New South Wales and Victoria have done completely different things to the national plan over the course of the last three months. Completely different. They have ignored every agreement that was put in place. The commonwealth has accepted that in the case of New South Wales and Victoria, they opened up internationally when the agreement was not that that would happen.
So New South Wales and Victoria have done that because [of] their individual needs based upon the circumstances they face. Our circumstances are different to theirs. We do not have community spread, we do not have scores of people dying. We do not have hospitals in the condition theirs are in because of Covid patients.
Our circumstances are different and, you know, I am not going to adhere to some set of rules that will result in 200 people dying just because some people say I should adhere to rules that New South Wales and Victoria haven’t.
I think if the other states had the choice that we have they would do exactly the same thing. If they had our choice because we do not have Covid and we have the benefit of isolation, the benefit of borders, they would do the same thing that we are.
Updated
Good afternoon and happy Friday to all. A quick thanks to Matilda Boseley for her expert work again this morning. Mostafa Rachwani with you this afternoon, and there is still much going on, so let’s dive in.
With that, I shall hand you over to the wonderful Mostafa Rachwani to take you through the rest of this press conference.
See you next week!
McGowan:
I understand there will be a disappointment for some. I acknowledge some people will be frustrated. They may not be able to be reunited with family from New South Wales or Victoria over Christmas.
I know what that feels like. I understand. I won’t be able to see my parents and my brother until the transition in late January or early February.
But as difficult as it is, it is for the right reasons. It’s about following the health advice and keeping Western Australia safe. We need to achieve the 90% vaccination rate to safely make the transition. This will ensure we can save hundreds of WA lives.
McGowan has confirmed that the state’s international border will also come down at that 90% (12+) vaccination milestone.
At the point of transition, travel will be permitted from all jurisdictions across Australia. Arrivals from interstate will be required to be double-dose vaccinated, return a negative PCR test 72 hours prior to departure, and undertake a test within 48 hours of entering WA.
All arrivals from overseas will be required to return a negative PCR test 72 hours prior to departure and undertake a test within 48 hours of arrival.
International arrivals won’t be subject to quarantine if they’re double-dose vaccinated. But international arrivals who are NOT double-dose vaccinated will be required to complete 14 days’ quarantine in a designated facility.
Restrictions in WA to increase once borders open
That being said, McGowan has confirmed that some restrictions will be introduced once the borders come down and Covid-19 inevitably enter’s the state.
Based on our current health advice, the following baseline public health and social measures will be implemented at the point of transition in late January or early February.
- Face masks will be required but only at high-risk indoor settings. These include: On public transport, in hospitals and aged care facilities.
- Proof of vaccination will be required to attend nightclubs, the casino, and large events with crowds of more than 1,000 people, like the footy or a concert.
- Contact registers and use of Safe WA will still be required at all public venues, as will revised Covid event and safety plans.
- Entry will be restricted to remote Aboriginal communities, where necessary.
These safeguards will complement our vaccination rollout. They will be interim. They won’t last forever. But they will put us in the best position in case of an outbreak.
Updated
The WA premier says this reopening plan will allow the state to maintain extremely minimal internal Covid-19 restrictions even after the border comes down.
Our island within an island has delivered health and economic results that have been the envy in the world and the best in the world. And with a safe transition, we have the potential to keep it that way.
In order to ease our controlled border when we hit our 90% double-dose vaccination target, specific safeguards will be required to minimise the impact of the virus. With a 90% rate and zero Covid in the community at the point of transition, Western Australia is in the enviable position to have minimal restrictions in place.
Premier says delaying border reopening will save 200 lives
McGowan is outlining the modelling used to decide to maintain strict domestic borders until 90% of the over 12 population of WA are fully vaccinated.
Put simply, if we eased our borders earlier at 80%, modelling suggests widespread community transmission would result in far more infections, hospitalisations and deaths.
Instead, waiting for our vaccination rate to hit 90% double-dose would mean that when the state reaches widespread community transmission, the number of general ward beds that would be occupied are reduced by 70%.
ICU beds that would be occupied are reduced by 75%. And the cumulative number of deaths is reduced by 63%.
The difference in easing border controls at 90% rather than 80% is 200 West Australian lives are saved.
Updated
Regions with low vaccination rates may maintain locked away from the rest of Australia once WA border comes down early next year McGowan says.
Now, it is a statewide vaccination rate. However, if there are regional areas that don’t have a high-enough vaccination rate, then - pending health advice at that time - intrastate borders to protect those specific regions may need to be introduced.
This measure would be in place until the vaccination rate in those regions is lifted to satisfactory levels.
Cutting off the Pilbara or any region, for that matter, is not something I want to do. But if that’s what is required to protect the local community and local industries, then we will take that step based on the health advice at the time.
So, I’d again encourage all eligible West Australians all over WA to get vaccinated. The sooner you get vaccinated, the sooner the safe transition plan can kick in. It’s in your hands.
McGowan:
I want to stress the 90% target threshold could be reached earlier or later, but once we hit 80% and then set the specific date for transition, that date will be locked in. To provide everyone with the certainty they need to plan ahead and be prepared for the next stage of this pandemic.
WA border to remain closed until 90% full vaccination for 12+ population
McGowan says Western Australia’s border restrictions will remain in place until 90% of the 12 and over population of the state are fully vaccinated.
This is potentially still more than three months away.
The plan will take effect when Western Australia reaches a 90% double-dose vaccination rate for people aged 12 and above. That is forecast to take place in late January or early February.
But as we have announced previously, we will announce the specific transition day after we’ve achieved a double-dose vaccination rate of 80%. That’s expected to be reached in December.
As far as world standards go, a rate of 90% will be an amazing achievement. But I’ve always believed we can strive high and get the best result for our state. And given our current vaccination rates, these targets are realistic and within our sights.
WA premier outlines state's reopening roadmap
WA premier Mark McGowan is speaking now, announcing the state’s transition to Covid Normal living roadmap.
Today is a significant day for Western Australia. It’s the day we announce our safe transition plan to ease our controlled border and provide a soft landing out of the pandemic.
Our approach towards a safe transition plan hasn’t been rushed, it’s been careful, methodical and thorough. The most important thing is it is a cautious and safe plan, based on our expert health advice.
The aim is to provide certainty for Western Australians, to provide certainty on how business and our unique way of life can continue, safely, once we further ease our controlled borders, and minimise any impact the inevitable arrival of the virus may have on our state. In the short, medium and long terms.
Our transition is a world-first. What’s unique about our plan is that it’s intended for border controls to ease at a point where there is no community transmission in Western Australia, combined with very, very high levels of vaccination.
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It’s the best time of the week! It’s Weekly Beast time!
Read all about Alan Jones’s departure from Sky News, 7News’s potential costly blunder when they published several images of the wrong man when reporting on the arrest of Cleo Smith’s alleged abductor, and all the rest of the week’s media news below:
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The prime minister has been asked about the joint state and federal decisions made to continue building a number of quarantine facilities; first commissioned to combat Covid-19 leaking from hotel quarantine.
The decision we made to go ahead with it, it’s not a short term decision.
I will never forget that first weekend, when the events of Wuhan had become very clear, and there were planes on their way to Australia, from Wuhan that weekend.
And it’s important that in the future for whatever pandemic we may face in the future, that we have that initial bank of facilities.
In Victoria that one’s progressing well. We’ve changed the scale of the one in Queensland [and] in Western Australia ...
From our point of view [the projects are] as much about dealing with the current situation - although it can, particularly in Victoria, provide some support because we’re still quarantining unvaccinated Australians coming back into the country. That is still the case, and that could present some challenges.
I think it provides a positive contribution, that this is about a longer term capability. And they have been built to be multi-use facilities as well. So they had their own longer-term, not just the shorter term, advantages.
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Morrison says he has had discussions with Indonesian president Joko Widodo about potentially reducing the number of days Australians are required quarantine when travelling to the country (particularly the popular holiday destination Island, Bali.)
They’re looking to see how they can reduce the number of days that would be required with when anyone, particularly Australians going into Bali, and I would expect over time to see that ... but they’re obviously being cautious about that, and that is entirely appropriate for them.
But as we know, on the 21st, I was able to announce when I met with [Singaporean] prime minister Lee [Hsien Loong] that we’ll have that open arrangement with Singapore from the 21st of this month.
And what that is showing is - particularly here in New South Wales - we’re just taking it step by step and demonstrating how this works.
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Morrison says a lack of urgency has caused Covid-19 free states such as Western Australia to lag behind in vaccination rates.
I think an obvious part of it has been the third wave that hit New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT, I think that’s a very fair assessment.
And, you know, when you’re in a state where there’s been effectively no Covid, there’s a different level of urgency in that state compared to what happened here in New South Wales ...
And that’s why we were able to secure those additional doses, those Polish doses. So I was very pleased to see the Polish prime minister in Glasgow and to thank him very much.
Updated
Australia to surpass 80% vaccination today, PM says
Morrison says he is “quite certain” Australia will reach an 80% over-16 vaccination rate by the end of the day.
The prime minister was asked if he was relieved international borders had opened upon his return from Glasgow.
Very, I can assure you! It would have been my fifth quarantine in the last 12 months. So I think it’s tremendous.
And I think that’s a demonstration of what Australia’s achieved. As I said today, not only are New South Wales and Victoria and the ACT at 80% double vaccinated for those aged over 16, but the whole country will have passed that 80% mark over the course of today, and when we get the figures tomorrow, I’m quite certain that will be confirmed.
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Morrison says Prince Charles is a fan of NSW urban projects
Apparently, Prince Charles is a big fan of NSW’s infrastructure projects, according to Scott Morrison.
When I met with His Royal Highness Prince Charles, at Glasgow, one of the things he raised was the great urban projects that have been done here in partnership with the New South Wales government, and made particular mention of the work that both premier Perrottet has been doing and Rob Stokes was doing as well, and I think that’s a great recognition of what is happening here in New South Wales and in particular in Sydney.
And so congratulations, Dom.
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Perrottet:
The prime minister spoke about the pandemic and the economic challenges that we’ve had.
It’s been the infrastructure investment in this state that has driven our economic growth and laid strong fiscal and economic foundations prior to the pandemic beginning.
We didn’t just turn the switch off ... [there were]9,000 people working on this project ... and this strong pipeline provides certainty for all workers across our state as we head into the future.
Updated
OK, here is Dominic Perrottet and Scott Morrison speaking from somewhere underground in Sydney, announcing the final tunnelling breakthrough on the M4-M5 Link tunnels.
Perrottet:
The Northwest Metro in north-west Sydney had been promised for decades and decades and decades, back when I was a kid at school. But we got on with the job. We built that project and we’re on to the next one.
There’s wave after wave of these major infrastructure projects here in our state. That will mean that they’re making a real difference to people’s lives today and well into the future.
Updated
A giant 7.9kg potato found in a New Zealand couple’s overgrown garden may set a new world record for the largest of its kind ever to be discovered.
Colin and Donna Craig-Brown’s were doing a spot of weeding in their Hamilton back yard, when Colin’s hoe hit something below the ground.
“So I said to Donna this must be one of those white kūmara (sweet potato) that we grew,” he told Stuff, “because some of them just grew massive here.”
He tasted it, discovered it was potato and set about excavating it from the soil.
You can carbo-load on all the big potato details below:
OK, still no press conference from the prime minister yet, but we have got a press release. And, oh would you look at that, all that waiting and the announcement was about bloody train tunnels.
Wow! Did you know that the final tunnelling breakthrough on the M4-M5 Link Tunnels has been completed, marking a major construction milestone in Australia’s largest road infrastructure project?
But do we care? Hmmmm, harder to say.
OK, here is what Scott Morrison had to say about $16.8bn projects in his official statement.
This breakthrough isn’t just for a tunnel, but it’s a breakthrough for getting people home sooner and safer and helping workers to move around.
As well as the 9,000 jobs this project has been delivering, the tunnel is going to make it easier for people across Sydney to pick up work and jobs that just wouldn’t have been possible before with traffic.
As we reopen Sydney and Australia, projects like this bypass and our record $110 billion infrastructure investment are going to give our economy even more of a boost.
Cool.
Updated
Good luck to all the federal, state and territory leaders at the national cabinet today.
According to the Queensland premier, they have a novel’s worth of paperwork to get through, so I wouldn’t expect any updates till well into the afternoon.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is expecting a lengthy national cabinet today because of the amount of documents due to be discussed.
— @MartySilk (@MartySilkHack) November 5, 2021
"The papers were as thick as a Tolstoy novel, so there is going to be a very long meeting."
Okay here is a little more information on the two Covid-19 cases detected at Flemington Racecourse over the last week.
A contractor working at the track on Derby Day and an attendee at the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday have both tested positive.
In a statement, the Victorian Racing Club said both were fully vaccinated, and the cases are not linked, but, patrons at both events have been asked to monitor for symptoms and get tested if they develop.
The VRC is working closely with the Department of Health which has been very supportive of the Club’s CovidSafe Event Plan and management of the two cases and the conduct of the CovidSafe event of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. The safety of all patrons, staff, racing participants and horses is the VRC’s top priority.
The contractor who tested positive worked two full days in The Arbour in the Purple Zone on the ground floor of the Club Stand. The Department of Health has advised the VRC that patrons and staff who attended The Arbour on Cup Day are considered at low risk. Based on this, patrons and staff are advised to monitor their health and get tested if they develop any symptoms.
The patron who tested positive attended the deck bar within the Green Zone on Cup Day and the Department of Health is in direct contact with the patron and their two social close contacts, who are also fully vaccinated. Patrons who attended the deck bar on Cup Day are being contacted directly via SMS by the VRC and staff have also been contacted.
Patrons are advised to monitor their health and get tested if they develop any symptoms. VRC is in contact with staff with recommendations for testing.
The two venues have been deep cleaned and will be ready for safe operation for Stakes Day on Saturday.
Any other patrons and staff who have not been contacted via SMS directly in relation to these cases are not considered to be at risk.
A senior Morrison government minister has attempted to blame journalists for the escalation in the French-Australian diplomatic rift.
Finance minister and frequent Morrison government spokesman Simon Birmingham queried whether it was “wise” for Australian journalists to have asked French president Emmanuel Macron questions over the aborted submarine deal and Scott Morrison’s conduct.
Macron, when asked if he thought Morrison had lied to him, replied “I don’t think, I know”.
The claim opened a fresh wound in the diplomatic relationship, with private text messages Macron had sent Morrison leaked to News Corp publications the following day, a move that infuriated the French even further.
You can read the full report below:
82% of Victoria’s 15 and over population are now fully vaccinated.
Wow. Today Victoria hit 82% of 12+ fully vaccinated. Or 70% of the total population. We're well on the way to higher coverage as 2022 approaches. Highly vaccinated countries are still facing challenges but simple additional measures (masks, ventilation) will help keep us safe.
— Chief Health Officer, Victoria (@VictorianCHO) November 5, 2021
OK, this is cute.
WHOLESOME CONTENT ALERT: 21yo Harry McTavish hasn’t been home since Feb. He landed from Melbourne this morning. At the airport he told @MahnazAngury he was going to surprise his mum at work.
— Kamin Gock (@kamingock) November 5, 2021
We were there for the reunion @abcsydney pic.twitter.com/OU38vH2fK0
Restrictions will tighten in the Queensland town of Goondiwindi after three Covid-19 cases were discovered there on Thursday.
The area will not go into lockdown, due to high vaccination rates, but Palaszczuk says visitors will not be allowed in hospitals and aged care homes over the weekend.
Also for residents in Goondiwindi ... we’ll be putting in restrictions for aged care and hospitals. There will be no visitors just for the weekend and there will be some additional requirements for hospital staff.
Updated
Palaszczuk says the Queensland government will deliver supplies to the NSW border town of Moree rather than allowing its residents to cross into the sunshine state as restrictions tighten.
This comes after the town clocked up 33 Covid-19 cases.
Overnight, Moree was removed from our border bubble. There are 33 cases in Moree and there could be more announced today. What we do know is a large number of people who are testing positive are unvaccinated and that is of concern.
As you noticed, last night we tightened the restrictions of people being allowed to cross the border and those restrictions will be tightened even further today for essential purposes ...
We’ll try and get supplies to the communities in New South Wales rather than having to cross to get supplies into Queensland. We would like to put this in place in the next seven days. It is really important that we ensure the safety of those townships across our Queensland border.
Updated
Queensland records no new local cases
Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is speaking now.
She says there are no new local Covid-19 cases, despite recording three on Thursday.
The state did record two infections from international arrivals in hotel quarantine.
Friday 5 November – coronavirus cases in Queensland:
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) November 5, 2021
There were 0 new locally acquired cases.
There were 2 new overseas acquired cases - detected in hotel quarantine. #covid19 pic.twitter.com/nNfsvn1qSo
Updated
New Zealand records new Covid-19 death and record high cases
A second person in New Zealand infected with Covid-19 has died while isolating at home alone, as the country recorded 163 new cases in the community – its highest ever daily number.
The man, who was in his 50s, was recently treated in hospital and discharged himself on 3 November. Ambulance medics found him in his home in Mt Eden, a central Auckland suburb, on Friday morning.
It is the second death of a Covid-19 positive man self-isolating at home this week, and the fourth death during the August outbreak.
Thirty people with Covid-19 have died in New Zealand since the start of the pandemic.
Circumstances around his death are being investigated, the director of public health Caroline McElnay said on Friday.
The deputy prime minister, Grant Robertson, said he is confident in the self-isolation system, and that it is being continually monitored.
But he said both of this week’s deaths are being investigated to identify any improvements that may be needed.
There are now 4,034 cases in the outbreak, and 1,723 have recovered. Of Friday’s cases, 159 are in Auckland and four are in Waikato. There are 69 people in hospital, with six of those in intensive care.
Nearly 86% of eligible New Zealanders over 12 years old have had at least one dose of the vaccine, with 74% fully innoculated.
Updated
Two Melbourne Cup attendees reportedly test positive to Covid-19
7 News is reporting two Melbourne Cup attendees at Flemington Racecourse tested positive to Covid-19.
I will try and firm up the details and bring you more information as soon as I can.
Scott Morrison is always late. It’s expected at this point. So if you are sitting around wondering where the prime minister is, because his press conference was scheduled for 10.30am, don’t worry – this is just all part of the experience.
Morrison and NSW premier Dom Perrottet are holding their press conference at the Sydney Westconnex site (construction sites always add at least 20-30 minutes to any wait time) and we’ll bring you all the updates as they come.
Oh! Seems like the press conference has actually taken place, but there is no way to actually beam it back out. In that case, I’ll bring you all the updates as soon as the magical sound wiggles in the air allow it!
There's no reception to broadcast live. https://t.co/IzjrtZYgdl
— Jennifer Bechwati (@jenbechwati) November 5, 2021
Make that 48 minutes late.
Morrison and Perrottet are currently 29 minutes late to their scheduled presser at the Westconnex control centre
— Kishor (@kishor_nr) November 4, 2021
NSW Health has released further details of the three people infected with Covid-19 who died in the latest reporting period.
Sadly, NSW Health is reporting the deaths of three people – two women and one man.
A man in his 80s from Sydney’s inner west died at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. He had received one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.
A woman in her 90s died at the Mercy Place aged care facility in Albury where she acquired her infection. She had received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine and is the sixth death linked to an outbreak at this facility.
A woman in her 80s died at the Southern Cross Care residential care facility in Albury. She had received one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.
NSW Health expresses its sincere condolences to their loved ones.
There have been 533 Covid-19 related deaths in NSW since 16 June 2021 and 589 in total since the start of the pandemic.
Border restrictions relaxed for Tasmania
From 15 December, people from low the risk areas – WA, NT, SA and Queensland – will no longer need to provide a negative Covid-19 test before travelling to Tasmania.
The premier says he expects that by the end of the day 90% of the state’s 16 and over population will have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.
Updated
Of the 73 confirmed COVID cases in the Hunter New England today, 48 were infectious in the community, 50 are linked to known cases or clusters, 16 people are in in hospital and three of those in the ICU
— Jacinta Lee (@jacinta_lee3) November 5, 2021
ACT records 11th Covid-19 death
Apologies this one slipped by me when the ACT numbers came out.
The territory has recorded another Covid-19 death, their 11th in total.
The man was in his 40’s and being treated in the intensive care unit prior to his death.
There is now only one remaining person in the ICU in the ACT, they are ventilated.
ACT COVID-19 update (5 November 2021):
— ACT Health (@ACTHealth) November 4, 2021
◼️New cases today: 6
◼️Active cases: 125
◼️Total cases: 1,698
◼️Negative test results (past 24 hours): 1,903
◼️In hospital: 3
◼️In ICU: 1
◼️Ventilated: 1
◼️Total lives lost: 11
COVID-19 vaccinations in the ACT: 94.4% of 12+ fully vaccinated pic.twitter.com/rrIvEPmxVH
So I guess this is just like ... not happening?
Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, will hold a press conference with New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet, Federal Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts Paul Fletcher and NSW Minister for Transport and Roads Rob Stokes, 10:30am #auspol
— Political Alert (@political_alert) November 4, 2021
Updated
Chinese government spokesperson calls Aukus deal 'extremely irresponsible'
China’s foreign ministry is continuing to use the diplomatic dispute between France and Australia to further its own criticism of the Aukus submarine deal.
At the daily press briefing in Beijing late yesterday, a reporter from a Chinese state-controlled media outlet asked for a comment on the French accusation that Australia had lied about the nuclear-propelled submarines plan, and the criticism over the leaking of the text message.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, replied:
I have noted relevant reports. I want to stress that the Aukus nuclear submarine cooperation is not just a diplomatic spat between a few countries, but a serious matter that will create risks of nuclear proliferation and undermine regional peace and stability.
It is extremely irresponsible for the Australian government to ignore its international nuclear non-proliferation obligations and the serious concerns of regional countries and the international community in pursuit of its own interests. The Australian government should correct its mistakes, abandon the Cold War mentality, conscientiously fulfil its international nuclear non-proliferation obligations, earnestly safeguard regional peace and stability and give a responsible answer to the international community.
The Australian government has said it “remains staunch in our support for the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)“ and that it will “work closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency to ensure full compliance with our NPT obligations as a Non-Nuclear Weapon State”.
Updated
ACT records six new local Covid-19 cases
The Australian Capital Territory has recorded six new Covid-19 cases in the latest reporting period.
A whopping 94.4% of the territory’s 12 and over population are now fully vaccinated. Wow.
ACT COVID-19 update (5 November 2021):
— ACT Health (@ACTHealth) November 4, 2021
◼️New cases today: 6
◼️Active cases: 125
◼️Total cases: 1,698
◼️Negative test results (past 24 hours): 1,903
◼️In hospital: 3
◼️In ICU: 1
◼️Ventilated: 1
◼️Total lives lost: 11
COVID-19 vaccinations in the ACT: 94.4% of 12+ fully vaccinated pic.twitter.com/rrIvEPmxVH
A peak doctors’ body is urging the Queensland government to mandate Covid-19 vaccinations for all health workers, not just state employees, to reduce pressure on hospitals when the borders reopen, reports AAP’s Marty Silk.
An Australian Medical Association roundtable has been considering ways to stem capacity pressure as border restrictions are eased over the next two months.
Its Queensland branch is concerned there’s been marginal improvements in capacity and patient waiting times, even though there’s no large virus outbreak in the state, over the past year.
Almost one in three patients have to wait more than 30 minutes to be seen in emergency departments, while just under in three patient visits to EDs in the state are completed within four hours, the AMA’s 2021 hospital report card shows.
Elective surgery patients who have been admitted within the recommended timeframe has also fallen to 88% from 92%.
AMA Queensland president Chris Perry says hospitals are overwhelmed without an outbreak and border travel restrictions will ease no matter what on December 17.
When our borders open on 17 December, and we get inevitable outbreaks of Covid-19, we are going to see more pressure on our emergency departments.
Most intensive care patients who need ventilating are there for a couple of days. Most Covid patients on ventilation are there for at least a couple of weeks.
He warned that there will be capacity pressures hospitals will need to treat both unvaccinated Covid-19 patients along with fully vaccinated people such as those injured in car accidents or assaults.
Updated
Get up to date on all of Australia’s Covid-19 stats with the amazing datablog by Nick Evershed, Josh Nicholas and Andy Ball below:
Scott!? Dom!? Where are you? It’s well past 10.30.
Updated
FYI there are more strong winds across the east of NSW today. Check on your deck chairs everyone!
Further showers are expected across the eastern half of #NSW today, and thunderstorms are likely over the inland. Check the latest forecasts at https://t.co/NVWQfhjWSp and for warnings at https://t.co/buOqyHkAAX pic.twitter.com/ZDfLqQKIwQ
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) November 4, 2021
367 Collin St flacon update!
That's it, mate. Have a big stretch and a flap, BUT PLEASE DON'T JUMP JUST YET—IT IS STILL TOO SOON! #auspol #367Collins #PeregrineFalcons pic.twitter.com/6blYKOB6XW
— Jenny Frecklington-Jones; pure "Prole" 🌏🏳️🌈💉 (@JonesHowdareyou) November 4, 2021
Comedian Jordan Shanks has apologised to John Barilaro and will pay $100,000 in costs as part of a settlement deal in the defamation case brought by the former deputy premier over a series of videos he claimed were “vile and racist”.
In the federal court on Friday Shanks’ lawyer, Matthew Collins QC, read a statement to the court on behalf of his client, who uses the nom de plume Friendlyjordies in his popular YouTube videos, conceding the videos at the centre of the case were “offensive” and apologising.
“Throughout 2020 and 2021 Mr Shanks posted many videos about John Barilaro the former deputy premier of NSW. Freedom of expression for political communication is important, but Mr Shanks accepts some of the videos he posted were offensive to Mr Barilaro,” Collins said.
“Mr Shanks understands Mr Barilaro has been hurt, and apologises to him for that hurt.”
You can read all the details below:
We are just standing by now to hear from Scott Morrison and Dominic Perrottet ahead of national cabinet today.
Queensland update at 10.15am, Queensland time, 11.15am Melbourne and Sydney time.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will give a COVID-19 update at 10:15am
— @MartySilk (@MartySilkHack) November 4, 2021
Updated
People with Down syndrome from across Australia told us why they got the #COVID19vaccine, and why you should too.
— Down Syndrome Aus (@DownSyndromeAu) October 28, 2021
It's important that we listen to their reasons. pic.twitter.com/ZiSUuB0zly
Here is what the Victorian outbreak graph looks like nowadays.
Thanks so much to Josh Nicholas for this!
Updated
Tasmania’s Premier will give a COVID-19 update at 11am #covid19tas
— Monte Bovill (@MonteBovill) November 4, 2021
Man accused of raping Brittany Higgins committed to stand trial
The man accused of raping Brittany Higgins in a federal minister’s office has been committed to stand trial.
Bruce Lehrmann, 26, has pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent at Parliament House in March 2019.
He was on Friday committed in ACT magistrates court to stand trial.
Lehrmann’s case is next due in the territory’s supreme court on 18 November.
The John Barilaro/Friendlyjordies case is over - FJ apologises and won’t sell Barilaro merchandise anymore, but says no damages paid pic.twitter.com/RqCYF3V2Aw
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) November 4, 2021
A reminder that we are expecting to hear from the NSW premier Dominic Perottet and prime minister Scott Morrison at a joint press conference in about half an hour.
Friendlyjordies / John Barilaro case settled, statement below 👇
— Jamie Travers (@JamieTravers) November 4, 2021
"Freedom of expression for political communication is important, but Mr Shanks accepts that some of the videos posted were offensive ... Mr Shanks understands that Mr Barilaro has been hurt and apologises" pic.twitter.com/JHrIaV7ihE
Barilaro says defamation claims against Friendlyjordies 'settled'
The defamation case between former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro and YouTuber Jordan Shanks (known online as FriendlyJordies) has been settled.
Reporter Michael McGowan will bring us more details soon.
Statement
— John Barilaro MP (@JohnBarilaroMP) November 4, 2021
John Barilaro Defamation Case #nswpol pic.twitter.com/FB8utmSRXr
Updated
Federal education minister Alan Tudge has avoided stating if he believes Victorian Liberal MP Tim Smith should resign from state parliament after crashing his car while above the legal blood alcohol limit.
He told ABC radio Melbourne:
[I’ve] spoken to Tim and said he really needs to consider his position ... It’s really up to Tim now, to the electors in Kew and the administrative committee.
He’s a talented individual and has a bright future, and I hope that he’s getting support at the moment and needs to make up his mind over the next couple of weeks.
Updated
Asked if he wants to see Tim Smith re-nominate, Alan Tudge says "he's a talented individual and has a bright future, and I hope that he's getting support at the moment and needs to make up his mind over the next couple of weeks," @10NewsFirstMelb #springst
— Simon Love (@SimoLove) November 4, 2021
As you consider your Christmas table – a bowl of cherries, a plump roasted bird and the cream on your pudding, you may spare a thought for the way the food gets to your table.
Because three things this week signal cracks in our food production systems.
First, the Fair Work Commission ruled late on Wednesday that farm workers on piece rates must be guaranteed a minimum wage under the Horticulture Award. The Australian Workers’ Union argued that workers should be guaranteed a minimum wage of $25.41 an hour, rather than just paid for the amount of fruit or vegetables they pick an hour.
The commission said the current arrangements in the pieceworker provisions of the horticulture award were not fit for purpose as there was widespread “non-compliance” with negotiations under the Horticulture Award.
You can read the full report below:
Updated
A Victorian man has died after the truck he was driving rolled over and was engulfed in flames on a major freeway north of Melbourne.
Emergency services were called to reports of a truck that had been driving north on fire on the Hume Freeway in Northwood, near Seymour, about 6.40am on Friday, AAP reports.
The driver, who is yet to be identified, died at the scene.
The circumstances of the crash are being investigated by police.
The Hume Freeway remains closed northbound near Seymour, and diversions are in place.
Updated
Victoria records 1,343 new Covid-19 cases
Victoria’s recorded a slight jump in cases, with 1,343 new infections recorded in the last reporting period.
This is up 96 from yesterday’s numbers.
Sadly 10 people have also died.
We thank everyone who got vaccinated and tested yesterday.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) November 4, 2021
Our thoughts are with those in hospital, and the families of people who have lost their lives.
More data soon: https://t.co/OCCFTAtS1P#COVID19Vic #COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/dpQQJBnE7d
Updated
NSW records 249 new Covid-19 cases
NSW has recorded 249 new local cases in the latest reporting period.
Sadly, three people infected with Covid-19 have died.
NSW #COVID19 update – Friday 5 November 2021
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) November 4, 2021
In the 24-hour reporting period to 8pm last night:
- 93.8% of people aged 16+ have had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine
- 89.1% of people aged 16+ have had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine
- 80,581 tests
- 249 new locally acquired cases pic.twitter.com/HhV5620CsK
The Institute of Public Affairs paid to push targeted Facebook ads based on a “faulty analysis” claiming net zero would cause massive job losses in key Liberal and National seats during last month’s Coalition infighting.
Last month, as the Coalition debated a net zero 2050 policy, the IPA paid for a series of Facebook and Instagram ads targeting the electorates of Nationals Barnaby Joyce, David Littleproud, Mark Coulton, Ken O’Dowd and Anne Webster, as well as the Liberal trade minister, Dan Tehan.
The ads warned the policy “will destroy” huge numbers of jobs in each electorate. In Flynn, O’Dowd’s electorate, the ads warned “net zero emissions will destroy one in four jobs”. Other electorates would lose one in five, one in six or one in seven jobs, the ads claimed.
You can read the full report from Nick Evershed and Christopher Knaus below:
Just in case you were wondering what the former Nationals leader, Michael McCormack, has been up to lately, the answer is forcing his social media manager to take Instagram style wistful photos of him looking out at bodies of water.
One leg raised dramatically, of course.
Any delay to raising the Wyangala Dam wall to enhance water security in the Lachlan River catchment is a delay to future prosperity for the region.
— Michael McCormack (@M_McCormackMP) November 4, 2021
Read my full statement here: https://t.co/zRiFfZXfFs pic.twitter.com/RFO8qXWhUw
Updated
The NSW education minister, Sarah Mitchell, says the state hopes vaccinating children will play a large part in the Covid education strategy in 2022.
The big key in this will be vaccination going forward, particularly in our primary school settings ... I remain hopeful that might come on the cards later this year and I think that will have a positive impact going forward.
"The big key in this will be vaccination going forward, particularly in our primary school settings... I remain hopeful that might come on the cards later this year and I think that will have a positive impact going forward" - @smitchellmlc NSW Minister for Education
— RN Breakfast (@RNBreakfast) November 4, 2021
Updated
Emergency service volunteers in New South Wales’ far west are under-resourced and under-supported, leaving large stretches of the region without local road crash rescue services, former volunteers say.
And as state and international borders open up, traffic is expected to increase, which will lead to more crashes, raising fears about the State Emergency Service’s ability to respond in the region.
Graeme McCrabb, a Menindee local and former SES volunteer, said it had been a “downward spiral for five years”.
“We’ve been scraping through by the skin of our teeth and at some point that’s not going to be the case,” McCrabb said.
Minutes from a Central West & Far West Combined Region Rescue Committee meeting in March reveal widespread problems in local SES units. Many units, including Walgett, Lightning Ridge and Ivanhoe were listed as offline, while others, including Menindee, Nyngan and Cobar, were operating at reduced capacity.
You can read the full story below:
Scott Morrison will meet with state premiers and territory chief ministers this afternoon for the first national cabinet meeting in more than a month.
We’re told the agenda includes an update on international border arrangements and an update on testing, tracing, isolation and quarantine protocols.
There will also be an update on vaccination booster shots.
Still in the update category: leaders will hear the latest on a few other elements of the Covid response including on the Halton Review, the Doherty Institute work, and health system capacity.
Leaders will discuss Indigenous vaccination programs and community Covid readiness. They will also consider the AHPPC recommendation of mandatory vaccination for disability and homecare workers by the end of the year.
The meeting is expected to begin at 2pm AEDT.
Updated
Top End town plunged into lockdown after mystery Covid case
The Northern Territory town of Katherine has gone into a full 72-hour lockdown after the Top End recorded its first community transmitted Covid-19 case.
Restrictions in Greater Darwin have also increased, with a “lockout” coming into effect at midnight, whereby only fully vaccinated people are permitted to move freely in the community until Sunday.
This comes after a man in his 20s was diagnosed with the virus in Katherine, 320km south of Darwin.
Chief minister Michael Gunner said the unvaccinated man had not travelled outside the NT recently and he had contracted Covid-19 locally.
We don’t know where and we don’t know when but this is community transmission.
He has caught it from someone in the territory but we don’t know who ... Right now this bloke has no idea how he caught Covid and neither do we.
The man lives in a rural area south of Darwin and works at RAAF Tindal, near Katherine, where he was infectious for two days, reports AAP.
He developed symptoms on Tuesday and came forward for testing on Wednesday before being diagnosed late on Thursday.
There are currently five exposure sites, including Monsoons nightclub in Darwin and the RAAF base.
People in Katherine and unvaccinated people in Greater Darwin will only be permitted to leave their homes within a 5km area for five reasons.
These are: medical treatment, to buy essential good and services, essential work, one hour of exercise per day and to provide support or care to a vulnerable person.
Face masks must be worn by all people in Katherine and Greater Darwin.
Updated
The Coalition’s voter ID bill could be challenged in court as a disproportionate measure that excludes people from voting, constitutional law expert Prof Anne Twomey has warned.
The Morrison government insists nobody would be completely prevented from voting but Twomey argues the proposed legislation could still be struck down for the “imposition of additional administrative burdens that make it more difficult to vote or discourage people from voting”.
In addition to concerns about the bill’s impact on groups including Indigenous Australians and people experiencing homelessness, Labor is warning the bill “is a recipe for disaster on polling day” because it could add to queues and be inconsistently applied.
You can read the full report below:
Tehan was asked how concerned he was about the potential for trade to become a casualty of the ongoing spat between Scott Morrison and the French president, Emmanuel Macron.
Well, look, I think when you look at our economic relationship with France, and from the recent trip that I had there, we will see the economic relationship continue. It is actually one which is to France’s advantage.
We take over $5bn worth of exports by France. We send about over a billion to them. There is a very strong investment relationship and all the meetings that I had, the French investors were still looking to Australia as a great opportunity to invest, and I know the same is for Australian investors here, so I think we will see the economic relationship continue as normal.
Obviously the diplomatic relationship – we want to make sure we get that back on an even keel and we will be doing what we can to achieve that.
Updated
The minister for trade and tourism, Dan Tehan, has been out and about this morning trying to encourage Australians to holiday domestically this summer now that domestic borders are (notionally) coming down.
He has just appeared on ABC news breakfast to chat about the government’s new tourism ad campaign.
We have been gifted living in the best country in the world and what a great thing to be able to do is to give friends, families a gift of travel this Christmas. And that’s what this ad is all about.
We’ve obviously been through a really tough couple of years, and to be able to get out at Christmas now, we are hitting that 80% vaccination rate and I would just encourage all Australians that if you get the opportunity, give someone that you know, that you love, a trip this Christmas or an event or an experience.
They will love it and you will be doing the 600,000 people who work in our tourism industry a big, big favour.
Updated
Hopes that enough of the Great Barrier Reef could escape global heating long enough for it to recover have been challenged by research finding less than 2% of its coral reefs have escaped bleaching since 1998.
The world’s largest coral reef system has suffered five mass bleaching events in that time – caused by rising ocean temperatures driven by the burning of fossil fuel – which have undermined its survival. The most recent event was the most widespread yet.
In a study released on Friday, James Cook University’s Prof Terry Hughes and colleagues studied the locations of bleaching events and found only 1.7% of individual reefs had avoided bleaching. Almost all of the places that escaped damage were in an area known as Swain reefs in the southern section of the world heritage listed marine park.
You can read the full story below:
Vaccines and hospitals on national cabinet agenda
Child vaccines and the capacity of hospital systems to deal with Covid-19 surges will be in the spotlight when national cabinet convenes for the first time in more than a month, reports Andrew Brown from AAP.
State and territory leaders will meet with the prime minister, Scott Morrison, on Friday, the first national cabinet meeting since lockdowns ended in Victoria, NSW and the ACT.
Leaders will be provided with updates on international border arrangements and quarantine measures during the meeting.
Also on the agenda will be an update on Doherty Institute modelling, as well as recommendations from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee on mandatory vaccines for disability and home-care workers.
It comes as the Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, and the NSW premier, Dominic Perrottet, indicated they would raise the issue of vaccines for five to 11-year-olds.
It follows US regulators approving the Pfizer vaccine for the age group.
Yesterday Andrews said:
Hopefully our federal government’s doing the same, and they can make announcements quite soon about vaccinating our kids.
The premier of NSW and I will be putting forward a number of very important things to the PM.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration is currently reviewing data provided by Pfizer on whether to approve child vaccines in Australia.
Updated
Morrison and Perrottet will be teaming up to chat with us at 10.30am AEDT today.
Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, will hold a press conference with New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet, Federal Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts Paul Fletcher and NSW Minister for Transport and Roads Rob Stokes, 10:30am #auspol
— Political Alert (@political_alert) November 4, 2021
OK, can someone please tell me what’s happening with Queensland health officials posting absolutely out of pocket graphics?
Yesterday we had Queensland Health encouraging us to “give ourselves a hand”, literally, and now this.
— Queensland Ambulance (@QldAmbulance) November 4, 2021
I’m obsessed.
Updated
Good morning everyone, and we did it! We made it to Friday! But don’t start celebrating too soon, we still have a full day of news to wade through before the weekend comes.
But never fear, we will get there together. It’s Matilda Boseley on deck and let’s start with travel.
As of midnight last night, Victoria has completely thrown open its border to New South Wales, even to those not fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, and his NSW counterpart, Dominic Perrottet, issued a joint statement overnight making the announcement.
Travel between the two states had already been unrestricted for the fully vaccinated from Monday, but from 11.59pm on Thursday, all remaining NSW and ACT orange zones were downgraded to green under Victoria’s travel permit system.
The joint statement read:
This means, for the first time in more than six months in Victoria, all local government areas in all states and territories across Australia will be green zones for the purposes of entering Victoria.
Andrews added:
Victoria and NSW have been through so much over the last few months, and we’re pleased that more families will now be able to reunite just in time for Christmas and the holiday season
The change allows all travellers and workers to enter Victoria without any testing or quarantine requirements, including unvaccinated people, as long as they apply for a permit beforehand to verify they are not Covid positive or close contact.
Now the deal isn’t quite reciprocal just yet. Fully vaccinated Victorians can also freely travel into NSW unless they’ve been to a place of high concern, but those over 16 who are not double-dosed still cannot for recreation or a holiday.
OK, without further ado, let’s get this Friday cracking why don’t we.
