Good evening, here are the latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic in Australia. This is Josh Taylor and it’s Friday 24 July.
Victoria reports record numbers of cases
Victoria reported a record 484 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday as the state marked two weeks since lockdowns were reimposed on Melbourne and Mitchell shire.
In the two days since, there was a small drop in numbers, with 300 cases recorded on Friday.
In the more than two weeks since the second lockdown was introduced, there have been 4,513 new cases of coronavirus in Victoria and 37 deaths.
Across Australia, there are now over 13,000 confirmed cases and 140 people have died.
Premier Daniel Andrews has said there is some stabilisation in the daily case numbers, however, and has not announced stage four restrictions. He has not ruled out new restrictions if case numbers do not start to decline, however.
Jobkeeper and jobseeker changes
From late September, the federal government plans to reduce the amount paid to people on jobseeker and jobkeeper.
Jobkeeper has been extended to late March 2021, but businesses will have to reassess their GST turnover to continue to receive the payments for their employees.
The rate paid to employees will drop to $1,200 a fortnight for people who worked 20 hours or more, and $750 per fortnight for those who worked less, until 3 January.
After that, it will be reduced to $1,000 and $650, respectively.
The jobseeker supplement payment will reduce from $550 a fortnight to $250, meaning the total payment is reduced to $815 a fortnight.
Asset tests will return in late September. From 4 August, mutual obligation requirements will also be reintroduced.
Biggest deficit since WW2
On Thursday the treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, revealed Australia was facing the biggest budget deficit since the second world war, with a deficit of $86bn for 2019-20 and $184bn forecast for 2020-21.
Unemployment in Australia is expected to reach more than 9% by Christmas due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
GDP will contract by 0.25% per cent in 2019-20 and by 2.5% in 2020-21, and debt hit a new record – $684.3bn at 30 June 2020. The forecast debt is $851.9bn by 30 June 2021.
Masks mandatory in Melbourne
As of Thursday morning, residents in Melbourne and the Mitchell shire have needed to wear a mask when leaving home for exercise, shopping, medical care, or work.
People without masks on when outside will be fined $200 by police, with the exception of children and exempt adults – for example, those with medical issues or doing intense physical activity.
Supermarkets and other stores such as Telstra have also introduced rules to refuse entry to people without masks.
On Friday, police minister Lisa Neville said only a small number of fines had been handed out in the first two days, with police handing out masks and having discretion in giving fines. Fines were only issued in cases where people refused to wear a mask.
New rules for births in Victoria
Under new rules, only one person can visit a person following a birth for a maximum of two hours. This is down from two people.
A partner or support person can visit as long as needed and be present for labour and birth.
Initially, Victorian health minister Jenny Mikakos indicated the two-hour rule also applied to partners, leading to widespread concern and confusion, with over 35,000 people signing a petition against the perceived order. It was clarified on Friday.
Payments for people waiting for results
This week, Andrews revealed nine out of 10 people who tested positive for coronavirus weren’t isolating before they were tested, and just over 50% were isolating while awaiting test results.
The premier indicated this could be because many people were in insecure work, with no sick leave. He announced those in such situations waiting for test results can get a $300 payment to cover the average 1.8 days it takes to get results, and a further $1,5000 payment is available if they do test positive and need to stay away from work.
If people do not answer calls from contact tracers, they will be visited at their homes by army personnel. If they are not home they will most likely be fined, Andrews announced on Friday.
NSW tightens restrictions
In the past week NSW recorded only low double-digit or single-digit numbers of new cases, with contact tracing linking the cases to known outbreaks. However, in order to prevent more community transmission, on Friday booking restrictions of a maximum 10 people already in place at pubs were extended to restaurants, bars, cafes and clubs.
Weddings and events were limited to 150 people, subject to the four-square-metre rule and choirs and dancing must not occur (except the wedding couple).
Funerals and places of worship were also limited to 100 people, subject to the four-square-metre rule.
South Australia also announced that from Tuesday, home visitors will be capped at 50, and weddings and funerals capped at 100.
South Australian residents attempting to return from Victoria will not be allowed back into the state from Tuesday.
Victorian aged care system on verge of collapse
Doctors are warning the aged care system in Victoria is on the verge of collapse, exacerbated by an expected announcement from the federal government banning casual and part-time staff from working in more than one facility in Victoria, in a move aimed at curbing the spread of coronavirus.
National cabinet reaffirms suppression strategy
National cabinet met on Friday and said the goal was still to suppress coronavirus in Australia until a vaccine is available.
“The goal remains suppression of Covid-19 until a point in time a vaccine or effective treatments are available, with the goal of no local community transmission,” the leaders said in a statement.
“National cabinet further reaffirmed the need to adequately integrate the emergency and the health response ... While this is largely occurring, national cabinet agreed to work to strengthen these efforts, noting the support the ADF [Australian Defence Force] is able to provide and the need to coordinate emergency management, policing and health responses.”
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