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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Ben Doherty (now), Josh Taylor (earlier) and Amy Remeikis (earlier)

NRL announces 20-round competition restarting on 28 May – as it happened

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We will wrap up our Australian rolling coverage of Covid-19 developments now. Thank you for your company and correspondence.

The Guardian’s international liveblog continues here:

In summation:

  • The global death toll from Covid-19 has surpassed 211,000. There are more than 3.05m confirmed cases worldwide.
  • Australia recorded just 12 new cases in the last 24 hours, and 100 in the past seven days. Australia has had a total of 6727 confirmed cases.
  • 88 people have died in Australia from Covid-19, including four more deaths on Tuesday at Sydney’s Newmarch House aged care home.
  • More than 2.4m Australians have downloaded the government’s Covidsafe app.
  • The NRL has said it has confirmed it will start playing matches on May 28, resuming a 20-round season.
  • The deteriorating relationship between Canberra and Beijing worsened further over Australia’s proposal for an independent inquiry into China’s handling of the Covid-19 outbreak.

We will return tomorrow as this country, and this world, continues to grapple with the Covid-19 pandemic.

All of you, stay well, and stay safe.

Coles and Woolworths have both pulled the April-May 2020 edition of What Doctors Don’t Tell You magazine from their stores, after concerns were raised about health conspiracy theories the magazine was promoting.

Coles said it did not endorse the magazine’s content, in a statement to 2GB radio station.

“What Coles was shown when they were originally shown the magazine is different content to what is in this edition.

“Coles is removing it from all stories nationwide. We encourage everyone to listen to help authorities in regards to Covid-19.”

Woolworths said it appreciated its customers’ concerns over the magazine.

“We’ve informed the supplier we’ll be removing the magazine from sale.

“As always, we would encourage our customers to seek and follow expert medical advice.”

President of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Dr Harry Nespolon, told The Guardian he applauded the decision of Coles and Woolworths “to exercise sound corporate responsibility”.

Doctors aren’t keeping anything from you, we are working as hard as we can to help our patients every day.

Now, more than ever, we need to heed expert medical advice and ignore pseudo-scientific nonsense and myths that will ‘cure’ Covid-19 and all else.

I understand that people are anxious and suffering from information overload but please apply a ‘sniff test’ to information you are seeing on social media or supermarket shelves.

Instead, listen to your local GP because expert advice matters and we are doing all we can to keep you safe and well.

The high-profile promotion of unproven Covid-19 ‘cures’ has been problematic in Australia.

Australian celebrity chef Pete Evans was fined $25,000 by the Therapeutic Goods Administration last week for claiming a “subtle energy platform” could be used to treat coronavirus.

Evans was selling the BioCharger NG Subtle Energy Platform – dismissed by the Australian Medical Association as a “fancy light machine” – for $14,990 on his website.

Evans’ ad said the machine was a “subtle energy revitalisation platform”.

Very subtle it seems. There is no evidence Covid-19 can be treated or cured by coloured lights.

We’ve been reporting extensively on the plight of those in Australia left out of the government’s Covid-19 assistance packages, including hundreds of thousands of international students.

Now, more than 300 Australians have offered to open their homes to international students struggling during the coronavirus crisis without government support.

The Australian Homestay Network says more than 300 families have signed up in the past two weeks to become hosts of international students following a call-out.

Founder David Bycroft says Australians have a responsibility to step up and look after the students, who aren’t getting federal government support during the pandemic.

“The prime minister has told international students to return home if they can’t afford to support themselves but the reality of the situation is it isn’t that simple,” Bycroft said in a statement.

“For many students, going home is not an option.”

There are more than 500,000 international students in Australia and many of them have lost their jobs during the pandemic.

Some want to go home but can’t due to the lack of flights, funds or border restrictions, while others have built lives and families in Australia.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, international education contributed $37.6bn to the economy in the 2018/19 financial year and employs 240,000 people.

“When you hear someone saying Australians need to be looked after first, they don’t understand that international students actually support Australian livelihoods,” Bycroft said.

For a weekly fee of $160, students are provided with accommodation and three meals a day as part of the initiative.

“We can connect vulnerable international students with Australian families who are willing and able to fulfil those needs, and help them get through these tough times,” he said.

Updated

As minds in Australia turn to the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, globally, there are concerns about the long-term ramifications of extended lockdowns.

At least 15m more cases of domestic violence are predicted this year as a result of pandemic restrictions, according to new data that paints a bleak picture of life for women over the next decade.

The UN population fund (UNFPA) has also calculated that tens of millions of women will not be able to access modern contraceptives this year, and millions more girls will undergo female genital mutilation or be married off by 2030.

This story, from my colleague Liz Ford in London, makes for sobering reading.

Updated

Tokyo would scrap Olympics if they can't be held next year

Tokyo 2020 president Yoshiro Mori says the Olympic Games, already postponed to 2021, would be “scrapped” if they could not take place next year.

The International Olympic Committee and the Japanese government last month postponed the Games until July 2021 because of the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

With the epidemic’s worldwide infection rate climbing and experts suggesting a vaccine is still a long way off, questions are being asked about whether the global sporting event might need to be delayed further.

“No. In that case, the Olympics will be scrapped,” Mori said in the interview with Japanese sports daily Nikkan Sports, when asked if the Games could be postponed again until 2022.

However Yori, a former prime minister, remained confident they would go ahead in 2021.

“We have delayed the Olympics until next summer after we will have won the battle,” he was quoted as saying.

“The Olympics would be much more valuable than any Olympics in the past if we could go ahead with it after winning this battle. We have to believe this otherwise our hard work and efforts will not be rewarded.”

The Guardian’s Justin McCurry, in Tokyo, has filed on just how difficult getting the games up next year will be.

Updated

If the NRL restarts on May 28, it likely won’t be the first footballing competition in the world to resume: Germany’s Bundesliga is slated to return to competition on May 9, pending final approval from the German government.

Germany is gradually easing social distancing restrictions, and the football league’s proposal is to limit crowds to just 300 people (perhaps the Sheffield Shield can restart here).

Australian Brandon Borrello plays for SC Freiburg in the Bundesliga. He spoke with the ABC here:

A little more detail on the restarting of the NRL.

The rugby league is the first major code in Australia to announce its resumption: others will no doubt be watching with bated breath.

Australian Rugby League Commission Chair Peter V’landys confirmed the restart late Tuesday afternoon “after extensive consultation with broadcast partners, clubs, and key stakeholders”.

Else:

The first two rounds of the competition will be counted and the current competition ladder will be in place when games resume (this may be subject to prime ministerial appeal given the Sharks haven’t won a game yet).

The draw for the rest of the season will be worked out in coming weeks, along with the timing of the State of Origin (which Queensland will win, because... ‘Queenslander’, ahh Billy Moore, those were the days).

The National Rugby League will restart on May 28

The 2020 season will be 20 rounds, with the grand final on October 25.

(Oh, and the first two rounds will count ... good news for some.)

Updated

I am now handing over the blog to my colleague, Ben Doherty. Have a good evening, everyone.

Four more deaths at Newmarch House

Anglicare has announced four more deaths at Newmarch House, taking the total number of deaths of residents who tested positive to coronavirus at the facility to 11.

Anglicare Sydney is deeply saddened to advise that four residents from its Newmarch House residential aged care site, who had tested positive for Covid-19, have passed away since 8pm last night.

We extend our deepest sympathies to these families for the losses they are experiencing.

Anglicare was first informed of a Coronavirus outbreak at Newmarch House on Saturday 11 April. On the best advice available, we know that it will be some weeks before the home is clear of the virus.

For those residents with a positive Covid-19 diagnosis, NSW Health has provided the support and guidance of Nepean Blue Mountains Local Area Health Network and an Infectious Diseases Specialist to ensure residents receive the best medical care possible. We have been provided with significant support from the Commonwealth Government.

This is a tragic time not only for the families who have lost their loved ones but for other residents and families. It is also taking a deep toll on our staff who cared for and knew these residents and families so well.

Updated

Chinese embassy hits back over investigation of Covid-19 source

The Chinese embassy in Canberra has responded to reports about the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade raising the investigation of the source of Covid-19 with the ambassador.

In a move clearly targeted at embarrassing the Morrison government, the statement claims Dfat has conceded it has no detail on the proposed investigation.

A spokesperson said:

I noticed relevant reports by Australian media, which are misleading. On 27 April, Ambassador Cheng Jingye took a phone call from DFAT Secretary Frances Adamson, I would like to highlight the content of their conversation as follows:

Secretary Adamson firstly congratulated on and spoke highly of Wuhan’s accomplishment that there is no longer any confirmed COVID-19 case, and appreciated the assistance rendered by the Chinese side on the purchase of medical supplies in China by eight Australian companies. Ambassador Cheng also recognized the progress achieved in Australia in fighting COVID-19 .

Secretary Adamson tried her best to defend Australia’s proposal about the independent review, saying the proposal neither has political motive nor targets China. She also admitted it is not the time to commence the review now and Australia has no details of the proposal. She further said that Australia does not want the matter to have any impact on Australia-China relationship.

Ambassador Cheng elaborated clearly China’s relevant position, stressing that no matter what excuses the Australian side has made, the fact can not be buried that the proposal is a political maneuver. Just as a western saying goes: Cry up wine and sell vinegar. Ambassador Cheng flatly rejected the concern expressed from the Australian side over his remarks during the recent AFR interview, and called on Australia to put aside ideological bias, stop political games and do more thing to promote the bilateral relations.

Updated

Here’s more on a third NRL player called in over alleged social distancing breaches.

Updated

Good afternoon everyone.

Just on the claims from Angus Taylor’s office that there is a difference between accessing a report and downloading it, that’s not entirely the case.

The City of Sydney website itself refers to links of the annual report file as a “download”. While technically his office may not have right-clicked and saved the file, it would have still recorded the access of the document as a download – it would have made a copy of it on Taylor’s or the staffer’s computer, albeit not permanently.

Updated

My computer, which has been the victim of not one, but two tea spills today is on 1%, so I shall hand you over to Josh Taylor for the next little while.

Thanks again for joining me today. I’ll be back tomorrow. As always, take care of you.

The interim NRL CEO Andrew Abdo is holding a press conference on those proposed sanctions:

The actions of our players that have come to light over the last couple of days have obviously been disappointing and we have decided we need to act swiftly and decisively at this point.

It is important that at this difficult time that we all face, we are all under pressure and all face restrictions and we are all away from our usual circumstances whether that be people being away from work or kids having to school at home, whether it is us being away from our friends and families for a number of circumstances this is on all of us and our players are no different.

They are role models in our society.

We have bold and ambitious plans to return to the field as soon as we practically can and it is important that the players understand they are held to higher account.



Updated

Social media has not been great for footballers

Coles is lifting its purchase limits on toilet paper.

We are pleased to be able to remove purchase limits at Coles on key household staples like toilet paper and paper towel, and expect to remove further limits as customer demand continues to stabilise and more categories see supply levels return to normal,” a spokesperson said.

Nature is beautiful.

Australia’s most popular premier (according to the most recent Newspoll) Mark McGowan is giving his daily update – after yesterday’s public holiday polo, he is back in a suit.

Today, McGowan is focused on schools:

We’ve got a soft start to schooling in Term 2 – a very cautious and considered approach.

We’re ensuring that, as school resumes, parents have choice as to whether or not to send their children – we’re encouraging Year 11 and 12 to attend, and we’re going to review it after the first three weeks to see if any changes, or what changes might be able to be made.

It’s a different way of starting school, and I’d urge everyone across the community to be patient and understanding. This is a new way of doing things.

We’ve never been through a pandemic in our lifetimes. And the restart of schools is obviously a different experience for many people.

I’d just urge everyone to understand that there will be new rules in place, new requirements for hygiene and the like, and it’s a time for everyone to go with it and work together and be understanding that it might not be easy, it might be difficult, but we’re all in this together and we need to work together. So that’s the way schools will resume.

Updated

Energy minister Angus Taylor today continued to insist his office had not downloaded material used in a botched attack on Sydney lord mayor Clover Moore last September.

Taylor is sticking to his statement of October 25 in which he rejected “outrageous accusations made against me by the Labor Party”.

A spokesman for Taylor told Guardian Australia Tuesday there was a difference between a document being downloaded and being “accessed”.

And the spokesman said the minister had not refused to be interviewed by NSW police, as suggested in news reports, but had cooperated throughout their inquiry into the affair. He said police had acknowledged this in their response to a question on notice from the NSW parliament.

“We have always maintained that the report (containing exaggerated travel expenses for the council) wasn’t downloaded,” said the spokesman in a statement.

“As per minister Taylor’s statement on October 25 the report was accessed from the City of Sydney website and printed directly from the site, which evidence provided by the department in response to (federal parliament) questions on notice support.”

This had also been confirmed by NSW police, the spokesman said.


Updated

This will be a big disappointment for a lot of people who are really, really hoping the government will change its mind and add them to the supplement list.

Updated

For the record, the Guardian has approached Angus Taylor for comment and is yet to hear back

NRL star Nathan Cleary apologises after photos show him flouting social distancing rules

Hot on the heels of Josh Addo-Carr and Latrell Mitchell’s police fines for breaching social distancing regulations, another NRL star is under scrutiny with photos emerging of Nathan Cleary posing with a group of women.

The photos, broadcast by the Nine Network, show the Panthers halfback with five other people, reportedly on Anzac Day.

The State of Origin representative player reportedly said the group were his friends and stayed just a short time at his house before leaving.

Cleary, the Nine report added, has apologised to his teammates and club but he could face sanctions with the AAP reporting the NRL is investigating the matter.

Addo-Carr and Mitchell were fined $1,000 after photos showed them flouting physical distancing measures with a group of men on a farm at the weekend.

Updated

ACT reports no new Covid-19 cases

ACT Health has put out its latest update – there are no new cases:

There have been no new cases of Covid-19 recorded in the ACT in the past 24 hours. The ACT’s total is still 106.

A total of 101 cases have recovered from Covid-19 and have been released from self-isolation.

There are currently no Covid-19 patients in Canberra hospitals.

The remaining two (2) active cases are isolating at home with ACT Health support.

The ACT has recorded three (3) deaths.

The number of negative tests in the ACT is now 8242.

The case that had been under investigation has now been classified as acquired overseas.

The ACT now has no cases currently under investigation.

Updated

Zoom had a bit of a bad reputation early on in the pandemic because of security concerns and people Zoombombing in, but Microsoft’s version of the app, Teams, has now had its own problem, involving gifs.

Teams has had a similar boom in usage in the past two months, with around 44 million active users on the service worldwide.

Security researchers at Cyberark alerted the company last month that they were able to get control of Team users’ accounts by sending them a gif.

They would see the gif but wouldn’t be aware it had made it possible for the person to take over their account.

Microsoft patched the issue last week, but it is another reminder of the need for these video conferencing apps to be as secure as possible.

Updated

AFP called in over 'fake' Covid-19 app social media posts

Greg Hunt is asked about fake text messages:

A hoax text message purported to be from the federal government.
A hoax text message purported to be from the federal government. Photograph: Twitter

He says the AFP has been called in to investigate the hoax.

Well, firstly, any misuse of telecommunications for a hoax is illegal.

This case has already been referred to the federal police for investigation, and that investigation has begun, and anybody who is found responsible will be charged with a significant criminal offence.

The second thing, though, is this is deeply unAustralian.

At a moment when Australians have been coming together, when nearly 2.5 million Australians have downloaded and registered for the Covidsafe app, when Australians have been doing difficult things, to have a few people, or it may just be one person, who are doing something contrary to the public health messages, this isn’t a game.

This is about life and death. This is about saving lives and protecting lives.

And so, whoever it is, they should be afraid of the law, because they are conducting a hoax which is about a very serious public health matter.

But more than that, they should stop and think. It’s no game, because the more people that are able to download and register, the more people who will be protected against inadvertently contracting a life-threatening disease.

And that’s my message to those who are at odds with the rest of the community. Stop, think, and don’t do it. All right, I will thank everybody for their time.

Updated

Also, just a point to keep in mind – Australia won’t know for sure if all the measures have been successful or not until restrictions are relaxed and the nation avoids a second wave.

I just need to check if Greg Hunt announced another death of someone who has been diagnosed with Covid-19.

The evidence is that there had been 12 cases identified in the 24 hours to 6.30am this morning.

That includes the fact that most significantly there was only one case from an unknown source.

Only one case of community transmission across Australia. That is perhaps the most important figure I have had the privilege of raising since coming into this role and dealing with the coronavirus issue.

It means that as a country we are not just flattening the curve but we are consolidating it, extending it and securing it. So the flattening of the curve has been consolidated, extended and secured.

We have had now 100 cases in seven days and there are 6,727 cases reported to me by the national incidence centre and 85 lives lost, very sadly, shortly before coming to you.

In terms of capacity we now have, in regards to our support for primary care and others, 75m masks have arrived in Australia and I am pleased to announce today 500,000 for the disability sector.

Updated

As of 12.30pm today, 2.4 million Australians have downloaded the covid tracing app.

Updated

Greg Hunt gives national update

The health minister is giving an update on the nation’s “sentinel testing” regime:

I have a number of things to talk about in relation to the coronavirus update for Australia.

Firstly that testing is critical to our success as a nation. We have been identified by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine as the most accurate testing nation of the 83 nations around the world which they have considered and we have one of the broadest testing regimes in the world.

Critical to that is the combination of public and private respiratory clinics. This Rosebud clinic will be the 308th public clinic in Australia and that is a mixture of state and territory and commonwealth respiratory clinics.

All are funded either in whole or in part by the commonwealth and together with the states we are pleased that these clinics have been able to provide support for Australians around the country.

Testing allows us to identify patients and to find those people who may have been in contact with somebody that has been diagnosed. It is fundamental to saving and protecting lives.

Updated

Mark Butler spoke about Angus Taylor this morning:

Overnight, we have learned that when the New South Wales police sought an interview with Mr Taylor he refused that request and insisted that the police only deal with his lawyers. Also, we’ve learned that New South Wales police have concluded in their analysis of the metadata surrounding the Sydney City Council’s annual report that it was not downloaded by Minister Taylor’s office.

So, if any further evidence was required, it is now beyond any doubt that Angus Taylor has lied to the Australian people and misled the Australian parliament about the origin of this dodgy document that he circulated.

Now I know this is very far from the front of people’s minds during this unprecedented health crisis. But now more than ever, it is important that Australians be able to trust what their government says.

And, at a time when millions of Australians are facing unprecedented pressure on their incomes and on their job security, it is simply unacceptable that Angus Taylor be able to hold his job and draw his salary as a minister of the crown when it is clearly beyond doubt he has failed to tell the truth to the Australian people.

At a time when trust is more important than ever it is critically important that a minister who has been shown to tell lies to the Australian people and mislead the Australian parliament not be able to continue to hold his job.

Chris Knaus has the latest on the story:

Taylor has repeatedly insisted that the false document he used to wrongly attack Moore for her travel-related emissions was downloaded from the council’s own website.

The document Taylor relied upon was an altered version of the council’s annual report, purporting to show the lord mayor had spent more than $15m on travel. The figures in Taylor’s copy of the annual report were grossly inaccurate. The expenditure was actually about $6,000.

Taylor has said he downloaded the document from the council’s website in early September before providing it to the Daily Telegraph, which subsequently ran a piece attacking Moore’s travel expenditure and associated emissions.

...NSW police referred the matter to the Australian federal police in December. The AFP considered the matter but did not investigate because it “determined it is unlikely further investigation will result in obtaining sufficient evidence to substantiate a commonwealth offence”.

NSW police have also now revealed that none of the IP addresses for users who downloaded the annual report from the council’s website between 6 September and 9 September belonged to Taylor or his office.

“None of the IP addresses were situated in Minister Taylor’s office,” it said.

Updated

The latest department of health update is out:

On perspective, a colleague just showed me this:

YouTube

Perspective really can be everything:

Simon Birmingham is up and speaking about the growing tensions between Australia and Beijing’s ambassador, after the ambassador told the Australian Financial Review on Monday that Chinese consumers may rethink purchasing Australian products if Australia continues pursuing an independent inquiry into the origins of coronavirus and China’s response.

Australia’s foreign affairs secretary Frances Adamson has officially expressed the government’s displeasure through diplomatic channels.

Birmingham says Australia won’t back down:

The government has made our views known, and made them clear.

And we will continue to advocate for there to be a transparent global inquiry into the cause and management of Covid-19 so that we can minimise the risk of a repeat in the future, and we want to work with every country in terms of the application of such an inquiry, and we would hope that China – like any other country around the world – would see the merits in understanding how the world can be better prepared in the future to prevent and manage any such outbreak were one to occur again.

Updated

Don't listen to Clive Palmer, warns Royal Australian College of GPs regarding hydroxychloroquine claims

The Royal Australian College of GPs has responded to the hydroxychloroquine claims:

RACGP president Dr Harry Nespolon:

We simply don’t know if hydroxychloroquine can cure Covid-19, trials are ongoing and my understanding is that they are not looking particularly promising. We need to rely on definitive scientific evidence to determine whether this drug can be used to combat this virus.

The problem here is that people may think that a cure is imminent and be lulled into a false sense of security so that they don’t exercise social distancing responsibilities.

Another issue is that off-label use of this medicine can have significant consequences for those who are normally prescribed the drug but who may currently not be able to access it due to inappropriate use reducing stock levels. We need to ensure there is stock available for those who need it.

Please listen to the medical experts, including your local GP, on how best to handle this pandemic, not Clive Palmer.”

Updated

This is interesting

ACT to provide support to temporary visa holders

Temporary visa holders have been one of the groups who have missed out on any assistance from the government during this pandemic, leaving individual jurisdictions to fill the gap.

This is the ACT’s contribution:

Temporary visa holders and international students affected by Covid-19 who are ineligible for commonwealth assistance programs, will be able to access more support through a $450,000 ACT government support package.

Minister for multicultural affairs and minister for tertiary education, Chris Steel, today announced a partnership between the ACT government and the ACT Refugee, Asylum Seeker and Humanitarian (Rash) Coordination Committee, the Australian Red Cross and local tertiary institutions.

... Under the new funding package, the Rash coordination committee – made up of groups working with asylum seekers including Companion House – will receive $140,000 to provide urgent support to asylum seekers living in Canberra. The Australian Red Cross will also see an extension to their existing emergency support program, receiving $160,000 to assist other temporary visa holders including people on temporary work visas and safe haven enterprise visas.

The Red Cross will also work with tertiary institutions to provide $150,000 in ACT government support to international students who have been impacted by Covid-19 and fallen on to financial hardship.

Updated

What we know about east coast schools:

NSW: staggered return from 11 May.

Queensland: review pupil-free school mandate around 15 May.

Victoria: Pupil-free school mandate likely to stay in place until at least June, while increased community testing is carried out.

Updated

Meghan Quinn, deputy secretary of the macroeconomic group, told the Covid-19 inquiry that around 160,000 people applied for jobseeker between 21 March and the end of that month.

Labor’s Murray Watt, seizes on that to argue that 160,000 people lost their jobs after restrictions on pubs bars and other businesses and the announcement of jobkeeper, on 30 March.

Quinn replied “that’s correct” but argued that jobkeeper has already boosted consumer and business confidence.

Earlier, Jenny Wilkinson defended the month gap between jobkeeper’s announcement on 30 March and the government reimbursing employers on 1 May.

She said it took “two weeks to land the rules and two weeks for employers to apply” which “was in our mind the earliest we could roll out a program like this”.

Updated

That exchange finished with this:

Andrew Leigh: Can you see any situation in which a tenant was unable to pay, the landlord claimed on insurance policy and it was then within reasonable community expectations that the insurance company went back and sued the tenant for the unpaid rent?

Robert Whelan:

Well, I think the typical situation with insurers in that situation is that they treat each case on its merits and encourage individuals to come to them to talk through the circumstances in which they find themselves. And that’s something that I think all insurers are doing increasingly, is to treat things on a case-by-case basis. And I think that’s the only way, because it’s a fairly hypothetical situation. Admittedly, it could happen. But at the end of the day, those individual decisions need to be taken into account for individual circumstances at the time. So I think that’s really up to the insurer to determine that, find that out and engage in that conversation.

Updated

Landlords' insurers may be able to chase tenants for unpaid rent after Covid-19 crisis is over

Over in the insurance committee hearing, Labor’s Andrew Leigh has asked whether insurance agents for landlords will chase tenants who have not paid their rent during the Covid crisis.

The from the Insurance Council’s Head of Risk and Operations Karl Sullivan and council CEO Robert Whelan is not overly reassuring:

Leigh: Now as the crisis passes, the insurers will in legal terms be able to recover the unpaid rent from tenants. Is it your understanding that Insurance Council members will seek to pursue tenants for unpaid rent under these situations?

Sullivan: That is a matter for individual insurers, but they don’t have a relationship necessarily with the tenant. They have a relationship with the landlord, so I imagine that is a discussion they will have with the landlord to determine how much has the landlord been able to recoup and can that be offset against any loss of rent claim that’s been made.

Leigh: Are you encouraging your members to pursue tenants?

Whelan: No, we’re not encouraging them to do so, but it is up to individual insurers to make their own arrangements with their relationship with the landlord. But it’s really again around community expectations as well. But they are contracts at the end of the day that have been entered into, and the insurers are abiding by those contracts and so too the tenants should be as well.

Leigh: It hardly seems in the spirit of things though. There’s a range of rent moratoriums that are being put in place as a result of Covid-19. Landlords are suffering some of that pain, and are then turning to their insurer, and you’re telling me you think it would be alright if the insurer then went back and sued the tenant?

Whelan: No, what I’m saying is they need to take into account the community expectations and the degree to which they’re able to absorb that is really their own individual decisions. That’s something that the company must take onboard themselves and decide themselves. It is down to the individual companies to make those decisions. We encourage and provide information to them, but at the end of the day it’s an individual company decision to make.

Leigh: I think we can be pretty sure about what the community sentiment would be on this. I’m just surprised that the Insurance Council doesn’t have an approach to it, that you’re essentially taking this hands off, ‘it’s up to our members’ approach to what could turn out to be quite a serious problem.

Whelan: Well, I wouldn’t quite characterise it like that. We do monitor the situation and feed back what we believe are the issues that insurers should be taking into account when they are making these sorts of decisions. So it’s not that we’re absent in this discussion. We are participants in it obviously, because we want to make sure that the industry’s reputation is held high. So that’s an expectation on our behalf. And there’s also a code of practise, which they’re expected to abide by, which goes to issues around financial hardship and people in vulnerable positions. And that has some quite strong requirements on those particular companies to be able to abide by that code of practise. And that’s entered into voluntarily by Insurance Council members and they are required to abide by, they are held accountable …

Updated

Treasury official, Robert Jeremenko, has had a go at Industry Super Australia for quoting a “significantly larger” estimate of the impact of withdrawing superannuation early than government figures.

Liberal James Paterson said the ISA is advising a 30-year-old withdrawing $20,000 from super will see a $97,000 hit to their retirement income, whereas Asic’s Moneysmart website suggests it is $43,000.

Jeremenko explains the “major reason” for the discrepancy is that ISA has used nominal figures rather than real.

He said:

“Those figures that ISA quote do not use today’s dollars. That is inconsistent with what Asic has told super funds, the advice they have provided to anyone who is making statements about the impact [of super withdrawals].”

Jeremenko said it makes more “intuitive sense” and is more “appropriate” to use “today’s dollars” to estimate the effect of the withdrawal at some point in the future. Jeremenko said using nominal figures “gives a larger [perceived] hit to retirement balances” but doesn’t comment on ISA’s motives.

Updated

New Zealand to have '75% of the economy' running again under level 3 restrictions

New Zealanders can once again order takeaway, with the country moving into its level three restrictions – which is essentially what most of Australia is under now.

Jacinda Ardern says 75% of the economy will be back up running again under the lessening of restrictions:

So with more people going back to work today, we need to be even more vigilant at level three to prevent any inadvertent spreading of the virus.

We must continue to stay home where possible, including for work and education. Please stay regional and limit non-essential travel, even though you can expand your bubble keep it as small as possible and exclusive.

Finally, if you are sick, stay home, and contact your GP or health line and get tested. It may feel like a minor symptom to you but that could be a significant issue for all of us. What level three does represent is a move towards getting the economy moving again, getting more New Zealanders back to work and opening more of our businesses.

Businesses restarting at level three will see 400,000 more New Zealanders back at work, taking the total to 1 million kiwis working.

New Zealand has paid out $10bn in wage subsidies.

New Zealand’s PM Jacinda Ardern.
New Zealand’s PM Jacinda Ardern. Photograph: Xinhua/REX/Shutterstock

Updated

Jenny Wilkinson said there are a “number of integrity measures” administered by the ATO to prevent rorting of jobkeeper.

One is that employers have to pay employees before they receive payment from the government. Another is the ATO commissioner’s power to declare that a business practice is a “contrived scheme” – allowing them to disqualify a business or require them to refund money to the ATO. The ATO will also check historical GST data to ensure the business meets the revenue downturn test.

Wilkinson says employers are required to pay $1,500 fortnightly to employees, and employees can use a dedicated ATO hotline to complain if they are not being paid the full amount.

Wilkinson also noted that an employer’s decision to participate in jobkeeper “does not remove the need to continue to follow unfair dismissal laws”.

Updated

Westpac reveals $2.2bn in writedowns

Westpac will take a $2.2bn hit from the coronavirus crisis, the bank has told the stock exchange.

The provisions come on top of a $1.4bn hit dealing with a lawsuit against it by financial intelligence agency Austrac and customer refunds, that Westpac announced just a fortnight ago.

That brings the total new chief executive Peter King has carved off half-year results due to be announced next week to $3.6bn.

The move also increases the chances Westpac will follow the lead of fellow big four bank and raise fresh capital at the same time as it brings out the half-year results.

It’s not unusual for new chief executives to take big hits to the bottom line in their first year in the job – it’s a way of clearing the decks and drawing a line between the new regime and the old.

However, the coronavirus crisis has forced King to take a much bigger hit than usual.

Westpac bank in Surry Hills, Sydney.
Westpac bank in Surry Hills, Sydney. Photograph: Carly Earl/The Guardian

Updated

Jenny Wilkinson, the deputy secretary of Treasury’s fiscal group, has told the inquiry that 762,000 Australians have applied for early access to superannuation, 757,000 have been approved and $6.3bn is approved for release.

So doing some quick maths, that means on average people are withdrawing $8,322 (out of a maximum of $10,000 this financial year) from their accounts.

Wilkinson said that individuals have to tell the ATO the grounds on which they are applying for early release, and they self-identify as eligible. The ATO then applies its “standard audit and assurance processes”, for example if an individual said they are eligible because they’re accessing jobseeker, the ATO would check that.

But that checking happens after the fact, not “ahead of providing an indication funds should be released” because “the intention is to provide streamlined, rapid access”, she said.

Updated

This is just the first round – eligible people can access up to $10,000 in the next financial year as well.

The cost at the back end of this policy, in terms of when people go to retire, does not seem to have been calculated as yet.

Updated

This is the email the Ku-ring-gai chamber of commerce has sent to its members today. It alerts businesses that they can’t coerce people to download the app. But as you’ll see, the chamber is not happy about that. At all.

Dear Business Owner


Re Covidsafe app

Yesterday you received an email suggesting that you do not permit entry to your business to someone that has not downloaded the covidsafe app.

From feedback I received , I have hunted down the document that regulates the use of this app.

Here is the link https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2020L00480.

It is a Determination made by the Minister of Health.

It says at the end that a person is not to coerce the use of the app in any way. The determination heading includes the words Emergency Requirements. This determination hardly makes the use of the app a requirement and certainly does not solve the Covid-19 emergency.

The Minister of Health thus has wimped out on his duty to protect the population.

In fact he should have ordered Apple and Android to compulsorily down load the app to all phones in Australia.

To quote Peter Fitzsimons in the Sun Herald as Barnaby Joyce is against the app then “Barnaby is usually so wrong”. The government forced businesses to close and even had the police chase sunbathers down the beach. They should be using the same force to open up again.

Except for the 83 Australians that have sadly died from the virus, business and its employees have borne the brunt of the fight against the virus.

It is now time to help businesses to open and the covidsafe app is our best tool. The government says that they need 40% take up to make it a success. That is 10 million out of a population of about 25 million. 2 million have already downloaded the app in a day.

Business needs to encourage (rather than coerce) another 8 million to download the app so that we can open our businesses again and start employing the over 1 million Australians that were thrown out of work.

Get the app and lets get back to business

Yours sincerely,

Peter Vickers BSc BEc FCA
Secretary

Updated

Westpac has announced about $2bn in writedowns.

Ben Butler will be telling you more about that soon.

Updated

I had a chat to Peter Vickers from the Ku-ring-gai chamber of commerce this morning, after I was sent this:

He says he has sent another message to businesses alerting them to the determination of the health minister, that no one can be coerced into downloading the Covid tracing app, or denied entry into businesses for not having it on their phone.

But he doesn’t seem happy about it, saying that council workers and police are still roaming beaches and parks to ensure social distancing measures are in place, but businesses can’t check on the app.

For the record, the app doesn’t mean you don’t have Covid-19 – it is just a way of helping health authorities trace those you may have been in contact with if you do, or if you were in contact with someone who does (if you are with them for longer than 15 minutes) and even with restrictions slowly being relaxed, businesses are still responsible for ensuring physical distance rules apply in their storefronts, which means no more than one person per four square metres.

But no one can make you download the app if you choose not to, and no one can deny you entry to a store if you don’t have the app.

Updated

Treasury officials have revealed that some 540,000 employers have formally registered for the jobkeeper wage subsidy scheme, covering an estimated 3.3m employees.

Peter Whish-Wilson questioned why businesses have to stump up the $1,500 fortnightly payments in April before jobkeeper flows in May – was this a practical constraint or an integrity measure.

Kennedy replied: “It’s both.”

Kennedy said the take-up numbers are “broadly on track” with estimates of 6m employees being covered.

Other officials note the timeframe for businesses to make payments has been extended to 8 May and a number of changes to expand eligibility were unveiled on Friday.

Updated

No Treasury assistance package for the arts

Nationals senator Perin Davey has been asking about trade with China, and whether Australia’s economy will diversify or revert to type in resuming reliance on China.

Kennedy replied:

I think a diversification of supply chains happens naturally when we see this type of shock. We see it even in the way businesses responded to the Asian financial crisis ... in the late 1990s. Australia diversified exports to North America and other countries. When business see that they are shocked, they take up other opportunities.”

However, Kennedy noted it is “valuable to the Australian economy to be complementary to Chinese growth”, citing the iron ore, metallurgical coal prices and export levels. He concluded Australia will both diversify and continue trade with China.

“There is great economic return to Australia in continuing to support China’s economic development and growth.”

Under Greens questioning, Kennedy said Treasury is not currently working on an assistance package for the arts and entertainment industries, and breweries, but he notes that line agencies may be.

Updated

The federal parliament will return next month for a “trial” after it was adjourned until August during the beginning of the Covid-19 response.

With Australia’s suppression rate of the virus ahead of where authorities thought it would be, that could see parliament return, as normal, a lot earlier. The 12 May sitting is one of the first steps towards that.

The Centre for Public Integrity has written a briefing paper on how parliaments should sit, even if things get dicey again:

The paper finds that there are examples of parliaments adapting their procedures to fit with video conference technologies, and that this could be done at a commonwealth level in line with the requirements of the Australian constitution:

  • Constitutional requirements that parliament sit in the “seat of government” could be met by a core group of ministers and MPs sitting in Canberra and hosting others by video conference.
  • The quorum of attendance of parliament outlined in the constitution could be adapted by each House to include online attendance.
  • Wales, Scotland and the UK parliaments are holding online questions and statements, and the Welsh assembly and the European Council are trialing online voting.
  • The UK hybrid model of online and in person attendance could meet Australian constitutional requirements and allow for greater participation of all elected representatives.

Updated

Victoria won't follow NSW in easing restrictions

Victoria will not be following New South Wales in easing some restrictions on Friday, despite Victoria having fewer confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths than its northern counterpart.

NSW will allow people to have two visitors into their homes from Friday, but Victoria will keep its limits in place until May 11.

Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters the situation was “fragile” and he didn’t want to ease up restrictions too early and then be forced to bring them back in.

He said the 100,000 tests for the virus over the next fortnight would give the state “options” in easing restrictions but he indicated those options would not be considered until after the testing had been completed.

Victorian premier Daniel Andrews.
Victorian premier Daniel Andrews. Photograph: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Updated

Labor’s Katy Gallagher has probed when Treasury started work on the economic stimulus/support packages, and whether Kennedy was aware more restrictions were coming on 22 March, given the second stimulus package was announced that morning.

Kennedy replied it started work on 1 March, and work was continuous from then. He confirms he was aware further restrictions were coming, defending the delay until 30 March for the government to unveil the $130bn jobkeeper wage subsidy program, by noting the second package did contain income support measures.

“It is an open question whether we should have advised on more extensive wage subsidy arrangements ... [sooner],” he said.

Kennedy argued there are advantages to not being first – because Treasury could study other countries’ wage subsidy packages to ensure it didn’t create an incentive to stand people down.

When Gallagher probed the fact just $10bn has been distributed so far – with three times that amount to come in the next month – Kennedy replied “I would regard that as a rapid payment of money”.

“I think, from an administrative perspective, I’m incredibly impressed with ATO and Services Australia [in distributing funds].”

Updated

You can find Steven Kennedy’s whole opening statement, here.

Updated

Dr Steven Kennedy says Treasury began working on the Australian response to this, from the economic point of view, on the first of March. The first economic package (since superseded several times over) was announced on 12 March.

“To be honest, we never stopped working on the response from the day we started because it was unfolding,” he said.

Secretary to the Treasury Dr Steven Kennedy appears before a Senate inquiry select committee on COVID-19 and the Australian governmen’s response at Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday.
Secretary to the Treasury Dr Steven Kennedy appears before a Senate inquiry select committee on COVID-19 and the Australian governmen’s response at Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Updated

'We have never seen an economic shock of this speed, magnitude and shape'

The Treasury secretary, Dr Steven Kennedy, is delivering his opening statement to the Covid-19 Senate committee looking at Australia’s response.

He offers up some data – none of it good and all of it pointing to just how hard the next few years will be:

In Australia new real-time ABS data show in accommodation and food and arts and recreation services, the number of jobs fell by 25%, 6% and 18. 7% respectively over the three weeks between 14 March and 4 April.

In the June quarter, we expect to see the unemployment rate rise to around 10%.

Unemployment rose to higher levels in the Great Depression, but it did that over the course of a couple of years.

These movements are happening in just a couple of months.

We have never seen an economic shock of this speed, magnitude and shape and reflecting this is a significant and demand shock.

The supply of goods and services has been badly disrupted by the necessary social distance measures. Demand is being reduced by the associated loss in income and profits and loss of confidence. Australian governments have substantially lessened the economic impact of the social distance measures by acting decisively and early.

Updated

Victoria reports two new Covid-19 cases

Two people in Victoria have been diagnosed with Covid-19 in the last 24 hours.

Sorry for the incorrect figures on Queensland a little bit ago – they have no new cases – I am watching a lot of press conferences at once, and the way the information is now being presented is a little haphazard because it is no longer those big numbers we had been seeing just a couple of weeks ago. Which is good news.

Updated

Those insurance council updates are coming through to you now that they have the sound working, because teleconference dramas are now part of our daily lives.

Insurance Council of Australia witnesses have said that landlords have made 3,000 claims for loss of rent due to Covid-19 so far.

The ICA said that “nearly all” insurers have adjusted the triggers for claims so that an eviction notice or notice of arrears is no longer required – an important step given the national cabinet has agreed on a six-month moratorium on evictions. Instead, they’re accepting application forms for government relief programs as evidence of tenants in distress.

The ICA said it reminds its members of “community expectations” but doesn’t punish them if they don’t adjust their policies, and nor does it advise them not to sue tenants in arrears for lost rent.

Robert Whelan noted that insurers abide by their contracts and “so too should tenants”. Decisions to sue a tenant for rent in arrears are made on a “case-by-case basis”.

Updated

Queensland reports no new Covid-19 cases

Queensland has reported no new people with Covid-19 in the last 24 hours.

Updated

Liberal senator James Paterson was on Sky News this morning, where he was also asked about China’s “threats”.

It’s certainly inappropriate for a diplomat credentialed here in Australia to represent his country to threaten us with economic sanctions or consequences because we are simply pursuing what is in our national interest and frankly, what’s in the interests of the whole world.

I mean, who would not want to get to the bottom of the exact origins of the virus? We know it originated in Wuhan, but we don’t know exactly how. I think it’s in the interest of the entire world, in the interest of combating this in the future that we know exactly how it came about.

It’s very concerning that the Chinese Communist party thinks it’s inappropriate that Australia would call for such a thing and thinks that it’s completely fine for them to threaten us with economic consequences.

Updated

Robert Whelan, the chief executive of the Insurance Council of Australia, is giving evidence to the house economics committee about what he called the “worst natural disaster season on record”.

In his opening statement, Whelan said Australians made $4.6bn of insurance claims since September above and beyond the normal level of claims, some 242,000 claims for damage to family homes, small businesses, cars and belongings.

Of that, some $2.26bn of claims related to the Black Summer bushfires, in which some communities were “virtually wiped out”.

Whelan also noted the “severe summer hail storms” that hit Canberra particularly hard.

Whelan said insurers support the aims of and are responding to the recommendations of the Hayne royal commission, but adds that it found “no systemic issues with general insurance industry” (earlier, he noted the ICA does not cover the life insurance or private health insurance industries).

Clive Palmer took out a three-page ad today, boasting about buying 32,900,000 doses of hydroxychloroquine because he is Clive Palmer and Australia has a Donald Trump-sized hole he loves to do his best to fill.

A friend of the blog alerted me to this discussion on Melbourne radio 3AW. Infectious disease experts are not into it.

For the record, research is being carried out, but so far, it has been found not to be an effective treatment. Also, DO NOT undergo any drug treatment without talking to a doctor. I know I shouldn’t have to say that, but then again, we know people have started injecting themselves with disinfectant so you can never be too careful.

Updated

Here is the whole program for that Senate committee hearing today.

Updated

The select Senate committee which was set up to examine the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic will meet again today.

Treasury is the main guest.

Paul Karp will be watching that for you.

Malcolm Farr has the latest Essential poll.

The usual poll caveats apply.

Updated

For those who were asking, this is what Anthony Albanese had to say about Mike Kelly’s future when the Labor leader was asked on ABC radio this morning:

Fran Kelly: Just finally, Anthony Albanese, there’s many reports that the Labor member in Eden Monaro, Mike Kelly, is about to retire from parliament for ill health. Has he told you he is retiring?

Albanese: Look, he is dealing with some health issues, there is no secret in that. And he is not the only member of parliament who has been dealing with health issues in recent times on both sides of the House. And it’s important at times like that, that people’s privacy and their capacity to deal with those health issues is dealt with.

Kelly: Are you preparing for a byelection in Eden-Monaro?

Albanese: What I’m preparing for is parliament coming back in May. And in terms of Mike Kelly’s health issues, they are well-known. They actually arise from his service in the defence force and his exposure that occurred whilst serving our nation overseas. And that’s deserving of respect and deserving of something better than speculation which has been around for the last year also about Mike Kelly.

Updated

Swimmers were also back in the water at Bronte and Bondi in Sydney’s east.

The first swimmers run into the water at Bronte beach
The first swimmers run into the water at Bronte beach this morning. Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
Beachgoers rush for their first swim at Bondi
Beachgoers rush for their first swim at Bondi. Photograph: Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images
Swimmers at Bondi
Swimmers at Bondi. Photograph: Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images
A boy catches a wave
A boy catches a wave. Photograph: Brook Mitchell/Getty Images
This morning’s beach reopening followed a five-week closure
This morning’s beach reopening followed a five-week closure. Photograph: Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images

NSW police have confirmed that NRL players Josh Addo-Carr and Latrell Mitchell are being investigated for firearm breaches after the pair went camping with a group, breaking social distancing rules, and then posted about it on social media.

Among those social media posts was the pair shooting firearms. So that is the next investigation.

NSW police said everyone was being “very cooperative” though. So there is that.

Updated

But Anthony Albanese says Labor does hold common ground with the government when it comes to pushing back against China’s threats of consumer retribution to get Australia to back off its calls for an independent inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus, and China’s response.

Marise Payne has said Australia will not be cowed by threats of economic coercion. Albanese agrees:

I certainly agree with the government’s position on this. This is something that’s certainly not a partisan issue. I think that not just the government, but I think Australians who are currently social distancing, who are not being able to undertake their normal activity in life, have a right to know exactly what happened here.

And it’s not just a matter of an academic exercise of someone writing a thesis. This is so that it never happens again. And that’s why we have strongly supported the recommendations not just for an investigation into how this occurred, but also that a body, the obvious one is the World Health Organization, to be given the power to be able to go to a nation state and make inspections in a similar way to which weapons inspectors are empowered to do so.

This has had a devastating impact on lives, but also on economies. And it’s important that we do whatever we can to make sure that it doesn’t happen again. And I would have thought that China, along with every nation in the world, has an interest in achieving that.

Updated

Some heartwarming pictures are coming from Bondi this morning of surfers reclaiming their waves.

Surfers gather for the 7am reopening of Bondi beach
Surfers gather for the 7am reopening of Bondi beach. Photograph: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
A sign saying 'Surf and go'
There are new rules in place for beachgoers. Photograph: Joel Carrett/EPA
Surfers walk down to the water
Several beaches in Sydney’s eastern suburbs were closed after large crowds gathered at Bondi. Photograph: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
Surfers return to the water
Surfers return to the water. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP
A young surfer beside street art
The beach will be open from 7am to 5pm for swimmers and surfers on weekdays, but will remain closed on weekends. Photograph: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Updated

You can tell the eye of the (first and hopefully only) storm is passing because politics is starting to return to normal.

And normal in Australia means we are talking about Angus Taylor.

Here was Anthony Albanese on the ABC this morning:

Well, one question that would be good, or one answer, more importantly, which is, “Where did the document come from that Angus Taylor or his office gave to a publication newspaper, the Daily Telegraph, that was a fraudulent document?”

He knows where it came from. He has told parliament that it was downloaded from the City of Sydney website.

We know that isn’t true. The police have confirmed that is not true. There is no evidence that it was downloaded from that site.

And he should just say where it came from. This is, quite frankly, absurd that this has gone on for so long.

And if he won’t do it, the prime minister must make him come clean to parliament.

Lying to parliament is a very serious offence. And we can’t have a circumstance whereby it is just swept away like it didn’t happen.

Updated

NSW to allow two adults to visit another household from Friday

Gladys Berejiklian on the NSW changes:

So the biggest change from Friday for most people is that two adults can go and visit another household. Please, please do that responsibly.

We trust everybody to do it responsibly. Don’t take risks.

We don’t want to see the numbers suddenly spike up because people are being irresponsible.

And I’m absolutely confident that people will be responsible, because there’s too much at stake.

I anticipate during May, we will see more cases and that’s because when you increase activity, when you see people move around more frequently, you will see more cases but the health system will be able to cope with that because we’ve used this time during April to build up the capacity get the extra PPE and to make sure that we’re ready, whether it’s in schools, whether it’s people going shopping or whether it’s people now visiting houses two adults at a time.

We’ll make sure that we have those provisions in place.

Updated

NSW Health has recorded five new cases since the last announcement. That is from 4,112 tests.

NSW wants to get to 8,000 tests a day.

Updated

NSW schools to go back on 11 May, restrictions relaxed

Gladys Berejiklian says there will be a staged approach to bringing back schools but, from mid-term, schools should be back to on-site learning.

That matches what Queensland has indicated it will be doing – its schools will be pupil-free until 22 May, with a decision on returns to be made in the week of 15 May, which is mid-term for that state.

Victoria is still to announce its concrete return plan.

Berejiklian:

It will be staged for the initial fortnight, and then based on those results, we’ll be able to update the community on how quickly we can have full-time attendance. Again, that will be based on how things go, but we’re hopeful that students will be getting full time face-to-face teaching during and definitely by the end of term two.

Berejiklian also says NSW will relax some of its physical restriction rules:

From May 1, on Friday, two adults will be able to go and visit anybody else in their home on the basis of care, on the basis of reducing socialisation and everybody’s mental health.

We know that for many people, they’ve been cooped up in their homes for a number of weeks, and with the exception of exercising, medical needs or buying what they need to or going to work, many people have been isolated in their homes.

So please know that from Friday, two adults can go and visit anyone else, and I’ve used the word “adults” to say, obviously, if you have young children, it’s OK to take them with you.

But a maximum of two adults will be able to visit anybody else. But I do want to stress that if you’re visiting someone who is over 70 years of age, or someone with a comorbidity, you have to practice really good social distancing.

If you have the mildest sniffle, do not go and visit anybody. If you’re feeling slightly unwell or fatigued, don’t risk it.

Updated

On whether or not Mike Kelly will announce his retirement (Kelly has been unwell for sometime, after suffering severe dehydration while serving in the Middle East), sparking a byelection Labor is in no way guaranteed to win, Anthony Albanese says Kelly deserves privacy to make his own decisions about his future.

Updated

Anthony Albanese is speaking to Fran Kelly on ABC radio about this story:

He says Labor will pursue it in parliament, and while the doctored documents have not been the opposition’s focus during the pandemic response, questions still need to be asked.

Albanese says trust is a fundamental underpinning of Australia’s democracy.

Josh Frydenberg and Mathias Cormann will make a statement to parliament about the impact on the economy from the coronavirus measures:

Given the high degree of uncertainty around the economic impact of the coronavirus on the domestic and international economies, last month the Government took a decision to release the 2020-21 Budget on 6 October 2020.

In the interim, the Government has continued to provide updates on the fiscal position through the release of the Australian Government General Government Sector Monthly Financial Statements. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is also releasing additional and more frequent information to enhance understanding of the social and economic impacts of the coronavirus.

Building on these updates, the Treasurer will provide a Ministerial Statement to the House of Representatives and the Minister for Finance to the Senate on 12 May 2020. The statement will outline the impact of the coronavirus on the economy and the Government’s actions to date.

The Government will also provide an economic update on the economic and fiscal outlook in June, following the release of the March quarter National Accounts.

The Morrison government will give $95m to zoos, wildlife parks and aquariums suffering from the downturn in tourism owing to Covid-19.

Although privately operated zoos are eligible for wage subsidies, the tourism minister, Simon Birmingham, has cited their high operating costs caring for animals as the reason for the government to turn from jobkeeper to zookeeper.

Under the plan, exhibiting zoos, aquariums and wildlife sanctuaries can apply for payments of up to $1m.

The bailout package comes from a $1bn relief and recovery fund for sectors disproportionately affected by Covid-19 administered by Michael McCormack’s infrastructure and regional development department.

The fund has paid to underwrite commercial airlines ($198m), supported smaller regional airlines ($100m) and provided air freight to agriculture and fishery industries ($110m).

Birmingham said:

This will be a lifeline for these popular tourism attractions across Australia who have had many of their revenue streams dry up during this crisis.

It’s absolutely crucial our iconic zoos and aquariums can still operate on the other side and play a major role in helping our tourism industry to recover from this.

We know our world-class zoos and aquariums are major tourism drawcards for many our major cities and regional centres across Australia, with over 20 million visitors walking through the gates each year.

We also shouldn’t underestimate the huge positive flow-on effects our zoos and aquariums provide to our economy. They bring thousands of visitors into communities who then spend millions of dollars visiting other attractions, sleeping in our hotels and dining in our restaurants.

Apparently zoos can face costs of up to $500,000 to maintain a large chimpanzee exhibit, such as at Taronga zoo in Sydney, or Monarto zoo in South Australia. A large herd of elephants at a zoo like Melbourne or Western Plains will eat more than $100,000 in hay a year. A single lion needs about $250 in red meat a week, or $13,000 worth of red meat in a year.

Updated

Seventh Newmarch House resident dies

Anglicare has just announced the death of a seventh resident from its western Sydney Newmarch House facility:

Anglicare Sydney is saddened to announce the death of a resident at Newmarch House last night, who had tested positive for COVID-19. The family has been contacted as have all relevant authorities.

This is a very sad time for the family but also for the residents and staff who knew this resident well.

“This coronavirus pandemic has been unprecedented in terms of its scale and impact across the world. But more importantly we know what a devastating effect it is having on older people,” said CEO Grant Millard.

The challenge of containing this virus has been significant but just as challenging has been finding the best ways to support residents and families with the distress that this pandemic is causing in our residential aged care facilities.

“Anglicare’s key focus at the moment is to provide a safe and secure home for our residents. All our energies are directed at eliminating this virus from Newmarch House.”

Our thoughts and prayers are with this particular Newmarch family today as they come to terms with their loss.

Updated

Good morning

Happy Tuesday.

Schools are back across the country but the debate about whether pupils should be on-site continues, despite most jurisdictions hinting at a plan for how that will happen.

In the UK things became a little more complicated for children, in terms of Covid-19, which will no doubt play into the debate here.

Newspoll has looked at the personal popularity of the state leaders and they’ve all seen a boost – but none quite like WA’s Mark McGowan, who now holds an approval rating of 89%. And all it took was finally closing WA’s borders. On the flip side, Annastacia Palaszczuk in Queensland saw a bump but still had the lowest personal approval rating of the state leaders, at 55%. That state is headed to an election in October.

Elsewhere, more than 2 million Australians have downloaded the government’s Covid tracing app. That comes as the chief medical officer again warns that even with restrictions lifted, without a vaccine, Australians won’t be going back to what they knew as normal life.

But slowly, little things which mean a lot are opening up. Bondi should be open for swims/surfs, the Northern Territory will be opening its parks, WA will allow gatherings of up to 10 people and, in Queensland, you can have picnics and drives again (soon).

But the list of industries and sectors impacted continues to grow – the federal government has just announced it will be spending $95m on keeping zoos afloat.

We’ll have all the day’s events and more as they pop up. You have Amy Remeikis with you for most of the day.

Ready?

Updated

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