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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Luke Henriques-Gomes (now) and Amy Remeikis (earlier)

PM announces payment to Australian employers worth $130bn – as it happened

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We’ll leave it there for tonight. Thanks for spending the day with us. Hope you’re keeping safe, socially distanced and are not too stir crazy indoors.

Here’s what you need to know from today:

  • Australia’s Covid-19 death toll hit 18 with the first death in ACT; earlier Tasmania also recorded its first death
  • Victoria began “Stage 3” restrictions
  • The NT announced forced quarantined for all new arrivals
  • The government announced a $1,500 per fortnight wage subsidy, known as JobKeeper, worth an unprecedented $130bn
  • Eligibility for the dole has been further widened, with the partner income test for Jobseeker payment increased from $48,000 per year to $79,000
  • Parliament will return ahead of schedule to consider the JobKeeper package
  • National cabinet met today, but no major announcements were made

Updated

Here are some key points from the PM’s statement after tonight’s national cabinet meeting.

  • The “epidemiology curve is beginning to flatten”, but too early to say whether it will be sustained
  • The chief medical officer Brendan Murphy’s advice is that Australia has now achieved significant behavioural change; “stay at home” message is being heeded
  • There was support for “long-term nationwide maintenance and enforcement of the restrictions currently in place”
  • States and territories can consider exemptions for vulnerable travellers returning to Australia to self-isolate at home, rather than a hotel
  • The next national cabinet meeting will be on Friday
  • At that meeting, the cabinet will consider arrangements for early child care facilities, and advices from treasurers on commercial and residential tenancies

Updated

Air and port crew

Aviation and maritime crew continue to provide an essential service in ensuring that Australians can return home, and that essential movements of critical goods and supplies continue.

National cabinet re-confirmed that:

  • International flight crew are granted a concession from the mandatory 14-day quarantine requirements for individuals arriving in Australia. This is in recognition of their extensive training in infection prevention and control and use of personal protective equipment, whereby the risk from these individuals is considered to be lower than other international travellers. Air crew will continue to practise social distancing, cough etiquette and hand hygiene.
  • Maritime crew are granted a concession from the mandatory 14 day quarantine requirements. These crew members already practice self-quarantine on arrival in Australia and between movements in and out of the country. These arrangements should continue to apply, and as with air crew, maritime crew will continue to practise social distancing, cough etiquette and hand hygiene.

Truck Stops

National cabinet agreed that truck stops can remain open with social distancing and hygiene measures in place, to the satisfaction of local state and territory health authorities.

Quarantine arrangements for vulnerable travellers

National cabinet agreed that state and territory governments can consider exceptional circumstance exemptions to the requirement to serve the mandatory 14-day self isolation in a hotel or other facility, so as to enable vulnerable or at-risk individuals to self isolate (for 14 days) at home - including for minors or those with medical conditions, such as those returning to Australia from the Medical Treatment Overseas Program.

Early Childhood and Childcare

Previous advice on schools has not changed. National Cabinet agreed to consider arrangements for early childhood and childcare facilities at their next meeting on Friday 3rd April 2020.

Commercial and residential tenancies

National cabinet agreed to consider advice from Treasurers on commercial and residential tenancies at their next meeting on Friday 3 April 2020.

Updated

[Continued from previous post]

National Baseline Restrictions

Following agreement of a national baseline for social distancing and business restrictions, National Cabinet agreed to adopt the advice from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) that:

    • Supports the long-term nationwide maintenance and enforcement of the restrictions currently in place;
    • Local circumstances may prompt states and territories to introduce additional measures for a period to further control community transmission; and
    • Local decisions should be on the advice of the local chief health officer informed by the local epidemiology at the time.

The factors influencing such a recommendation include consideration of:

    • the overall number of new cases, and particularly the rate of change
    • the proportion of locally acquired cases without known links to other cases
    • multiple outbreaks in vulnerable populations, including remote Indigenous communities and residential aged care facilities
    • capacity of laboratory testing and the health system to respond to current and predicted load.

Clarifications - Vulnerable people in the workplace

National cabinet endorsed the AHPPC advice on vulnerable people in the workplace, specifically that the following people are, or are likely to be, at higher risk of serious illness if they are infected with the virus:

    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 50 years and older with one or more chronic medical conditions
    • People 65 years and older with chronic medical conditions. Conditions included in the definition of “chronic medical conditions” will be refined as more evidence emerges
    • People 70 years and older
    • People with compromised immune systems (see Department of Health website).

National cabinet noted that the new AHPPC advice on the higher risk categories for people 65 years and older with chronic conditions had changed based on more up to date medical advice.

In addition, national cabinet endorsed the AHPPC advice that:

    • Where vulnerable workers undertake essential work, a risk assessment must be undertaken. Risk needs to be assessed and mitigated with consideration of the characteristics of the worker, the workplace and the work. This includes ensuring vulnerable people are redeployed to non-customer based roles where possible. Where risk cannot be appropriately mitigated, employers and employees should consider alternate arrangements to accommodate a workplace absence.
    • Special provisions apply to essential workers who are at higher risk of serious illness and, where the risk cannot be sufficiently mitigated, should not work in high risk settings.
    • Excluding healthcare settings where appropriate PPE and precautions are adhered to, the AHPPC considers that, given the transmission characteristics of the virus, the following settings are at higher risk of outbreaks of coronavirus - correctional and detention facilities and group residential settings.

The AHPPC advice is that there is limited evidence at this time regarding the risk in pregnant women.

Updated

Morrison statement after national cabinet

Statement from the prime minister, Scott Morrison:

Australian governments met today as the National Cabinet to take further action to slow the spread of coronavirus to save lives, and to save livelihoods.

We will be living with this virus for at least six months, so social distancing measures to slow the spread of this virus must be sustainable for at least that long to protect Australian lives.

We need to ensure Australia keeps functioning, to keep Australians in jobs.

The Chief Medical Officer Dr Brendan Murphy provided an update on the measures underway on the latest data and medical advice in relation to coronavirus.

There are more than 4,200 confirmed cases in Australia and sadly 18 people have died.

Of the newly reported cases in the last week, the majority have been from New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.

National Cabinet noted that the vast majority of cases in Australia are imported from overseas or are locally acquired contacts of a confirmed case.

Testing keeps Australians safe. Australia has one of the most rigorous coronavirus testing systems in the world with more than 238,000 tests completed.

National Cabinet noted the successful implementation of enhanced border measures including the 14-day mandatory quarantine period for international travellers.

The Chief Medical Officer advice is that following the scaled up social distancing measures over the last week, Australia has now achieved significant behavioural change and that the message to “stay at home unless doing limited essential activities” is being heeded.

It is clear the epidemiology curve is beginning to flatten. But it is too early to determine whether such movements will be significant or sustained.

Stronger adherence to social distancing and new quarantine arrangements for returned travellers will take a number of days to show maximum effect.

The biggest single concern remains the evidence of cases where there are no known local links.

The Prime Minister and the Secretary of the Commonwealth Treasury also provided an overview of the economic outlook and the medium and longer term financial risks.

National Cabinet strongly endorsed the Commonwealth’s JobKeeper package and urged its support through the Commonwealth Parliament to provide much needed financial support to the Australian economy. They noted that the medium and long-term financial risks were manageable.

National Cabinet agreed to meet again on Friday 3 April 2020.

Updated

I’ve just received a statement from the prime minister’s office following tonight’s national cabinet meeting. It’s lengthy, so I will bring it to you in multiple posts shortly.

The Migrant Workers Centre is not pleased that temporary visa holders (aside from New Zealanders) have been locked out of the new JobKeeper allowance.

The centre’s director, Matt Kunkel, said:

Scott Morrison now needs to expand the JobKeeper allowance to cover every single worker in Australia regardless of visa status.

We welcome the news that New Zealanders on temporary visas will be supported, but that still leaves over 1 million workers without a safety net. Right now, people are losing their homes and are unable to put a meal on the table because they’ve lost their job due to COVID-19.

In the past few days, we’ve heard from nearly 1,500 workers who’ve lived in Australia for years, have family here, pay tax here - who now have nowhere to turn.

Scott Morrison is creating an underclass of workers during a global pandemic, who will be left without a roof over their heads and limited access to healthcare. This spells disaster as we face the worst of COVID-19.

There is no reason for Scott Morrison to lock temporary visa holders, who are doing the same work at the same businesses, out of this support system.

Sales wraps up by asking if the government has put any thought to how the ($130bn) package would be paid for.

Frydenberg:

This will be paid back for years to come. There’s no secret in that. Of course, we will enter into discussions with the credit rating agencies over due course. Australia has entered into this crisis from a position of economic strength. Our debt to GDP ratio is around 20%. That’s a quarter of what it is in the United Kingdom, and in the United States and one 7th as Japan. That’s given us the fiscal responsibility to respond. We have delivered the first balanced budget in 11 years. That’s been important in allowing us to provide this level of support at at time of critical need.

Sales: Do you have a bit more sympathy for Labor in the GFC and the fact that a stimulus package was necessary?

Frydenberg:

Look, I’m not looking backwards, I’m looking forwards. I know that today’s measure also be of great relief to millions of Australians. This is a Team Australia moment. I’m working very closely with the Labor states as well as the Liberal states with our discussions at Treasury level. The Prime Minister is leading theNational Cabinet, and has worked very effectively together. Politics plays a very distant second, third or fourth to what is really the focus for all of us right now, which is to get Australians to the other side of this health and economic crisis.

And that’s a wrap.

Interesting exchange here between Sales and the treasurer on foreign investment.

Sales: The Government announced a change to the foreign investment rules to prevent takeovers of struggling businesses on the grounds of protecting assets of strategic important. From which countries are you trying to protect Australian businesses?

Treasurer:

This is about preserving the national interest and it’s not directed at a particular country. What we have seen is a number of companies being in a distressed state. Their market valuations have fallen dramatically, so the old thresholds don’t really apply in this situation. What we are ensuring is that every foreign investment proposal has a ruler run over it, more scrutiny and of course, as the decision maker, I will take that job very seriously and take into account the character of the investor, tax and competition issues, as well of course national security issues?

Sales: Does that mean you would be unlikely to allow, for example, takeovers of energy companies, telcos, agriculture businesses?

Frydenberg:

Again, I will run the ruler over every proposal, but rest assured, the Government believes that foreign investment is in Australia’s national interest - one in ten Australian workers work for a business that is has benefited directly from foreign investment and indeed just last year, the United States was our number one foreign investor with about $58 billion of investment. China was number five, with $13 billion of investment. We need to focus on the wide range of investors in this country who are not just Chinese.

Sales asks who long businesses will have to demonstrate the necessary loss of turnover (30% for most companies) to qualify for the JobKeeper subsidy.

Frydenberg says:

That’s over a one-month period compared to the previous year. Of course, that would reflect the challenges that those businesses or sole traders are encountering as a result of the coronavirus. For businesses with a turnover of more than $1 billion, they have to show that their turnover has fallen by 50% or more, so there’s a higher threshold for the larger businesses.

Will there be a repeat of the Centrelink issues that happened last week?

Frydenberg:

The prime minister and I and the finance minister sat down last night with the commissioner of taxation, and he gave us those reassurances that they’re well resourced and ready to implement the scheme as necessary and as you know, they are a formidable organisation and as people go, as employers go on to the ato.gov.au site, they can register interest and they will be processed accordingly.

Updated

Frydenberg is asked why only casuals who have been with a business for 12 months will be eligible for the JobKeeper payment. Unions have raised concerns about this.

He replies:

Well, we’ve adopted this particular definition of a casual as being with the employer for 12 months because that’s also reflected in the Fair Work Act.

But there will be casuals who are not eligible for the JobKeeper supplement. What they will do is go on to the Jobseeker supplement which is available to them at $550, on top of the old Newstart or Jobseeker payment.

Updated

Josh Frydenberg is on with Leigh Sales right now on 7.30.

Sales: There are 12.9 million Australians in the workforce. The prime minister said today this JobKeeper allowance will go to 6 million. Does that mean the government thinks that half of all Australians are set to lose their jobs?

Frydenberg: No. What it means is that people will either be stood down or continue to work and that their employers will be eligible for this particular scheme.

What we’ve tried to do here, Leigh is to reduce the cost to businesses of employing people, so that more people stay in a job. Also, to ensure that there is a formal connection between employers and employees because we know there’s going to be a recovery phase after the coronavirus and if we have that formal connection maintained, then the recovery will be a lot quicker and easier.

Updated

[Continued from previous post]

The government’s delayed economic response to the outbreak has already pushed millions of Australians needlessly out of jobs and into the unprecedented queues seen around the country last week.

From the start of the coronavirus crisis Labor has said we will be supportive and constructive. But we will also continue to advocate for Australians when there are clear gaps that must be filled.

We have already worked with the government to secure important amendments and policies that boost support, including today’s announcement to lift the partner income threshold for the Jobseeker payment which will provide much-needed relief to many families.

This is not the time for half measures.

Labor’s priority is to protect jobs, help Australian workers, businesses, families and communities through this difficult time, and ensure vulnerable Australians are supported.

Updated

[Cont from previous post]

The government has failed to address other gaps identified by Labor, and the latest announcement raises new concerns which we will work through, including:

  • Concern that many casuals will miss out on the wage subsidy due to the 12-month provision;
  • Payments to households, including to pensioners, will arrive too late;
  • Many struggling families are still missing out on any support, including New Zealanders and temporary migrant workers who are not eligible for the JobSeeker payment or coronavirus supplement;
  • Cashflow assistance to businesses will arrive too late and may not help otherwise viable businesses most at risk of collapse;
  • The need for clear and urgent action to assist renters;
  • The expansion of early release superannuation risks undermining retirement incomes and compromising financial system stability, and should only be a last resort;
  • The $1bn regional and community support fund still lacks sufficient detail;
  • The lack of more substantial support for charities, including food banks, and organisations that provide essential services to vulnerable Australians and keep our communities strong; and
  • The absence of a coordinated, whole-of-economy plan and lack of urgently needed support and planning for essential and strategic industries, including but not limited to the airline industry, the early learning sector and the arts.

Updated

Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers have issued the following statement in response to the JobKeeper plan.

Labor is supportive of the third economic response to Coronavirus announced by the Morrison government today.

We are particularly pleased the government has adopted a wage subsidy following calls from Labor, unions, the business community, economists and other experts for one to keep people in jobs and connected to the workforce.

Labor will seek a briefing from the government on the proposed wage subsidy and will examine the details.

We believe this measure is a step in the right direction.

However, we want to ensure the delay in announcing the wage subsidy doesn’t mean it is too late for many workers who have already been let go.

We also want to see it delivered quickly for many families and businesses already struggling.

The government needs to get this right. It needs to take swift action, provide support where it’s needed quickly, and make sure gaps don’t remain.

Almost three weeks on from the original economic package, not a cent of government support has been spent.

Updated

Sounds like we might not be hearing from the prime minister tonight.

Labor’s treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers appeared on ABC Radio National this evening to respond to the government’s JobKeeper wage subsidy plan.

The opposition had been calling for the government to adopt a wage subsidy model as part of its economic response to the Covid-19 crisis.

Chalmers told the ABC:

We certainly think it is a step in the right direction, Patricia. We are going to have some briefings with the government so that we can understand all the details and all of the ins-and-outs because it is a massive amount of money being invested. It’s certainly a step in the right direction. Only last week, the government was saying they didn’t intend to go down this path so it’s certainly a welcome change of heart.

But Chalmers remained critical of the speed of the government’s response.

I think that every day there’s been a delay here has meant more people joined those unemployment queues. The delay here has definitely damaged people’s lives. Our preference would have been that the government didn’t spend a week dismissing it, in some cases ridiculing it, and instead got on with implementing it.

Updated

The Australian Council of Social Service has also backed the JobKeeper subsidy.

“We are particularly pleased to see the decision to extend the subsidy widely to all employers, including community sector and not-for-profit organisations that experience a sharp drop in revenue, noting details are yet to be revealed,” said the Australian Council of Social Service chief executive Cassandra Goldie.

“This is vital support to workers from community organisations, who employ 1.3 million workers and provide services that are now more in demand than ever.

“The proposed scheme must ensure that workers whose pay is subsidised are kept on, while keeping it quick and simple for all concerned so that both employers and workers have certainty.

“We must move quickly now to provide income security for people who currently still have none, and face destitution. Those affected include temporary migrants, asylum seekers and New Zealand citizens who do not qualify for JobKeeper (eg, casual workers with less than 12 months in their current role). We are concerned to ensure income adequacy for carers, people with disability, First Nations communities and others with particular needs during this health and economic crisis.

“In addition to the coronavirus supplement, the existing income support system should be strengthened so that it meets the needs of tenants in private rental and families with children, many of whom will struggle to raise their children and pay the rent.

“The extension of the couple income test is welcome and will help, but we need to ensure people on low incomes get the support they need to get through this tough time.”

Updated

NZ’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, has responded to news that Kiwis will be able to access Australia’s JobKeeper wage subsidy.

New Zealanders are traditionally locked out of Australia’s welfare system and Ardern raised the issue with Scott Morrison last week.

Today, Ardern said:

It’s great New Zealanders who work and pay tax in Australia will be covered by their version of the wage subsidy scheme.

I have spoken to Prime Minister Morrison several times, including this morning, to make the case that New Zealanders in Australia who lose their job to Covid-19 be supported.

New Zealand is also supporting Australians working and paying tax here with our wage subsidy package.

New Zealanders are a core part of the Australian workforce. Many are working on the frontline in essential services. Others have built their careers there and paid taxes for years, so it’s really pleasing the Australian government has agreed to provide them a wage subsidy at their time of need.

We need to unite and look after everyone to beat Covid-19 and Prime Minister Morrison and I are in regular contact about our respective efforts to beat the virus and support our people.

Updated

Let’s review some of the reaction to the government’s new JobKeeper payment.

James Pearson, the chief executive of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told the ABC the initiative was a “game-changer”.

“It’s backdated. It applies to all businesses. It covers part-timers, full-timers, permanents, casuals and sole traders are in there as well,” he said. “It’s a very strong signal. It costs a lot of money but it’s exactly what the economy needs right now.”

Sally McManus, the secretary of the ACTU, has offered more qualified praise, as you can see below.

Here are some new statistics from police in Victoria. These are current up to 8am Monday.

  • In the past 24 hours, Victoria Police conducted 1,625 spot checks at homes, businesses and non-essential services across the state as part of Operation Sentinel.
  • No fines have been issued in the past 24 hours.
  • Since 21 March, police have conducted a total of 5,785 spot checks.

My colleague Matilda Boseley reported earlier today that Victorian police will be issuing fines to people who have left the house for a non-essential reason.

Updated

If you missed the government’s JobKeeper allowance announcement earlier today, you can catch up with the video below.

Around 270 Australians have touched down in Perth after being stranded in Italy when Covid-19 broke out on their cruise ships.

Yesterday passengers from the Costa Luminosa and Victoria received news that the Costa cruise line had organised a charter flight home with Qatar airlines, within hours they were on the plane and flying to Doha.

“Everybody we really delighted to get here safely, everyone clapped and cheered when they landed,” said Terry Daly, a Costa Victoria passenger.

“Everyone is very grateful to have gotten back home because we had no idea how long to process would take.”

They are now leaving the plane in groups of 30 to go into a two-week quarantine.

The WA premier Mark McGowan said yesterday Western Australians would be placed on Rottnest Island and the others in hotels.

After nine days in lockdown on the ship, Costa Luminosa passengers were originally told they would have to isolate in Rome for 14 days before they could return home. They only completed five days of this quarantine.

Costa Victoria passengers were isolated to their cabins on the ship for 6 days prior to receiving the call to pack their bags for the charter flight home.

However, not everyone made it on the plane.

At least four Australian Costa Luminosa passengers tested positive for Covid-19 and have been moved to a hospital in Italy, Guardian Australia understands one is in a serious condition.

It’s unclear if and when they will be able to return to Australia.

Updated

Hi everyone. Thanks to Amy for doing such a stellar job as always. As Amy mentioned, we are awaiting another national cabinet meeting tonight.

Unclear, though, whether we’ll get another late night press conference.

I’ll be with you throughout the night and will keep you posted.

Updated

And on that note, I am going to hand the blog over to my colleague, Luke Henriques-Gomes for the evening.

There is another national cabinet tonight, which should wrap up around 9pm or so.

Further restrictions and more on the rental situation will be discussed.

It is unclear at this stage whether or not there will be another press conference tonight, but we’ll let you know when we do.

Until then, breathe. Read through the fact sheets:

Overview

For employees

For employers

Register with the ATO, if you have self assessed a 30% income drop in one month. This includes sole traders, and yes, that is businesses with no other employees but you.

We may not have all the answers, but we are giving you all the information we have.

In the meantime, take care of you. I’ll be back tomorrow morning.

Updated

One more point of clarification – you can’t get JobSeeker and JobKeeper at the same time.

So if you are an eligible casual (more than a year in the same job) who has been supplementing the payment with Centrelink, you would not get both.

There have been 8,000 registrations for the JobKeeper allowance in less than an hour.

Updated

Workers earning UNDER $1,500 previously will get pay rise

If you are are a worker who has earned less than $1,500 a fortnight, you are about to get a pay rise (if you are an eligible worker):

• If you ordinarily receive $1,500 or more in income per fortnight before tax, you will continue to receive your regular income according to the prevailing workplace arrangements. The JobKeeper payments will subsidise part or all of your income.

• If you ordinarily receive less than $1,500 in income per fortnight before tax, your employer must pay you, at a minimum, $1,500 per fortnight, before tax.

• If you have been stood down, your employer must pay you, at a minimum, $1,500 per fortnight, before tax.

• If you were employed on 1 March 2020, subsequently ceased employment and then were re-engaged by the same eligible employer, you will receive, at a minimum, $1,500 per fortnight, before tax.

Updated

Both New South Wales and Victoria said enforcement of restrictions would be ramping up – and they are.

Updated

The JobKeeper allowance seems to cover most businesses – except for the banks.

Eligibility Employers (including non-for-profits) will be eligible for the subsidy if:

  1. Their business has a turnover of less than $1 bn and their turnover will be reduced by more than 30% relative to a comparable period a year ago (of at least a month); or
  2. Their business has a turnover of $1 bn or more and their turnover will be reduced by more than 50% relative to a comparable period a year ago (of at least a month); and
  3. The business is not subject to the Major Bank Levy.

Updated

On the eligibility, this is how the government explains it, including the visa exemptions:

Eligible employers will receive the payment for each eligible employee that was on their books on 1 March 2020 and continues to be engaged by that employer – including full-time, part-time, long-term casuals and stood down employees.

Casual employees eligible for the JobKeeper Payment are those employees who have been with their employer on a regular basis for at least the previous 12 months as at 1 March 2020.

To be eligible, an employee must be an Australian citizen, the holder of a permanent visa, a Protected Special Category Visa Holder, a non-protected Special Category Visa Holder who has been residing continually in Australia for 10 years or more, or a Special Category (Subclass 444) Visa Holder.

I’ve just gotten off the phone to Lyssa Tredgett, who I spoke to for this story about the hundreds of thousands of people who have already lost their jobs as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

Until two weeks ago worked Lyssa worked as a marketing employee for a landscaping company in Sydney, while her husband Jason was a chef who worked at a hotel. She has been formally let go, while Jason has essentially been stood down after the hotel was forced to close.

She had been watching Scott Morrison’s press conference this afternoon and had already tried calling and texting her boss to ask whether she would be taken back.

“So one, I’m very excited for my husband who has already sanded back eight pieces of furniture in the time since he’s been laid off,” she said.

“Even though they won’t be able to open again for a while I know he’s excited by the prospect of a future with the business, and that maybe he’ll be able to do things like clean the kitchen perhaps.”

During this afternoon’s press conference the treasurer Josh Frydenberg said people who had been laid off since 1 March would still be eligible for the new $1,500 JobKeeper payment and she said she was “sweaty with excitement” at the prospect of possibly being taken back.

“Despite the fact that I’m completely embarrassed to be begging for my job back I am really hopeful,” she said.

Lyssa, who was part-time, said the $1,500 would almost cover what she had been earning and while it would be less than her husband’s usual salary “it’s nothing to sniff at”.

“We’re not millionaires. We live on what my mother would say is the smell of an oily rag so we will certainly not complain about it.”

Updated

Because Treasury is in charge of this program, there are even fact sheets:

Overview

For employees

For employers

Updated

And a bit more information on how the payment works. Hopefully this answers some of your questions:

  • Eligible employers will be paid $1,500 per fortnight per eligible employee.
  • Eligible employees will receive, at a minimum, $1,500 per fortnight, before tax, and employers are able to top up the payment.
  • Where employers participate in the scheme, their employees will receive this payment as follows.
  • If an employee ordinarily receives $1,500 or more in income per fortnight before tax, they will continue to receive their regular income according to their prevailing workplace arrangements.
  • The JobKeeper Payment will assist their employer to continue operating by subsidising all or part of the income of their employee(s).
  • If an employee ordinarily receives less than $1,500 in income per fortnight before tax, their employer must pay their employee, at a minimum, $1,500 per fortnight, before tax.
  • If an employee has been stood down, their employer must pay their employee, at a minimum, $1,500 per fortnight, before tax.
  • If an employee was employed on 1 March 2020, subsequently ceased employment with their employer, and then has been re-engaged by the same eligible employer, the employee will receive, at a minimum, $1,500 per fortnight, before tax.
  • It will be up to the employer if they want to pay superannuation on any additional wage paid because of the JobKeeper Payment.

Updated

Meanwhile, in Western Australia, police will begin using drones to shout at people to stay in their homes and follow social distancing rules. In a statement, police said the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems would “deliver public service announcements”.

The same system was used in Hubei province in China and is also being used in France and some areas of the UK.

A demonstration for local media is scheduled for 3pm Perth time today. Police said the drones will have a broadcasting range of up to 1km, which sounds quite loud, and be “highly visible, fitted with flashing lights and sirens, similarly to that of a police vehicle”.

They will be used to deliver announcements in “public spaces” like beaches, parks, or cafe strips “in which groups of people may not be adhering to social distancing and mass gathering rules”.

Police said: We will be able to rapidly deploy this resource to public areas when required and significantly improve the communication coverage, compared to that of a police officer on foot.

“The drones will allow the WA Police Force to continue to reinforce the serious nature of the environment we are in. The drones will also assist in increasing the safety of police officers, reducing the potential exposure to Covid-19 carriers.

Updated

And the partner income changes, for the JobSeeker payment:

Over the next six months the government is temporarily expanding access to income support payments and establishing a Coronavirus Supplement of $550 per fortnight.

JobSeeker Payment is subject to a partner income test and today the government is temporarily relaxing the partner income test to ensure that an eligible person can receive the JobSeeker Payment, and associated Coronavirus Supplement, providing their partner earns less than $3,068 per fortnight, around $79,762 per annum.

The personal income test for individuals on JobSeeker Payment will still apply.

Every arm of government and industry is working to keep Australians in jobs and businesses in business, and to build a bridge to recovery on the other side.

The government will continue to do what it takes to ensure that Australia bounces back stronger.

Updated

Here is how the government has explained the Job Keeper payment:

The payment will be paid to employers, for up to six months, for each eligible employee that was on their books on 1 March 2020 and is retained or continues to be engaged by that employer.

Where a business has stood down employees since 1 March, the payment will help them maintain connection with their employees.

Employers will receive a payment of $1,500 per fortnight per eligible employee. Every eligible employee must receive at least $1,500 per fortnight from this business, before tax.

The program will commence today, 30 March 2020, with the first payments to be received by eligible businesses in the first week of May as monthly arrears from the Australian Taxation Office. Eligible businesses can begin distributing the JobKeeper payment immediately and will be reimbursed from the first week of May.

The Government will provide updates on further business cashflow support in coming days.

Eligible employers will be those with annual turnover of less than $1 billion who self-assess that have a reduction in revenue of 30 per cent or more, since 1 March 2020 over a minimum one-month period.

Employers with an annual turnover of $1 billion or more would be required to demonstrate a reduction in revenue of 50 per cent or more to be eligible. Businesses subject to the Major Bank Levy will not be eligible.

Eligible employers include businesses structured through companies, partnerships, trusts and sole traders. Not for profit entities, including charities, will also be eligible.

Full time and part time employees, including stood down employees, would be eligible to receive the JobKeeper Payment. Where a casual employee has been with their employer for at least the previous 12 months they will also be eligible for the Payment. An employee will only be eligible to receive this payment from one employer.

Eligible employees include Australian residents, New Zealand citizens in Australia who hold a subclass 444 special category visa, and migrants who are eligible for JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance (Other).

Self-employed individuals are also eligible to receive the JobKeeper Payment.

Eligible businesses can apply for the payment online and are able to register their interest via ato.gov.au

I’ve been speaking with healthcare staff across the country in an attempt to gauge their access to personal protective equipment and critical items like hand sanitiser. In particular, I’ve talked with staff who work in clinics and facilities that care for those particularly vulnerable to Covid-19, including dialysis units, cancer treatment centres and aged care.

Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, a cancer treatment centre in Sydney, was forced to begin producing its own hand sanitiser when 200 litres mysteriously disappeared from its facility earlier this month.

“We’re being super resourceful and have had amazing support from our team and our community,” Eileen Hannagan, the centre’s chief executive, said. “Last week when 200 litres of hand sanitiser strangely went missing, we received donations of ingredients from across Sydney and even interstate including universities, gin distilleries, hairdressers and chemists to enable us to produce our own onsite.”

A registered nurse in a Sydney dialysis centre, Patrick Beissel, has also reported significant shortages of masks at various points this month. That’s problematic, because those with chronic kidney disease are more at risk of complications from Covid-19.

“Our situation is not unique, which makes it even more appalling,” Beissel said.

Updated

Skynet has been activated.

Updated

If you need to register for the Job Keeper allowance, you will find it here.

Updated

On the eligibility requirements, this is what Josh Frydenberg said:

This $1,500 payment is a flat payment, as the prime minister said, and is the equivalent of around 70% of the median wage.

And represents about 100% of the median wage in those sectors most heavily impacted by the coronavirus. Like retail, like hospitality, and tourism.

And in the case of casuals those who have been with their employer for 12 months or more, from today employers and sole traders will be able to apply to the Australian Taxation Office for workers that are on their books as of 1 March.

The payments will flow from the first week of May and be backdated to today. With employees have been stood down by the employer, since 1 March, they are still eligible for these payments.

To be eligible, the turnover of a business will need to have fallen by 30% or more, or in the case of a business with an annual turnover of more than $1 bn, by 50% or more.

Updated

Scott Morrison started his four minute preamble by saying that some people would call the payment too little.

Adam Bandt has been one of the first to respond:

This wage subsidy is too little, too late. Jobs were unnecessarily lost when the government rightly lifted Newstart but then failed to accept Greens amendments to also include a jobs and wages guarantee, because this sent a signal to employers to start sacking people. To start reversing the massive job losses we’re seeing, the wage guarantee must be at least 80% of wages.

Recap of Job Keeper allowance

  • It is worth up to $1,500 a fortnight, per employee.
  • If you earn under that, the government will effectively be subsidising your entire wage.
  • If you earn over that, your employer would have to top it up.
  • If you were on the books on March 1 you are eligible (even if stood down since that time).
  • To return to the books, you would have to work that out with your employer.
  • The government will backdate payments to today.
  • Employers are encouraged to keep paying employees, with the understanding the government will reimburse them $1,500 a fortnight, per employee, backdated to today.
  • Full time staff, part time staff and full time staff are all eligible. Casuals who worked for more than 12 months at the business are also eligible.
  • New Zealanders on the 444 visa will be included.
  • All other temporary visa holders will not although conversations are “under way”.
  • It does not include superannuation.
  • It will be delivered through existing systems at the ATO.
  • It will cost $130bn over six months.

Updated

The job keeper program does not apply to any other temporary visa holders.

“The short answer is no,” says Scott Morrison.

There are some other discussions underway, but at the moment, it is just the New Zealand 444 visa holders who are eligible.

A bit more clarification on those who have been stood down already – if you can perform a wage function, then you should get this payment.

“If you were on the books from the 1st of March, then they would be an eligible employee,” says Josh Frydenberg.

Essentially, your employer can take you back, if they were forced to let you go because of the corona-crisis.

If entitlements have been paid out, then you need to work that out with your employer. If they haven’t been, then you keep that.

Updated

Right, so it is a wage subsidy – so employers will have their employees covered for up to $1,500 a fortnight and then they chip in the rest.

So for minimum wage earners, it will be covered 100%. If you earn more, then the employer will have to keep in the rest.

It does not include superannuation.

Updated

Scott Morrison has set up a “weekly telepresence meeting” between the leaders of the government and the leaders of the opposition, to explain the measures which are coming, and may be coming.

So they are talking to each other on a weekly basis now.

Parliament will need to be recalled for this (under the new quorum rules) so they are working out when that is.

Morrison says some of the legislation could be “a bit complicated” so they are going to need a bit of time to draft it. The government will then share it with the opposition and see if they can come to an agreement before the parliament is recalled, to ensure it goes as quickly and smoothly as possible.

Updated

The Australian share market finished up 7% on Monday ahead of the country’s government announcing a new spending package as the closing bell rang.

Health stocks led the charge, with Mayne Pharma and Ansell both skyrocketing by more than 25% and Estia surging more than 15%.

Mining services group Parenti Global was the biggest loser among top 200 companies, falling 7%, and buy-now-pay-later Fintech Afterpay slumped 3.7% as short-sellers built significant stakes in the company.

Updated

Josh Frydenberg says the payment goes back to 1 March – if you have been let go in that time, you should talk to your employer.

Employees can go to the ATO and register for the program.

Updated

Some NZers to get the payment.

The payment will apply to New Zealanders who are in Australia on a Triple 4 visa.

They won’t have access to the welfare system, but they will get this one, because they had jobs, “they are part of the economy of Australia”.

There is no word on the other temporary visa holders, as yet.

The payment will also apply to not-for-profits.

Updated

Scott Morrison says businesses will be reimbursed in arrears.

So the onus is on employers to keep people on and make the payments – and then the government, in May, will pay back the employer (back dated to today).

The idea is to keep people on the payroll and off the unemployment figures.

Updated

The payment is per employee.

There will be legal obligations on the part of employers, to make sure the payment goes to each employee’s payroll.

“This measure is being delivered, through the ATO,” Scott Morrison says of the job keeper allowance.

He says the payments will be difficult enough to disperse, without building a new payment system.

On rentals, Scott Morrison says the government is working on rental subsidies at the moment.

That would be on top of the eviction moratorium.

Updated

If you have already been laid off, you are still eligible, if the business you worked for had a turnover fall by more than 30% (for bigger businesses, that threshold rises to 50% or more, but I missed the cut off for that one).

Josh Frydenberg says the Australian scheme is greater than what New Zealand offers and is broader than what the UK has in offer.

“The announcement today is the means by which Australians get to the other side of the coronacrisis,” Frydenberg says.

Updated

Josh Frydenberg says it will be available to full and part time workers, sole traders and casuals who have been with their employers for more than 12 months.

The payments will flow from the first week of May and will be back dated to today.

Quick summary

  • As expected, the government has announced a $1,500 a fortnight “job keeper” payment.
  • It will last for six months (at least).
  • The payment will be made to businesses, to keep employees on their payroll.
  • There will be no higher payment for higher earners.
  • That will work out to about 70% of the average wage (my calculation).
  • Businesses will have to prove they are paying it to their employees.
  • The partner income test for Centrelink payments has increased from $48,000 to $79,000 a year.
  • The new measures will cost about $130bn.

Updated

The government is also changing the partner income test for Centrelink – from $48,000 to $79,000 per year.

So if your partner earns under the new threshold, $79,000 or so, and you lose your job, you will be able to access the new Centrelink payments.

Updated

Scott Morrison:

We want to keep the economy running through this crisis, it may run in idle for some time, but it must run.

There will not be more support for higher earners – everyone will earn the same.

Updated

As reported, the government will pay employers to pay employees up to $1,500 a fortnight as a “job keeper” payment.

Businesses will be held to account to make sure the money is going to employees.

Updated

There has been a four minute preamble to say there is a $130bn package for the new economic plan.

Scott Morrison says that “some will say it is too little” and some will “say it is too much”.

He says it is the biggest package Australia has seen.

He still hasn’t said what it is though yet.

Wage subsidy announced

It is now time to dig deep, the prime minister says, in what is becoming a hallmark long preamble ahead of his announcements.

The prime minister’s latest press conference should be held very, very soon.

Updated

I guess the intentions were pure?

Australian celebrities have been encouraging people to stay home to slow the transmission of coronavirus, posting videos on social media of themselves in self-isolation under the hashtag #lockdownforlove.

Entrepreneur James Cotton, the founder of CMO Software, is taking credit for the initiative, saying in a statement: “It’s not just about staying at home for ourselves, it’s for the people who are most vulnerable.”

Personally, I’m most pleased it’s spawned this video of nominal Australian Sam Neill singing Radiohead’s Creep on a ukelele, accented by just the slightest hint of cabin fever.

Updated

Scott Morrison has called a press conference for 4pm, in the prime minister’s courtyard.

The Queensland police commissioner, Katarina Carroll, says police have conducted 1850 quarantine compliance checks and in the past week received 231 complaints from the public, asking for checks.

Police checked those 231 people and found they were complying.

But the parties have increased. They will have to stop under the new restrictions. Carroll says:

Where we have had some issues in the past two weeks is on the weekend of the 21st and 22nd March – police attended 600 noisy parties.

This went up significantly the last weekend to 900. What’s been occurring obviously, as people haven’t been allowed to go out to clubs they are congregating in houses.

What that means for us obviously is an extraordinary amount of resources that have been diverted to looking after complaints and noisy parties and not where we should be concentrating our efforts.

However, as a result of what you have just heard, the new rules, from today police should not be getting any more noisy party complaints.

Like I said, it does divert our resources, while we have been extraordinarily patient, and once again I thank the public for assisting us with this. It has always been a strategy around communication and compassion but, certainly, there is a strong enforcement focus we will take, that if people aren’t abiding by these very strict rules – and they are there for a very good reason, for our health and your health – that enforcement will result if these rules aren’t abided by.

So, like I said, an extraordinary increase in noisy party complaints. However, with the new rules, partying should not be taking place in people’s households, it should just be your family and your household.

Updated

Queensland now has 689 cases of Covid-19, with an additional 33 cases.

Of those, seven are currently in intensive care, five are requiring ventilation.

The Queensland health minister says the restrictions on entry is helping:

The 81% of all of our cases were people who acquired the disease overseas, and a further 15% were direct contacts of those travellers from overseas.

Updated

Queensland to crack down further on border arrivals

Annastacia Palaszczuk says there are still too many people coming across the border and there will be tighter restrictions on who gets through:

The prime minister announced last night that following on from our national cabinet meeting we would be limiting both indoor and outdoor gatherings to two persons, and the exceptions of course are your household.

Now, this is really important.

We have seen a lot of people out and about, all over gym equipment, in playgrounds, a lot of different families coming together, using the equipment. We can’t do this.

I know it sounds really tough, but we can’t do it at this time. And these measures are going to be put in place for a month.

So let’s see how they go and let’s see if we can flatten that curve.

It is absolutely very important.

Our borders to New South Wales, we will be moving to stricter enforcement on Friday for our borders. We are still seeing a lot of people coming across our borders and it has got to stop.

So I am sending a message to NSW and to Victoria. Yes, we love you. We would love you to visit Queensland. Not now.

Come back when we are right through this and we will share the love around. But we really need everyone to only come across the border if you have a permit.

Updated

Here is how Dan Andrews defines “stage three”.

Updated

Jim Chalmers says the government needs to come up with a plan for childcare and childcare workers:

Clearly one of the most impacted parts of the economy will be the childcare sector. It is not hard to imagine the impact of what is happening here on childcare providers and childcare workers. My colleague has been saying for some time that this situation is urgent in childcare and it needs to be fixed as a matter of priority. If the government takes steps in that regard, we will support them.

Childcare centres remain open, but so many people have been forced to withdraw their children, many workers have already been laid off.

There are health advisories starting to come out in language

Updated

Brendan Coates, the program director, Household Finances, for the Grattan Institute has taken a look at the economy for the Conversation. He says the OECD estimates the lockdowns could see the Australian economy take a 22% hit:

New Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development estimates paint a grim picture of the direct economic costs of public health measures to contain the spread of Covid-19, and the need for more government support to cushion the blow.

The estimates cover the economic hit to business that rely on face-to-face contact such as airlines, accommodation and food services, tourism, retail services, arts and recreation and even real estate agents.

Assuming that some sectors see only partial shutdowns, the lockdowns could see 22% of Australia’s economy shut down, marginally less than in other major economies.

Near-deserted streets are seen in the Sydney’s CBD as people stay home due to the coronavirus shutdown.
Near-deserted streets are seen in the Sydney’s CBD as people stay home due to the coronavirus shutdown. Photograph: Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images

Updated

Covid-19 modelling to be "unlocked"

The deputy chief medical officer has also committed to releasing the modelling the medical panel is using to guide these decisions, including the restrictions.

This should make several groups, not least the Australian Academy of Science and its members, very happy.

Paul Kelly:

I think transparency is very important. I think the modelling component is one of those things that is changing very rapidly, and various components of that modelling is changing.

As of today, I have asked my staff to organise a meeting later this week where the modelling and the epidemiology and the public health response will be unlocked, and people will be able to ask questions about that.

I think we have been quite open with components of the modelling, but I respect that there is a large number of ways that modelling can be done, and so we need to be more transparent, and we will be.

There have been a lot of questions about what the two people gathering rule means.

We can’t answer every question, for each of your specific situations. There are going to be cases where some common sense/personal choice is going to have to come into it.

But here is what we do know:

Updated

There is no way of knowing the full extent of the Covid-19 pandemic on rugby union in this country, says Rugby Australia, and the game’s governing body will be forced to make “significant cuts” if the sport is to remain financially viable. RA announced at today’s AGM an operating deficit of $9.4m for 2019 after having been impacted by the loss of gate receipts and broadcast revenue due to the shutdown of play, along with the costly Israel Folau sacking saga, which was settled in November last year.

“To put it simply, there is no way of knowing what damage this crisis will have on our game, or for how long it will continue to impact us,” RA chairman Paul McLean said. “It has forced us to make some extremely difficult decisions, and there will be even harder decisions to come as we continue to navigate the implications of the virus on the game’s finances.”

Union is not the only code to be fighting for survival, wide-reaching cuts have also been made across all other professional sports in Australia after the coronavirus plunged the sporting world into financial crisis. NRL executives, club bosses and player representatives are also meeting today to discuss rugby league’s precarious position.

Updated

Paul Kelly:

This is a time for you that have elderly relatives and I would include myself in that, to ask what is it that they need?

What other things that are going to impact their lives with these new restrictions, particularly around shopping, picking up scripts for their medication, what can you do for you elderly family members?

For those who have elderly people living close to them, this is a time to ask them not to be pushy but to ask them what it is that we can do to support them in a safe way? Particularly in relation to food and medicine and other supplies.

This is a time for us to work together on these matters. We are all in this together and while we have some strong indications that those measures we have put in place so far are starting to have the effect we were hoping for, this is not a time to stop those rather to continue to build on those issues and to make sure that we are working together to slow the course of this virus.

Australian deputy chief medical officer Paul Kelly holds coronavirus press conference.
Australian deputy chief medical officer Paul Kelly holds coronavirus press conference. Photograph: Lukas Coch/EPA

Updated

Paul Kelly repeats the new restrictions:

The exceptions are people of the same household going out together, funerals, where the maximum is 10 and weddings, a maximum of five and family units.

Obviously families can continue to have indoor or outdoor gatherings. There is a strong guidance to all Australians to stay home unless they absolutely need to go outside.

That is food shopping for groceries and other necessary supplies, medical and healthcare needs, exercise and compliance with the public gathering requirements therefore it is just for two people or less and work and study if this cannot be done remotely and people are being encouraged for both work and started to do that from their homes.

There are a range of other measures in relation to this in relation to playgrounds, state marks but I will not go into those in details.

But the final part of that advice and this really is advised rather than the others which are compulsory, is that senior people, people that are elderly or those with chronic disease should stay at home as much as possible.

Updated

The deputy chief medical officer, professor Paul Kelly, says there are now cases of Covid-19 in almost every country in the world. Pacific nations are still relatively safe, as they were locked down fairly early given the devastation which could occur, but it is still a moving feast.

In Australia there are now 4,093 cases, with 55 people in the ICU.

Updated

NSW Health have released its official update for 30 March.

There are 157 Covid-19 cases being treated in New South Wales, including 26 cases in our intensive care units and, of those, 13 require ventilators at this stage.

More than 50% of the remainder of cases being treated by NSW Health are through hospital in the home services.

Cruise ships:

There are currently 189 NSW cases from the Ruby Princess, 66 cases from the Ovation of the Seas, which docked 18 March and 26 cases from the Voyager of the Seas which docked on 18 March.

There are two new cases in NSW, from the Celebrity Solstice, making it four total cases in NSW.

On 29 March a team of one doctor and four paramedics completed a boat to boat transfer a few miles off Botany Bay to transport three crew members requiring hospitalisation who are thought to have Covid-19. The crew have been transferred to RPA.

Approximately 70 swabs from unwell crew members on the Voyager of the Seas have been tested for Covid-19. Four crew members have tested positive for Covid-19. NSW Health is working with the cruise line (Royal Caribbean) to ensure infection control, isolation of all crew, and care of unwell people aboard the ship.

The Princess Cruises owned Ruby Princess cruise ship in waters off Sydney.
The Princess Cruises owned Ruby Princess cruise ship in waters off Sydney. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

Schools:

Tyndale Christian School in Blacktown has three cases of Covid-19 (2 students and a staff member). The school will close on 30 and 31 March for contact tracing and cleaning.

A childcare worker at Rose of Sharon childcare centre and two confirmed cases in children who attend this centre have been diagnosed. All children have been isolated as close contacts.

Updated

Michael Gunner says there will be stricter requirements first, as part of “Territory first” even if it means putting the other states last. If you arrive in the Territory after Friday, you will be forced into quarantine, and you will have to pay for it. That’s 14 days – it is estimated to cost about $2,500 for the duration.

This morning I told my cabinet I wanted even tougher border controls, and they have agreed.

Our actions so far have stem the flow of interstate arrivals to that Territory, and I want to stop that flow.

From midnight on Wednesday, people entering the Territory from interstate, including Territorians returning home, will be required to spend 14 days in forced quarantine, not self quarantine.

The rule that applies to overseas arrivals will now apply to all arrivals.

So that means if you come from Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, from anywhere, you will be directed straight to a hotel that is secured by us and guarded by us and you will stay in your room for 14 days.

From midnight on Friday, if you still insist on coming to the Territory, whether from overseas or interstate, you will go into forced quarantine, but we will not be paying the bill.

You will be made to stay where we tell you to stay, but you will pay for it, not us. We have given you enough notice.

If you are starting to think I don’t want you here, you are right.

Do not come here, we do not want you here. Sorry, but not right now.

When all of this is over, please come to the Territory. It’s the greatest place on earth, and we would be happy to have you, but not right now.

Updated

NT enacting forced quarantine for ALL arrivals

The NT chief minister, Michael Gunner, is giving an update on the Northern Territory situation:

I know it seems like every day the list of restrictions gets a bit longer and trying to live a normal life gets a bit tougher, but what is happening is not normal.

We can’t act as though things are normal. If you can’t keep up with all of the different rules, I don’t blame you at all, so just remember five words.

Stay home if you can. Unless you have got to work or shop or exercise, stay home if you can. I know it seems like the most unterritory and thing to do, to stay inside and away from the outdoors, but being the best Territorian you can be means being safe. When you are out in the public around other people, you are rolling the dice with your health and your family’s health.

So instead of rolling the dice, choose the safest bet. Stay home if you can.

There are still six patients in the Canberra hospital who have Covid-19. Two of those people are in the ICU.

Updated

The ACT has followed the PM’s recommendations to close public spaces like skateparks, camp grounds, pools and playgrounds.

Bookings which have been made, will be refunded.

The ACT will also be enforcing the new restrictions as announced by the prime minister last night.

To be clear – if you are the primary carer of someone, you are allowed to care for them.

If your family is split across a couple of households, you are allowed to meet in one house.

If you live with more than one person, you can all be at home together.

If you go outside, you can do so with the people you live with.

All the rest of it, is common sense. Couples are urged, if they can, to choose a household to isolate together, where they can, to limit further interactions.

Updated

Australia's death toll rises to 18 with first ACT death

The ACT has recorded its first death, with a woman in her 80s passing away after contracting Covid-19.

ACT Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerryn Coleman, said the woman caught the illness overseas.

My thoughts are with the family and friends of this person through such a difficult time.

This is the very sad reality of this disease, which is seeing the elderly at an increased risk of complications from Covid-19.

It is why we need everyone to take the social distancing measures we are implementing seriously. We need everyone to stay at home where possible, to practice good hygiene and to keep at least 1.5 metres away from others.

The ACT has recorded one new case in the last 24 hours, a woman in her 30s, which has been linked to overseas travel.

That brings the number of cases in the territory to 78.

Updated

Health workers are still calling for greater protections:

The Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Sally McManus and Centre for Future Work director Jim Stanford have just held a teleconference to discuss job losses and wage subsidies.

So far, the ACTU believes that one million Australians have lost their jobs when casuals and stand-downs at major employers are included. Stanford estimated that based on the fact 3.3 million are employed in the five most affected sectors, that the number of people out of work could be more than 2 million within weeks.

McManus was critical of the handling of federal and state governments:

Earlier in the week [of 22 March] when the government made the announcement about increasing Newstart as their response, that did send a signal to a lot of employers, we started seeing mass job losses then, in particular for people that were easier to let go, by that I mean casuals and contractors.

Then the next day I think was Tuesday various state governments made announcements that sounded like there was essential and non-essential employers, which all was a bit bungled really. The message taken by some employers was that they were not essential. And we woke up to a whole lot of workplaces standing down or just sacking their employees. A lot of unions worked really hard to get people back to work - that was simply bad communication by governments, state and federal, that lead to that panic.

It became pretty clear by the middle of the week, it became clear by the middle of the week that the message employers had got was that they could let people go and they’d be looked after by the social security system – and you saw the Centrelink lines was a product of that.

The ACTU’s proposal is for a wage subsidy, of 80% of workers’ previous wage, capped at 80% of the median wage – a subsidy of up to $1,375 a week to be paid first by government to employers and then to their workers.

McManus confirmed that people who received the payment would still be counted as employed, and called for the measure to be backdated to unwind the “devastation” of recent job losses.

McManus noted reports the government has opted instead for a $1,500 fortnightly payment, which she labelled “highly inadequate” as it would amount to about 44% of the median wage and “about half of what’s needed”.

Stanford estimated the cost of the ACTU’s proposal would be “tens of billions of dollars” – but noted that paying wage subsidies would reduce the amount that will need to be spent on jobseeker payments. Job losses of two million would send the unemployment rate from 5% to 20% “within the first few weeks”, he said.

Updated

ANU modelling shows Covid-19 cases to hit 5000 in 'coming days"

Australia is just over 4,100 now, so this makes sense:

New modelling from experts at The Australian National University (ANU) and the University of Melbourne shows Australia’s rate of Covid-19 infections is doubling about every seven days.

This is down from a doubling every four days a week ago.

Without adequate control measures and physical distancing, which Australia has started to initiate, the infection rate could rise as high as 20 persons per 100.

The economic, biosecurity and animal disease experts are urging immediate and stronger physical distancing measures to stop dead an exponential spike in coronavirus cases.

In the absence of sufficient physical distancing, possibly up to one-in-five Australians could have been infected, resulting in 48,000 additional premature deaths.

Professor Tom Kompas from the University of Melbourne and Professor Quentin Grafton from ANU have tracked infection rates against physical distancing measures. Their results are detailed in the specialist ANU publication Policy Forum.

“The data now tells us cases are currently doubling about every seven days in Australia, and although the daily rate of growth in infected cases has now decreased to 10%, the growth pattern is still exponential,” Prof Kompas said.

“With our modelling, we project Australia will have between 5,080 to 5,970 cases at 6pm on 1 April – with the most likely number being 5,220 most likely.

“For 2 April the range is 5,510 to 6,835, with 5,715 most likely.”

Updated

The Australian Retailers Association and the Shopping Centre Council of Australia are in talks over retail rents, ARA executive director Russell Zimmerman said.

This follows prime minister Scott Morrison’s announcement last night that evicting tenants who can’t pay the rent because of the coronavirus crisis would be banned for the next six months.

“We are in discussions with them and those discussions are amicable,” Zimmerman told Guardian Australia.

Updated

The deputy chief medical officer, Professor Paul Kelly, will update Australia’s Covid-19 situation at 2.15pm.

Updated

Ben Doherty and Patrick Greenfield have an update for those passengers stricken on the Zaandam cruise ship:

About 100 Australians are stranded on board the Covid-19 stricken cruise the Zaandam, which is off the coast of Panama and unsure on where it will be allowed to dock.

The number of people with flu-like symptoms on board has risen by almost a third in two days, from 139 to 179.

Holland America Line, which runs the Zaandam, confirmed there have been no further deaths on board after four elderly passengers passed away earlier this week. The causes of their deaths has not been publicly released.

The Zaandam and its sister ship the Rotterdam – which sailed to resupply the stricken ship – are preparing to pass through the Panama canal after the central American country reversed a decision to stop the vessels from crossing.

Hundreds of asymptomatic passengers were moved to the Rotterdam over the weekend. None have presented with flu-like symptoms so far.

On Sunday evening, it was still unclear whether the two boats would be allowed to dock in Fort Lauderdale after local authorities raised concerns about the health risks the crew and passengers pose to the local population.

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis has called for President Trump to intervene in the situation and has suggested the vessels should be redirected to nearby navy bases.

Updated

The government has changed the rules to allow people suffering financial distress because of Covid-19 to access $10,000 from their superannuation now, and then again, if needed, in the next financial year.

Jane Hume zoomed in to the AFR banking and wealth summit in Sydney (which was mostly online from what I understand) to talk about the superannuation changes:

Superannuation funds typically have around a quarter of their assets in Aussie equities. A quarter of $27 bn – let’s say, $7 bn in funds – may well come out of the Australian stock market to meet early release (and that’s assuming funds don’t choose to preference bond sales for a while).

$7 bn is less than one half of 1% of the ASX’s market capitalisation.

That’s the equivalent of a single day’s turnover of the ASX.

And this is all before we take into account ongoing cash inflows from SG contributions from those who remain in work.

Let me be abundantly clear; there is no valid excuse for a fund to delay early release of a member’s funds. Your members, the media and the regulators will be looking for those who are swimming naked when the tide recedes.

...Advisers and funds will of course make the valid point that when you take an early release of super there is a trade-off being made between money now and money in the future. But the flip side to this is that deciding whether or not to take the money now out of super is a choice that only an engaged person can make.

Updated

Labor’s shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers will be holding a press conference at 1pm.

Updated

And the definitions:

For the purposes of this public health direction:

Essential business, activity or undertaking means a business, activity or undertaking that is not prohibited by the Non-essential business, activity and undertaking Closure Direction (No.3) or another public health direction.

Essential goods or services are food and other supplies, and services, that are needed for the necessities of life and operation of society, such as food, fuel, medical supplies, and other goods.

Household means persons who ordinarily live at the same residence, including if family or kinship customs or cultural obligations have the effect of a person living across multiple residences.

Principal place of residence means:

  • For a person who permanently resides in Queensland, the residence where the person ordinarily resides.
  • For a person who temporarily resides in Queensland, the residence where the person ordinarily resides when the person in present in Queensland.

Residence means premises used, or intended to be used, as a dwelling or mainly as a dwelling, and includes the land on which the residence is situated, and includes:

  • A single detached dwelling.
  • Each of one or more attached dwellings that are separated by a common wall.
  • Examples for paragraph (b) – villa unit, townhouse, terrace house, row house, unit in an apartment block.
  • A manufactured home as defined in section 10 of the Manufactured Homes (Residential Parks) Act 2003.
  • A caravan as defined in section 7 of the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008.
  • Any other building or structure situated on the same land as the premises or dwelling.
  • Examples for paragraph (e) – shed, pool house, carport, granny flat. But does not include a corrective services facility or detention centre.

Updated

The latest Queensland social distancing rules are out:

PART 1 – DIRECTION – Home confinement requirements for residents of Queensland:

  1. The purpose of this Part is to prohibit:
    1. persons from leaving their residence except for permitted purposes; and
    2. groups of more than two persons who are not members of the same household from gathering in any place except for permitted purposes.
  1. These directions apply from 11.59pm on Sunday, 29 March 2020, until the end of the declared public health emergency, unless they are revoked or replaced.
  2. A person who resides in Queensland must not leave their principal place of residence except for, and only to the extent reasonably necessary to accomplish, the following permitted purposes:
    1. to obtain food or other essential goods or services;
    2. to obtain medical treatment or other health care services;
    3. to engage in physical exercise, either alone or in the company of no more than one other person; or in the company of a family group who ordinarily live in the same Household;
    4. to perform work on behalf of an employer that is engaged in an essential business, activity or undertaking, and the work to be performed is of a nature that cannot reasonably be performed from the person’s principal place of residence;
    5. to visit a terminally ill relative or to attend a funeral, subject to any applicable restrictions under other relevant Public Health Directions;
    6. to provide assistance, care or support to an immediate member of the person’s family;
    7. to attend any Court of Australia or to comply with or give effect to orders of the Court; or
    8. to attend a childcare facility, school, university, or other educational institution, to the extent care or instruction cannot reasonably be obtained in the person’s principal place of residence.
  1. A person who leaves their residence for a permitted purpose may be accompanied by members of their household or, alternatively, by no more than one person who is not a member of their household.
  2. The Queensland chief health officer may grant an exemption to part or all of these directions on compassionate grounds or for other exceptional circumstances.

Updated

Sarah Hanson-Young also wants regional newspapers protected. There has been a rash of closures announced in recent days, as advertisers dry up:

The Greens are calling on communications minister Paul Fletcher to urgently respond to requests for assistance for regional media as more and more newspapers close across the country.

Greens Spokesperson for Media and Communications Senator Sarah Hanson-Young wrote to Minister Fletcher last week.

“Every day that passes without action from the Minister is another day it gets harder to save these essential local media outlets and the jobs of local journalists,” Senator Hanson-Young said.

“I understand Minister Fletcher has been in talks with a number of organisations about the situation they are facing, but he is yet to make any public representations about government assistance.

“Regional Australians deserve to know if their local newspaper and radio station which is the lifeblood of many communities, is going to survive through this crisis.

“The $40m Regional and Small Publishers Jobs and Innovation Package should immediately be used to support struggling regional media outlets. The Minister doesn’t need to find more money, this package can be transitioned to keep jobs and the presses going.

Updated

We are still waiting for the outcome of today’s meetings, but we should have some sort of answers on the wage subsidy – or job allowance – mid afternoon. I would aim for about 4pm or so.

The Greens are calling for (at least) a temporary ban on racing.

From Mehreen Faruqi:

It’s galling that greyhound and horse racing is allowed to continue in this public health crisis.

Organised sports, cinemas, restaurants and shops are shutting down but the government is turning a blind eye to these cruel industries.

We need an immediate moratorium on racing. Animal cruelty is not an essential service.

So many in our community are self-isolating and making sacrifices at the moment, but it seems there is one rule for the gambling-fuelled racing industry and another rule for the rest of us.

Updated

Woolworths is adding a “basics box” option for customers who can’t get out and shop. It will be delivered to people’s homes and cost $80. From AAP:

Woolworths is stepping up efforts to get food to elderly and other vulnerable people who are stuck at home as coronavirus spreads.

The supermarket is rolling out an $80 box of basic groceries and will use Australia Post and other distribution channels to get orders to isolated people faster.

The box includes meals, snacks and a few essential items, and can’t be customised. It can be ordered online from this week in the ACT, New South Wales and Victoria.

Orders should arrive in two to five working days and phone support will be available for people who are not comfortable ordering online.

Other states will be added in coming weeks.

The government has urged Australians over the age of 70 to stay at home for their own protection as the nation’s coronavirus tally reaches more than 4000 cases, with 16 deaths.

The $80 price includes contactless doorstep delivery by Australia Post and Woolworths has said it won’t be making a profit from the service.

Woolworths says people who can shop for families or friends who are isolated should do so, to limit demand on the online service.

“There will be some in our community who don’t have that option, and we need your help to put the most vulnerable first,” Woolworths Group CEO Brad Banducci said in a statement on Monday.

Woolworths will also use DHL Supply Chain and delivery companies Sherpa and Drive Yello to get keep its online orders flowing.

The retailer has been offering priority assistance home deliveries since March 13, to help the elderly, those with disabilities, and those in mandatory isolation.

Customers can apply for priority assistance by going to woolworths.com.au/priorityassistance

Updated

There is a tiny bit of a lull today, so if you still have questions on the latest coronavirus situation, send them through to me on Twitter, and I will do my best to answer them.

Some more stand-downs announced this morning – Aquis Entertainment, the operator of the Canberra casino, stood down 212 people and Redhill Education, which offers vocational and English classes, stood down 235 people.

It comes as the shutdown of vast sectors of the economy – hospitality, entertainment and retail – starts to bleed into the finance industry.

The second-tier bank Bank of Queensland became the first bank to withdraw its profit guidance because of the coronavirus.

Insurance businesses are also taking a heavy hit due to the sharemarket losing about a third of its value over the past month.

Challenger, which offers life insurance and annuity products, said it had dumped shares, reducing them from 13% of the assets backing its life products to just 5%.

Investors who have pumped $345m into high-interest notes issued by Challenger also got a nasty shock – the company won’t be repurchasing them, as it usually does, and they will instead be converted into ordinary shares.

Insurer QBE withdrew its profit forecasts. IAG said it was maintaining its profit forecasts but flagged a $100m loss in its investment portfolio since the end of the year, most of which took place in March.

Updated

On that enforcement, AAP reports that NSW police have already had to arrest someone for repeatedly ignoring the restrictions:

A man who recently returned to Australia from overseas is behind bars after NSW police stopped him from going outside for a third time in two days.

The 30-year-old man, who landed at Sydney International Airport after flying home from Jordan on March 18, was ordered to self-quarantine at his Edensor Park home for 14 days in case he had the coronavirus.

But he allegedly went out to Pagewood about 1.20am on Saturday March 28, was given a $1000 on-the-spot fine and ordered to return home.

Then at 10pm on Saturday night he arrested on Pitt St in the CBD, charged with disobeying a ministerial direction under the Public Health Act and granted bail to appear in court in May.

But because of his alleged failure to self-isolate at his Edensor Park home, a public health order was made directing him to do so at a serviced apartment at Camperdown.

He was arrested again after he allegedly tried to leave the flat on Sunday.

The man was due to face Central Local Court on Monday after being refused bail on charges of not complying with a public health order, not complying with a ministerial direction under the public health act and breaching bail.

So far New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania have said they will enforce the new restrictions.

The NT recommends them, but won’t enforce the smaller gatherings.

Queensland will also stick to a limit of 10 (at the moment).

Updated

Again, just because there still seems to be some confusion, the new restrictions, coming into place at midnight tonight, include:

Indoor and Outdoor Public gatherings

National Cabinet agreed to limit both indoor and outdoor gatherings to two persons only.

Exceptions to this limit include:

  • People of the same household going out together;
  • Funerals – a maximum of 10 people;
  • Wedding – a maximum of 5 people;
  • Family units.

Individual states and territories may choose to mandate and/or enforce this requirement.

National Cabinet’s strong guidance to all Australians is to stay home unless for:

  • shopping for what you need – food and necessary supplies;
  • medical or health care needs, including compassionate requirements;
  • exercise in compliance with the public gathering requirements;
  • work and study if you can’t work or learn remotely.

National Cabinet agreed that playgrounds, skate parks and outside gyms in public places will be closed. Bootcamps will be reduced to two persons, including the trainer.

Updated

For the record, it means a temporary suspension of an activity.

Updated

Passengers on Ocean Atlantic send video plea to Scott Morrison

Passengers onboard the Ocean Atlantic have begged Scott Morrison to help bring them home via a YouTube video.

The passengers, who include about 150 Australians, embarked on what was supposed to be an Antarctic cruise in February/early March.

They are now stuck in South America. They say they are healthy but they have no affordable way home.

Updated

Queensland will also be issuing on-the-spot fines for people who ignore the social distancing rules. As AAP reports:

In Queensland thus far, no more than 10 people – other than residents – will be allowed inside a home at any one time, with homeowners and occupants now obliged to ensure they and visitors practice social distancing as much as possible.

Queensland Police now have powers to issue infringement notices for breaches of quarantine directions of up to $13,345 for individuals and $66,672 for businesses.

All passengers arriving on international flights in Queensland, who are returning home or passing through, will be held in local hotels for 14 days, under new quarantine measures that came into effect at midnight on Saturday.

Officers can also issue on-the-spot fines of $1,334 for individuals and $6,672 for businesses that fail to abide by state health directions.

Updated

The Nationals MP Pat Conaghan says it is time to dock federal MPs’ pay as the coronavirus crisis continues.

From AAP:

Federal politicians are facing calls from within their own ranks to take a pay cut during the coronavirus-fuelled economic storm.

Nationals MP Pat Conaghan has backed Pauline Hanson’s proposal to dock federal representatives’ wages in solidarity with people joining dole queues around the country.

“I think it’s inevitable,” Mr Conaghan told Triple M Coffs Coast on Monday.

“I’m quite happy to do that.”

The base annual salary for federal backbenchers is more than $210,000, while cabinet ministers rake in around $360,000.

Mr Conaghan wants pay cuts for all public servants earning more than $120,000 a year.

“If you’re a magistrate, if you’re a judge, if you’re a senior bureaucrat, then I think the writing’s on the wall. It would be the right thing to do,” he said.

The Morrison government has requested a pay freeze for politicians, judges and senior public servants.

Mr Conaghan said well-paid professional athletes were taking a pay cut at a time when he was inundated with constituents losing their jobs.

“In my view, it would only be the right thing to do to take that pay cut,” he said.

Updated

A Sydney startup has announced overnight that it has developed an online diagnosis tool to help physicians scanning for Covid-19.

The University of Sydney spinoff DetectED-X, initially aimed at breast cancer screenings, has refocused its efforts on a training platform named CovED which is to be provided for free worldwide to any clinician who wants to sign up.

The tool aims to train physicians to accurately diagnose CT (computed topology or x-rays) lung scans of patients at the early stages of the disease. The task is usually undertaken by radiologists but the amount of cases is likely to overwhelm the limited numbers of specialists, especially in developing countries.

“Our platform does not replace expert medical and radiologic training, but CovED provides an effective way to recognise rapidly the appearances of COVID-19, which could be critical in a situation of too many patients and not enough expert radiologists,” said the DetectED-X chief executive, Prof Patrick Brennan of the University of Sydney.

Updated

Jim Chalmers says Labor supports what it has seen of the temporary foreign investment changes:

Labor notes the announcement that the Foreign Investment Review Board will, for the time being, scrutinise all bids by foreign investors looking to take over Australian businesses.

This sounds like a sensible step in uncertain times.

We support it in principle and look forward to any further details.

ABC health expert Norman Swan to be tested for Covid-19 after showing symptoms

The ABC is reporting its health expert, Norman Swan, will be tested for Covid-19 after showing symptoms. He is going into self-isolation.

Updated

Those changes to the income test don’t have to go through parliament.

Before parliament broke, the regulations were changed to give the government/minister the power to make the changes.

The government has said it is looking at raising the partner income test to about $70,000 but we are still waiting on the confirmation.

Updated

The government is still looking at changing the partner income test to allow more people to access the Covid-19 Centrelink payments.

But Linda Burney says it is not happening quick enough:

Through the JobSeeker Payment, Australians are also eligible for the Coronavirus Supplement, Rent Assistance, the Energy Supplement and other support depending on their circumstances.

However, if their partner earns an annual income of $48,000, the couple loses access to this social security. Even if one person has lost their job.

EXAMPLE A – one person loses job

Partner 1: loses job which paid $50,000 per year and has no income

Partner 2: keeps job earns $49,000 per year

*This couple family will not receive any assistance because of the partner income test. Despite losing most of their income. They will need to rely on the remaining income of $49,000.

EXAMPLE B – both people on JobSeeker Payment

Partner 1: loses job and has no income

Partner 2: loses job and has no income

*This couple family will receive an annualised figure of $55,161 in JobSeeker Payment for the next six months. Plus Rent Assistance of $3,380 per year. And Energy Supplement of $410.80 per year. In total, annualised secial security payment of $58,951.

Labor has called for the government to urgently adjust the partner income test.

Updated

It looks as though there are finally some answers for the Australians (about 800 or so) on board the cruise ship the Vasco da Gama.

The operator, Cruise and Maritime Voyages, expects everyone will be off the ship today. It docked on Friday night but everyone has been made to stay onboard.

They will be going straight into quarantine on Rottnest Island.

The cruise operator says there have been no Covid-19 symptoms:

On Saturday, passengers were screened by the Department of Health, Western Australia, including temperature checks, and four guests from separate cabins were also randomly tested for COVID-19, all returning negative results.

New Zealand passengers departed their flight as scheduled in the early hours of Sunday morning (0240) and have arrived safely in New Zealand.

On Sunday afternoon, CMV finally received details of the transfers for the 197 Western Australian passengers who will be self-isolated on Rottnest Island from 30 March, while all other Australian passengers from interstate (nationals and residents) will be transferred from mid-afternoon Monday to hotels around Perth.

The Captain of Vasco da Gama has now informed guests on board, who have also received letters with details of their transfers.

The passengers will also be briefed in their respective groups on board before disembarking the ship later today.

Western Australian residents on board will depart for Rottnest Island today via ferries throughout the morning, while Non-Western Australian residents will be transferred by coach to hotels throughout the afternoon.

Border Force has told the ship to leave Australian waters as soon as possible once the Australians have disembarked.

The crew have not been allowed to take flights home so they will be sailing on to London.

The cruise operator has now suspended operations.

Updated

The health minister, Greg Hunt, has issued a biosecurity order shutting down retail outlets at international airports.

There are limited exemptions for pharmacies, food and beverage outlets which can still sell takeaway, and “exceptional circumstances” if the operator has social distancing measures in place.

So while in the general community the federal government is keeping retail open, at international airports a fuller shutdown is in place.

Updated

A commercial charter flight organised by the tour company Chimu Adventures, with Australian government assistance, has flown about 260 Australians out of locked-down Peru. The oversubscribed flight took off from Lima’s military airport Monday morning (Australia time) and has landed in Santiago, Chile, where passengers will change aircraft for the flight to Sydney.

All passengers were tested for Covid-19 before boarding, and will be subject to two weeks’ mandatory quarantine in Sydney when they land.

Many Australians still stuck in Peru could not afford the $5,000 being asked for an economy class seat on the flight or missed out on booking it, while others are in remote parts of the locked-down country where internal movement is heavily restricted, putting airports out of reach.

About 160 Australians remain in Peru. Several New Zealand citizens who were on the flight manifest were taken off it, because the Australian government would not allow NZ citizens to transit through Australia.

Updated

Australia now has more than 4,100 confirmed cases of Covid-19.

Updated

Peter Gutwein says the Tasmanian police will enforce the new rules.

It includes beach homes and shacks – people will have to choose where they stay for the next four weeks. People will not be allowed to travel between residences.

These are tough rules.

I want to make the point for those who love their shacks, you won’t be able to go to your shacks for school holidays or for Easter.

Our shack communities, our coastal communities in many cases are small and, in many cases, are the place of choice for many of our older, retired community.

And as is well understood, retirees are older and more vulnerable, and by allowing a flood of people to go to shacks in those small communities, it increases the risk.

There are more people using what are normally limited facilities and shopping arrangements in those coastal areas. You cannot do it.

You simply cannot do it.

It gives me no pleasure to do this, and I cannot stress just how important it is, but if we are to do all in our power to stop the spread of this virus in Tasmania then we must abide by the rules. There will be some exemptions.

If you’re currently self-isolating in a – in your second property or your shack, or if you choose to make that the place that you reside for the next four weeks, then you will be able to do that. But there will not be movement between your shack and your primary place of residence allowing you to alternate and sleep nights in both. You will need to make a choice.

Updated

Tasmania records first coronavirus death

A woman in her 80s has died after contracting Covid-19 in Tasmania.

It is the state’s first death from the virus. Her death brings the nation’s death toll to 17.

Tasmania’s premier, Peter Gutwein, says the state WILL enforce the new physical restriction and gathering rules.

Updated

Tony Burke spoke to Fran Kelly on the ABC this morning about recalling parliament:

You can do it with as few as 31 now in terms of the House of Reps.

The Senate’s a different number, but all you need, so long as you’ve got the quorum, you can recall the parliament.

We made some changes to standing orders last Monday, supported by both sides. So you can now do it with very few people.

Basically the number of people who are within easy driving distance gets you to quorum, so this can be done.

And as I say – if this had been ready to go two weeks ago there may be a large number of people who found themselves in Centrelink queues and had their lives turned upside down when this didn’t need to happen.

And the whole period the government was ridiculing the idea and right through to last Friday when they were still ruling it out, there’s lives turned upside down in the interim.

As soon as the legislation is ready to go they should be recalling parliament and we’ll get it done.

Updated

The chief executive of the bank lobby, the Australian Banking Association, Anna Bligh, has announced the latest measure from banks, as the economy continues to take hits from the coronacrisis:

Today, Australians banks will expand their business support package to all businesses with loans of up to $10m. 98% of all Australian businesses who have a loan with an Australian bank will now be covered and will now be eligible to have their loan repayments deferred for six months.

This will take the weight off the shoulders of those businesses who employ almost 1.5 million Australians. As part of today’s announcement, commercial landlords with loans of up to $10m will be eligible for six months’ repayment relief. In order for those commercial landlords to access this package, they will have to give an undertaking that they will not terminate the lease or evict any tenant who is in arrears because of Covid-19. To be clear: commercial landlords who access this package will have to undertake not to evict and not to terminate the lease of any of their tenants.

Updated

To be clear, in New South Wales and Victoria, the two people gathering rule includes INDOOR gatherings.

The only exemption is households.

If you live with more than two people, you can all be in the house at the same time. You can all go outside together, at the same time.

But you can’t invite anyone else over, and you can’t meet up with anyone outside of your household.

If you live alone, technically, you can have one visitor.

All non-essential outside trips are seriously discouraged.

If you have to buy groceries, go to a medical appointment, have compassionate reasons, have to work or study outside the home, or need to exercise, you can do so, but the physical distance rules remain in place.

Updated

All the new restrictions come into play at midnight tonight.

'No gathering with friends is worth someone's life' – Dan Andrews

Dan Andrews did not come to play today:

Stay at home.

If you are outside, or in your backyard, gathering in more than two people, if you are having friends over for dinner or friends over for drinks that are not members of your household, then you are breaking the law, you face an on-the-spot fine of more than $1,600 and Victoria police will not hesitate to take action against you.

That is how serious this is.

No one in my position enjoys doing this.

We’re not doing it for any other reason than this is life and death.

If we allow our health system to be overrun, then people will die.

That is just a price that is just not worth paying.

No gathering with friends is worth someone’s life.

I make the point, whilst many vulnerable people are at the highest risk, there are other people who have been otherwise healthy, no pre-existing medical conditions, in their 40s and 50s who have died in other parts of the world.

This is not just about grandma, this is about all of us. This is about all of us. Unless you want to be burying an elderly relative or your best mate, or your parents, if they’re younger, do the right thing.

It is very, very simple. Stay at home!

Nothing could be simpler than that.

Updated

Victoria declares it will enforce stage 3 restrictions

Victoria’s premier, Daniel Andrews, announces Victoria WILL enforce the stage 3 restrictions.

Anyone gathering in groups of more than two risks a $1,600 on-the-spot fine. This includes indoor gatherings.

The only exemption is if you live with the people.

Updated

Victoria has seen an increase of 56 cases, bringing its total to 821.

Updated

There have been a couple of questions about the enforcement of the physical restriction and enforcement rules.

The best answer I can give you is that it depends on the jurisdiction.

For example, NSW has announced it WILL enforce the two-people restriction, with a $1,000 fine (up to six months in jail is also on the cards for repeat offenders).

The NT however, has decided it will not have police enforce the restriction but recommend that people follow it.

Updated

The government has made some temporary changes to foreign investment rules as well.

It is not a freeze on foreign investment but all potential transactions will be reviewed – no matter the value of the investment.

Updated

Parliament is in “emergency mode” which means while there are no scheduled sittings until August but it can be recalled at any time, to pass urgent legislation as part of the coronavirus response.

The government is speaking to Labor about when parliament can be recalled.

Updated

Wage subsidy – what we know

What do we know about the coming wage subsidy so far?

It will be up to $1,500 a fortnight for full-time workers and is being billed as a “job keeper” allowance.

It will be paid to the employer, to keep employees on the payroll.

There will be “legal obligations” for employers who access the payments, to ensure it does go to keeping workers employed.

It will be the single biggest measure of the stimulus so far.

Some parts of it will require a recall of parliament.

Updated

NSW accepted 1,400 travellers yesterday, into quarantine – in hotels across Sydney.

Another 1,200 are expected to be processed into quarantine today as they arrive.

NSW has seen 127 positive cases since 8pm last night.

Updated

The NSW premier gives a special mention to people in their 20s and 30s to stop messing about and obey the new physical distance and gathering rules.

Can I give a message to people in their 20s and 30s, you are not immune from this and even if you are, you risk spreading it to people you love or spreading it to people in the community who are vulnerable and will lose their life because of this.

Please think about others. I do use that age group, in particular, because we are seeing an increase in the statistics in that age group.

Also, the worst offenders in terms of not sticking to the rules are those people in those age groups.

Apologies to those of you doing the right thing but I need to get out the message, you can’t socialise as you used to. That is not allowed any more.

We all have to adjust and play our part and hopefully we will all look back on this period as a difficult time but also a time when we all came together, stuck together and did the right thing by each other.

Updated

If you need a refresher on the new restrictions, you’ll find that here.

Updated

Gladys Berejiklian says NSW will be strictly enforcing the new physical distancing rules:

Gatherings outside or inside should not be more than two people unless it is your immediate family.

That is something we will enforce but I also want to remind everybody that you shouldn’t be leaving home unless it is for work, for school, for essential things that you need to buy or else if you need to seek medical attention or exercise.

They are the only reasons you should leave home.

If you can work from home you should, if you can learn from home, you should. If you can do everything from home, you should.

It is only in the exception al circumstances that you should leave home.

I am pleased to say the community has responded favourably in the last few days. We have seen a marked difference in peoples’ behaviour. There are pockets of people not doing the right thing still.

Please, please take the advice we have provided. It is based on health advice. It is not things that anybody has made up.

This is based on health advice. The experts who meet daily give us advice on what is the best way to control the spread.

Josh Frydenberg flags parliament recall for wage subsidy

The government will be announcing its wage subsidy today.

It is being billed as the “single largest” measure so far and will provide up to $1,500 a fortnight for full-time workers. More details will be released today but the treasurer has told ABC radio that will need to legislate at least part of the package, meaning that parliament will need to be recalled.

The subsidy is designed to keep employees connected to their employers and will be backdated to last week, when the job losses started in earnest.

Updated

Schools in South Australia’s Barossa Valley have closed, after a cluster of coronavirus cases in the popular wine region.

South Australian health authorities have traced the cluster to tourists from the US and Switzerland.

Updated

The NT chief minister, Michael Gunner, has announced a $5m worker and wellbeing fund, which will provide access to counselling services, as well as help people navigate Centrelink.

From the release:

An advisory group chaired by Wendy Morton, former Executive Director of NTCOSS, with representation from business, community and unions has been established. This group will be tasked with providing advice on how to target the right resources to the right people, as well as identifying where there are gaps in the availability of services.

The Worker & Wellbeing Fund’s main goals are to:

  • Help people access the range of wellbeing and other counselling or support services that are available
  • Help people navigate the welfare system and access income and any other financial support available
  • Help workers who have lost their job find new employment opportunities fast –such as guiding people to job matching services like the Territory Jobs Hub
  • Assisting Territorians who require access to accommodation and other essentials

This funding is to meet new and emerging gaps and will be available for people who were not already receiving Centrelink benefits such as Newstart or Youth Allowance prior to the COVID-19 economic downturn. It will also be complementary to any initiatives announced by the Australian Government.

Details about the operation of the fund will be made available on 3 April 2020.

Updated

The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, and the police minister, David Elliott, have called a press conference for 8am.

Updated

The government has released new ways of receiving information on Covid-19 in Australia.

If you are on WhatsApp, you can add the Australian government chat, which will provide information on what is happening in Australia, including the latest figures and restrictions. You can find that here.

There is also a coronavirus app in the Apple store and Google Play store.

Both initiatives have been launched in an attempt to help clear up some of the confusion over Australia’s restrictions, as well as provide as much information to people as possible.

Updated

Meanwhile, health workers remain concerned about supplies of personal protective equipment. The health minister says he is working to source more.

Greg Hunt:

It’s one of the biggest issues of my day, every day, is to make sure that we’re getting equipment in. I can say to you – 800,000 new masks are going out to our general practices through what are called the primary health networks today.

We’ve said that after working with them over the course of the next 12 weeks, we’ll have 5m masks.

We brought over 8m masks into the country.

We’re producing masks on a wartime scale in Australia.

That’s ramping up and industry is stepping up. The army is helping with the production of those mask, and at the same time, the difficult decisions around elective surgery were about conserving for our hospitals there, their protective equipment. So we’re all operating under new rules, new recommend new structures.

But our doctors and our nurses and everybody in our health system, can I just look at them and say thank you. You are heroic. You are the real heroes in this. There is a new universal telehealth to protect the doctors, to protect the population. Support mental health and all of these things are coming together.

Updated

Australia is approaching 4,000 cases, with 3,980 confirmed cases.

There have been 16 deaths, half in New South Wales.

Authorities have seen the rate of transmission drop in recent days. But they are not getting complacent.

Greg Hunt:

Talking with Brendan Murphy and Paul Kelly, our chief medical officer and our deputy chief medical officer – they believe and the doctors believe that we are beginning to see some real progress.

We’ve got a long way to go.

This will continue to grow, but the rate of growth is most important thing.

The quality of our testing means that we have a real handle on our numbers. We’ve now had over 214,000 tests and we have one of, if not the highest testing rate in the world, and therefore, that means that we’re getting an accurate picture.

These results are telling us what we are doing is working. This is now why we have to go.

However, if we want to beat this, we need these agonising and even tougher restrictions, but Australians have overwhelmingly been magnificent.

There are a few people who have betrayed their community but overwhelmingly Australians are doing the right thing, and at the same time, with the telehealth, with the work in hospitals, with the construction of new ventilators, we’re boosting that capacity. Bring the curve down, boost the capacity up.

That’s the health equations that are going to protect and save Australians.

Updated

Greg Hunt appeared on ABC News Breakfast, where he was asked about people travelling to their holiday homes, or regional communities, in an attempt to escape larger populations in their cities.

There has been angst in a lot of Australia’s holiday towns, including western Queensland, the South Coast and the Victorian peninsula, with people worried about their communities potentially being infected by spooked city dwellers.

Hunt had a few things to say about it:

The first thing is – it doesn’t matter where anybody is in Australia. The rules apply to you because these are about saving lives and protecting lives.

And if somebody thinks just because they’re rich, that they’re not a vector, if they think just because they’ve got a lovely house on a cliff, that they’re above the law – they’re wrong.

People have to decide where they want to see this through but we want to minimise gatherings.That’s our focus. What we’ve seen is progress, real progress in the last week.

The rate of increase reducing from above 25% to the low teens on a daily basis. That’s the flattening of the curve we’ve always talked about.

And now we want to go further to really protect lives by reducing the gatherings. Sadly, these agonising rules of groups of two or family or household groups, staying home other than for essential activities.

If you have to work, you know to go to that work. But otherwise, medical work, essential shopping, these are the critical things, and of course, the exercise.

So it doesn’t matter where you are – practise real isolation and real distancing, because that’s going to save lives. And if anybody thinks they’re above it, they’re not. And I know that the Victorian authorities will come down on them like a ton of bricks. Sorry to be so blunt.

Updated

Good morning

It’s been another strange weekend in this new normal, and we have more strange days to come.

After Scott Morrison’s announcement of new restrictions overnight, we know that NSW and most likely Victoria will be going even harder, very soon.

Australia may have seen a drop in the transmissions numbers but it is still early days, and the next week to 10 days is critical. Australia needs 90% of the population to obey the physical distance restrictions to get the numbers where they need them to go.

There will be elements of the third wave of stimulus packages announced today. Josh Frydenberg told Sky News this morning to expect an announcement on wages.

The government has relented on the wage guarantee, although it seems different then what we have seen in the UK. It looks like the government will be providing a subsidy to businesses, to directly keep employees on the payroll. Reports have that subsidy of up to $1,500 a fortnight.

We’ll have more on that soon, and everything else as it happens. You have Amy Remeikis on the blog, with the entire Guardian brains trust at your disposal.

Let’s get started.

Updated

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