Sydney's Parklea Correctional Centre has been locked down to avoid inmate movement following another 12 positive COVID-19 cases being reported, bringing the prison's total to 31.
Here are some of the key events from Sunday:
- NSW is now halfway to its target of having 70 per cent of adults fully vaccinated — the milestone at which the state will start to open up — but it has recorded 1,218 new local COVID-19 cases and six deaths
- Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed Victoria's sixth lockdown would be extended past Thursday after the state recorded 92 new locally acquired COVID cases
- The ACT recorded 13 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases
- A new mass vaccination hub will open in Queensland. The state recorded one new community case of COVID-19 who has been in home quarantine
- South Australia, Western Australia, the NT and Tasmania all recorded no new COVID cases
- Meanwhile, New Zealand recorded 83 new COVID infections
Key events
- No new COVID cases in South Australia
- New ad campaign launched in bid to further increase NSW's vaccination rates
- SA to provide a COVID update at 1:30pm ACST
- No new COVID cases in WA
- ACT records 13 new local COVID cases
- New Zealand reports 83 local COVID-19 cases
- NSW records 1,218 new COVID cases, 6 deaths
- COVID outbreak at Sydney's Parklea prison
- Queensland announces mass vaccination hub to open at Boondall
- Queensland records one community case in home isolation
- Victorian press conference happening at 11:00am
- Federal Opposition calls for clear timeframe on vaccinating children
- Queensland COVID update set for 10:30am
- Drive through testing site in Sydney's west target of possible arson attack
- Victoria records 92 new local COVID-19 cases
Live updates
By Jessica Riga
Case numbers and press conferences
VIC - Press conference: 11:00am. Locally acquired cases: 92.
NSW - Press conference: 11:00am. Locally acquired cases. 1,218
Qld - Press conference: 10:30am. Locally acquired cases: 1
ACT - Press conference: 11:45am. Locally acquired cases: 13
SA - Press conference: 1:30pm ACST. Locally acquired cases: 0
NZ - Locally acquired cases: 83
Don't see your state or territory listed? It'll get added when we know today's case numbers or press conference time.
By Jessica Riga
We're closing the blog here
Thanks for joining us today! You can stay up to date with any breaking news here on the ABC News website.
We'll see you tomorrow. Until then, take care.
By Jessica Riga
Bush vaccination rates a worry, as Indigenous leaders push to get remote residents protected
In remote communities around Katherine, only 27 per cent of people have had one vaccine dose. The Aboriginal-controlled health service is partnering with the Royal Flying Doctor Service to speed things up.
By Jessica Riga
SA Health reveals two COVID positive truck drivers travelled to SA twice
The men travelled through Port Augusta and Ceduna on the 21st of August, before doing a truck exchange at Nundroo in the state's west.
They travelled to South Australia again on the 25th, stopping again in Port Augusta and Ceduna.
SA Health says the men tested negative on the 21st of August, but one of them tested positive on the 25th.
That man had symptoms the day before, so authorities have dated his infectious period back to his prior visit to the state.
SA Health has also called for people to be vigilant about QR code check-ins, after review of CCTV at one exposure site revealed 16 people did not check in.
So far South Australia hasn't recorded any new cases of local transmission.
By Jessica Riga
No new COVID cases in South Australia
By Jessica Riga
SA COVID update happening here
Hi, can we please have a link to the SA Press conference?
Thanks team - you are all amazing :)
-Link to SA Conference?
do we have a link to the sa press conference please?
-anxious
I'm watching it here on the ABC Adelaide Facebook page.
By Jessica Riga
What's happening with booster shots? And when will I get mine?
When will booster vaccines be available for people who got Astra Zenica earlier this year?
-Simon
Hi Simon,
Vaccine experts say the use of COVID booster shots "will happen" in Australia as evidence from overseas shows a reduction in protection levels to new variants such as Delta.
The federal government is set to receive initial advice on the rollout of COVID vaccine booster shots from ATAGI within the next month.
But the ABC understands a final decision on booster shots — outlining when and how they will be distributed — may still be months away as the government focuses on getting first and second shots into the community by the end of the year.
By Jessica Riga
Zoo breeding programs suffering because of COVID-19 border closures
Much has been made of the need for intimate partner bubbles during COVID-19 lockdowns — and they are proving as important for threatened animals as they are for people.
More than a year into the pandemic, snap border closures and lockdowns continue to affect conservation efforts around the country.
Previously routine movements of animals over state lines have turned into logistical challenges.
"Pretty much every one of our breeding programs that's across Australia has been impacted in one way or another," Zoos SA chief executive Elaine Bensted said.
By Jessica Riga
New ad campaign launched in bid to further increase NSW's vaccination rates
A new campaign has been launched by the NSW Government in a bid to increase the state's vaccination rates even further.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says in the past week more than 830,000 people have received a coronavirus vaccine dose.
35 per cent of adults in NSW are now fully vaccinated — halfway to the state's 70 per cent target for some degree of opening up.
The Minister for Digital, Victor Dominello, says the 'Let's Do This' campaign has positive images of people returning to their normal lives.
"Without a doubt people are just sick to death of lockdowns, I can understand that they want to know there is hope in the future, they want to see the blue skies, they want to go back to where we were."
By Jessica Riga
Federal Labor signals support for proof of vaccination requirements for access to pubs, restaurants
The Federal Opposition appears to be backing proof of vaccination requirements for access to places such as pubs and restaurants, but only once every Australian has been offered the shot.
The issue is likely to spark a showdown within the government party room, with libertarians arguing it infringes on personal freedoms.
But Labor health spokesman Mark Butler said the national discussion about coronavirus restrictions would soon shift to how people would be rewarded for rolling up their sleeves.
"I think that's where we're headed," Mr Butler told the ABC's Insiders program.
"The precondition to it, of course, is that everyone has access to a vaccine.
"Still in Australia, too many people who want a vaccine can't get one. These are supply problems that go back to poor decisions by Scott Morrison last year.
"But once everyone does have access, although it is a choice whether or not you get vaccinated, there will be consequences to your choice."
By Jessica Riga
Scott Morrison is 'In Chinos Man'
Prime Minister Scott Morrison invoked The Croods, an animated film about cavemen, this week to describe the daring needed in Australia's roadmap out of the pandemic – sparking Insider's Huw Parkinson to recast the national leader in the 1992 teen comedy Encino Man.
By Jessica Riga
SA to provide a COVID update at 1:30pm ACST
As always, key points will be here in the blog!
By Jacqueline Howard
Daniel Andrews: 'The time is coming when your vaccination status will matter'
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is asked whether he supports the idea of vaccinated-only events. Mr Andrews said it was a matter being discussed by National Cabinet, but he was certain that 'vaccinated event will be a safer event, will result in fewer people being in hospital."
"Don't think you'll be traveling overseas without a vaccination," he said. "You won't get a visa, whether you think that's an attack on your civil liberties ... Your vaccination status will be important."
By Jessica Riga
No new COVID cases in WA
Western Australia has recorded no new COVID-19 cases.
22 of the 23 contacts of the two COVID-positive truck drivers have tested negative, with the final result expected today.
All are in isolation and are being tested regularly.
Audience comment by :)
glad to see the Auslan interpreters being acknowledged in the ACT conference!!
By Jacqueline Howard
Victoria: At least 19 of the 92 new cases were in full isolation during their infectious period.
COVID-19 Commander Jeroen Weimar said the numbers are still being finalised, but he could confirm at least 19 cases were in full isolation during the infectious period.
He said the true number would be released later today.
By Jessica Riga
20 cases in ACT fully recovered
In some good news, 20 COVID cases in the ACT have now fully recovered, reducing the number of active cases to 230.
All 13 of today's new cases are linked to known cases or ongoing clusters.
Out of the 10 people in hospital, four are under 40 and six are over 40.
All hospital patients are unvaccinated, says ACT Chief Health Officer Kerryn Coleman.
By Jessica Riga
ACT records 13 new local COVID cases
The ACT has recorded 13 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases, taking the total number of cases in the territory's outbreak to 250.
Eight of the new cases were in quarantine for their entire infectious period, with five infectious in the community.
All of the new cases are linked to other known cases or exposure sites.
10 people are still in hospital, with one person remaining in intensive care in a critical condition.
By Jacqueline Howard
A spotlight on Shepparton
Some key info from Victoria's COVID-19 Commander, Jeroen Weimar specific to the Shepparton outbreak:
Shepparton, now has 94 cases in total across 37 different households.
The community turned out for more than 1,300 tests yesterday, which brings the total number of tests carried out in Shepparton during this outbreak to 23,000.
Mr Weimar says two of the school campus sites have been downgraded to a tier 2 site, releasing a 1,000 people from being primary close contacts.
“We have been able to do that by the fantastic response we've seen to testing in the Shepparton area,” he says.
“We continue to see a big effort by Goulburn Valley Health. Over 500 staff are still furloughed and isolating at this point in time and my thanks to the wider health system for providing support.”
He says the Red Cross and its volunteers have prepared and delivered more than 600 food relief parcels over the weekend.
One positive case in Traralgon in Gippsland region
Mr Weimar says authorities understand the linkages of this case.
“This individual travelled to a funeral in Melbourne and we understand acquisition was there,” he says.
“There will be a small number of exposure sites. We are having conversations with them today.”
But he says there was only limited movement.
