Despite some calls for Australia to adopt an "elimination" strategy more akin to New Zealand, Prime Minister Scott Morrison says National Cabinet today recommitted to suppression as its lead strategy to combat coronavirus.
Follow today's events as they unfold.
Key events
Live updates
By Alicia Nally
Don't forget our Coronavirus Q&A live stream happening in 5 minutes
By Alicia Nally
So that means no AFL in Tasmania between now and mid-August
"I will provide an update on August 7 on possible timeframes to relax restrictions on [Queensland, NSW and the ACT]," Mr Gutwein said.
"We will not open our border to them anytime before August 14.
"For those who love the AFL, fixtures which have been pencilled in before that date won’t be going ahead because players will be coming from Queensland."
By Alicia Nally
Tasmania is going to open their borders ... but only to NT, SA and WA
From August 7, travellers from South Australia, the Northern Territory and Western Australia will be able to enter the Apple Isle using its Good To Go travel registration system.
There will be mandatory health checks for all passenger arrivals, and anyone with symptoms will have to take a mandatory COVID-19 test at the airport or sea port or entry.
Refusal of a test will mean mandatory hotel quarantine for 14 days or travellers will be sent home on the next flight.
From July 31 there will also be mandatory testing of essential workers entering the state.
Premier Peter Gutwein said: "Tasmania overall appears to be cautiously confident in terms of where we stand at the moment."
He also said he couldn't see the border opening with Victoria "anytime soon".
On Queensland, NSW and the ACT, Mr Gutwein was taking a "position of caution".
By Alicia Nally
Tasmania's Premier Peter Gutwein is giving an update on borders
By Alicia Nally
Victorian police have issued 101 fines in the past 24 hours for COVID-19 breaches
To everyone who is still struggling to accept the reality of the new rules, read below.
This is not a drill (and definitely not a conspiracy). Do what the Government and health authorities are telling you.
In the last 24 hours Victorian police have:
- Issued a total of 101 fines to individuals for breaching the Chief Health Officer's directions — 12 of these infringements were issued at vehicle checkpoints; 16 of those were for failing to wear a face covering when leaving home for one of the four approved reasons
- Checked 23,316 vehicles at the vehicle checkpoints on main arterial roads
- Conducted 5,345 spot checks on people at homes, businesses and public places across the state
- Completed 153,910 spot checks since March 21
Here are some examples of recent breaches:
- A man was issued a fine for travelling from Laverton to Mordialloc to buy cigarettes
- The owner of a gym in Hume was issued a $9,913 fine for continuing to operate in breach of the CHO's directions
- A man in Wyndham was not wearing a mask and refused to wear one even after it was provided to him by police
- Another man refused to wear a mask and said he wouldn't in the future because the rules don't apply to him
- And, another man believed coronavirus was a conspiracy theory and refused to wear a mask
By Alicia Nally
Horsham university campus closed
Federation University's Horsham campus has been closed after a staff member tested positive to COVID-19.
In a statement, the university confirmed it was undergoing a deep clean of the campus.
"The university is currently identifying any students, staff or contractors who may have been on campus at the time, and will confirm when it is safe to reopen the campus," a university spokesperson said.
"Although most staff have been working from home and most studies have been online, the campus has been closed for deep cleaning."
It comes after a Horsham school was closed this week for deep cleaning after a Year 12 student also tested positive.
Yesterday's health department data said were four active cases of coronavirus in the Horsham local government area, which has recorded a total of seven cases since the pandemic began.
By ABC Wimmera reporter Sean Wales
By Alicia Nally
Some more points from Professor Spurrier and Commission Stevens
Police are "still seeing significant numbers of people coming across SA's borders".
Yesterday 2700 people crossed, half of those were deemed to be essential travellers and there are "still a significant proportion of people going into quarantine", according to Commissioner Stevens.
Professor Spurrier likened the state's COVID-19 readiness to a bushfire plan.
"If you put it in terms of a bush fire analogy, when you have a bush fire warning ... I make sure I water the garden, the pets are organised, I’m not in the house, the kids are not in the house," she said.
"This is the time to think about your bush fire management plan but in a COVID context."
"When you look at Victoria you have to be really realistic with this. There is a large amount of community transmission.
"What we are doing here is putting ourselves in the best position. Every single South Australian needs to continue physical distancing, the hygiene and get yourself tested.
"I am aware some of the testing facilities have had quite long wait times … but that is the only way we’ll know if that disease has come in to the community."
By Alicia Nally
SA businesses will be shut tonight if they are not complying with a COVIDSafe plan
South Australia Police Commissioner Grant Stevens just outlined the new rules.
"Tonight, businesses without, or not complying with, a COVIDSafe plan will be directed to close until we’re satisfied they’re compliant," he said.
He wouldn’t be drawn on how many businesses might be closed tonight, however.
There's no grace period, police will start checking for the plans as of this evening and "into the night".
"(Businesses) should have a plan ... abided by in the normal scope of practice," Commissioner Stevens said.
"Now is time to take a stricter approach."
By Alicia Nally
Ok, let's recap SA's new rules
South Australia is again strengthening its border controls with Victoria, banning anyone, including South Australian citizens, from entering the state, as of midnight Tuesday night.
Currently South Australians are allowed to return home but must quarantine for two weeks and undergo mandatory coronavirus tests.
Some exemptions will still be allowed.
People will continue to be able to enter South Australia from other states, although those entering from New South Wales and the ACT will still have to quarantine and undergo mandatory testing.
South Australia is also reinstating caps on large gatherings of people.
From midnight on Tuesday, there will be a cap of 100 people on funerals and weddings.
Home gatherings will be capped at up to 50 people.
By Alicia Nally
The wife of yesterday's SA case works at Adelaide hospitals
Prof Nicola Spurrier said the wife of yesterday's COVID-19 case, a man in his 40s, works at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Ten staff from those hospitals have been sent home and another close contact of the family has been asked to self-isolate.
She said she's making sure they all get tested.
And, there will still be some reasons people from/via Victoria could enter the state but it'll be assessed on a case-by-case basis and exemptions will most likely be for health workers or compassionate reasons.
By Lucy Sweeney
Me and my gremlins are outta here
Alicia will continue bringing you all the latest here in the blog this afternoon. Thanks for putting up with me and my blog gremlins. I hope Alicia is immune. If not, some of you seem to like them... I'll pass it on!
Loving the socially distancing blog posts! A delicious sense of anticipation of what might be hiding at the bottom of the screen :)-keep smiling
The blank spaces are like "hey that's a lot of information, here's space to gather yourself before we move on".-Time out
Hey Lucy, don't sweat the tech issues, it happens to all of us. Actually, I think it's as good reminder: all these people ' out there' are just that, people... The humans making test results available, securing borders, writing news articles, or even those trying to make a reality out if the decisions that our politicians make. All human, doing their best.-Keep up the good work, everyone.
By Lucy Sweeney
New restrictions in South Australia including border restrictions
Premier Steven Marshall has announced new restrictions for the state.
Funerals and weddings will now be capped at 100 people, while private home gatherings will be reduced to 50 people.
From Tuesday, no-one will be allowed to enter the state if they are travelling from Victoria, (even those from SA).
By Lucy Sweeney
South Australian authorities are speaking now
South Australia's Premier Steven Marshall, Health Minister Stephen Wade, chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier and Police Commissioner Grant Stevens are providing an update on the state's COVID-19 situation.
By Alicia Nally
The Treasurer gave us an update on a sick greyhound
First let's backtrack.
Mr Frydenberg told us how helpful his $750 payment to those on welfare was by sharing a note he received from Jenny in South Australia who described herself as a "widowed 83-year-old renting pensioner".
"She shared how in one week, the power bill arrived, her 19-year-old washing machine packed up and her adopted greyhound had a tragic accident leaving her with a $260 vet bill," he said.
So, naturally, someone asked him about that after his speech.
It's not a happy ending so stop reading here if you don't want to know....
Mr Frydenberg said he'd love to meet Jenny some day but informed us unfortunately the greyhound passed away.
"It was a tragic accident.
"But a beautifully handwritten note and she obviously had thought very carefully about it ... and she was very humorous and I would love to be able to speak to her one day, but it was just one of the many letters that we as politicians ... receive from people who are really benefitting through these circumstances through the supports being made."
By Lucy Sweeney
Doctors say NSW-Victoria border restrictions are putting lives at risk
This issue came up in today's National Cabinet meeting and Daniel Andrews talked about it in his press conference. Doctors are warning border restrictions will inevitably result in someone dying, with several near misses this week.
In an open letter provided to the NSW Government today, senior doctors from the border region said there was a distinct lack of regard for vital border health services.
By Lucy Sweeney
Tasmania coronavirus update coming up later
I just checked in with our friends in Tasmania. There will be a press conference from Premier Peter Gutwein at 3pm AEST. He's expected to reveal the plans for border restrictions then.
By Lucy Sweeney
By Alicia Nally
By Lucy Sweeney
We're not expecting the NSW Premier to give an update today
Will Gladys and crew be making an appearance today or have I missed it?-Anxious
By Alicia Nally
Frydenberg just got asked if we need to have more babies
He is all for this idea!
"I think the best thing that we can do to encourage more children being born across the country is obviously to create a strong economy for them to be born into.
"We have provided lots of incentives for families. We have provided much increased funding for child care, and, of course, we are very much supporting families across the board in terms of our policies."
But, he said he wasn't going to go all Peter Costello on us and encourage "one for the mother, one for the father and one for the country".
"I can say that people should feel encouraged about the future and the more children that we have across the country, together with our migration, we will build our population growth and that will be good for the economy," Mr Frydenberg said.
So....
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIwLTA3LTI0L2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzLWF1c3RyYWxpYS1saXZlLW5ld3MtY292aWQtMTktbGF0ZXN0LW5hdGlvbmFsLWNhYmluZXQvMTI0ODY3NTDSASdodHRwczovL2FtcC5hYmMubmV0LmF1L2FydGljbGUvMTI0ODY3NTA?oc=5
2020-07-24 05:00:00Z
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