Summary
- Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has announced that Melbourne retailers and hospitality venues will be able to reopen on Wednesday, and has outlined how further restrictions will be eased on November 8.
- One locally-acquired COVID-19 case and three cases among overseas travellers in hotel quarantine have been confirmed in New South Wales. Queensland has recorded no new cases today.
- It has been confirmed that the coronavirus outbreak in Melbourne's northern suburbs that stalled Victoria's reopening was sparked by a hospital worker who contracted the virus from a patient in Box Hill Hospital's COVID-19 ward.
- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has announced a new state of emergency in an effort to curb the country's soaring coronavirus infections. The new measures impose a nighttime curfew and limit the number of people allowed to meet to six.
- The White House's chief of staff has conceded the United States is “not going to control the pandemic”, while five staffers working for US Vice-President Mike Pence – including his chief of staff – have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
Watch: Victoria's daily coronavirus update with Premier Daniel Andrews
Victoria's daily coronavirus press conference with Premier Daniel Andrews began at 3.15pm.
The press conference has concluded. You can watch the replay below:
Mr Andrews announced a major easing of restrictions after hundreds of test results showed health authorities had control of a recent outbreak in Melbourne's northern suburbs.
Today Victoria recorded no new coronavirus cases for the first time since June 9, and has also gone seven straight days without any new deaths from the virus.
Latest updates
Signing off for the evening
By Ashleigh McMillan
That is all we have for you this evening after a big day for Victorians with the announcement of eased restrictions.
Before I head off for the evening, here's a look back at the day's major developments.
It's over! Melbourne's long lockdown to end on Tuesday night after zero new cases
NSW had one new locally-acquired COVID-19 case and three among overseas travellers in hotel quarantine. Western Australia reported two new cases of COVID-19 in returned travellers.
Australian politicians react to Victoria's new rules
By Ashleigh McMillan
Australian politicians have weighed in on Melbourne's major announcements today around the reopening of retail, hospitality and beauty services.
Australian Greens leader and Melbourne MP Adam Bandt told Melburnians it was time to "enjoy those beers".
"Thanks for everything you have done, Melbourne & Victoria. Not just to keep yourself & loved ones safe, but also for caring for people you'll never even meet," he said on Twitter on Monday.
"This spirit of care is what makes society good. Enjoy the beers & coffees, and friends, family & neighbours too."
Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull congratulated Victoria for making it through the "long haul".
"Congratulations to Victorians - a long haul (and a contentious one) but your endurance has been repaid today with relief from lockdown and one of the only times a 0-0 result is welcome," he said.
Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan called Monday's announcements "great news" and said Victorians had made sacrifices for the rest of the country.
"Thank you so much to everyone there for your efforts to keep your State, and our entire country safe," he said on Twitter.
"Australia will never forget the sacrifices you have made, and today we'll all toast your success."
Dan Andrews' North Face jacket Victoria's north star out of lockdown
By Melissa Singer
Dan Andrews has made answering every question a hallmark of his daily coronavirus press conferences but on Monday, he said all he needed to say before he had uttered a word.
By early afternoon, there was already a strong sense the news was going to be good, and Melbourne would finally take its biggest steps to date out of lockdown. And as soon as the Victorian Premier appeared on stage wearing his trademark North Face jacket, we knew it was.
Premier Daniel Andrews in his North Face jacket on Monday. Credit:Paul Jeffers
No other item of clothing or symbol, perhaps with the exception of Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton's salt-and-pepper five-o'-clock shadow, has attracted as much commentary as Andrews' black zip-up jacket by the US adventure brand more commonly associated with weekend bushwalkers or dads at soccer training (the jacket even spawned its own Facebook group).
Throughout lockdown, as Melbourne rode the wave of emotions that came from building our small existences around the timing of a government press conference, Andrews' choice of attire became our north star, our canary in the COVID-19 coal mine. North face: good. Suit jacket: bad.
On the rare occasion Andrews wore a suit jacket to deliver good news, we found ourselves, somewhat justifiably, searching for the catch, the fine print, the invisible asterisk that would pull our leads tighter just as they were let out a notch.
As far as I can recall, there was only one other Monday when the North Face jacket made an appearance. I don't recall the news that day being particularly good or bad – perhaps the Premier just failed to make it back home to change after an all-night strategy session.
Read the full piece by national fashion editor Melissa Singer here.
Budget airlines and COVID-19: It's time for cheap air fares to die
By Tim Richards
During the course of this pandemic I've concluded there are two types of people: those who love flying, aircraft and everything to do with aviation, and those who see it as a necessary evil to be endured on the way to somewhere good.
Since travel shut down around March, I've been gobsmacked to see people pay good money to either take a joy flight to nowhere, or – even worse – to dine on a plane that's not leaving the tarmac.
Passengers wait to board a budget airline last year. Credit:AP
When I expressed this amazement on social media, many agreed that flying was the absolute worst part of travel, and the one good thing about COVID-19 lockdown was not having to go near an airport.
There are many aspects of flying to dislike: the security checks, the endless pulling out of passports and other documents, the rush to make connections, the disappointing food, the kids sitting near you with iPads but no headphones.
However, the worst irritant is the ever-shrinking seat size in economy class, at its worst in the cramped interiors of budget airlines. I'm a big person and economy seating is like a mild torture chamber to me. It's particularly bad on long international flights, in which everything about my seat is wrong for an extended period: not wide enough for my shoulders, my shins jammed against metal struts, the headrest and armrests too low for me to use.
Flying is awful, so why should we resurrect this model after the pandemic has passed? Isn't it unfit for purpose? Not only is flying in the cheap seats uncomfortable, but the substantial real decrease in airfares over past decades (especially on low-cost carriers) has led to more and more people flying, more and more often – and we're paying a hefty price for that in the damage caused by climate change. When we used to travel overseas every two or three years, that was one thing; but many middle-class Australians now go overseas every year, sometimes more often.
Read the full Traveller article here.
Who are you going to see when Melbourne's new home visit rules come in?
By Ashleigh McMillan
Premier Daniel Andrews said he'd reveal details about home visits for Melburnians tomorrow.
We don't yet know how many people you will be able to have over from 11.59pm Tuesday, but assuming case numbers stay low, we'll once again have friends, family and loved ones in our homes.
We're keen to hear from you. Who will you be visiting from Wednesday? How are you feeling about it?
Personally, I'm most excited to visit my parents and siblings in regional Victoria once the 'ring of steel' is removed on November 8. Really can't wait to cuddle my five-month-old nephew Alex, who I've met just twice since he was born.
'Really excited': Retailers rush to prepare for Melbourne's reopening
By Dominic Powell
Melbourne retailers have welcomed the Premier's announcement of eased restrictions from Wednesday, with many already calling staff into stores to prepare for their long-awaited reopening.
On Monday afternoon Daniel Andrews said stores would be able to open with COVID-safe measures in place from 11.59pm on Tuesday, after Victoria recorded its first day with no COVID-19 cases and deaths since June 9.
Brand Collective CEO Caleb Brown outside the Chadstone shopping centre Superdry store. Credit:Penny Stephens
The news was immediately welcomed by merchants.
Caleb Brown, the chief executive of retailing group Brand Collective, said he would open some stores an hour early on Wednesday to help customers with online returns. Brand Collective operates stores including Volley, Shoes and Sox, Superdry and Clarks.
"We're going to try and power through some of those customers early in the day," he said. "We want to welcome all our customers back, but we prefer that they didn't all come at the same time.
JB Hi-Fi chief executive Richard Murray said he and his staff were "really excited" to get the company's 46 shuttered stores ready to trade again.
"We've done a terrific job, both our store staff, our support office staff, and our customers," he said.
"We've made the best of a tough situation and we're looking forward to welcoming everyone back into our stores. It has been a challenging period for government, it has been a challenging period for business, and we're just trying to make the best of it."
Mr Murray said he expected Tuesday to be a busy day in his stores as staff return to prepare for Wednesday's reopening, but the retailer is confident of being ready for the Christmas rush.
Zero cases a 'vindication' of the strategy: Duckett
By Liam Mannix
Dr Stephen Duckett, health program director at the Grattan Institute, said the fact Victoria recorded zero cases on Monday was a vindication of the government’s heavily-criticised strategy.
"A lot of people said zero is an impossible goal. And they called on the government to relax restrictions before it was safe to do so, because they were so short-sighted and they did not care about the long-term, and the risk of a third wave," he said.
"With zero cases, it is now safe to open up."
Dr Duckett also said Victorians could have high confidence in contact tracing, which had improved significantly even from last month.
Victoria’s epidemic peaked in August, and has been on the decline since then. Other countries that were recording similar numbers at the same time - like Sweden - are still recording many hundreds of cases a day.
"We were in a disastrous situation back in June. The contact tracing system was overwhelmed. We were just not in control," Dr Duckett said.
"What is startling is we’re now in what passes for summer in Victoria with zero cases. Britain has 19,790 new cases today. We have gone down, and they have gone up."
How Victoria's leaders are celebrating 'Donut Day'
By Ashleigh McMillan
With Donut Day trending on Twitter earlier today - thanks to Victoria's zero new COVID-19 cases and zero deaths on Monday - donut shops have been plundered city-wide.
Both Victoria's Premier Daniel Andrews and Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton have shared pictures of the sweet treats they'll be indulging in this evening.
Despite all the focus on donuts today, the Premier didn't forgo his promise to get on something stronger than a beer.
Immediate bounce on the way for Victoria's economy, predicts industry leader
By Clay Lucas
Tim Piper is the Victorian head of the Australian Industry Group, a group representing businesses in manufacturing, engineering, construction and other sectors.
He said Monday was "an absolutely vital day for the Victorian economy and an historic day for Victoria because it affects so many people".
He predicted the state’s economy would have an immediate bounce, created by pent-up demand.
"Everybody wants to spend money right now," he said. "Our concern is what will happen when that bounce slows down, and when JobKeeper ends in March."
Mr Piper said it was crucial the Victorian budget was "different to normal state budgets".
"We need a different type of spending coming; it can’t just be infrastructure."
Mr Piper said the "psychological benefit" the announcement of widespread re-opening would create in Victoria "will be as substantial as anything else".
"People have been wanting to get their legs waxed, get into hardware stores, to see their friends, and that will open the economy and benefit everybody."
One stage not yet addressed though was the re-opening of state borders. "Tasmania opened up to every state except Victoria and NSW. We need that to be across the country," Mr Piper said.
Property Council of Australia's Victoria executive director Cressida Wall welcomed Monday's announcement and said it recognised the "tireless efforts of those who’ve worked around the clock to get us here today".
"The property industry will continue play a crucial role in COVID Normal and in the economic recovery ahead," she said.
"While we all want to take a moment to get on the beers, the next steps are urgent: an economic recovery plan and a pathway to return to offices."
Tourism sector rejoices at Melbourne opening up
By Clay Lucas and Benjamin Preiss
The ring of steel keeping Melburnians from regional Victoria will come down in two weeks, bringing relief to tourism businesses that can now plan for a busy summer to recoup months of losses.
Premier Daniel Andrews' announcement on Monday that Melburnians would be allowed to travel within Victoria from November 9 has already sparked a rush for accommodation.
Dean Long is chief executive of the Accommodation Association. He said when hotels opened on November 8 it would effectively be only the 11th week of trading that many Victorian tourism operators had been able to complete this year, once the summer bushfires and COVID were taken into account.
But he said it was fantastic that so many people employed in hotels and accommodation could now get back to work. "It means we can do what every other Australian has been doing for the last four months - get out and have a holiday outside the city."
He encouraged Victorians to book direct with hotels and accommodation providers, rather than going through online platforms, "to keep the money with Victorian businesses".
And he said other states across Australia had found that regional hotels had been "operating at close to 100 per cent on Friday and Saturday nights", such was the pent up demand in cities.
Mr Long said the big hotel operators in Melbourne were unlikely to swiftly open again though, because 80 per cent of their trade was from interstate and overseas travellers, none of whom were coming at the moment.
The tourism industry has welcomed the state government's announcement that Melburnians can travel again within Victoria from November 9. Credit:Paul Jeffers
Victorian Tourism Industry Council chief executive Felicia Mariani said the announcement was a “watershed moment”.
"We now have something we can work to. The industry can start to put its plans together," she said.
Ms Mariani said Victoria's tourism sector depended on Melburnians being allowed to travel.
"We need greater Melbourne to be able to get out and travel around the state to have any reasonable pathway to recovery."
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2020-10-26 10:23:00Z
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