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| Coronavirus Australia live news: decision on lifting Covid-19 restrictions brought forward to next Friday – latest updates | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Sydney aged care home reports 13th coronavirus-related death as three more residents test positive. Follow live | Sydney aged care home reports 13th coronavirus-related death as three more residents test positive. Follow live |
| And a clarification on that earlier figure re: number of tests. Cook says the WA figures related to the number of people tested (which to date is more than 41,000) not the number of tests done. | |
| That’s why WA’s test figures could appear low compared to other states, because some states report the number of tests done and there can be multiple tests done per person. | |
| WA health minister Roger Cook says WA has the highest rate of tests per community transmission of the virus. Which seems to be quite an esoteric way to measure it. | |
| Still, a high rate of testing. | |
| Cook makes the point that the overwhelming majority of WA’s cases are imported. They’ve had a few cruise ships land. | |
| McGowan says WA recorded no new Covid-19 cases overnight. There are now only 32 active cases in the state, 23 locals and 11 from elsewhere. | |
| Only three of those active cases are in regional areas, in the Goldfields. Eleven patients remain in hospital, with three in ICU. | |
| More than 41,000 tests have been conducted. | |
| The Western Australian premier, Mark McGowan, is addressing the media in Perth. | |
| He starts by talking about a fatal police shooting that happened at the South Hedland shopping centre, which is about 1,500km north of Perth, a few hours ago. More on that here. | |
| McGowan says he would “like to thank everyone who has dealt with that situation ... those police officers. I would like to thank them all.” | |
| An Aboriginal woman, Joyce Clarke, died after being shot by police in Geraldton in September. A police officer has been charged with murder. | |
| Just after Scott Morrison’s press conference ended, the government announced another tweak to its childcare package to ease concerns about some services facing funding shortfalls. Under the temporary “free childcare” policy, parents are spared from paying any fees, but providers have been crunching the numbers and finding problems. | |
| While the general funding under the relief package was intended to work together with the jobkeeper wage subsidy of $1,500 per worker per fortnight, some services do not meet the test for the payment and those that do qualify cannot claim it for some casuals or work visa holders. | |
| The education minister, Dan Tehan, issued a statement this afternoon saying the government had expanded the eligibility for extra payments to childcare services that miss out on the jobkeeper wage subsidy. | |
| It says: | |
| Tehan said the government would also help family day care and in-home care providers that were not eligible for jobkeeper and apply for an ABN by 1 June. | |
| You can read more about that here: | |
| Some more details on that one-off $205m payment to the aged care sector. It’s intended to facilitate testing by ensuring centres have adequate staff. | |
| The payment is linked to the number of residents at a facility. | |
| Providers will receive about $900 per resident in major metropolitan areas and $1,350 per resident everywhere else. | |
| The aged care Code of Conduct on Pandemic Procedures sets out the requirements for aged care centres to facilitate family visits. It can be viewed here. (This is the link the PMO provided, even though it says ‘draft’.) | |
| It comes after the aged care sector received criticism for, in some cases, shutting down facilities and not allowing visitors even when no outbreak was present. When there is a Covid-19 outbreak, a lockdown is allowed but communication with family members and residents must be swift and extensive. | |
| The code says that visits to residents should be short unless the person being visited is dying, or the resident has an established pattern of receiving visits that help in their care or support. | |
| When it comes to residents who are dying or in their final weeks, the code says, homes should be flexible with regards to the number of visitors at any one time and the length and frequency of visits. | |
| Where visitors have an established pattern of always coming at a set time to help their loved one, for example coming to help with meals, “the length, frequency, and nature of the visits should reflect what is needed for the person to be cared for appropriately and consistent with established practices and routines”. | |
| While we are talking about sport, Scott Morrison, a keen Cronulla Sharks fan, refused to comment in that press conference on whether the NRL had been or would be given permission to resume its 2020 season. The league has set a return to play date of 28 May. | While we are talking about sport, Scott Morrison, a keen Cronulla Sharks fan, refused to comment in that press conference on whether the NRL had been or would be given permission to resume its 2020 season. The league has set a return to play date of 28 May. |
| More on that issue here: | More on that issue here: |
| The national principles for the resumption of sport and recreation activities are 15 points long, so I won’t go through all of them. | The national principles for the resumption of sport and recreation activities are 15 points long, so I won’t go through all of them. |
| Point 13 is that sport, if resumed, will be spectator-free for the foreseeable future. | Point 13 is that sport, if resumed, will be spectator-free for the foreseeable future. |
| The principles say the resumption of sport will be based on “objective health information” and that while the Australian Institute of Sport’s Framework for Rebooting Sport in a Covid-19 Environment will provide a “general guide” the final decisions will be made by state and territory governments. | The principles say the resumption of sport will be based on “objective health information” and that while the Australian Institute of Sport’s Framework for Rebooting Sport in a Covid-19 Environment will provide a “general guide” the final decisions will be made by state and territory governments. |
| Other key points: | Other key points: |
| Outdoor activities are considered lower risk. | Outdoor activities are considered lower risk. |
| Community sporting activities involving 10 or fewer participants in a “non contact fashion” will be able to resume first before sport involving larger groups and full-contact sports. Physical distancing will have to be maintained. That will also apply to children’s sport. | Community sporting activities involving 10 or fewer participants in a “non contact fashion” will be able to resume first before sport involving larger groups and full-contact sports. Physical distancing will have to be maintained. That will also apply to children’s sport. |
| Golf, fishing, bushwalking, swimming etc will also be required to stick to physical distancing rules. | Golf, fishing, bushwalking, swimming etc will also be required to stick to physical distancing rules. |
| “Significantly enhanced risk mitigation” must be applied to all indoor activities associated with outdoor sorts. So no shaking hands in the change rooms. | “Significantly enhanced risk mitigation” must be applied to all indoor activities associated with outdoor sorts. So no shaking hands in the change rooms. |
| The AIS framework is the minimum baseline standard required to be met before the resumption of training or match play of professional sports. | The AIS framework is the minimum baseline standard required to be met before the resumption of training or match play of professional sports. |
| Sports seeking specific exemptions must seek approvals from the relevant state or territory governments, or local public health authorities. | Sports seeking specific exemptions must seek approvals from the relevant state or territory governments, or local public health authorities. |
| At all times, sporting organisations must respond to the directives of public health authorities, including if ordered “quarantine of a whole team or large group, and close contacts, for the required period”. | At all times, sporting organisations must respond to the directives of public health authorities, including if ordered “quarantine of a whole team or large group, and close contacts, for the required period”. |
| “For the foreseeable future, elite sports, if recommenced, should do so in a spectator-free environment with the minimum support staff available to support the competition.” | “For the foreseeable future, elite sports, if recommenced, should do so in a spectator-free environment with the minimum support staff available to support the competition.” |
| The ACT chief minister, Andrew Barr, has announced a very slight easing of restrictions. The definition of household units will be expanded/clarified to include children. Household units will now be allowed to visit each other, so adult children can visit their parents. | The ACT chief minister, Andrew Barr, has announced a very slight easing of restrictions. The definition of household units will be expanded/clarified to include children. Household units will now be allowed to visit each other, so adult children can visit their parents. |
| Barr described this measure as a “down payment” on further changes to be announced next week, which he hints will include an easing of restrictions on the number of people allowed to congregate together outdoors. | Barr described this measure as a “down payment” on further changes to be announced next week, which he hints will include an easing of restrictions on the number of people allowed to congregate together outdoors. |
| Barr also issued advice that non-essential retail is also allowed, like buying a winter coat before winter. | Barr also issued advice that non-essential retail is also allowed, like buying a winter coat before winter. |
| Barr warned Australia has “still got a long way to go” and it’s “more a matter of when further outbreaks occur rather than if they do”. | Barr warned Australia has “still got a long way to go” and it’s “more a matter of when further outbreaks occur rather than if they do”. |
| “The one race I am happy we’ve won [in the ACT] … is we have no active cases”. | “The one race I am happy we’ve won [in the ACT] … is we have no active cases”. |
| So, what did we learn from that press conference? | So, what did we learn from that press conference? |
| Well, not as much as we may have expected. | Well, not as much as we may have expected. |
| We know that the national cabinet has brought forward its decision on whether to ease those baseline shutdown provisions to next Friday 8 May. Previously the deadline was 11 May. Downloading the CovidSafe app is not mandatory, but Morrison says the number of downloads will be one of the factors considered. He will not say how many people need to have downloaded it, but suggests there need to be many more downloads for national cabinet to be comfortable with its ability to improve contact tracing. So: app not mandatory but strongly encouraged, particularly if you want to go back to the pub or play sport. | We know that the national cabinet has brought forward its decision on whether to ease those baseline shutdown provisions to next Friday 8 May. Previously the deadline was 11 May. Downloading the CovidSafe app is not mandatory, but Morrison says the number of downloads will be one of the factors considered. He will not say how many people need to have downloaded it, but suggests there need to be many more downloads for national cabinet to be comfortable with its ability to improve contact tracing. So: app not mandatory but strongly encouraged, particularly if you want to go back to the pub or play sport. |
| On sport, a set of principles has been agreed to on allowing the resumption of professional and community sport, but no decisions have actually been made. Those decisions will be made next week. | On sport, a set of principles has been agreed to on allowing the resumption of professional and community sport, but no decisions have actually been made. Those decisions will be made next week. |
| The biggest aged care providers have also signed on to a new industry code of conduct on managing the coronavirus, and the federal government has agreed to give them a one-off payment of $205m. | The biggest aged care providers have also signed on to a new industry code of conduct on managing the coronavirus, and the federal government has agreed to give them a one-off payment of $205m. |
| And the chief medical officer, Brendan Murphy, said Australia will begin testing cohorts of asymptomatic people in an attempt to ensure early detection of any new outbreaks and avoid a second wave. That cluster testing will be focused on groups that have a high risk of exposure or work with vulnerable people, like aged care workers or healthcare workers. Teachers are among those who might get tested. | And the chief medical officer, Brendan Murphy, said Australia will begin testing cohorts of asymptomatic people in an attempt to ensure early detection of any new outbreaks and avoid a second wave. That cluster testing will be focused on groups that have a high risk of exposure or work with vulnerable people, like aged care workers or healthcare workers. Teachers are among those who might get tested. |
| Anyone with any respiratory symptoms at all – a cough, runny nose, anything – is now encouraged to get tested for Covid-19 and to avoid work. | Anyone with any respiratory symptoms at all – a cough, runny nose, anything – is now encouraged to get tested for Covid-19 and to avoid work. |
| Murphy also comments: | Murphy also comments: |
| Morrison says an independent investigation would look at what happened and why it happened. | Morrison says an independent investigation would look at what happened and why it happened. |
| Scott Morrison is asked to comment on Donald Trump’s claim to have evidence to substantiate a theory that the coronavirus originated at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Trump’s comment was made despite US intelligence agencies concluding that the virus was “not manmade or genetically modified”. | Scott Morrison is asked to comment on Donald Trump’s claim to have evidence to substantiate a theory that the coronavirus originated at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Trump’s comment was made despite US intelligence agencies concluding that the virus was “not manmade or genetically modified”. |
| Morrison says he has not seen any evidence to suggest that’s the case, but says Australia is still pushing for an independent investigation into the origin of the disease. | Morrison says he has not seen any evidence to suggest that’s the case, but says Australia is still pushing for an independent investigation into the origin of the disease. |
| He says the virus did originate in Wuhan, but “the most likely scenario that has been canvassed related to wildlife wet markets”. | He says the virus did originate in Wuhan, but “the most likely scenario that has been canvassed related to wildlife wet markets”. |
| That is why Australia wants an “objective independent” investigation, he says. | That is why Australia wants an “objective independent” investigation, he says. |
| Guardian Australia’s Daniel Hurst asks if the free childcare policy will be extended past the initial three months. | Guardian Australia’s Daniel Hurst asks if the free childcare policy will be extended past the initial three months. |
| Morrison says it’s too early to say. | Morrison says it’s too early to say. |
| A reporter asks if the easing of restrictions next week is contingent on more people downloading the CovidSafe app. Morrison says it is. | A reporter asks if the easing of restrictions next week is contingent on more people downloading the CovidSafe app. Morrison says it is. |
| He says if you want to go to the pub, you have to download the app. | He says if you want to go to the pub, you have to download the app. |
| There will not be any additional restrictions. | There will not be any additional restrictions. |
| Morrison says the principles agreed to for restarting sport and recreational activities are based heavily on the Australian Institute of Sport’s plan. | Morrison says the principles agreed to for restarting sport and recreational activities are based heavily on the Australian Institute of Sport’s plan. |
| He says national cabinet has not made a decision on when and in what way sport can resume. That will be made next week. | He says national cabinet has not made a decision on when and in what way sport can resume. That will be made next week. |
| Among the principles are that outdoor activities are lower risk, and that there should be a staged resumption of sport. Possibly with smaller groups, less than 10 people in a non-contact sport, being allowed out first. | Among the principles are that outdoor activities are lower risk, and that there should be a staged resumption of sport. Possibly with smaller groups, less than 10 people in a non-contact sport, being allowed out first. |
| Again, no decisions made yet: | Again, no decisions made yet: |
| Richard Colbeck is also the minister for sport. He says the return will be staged. We are currently in stage A – no sport. The next stage is stage B – outdoor, non-contact sports in groups of 10 or less. Then it’s stage C – all sport. He makes another plug for the app | Richard Colbeck is also the minister for sport. He says the return will be staged. We are currently in stage A – no sport. The next stage is stage B – outdoor, non-contact sports in groups of 10 or less. Then it’s stage C – all sport. He makes another plug for the app |
| Both Scott Morrison and Brendan Murphy are asked for their opinion on Victoria’s deputy chief health officer, Dr Annaliese van Diemen, making a tweet. The state opposition has called for her to resign and reported her to Victoria’s public health commission. | Both Scott Morrison and Brendan Murphy are asked for their opinion on Victoria’s deputy chief health officer, Dr Annaliese van Diemen, making a tweet. The state opposition has called for her to resign and reported her to Victoria’s public health commission. |
| Morrison made some remarks on that earlier, and said he won’t comment further. | Morrison made some remarks on that earlier, and said he won’t comment further. |
| Murphy defended van Diemen’s ability to do her job. | Murphy defended van Diemen’s ability to do her job. |
| A question on how people living in densely populated areas should deal with the easing of restrictions. | A question on how people living in densely populated areas should deal with the easing of restrictions. |
| Journalist: People are told “don’t do a Bondi”. What if people go down to the beach and see it’s really busy. Do they go home? | Journalist: People are told “don’t do a Bondi”. What if people go down to the beach and see it’s really busy. Do they go home? |
| Morrison says people need to “exercise commonsense”. Physical distancing, the requirement to remain 1.5 metres apart, will not lift when the restrictions lift. | Morrison says people need to “exercise commonsense”. Physical distancing, the requirement to remain 1.5 metres apart, will not lift when the restrictions lift. |
| Morrison says people should be motivated by their own desire not to get sick. | Morrison says people should be motivated by their own desire not to get sick. |
| Murphy: | Murphy: |