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| Australia live news updates: Daniel Andrews to give press conference; 980 new Covid cases in Victoria; fifth term for Clover Moore as Sydney mayor | |
| (33 minutes later) | |
| Follow live updates | Follow live updates |
| The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, is running a little late. I’ll bring you updates once he shows. | |
| I’m handing the blog over to my brilliant colleague, Nino Bucci! | |
| He will be bringing you updates from Victorian premier Daniel Andrews’ press conference, which is expected to start in 10 minutes. | |
| There has been a lot of talk this morning about whether South Australia will close the state’s borders as the Omicron variant spreads in Australia. | |
| Our friends at AAP have the story: | Our friends at AAP have the story: |
| South Australian authorities are “extraordinarily concerned” about the presence of the Omicron Covid variant interstate, but will not make any immediate changes to the state’s borders. | |
| Premier Steven Marshall has instead indicated travellers from NSW, Victoria and the ACT could soon find themselves locked out of SA, only days after they were welcomed back for the first time in months. | |
| “It may become necessary. I hope it doesn’t,” he said in a press conference on Saturday, before SA reported five new cases. | |
| Chief public health officer Prof Nicola Spurrier on Saturday morning recommended to the state’s Covid-19 directions committee that borders be shut. | |
| But instead the committee agreed to require all arrivals from NSW, Victoria and the ACT be tested upon arrival. | |
| They must isolate until a negative result is received – which currently takes about five hours, Marshall said – and be tested again on day six of their visit to SA. | |
| The new rules are in addition to a requirement for travellers from those parts of the country to present proof of a negative test undertaken up to 72 hours before their arrival. | |
| Victorian premier Daniel Andrews and deputy premier, James Merlino are expected make an announcement at 11am. | Victorian premier Daniel Andrews and deputy premier, James Merlino are expected make an announcement at 11am. |
| We will be watching and bringing you updates as they happen. | We will be watching and bringing you updates as they happen. |
| Federal health minister Greg Hunt said there are now 15 known cases of the Omicron variant in Australia. | Federal health minister Greg Hunt said there are now 15 known cases of the Omicron variant in Australia. |
| In a press conference announcing the Pfizer vaccine had received TGA approval for five to 11 year olds, Hunt said that the government is “reviewing daily and weekly travel restrictions” but that there are “no plans to change the current proposals”. | In a press conference announcing the Pfizer vaccine had received TGA approval for five to 11 year olds, Hunt said that the government is “reviewing daily and weekly travel restrictions” but that there are “no plans to change the current proposals”. |
| Hunt said: | |
| Prof John Skerritt said that “early indications are that it provides a milder case of disease. Although usually there is a two-week lag to work out whether there are going to be cases of hospitalisation and severe disease. So that’s why the lead up here into Christmas and exercising caution is so important.” | |
| Skerritt added that the TGA is looking at how well vaccinations work against the Omicron variant. He reassured that, while we thought that we might need a new vaccine against the Delta variant, “the current vaccines held us in good stead”. | Skerritt added that the TGA is looking at how well vaccinations work against the Omicron variant. He reassured that, while we thought that we might need a new vaccine against the Delta variant, “the current vaccines held us in good stead”. |
| Finally, Speers asked Frydenberg about the Jenkins inquiry into parliamentary culture handed down this week. | Finally, Speers asked Frydenberg about the Jenkins inquiry into parliamentary culture handed down this week. |
| Frydenberg said that “what Kate Jenkins said in this report was that there was a normalised culture of misconduct. That is completely unacceptable”. He added that the government will “be taking action on all the recommendations. We’re absolutely leaning into this”. | Frydenberg said that “what Kate Jenkins said in this report was that there was a normalised culture of misconduct. That is completely unacceptable”. He added that the government will “be taking action on all the recommendations. We’re absolutely leaning into this”. |
| Speers asked Frydenberg about that Liberal party is doing to ensure more women are elected to parliament, and whether the party should adopt a 50% target. There was a lot of back and forth, and Frydenberg pointed to the fact that the number one candidate on the Victorian Liberal party’s senate ballot is female. | Speers asked Frydenberg about that Liberal party is doing to ensure more women are elected to parliament, and whether the party should adopt a 50% target. There was a lot of back and forth, and Frydenberg pointed to the fact that the number one candidate on the Victorian Liberal party’s senate ballot is female. |
| But the treasurer eventually admitted that “we’ve got to do more”. | But the treasurer eventually admitted that “we’ve got to do more”. |
| Speers asked Frydenberg about wages growth (or lack thereof). | Speers asked Frydenberg about wages growth (or lack thereof). |
| Speers: | Speers: |
| Frydenberg: | Frydenberg: |
| Speers turned conversation to the government’s mid-year budget, asking Fryenberg whether the outlook for growth for the economy is stronger than at the last budget? | Speers turned conversation to the government’s mid-year budget, asking Fryenberg whether the outlook for growth for the economy is stronger than at the last budget? |
| Frydenberg: | Frydenberg: |
| Speers: | Speers: |
| Frydenberg: | Frydenberg: |
| Federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg told David Speers on ABC Insiders this morning that he has spoken to South Australia premier Steven Marshall this morning and has been told that he is keeping his borders open, despite concerns around the Omicron variant in Australia. | Federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg told David Speers on ABC Insiders this morning that he has spoken to South Australia premier Steven Marshall this morning and has been told that he is keeping his borders open, despite concerns around the Omicron variant in Australia. |
| Speers points out that members of the of the Australian industry group, the business council are backing Labor’s 43% emissions reductions target. | Speers points out that members of the of the Australian industry group, the business council are backing Labor’s 43% emissions reductions target. |
| Speers: | Speers: |
| Frydenberg: | Frydenberg: |
| Speers: | Speers: |
| Frydenberg: | Frydenberg: |
| Speers: | Speers: |
| Frydenberg: | Frydenberg: |
| Frydenberg tells Speers that the Coalition, if in opposition, would vote against Labor’s emissions reduction target of 43% by 2030. | Frydenberg tells Speers that the Coalition, if in opposition, would vote against Labor’s emissions reduction target of 43% by 2030. |
| ABC Insiders host David Speers starts by asking what Frydenberg thinks of Labor’s recently announced climate policies, which includes an emissions reduction target of 43% by 2030. | ABC Insiders host David Speers starts by asking what Frydenberg thinks of Labor’s recently announced climate policies, which includes an emissions reduction target of 43% by 2030. |
| Speers points out that “the business council, the Australian industry group, they both backed Labor’s policy. Has business got it wrong?” | Speers points out that “the business council, the Australian industry group, they both backed Labor’s policy. Has business got it wrong?” |
| Frydenberg starts by talking about the government’s commitment to net zero by 2050, before responding to Labor’s policy: | Frydenberg starts by talking about the government’s commitment to net zero by 2050, before responding to Labor’s policy: |
| Federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg is speaking on ABC Insiders. | Federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg is speaking on ABC Insiders. |
| Clover Moore is set to secure an unprecedented fifth term as lord mayor of the City of Sydney following New South Wales council elections on Saturday, AAP reports. | Clover Moore is set to secure an unprecedented fifth term as lord mayor of the City of Sydney following New South Wales council elections on Saturday, AAP reports. |
| Moore, an independent, will speak to reporters at 11am in Sydney. | Moore, an independent, will speak to reporters at 11am in Sydney. |
| By late on Saturday night, she was sitting on 43% of first preference votes, well ahead of her two nearest competitors, fellow independent Yvonne Weldon and Labor’s Linda Scott, who were both on 16%. | By late on Saturday night, she was sitting on 43% of first preference votes, well ahead of her two nearest competitors, fellow independent Yvonne Weldon and Labor’s Linda Scott, who were both on 16%. |
| The early results suggested a swing against Moore of nearly 15% – but that’s compared to her landslide win in 2016 when she won almost 58% of the vote.Moore has four decades of public service under her belt, 17 of them as Sydney’s lord mayor. | The early results suggested a swing against Moore of nearly 15% – but that’s compared to her landslide win in 2016 when she won almost 58% of the vote.Moore has four decades of public service under her belt, 17 of them as Sydney’s lord mayor. |
| “We have been able to achieve so much but we have a lot more to do,” she said on Saturday night. Moore’s plans include a council goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2035, growing green spaces across the city, improving access to social and affordable housing, and repairing the CBD’s economy and council’s own coffers post-Covid. | “We have been able to achieve so much but we have a lot more to do,” she said on Saturday night. Moore’s plans include a council goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2035, growing green spaces across the city, improving access to social and affordable housing, and repairing the CBD’s economy and council’s own coffers post-Covid. |
| The race to become Sydney’s mayor was one of more than 120 council elections across the state on Saturday. | The race to become Sydney’s mayor was one of more than 120 council elections across the state on Saturday. |
| It was an all-female field in the City of Sydney with many of Moore’s opponents arguing it was time for change at Town Hall. | It was an all-female field in the City of Sydney with many of Moore’s opponents arguing it was time for change at Town Hall. |
| Moore was first elected as lord mayor in 2004 which was 16 years after she was elected to state parliament in 1988. | Moore was first elected as lord mayor in 2004 which was 16 years after she was elected to state parliament in 1988. |
| She managed both responsibilities until 2012 when new legislation forced her to choose between the roles. | She managed both responsibilities until 2012 when new legislation forced her to choose between the roles. |