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| Australia Covid live news update: confidence in interstate travel plummets amid Omicron surge; national cabinet to discuss mask rules | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Follow all the day’s news | Follow all the day’s news |
| AAP are reporting 13 testing sites are now closed in Melbourne. | |
| The Northern Territory government has today released $1.64m of land across seven sites for registered Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) providers to develop into accessible housing blocks for people living with a disability. | |
| The new SDA homes will provide housing for up to 20 people, and will be spread across Darwin, Palmerston and Alice Springs. | |
| Australia’s chief medical officer Paul Kelly has released a scathing statement in response to Doherty modelling which has predicted up to 200,000 cases per day in a “worst case” scenario: | |
| Victorian premier Daniel Andrews will temporarily return from leave to attend today’s national cabinet meeting. Acting premier James Merlino yesterday called for the shortening of the interval between booster shots. | Victorian premier Daniel Andrews will temporarily return from leave to attend today’s national cabinet meeting. Acting premier James Merlino yesterday called for the shortening of the interval between booster shots. |
| 2022 is shaping up to be a corker: | 2022 is shaping up to be a corker: |
| AMA vice president Dr Chris Moy has just appeared on ABC News Breakfast, calling for the reintroduction of some restrictions in light of the new variant of the virus: | AMA vice president Dr Chris Moy has just appeared on ABC News Breakfast, calling for the reintroduction of some restrictions in light of the new variant of the virus: |
| Channel 10 is reporting 11 testing sites have already closed in Melbourne: | Channel 10 is reporting 11 testing sites have already closed in Melbourne: |
| More than 300 doctors around the world have written to deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce today urging him to seek Julian Assange’s immediate release from prison in the UK on medical grounds. | More than 300 doctors around the world have written to deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce today urging him to seek Julian Assange’s immediate release from prison in the UK on medical grounds. |
| The letter cites concern over Assange’s apparent mini stroke, warning it may be “the tip of a medical iceberg”: | The letter cites concern over Assange’s apparent mini stroke, warning it may be “the tip of a medical iceberg”: |
| In appendices to the letter, the doctors have released all former correspondence with the federal government – including previously unpublished material – in which they warned of cardiovascular pathology. | In appendices to the letter, the doctors have released all former correspondence with the federal government – including previously unpublished material – in which they warned of cardiovascular pathology. |
| They write: | They write: |
| The threat of state and territory borders slamming shut as the Omicron variant spreads is front of mind for many Australians, with confidence in travelling interstate now lower than it was this time last year before the vaccine rollout had begun. | The threat of state and territory borders slamming shut as the Omicron variant spreads is front of mind for many Australians, with confidence in travelling interstate now lower than it was this time last year before the vaccine rollout had begun. |
| A survey of traveller confidence commissioned by the Australians Airports Association (AAA) has found that only 72% of respondents would be willing to cross state borders these holidays compared with 86% last Christmas. | A survey of traveller confidence commissioned by the Australians Airports Association (AAA) has found that only 72% of respondents would be willing to cross state borders these holidays compared with 86% last Christmas. |
| While there is growing uncertainty about Covid rules going into the festive period, the survey also found that 97% of travellers are not booking trips more than three months in advance. | While there is growing uncertainty about Covid rules going into the festive period, the survey also found that 97% of travellers are not booking trips more than three months in advance. |
| Of the 500 respondents, 62% said they feared the risk of border closures, while 35% expressed concern over health risks. | Of the 500 respondents, 62% said they feared the risk of border closures, while 35% expressed concern over health risks. |
| New South Wales and Victorian residents are the most willing to travel interstate, while Western Australian and Queensland residents are the least willing to travel across state lines. | New South Wales and Victorian residents are the most willing to travel interstate, while Western Australian and Queensland residents are the least willing to travel across state lines. |
| Just 45% of fully vaccinated respondents who were regular travellers before the pandemic are willing to book a flight abroad. | Just 45% of fully vaccinated respondents who were regular travellers before the pandemic are willing to book a flight abroad. |
| James Goodwin, AAA chief executive said “there is a real fear among the travelling public that borders could close again as a result of the current Omicron strain and rising case numbers”. | James Goodwin, AAA chief executive said “there is a real fear among the travelling public that borders could close again as a result of the current Omicron strain and rising case numbers”. |
| In Melbourne, testing at Albert Park has been suspended before opening after reaching capacity for the third day in a row: | In Melbourne, testing at Albert Park has been suspended before opening after reaching capacity for the third day in a row: |
| Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles is up on ABC radio national, and is asked about Morrison’s response to the Doherty Modelling which predicted up to 200,000 cases a day. To refresh, Morrison said it was “very unlikely”: | Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles is up on ABC radio national, and is asked about Morrison’s response to the Doherty Modelling which predicted up to 200,000 cases a day. To refresh, Morrison said it was “very unlikely”: |
| Morrison is asked whether rapid antigen tests will be made free in Australia as has been done in the UK. He says the government is “looking at all these options”, and brings up sunscreen again: | Morrison is asked whether rapid antigen tests will be made free in Australia as has been done in the UK. He says the government is “looking at all these options”, and brings up sunscreen again: |
| Still on Morrison, who is going really hard on this sunscreen analogy, partially as a way to plug that sunscreen campaign announced yesterday: | Still on Morrison, who is going really hard on this sunscreen analogy, partially as a way to plug that sunscreen campaign announced yesterday: |
| *Yeah, mate, except sunburn isn’t highly contagious. | *Yeah, mate, except sunburn isn’t highly contagious. |
| Back to Covid: the prime minister Scott Morrison has just appeared on breakfast television rejecting Doherty Modelling which predicted up to 200,000 Covid cases per day under a “worst-case” scenario. | Back to Covid: the prime minister Scott Morrison has just appeared on breakfast television rejecting Doherty Modelling which predicted up to 200,000 Covid cases per day under a “worst-case” scenario. |
| Morrison: | Morrison: |
| In non-Covid news, Daniel Hurst has an exclusive today which shows Australia’s defence department wrote to France’s Naval Group a week before the submarine contract was cancelled, acknowledging the successful completion of one requirement for moving to the next stage of the project. | In non-Covid news, Daniel Hurst has an exclusive today which shows Australia’s defence department wrote to France’s Naval Group a week before the submarine contract was cancelled, acknowledging the successful completion of one requirement for moving to the next stage of the project. |
| The letter acknowledged that at least one of those conditions was “successfully completed” as of 8 September, and said the Australian government “has, to date, demonstrated its commitment to working collaboratively with Naval Group”: | The letter acknowledged that at least one of those conditions was “successfully completed” as of 8 September, and said the Australian government “has, to date, demonstrated its commitment to working collaboratively with Naval Group”: |
| Good morning, | Good morning, |
| It’s three sleeps until Christmas and I’m crossing my fingers for Santa to bring the end of Omicron and, ideally, the novel coronavirus. | It’s three sleeps until Christmas and I’m crossing my fingers for Santa to bring the end of Omicron and, ideally, the novel coronavirus. |
| Caitlin Cassidy here with you this morning to guide you through the news. | Caitlin Cassidy here with you this morning to guide you through the news. |
| Today, it’s all about the national cabinet, which will be gathering this afternoon for an emergency meeting to discuss the issues posed by the new variant. | Today, it’s all about the national cabinet, which will be gathering this afternoon for an emergency meeting to discuss the issues posed by the new variant. |
| The prime minister Scott Morrison yesterday rejected the return to Covid lockdowns and called for the move from a “culture of mandates to a culture of responsibility”. | The prime minister Scott Morrison yesterday rejected the return to Covid lockdowns and called for the move from a “culture of mandates to a culture of responsibility”. |
| But it comes with New South Wales premier Dominic Perrottet under increasing pressure to reintroduce restrictions after a record 3,057 Covid cases were detected yesterday, amid rising hospital admissions. | But it comes with New South Wales premier Dominic Perrottet under increasing pressure to reintroduce restrictions after a record 3,057 Covid cases were detected yesterday, amid rising hospital admissions. |
| Perrottet will today push for the interval between Covid booster shots to be brought forward, which is expected to be high up on the agenda at the national cabinet amid discussion on indoor mask use. | Perrottet will today push for the interval between Covid booster shots to be brought forward, which is expected to be high up on the agenda at the national cabinet amid discussion on indoor mask use. |
| Australian Medical Association president Dr Omar Khorshid yesterday called for the reintroduction of some restrictions to deal with the new variant including the reintroduction of density limits and mask wearing. | Australian Medical Association president Dr Omar Khorshid yesterday called for the reintroduction of some restrictions to deal with the new variant including the reintroduction of density limits and mask wearing. |
| The ACT is today joining Queensland and Tasmania in reinforcing indoor mask restrictions. | The ACT is today joining Queensland and Tasmania in reinforcing indoor mask restrictions. |
| Meanwhile, testing lines are already starting to form as interstate travellers rush to test negative in the lead-up to Christmas. | Meanwhile, testing lines are already starting to form as interstate travellers rush to test negative in the lead-up to Christmas. |
| Let’s dive in. | Let’s dive in. |