A man has been arrested at Barkly Square shopping centre and police say they are not looking for anyone else
Two men have been taken to hospital after being stabbed inside a Melbourne shopping centre.
Both suffered non-life-threatening injuries during the attack at Barkly Square in Brunswick just after 8am on Monday, and were taken to hospital in stable condition.
Continue reading...NSW to end hotel quarantine, 6,000 weekly seats into Sydney to come online in next two days; Victoria to receive NSW travellers as state records 2,179 local cases and six deaths; NSW records 399 local cases and four deaths; nine-week ACT lockdown lifts – follow the latest news
Rural Liberals are backing a move towards a net-zero emissions target despite warnings from some within the federal Nationals that regional Australia would “pay the cost” of decarbonising the economy.
The shifting support for the target – including from conservatives who have previously railed against emissions reduction policies – comes as a new report reiterates that Australia ranks among the worst performers in the G20 in addressing the climate crisis.
You expelled Adem Somyurek for branch-stacking, and Anthony Byrne admitted to doing the same thing, why won’t you expel him?
Let’s be very clear. The allegations against Adem Somyurek were of a very different nature and went to behaviour and an attempt in his own words to essentially control the Victorian branch.
But Anthony Byrne’s breached rules by branch-stacking. So on that basis, why ...
That is a matter for ...
No, this is a matter for the Labor party, separate to what Ibac does, he’s breached party rules, you are the leader, what action will you take against him?
Well, we’ll wait for the Ibac processes ...
I’m talking about Anthony Byrne.
I know what you are talking about. From time to time there are breaches of party rules and the processes kick in to deal with that. But while Ibac is undertaking these investigations, it’s important that they be allowed to take their course.
Continue reading...One driving instructor told me he’d driven with murderers who were safer than me
The amusement arcades in Russell Street were the place in Melbourne to buy heroin in the 90s and early 2000s. But I went there to learn how to drive.
Continue reading...Victorian roadmap may be released as early as weekend; NSW to outline next reopening steps; ACT to end lockdown tomorrow. Follow all the day’s news live
Wilcannia locals are celebrating the news there have been no new Covid cases for two weeks but say they are now on the long path to recovery after the virus hit “like a cyclone” in August.
Yesterday was the 15th consecutive day of no new cases, an “incredible” outcome according to Brendon Adams, who runs Wilcannia River radio and who worked on the frontline during the crisis.
We are actively considering our MIQ settings in light of the fact that we are unlikely to get back to zero cases ... You can expect to see us talking more about that fairly soon.
Continue reading...So there has been a bit of drama in the South Australian parliament, with a Liberal party defector somehow taking the Speaker of the House role in a late-night upset.
Dan Cregan, who left the Liberal party to sit on the crossbench last week, managed to take the job in a secret ballot.
Continue reading...An executive assistant in Adem Somyurek’s office tells commission she was told to work on ALP factional activities instead of minister’s portfolios
A Victorian ministerial staffer being paid by the taxpayer spent as much as 80% of her days doing factional work as part of a vast branch stacking operation, the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Committee has been told.
Ellen Schreiber, who was employed as the executive assistant in the ministerial office of Adem Somyurek between January and August 2019, said that instead of dealing with work associated with Somyurek’s small business or local government portfolios, the minister advised her and other members of his staff to work on factional activities of the moderate faction.
Continue reading...Victoria records 1,890 new cases and five deaths; NSW records 477 cases and six deaths; 30 new cases in ACT; 10,000 vaccinated people to attend Melbourne Cup; Perrottet says NSW wants ‘to open international borders as quickly as possible’, as lockdown for those fully vaccinated set to lift at midnight. Follow updates live
Speers pivoted from asking communications minister Paul Fletcher about holding social media companies to account to holding the federal government to account.
There was a lot of back and forth and at one point Fletcher referenced the resignation of Gladys Berejiklian as NSW premier as evidence of the failings of an anti-corruption authority.
The government’s proposed federal integrity commission wouldn’t be allowed to hold any public hearings. Why not? What’s there to hide?
David, the proposed federal integrity commission would have the powers of a royal commission to deal with criminal corrupt conduct at a commonwealth level. And of course ...
No public hearings, which is my question. Why not?
It will go through an investigation process.And then, if appropriate, it will refer material to the director of public prosecutions, and then you go through an open-court process.
This commission wouldn’t have public hearings. I mean, don’t you think voters, taxpayers, deserve to see what’s going on? I mean, we wouldn’t know about Daryl Maguire’s business dealings from his parliamentary office and kickbacks he was receiving. Don’t we need to see this stuff?
I think the outcomes last week where a very popular and highly competent premier stood down highlights some of the flaws in the model. So we don’t support a model where you are presumed guilty unless you can prove your innocence.
Your government, of course, tried to scrap Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. You were worried about protecting free speech. Now it sounds like you want to go in the other direction and make it harder to say things that can be considered racist.
The test, David, will be the impact on the individual. If a reasonable person would consider that it was intended to harm and if it’s menacing, harassing or offensive – those words, by the way, taken from an existing provision in the criminal code dealing with online content. So what we’re doing is leaning in on this issue and all of the issues that arise in relation to online safety. Our government’s taken a leadership position on this since we came to government. The Australian eSafety Commissioner, set up in 2015, is world-leading ...
Continue reading...NSW passes the 90% first-jab milestone for its 16-plus population and reports 580 new cases. This blog is now closed
Looks like there was another earthquake overnight near the Vic-SA border.
Not quite as large as the one in Victoria a few weeks ago.
Continue reading...Greg Hunt says Australia’s vaccination rate has hit 81.5% first dose and 60.2% second dose; Victorian premier Daniel Andrews is being investigated for not wearing a mask in public; Victoria reports record high number of new Covid cases; NSW records 646 local cases, 11 deaths three days ahead of reopening; Dr Kerry Chant says a new strain of Delta is circulating in Sydney; restrictions eased in Townsville and south-east Queensland; 44 new cases in New Zealand. Follow all the day’s news live
So, today is the final Friday under (this) lockdown in NSW, with the state due to emerge from stay-at-home orders on Monday.
But you’d be forgiven for losing track of what you can and can’t do once lockdown is lifted, considering the changes made and many, many annoucements.
Continue reading...Banking regulator tightens rules on home loans; ‘dozens’ of construction protesters have Covid, John Setka says; Brittany Higgins appointed to Global Institute for Women’s Leadership; NSW to reach reopening vaccine rate today or tomorrow – follow all today’s news
The numbers are out in Victoria and there has been a bit of a drop, with 1,420 new cases recorded.
Sadly, the state has recorded 11 deaths overnight.
There’s a number of areas within the roadmap can be looked at.
There’s a number of issues that I want to raise with our health officials this morning. Whatever we do, we want to make sure it’s done in a way that keeps people safe.
That’s an incredibly positive thing. There’s been a slowdown, but there’s naturally going to be a slowdown if the vaccination rate gets to a high point.
Continue reading...Victorian teacher Belinda Cetnar and her husband Jack argue they could lose their livelihoods if they don’t get vaccinated
A casual relief teacher is taking Victorian health officials to court over mandatory Covid vaccines, arguing there is no legal or ethical justification for making workers get the jab.
Separately, in New South Wales, a group of essential workers has argued in court that state’s health orders regarding vaccines are an attempt to coerce them into being inoculated.
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Continue reading...Melbourne overtaking Buenos Aires as city that has spent most days under stay-at-home orders. Follow all the updates
When it comes to Melbourne now, by some counts, becoming the most locked-down city in the world, premier Daniel Andrews says he is proud of the sacrifices Melburnians have made over the pandemic.
Yesterday he called on Melburnians to make a final push before lockdown ends in coming weeks, reports Callum Godde from AAP.
We are going to get past this. We are going to end this lockdown and open up, and all that we will enjoy then will be a result of all that we have given.
If we let it rip last year, we would have had severe mortality and morbidity. It’s just that we haven’t had the same luck as other place.
Continue reading...NSW reports 10 deaths amid ‘dramatic drop’ in new Covid cases with 70% double-dose target in sight; cases continue to rise in Victoria amid vaccine mandate protests; Queensland readies for NRL grand final at Suncorp Stadium tonight as state records no new local Covid infections; ACT records 38 new local cases; 32 of New Zealand’s 33 new cases in Auckland. Follow live
Speers has asked Husic what he thinks of the state government’s plan to open up once 70% of adults are vaccinated?
Husic:
As someone who lives in a locked down LGA, who represents residents who have gone through some of the toughest measures across the LGAs in Western Sydney, we clearly want to get out of this.
As Labor has said, we at the national level support the national plan and believe that we do need to get out as quickly as we can, but it does require in particular a focus on the safety elements of this.
Icac is actually not allowed under law to delay or defer investigations. What do you think, though, about the criticism that it has chosen a terrible time to do this?
In response to your question first off, I would say that it is a bit hard for Gladys Berejiklian to make that point when she started cancelling her own press conferences, her daily press conferences. If this was such an important time, she would be there every single day. I think that needs to be borne in mind and I would urge people to consider that, but I guess overall I would understand, the two points I would quickly make:
I understand how people are confused and disoriented about the events of Friday, seeing the premier go that quickly, but it is important to emphasise that ... this explosive event was lit in 2020 when you had a New South Wales premier appear before Icac as a person being monitored, a person of interest, and clearly there was an issue there, and the reality is Icac did not force Gladys Berejiklian to resign, she did that of her own accord, following 12 months of saying that she wouldn’t do that.
Continue reading...Dr Kerry Chant warns next week is ‘critical’ for state as Victoria and ACT see slight declines in numbers
Victoria’s Covid infections have dropped slightly with Melbourne’s 246-day lockdown to become the world’s longest on Tuesday.
And while New South Wales recorded a substantial drop in local Covid-19 cases on Sunday, the state continued to see a rise in Covid-related hospitalisations and deaths.
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Continue reading...NSW reports 813 cases and 10 deaths while Victoria records 1,488 infections, ACT 52 and Queensland two. This blog is now closed
Queensland has recorded two new local cases of Covid.
They are linked to the aviation cluster, and have both been in home quarantine. Queensland chief health officer Jeannette Young said they are children of a positive case who was announced yesterday – a man who had been infectious while on the Gold Coast.
Continue reading...Australia’s second-largest city’s strategy has left it economically and psychologically depressed after initially succeeding in reducing case numbers to zero
It has been a long 19 months in Melbourne. As of Tuesday 5 October, Australia’s second-largest city will have been in lockdown for 246 days – overtaking Buenos Aires as the city that has spent the most cumulative days under stay-at-home orders.
By the time Melbourne’s current lockdown lifts at the end of the month, it will have spent 267 days in lockdown – 45% of the time since the coronavirus pandemic was declared on 12 March 2020.
Continue reading...Victoria’s premier Daniel Andrews has announced a further easing of restrictions as the state reaches its 80% first-dose vaccination target. Here’s what you need to know about schools, travel, childcare and work
Melbourne restrictions eased slightly from Wednesday 29 September when Victoria hit its 80% first dose vaccination target.
The Moorabool shire and Shepparton were to enter seven-day lockdowns from 11.59pm on Friday 1 October.
Shopping for essentials;
Authorised work, if you cannot work from home, or education;
Exercise for up to four hours;
Caregiving, compassionate and medical reasons;
To get vaccinated.
Limited outdoor social interaction will be allowed.
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Continue reading...Trade negotiations with Europe postponed; Scott Morrison expected to discuss international travel rules; outbreak in Newcastle maternity ward grows. Follow all the latest news
Victoria’s case numbers are delayed:
No clue if this is a good sign or not. Here’s hoping.
Continue reading...Age, disadvantage and reduced access are mixing together in lower socio-economic areas to create a perfect Covid cocktail
Some of Victoria’s lowest socio-economic areas are still lagging behind on Covid-19 vaccination rates as the wealthiest local government areas surge ahead, creating a stark divide across the state.
The disparity has community leaders and epidemiologists worried the virus will sweep through some suburbs when the state opens up, if the vaccination rate does not pick up in vulnerable areas.
Continue reading...NSW extends stay-at-home orders for 17 regional LGAs as state records 941 cases; South Australia records one local case; five Queensland areas including Brisbane and Gold Coast return to stage two restrictions. This blog is now closed
We are going to leave the blog there for the night.
Here’s what made news today:
Stay-at-home orders have been announced for the Kyogle and Narromine local government areas in New South Wales from midnight tonight until 11 October due to Covid cases in the area.
These restrictions will also apply to anyone who has been in the Kyogle LGA since 21 September and the Narromine LGA since 28 September.
Continue reading...