Category Archives: Victoria

Coronavirus Australia live: Victoria, NSW and Queensland record no local Covid cases as three new cases linked to Australian Open

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Two tennis players have tested positive, but hard lockdown of those who shared flights remains. Follow latest updates

  • NSW hotspots; Queensland hotspots
  • State-by-state restrictions and lockdown rules explained
  • Follow the global coronavirus liveblog

    • As our West Australian readers start to log-on, I bring to you news of possible secession. I have not clicked through to see what other images/tweets etc come up under #WAXIT but please feel free to do so:

    A group of business leaders in Western Australia want the state to break away from Australia… calling the campaign #WAXIT.

    Should WA be allowed to break away and form an independent nation? #9News pic.twitter.com/mtStO3Ayzh

    A $7bn funding injection into social housing would address surging homelessness caused by the pandemic, advocates say.

    This just in from AAP:

    Social housing advocates fear a surge in homelessness stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic, and are urging swift action from the federal government to ensure Australians have a roof over their heads.

    A national campaign to end homelessness, Everybody’s Home, estimates a $7bn injection into social housing would make a serious dent in homelessness, while creating 18,000 jobs a year over the next four years.

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    Morrison will decide ‘over the course of the year’ whether to allow international travel – as it happened

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    Meanwhile, three of four Covid cases found in Victoria hotel quarantine linked to Australian Open. This blog is now closed

    That’s where I’m going to leave you for today. Thanks as always for reading along.

    Here’s what we learned today:

    Fragments of Covid-19 have been detected in sewage at three sites in Queensland, the state’s health department has said.

    Queensland’s chief health officer, Dr Jeannette Young, said in a statement released just now that viral fragments of the virus had been detected at wastewater treatment plants after samples were collected last week. The positive results were detected at three locations:

    While this does not mean we have new cases of Covid-19 in these communities, we are treating these detections seriously.

    A positive sewage result means that someone who has been infected was shedding the virus. Infected people can shed viral fragments and that shedding can happen for several weeks after the person is no longer infectious.

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    Coronavirus Australia live: Australian Open tennis quarantine disarray; Victoria opens border to most of Sydney as NSW records no local cases

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    Victoria premier Daniel Andrews says people in most of Sydney can apply for a permit to travel to the state while 10 LGAs still remain in red zones. Follow latest updates live

    The ABC has spoken to one of the tennis players who is isolating as part of strict restrictions applied to those who travelled for the Australian Open.

    #AusOpen player Artem Sitak happy to be in Melbourne for the tournament. A lot of the players have now realised it's an unfortunate situation. News of the long Victorian lockdown & of Australians unable to return home is making them feel very lucky to be in Melbourne. #Springst pic.twitter.com/EgQ9CEix9P

    Of course I’m happy. As I said, I was prepared for the worst and unfortunately it happened to me, but I’m – I’m definitely happy. I’m here, I love Australian Open. I think it’s going to be any sixth or seventh Australian Open and I love playing here. There’s always a really – a really vocal huge crowd. Hopefully this time it will be – I don’t know the percentage of spectators that are allowed but there will still be a lot of people. We haven’t played in front of spectators since back in August. And this is going to be a lot of fun.

    The Victorian police union is less welcoming of news that Covid-19 fines in Victoria will be waived. Here’s what Victorian Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt said on radio station 3AW earlier today, according to AAP:

    It’s a wee bit frustrating.

    None of this was fun for our members. It was bit of a thankless job.

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    Coronavirus live: UK ‘considering all measures’ including quarantine hotels; Sydney struggles to quash cluster

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    Dominic Raab says UK needs to respond to variants from Brazil and South Africa; New South Wales records six new cases

    Reaction has been coming today from Russian sources after Brazil’s health regulator said it was seeking further data on Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine before considering its approval for emergency use.

    Documents supporting drugmaker Uniao Quimica’s application for emergency use of the vaccine have been returned to the company because they did not meet its minimum criteria, the watchdog said on Saturday.

    While people over 75 living at home will be able to get vaccinated from Monday in France, there are concerns in the field that there are not enough doctors, Le Monde reports today.

    Jacques Battistoni, president of MG France, a trade union for general practitioners, said: “We expect tensions and a difficult start to the week.”

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    NSW reports no new local Covid cases, as Queensland denies hotel quarantine breach – as it happened

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    Madison Keys drops out of Australian Open and Andy Murray in doubt after testing positive for Covid

    With that, we’ll be closing the blog for today. Here’s a recap of the day’s headlines:

    Emergency warnings have been issued for separate bushfires threatening lives in Perth’s eastern foothills and the Wheatbelt region, AAP reports.

    Firefighters are battling to contain an out-of-control blaze in High Wycombe, near the Perth Hills.

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    Woman and three young children found dead at a Tullamarine home in Melbourne’s north

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    Victoria police say the woman’s husband – the father of the children – is assisting detectives but it would be unfair to presume culpability

    A woman and her three young children have been found dead at a home in Melbourne’s north.

    Victoria police said the woman’s husband, and the father of the three children, was assisting with the investigation but people should not presume culpability on that basis because “that would be grossly unfair”.

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    US tennis player Tennys Sandgren flying to Australian Open despite positive Covid test

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    The American says he first tested positive in November and tournament organisers argue he is therefore not infectious

    The US tennis player Tennys Sandgren is bound for Melbourne after Tennis Australia reportedly intervened so he could board a charter flight despite testing positive for coronavirus.

    In a series of tweets on Thursday, Australian time, Sandgren initially suggested he would not be able to board the flight for the Australian Open, writing “Covid positive over thanksgiving” and “Covid positive on Monday”.

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    Australia news live: NSW records five new locally acquired Covid cases as Qld records one

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    NSW premier concerned over low testing levels as state grapples with growing number of mystery cases; partner of a Brisbane hotel quarantine cleaner who contracted new Covid-19 strain tests positive. Follow all the latest news and updates, live

    Two Emirates flight attendants are in isolation in Australia after testing positive to Covid-19 on Sunday, two days after Australia introduced mandatory quarantining and testing of international flight crews.

    The positive tests were included in Monday’s numbers.

    The crew members identified as positive cases are being managed per usual processes and remain in Australia.

    Since the incoming Emirates flight EK430 from Dubai to Brisbane was serviced by the same crew, as per the airline’s safety protocols the remaining crew members were determined to be close contacts. As a precautionary measure, the decision was therefore made to cancel flight EK431 from Brisbane to Dubai for the safety of its passengers.

    The health and safety of our crew, customers and communities remains our top priority, and we continue to work closely with all relevant authorities to implement the latest health and safety protocols.

    And just when you thought acting prime minister Michael McCormack’s controversial day was over, he has now used the controversial right-wing phrase “all lives matter” at a press conference when discussing the “black lives matter” protests.

    The Nationals leader has come under fire today and yesterday for comparing the insurrection at the Capitol building by far-right rioters to the Black Lives Matter protest and riots earlier in the year.

    I abhor violence of any form. The Black Lives Matter protests, as at mid-last year, cost 19 lives. That’s 19 lives that should not have been lost. I’m not going to apologise because I said that violence in any form should not happen, from a protest...

    I appreciate there are a lot of people out there who are being a bit bleeding heart about this and who are confecting outrage, but they should know those lives matter too. All lives matter.

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    Australia’s state by state Covid restrictions and coronavirus lockdown rules explained

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    What are the restrictions in Brisbane since a worker tested positive to the UK strain of Covid-19? Do I have to wear a mask and how do Victoria’s border closures with NSW and Queensland work? Untangle Australia’s Covid-19 laws and guidelines with our guide

    Australian states and territories have different levels of restrictions to contain Covid-19.

    Here we answer some common questions about restrictions in each state, based on the information available as of 8 January.

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    One new case in Australia as woman released from hotel quarantine tests positive for Covid variant

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    NSW records a single case, with Victoria and Queensland both reporting none, as Brisbane enters three-day lockdown

    A single case of community-transmitted Covid-19 has been recorded in Australia on Saturday, but concern remains about a woman released from hotel quarantine in Victoria despite testing positive to the highly infectious UK variant of the virus.

    New South Wales recorded one new case of Covid-19, with Victoria and Queensland both recording zero new cases. Other states were yet to report their numbers, but have not had cases of community transmission for several weeks, if not months.

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    Australia coronavirus news live: Queensland on alert over UK variant Covid case; national cabinet to meet

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    Leaders to agree on new rules for aircrew and quarantine staff to ward off community transmission. Follow all the latest news and updates

    Emergency services in Western Australia have issued an updated emergency warning to residents in an area on the northern side of Lancelin, a coastal town about 140km north of Perth.

    The area covered by the emergency warning was extended in the early hours of the morning to include an area west of Brand Highway, where the fire has broken containment lines.

    Forecast very hot, dry and windy weather conditions over the next two days will continue to test containment lines and there is the ongoing potential for the rapid escalation of fire behaviour.

    Victorian premier Daniel Andrews is providing a coronavirus early today, at 9.30am. This will allow him to make some comments before heading in to national cabinet.

    We haven’t got the daily figures for Victoria yet — I’ll bring them to you as soon as they’re published.

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    Australia coronavirus news live: Morrison says vaccinations to begin in mid-to-late February as Queensland quarantine worker tests positive

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    High priority groups will begin receiving the vaccine earlier than anticipated; NSW south coast holiday locations on high alert; cricket crowd flocks to Sydney Test. Follow all the latest news and updates

    Murphy says that over the second quarter of 2021, Australia will have vaccinated “a significant portion” of the population. That’s still mainly focusing on those first two priority groups.

    He says:

    The very last group that we might consider [vaccinating] is children. We know that children are at very low risk of getting Covid and transmitting Covid and the vaccine has not yet been thoroughly tested against children.

    There will be vaccine hubs set up around Australia which only deliver one type of vaccine. That is to prevent confusion about which type of vaccine a person has been given, Murphy says, to ensure that people get two doses of the same vaccine.

    A dose each of different vaccines will not cover you.

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    Australia coronavirus news live: NSW to give Covid update as Victoria records one new mystery case in person who attended Boxing Day Test

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    People who attended venues in Merrylands, Parramatta, Mays Hill and Pendle Hill in Sydney urged to get tested. Follow all the latest news and updates, live

    If you are one of the thousands of people in Victoria who are off to get a Covid-19 test following that press conference, please allow me to share some of the advice that has been coming in from readers over the past few days.

    Overwhelmingly, people who had the best experience at testing sites are those who booked in to a respiratory clinic. You can find a list here. You book online, then turn up for your appointment. People who have used respiratory clinics over the past week or so have told me they were in and out between 10 and 25 minutes of their appointment time.

    NSW will hold its daily press conference at 11am, as usual. We’ll bring you that as it happens.

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    Australia coronavirus live news: thousands told to self-isolate after Covid-19 exposure

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    Cricket Australia to refund all tickets to Test and require re-purchase, as John Barilaro says Sydney testing numbers are ‘far too low’. Follow the latest updates

    Here’s some bits and pieces from the Cricket Australia press conference:

    It is fairly predictable, but the Victorian opposition is calling for premier Dan Andrews to come back from leave because of the new Covid-19 cases in the state. Haven’t seen similar yet re NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian, who is also taking a break this week.

    Opposition’s @DavidDavisMLC calling for Premier @DanielAndrewsMP to return from leave.
    Pressed on whether all are entitled to a break, Mr Davis said yes, but “demonstrated failures” (cites testing delays, border chaos) should prompt him to come home. @10NewsFirstMelb #springst pic.twitter.com/JGMPfu43ZE

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    Coronavirus Australia live news: NSW reports eight new Covid cases while Victoria records three

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    Many customers of Sydney bottle shop are considered to be close contacts and must isolate for 14 days. Follow latest updates

    MEDIA RELEASE: From 1am Monday 4 January, anyone who has been in Victoria on or since 21 December will be restricted from entering vulnerable facilities, including aged care facilities, hospitals, disability accommodation and correctional facilities.https://t.co/xd8p24VvdZ

    Some more details on that cyclone warning from AAP.

    A severe weather warning has been issued for far north Queensland as a tropical cyclone is expected to develop in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

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    NSW makes face masks mandatory as state records seven new Covid cases

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    Gladys Berejiklian announces new measures for greater Sydney and $200 on-the-spot fines, as Victoria’s hard border takes effect

    The New South Wales premier, Gladys Berejiklian, said she does not want to “restrict business activity, jobs or economic activity”, announcing new restrictions including mandatory masks, as seven new cases of community transmission of coronavirus were announced on Saturday.

    Meanwhile Victoria’s hard border blocking travel from NSW took effect, with the Victorian health minister, Martin Foley, saying he would not apologise for taking tough measures to prevent virus spread. The ACT health department also announced non-ACT residents travelling from affected areas of NSW would now need an exemption.

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    Silence of the bush: Mallacoota residents look back over a year of loss and regrowth after fire devastation

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    Photographer Rachel Mounsey has documented the year after the blazes tore through her home region

    Standing in my backyard under a searing midday sun, the bricklayer’s sinewy arms are splayed out, rollie in one hand, trowel in the other. Bart the brickie reenacts the moment he thought might have been his last.

    He is reliving putting out embers with his flannelette shirt and driving over flames in his old Holden Commodore. He throws the trowel down and with his finger draws a fire map in the wet cement. His fingers dash and dot to signify embers falling from the sky, and a looming fire front creeping down from the ridge.

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    Australia coronavirus news live: Tighter restrictions in force for NYE as Sydney’s Croydon cluster causes concern and Victoria announces new cases

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    People urged to stay home as investigation continues into source of Croydon cluster in Sydney and cases in Melbourne. Follow all the latest news and updates, live

    Let’s return to those comments from NSW police regarding Tony Abbott’s exercise in the northern zone of the northern beaches.

    Abbott’s most recent declaration to parliament (before his defeat in 2019) showed he lived in Forestville, which is classed as being in the southern zone of the northern beaches.

    The New South Wales Labor leader, Jodi McKay, has called on Gladys Berejiklian to stop crowds from attending the cricket Test at the SCG, and urged her to make masks mandatory in certain settings:

    Why are we now progressing with a crowd at the cricket? ... It just doesn’t make sense to me.

    I’m urging the premier to make sure the cricket goes ahead ... but there is a general feeling there should not be people at the cricket.

    I think it’s important that if masks can reduce the risk of transmission, that we’re doing everything we can.

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    Australia news live: NSW records 18 new Covid cases as premier announces New Year’s Eve restrictions for Sydney

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    Gladys Berejiklian says households will be limited to five visitors as new cases spread to Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Sydney’s inner west. All the latest news and updates, live

    The NSW opposition leader has weighed in on the debate around the Sydney Test.

    You can go to the cricket but not congregate to view the fireworks. Both are outdoor events, yet different rules apply.

    The cricket should be in NSW but with no spectators. Let’s watch both the fireworks and cricket on TV.

    NSW Health has released a lit of new venues that have been visited by confirmed cases of Covid-19. This includes a Santa Claus Photo Booth at Westfield Burwood Shopping Centre.

    Their statement is below.

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    Australia’s first case of South African virus variant detected in Queensland – as it happened

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    More contagious variant identified in returned traveller; three shops in Sydney CBD and two supermarkets in eastern suburbs visited by people who tested positive. This blog is now closed

  • Queensland detects case of South African variant
  • NSW records three new coronavirus cases
  • Sydney New Year’s Eve restrictions explainer
  • Covid hotspots NSW
  • Australia border restrictions
  • Follow our global coronavirus live blog

    • And with that, we’ll wrap up the blog. Here’s a summary of everything that happened today:

    Fairfield City has taken the decision to cancel New Year’s Eve celebrations, due both to the pandemic and the weather.

    Mayor Frank Carbone says in a statement he knows people will be disappointed by the decision, but it is the right decision.

    Council has been closely monitoring the escalating Covid situation in Sydney. The decision was made due to the increasing number of unlinked cases announced in the last few days outside of the northern beaches, which potentially means the virus has not been contained.

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