Covid Australia live updates: 620 NSW health staff isolating and visitors restricted as all Greater Sydney hospitals on ‘red alert’

New Zealand restarts the travel bubble with Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and the ACT; infected aged care resident at SummitCare home in NSW was not vaccinated. Follow latest updates

Circling back on that story involving the NRL penalties handed out to St George Illawarra players for attending a party in breach of Covid-19 restrictions.

Sure, there’s enormous fines of $305,000 total for the 13 players. But the suspensions are also fairly significant, ranging from eight matches, handed down to Paul Vaughan, who hosted the party, to one match for some of the attendees.

The NRL alleges that player Paul Vaughan invited players to a gathering at his home on Saturday 3 July which was attended by 12 teammates, in breach of NSW Public Health Orders and the Game’s biosecurity protocols. It’s alleged a number of players hid or fled the residence when NSW Police attended the home after complaints from neighbours.

It’s also alleged that a number of players gave or were involved in giving misleading information about the event during the NRL’s investigation into the breaches and that some of the players conspired to withhold key information from the NRL. The notices allege that all players involved knowingly breached the game’s biosecurity rules by attending the premeditated gathering. They were made aware of the game’s Biosecurity Protocols by the club and admit they knew they were breaching the game’s rules.

It has been very hot in New Zealand, which is not a great sign for the planet (but worth considering if you’re planning on travelling there now the bubble has reformed):

Related: New Zealand experiences hottest June on record despite polar blast

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Australia Covid live news update: NSW reports 16 local cases; three residents positive at Sydney aged care home

Two residents of SummitCare home at Baulkham Hills taken to hospital as a precaution and facility is in lockdown; Queensland records one new local case. Follow live

Police have recovered the bodies of three fishermen and their upturned boat near Wollongong south of Sydney.

Relatives raised the alarm about 6am on Sunday after the trio set off from the Bellambi boat ramp in Wollongong about 2pm the previous day.

Tasmanian’s opposition leader, David O’Byrne, has announced he’s quitting as Labor leader, with the ALP investigating allegations he sexually harassed a woman more than a decade ago.

O’Byrne announced he was resigning on Sunday and said while he would remain in parliament as the member for Franklin, he would not seek or accept a position in the shadow cabinet.

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Queensland Covid update: premier Annastacia Palaszczuk lifts Brisbane lockdown despite five new cases

Man who works as a baggage handler at Brisbane domestic airport among new coronavirus cases

Brisbane’s lockdown ended at 6pm on Saturday despite the state recording five new Covid-19 cases, including one not linked to an existing outbreak.

Queensland’s premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, told reporters on Saturday morning that the state was “not out of the woods yet” and that some restrictions, including mask mandates, would remain in place, but that the snap lockdown announced last week would end.

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Australia Covid live update: Darwin out of lockdown; NSW records 31 new cases, Qld three, SA one; PM announces four-point pandemic plan

Scott Morrison announces four-step pandemic exit plan after meeting with state leaders. Follow latest update

Here’s some video from earlier today of prime minister Scott Morrison being asked by Guardian Australia’s Daniel Hurst about his position towards AstraZeneca:

The latest edition of Weekly Beast covers Chris Kenny doing a Peta Credlin, among other things:

Related: Playing chicken: Chris Kenny and South Australia’s chief health officer see who blinks in Covid clash | The Weekly Beast

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Great Barrier Reef: leading scientists praise Unesco’s ‘in danger’ warning

Group of reef and climate scientists say world heritage warning merited and Australia has not ‘pulled its weight on emissions’

Five of the world’s leading reef and climate scientists have thanked Unesco for recommending the Great Barrier Reef be listed as world heritage “in danger”, saying it was the right decision in part because Australia had not “pulled its weight” in reducing emissions.

The group of scientists, including the Australian professors Ove Hoegh-Guldberg and Terry Hughes, wrote to the UN body on Thursday saying the recommendation to downgrade the 2,300-km reef system’s world heritage status was “the right decision”.

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Australia Covid live update: NSW reports 24 local cases and Qld two; second Sydney hospital worker tests positive

Gladys Berejiklian says half of new cases were active in the community while infectious; Simon Birmingham admits Australia is ‘back of the queue’ for Pfizer vaccines; Atagi co-chair says AstraZeneca should only be used by under-40s in ‘pressing’ circumstances; Follow latest updates

Ahead of the daily health press conference in Victoria, premier Daniel Andrews has said he is “determined” to avoid another lockdown in the state, and part of that will be arguing in national cabinet on Friday for a reduction in the number of people able to return through hotel quarantine.

He repeated that it was better to lock out a small number of people than lock down whole cities or states, particularly while Victoria will not have a dedicated quarantine facility up and running in Mickleham until January.

Talk to your doctor, talk to your pharmacist. They’re the people to talk to, because whether it’s Atagi or others, there can be very broad statements made. Safety is always a concern – they are risk averse, they need to be. But everyone’s individual circumstances are different, and many people come to this question of ‘should I, shouldn’t I’ when, what vaccine with pre-existing conditions, with all sorts of other issues. So the best thing to do is not to be getting your epidemiological or your vaccination advice from politicians.

Talk to your GP, that’s what I would ask Victorians to do.

NSW police commissioner Mick Fuller is up now:

In the last 24 hours, 65 personnel infringement notices were issued. One of those of concern was a hairdresser in Auburn in the shopping area of Auburn.

In the last 24 hours, 65 personnel infringement notices were issued. One of those of concern was a hairdresser in Auburn in the shopping area of Auburn.

What police will be doing is matching our taskings to those areas and places of concern on the health website, but in particular today I want to send a very clear message that we will double our efforts in terms of visibility and compliance in south-western Sydney, in particular, around that Auburn, Bankstown area, in those shopping areas, the central business areas, and also back to the eastern suburbs as well. The message is quite clear – police continue to be visible in the community, on public transport. We are stopping and proposing many people and, again, it is just disappointing that infringements continue to be issued.

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Covid Australia live update: Perth joins Sydney and Darwin in lockdown as AstraZeneca offered to under-60s

NSW is bracing for an escalation in local Covid cases as the state government prepares a support package for businesses. Follow latest updates

Okay, so originally we were going to hear from the Queensland leaders at 9am, but this has been pushed back to 11am.

It’s unclear if this is because any big announcements are expected, but it’s worth noting the daily numbers for the state haven’t been published yet, which is a little unsual.

I brought you some quotes earlier from chief medical officer Paul Kelly’s interview with ABC.

Here is a clip if you are keen to hear the words straight from the source!

"AstraZeneca was always available for anyone, in terms of the regulation, from TGA, for anyone over the age of 18. There's a preference for Pfizer until the age of 60."

Chief Medical Officer @PKelly_CBR speaking to @lisamillar after another change to the vaccine rollout. pic.twitter.com/j3YZ3CAVPb

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Australia Covid live update: national cabinet mandates vaccinations for aged care and quarantine staff; AstraZeneca to be available for under-60s

An $11m grant announced to pay for leave for aged care staff to be vaccinated; Darwin in lockdown after four cases; restrictions for WA and SA; Queensland makes masks mandatory in hotspots. Follow live

Well that was a press conference and a half.

Here’s a brief summary of the key things Scott Morrison announced:

Another decision out of national cabinet is an agreement to make it mandatory for all quarantine workers, including those working in transport, to be vaccinated. However, this will be the responsibility of the states and territories, not the commonwealth.

This announcement follows the case of a Sydney limousine driver transporting international air crews contracting Covid-19 while being unvaccinated, NSW police admitting this breached no public health orders.

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Australia Covid update: outbreaks sweep nation as NSW reports 30 new infections, and Perth, NT and Qld record local cases

Sydney’s Bondi cluster grows to 110, Virgin Australia flight attendant tests positive, Darwin locks down, WA imposes restrictions and Queensland reports outbreak of Alpha variant

New South Wales reported 30 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday as a string of new outbreaks across Australia forced states and territories to introduce sweeping new restrictions, and prompted urgent calls for vaccine eligibility to be widened.

On the first full day of lockdown for the entire greater Sydney region since May 2020, NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian warned the city to prepare for a further increase in cases over the coming days as the Bondi cluster which sparked the new outbreak grew to 110.

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NSW Covid update: New Zealand suspends travel bubble as alert issued for Wellington flights

New Zealand suspends travel bubble with NSW over ‘several unknowns’ including unlinked case in a primary school student

New Zealand has paused quarantine-free travel with New South Wales after the state recorded 10 new locally acquired cases of coronavirus.

NSW Health subsequently said a confirmed case had flown from Sydney to Wellington on the night of Friday 18 June and from Wellington to Sydney on Monday morning.

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Australia politics live: Barnaby Joyce sworn in as deputy PM, more Sydney Covid sites named

Follow all the latest updates, live

Meanwhile, while the government is crowing about Australia’s strong economy, Grogs has taken a look at inequality.

Spoiler – it’s growing

New data from the bureau of statistics shows the drop in spending by households due to the pandemic increased the level of savings, but while incomes rose strongly for low income households due to a big rise in social assistance, inequality remains worse than it was at the start of the century.

It's not enough to have progressive taxation, you also need social assistance *and* public services like health and education to reduce inequalityhttps://t.co/WMMlMdYodJ pic.twitter.com/dWOZ62Z5JX

Then there is this:

I chaired the Senate inquiry into why the Government gave the small private @GBRFoundation $444m to manage the reef. After months of hearing evidence the National Audit Office discovered the purpose of the grant was to avoid a UNESCO World Heritage “in danger” listing.

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Great Barrier Reef should be listed as ‘in danger’, Unesco recommends

Australian government ‘stunned’ by recommendation and will strongly oppose draft decision, environment minister Sussan Ley says

The Great Barrier Reef should be placed on to a list of world heritage sites that are “in danger”, according to a recommendation from UN officials that urges Australia to take “accelerated action at all possible levels” on climate change.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization says the world’s biggest coral reef system should be placed on the list at the world heritage committee meeting next month.

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Australia politics live: Nationals in disarray amid spill rumours as PM and premiers to meet for emergency Covid national cabinet – live

Barnaby Joyce denies he will challenge Michael McCormack for leadership of the National party as a spill is widely anticipated. Follow latest updates

So a grinning Michael McCormack, an unhappy Barnaby Joyce and an ambivalent David Littleproud walk into the Nationals party room.

Leadership. That’s it. That’s the joke.

Sarah Martin tells me that on his way in to the Nationals party room, Michael McCormack was asked how he was feeling and answered with :

Positive, as I’m always feeling”

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Australia Covid update: masks compulsory indoors in parts of Sydney as cluster grows to nine

NSW reveals three new cases on Sunday, plus one flagged by authorities on Saturday, as Queensland records one local case

Sydney residents are now required to wear masks indoors across large swathes of the city after the eastern suburbs cluster grew to nine cases on Sunday.

The New South Wales premier, Gladys Berejiklian, announced on Sunday the state recorded two cases to 8pm, including a 30-year-old man revealed on Saturday, and a further two cases since 8pm that will be officially recorded in Monday’s figures.

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Australia politics live: Morrison hails UK free trade agreement; Victoria records five new local Covid cases

Parliament will sit in Canberra today and Victorians wait to hear if restrictions will be eased further. Follow latest updates

Does parliament even happen if the motion to remove Andrew Laming from his committee role isn’t defeated?

Heading into the Chamber for the daily Laming.

Scott Morrison told Australians Andrew Laming would stand down from all his roles, then allowed him to keep a ~$20k Committee role.

Every day we move a motion calling on the PM to keep his word & every day Lib MPs vote against it

In 10 minutes of my life I will never get back, I just watched Michael McCormack on Sky News (fun fact, you can skip ahead to any point of a McCormack interview and it still makes as much sense if you listened to it straight through.

And of course, even during a trade deal interview, he can’t help but take a swipe at the Greens.

We don’t things just to annoy the Greens, although I think the Greens annoy the hell out of everybody.

I mean I’ve yet have yet to ever see them, condemn the Extinction Rebellion protests, I’m yet to ever see them exalt what our farmers do.

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Coalition says community detention not a pathway to resettlement for Biloela family

Campaigners say minister’s decision must be ‘first step’ in returning Murugappans to Queensland

The immigration minister, Alex Hawke, says the government’s decision to allow the Murugappan family to live in community detention in Perth will not provide a pathway to permanent resettlement in Australia.

Lawyers for the family welcomed the government’s announcement on Tuesday that they will be removed from Christmas Island, but insisted it must be a “first step” to returning them to the Queensland town of Biloela.

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Biloela family to reunite on Australian mainland but visa status expected to remain unchanged

The immigration minister, Alex Hawke, is set to announce the Murugappan family will be released from detention on Christmas Island

The immigration minister, Alex Hawke, is set to announce on Tuesday that the Murugappan family will be released from detention on Christmas Island and allowed to reunite on the Australian mainland.

Hawke will use his ministerial discretion to allow the family to return but the government is not expected to make any substantive changes to their visa status which is still being argued in the courts.

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Coronavirus Australia live: woman’s body found in Victoria flood waters; Four Corners QAnon episode to air Monday

Victoria and Queensland record no new Covid cases; court approves robodebt settlement. Follow live

A flood evacuation warning has been re-issued for Traralgon in Victoria’s Gippsland region, reports AAP.

Anyone near the Traralgon Creek was being told early on Friday afternoon to evacuate now.

Andrew Grech, a partner at Gordon Legal, is on the ABC now responding to the federal court judgment on the robodebt class action.

I think for many people, there’s been a lack of accountability, both of the ministers involved and senior public servants involved.

We think that it’s important that, through the proper parliamentary processes and, if necessary, through a royal commission, that those questions be answered for people, so that they can actually have far more closure on all those issues.

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Coronavirus Australia live update: regional Victoria Covid restrictions to ease and Melbourne out of lockdown Friday after one new case

Travel to regional Victoria likely to be barred when lockdown ends Thursday midnight and federal wages support package to be cut off. Follow updates live

Khorshid is asked about the Victorian government’s response to the pandemic, and in particular the current lockdown.

He says:

The AMA has been supportive of the actions of the Victorian government. I think the public expects to be kept safe and this is what is necessary to be kept safe when we’re in an evolving situation. As information comes in, things become clearer, decisions become easier to make. I think the best thing for us all to do is support the advice that’s been given by the chief health officers around the country.

My colleague Paul Karp asked Omar Khorshid about the AMA’s concerns about the recent proposed changes to Medicare rebates.

He asked if the AMA’s concerns have been addressed and what he made of Labor’s warnings of a government assault on Medicare. Are we likely to see another “Mediscare campaign”?

I certainly hope we’re not going see a Mediscare campaign. The sad reality of Medicare is successive governments over the entire life of Medicare have failed to index it properly, and have therefore effectively cut Medicare for 30 years. This review that the AMA has supported was designed to modernise the MBS, and it has taken five years to do, we have a few quibbles and issues with how it was done, but at the end of the day the AMA is supportive of the review process and of most of the outcomes.

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Australia news live: doctors warn we are ‘sitting ducks’ until vaccinated; Australian meat could go tariff-free to UK

Experts raise alarm about Covid vaccination rates as Coalition government explores digital certificates that could unlock international travel; trade minister confident of reaching free-trade deal with UK. Follow the latest news live

Real estate website Domain has alerted customers that is has been the victim of a phishing attack - where an email is made to look official and gets a user to hand over their login details - meaning hackers had access to the company’s administrative system, and was able to access the personal information of people who had recently made inquiries about rental properties.

They had then emailed some of those people asking them to pay a deposit in advance to secure the property, but Domain said so far it had received no reports of anyone paying the deposit.

Another day of zero cases in Victoria.

Yesterday there were no cases reported.
- 9,497 vaccine doses were administered
- 21,488 test results were received
More later: https://t.co/lIUrl0ZEco#COVID19Vic #COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/rTYblQWl9E

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