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Animals that rely on tourism are suffering around the world
By Michael Gebicki
Food riots, hoarding, starvation, torture, suffering and death – the coronavirus pandemic has brought havoc to the animal kingdom as well as our own.
While dogs, cats, minks and primates can catch coronavirus, they appear to be far less susceptible than humans. The bigger problem for animals is the dislocation caused by the lockdown.
Monkeys have overrun Lopburi, Thailand. in a search for food. Normally they're fed by tourists visiting the temple where they live.Credit:Getty
Around the world many animals have become dependent on tourists for their food, either because they're what people pay to see at zoos, nature parks and attractions where they perform or are there to be ridden, or indirectly, such as the city pigeons that feed on scraps that tourists leave behind.
Victoria pays $10 million to set up 'hot' quarantine hotel
The state government has opened a quarantine facility for people infected with COVID-19, spending $9.97 million to take over a boutique hotel in Melbourne’s city centre for the next year.
Brady Hotels will earn an average of more than $27,000 a day so its 146-room hotel in Little Latrobe Street can be used to accommodate those who test positive for the coronavirus but are unable to isolate or recover at home.
The Brady Hotel Central Melbourne, which the state government has turned into a 'hot' hotel for COVID infected patientsCredit:Joe Armao
A typical room in the Brady Hotel Central Melbourne was previously listed on travel websites at $109 a night, although rooms can occasionally be rented for as little as $87, one website shows. Averaged out, the Central Melbourne will take in almost $197 a room every night over the year the government has contracted it for.
The Brady Hotel was not part of the controversial returned travellers program, where systematic breakdowns in security and containment measures at two other quarantine hotels have been identified as the source of 99 per cent of all second wave COVID-19 infections. The outbreaks have put Victoria under curfew and caused hundreds of deaths.
The Brady Hotel was opened as a quarantine facility by the Department of Health and Human Services in mid-June only after serious outbreaks were detected at Rydges on Swanston and Stamford Plaza. Those infections have since spread into workplaces and aged care facilities across the state.
Clive Palmer launches defamation action against WA Premier
By Hamish Hastie
Another salvo in the bitter dispute between Clive Palmer and Mark McGowan has been launched, with the mining magnate officially filing a defamation action against the WA Premier.
Mr Palmer filed documents in a New South Wales court on Wednesday, with a spokesman confirming they related to a claim that Mr McGowan had defamed the billionaire.
Clive Palmer has launched defamation action against WA Premier Mark McGowan. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen/Trevor Collens
On Tuesday, Mr McGowan confirmed he had received "some correspondence" from Mr Palmer over a possible defamation action.
The Premier and Mr Palmer's tumultuous relationship has reached new lows during the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Palmer's High Court challenge of WA's hard border and a separate claim for nearly $30 billion in damages over a Pilbara iron ore mine proposal led to the Premier labelling him an "the enemy of the state" and "a menace to Australia".
Mr McGowan has been approached for comment.
Sydney bus strike called off
By Tom Rabe
A 48-hour Sydney bus strike has been called off after union members decided against the industrial action amid the coronavirus pandemic.
A bus driver in the Sydney CBD on Tuesday.Credit:Renee Nowytarger
The NSW Rail, Tram and Bus Union had threatened drivers would go on strike on Monday and Tuesday next week unless the government improved coronavirus safety measures and delayed the planned privatisation of bus regions 7, 8 and 9.
But RTBU Bus Division Secretary David Babineau told the Industrial Relations Commission on Thursday that the vast majority of union members: "understand there is probably not much to be gained by taking action" during the pandemic.
A stop-work meeting between drivers and the government is now likely to be held for two hours on Monday.
Wesfarmers boss warns of heavy COVID lockdown toll as profits slide
By Dominic Powell
The boss of retail conglomerate Wesfarmers Rob Scott has warned of the damage of continued coronavirus lockdowns and restrictions on both the economy and Australians' mental health, saying the country must find new ways of living with the virus.
"Clearly if we continue to have lockdowns, the ramifications of that will be that there'll be more job losses, there'll be enormous pressure financially on households, and many businesses will fail, in which case we're going to need to work out how we deal with that," Mr Scott said.
Wesfarmers chief executive Rob Scott has warned of long-term ramifications of coronavirus lockdowns.Credit:Janie Barrett
"We're starting to see the costs of the lockdowns and they are very high, not just economic, but personally. I must admit I am worried about the mental health and well-being and the ramifications should shutdowns be extended."
Mr Scott, whose $55 billion company runs retail chains Bunnings, Kmart, Target and Officeworks, said the country would need to find better ways of operating alongside the virus, but said there would likely be more "economic harm" before changes to its approach were made.
Some measures suggested by Mr Scott included keeping construction and trades operating during lockdowns, an increased focus on and availability of contactless pickup options, and having businesses limit exposure of potentially vulnerable employees.
Returned travellers say they were not tested for COVID-19 in hotel quarantine
By Michael Fowler
A couple who spent 14 days in hotel quarantine in Melbourne was not offered a COVID-19 test during their stay, were not offered a fresh air break, did not wear personal protective equipment as they left in a taxi and then drove to New South Wales.
Kate Hyslop and Ricky Singh, who stayed at the Crown Metropol from April 11 - about two weeks into the hotel program - told the inquiry they believed tests were only offered to those showing symptoms of coronavirus.
Jennifer Coate is chair of the Hotel Quarantine Inquiry.Credit:Getty
“I think we were allowed to ask to be tested, if you were showing symptoms,” Mr Singh said.
“But otherwise they did not come to you to ask or they did not write to you personally. You had to reach out to them to ask for a test.”
Upon completion of their 14 days, during which they were not offered to leave their room for fresh air once, the couple went to pick up a car they had recently bought in suburban Melbourne before driving to NSW.
The couple said staff from the Victorian health department and Crown hotel had not instructed them to wear any kind of personal protective equipment as they left the hotel in a taxi.
That concludes today's evidence, which will resume tomorrow at 10am.
Man charged after coughing and telling club staff he had COVID-19
A 31-year-old man allegedly coughed into his hands and told staff he had COVID-19 after being denied entry to the Wests Illawarra Leagues Club in Unanderra, on the NSW South Coast.
Police say that on Friday August 7, the man became argumentative with staff and refused to leave the premises, before moving towards staff while coughing and saying he had COVID-19.
He then left the scene and the incident was reported.
Following inquiries, local police arrested him in a car outside a house on Moran Street, Dapto, on Wednesday morning.
He was taken to Lake Illawarra police station and charged with failing to leave premises when asked, stalking and harassment, and spitting and coughing breaches in relation to COVID-19.
He was granted conditional bail to appear at Port Kembla Local Court on September 30.
Nearly 19,000 Australians stuck overseas
By Katina Curtis
Department of Foreign Affairs officials are updating a Senate committee on Australians stuck overseas. Since the government told people on March 13 to reconsider international travel, some 371,000 Aussies have returned home.
There are still 27,000 people registered with DFAT posts overseas and 18,800 of these want to return to Australia. About 2000 are vulnerable people.
Officials said the top countries ex-pats are looking to return from are India (7500 people), the Philippines, South Africa and Vietnam.
The government has organised 64 repatriation flights since those first ones to evacuate people from Chinese province Wuhan in January, and 45 of these have been from India.
But officials said they had limited leverage with airlines to help Australians stuck overseas get on to commercial flights.
DCMO defends aged care commission's process
When asked about the aged care and safety commission's assessments and visits to residential aged care facilities across the country between March and now, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Michael Kidd said that there was a rolling process to ensure facilities are meeting the requirements of new legislation.
"Clearly the work of the safety and quality commission on aged care is essential," he said.
"I cannot comment on the actual schedule because I am not across that nor planned future numbers of visits.
"There is a case manager for each facility working with the staff of those facilities to ensure that the response and to ensure that their well-being and safety of the residents of all facilities."
DCMO again urges people not to go to work with symptoms
Deputy Chief Health Officer Professor Michael Kidd said people with mild symptoms were continuing to go to work, and then later testing positive for COVID-19.
"A reminder, if you have symptoms, no matter how mild, please get tested and isolated at home while you wait for your results," he said.
"We continue to see people with mild symptoms attending work and then later being diagnosed with COVID-19 which, of course, puts other people at risk of infection.
"We must remain vigilant wherever we are in the country."
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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiogFodHRwczovL3d3dy5zbWguY29tLmF1L25hdGlvbmFsL2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzLXVwZGF0ZXMtbGl2ZS12aWN0b3JpYW4taG90ZWwtaW5xdWlyeS1yZXN1bWVzLW5zdy10cmFjaW5nLW15c3RlcnktY2FzZXMtbmF0aW9uYWwtZGVhdGgtdG9sbC1hdC00NTAtMjAyMDA4MjAtcDU1bmZwLmh0bWzSAaIBaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAuc21oLmNvbS5hdS9uYXRpb25hbC9jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy11cGRhdGVzLWxpdmUtdmljdG9yaWFuLWhvdGVsLWlucXVpcnktcmVzdW1lcy1uc3ctdHJhY2luZy1teXN0ZXJ5LWNhc2VzLW5hdGlvbmFsLWRlYXRoLXRvbGwtYXQtNDUwLTIwMjAwODIwLXA1NW5mcC5odG1s?oc=5
2020-08-20 07:27:00Z
CBMiogFodHRwczovL3d3dy5zbWguY29tLmF1L25hdGlvbmFsL2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzLXVwZGF0ZXMtbGl2ZS12aWN0b3JpYW4taG90ZWwtaW5xdWlyeS1yZXN1bWVzLW5zdy10cmFjaW5nLW15c3RlcnktY2FzZXMtbmF0aW9uYWwtZGVhdGgtdG9sbC1hdC00NTAtMjAyMDA4MjAtcDU1bmZwLmh0bWzSAaIBaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAuc21oLmNvbS5hdS9uYXRpb25hbC9jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy11cGRhdGVzLWxpdmUtdmljdG9yaWFuLWhvdGVsLWlucXVpcnktcmVzdW1lcy1uc3ctdHJhY2luZy1teXN0ZXJ5LWNhc2VzLW5hdGlvbmFsLWRlYXRoLXRvbGwtYXQtNDUwLTIwMjAwODIwLXA1NW5mcC5odG1s
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