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Recapping Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews' press conference
By Liam Mannix
Now that Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews' news conference is over, let's recap the key moments:
Victoria recorded 51 new cases.Credit:Wayne Taylor
- 51 new cases, seven new deaths in Victoria in the last 24 hours
- Two-week rolling average at 70.1 for Melbourne, 4.5 for regional Victoria
- Regional Victoria "quite close to being able to take perhaps not just one step, but two"
- Curfew was designed to limit movement, making enforcement easier for Victoria Police
- About 30 companies being investigated by WorkSafe for COVID-19 breaches, more than 3200 inquiries made
Of note, the Premier spent much of the news conference defending the curfew, after police revealed earlier today they did not specifically call for one to be established.
“The Chief Health Officer wants and provides, in many ways, very detailed advice, and that's when those matters relate directly to public health … Government is free to go beyond, the government is free to make some administrative decisions that make the enforcement of the principles that the Chief Health Officer has put forward much more achievable," the Premier said.
“Anyone who's displeased with that or doesn't think that's a proportionate measure, well, that's a decision that I've made … and as the leader of the government, I'll be accountable for that.”
I'm sure it's taking up all his time': Andrews responds to CSL chairman
Premier Daniel Andrews has taken a subtle swipe at the chairman of a major Australia pharmaceutical company who strongly criticised the state government’s pandemic response.
CSL chairman Brian McNamee has slammed Mr Andrews’ personal performance during the pandemic in interviews with the Herald Sun today and the Australian Financial Review last month.
CSL chief executive Paul Perreault and chairman Dr Brian McNamee.Credit:Peter Braig
Mr McNamee said the modelling used by the state government was substandard and the thresholds to move into future stages were unattainable.
CSL has signed a deal to produce the University of Queensland COVID-19 vaccine if it is proven to be effective.
“It’s something that, no doubt, is taking up all of his time, so I wish him well,” Mr Andrews said.
The premier has previously rebuked federal ministers for commentary on his government by questioning how they have the time to engage in public criticism.
“He can say whatever he likes. He’s entitled to his view as is every single Victorian,” Mr Andrew said.
“I don’t get the opportunity to endlessly speculate on this … We’ve got a strategy that’s based on the best advice.”
70 per cent of Victorians approve of the way Premier Andrews is handling his job: Roy Morgan poll
By Liam Mannix
A poll by Roy Morgan, released today, says that 70 per cent of Victorians approve of the way Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is handling his job.
Victoria recorded 51 new cases.Credit:Wayne Taylor
Here are the results of the SMS survey of 2325 Victorians, taken from Roy Morgan's press release.
The poll was conducted between September 8 and 9 - yesterday. Let me know what you think:
- Question 1: “Melbourne residents are currently restricted from travelling more than 5km from their homes for exercise or buying essential items such as food. Should Melbourne residents now be free to travel more than 5km from their home?” Yes 46% (up 6%) No 54% (down 6%).
- Question 2: “Melbourne’s restaurants/hotels/clubs/cafes are only allowed to offer take-away or food delivery services. Should Melbourne’s restaurants/hotels/clubs/cafes now be allowed to provide table service with proper social distancing?” Yes 37% (down 2%) No 63% (up 2%).
- Question 3: “From Sunday night Melbourne is to have curfew from 9pm to 5am, should the curfew end or not?” Yes 37% (down 2%) No 63% (up 2%).
- Question 4: “From Sunday night Melbourne residents will still be banned from visiting the homes of immediate family members with the exception of singles, delivering care or essential services. Should Melbourne residents now be able to visit their immediate families?” Yes 53% (up 6%) No 47% (down 6%).
- Question 5: “Do you agree all small businesses forced to close by the Victorian Government’s COVID restrictions should receive compensation from the Victorian Government or not?” Yes 76% No 24%.
- Question 6: “Do you APPROVE or DISAPPROVE of the way Mr. Daniel Andrews is handling his job as Premier of Victoria?” Approve 70% Disapprove 30%.
Chris Bowen speaking live
Shadow minister for health Chris Bowen is speaking live - you can watch the news conference by hitting play on the video below:
Welfare checks in hotel quarantine made by a travel agency
By Tammy Mills
Welfare checks of people detained in Victoria's hotel quarantine were conducted by travel agency Hello World, an inquiry has heard.
The phone calls were outsourced to the agency by the Department of Health and Human Services due to the volume of calls that needed to be made to international arrivals who were quarantined in Melbourne hotels from the end of March until July.
Professor Euan Wallace, the chief executive officer of Safer Care Victoria.
While some calls were made by Health Department officials on site at the hotels, other calls were coming through the hotel switchboard from the travel agency.
The chief executive of Safer Care Victoria Professor Euan Wallace, who reviewed incidents in quarantine, told the inquiry into the program today that Hello World employees would follow a pre-approved script and the checks were effective.
However, Professor Wallace said, with the calls going through hotel reception to reach guests in their rooms, some of the welfare checks were unsuccessful because the switchboard was overwhelmed.
Review into hotel quarantine suspected suicide found welfare checks were not undertaken
By Tammy Mills
Warning, the post below may contain content that is distressing to some readers.
A review into a suspected suicide in hotel quarantine found welfare checks were not carried out, a Victorian inquiry has heard.
The state coroner is currently investigating the death of the man in quarantine, which occurred in the Pan Pacific hotel in April.
In findings shown to an inquiry into the hotel quarantine program this morning, Safer Care Victoria, the state's lead agency for safety in health services, found that the first time the deceased received a welfare check was five days into his quarantine detention and it was the only welfare check call made during the nine days of detainment before his death.
The report stated the welfare check team were "unable to undertake welfare check calls to the planned schedule, as they did not have enough staff to match the required workload" and as a result, "initial welfare checks were often delayed, and subsequent checks were often infrequent."
"Evidence obtained in interview indicated that it was not unusual for detainees who were not already identified as high risk to receive their first welfare check call around detainment day 5-7," the review found.
Quarantined returned travellers and expats were supposed to receive two calls a day, one from a nurse to check for COVID-19 symptoms and another call checking their wellbeing.
It was common, the report stated, for detainees not to answer the symptom check calls for innocuous reasons and unanswered calls didn't typically trigger immediate escalation, beyond attempting follow-up calls.
The review also identified that staff were not able to access all detainee health and welfare information they needed to provide adequate care due to a lack of comprehensive, accessible and central repository for such information.
Information, the report said, was collected in a fragmented manner, involving "multiple entities and teams and multiple formats."
If you or anyone you know needs support call Lifeline on 131 114, or Beyond Blue's coronavirus mental wellbeing support service on 1800 512 348.
Hunt to hold news conference at 1pm
By Liam Mannix
I've just been told Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt will hold a news conference at 1pm today at Mount Martha Life Saving Club. More details as they come to hand.
Curfew could be extended if numbers don't drop as predicted
By Paul Sakkal
Premier Daniel Andrews says the curfew will be removed once the need to limit the movement of people subsided, saying it may even be extended beyond its scheduled end date in late October.
Mr Andrews said there were examples of late-night Airbnb parties before the curfew was implemented that furthered the spread of the virus.
He said “the curfew will be on for no longer than it needs to be on” but added it may run beyond October 26 when it is due to end, provided case numbers drop to the required level.
“The plan talks about the [26th of October]. It may go beyond that. We will look at the data, we'll look at where we're at, we'll look at how close we are to achieving the very low case numbers that are essential to opening the place up. It's no more complex than that,” he said.
“It could be that the tail of this second wave is more stubborn than even some of the most rigorous and robust modelling that's ever been done in our country, outlines.
“Once there is no longer a clear imperative to drive down movement, and therefore contact with other people, and therefore the potential transmission of this virus, there won't be a need for a curfew. We're not at that point yet.”
Andrews defends curfew, says government can go above and beyond health
By Paul Sakkal
Premier Daniel Andrews says he is unable to pinpoint who made the decision to establish a curfew.
Mr Andrews is under intense repeated questioning by various members of the state press gallery after police commissioner Shane Patton, earlier today, said police did not request the rule.
On Wednesday, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said it was not his decision.
Mr Andrews said not all government decisions needed to be made by Professor Sutton, especially if they related to enforcement of rules that achieve a public health aim rather than public health rules themselves.
"Decisions are made by groups of people. And I can't necessarily pinpoint for you the exact individual and the exact moment that it was suggested that we put a curfew on,” he said.
“It’s important, though, not to fall into this trap where the only decisions the government can ever make about any matter are those that have been considered and advised by the Chief Health Officer.
“The Chief Health Officer wants and provides, in many ways, very detailed advice, and that's when those matters relate directly to public health … Government is free to go beyond, the government is free to make some administrative decisions that make the enforcement of the principles that the Chief Health Officer has put forward much more achievable.
“Anyone who's displeased with that or doesn't think that's a proportionate measure, well, that's a decision that I've made … and as the leader of the government, I'll be accountable for that.”
Mr Andrews denied the rule was a "captain's call".
NSW records seven new cases, alerts upgraded for Waverley club
By Mary Ward
NSW has recorded seven new coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour reporting period, all with known sources.Of the seven cases:
- One is a student at St Paul's Catholic College, Greystanes, who had been in self-isolation after being identified as a close contact
- Two are linked to Concord Hospital: a staff member and a close contact of a previous case who had both been in isolation
- Two attended the Eastern Suburbs Legion Club at Waverley
- Two are returned overseas travellers in hotel quarantine
A case from south-eastern Sydney described yesterday as having no known source has now been identified as having attended the Eastern Suburbs Legion Club.
In light of the new cases, NSW Health has declared people who attended the club on a number of additional days are now "close contacts" of a coronavirus case and must immediately get tested and self-isolate for 14 days. The full list of dates and times is:
- Tuesday, September 1 from 6pm
- Friday, September 4 from 4.30pm
- Saturday, September 5 from 4.15pm
- Sunday, September 6 from 5pm
- Monday, September 7 from 3pm
NSW recorded 24,760 tests during the reporting period, up from just under 21,000 in the previous 24 hours.
There have now been 3953 coronavirus cases in NSW since the start of the pandemic.
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2020-09-10 02:34:00Z
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