Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews's electorate office has been vandalised, with the words 'sack Dan' graffitied on the building and bricks thrown at the windows.
Follow today's events as they unfold.
Key events
Live updates
By James Maasdorp
Frydenberg lauds South Australia's COVID-19 response, takes aim at Daniel Andrews
Here's some more from the Federal Treasurer, who's in Adelaide, from earlier:
"Now that the restrictions are easing, and it is fantastic to be here in South Australia to see the restrictions having been eased, to see people go about their daily lives, to be at a press conference where no one is wearing a mask, and to go to a restaurant last night and to see the tables full, that's due to the work of Steven Marshall and his team because they have been able to successfully suppress the virus.
"I give a huge shout-out to all the health workers in South Australia for what they have done on the front line. When I came in by commercial plane from New South Wales into South Australia just yesterday they had a military-style operation there taking people's details, ensuring that South Australians are safe. That's an incredible achievement.
"I compare it with what's happening in Victoria in my own state where people can't leave their homes for more than two hours a day. They can't go more than 5kms from their home. People are not at work in the numbers that they should be. People are subject to these very strict restrictions.
"So my message to Daniel Andrews today, as my message to him every day is: give Victorians back their freedom this Sunday.
"Look what has been achieved here in South Australia. Look what Gladys Berejiklian has achieved in New South Wales. Victorians need their freedom back and businesses need to reopen again."
I should note that Victoria had the same number of new cases today as NSW (ignoring NSW's imported cases).
By James Maasdorp
Six new locally acquired cases in NSW
Health authorities in NSW have confirmed six new locally acquired coronavirus infections in the 24 hours to 8:00pm last night.
The source of two of those infections remains under investigation.
There were also five new cases found in returned travelers in hotel quarantine.
By James Maasdorp
Confirmed: Daniel Andrews will be speaking at 11:51am AEDT
By James Maasdorp
Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is speaking
The unemployment rate has come as something of a surprise to Mr Frydenberg.
"Now that surprised the market. The market was not expecting the unemployment rate to fall as it did. In the Budget papers I printed a number that said we would expect the unemployment rate to actually rise before the end of the year to around 8 per cent. The reason being is you've still got a very difficult situation in Victoria with jobs being lost in that state but then next year we will see the unemployment rate come down to 7.25 per cent by mid-next year and then to 6.5 per cent the year after that and then to 6 per cent and then to 5.5 per cent by mid-2024.
"It will take a long time to get the employment levels back to where we were. In February, before the crisis hit, unemployment was at 5.1%. It will take years to get back to that point in time but what we're doing in this Budget is providing every possible support to ensure that businesses can get to the other side and that young people and older people and right across the economy that workers can stay employed."
By James Maasdorp
Coronavirus-hit Victoria records first budget deficit in decades
The Victorian Government recorded a deficit of $6.5billion in the past financial year, the first deficit in nearly three decades.
The state’s level of unemployment has hit a two-year low of 7.5 per cent, with 168,4000 people losing work between March and June.
Victoria’s net debt has also increased by $18.8 billion, according to the Victorian Government’s 2019-20 financial report.
“This in part reflects additional borrowings required to finance the Government’s COVID-19 response as well as the Government’s infrastructure program,” the report said.
Victoria is $418million worse off than the last financial year, with tax revenue down $1.2billion to $23.2billion.
The Government said the decrease is mainly driven by lower payroll tax and tax refunds as part of the coronavirus response.
“The lower revenue outcome was also driven by reduced collections from gambling taxes resulting from the temporary closure of Crown Casino, hotels and clubs.”
By James Maasdorp
'I am angry, I am sad': Shepparton reeling from consequences of coronavirus outbreak
“We’ve got the café closed, it’s getting COVID cleaned and all our staff members have had to go and get tested,” she said.
The customer linked to her cafe who tested positive is a regular and is believed to have caught the virus from the Melbourne traveler.
“She is a daily customer, sometimes twice a day as well,” Ms Stride said.
“It’s just so devastating, I have mixed emotions, I am angry, I am sad for the town.”
She said not only has her business been impacted, but also many customers.
“Yesterday was quite warm and sunny here in Shepparton and we had to notify everyone and people had to queue up to get tested, people had to leave their jobs and children or go and pick up their children,” she said.
She said the actions of one person have had a devastating impact on the town’s business community.
“It was just so not right, not fair,” she said.
All staff at the café have been tested for the virus.
“We've already been getting the results because we were prioritised as well, so far 80 per cent of my staff have come back negative, we are still waiting for the rest but that is a positive in a sense,” she said.
By James Maasdorp
Shepparton Showgrounds testing clinic has already reached capacity
Greater Shepparton Council is urging people not to attend the pop-up clinic at Shepparton Showgrounds as it has already reached capacity for the day.
The last people in that line will have to wait there literally all day.
The council is asking people to attend the new drive-through clinic at the Sports Precinct where the first site opens at 10:00am (there’s also a second drive through site in the sports precinct that opens at 12:00pm) or the GV Health’s Acute Respiratory Clinic.
They’re asking people to bring some water, food, a hat, sunscreen and possibly a folding chair if people can’t stand for long periods of time.
By James Maasdorp
GIF requests coming from all directions
Mr Maasdorp, I put it you that you have been guilty of not posting enough gifs and being derelict in your duty to keep the people who watch this blog amused. If you need your memory jogged please review this mornings posts.-Counsel Assisting The Blog Audience
Hi. Any idea what time the Dan Presser is? And more gifs, please.-Curious
We will let you know as soon as we know when it will be. Here's your GIF:
Any chance of a gif about why none of my comments get posted.😄-Gifs hey
By James Maasdorp
SA Premier watching NSW cases closely
South Australia's Premier, Steven Marshall, says the spike in coronavirus cases in New South Wales is being closely monitored.
A public health alert has been issued because a person infected with coronavirus visited several venues in Western Sydney, and the state recorded 11 locally-acquired cases yesterday.
Mr Marshall says he understands some people are already turning their mind to Christmas, but he says the situation is still volatile.
"School holidays are still a long, long way away and there are no certainties when you're dealing with a global pandemic, but I suppose what I'm saying today, there's not going to be a kneejerk reaction where the borders are going to come down this afternoon at 3pm but we will continue to look very closely at the situation."
By James Maasdorp
Victorian caught hiding in truck during Queensland border check
Police say they have discovered a Victorian woman hiding in the cabin of a truck during a major COVID-19 compliance operation targeting freight vehicles in Queensland.
The truck was intercepted on Dumaresq Crossing Road at Texas around 11:40am where a 51-year-old Victorian woman was located hiding behind the driver’s seat.
The woman and the 61-year-old male driver were each issued a $4,003 infringement for failing to comply with the Queensland Border Direction and directed to leave the state.
“Officers intercepted a significant number of vehicles and while there were some issues identified, the vast majority of truck drivers clearly understood their requirements to social distance and limit their contact others while in Queensland,” Acting Chief Superintendent Ray Rohwedersaid in a statement.
“Unfortunately, some drivers were not complying with laws around drug driving, fatigue management and vehicle maintenance.”
By James Maasdorp
Officers overseeing quarantine hotel security also doing police duty in wider community
There are concerns that police officers overseeing security at a Melbourne quarantine hotel are also performing operational duties in the wider community.
Under the state's revamped hotel program, police maintain a 24-hour presence at the Novotel Southbank, where people who are unable to isolate at home can quarantine.
Victoria Police says contact with hotel guests is minimal and the risk of exposure at the quarantine site is no different to when officers work in the community.
But infection control expert Mary-Louise McLaws say the arrangement is ill-advised.
"There is a risk that they can acquire COVID-19 because hotels are not built like wards in hospitals. Police are very good at other jobs but are not experts in infection prevention."
By James Maasdorp
Victoria Police reveal latest stats on fines
Victoria Police say a total of 70 fines were dished out the past day to individuals for breaching the CHO's directions.
This included 18 for failing to wear a face covering when leaving home for one of the approved reasons, as well as 8 at vehicle checkpoints.
They made 27,713 vehicle checks, and conducted 1,578 spot checks on people at homes, businesses and public places.
Police say one person fined was a man who travelled by train to Geelong from Southern Cross Station to go shopping at a sports shop. He said he "travelled to Geelong to buy a backpack because all the shops in Melbourne were closed".
A group of six people on board a bus were also fined at the Carnegie Railway Station. Police say they were all from different home addresses and stated they had been visiting other friends.
By James Maasdorp
Warm thoughts from the audience
Being from Metro Melbourne, I feel bad for Shepparton/Kilmore residents that someone from Metro travelled there, broke rules, and made thing a whole lot more difficult for them. It was difficult to hear how people waited hours for a test and had to be turned away, and arrived back first thing in the morning. I know how great these places and their people are, and feel apologetic that someone from Metro slipped up and put them in this soup. Please accept my (small) apology, thinking about you and hopefully this outbreak will be squashed soon. Once this is all don, cannot wait to hit up the regions, take in the sights, and the warmth of the locals.-Metro-Melbournite
Sending thoughts and kudos to all in Shepparton doing the right thing. Lets hope the queues move fast, the results come back asap and you can all move on.-Shepparton fan
Morning James. Can we get a gif to celebrate the awesome people of Shepparton who showed up for testing? It’s things like this that make me believe we can get these numbers down if we all just do the right thing.-Proud Victorian
Like I need an excuse. People of Shepparton, the rest of Victoria appears to be strongly behind you.
By James Maasdorp
Concerns persist over Sydney's COVID-19 cases
Federal Health authorities have raised concerns about the number of coronavirus cases in Sydney.
New South Wales recorded 14 cases yesterday - 11 were acquired locally while three are returned travelers.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Michael Kidd has told Channel Seven it's important anyone with symptoms gets tested.
"We are concerned about what is happening in Sydney, the positive part of what we are seeing in Sydney is the very active public health response to these outbreaks.
"People are being alerted when they may have been in contact with someone with COVID-19, going into isolation, getting tested."
By James Maasdorp
Who's really in charge of Queensland's borders?
Queensland's borders have been a contentious topic of discussion during the coronavirus pandemic.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has received both praise and criticism for her tough stance on border closures.
But the Premier has stood by the strict measures, arguing throughout the pandemic that she is "following the advice of the Chief Health Officer".
So, who really holds the power over our state boundaries? Is the Premier calling the shots or does the Chief Health Officer (CHO) make all the decisions?
By James Maasdorp
Praise for Shepparton residents who queued in their hundreds for testing
Residents in Shepparton are again turning out in droves to be tested for coronavirus after an outbreak in the northern Victorian city.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Professor Michael Kidd has praised the hundreds of people in Shepparton who queued to get tested for COVID-19 yesterday.
"I especially want to thank the people of Shepparton who did queue up in some cases for hours to get a test yesterday, they were accepting their personal responsibility, they were doing the right thing.
"They were making sure they were protecting themselves, their families and the wider community."
By James Maasdorp
By James Maasdorp
Donald Trump's given all clear for town hall event by Fauci
NBC News has agreed to put President Donald Trump before voters in a town hall event after the President submitted to an independent coronavirus test with the results reviewed by Dr Anthony Fauci.
The announcement sets up duelling town halls with Democratic opponent Joe Biden on a night the two candidates were supposed to meet for their second debate.
Mr Biden is appearing on a similar town hall event in Philadelphia, televised by ABC America.
NBC said Mr Trump would be at least 3.6 metres from moderator Savannah Guthrie and the audience.
By James Maasdorp
Government accused of prescribing wrong remedy for COVID-19 mental health crisis
The Federal Government is facing accusations it has prescribed the wrong remedy to fix a soaring demand for mental health services during the coronavirus pandemic.
One of the big-ticket items revealed in the Federal Budget was a $100 million commitment to double the cap on Medicare-subsidised psychological sessions each year to 20.
But it has since been revealed that 1.11 million mental health treatment plans were accessed between January to September this year, only a little more than the 1.08 million used in the same period last year.
That is despite a rise in self-harm presentations to emergency departments during the pandemic and huge increases in calls to support lines like Beyond Blue and Lifeline.
If you or anyone you know needs help:
By James Maasdorp
Just six new cases in Victoria, no deaths
Victoria has recorded six new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours.
There have been no new deaths overnight, keeping the state's death toll at 816.
Melbourne's 14-day average has fallen to 8.9 but the number of cases with an unknown source has risen to 15, up from 14 yesterday.
Regional Victoria's average remains at 0.6 as health teams continue to grapple with an outbreak in Shepparton, in the state's north.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMib2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIwLTEwLTE1L2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzLWF1c3RyYWxpYS1saXZlLW5ld3MtZGFuaWVsLWFuZHJld3MtdmFuZGFsaXNtLW9mZmljZS8xMjc2NzYzONIBJ2h0dHBzOi8vYW1wLmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvYXJ0aWNsZS8xMjc2NzYzOA?oc=5
2020-10-15 00:13:00Z
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