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Aged care minister goes on the defence
By Rachel Clun
Aged Care Services Minister Richard Colbeck has defended the federal government’s handling of vaccinations in aged care on the ABC’s RN Breakfast this morning.
In Victoria, two aged care workers and one resident are part of the growing COVID-19 outbreak, as the government scrambles to complete vaccinations in aged care facilities.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services Richard Colbeck. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer
Mr Colbeck said the federal government is comfortable with where the vaccine rollout it at.
“Everybody would have liked to have done it faster but logistically, we’ve done it as quickly as we possibly could,” he said. “Except for a few in a couple of states, all of the facilities have received their first dose.”
The first dose provides a good level of protection, Mr Colbeck said, and second doses for the remaining Victorian facilities will be completed within three weeks.
So far, more than three months into the vaccine rollout, 75 per cent of the country’s aged care homes have had second dose visits, but in Victoria 36 per cent (more than 200) facilities were still waiting for second doses. Six homes around the country have not received any doses.
Australia’s top medical expert panel is considering mandating COVID-19 vaccines for all aged care staff, while unvaccinated workers in Victoria will be stood down from frontline duties to prevent the latest outbreak spreading.
Supermarkets, grocery stores among more than 320 Victorian exposure sites
By David Estcourt and Broede Carmody
Health authorities have uncovered dozens of new exposure sites in Victoria overnight, including supermarkets, a shopping centre and a restaurant at the South Melbourne Market.
More than 320 exposure sites have been identified so far and there are 4000 close contacts.
People shopping at the South Melbourne market.Credit:Getty
Fruit shops and supermarkets, which Victorians are still able to visit under the lockdown rules, are increasingly finding their way onto the state government’s list of exposure sites.
In fact, the state’s chief health officer last night encouraged anyone who has been to a Melbourne community or market grocery store in the last two weeks to double-check their movements.
Authorities have listed the Simply Spanish restaurant at the South Melbourne Market as a tier two site. ALDI South Melbourne is also listed as a tier one site.
Several locations at the Brimbank Shopping Centre in Deer Park, in Melbourne’s west, have been added as tier one sites – with the entire centre considered tier two. Other potential places of concern in Melbourne’s west include the Footscray Market and the Point Cook Quality Meats & Grocery Supermarket at the Stockland Shopping Centre.
Woolworths Heidelberg in Melbourne’s north-east has also been listed as an exposure site.
Read the full list of exposure sites here or use our up-to-date interactive below.
Bill Shorten goes on the attack
By Broede Carmody
Labor frontbencher Bill Shorten has gone on the attack this morning. Keep in mind he is the local federal MP for the residents at the Arcare aged care facility in Melbourne’s north-west (where a staff member tested positive over the weekend).
Mr Shorten lashed the Morrison government for allowing workers at private aged care facilities, which are regulated by the Commonwealth, to work across multiple sites. He also said the vaccine rollout was too slow.
“Last November the Government quietly dropped requiring people to only work at one facility,” the former federal opposition leader told the Today show.
“So this is a car crash which was avoidable. My hometown of Melbourne, my home state of Victoria, is locked down. Yet there’s not enough vaccination being done and aged care workers are being asked to put themselves at risk. It is a real problem.”
Mr Shorten said it was “unbelievable” to think that frontline health workers aren’t vaccinated. Yesterday, it was revealed that an aged care worker who worked across multiple sites had not yet received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
“How can someone be working in the frontline and not be vaccinated? The word unbelievable is spoken about all the time these days, overused, but that is unbelievable ... how we could have a process and a system set up [like that].”
Victorian public sector aged care workers, whose jobs are regulated by the state, are set to be stood down from frontline duties if they have not been vaccinated.
We’ll be sure to bring you the latest developments throughout the day and will keep an eye on the Morrison government to see if there are any announcements from their end.
Victorian authorities are particularly concerned about coronavirus spreading through aged care given more than 600 residents died last year during Melbourne’s COVID-19 outbreaks.
Renewed push for public inquiry after Porter drops defamation case
By Broede Carmody
There are renewed calls in Canberra for a public inquiry after Christian Porter discontinued his defamation claim against the ABC.
Mr Porter has described the outcome as a “humiliating backdown by the ABC”. No damages will be paid but the public broadcaster will foot the mediation bill.
Christian Porter outside the Federal Court in Sydney on Monday.Credit:AAP
My colleagues Michaela Whitbourn and David Crowe have the full story.
Naomi Osaka withdraws from the French Open
By Broede Carmody
Tennis star Naomi Osaka has sensationally withdrawn from the French Open following a war of words over her decision to boycott post-match press conferences.
It comes after the world No. 2 was fined thousands of dollars for not attending media duties after her round one win. Osaka says she needs to prioritise her mental health.
Naomi Osaka has quit the French Open.Credit:Getty
Read our full coverage here.
This morning’s headlines at a glance
By Broede Carmody
Good morning and thanks for your company. It’s Tuesday, June 1. I’m Broede Carmody and I’ll bring you some of today’s biggest stories as they unfold.
In the meantime, here’s what you need to know:
- Melbourne’s hopes of emerging from a seven day “circuit-breaker” lockdown are starting to fade now that coronavirus has once again spread to aged care facilities. Two staff members and a resident have tested positive. The list of exposure sites in the Greater Melbourne outbreak has grown to more than 300 and there are 4000 close contacts.
- The NSW Labor leadership contest is heating up. Former leader Michael Daley and former transport spokesman Chris Minns have both put up their hand.
- Townsville has scored game one of the State of Origin. The match was due to be played on neutral territory, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, but those plans were dashed due to Victoria’s COVID-19 outbreak.
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2021-05-31 22:09:21Z
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