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This morning’s headlines at a glance
By Nigel Gladstone
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage. It’s Sunday, July 18. I’m Nigel Gladstone.
It’s set to be a busy day today as tighter restrictions hit residents in south-west Sydney and Victoria’s Delta outbreak continues with unvaccinated younger people infecting others before contact tracers reach them, potentially pushing the lockdown beyond five days.
Here’s what’s happened recently.
- NSW recorded 111 new cases of coronavirus yesterday, prompting the government to place tighter restrictions on people in south-west Sydney who will not be able to leave their region unless they are emergency services or healthcare workers, which includes those in the aged and disability sectors.
Eighteen of Victoria’s latest COVID-19 cases were infectious in the community for an average of 1.7 days, vindicating the state government’s “go hard, go early” lockdown strategy, but health authorities have refused to rule out an extension of the five-day snap lockdown. Victoria recorded 19 new local cases of coronavirus on Saturday, as new sites at popular tourist spot Phillip Island, a Richmond gym and a Docklands office building swelled the list of high-risk exposure sites to 165.
- NSW has pleaded for contact tracing help from other states, as the system struggles to keep pace with the growing outbreak. The state made an “open request” for assistance during a meeting of Australia’s federal and state chief medical officers on Friday, with the Commonwealth, South Australian and Western Australian governments all agreeing to help but Victoria knocked back the request, as it works to trace growing case numbers.
Victoria’s Delta outbreak is being fuelled by people under 40 who have been unable to secure a vaccination and are infecting others before contact tracers reach them. The state’s lockdown is threatening to extend beyond five days, with 19 new local cases recorded on Saturday, taking the total number of infected people in the latest outbreak to 43. More than 10,000 close contacts are isolating across Victoria.
- Dozens of truck drivers drove in a convoy with horns blaring across Sydney for nearly two hours on Saturday afternoon to protest the NSW government’s decision to close the construction industry for two weeks as part of a COVID-19 lockdown.
Before non-essential retail in Sydney closed at midnight on Saturday, about 100 people converged on a park in Bankstown to protest the tougher restrictions. Two people were charged and eight fines were issued for breaching the state’s health orders.
Conservative English media personality Katie Hopkins has admitted she has been deliberately flouting infection control in hotel quarantine in Sydney, after flying into the country this week.
Stay tuned for more developments as they happen.
Victoria records 16 new local cases
By Ashleigh McMillan
Victoria has recorded 16 new local cases today, all of which are linked to current outbreaks according to health authorities.
The state now has 70 active cases, with two additional cases announced in returned travellers in hotel quarantine on Sunday.
There were more than 53,000 test results returned on Saturday and 16,761 vaccine doses administered.
Health authorities have identified 217 potential COVID-19 exposure sites listed across Victoria up to 9.30am on Sunday.
New Sydney COVID-19 exposure sites
By Nigel Gladstone
Overnight NSW Health released a new list of exposure sites including Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and IGA supermarkets as well as a cafe in Belmore where a worker with COVID-19 did ten days straight working 10-hour shifts from July 7.
NSW Health said anyone who visited the following places must get tested and isolate for 14 days since their last day at the site, regardless of the result.
Raw Coffee Bar, 426 Belmore Rd, Belmore from July 7 to July 16 between 5am and 3pm everyday.
Belmore Medical Centre, Belmore, 479 Belmore Rd, Thursday July 8, 2.50pm – 3.10pm.
Bus services
Smithfield to Prairiewood 800-308 bus from The Boulevarde at Polding St to Prairiewood T-Way Wednesday 7 July Departed 12.40pm – arrived 12.50pm
Prairiewood to Wetherill Park 806-327 bus, from Prairiewood T-Way to Victoria St opposite Wetherill Park Reserve Wednesday 7 July Departed 1.12pm – arrived 1.21pm
Wetherill Park to Wetherill Park 813-449 Bus from The Horsley Dr at Emerson Street to Horsley T-Way Wednesday 7 July Departed 2.19pm – arrived 2.23pm
Prairiewood to Fairfield Heights 817-411 Bus from Prairiewood T-Way to The Boulevarde before Kihilla St, Wednesday 7 July Departed 2.32pm – arrived 2.44pm
Fairfield to Fairfield Heights 800-308 Bus from Fairfield Forum Shopping Centre, Cunninghame Street, to The Boulevarde at Kihilla Street, Thursday 8 July Departed 4.19pm – arrived 4.23pm
Fairfield Heights to Fairfield 817-411 Bus from The Boulevarde before Kihilla St to Smart Street before Spencer St, Thursday 8 July. Departed 2.48pm – arrived 2.54pm
Fairfield Heights to Fairfield 800-310 Bus from The Boulevarde before Kihilla St to Cunninghame St opposite Fairfield Forum Shopping Centre. Friday 9 July Departed 3.34pm – arrived 3.39pm
Fairfield to Fairfield Heights 800-308 Bus from Smart St before Nelson St to The Boulevarde at Kihilla St. Friday 9 July Departed 4.33pm – arrived 4.39pm
Sydenham to Lakemba 33T3-11 Bus (train replacement) From Sydenham Station to Lakemba Station Saturday 10 July. Departed 2.45pm – arrived 3.13pm
Lakemba to Sydenham 33T3-11 Bus (train replacement) from Lakemba Station to Sydenham Station Saturday 10 July. Departed 3.33pm – arrived 4.02pm
If you visited any of the below venues at the times listed, immediately get tested and isolate until a negative result is received
Fruitmania at Fairfield Forum, Fairfield 8-36 Station St Friday 9 July 12.20pm – 12.35pm
IGA Dulwich Hill 398-400 New Canterbury Road Friday 9 July 8.55am – 9.05am. Wednesday 14 July
5.10pm – 5.25pm.
Speedway Petrol Station, Cabramatta, 267 John Street. Saturday 10 July 4.30pm - 4.35pm
Kmart Roselands, Roselands Shopping Centre, 24 Roselands Drive. Sunday 11 July, 5.30pm to 5.45pm
Chemistworks Wetherill Park, Stockland Wetherill Park Shopping Centre, 561 Polding Street Wednesday 14 July 8pm – 8.15pm
Coles Fairfield, Fairfield Forum, 8/36 Station St. Sunday 11 July 6.55pm – 7.25pm
Aldi Hoxton Park, 510 Cowpasture Rd. Friday 9 July 12.20pm – 12.45pm
Kmart Broadway, Glebe 1 Bay Street. Thursday 8 July 3.40pm – 4.25pm, Thursday 8 July 6.45pm – 7pm
Aldi Fairfield Forum, 8/36 Station St. Saturday 10 July 2.15pm – 3.15pm
Metro Petroleum Belmore, 442A Punchbowl Road Sunday 11 July, 10am – 11am
Tobacconist & Gifts, Canley Heights. Shop 1A, 238 Canley Heights Rd Sunday 11 July, 9am – 9.15am
IGA Kingsford, 361 Anzac Parade. Thursday 15 July, 11am – 11.30am
7-Eleven Prairiewood. 485-487 Smithfield Road. Monday 12 July 8.50am – 9.25am
IGA Wakeley Cnr Lomond Street and Bulls Road. Tuesday 13 July 6pm – 7.15pm
BP Greenfield Park, Lot 1, Cnr Greenfield Park Road and Mimosa Rd. Tuesday 13 July 5.10pm – 5.40pm
Coles Express Faulconbridge, 575-581 Great Western Highway. Wednesday 14 July 12.55pm – 1.05pm
Rooty Hill Supermarket Butchery, 29 Rooty Hill Road. Wednesday 14 July, 1pm – 1.15pm
Glenfield Station Fastfood & Delicatessen, 72 Railway Parade. Wednesday 14 July, 8.10am – 8.25am
Priceline Pharmacy Clemton Park, 13/60 Charlotte St. Monday 12 July 11.45am – 12.10pm
Woolworths Stocklands Merrylands, McFarlane Street. Monday 12 July 7pm – 7.15pm. Wednesday 14 July 12pm – 12.15pm
Greenway Supacenta, Wetherill Park The Horsley Drive. Monday 12 July, 5.25pm – 5.40pm
Officeworks Greenway Supacenta, The Horsley Drive, Wetherill Park. Monday 12 July 5.35pm – 5.40pm
3 Tomatoes Café, Ashbury, 121 Holden Street Monday 12 July 6.50am – 7.05am. Monday 12 July 7.15am – 7.30am. Wednesday 14 July, 7.20am – 7.35am
Clive Palmer’s anti-vaccination flyers hit vulnerable regional communities
By Michael Koziol
Mining tycoon Clive Palmer’s anti-vaccination propaganda drive has hit vulnerable communities with large Indigenous populations, as flyers containing misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines land in letterboxes around Far West NSW.
Mr Palmer’s campaign has also reached Sydney’s suburbs amid the current COVID outbreak, with flyers distributed to some residents inside ALDI catalogues without the supermarket’s knowledge.
Clive Palmer’s anti-vaccination flyers have started landing in letterboxes in Broken Hill and Far West NSW.Credit:Composite
Residents of Broken Hill and surrounding communities received the flyers last week, including mayor Darriea Turley, who said she tossed it in the bin immediately. “I looked at it and was just shocked,” she said. “I thought to myself: how could he put lives at risk?”
Read more here.
List of workers exempt from travel ban in south west Sydney expanded
By Nigel Gladstone
The list of essential jobs that are exempt from the travel ban stopping residents leaving the local government areas of Fairfield, Liverpool and Canterbury-Bankstown has been expanded to include people working at garden centres, bottle shops, factories and other roles such as delivery drivers.
Mounted Police patrol in Fairfield on July 17, 2021. Credit:Brook Mitchell
Last night the list was broadened to include workers at supermarkets and neighbourhood shops, or shops that “predominantly sell food or drinks”, kiosks and shops that sell office supplies, pet supplies, newsagents, alcohol, maternity and baby supplies as well as cellar door premises and various manufacturing roles.
Defence and national security staff, politicians and their staff, teachers, delivery drivers and people involved in providing or maintaining utilities such as electricity, gas, water or waste management may leave the locked-down areas for work. Warehousing jobs, and essential services for the maintenance, safety and upkeep of public and recreational spaces are also exempt from the travel ban.
All workers leaving the area will still need to get a COVID-19 test every three days. Employers who force staff to come into work when they can work from home face fines of up to $10,000.
Life for Australians in Seattle, America’s most vaccinated city, is getting back to normal
By Sue Williams
It was once one of the world’s most treacherous COVID-19 hotspots, but Seattle is now a city in stark contrast to Australia’s locked-down capitals and the Australians living there are gutted at the difference between their lives and those of their compatriots back home.
‘People took the situation seriously right away,’ says Rochelle Howie, who lives in Seattle with her husband Shaun, son Lachlan and daughter Skye.
“It’s a crazy turnaround,” said Daniella Phair, 32, a Melbourne lawyer who’s working in Seattle for Amazon. “Here, you basically wouldn’t know that coronavirus had ever happened. I think we’re now the most vaccinated metro city in the country, all restrictions were lifted on June 30, we don’t have to wear masks anywhere and all the restaurants are back to full capacity.
Read more here.
‘No mask, we don’t ask’: COVID sparks conflict in Australia’s anti-vaxxer capital
By Andrew Taylor
Shops in Australia’s anti-vaxxer capital are flouting COVID-19 regulations on wearing masks, amid claims that health authorities are doing little to counter vaccine hesitancy and refusal.
Local politicians have also been accused of being too scared to challenge anti-vaxxers in Mullumbimby, near Byron Bay on the NSW north coast, where people have been accosted in the street for wearing masks.
Some shops in Mullumbimby, the anti-vaxxer capital, are flouting rules on wearing masks.
Tamara Smith, the Greens member for Ballina, said there had not been any targeted public health campaigns to address vaccine hesitancy.
“On the contrary, the mixed messages coming from the Prime Minister about various vaccines have amplified and made that hesitancy much worse,” Ms Smith said.
Read more here.
Victoria triples ICU capacity to avoid COVID nightmare
By Paul Sakkal
The number of ICU beds in Victoria has risen threefold since the onset of the pandemic, with the state’s health system now well-equipped to withstand any wave of COVID-19 cases.
As the virus tore through cities such as New York and Milan in the first half of 2020, the Andrews government announced it would add 4000 ICU beds to the state’s existing 500 beds, dwarfing the national pool of 2400 beds.
A COVID-19 patient receives treatment in an ICU.Credit:Kate Geraghty
Federal government modelling in April last year predicted daily demand for ICU beds in Australia would be between 5000 and 35,000. Initial forecasts from government departments and epidemiologists did not play out as the federal and state governments implemented resilient quarantine and tracing protocols to largely snuff out the virus.
Read more here.
Golf: the unlikely big hit of the pandemic
By Sarah Berry
A year ago, golf was such a dwindling sport, Sydney’s lord mayor Clover Moore proposed halving one of the country’s most popular courses to provide more parklands for locals.
The pandemic however has provided a hole-in-one for the game. Being one of the few sports permitted to continue during lockdown, golf is enjoying its first uptick in numbers since Greg Norman gave Australians someone to swing for, with a quarter of a million more people playing in the last year.
Swinging into golf: more people are playing the game.Credit:Illustration by Dionne Gain
And despite its undeniable image problem in recent years – which stems partly from the perception that the vast swathes of green space are elitist sanctuaries for wealthy, mostly male, toffs – Golf Australia chief executive officer, James Sutherland, insists it’s changing and that it is a game for everyone.
Read more here.
Around the world in 80 days at sea: Couple ‘yacht-hop’ their way home
By Rachael Dexter
Imagine you’re an Australian citizen stranded overseas. Would you fork out more $30,000 for two tickets on a flight at risk of cancellation? Or would you choose to spend more than 80 days crewing a yacht across the largest ocean in the world in order to get home?
One couple chose the latter, opting for a months-long odyssey in a bid to avoid Australia’s caps on incoming flights, which were further tightened last week.
After 62 days at sea, 356 buckets of water and months of hitchhiking on yachts across the globe, 31-year-old Jake Shephard and 27-year-old Tamara Ilic are almost home.
After 62 days at sea, 356 buckets of water and months of hitchhiking on yachts across the globe, 31-year-old Jake Shephard and 27-year-old Tamara Ilic are almost home.
Their journey began on March 2 last year when the pair from Tweed Heads in NSW flew from Sydney to Bangkok for what should have been a stint working as travel agents.
Read more here.
Teachers can enter red zone for work, but those who live within cannot leave
By Caitlin Fitzsimmons
Teachers in locked-down south-western Sydney will not be able to attend work in person outside the red zone under the harsher lockdown restrictions announced on Saturday.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced on Saturday that people who live in the Fairfield, Canterbury-Bankstown and Liverpool local government areas could not leave their own council area for work, unless they were emergency services and healthcare workers, including aged and disability workers.
Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said it was important for schools to remain open.
Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said the Department of Education would provide more detailed advice about the new restrictions to staff today.
Read more here.
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2021-07-17 23:36:17Z
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