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Watch live: Qld and NT’s COVID-19 updates
By Broede Carmody
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is due to provide a COVID-19 update.
Watch live below.
Meanwhile, NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner is also due to address the media.
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‘We’re doing everything we can’: PM on Afghan interpreters
By Hanna Mills Turbet
As you can tell from this morning’s coverage, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been doing the media rounds.
On the ABC’s AM program, he was asked whether he agreed with former PM John Howard’s views that Australia had a “moral obligation” to help Afghans who had worked alongside Australian soldiers.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison.Credit:James Brickwood
“We’re doing everything we can,” Mr Morrison said.
“I agree with prime minister Howard. We’ve had over the course of – it’s been some time now – 1400 Afghan workers and their families who worked for the ADF at DFAT brought to Australia over quite a number of years, and we’re also accelerating that process now. Hundreds are in that process right now.
“We’re doing it on the basis of the rules that were set actually in place by the previous Labor government back in 2012 and they are the right rules. And we’re doing that as fast and as safely as we can.
“So I absolutely agree with him. And this has a a high level of urgency within the government, and we’re moving on that as quickly and as safely as we possibly can.
“It’s obviously an environment in which it’s difficult to operate – and I think people would appreciate that – as it has been when I was immigration minister some years ago. We were involved in exactly the same task, and we were applying exactly the same focus.”
NRL boss says majority of players are ‘doing the right thing’
By Jenny Noyes
NRL chair Peter V’landys says the recent breaches of COVID-19 restrictions by players from the Dragons, and most recently, Queensland Origin player Jai Arrow, has made him “disillusioned and dejected” along with the rest of the players who he says are doing the right thing.
Mr V’landys told 2GB there is “no excuse whatsoever” for Arrow bringing a woman back to the team hotel on the Gold Coast.
“He’s made a poor judgment and he’s paid the price because not only has he been fined $35,000, he misses out on playing the State of Origin match and he also misses out on a $15,000 payment from the State of Origin match, so that lack of judgment has cost him $50,000.”
Mr V’landys said other players “are very angry at the actions of the minority of players, because not only does it tarnish their image, they’re doing the right thing, their livelihoods are at stake”.
“You can’t judge 500 players on what a handful have done. The majority have got the message, they’re conscientious and professional and are doing the right thing.”
He said people don’t know how much work goes on behind the scenes to ensure the competition can proceed.
“You can only be dejected and disillusioned because they’re affecting the livelihoods of a lot of people and they could rob the fans of that escapism they get every weekend.”
Sydney restaurateur charged with hindering police after staff mask breach
By Jenny Noyes
Police have charged the owner of the Rashays restaurant franchise after an alleged incident while an officer was investigating reports staff at the Chester Hill business were not wearing masks.
An officer from Cumberland police area command attended the Rashays headquarters about 3.50pm on Thursday after receiving the reports, and located two staff members who were not wearing masks.
Rashays owner Rami Ykmour.
In a statement, NSW Police said the 46-year-old owner of the business, Rami Ykmour, allegedly became aggressive towards the officer and refused to provide his details.
He was subsequently arrested and taken to Parramatta police station, where he was issued a court attendance notice for hindering police.
He is due to appear before Parramatta Local Court on August 18. Two staff members were issued $200 infringements for failing to comply with the mask-wearing direction.
The arrest came hours after Mr Ykmour posted a video to his Instagram account that was critical of the government’s handling of the lockdown.
Following Mr Ykmour’s arrest, a video was posted to the Rashays Facebook account showing him arguing with a police officer and demanding that he leave the building.
The social media account posted a comment saying the staff members fined were its call centre team who were eating.
“We are struggling. Rami understands they’re doing their job but be considerate and offer the two young girls a warning before fining them. We have worked so hard to maintain COVID safe [protocols].”
‘We’re not going to leave behind anyone who ... is properly eligible’: Payne on Afghan contractors
By Jenny Noyes
Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne has told the ABC’s Radio National she agrees with former prime minister John Howard that Australia has a “moral obligation” to take in Afghans who worked with Australian defence and aid programs during the two-decade-long mission.
But she said while special humanitarian visas are open to those who worked closely with Australian forces, and given the “highest processing priority within our humanitarian program”, applicants must “meet our rigorous health, character and national security requirements”.
Asked to comment on the plight of an Afghan aid worker who told the ABC earlier this morning that 15 of his colleagues have been killed by the Taliban and he fears he will be next, Ms Payne said she cannot talk about individual cases.
“But I can absolutely assure you and Australians that we’re not going to leave behind anyone who worked for us and who is properly eligible and checked to come here.”
Ms Payne said Afghans who were not directly contracted by Australia but worked for other organisations with contracts with Australia, such as aid groups, could apply for humanitarian visas which are open to “all Afghans who feel at risk from the Taliban”.
PM throws support behind Melbourne pub told to stop giving away free vaccine beers
By Broede Carmody
Rewinding a bit, and the Prime Minister has backed a Port Melbourne pub that was told to stop offering free beers to customers who have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Australia’s health watchdog, the Therapeutic Goods Administration, contacted the Prince Alfred hotel earlier this week asking them to stop handing out free pints. The drug regulator’s website says businesses cannot offer alcohol, tobacco or medicines as incentives to get vaccinated against coronavirus.
Publican Tom Streater from the Prince Alfred hotel in Port Melbourne was reprimanded by the Therapeutic Goods Administration this week for handing out free beers to vaccinated customers.Credit:Scott McNaughton
But speaking on Seven’s Sunrise earlier this morning, Scott Morrison said the crackdown was “a bit heavy-handed”.
He added that he and Health Minister Greg Hunt will speak to the TGA and ask them to back down in this particular instance.
“The rules are that for important reasons so drug companies can’t offer [inducements] to people,” Mr Morrison said.
“It is a sensible rule, but in these circumstances, the national interest is to get vaccinated. So the Prince Alfred down in Melbourne, good on you for getting behind it. We’ll get it sorted, common sense will prevail.
“Cheers to the PA.”
Victoria records no new cases of COVID-19 in the community
By Broede Carmody
Victoria’s daily coronavirus numbers are in.
The state has recorded no new cases of COVID-19 in the community for the ninth day in a row. There was just one case detected in hotel quarantine.
There were 25,590 coronavirus tests conducted in Victoria yesterday. There are 21 active cases of COVID-19 in the entire state.
Australia has an obligation to help Afghans who assisted our troops: Howard
By Cassandra Morgan
Former prime minister John Howard, who committed Australian troops to Afghanistan, has voiced his support for a push to give special visas to interpreters who helped our armed forces.
As we’ve mentioned previously, there are fears Afghan people who assisted Australian troops are in danger of retribution following the withdrawal of allied forces.
Former prime minister John Howard. Credit:Kate Geraghty
“If a group of people gave help to Australians such that their lives and that of those immediately around them are in danger, we have a moral obligation to help them,” Mr Howard told SBS.
“That is a moral obligation we have and it was a moral obligation that we shamefully discarded many years ago when we pulled out of Vietnam. I do not want to see a repetition of that failure in Afghanistan.”
The former prime minister was questioned about whether he thought that obligation extended to interpreters and other staff who worked directly with Australian troops in Afghanistan, but were not allowed to apply for visas because they were subcontracted.
Howard said it was “all a question of the circumstances”, and he didn’t think it was something that “should turn on some narrow legalism”.
Morrison backs Sydney’s suppression strategy
By Broede Carmody
The Prime Minister has also crossed to the Today show where co-host Karl Stefanovic raised something we mentioned earlier: that some senior NSW state MPs are cautiously canvassing whether there is support to end Sydney’s COVID-19 supression strategy (i.e. come out of lockdown).
“Do you support without any compromise this morning this lockdown and returning local transmissions to zero [in NSW?]” Stefanovic asked the PM.
Scott Morrison speaking on the Today show earlier this morning. Credit:Nine
Here’s Morrison’s reply:
“If that’s what’s needed in this suppression phase and if that’s what state government does, then, of course. I mean, we are still in the suppression phase. We were always going to still be in the suppression phase now.
“[I would say to those NSW MPs] to come into line with the Premier. That is the public health advice I’m receiving. I’m quite certain that’s the public health advice that she [Gladys Berejiklian] is receiving. And the discussions I’ve had with NSW cabinet ministers, that [possible backflip] hasn’t been relayed to me.”
PM says NSW Premier has done an ‘extraordinary job’
By Broede Carmody
Staying with Sunrise, and Scott Morrison has thrown his support behind NSW Premier and fellow Liberal Gladys Berejiklian.
Ms Berejiklian has come under fire from those angry with Sydney’s extended lockdown as well as those who say she should have issued stay-at-home orders sooner.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has thrown his support behind NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian. Credit:James Brickwood
But the PM says the Premier merely acts on the health advice she is given.
“I think it is a good thing that, wherever possible, we don’t put unreasonable burdens on people whenever we can,” Mr Morrison said.
“I think that the Premier in NSW has done a extraordinary job and I think Sydneysiders and the people of NSW have appreciated that. I also support her strongly now in the measures that she is taking now.
“I’m not gonna get into the tit-for-tat arguments happening between states. I don’t think it is constructive.”
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2021-07-08 23:30:27Z
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