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The day in review
By Michaela Whitbourn
Good evening and thank you for reading our live coverage of the day’s events. If you are just joining us now, here’s what you need to know:
- At least three students at a western Sydney school have been infected with the Omicron COVID-19 variant of concern, with another ten coronavirus cases at the school under investigation. NSW Health said in a media release tonight that genomic sequencing had confirmed that two cases of COVID-19 at Regents Park Christian School were the Omicron variant, in addition to an earlier case reported this morning.
Urgent genomic testing is under way on a further 10 cases of coronavirus at the school to determine if they are also the Omicron variant. Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the first case of Omicron confirmed at the school had not travelled to southern Africa and was not linked to people who had travelled overseas in recent weeks, meaning it may be the first confirmed case of transmission of the variant on “NSW soil”.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard and Premier Dominic Perrottet address media questions about the spread of the Omicron variant.Credit:Kate Geraghty
NSW Health also confirmed tonight that the parents of a child reported yesterday as a confirmed case of the Omicron variant of the virus had also tested positive to this strain. “These people arrived on flight QR908 from Doha to Sydney on 23 November. The family is isolating in the Special Health Accommodation,” NSW Health said. “These travellers have not been in southern Africa and NSW Health is concerned transmission may have occurred on this flight. They are both fully vaccinated.” The total number of confirmed cases of Omicron in NSW now stands at 13, including the three cases at Regents Park Christian School.
The ACT has recorded its first case of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
ACT Health has confirmed a case of the COVID-19 Omicron variant of concern in a person who has not travelled overseas, Sarah McPhee reports. “The person is fully vaccinated and returned a positive test result on 1 December,” ACT Health said in a statement this evening. Following genome sequencing, this has today been confirmed as the Omicron variant. It is not yet known if this case was acquired in the ACT or NSW. The individual has not travelled overseas.”
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese today.Credit:Jamila Toderas
- Federal Labor has set a new target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 43 per cent by 2030 if it wins the next election. As David Crowe reported earlier today, the shadow cabinet agreed on the target this morning, in a pivotal decision that exceeds the forecast of 35 per cent which Prime Minister Scott Morrison took to the United Nations climate summit in Glasgow last month. The Business Council of Australia welcomed the announcement.
NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner.Credit:ABC
- The Northern Territory has recorded its first COVID-related death. Roy Ward reports that an Indigenous woman in her 70s from the Binjari community near Katherine has died after being infected with the virus during the most recent outbreak in the Katherine region.
- NT chief minister Michael Gunner said it was “the news we never wanted to give”. “She bravely battled COVID, including receiving oxygen, but had underlying health conditions and was not vaccinated. On behalf of all territorians I extend our condolences to her family and community. They are a tight community who care for each other and about each other. This is a very hard day for them. We have additional resources in place to ensure the well-being and health of the family and community.”
Australia is weighing up a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics.Credit:AP
This is Michaela Whitbourn signing off on the blog for today. Broede Carmody will be back with you early on Monday morning.
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Queensland reports new COVID-19 case under investigation in Brisbane’s east
By Matt Dennien
Queensland Health have reported a new COVID-19 case in a person who was active in the community for at least two days in Brisbane’s east this week, after concerns of undetected spread on the Gold Coast.
Several new exposure sites have been listed across Capalaba on Monday and Tuesday, including a Thai restaurant deemed a close contact risk, with authorities saying more details would be released on Saturday as investigations continued into the strain and source of the infection.
“This is in relation to a new case,” Queensland Health said in a statement on Friday afternoon.
“This is a timely reminder for all Queenslanders to regularly monitor the list of exposure venues on the Queensland Health website and follow the public health advice, as there may be more locations.”
The case comes after genomic testing suggested an earlier infection detected on the Gold Coast this week did not have links to other recent cases in the city, sparking calls for people in the region to get tested if they develop any symptoms.
Authorities had earlier reported no new community cases at Friday’s morning briefing, with six cases recorded in quarantine – four of those in hotels and two at home.
Victoria’s anti-discrimination laws pass in Parliament
By Marta Pascual Juanola
Anti-discrimination laws preventing religious organisations such as schools from firing employees based on their sexuality, gender identity or marital status have passed the Victorian Parliament.
The Equal Opportunity (Religious Exceptions) Amendment Bill 2021, which will now await royal assent, will prevent institutions from denying employment based on the same principles.
Schools will be able to continue practising their faith and teaching religion, but they will only be able to make employment decisions based on a person’s religious beliefs when these are an inherent part of the job, such as a religious studies teacher.
The law will not affect how religious bodies select priests, ministers, religious leaders or their members, however, organisations that receive government funding will not be able to refuse their services to people based on their sexual orientation and gender identity.
Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes said the legislation was the result of a long journey to fix gaps in Victoria’s laws.
“I hope with these changes all Victorians can live authentically, free of fear and in no doubt that the law has their back too,” she said.
“Our reforms respect the independence of religious bodies while reducing critical gaps in protections against discrimination.”
It is unclear how the federal government’s proposed religious discrimination bill, which shields people who make a statement of belief as long as it’s made in good faith, will impact the Victorian legislation.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has previously told Parliament the legislation would overcome “inconsistencies” in laws across Australia, meaning it would override existing federal and state discrimination laws.
Case of Omicron variant confirmed in the ACT
By Sarah McPhee
ACT Health has confirmed a case of the COVID-19 Omicron variant of concern in a person who has not travelled overseas.
“The person is fully vaccinated and returned a positive test result on 1 December,” ACT Health said in a statement this evening.
“Following genome sequencing, this has today been confirmed as the Omicron variant. It is not yet known if this case was acquired in the ACT or NSW. The individual has not travelled overseas.”
Further contact tracing is ongoing and a number of exposure sites have been listed, all currently classified as casual contact venues:
- Next Gen Canberra health club (indoor pool area), 1 Riggall Place, Lyneham on November 29 between 5.15pm and 6.45pm.
- The Knox Made in Watson cafe, 13 Watson Place, Watson on November 30 between 9am and 10am.
- Supabarn supermarket, 34-38 Eyre Street, Kingston on November 30 between 4.20pm and 4.50pm.
- Blue Gum Community School (Spotted Bark End of Year celebration, school hall), 114 Maitland Street, Hackett on November 30 between 4.30pm and 6.30pm.
Emerging Omicron COVID-19 cluster at western Sydney school
By Michaela Whitbourn
NSW Health has confirmed at least three students at a western Sydney school have been infected with the Omicron COVID-19 variant of concern, with another ten coronavirus cases at the school under investigation.
The department said in a media release tonight that genomic sequencing had confirmed that two cases of COVID-19 at Regents Park Christian School were the Omicron variant, in addition to an earlier case reported this morning.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard on Friday.Credit:Kate Geraghty
Urgent genomic testing is under way on a further 10 cases of coronavirus at the school to determine if they also have the Omicron variant.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said earlier today that the first case of Omicron confirmed at the school had not travelled to southern Africa and was not linked to people who had travelled overseas in recent weeks, meaning it may be the first confirmed case of transmission of the variant on “NSW soil”.
NSW Health has also confirmed that the parents of a confirmed case of Omicron that was first reported yesterday, a child who is too young to get vaccinated, had also tested positive to this variant.
NSW Health said the parents and their child “arrived on flight QR908 from Doha to Sydney on 23 November. The family is isolating in the Special Health Accommodation.
“These travellers have not been in southern Africa and NSW Health is concerned transmission may have occurred on this flight. [The parents] are both fully vaccinated.”
It brings the total number of confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in NSW to 13, three of which are at Regents Park Christian School.
Earlier today, Mr Hazzard urged the community to maintain “perspective” over the latest cases.
“I think transmission is always a concern, but we also need to just keep it in perspective at the moment, that worldwide there’s not clarity around whether or not this particular variant is going to cause us anywhere near the problems that the earlier variants caused,” he said.
“We’re not seeing people suddenly being rushed to hospital. What we’re seeing is people who are either asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms, generally”.
NSW Health advised that people who attended Sydney Indoor Climbing Gym at 5/850 Woodville Road, Villawood on Saturday, November 27, between 9am and 4.30pm were a close contact of a confirmed Omicron case and must immediately get tested for COVID-19 and isolate according to public health guidelines.
It also advised of a change to the time it previously announced a confirmed case of the variant visited Centrelink and Medicare at 56-64 Archer Street in Chatswood on Wednesday, November 24. The new time is between 2.30pm and 4pm.
Anyone who attended that venue is a casual contact who must immediately get tested and isolate until a negative result is received. People should continue to monitor for symptoms and get tested again if they arise.
Federal MP who was banned from Facebook secures spot on inquiry into social media
By Lisa Visentin
United Australia Party MP Craig Kelly, who was banned from Facebook earlier this year after repeatedly posting COVID-19 vaccine misinformation, has secured a position on the federal parliament’s inquiry into social media and online safety.
The Prime Minister announced the inquiry this week, giving it a broad-ranging remit to examine the toxic impact of social media, and trumpeting it as part of the government’s commitment to taking on the tech giants.
Craig Kelly, centre, at a “freedom” rally in Sydney on November 20.Credit:Steven Siewert
The inquiry will be chaired by Liberal MP Lucy Wicks, while Labor nominated Tim Watts and Sharon Claydon as its representatives.
But Mr Kelly’s appointment, which was confirmed in a motion passed in the House of Representatives on Thursday, has baffled some in Labor and the Coalition amid concerns his ban from Facebook and vaccine stance undermines the integrity of the inquiry. Mr Kelly was contacted for comment.
In April, Mr Kelly declared he was “absolutely outraged” when he was permanently barred from the platform after repeatedly violating the company’s misinformation policy. He quit the Liberal Party in February, following a dispute over his stance on COVID-19 vaccines.
Earlier this year, Mr Kelly was contacted by lawyers for the Therapeutic Goods Administration who accused him of being “seriously misleading” after he sent spam SMS messages to Australian voters linking to an incomplete report on adverse events connected to COVID-19 vaccines.
Australia refuses to sign ‘truce’ for Beijing Olympics as it weighs up diplomatic boycott
By Anthony Galloway
Australia has joined 19 other countries in opting not to sign a truce with China ahead of next year’s Winter Olympics amid growing pressure for a diplomatic boycott of the event.
The refusal to sign the Olympic Truce – a tradition that dates back to ancient Greece to ensure conflicts don’t disrupt the competition – was designed to send a message to Beijing over its human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong and the treatment of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai.
Australia is weighing up a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics.Credit:AP
Since its revival in 1993, Israel and North Korea are usually the only countries not to sign the truce. But the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday passed the resolution without the support of 20 countries.
None of the “Quad” members – United States, India, Australia and Japan – sponsored the resolution, and New Zealand was the only country in the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network, comprising Australia, NZ, Canada, the United Kingdom and the US, to sign the truce.
Basketballer forced into 14-day quarantine after being on Omicron flight
By Roy Ward
Basketballer Devin Thomas has been forced into quarantine after having the misfortune of being on a flight from Doha with two cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
South East Melbourne Phoenix coach Simon Mitchell said on Friday that the US import had barely been around his teammates due to being sick after arriving in Australia on November 25.
South East Melbourne coach Simon Mitchell, left, with new import Devin Thomas, right.Credit:SEM Phoenix Media
The flight was found to have two people who had travelled from Africa and had the Omicron variant of COVID-19, which saw health authorities send all passengers and crew into quarantine.
“We are fortunate in the sense that Devin was actually pretty crook on arrival, not anything to do with COVID-19, he was sick from the travel and fatigue,” Mitchell said.
The NBL season kicks off tonight.
Victorian Labor MP Jane Garrett to exit politics
By Rachel Eddie and Paul Sakkal
Victorian Labor MP Jane Garrett will depart state politics at the 2022 election, five years after resigning as emergency services minister during a bitter dispute with the firefighters’ union that bruised her career.
Ms Garrett, once viewed as a potential Labor leader, confirmed she would not seek re-election in the upper house division of Eastern Victoria late on Friday afternoon.
Victorian Labor MP Jane Garrett has announced she is quitting politics.Credit:Joe Armao
She is the seventh Victorian Labor MP to announce they will stand aside in last two weeks.
“It’s a sign of just how strong the Labor Party is when so many people make the call to step aside and give our huge range of talented young people the opportunity to become the next generation of MPs,” Ms Garrett said.
“Today it’s my time to help that shift to renewal.”
She first entered Parliament in the lower house seat of Brunswick in 2010 and was promoted to the cabinet as a rising star in 2014 before being permanently sidelined in 2016.
Ms Garrett resigned as emergency services minister following the Country Fire Authority dispute, which pitted her against Premier Daniel Andrews and union leader Peter Marshall.
After a painful preselection and a bout of cancer, she moved to the upper house in the Andrews government’s second term. She never returned to the cabinet.
In an exclusive interview with The Age earlier this year, Ms Garrett revealed she was still being targeted by bullies in the United Firefighters Union.
The Victorian government in May refused to release a long-suppressed report into bullying and sexism in the fire services, five years after it was commissioned by Ms Garrett as then-emergency services minister.
Ms Garrett said it had been a privilege to represent Brunswick, where she was first elected in 2010, and Eastern Victoria.
“I’ve been welcomed into people’s homes, their businesses, schools and community groups and I thank each and everyone I’ve met and worked with on the way,” she said on Friday.
“Fighting for jobs, equality, social justice and a first class education for all has been the mantra of every Andrews Labor Government MP and it’s been a loud and proud one.
“I’m grateful I was able to walk this journey with so many wonderful people. And to those who are coming after I wish you all the very best.”
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2021-12-03 08:36:46Z
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