NSW has reached a major milestone in the fight against COVID-19, with more than one million tests carried out in NSW since January.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the people of NSW should be proud of this achievement and thanked the community for doing their part to help keep NSW COVID-safe.
“NSW has one of the highest COVID-19 testing rates in the world and reaching one million tests already is an incredible result,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“I want to thank everyone in NSW who has come forward and been tested. This needs to continue – if you have the mildest of symptoms it is so important you come forward and get tested.
“If you have already been tested and were negative but develop symptoms again, you need to come forward and get tested again.”
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said high testing numbers is critical to finding new cases and controlling the spread of COVID-19.
A total of 1,007,662 tests have been done since testing began, including 18,524 over the past 24 hours.
“NSW Health Pathology have been the quiet achievers during the pandemic, working incredibly hard behind the scenes, doing almost 60 per cent of these tests, averaging 7,500 a day,” Mr Hazzard said.
“They’ve also received around 290,000 registrations for their pioneering SMS Results Service that has halved the average waiting time for negative results.”
Mr Hazzard warned that the virus is likely circulating among people in the community with mild symptoms and the risk of outbreaks and a resurgence of cases remains.
“While this is a fantastic response from the community, we must keep up the fight against COVID-19 and not allow complacency to set in.”
Reminder regarding current public gathering restrictions and penalties
Police are reminding businesses and the wider community to abide by their responsibilities under the current Public Health Order legislation, after a licensed premises was forced to close in the Snowy Mountains and a number of other potential breaches were identified over the weekend.
The Jindabyne premises was forced to close on Saturday (11 July 2020) after failing to comply with its obligations on several separate occasions.
Officers from Monaro Police District attended the premises multiple times between Tuesday 5 May 2020 and Saturday, issuing three formal warnings relating to intoxication levels and public health and safety issues.
On Saturday evening, officers again attended the premises and forced closure under Section 22 of the Liquor Act, due to further breaches.
The premises will remain closed for a 72-hour period and further infringement action is likely.
In addition, several licensed premises in Sydney remain under investigation for not complying with ministerial directions, and police have not ruled out further enforcement action.
Officers from South West Metropolitan Region are also investigating the actions of the hotel at the centre of the outbreak in Casula, and whether that premises was acting in accordance with its responsibilities under COVID-19 legislation.
With COVID-19 infections increasing daily in Victoria and now in NSW, the Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott said he couldn’t fathom the actions of some businesses and individuals still failing to comply with the Public Health Orders.
“I am flabbergasted to see people flouting the rules at this critical time,” Minister Elliott said.
“The recent images we have seen of mass gathering and social distancing rules being blatantly ignored are disturbing. I want to commend the Police Force, who are diligently investigating any person or business that has broken these laws.
“The message remains clear, businesses and individuals will be fined and held to account for irresponsible and illegal behaviour that puts the whole community at risk,” Mr Elliott said.
Operation Corona Virus Commander, Acting Assistant Commissioner Tony Cooke, said the apparent disregard for the Public Health Orders by a small section of the community was disappointing – particularly at a time when the threat had never been greater.
“As we’ve seen in recent months, one of the biggest allies of COVID-19 is complacency within the community,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Cooke said.
“Police will continue to enforce all ministerial directions in order to protect our health and wellbeing, but we do rely on community support and compliance.
“I would again appeal to those who think the rules don’t apply to them to change their attitude.
“We have worked hard as a community to get where we are, and we need to continue to work together to ensure we avoid another outbreak.”
The maximum penalty for contravening a Public Health Order is a fine of up to $11,000 and/or six months imprisonment.
The standard penalty will be a fine by way of an on-the-spot Penalty Infringement Notice (PIN) – $1000 for individuals and $5000 for businesses.
Information on current Public Health Orders can be found at www.health.nsw.gov.au.
Anyone with information about potential breaches of ministerial directions is urged to contact Crime Stoppers using the online reporting tool at https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.
Man fined for breach of COVID-19 self-isolation direction – Leeton
A man has been fined after failing to follow self-isolation ministerial directions in the state’s south west.
At 2.30pm on Wednesday 8 July 2020, a 24-year-old man was stopped by police on the Newell Highway at Tocumwal, as part of border enforcement patrols.
The man was issued a direction under the Public Health Act to self-quarantine for a period of 14 days and was provided with information before being allowed to leave.
Officers from Murrumbidgee Police District attended the man’s home in Leeton at 12pm and again at 4pm on Thursday 9 July 2020, and found the man was not home as directed in the orders.
Police attended the home again at 5.30pm and provided the man with a formal warning in relation to self-isolation.
About 8pm on Friday 10 July 2020, police attended the man’s home and again found he was not home.
About 4.20pm yesterday (Sunday 12 July 2020), police attended the man’s home and issued him with a $1000 Penalty Infringement Notice (PIN) for failing to comply with a direction under Section 7 of the Public Health Act 2010 (NSW).
Since Operation Border Closure started at midnight on Wednesday 8 July 2020, police have facilitated the movement of tens of thousands of vehicles crossing the border from Victoria into NSW.
To date, more than 300 people have been issued with directions to self-isolate as they enter NSW.
Police continue to appeal to the community to report suspected breaches of any ministerial direction or behaviour which may impact on the health and safety of the community.
Anyone who has information regarding individuals or businesses in contravention of a COVID-19-related ministerial direction is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.
NEW DATA REVEALS DANGER TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES IF JOBKEEPER ENDS TOO SOON
New data shows cutting JobKeeper too early could have devastating consequences for workers, businesses and communities
Thousands of businesses and workers in each state, territory and local community are being held hostage by the Liberal and National Government’s decision to keep the JobKeeper review secret.
The impact of withdrawing JobKeeper too early in local communities can be seen on a new website which highlights how damaging the Morrison Government’s plan to suddenly withdraw support for the economy in the last week of September will be.
To find how much damage will be done to any local area users simply type in their postcode to discover the scale of job losses and money lost to the community.
We already know that nearly 900,000 business across Australia and approximately 3.3 million workers could be at risk if JobKeeper is ripped away suddenly in September.
Credible economic institutions including the Reserve Bank have repeatedly highlighted the significant uncertainty Australian businesses and workers are facing, and the need for ongoing economic support as the virus outbreak continues.
Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg’s decision to keep the JobKeeper review secret is adding to uncertainty in the business community and is a handbrake on the recovery.
The recent virus outbreak in Victoria and the necessary new restrictions make it even more important that the Government clarifies the future of JobKeeper.
The Government must consider better targeting and tapering JobKeeper, but it can’t just turn off the tap when businesses and households are struggling with new restrictions.
If the Government continues to mismanage this recession it will be a jobless recovery, and nobody wants to see that.
Australians desperately need an effective, well-executed response to this crisis, and a plan to bolster the recovery and set Australia up for the future.
Tax cuts for the rich, austerity for the poor: PM & Labor embark on stupidest possible tax policy during an outbreak
Australian Greens Leader, Adam Bandt, has described the Morrison Government’s ideological determination to cut taxes for high income earners as ill-timed and irresponsible, and criticised Labor for backing the move.
The tax cuts would increase inequality in Australia:
- The biggest beneficiaries of the proposed stage 2 tax cuts would be those earning over $120,000.
- These cuts would give high income earners, including those with incomes over $1,000,000, an extra $2,430 per year.
- Previous analysis from the The Australia Institute has shown that more than half (54%) of the Government’s Stage 2 & 3 income tax cut package flows to the top 20% of income earners
“What good is a tax cut if you don’t have a job?” Bandt said.
“Tax cuts mean less money in the public purse to invest in job-creating, nation-building projects, which is the pathway to recovery.
“Labor’s support for the Liberals’ tax cuts will turbo-charge inequality and slow the economic recovery.”
“The biggest beneificiaries of this move are higher income earners. Millionaires will benefit more from these tax cuts than low-income earners.”
“A tax cut for the rich isn’t going to re-open Melbourne restaurants, or resuscitate the arts sector. There’s no basis for it, other than the usual Liberal/Labor trickle-down ideology.
“Tax cuts won’t do anything to help the hundreds of thousands of Australians who have lost their jobs due to the epidemic. To float billions in tax cuts as the government pulls vital supports like childcare and JobKeeper is reckless in the extreme.
“Instead of cutting taxes for millionaires, the Government should stimulate the economy through investment in green infrastructure, rebooting Australian manufacturing and expanding JobKeeper to cover casuals, temporary visa holders and the higher education sector.
“It’s hard to believe, but even as 5 million Australians head back into lockdown, we’re seeing the Coalition push for massive, expensive tax cuts for millionaires and Labor backing them to the hilt. The Greens will fight for services and investment instead of tax cuts,” Bandt said.
Medicare Bulk-Billing Rate Remains High At 86.1 Per Cent
Over the past 12 months, 86.1% of Australians did not have to pay to visit their GP.
Figures for the past 12 months show:
- An increase of more than 5.5 million free bulk-billed GP visits compared to the same period last year
- The number of fully subsidised services across Medicare rose with an additional 9.6 million bulk-billed services delivered for a total of 343.6 million.
The Morrison Government’s commitment to Medicare and bulk billing remains rock solid.
In March, to help reduce the risk of community transmission of COVID-19, the Government introduced new temporary Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) telehealth items.
The Government’s rapid response meant better protection for patients and health care providers.
During this period, the COVID-19 temporary telehealth and telephone items represented 3.4 per cent of services across Medicare. This included:
- 110,060 telehealth consultations provided by GPs, specialists and allied health professionals.
- 1,137,873 phone consultations provided by GPs, specialists and allied health professionals.
The uptake of the COVID-19 temporary telehealth items was most pronounced for GPs. In March, 7.5 per cent of GP visits were provided through via phone (999,470 services) or telehealth (65,996 services).
We doubled bulk-billing incentives to support these critical services because of the health emergency.
The Government unveiled a comprehensive $2.4 billion health package to protect all Australians, including vulnerable groups such as the elderly, those with chronic conditions and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, from COVID-19.
Australia has one of the best health systems in the world, founded on Medicare.
The figures released today show Medicare, under this Government, is supporting the health and wellbeing of Australians more than ever.
City supports accredited training for COVID affected workers
Newcastle small business workers now have access to free accredited online training as part of an initiative of City of Newcastle delivered through TAFE NSW, the University of Newcastle and Novaskill.
The training packages include a focus on customer behaviour, digital and social media marketing, management and finance, and are part of the City of Newcastle’s response to the economic impact of COVID-19.
Training on business innovation and growth, community engagement, and leadership skills is also covered within the 14 online programs being offered.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said Newcastle’s business community had been hit hard by the pandemic and the prolonged period of slower economic activity that had followed.
“The small business sector has been required to adapt quickly in order to survive the unprecedented effects of COVID-19 on our community,” the Lord Mayor said.
“This training is targeted at providing local businesses and their staff with an ongoing benefit during the recovery phase and beyond, as the economy returns to a ‘new normal’ state.
“By upskilling our local workforce and empowering people to learn, we can help provide a sense of positivity and support for the business community as they work to recover from this period of extraordinary economic and social disruption.”
Enrolments are now open at the three participating training organisations for anyone who works for a business within the Newcastle local government area that employs 20 staff or less.
Each ‘student’ is eligible to undertake one of the training packages, which are scheduled to be fully delivered by the end of November.
TAFE NSW Regional General Manager Jason Darney congratulated City of Newcastle for incorporating accredited training into the Community and Economic Resilience Package, which will provide meaningful professional development for small business employees.
“TAFE NSW short courses are perfect for training small business professionals in vital skills, which can be applied immediately to improve business functions,” Mr Darney said.
“The customised program of short courses support the specific needs of small businesses moving forward in the recovery phase of COVID-19.”
University of Newcastle Pro Vice-Chancellor, Business and Law, Professor Tony Travaglione said the City of Newcastle initiative aligned with a top engagement priority for the University, which was to respond to challenges in our regions and beyond.
“As the University for our region, any opportunity to help our community respond to the challenges brought about by COVID-19 is a high priority for us. The University of Newcastle is one of the top 200 universities in the world, so this is a great opportunity for businesses to access free world-class education to help support their recovery.”
Amanda Saunders, Novaskill’s General Manager, said the organisation was ready to help support local businesses as part of City of Newcastle’s package.
“It’s important for providers like Novaskill, who are specialist at responding to small business training needs, to be ready and able to support our community through such difficult times,” Ms Saunders said.
“By offering Newcastle business owners and their staff meaningful development opportunities for the future, we are creating ways to keep everyone engaged and prepared for navigating the ‘new normal’ we are all now facing.”
More information, including instructions on how to register interest in the training, can also be found on the City of Newcastle website www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au.
$3 BILLION SAVINGS BONANZA FOR FAMILIES
Households across NSW have collectively saved more than $3 billion since July 2017 thanks to up to 70 cost of living rebates and savings from the NSW Government.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian encouraged families to call Service NSW to check their eligibility and start accessing savings.
“COVID-19 has put families across NSW under enormous stress and the NSW Government wants to make life easier for them by providing a range of hip pocket savings,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Service NSW is a one-stop shop that helps take the hassle out of finding savings by putting all the relevant information under the one roof.
“Whether it’s finding a better energy deal, applying for a $100 Active Kids or Creative Kids voucher, or accessing drought support, Service NSW can check your eligibility for programs and then do the heavy lifting behind the scenes to access the savings.”
Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello said appointments can take place over the phone during COVID-19.
“Do yourself a favour – make an appointment with a cost of living specialist so you can receive personalised advice,” Mr Dominello said.
“Booking an appointment is simple and easy and you could walk away with money in your pocket. The average saving per customer is $570.”
Examples of savings available and new data includes:
- Energy Switch – 13,475 switches initiated, with the average customer saving $433.
- Creative Kids – 586,000 vouchers downloaded.
- FuelCheck – 1,075,417 app downloads. Drivers who use the app regularly could save up to $500 a year.
Further information is available at https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/campaign/cost-living
NEW VISION FOR NORTH SYDNEY CBD TO BECOME REALITY
A new Sydney Metro station, more public space and a new office tower are one step closer for North Sydney residents and workers, with the NSW Government today giving the green light to build the Victoria Cross over station development.
The project includes construction of a 42-storey commercial office tower, a new community hub, a pedestrian link from the station plaza to Denison Street and almost 1,300 square metres of new public open space.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes and Minister for Transport Andrew Constance today inspected Victoria Cross Metro Station’s underground railway site, including the largest rail cavern in Australia at 265 metres long, 25 metres wide and 20 metres high.
A $476 million contract was awarded to Lendlease in 2018 to deliver Sydney Metro’s Victoria Cross Station and the landmark building above it.
With more than 357,000 tonnes of crushed rock removed, excavation of the Metro and service tunnels is now complete, and the cavern and these tunnels are being lined with concrete.
Mr Stokes said the project will combine world-class public transport infrastructure with a connected community hub in the heart of the North Sydney CBD.
“The integrated station development at the new Victoria Cross Metro Station will double the available public open space near the tower and create a continuous ‘civic green spine’ along Miller Street, with landscaped terraces, outdoor dining, casual seating areas and pedestrian paths,” Mr Stokes said.
“North Sydney is already a strong commercial hub for Greater Sydney and this project will provide a much-needed boost, injecting $315 million into the economy and creating between 400-600 construction jobs to deliver the over station development.”
Mr Constance said the integrated development will provide better connectivity for a growing part of the city.
“This tower will provide space for more than 4,000 office workers on top of a world-class public transport system, which is not only transforming our city’s public transport network, it’s transforming the areas around it,” Mr Constance said.
“This project is a great example of the NSW Government’s commitment to ensure our communities have access to great public transport infrastructure regardless of where they live, work or play.”
With tunnelling complete and remaining excavation underway, station fit-out works on the Victoria Cross Metro Station are scheduled to commence in early 2021, with the tower expected to be completed by mid-2024.
The Victoria Cross Metro over station development is one of 19 projects included in Tranche 3 of the NSW Government’s Planning System Acceleration Program that is fast-tracking planning assessments to keep people in jobs and the economy moving during the COVID-19 crisis. To date, the program has created opportunities for more than 25,000 jobs and injected more than $13 billion worth of investment into the NSW economy.
For more information visit: https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/project/11051
Police investigating after suspicious fire – Hunter Region
An investigation is underway following a suspicious house fire in the state’s Hunter region this morning.
About 3.30am (Thursday 9 July 2020), emergency services were called to a house on Hart Road, Loxford, following reports of a fire.
Fire and Rescue NSW attended and extinguished the blaze.
The house was vacant at the time and no injuries were reported.
Officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District established a crime scene and commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Initial investigations suggest the fire may have been deliberately lit.
Investigators are appealing for anyone with information to contact police.