Category: Australian News

Following the receipt of feedback on the practical implementation of measures announced regarding barbers and hairdressers it was agreed by Premiers and Chief Ministers at National Cabinet last night that the instruction regarding 30 minutes per patron will be lifted (effective immediately), but that the 4sqm rule per person must be strictly observed within the premises and that personal contact during the patron’s visit should be minimised wherever possible.
Also it was noted that in hardship cases, States and Territories can provide exemptions in relation to attendance at funerals, but only at the margin.
National Cabinet will meet again on Friday, March 27.

Australian governments continue to work together to slow the spread of coronavirus to save lives.
Every extra bit of time allows us to better prepare our health system and put measures in place to protect Australian lives.
The Prime Minister, state and territory Premiers and Chief Ministers continued their meeting on 25 March as the National Cabinet to discuss enhanced health measures to support our efforts to quickly test and contact trace coronavirus in our community.
Expansion of coronavirus testing criteria
Australian has one of the most rigorous coronavirus testing systems in the world. To further protect Australia, National Cabinet agreed to an Australian Health Principal Protection Committee (AHPPC) recommendation to expand the current coronavirus testing criteria to include testing people with fever or acute respiratory infection in:

• all health workers
• all aged/residential care workers
• geographically localised areas where there is elevated risk of community transmission as defined by the local public health unit
• where no community transmission is occurring, high risk settings where there are two or more plausibly-linked cases, for example:
  • aged and residential care
  • rural and remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
  • detention centres/correctional facilities
  • boarding schools
  • military bases (including Navy ships) that have live-in accommodation.

National Cabinet also agreed that testing will be expanded to include hospitalised patients with fever and acute respiratory symptoms of unknown cause, at the discretion of the treating clinician.
This is the minimum testing criteria. States and territories have the discretion to expand their own criteria for testing if they have capacity.
Temporary suspension of all semi-urgent elective surgery
National Cabinet endorsed the recommendation for states and territories to suspend all non-urgent elective surgery.
National Cabinet agreed to extend the deadline for the suspension of semi urgent Category 2 and 3 elective surgeries at private hospitals to 11.59pm on 1 April 2020.
National Cabinet agreed that states and territories will continue to work with private hospital groups to ensure they can support efforts to protect Australians against coronavirus.
The changes will allow greater transition for the community to the new arrangements and ensure the national supply of essential PPE – such as masks, gowns, gloves and goggles for the healthcare workforce.
Nationally consistent public directions on self-isolation for individuals
National Cabinet agreed to implement nationally consistent public health directions, at the state and territory level, on self-quarantine for individuals diagnosed with coronavirus.
Further measures
National Cabinet will consider the need for any further measures at their next meeting on Friday 27 March 2020.

The National Cabinet is acting on the advice of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee that from 11.59pm (local time) on 25 March 2020, all non urgent elective surgery will be temporarily suspended. Only Category 1 and some exceptional Category 2 surgery will continue until further notice.
This will apply in both the public and private health systems.
The Commonwealth’s Department of Health has ordered over 300 million additional masks with 30 million expected in the next two weeks, and one million surgical gowns are on order to build on Australia’s stockpile of medical protective equipment. Australian manufacturers have also been engaged to ramp up local equipment production.
By cancelling certain elective surgeries, the National Cabinet is acting to preserve resources including protective equipment to help prepare public and private health services to prepare for their role in the COVID-19 outbreak.
Every patient waiting for elective surgery is assessed by their treating medical professional as Category 1, 2 or 3 per the following definitions:

• Category 1 – Needing treatment within 30 days. Has the potential to deteriorate quickly to the point where the patient’s situation may become an emergency
• Category 2 – Needing treatment within 90 days. Their condition causes pain, dysfunction or disability. Unlikely to deteriorate quickly and unlikely to become an emergency
• Category 3 – Needing treatment at some point in the next year. Their condition causes pain, dysfunction or disability. Unlikely to deteriorate quickly.

Decisions on the category of patients are at the discretion of their treating medical professional.
Australia’s health system will continue to ensure that any patient in need of urgent attention will receive treatment.
By taking these actions as well as the work to date to stop the spread of coronavirus, we can protect lives and we can save lives.

Dr Richard Di Natale has today called on the Australian government to urgently release its COVID-19 modelling in the face of confusing and fragmented advice from state premiers, first ministers and the commonwealth.
“COVID-19 is presenting an unprecedented public health threat, and Australians are understandably extremely concerned,” Dr Di Natale, Greens health spokesperson said today.
“In establishing the ‘National Cabinet’ of states, territories and the commonwealth, the government told us they would be providing people with clear, consistent advice on how to protect themselves and their communities, as well as a coordinated national public health response.
“That consistency has now evaporated, with Australians in each state receiving conflicting advice.
“In a time of crisis Australians are looking for strong, clear leadership and consistency of message. This weekend we saw states and territories going it alone and a PM floundering to catch up.
“It is now time for the government to follow the UK’s example and publicly release the data and modelling that they are working from so that Australians can understand the extent of the situation and have what they need to make well-informed decisions.
“While it is clear this is a rapidly evolving situation with a great many unknowns, access to this information is essential to providing people greater clarity on the unfolding crisis and the link between the modelling and the government’s response.
As a public health specialist, Dr Di Natale worked on influenza pandemic planning in Victoria before entering politics, was part of Australia’s disease surveillance system and visited West Africa during the 2014 Ebola outbreak.

The Greens have said that today’s Depression-era job queues follow the Morrison Government’s failure to link its billions in stimulus payments to wage and job subsidies, urging the Government to reconsider its cancelling of Parliament so that the mess can be fixed up.
“The Greens pushed for a jobs and wages guarantee, because we know that every job we save now is a job we don’t need to recreate after this crisis is over,” said Greens Leader Adam Bandt.
“Depression-era challenges need a depression-era response, but instead we got a trickle-down stimulus with no jobs and wages guarantees.
“The government listened to the Greens when we said students needed support, the not-for-profit sector needed to be included in the stimulus package and that Newstart was too low. They should listen to us again and immediately implement jobs and wages guarantees, like we’re seeing in the UK.
“As casual work in hospitality and retail dries up, the Greens were pleased to get students the extra support they need, but carers and people on the Disability Support Pension are being left behind.
“Parliament may need to sit again in the next few weeks to fix the government’s stimulus package.
“Cancelling Parliament isn’t just a danger to democracy, it will get in the way of economic recovery. We need more democracy, not less, during this crisis. Parliament should sit again, if safe to do so, so that we can fix the holes in the government’s stimulus package.
“Australians also deserve a clear explanation of how the government will massively increase the number of intensive care beds. The availability of ICU beds and respirators will literally be the difference between life and death for many people, but we’re on track to run out of beds soon.”

Too many workers don’t have leave entitlements to allow them to economically survive a diagnosis of COVID-19. Frontline staff in people-facing industries are among the most vulnerable, given the required interactions with hundreds of people a day, but often have few legal protections should one of these interactions make them sick.
Greens MPs are moving across the country to extend workers compensation coverage to workers who contract or are suspected to have contracted COVID-19.
The Bills, the first of which has just been introduced in the NSW Parliament, will apply to full time, part time, contract and casual workers. This bill will cover:

• workers who are off work having been diagnosed with COVID-19
• workers who are self-isolated and awaiting COVID-19 test results
• casual workers who are tested for, or diagnosed with, COVID-19 within 21 days of last working, and
• workers who die from COVID-19.

Greens Leader Adam Bandt said:
“The Greens want to ensure that workers affected by coronavirus get supported through this crisis and this is a very straightforward proposal that all other political parties at State and Federal levels can support.
“Hundreds of thousands of people will be off work in connection with the coronavirus because they’re sick, in self-isolation or their workplace has had an incident.
“Governments are scrambling to support workers in this time of crisis, but part of the solution is right before their eyes.
“If we change the law so that sick or coronavirus-affected workers are automatically entitled to existing workers’ compensation schemes, they will maintain an income without imposing costs on their employer.
“This simple move also means we don’t have to create new payment systems and the delays that can come with that, because we’re using well-known and proven institutions who know how to get money to workers when they need it.”
Greens MP and spokesperson for workers’ right David Shoebridge said:
“We can and we must act urgently to provide far more protection for workers in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
“So many workers in industries like retail, hospitality and the entertainment sector, are employed as casuals and without these protections if they fall sick they will get nothing.
“The Federal and state governments are providing stimulus packages and bailouts to businesses, they must now act to protect workers.
“No worker should suffer a financial cost because they got sick at work or have to isolate after attending work.
“The Greens are calling on all political parties to support these changes  and act now before the COVID-19 crisis is at its peak’.
“All states and territories should consider introducing similar legislation, the COVID-19 crisis is a bigger challenge than anything we’ve seen in our lifetime, this is not a time for half measures.”

Australian governments are working together to slow the spread of coronavirus to save lives.
Every extra bit of time allows us to better prepare our health system and put measures in place to protect Australian lives.
We will be living with this virus for at least six months, so social distancing measures to slow this virus down must be sustainable for at least that long to protect Australian lives, allow Australia to keep functioning and keep Australians in jobs.
The Prime Minister, state and territory Premiers and Chief Ministers met on 24 March 2020 as the National Cabinet.
We are leading the world on testing with more than 161,000 Australians tested and around 2,000 Australians confirmed cases. In contrast to many countries, the majority of Australian cases of coronavirus have been from people returning overseas or direct contacts with people who had been overseas.
However, National Cabinet noted that there has been a significant growth in the number of cases in Australia, with a significant number of Australians returning from overseas and small community outbreaks associated with returned travellers.
National Cabinet reiterated that practicing good hygiene and keeping a healthy physical distance between individuals is our most powerful weapon in fighting this virus and saving lives.
The highest priority should be placed on social isolation measures as well as strict and rapid contact tracing of individuals. It is paramount that contact tracing occur quickly and thoroughly and that public data is available to support this effort.
Leaders again call on all Australian to do their bit to save the lives of other Australians.
Australians should stay at home, unless shopping for essentials, travelling to and from work – where you cannot work from home, going to school and exercising. Keep visitors to your home at a minimum. In outdoor spaces do not congregate in groups.
Leaders thank those members of the public who are adhering to social distancing measures. However, leaders expressed their disappointment at some members of the community who are disregarding social distancing measures and, by doing so, putting the lives of older and vulnerable Australians at risk.
Ban on Australians travelling overseas
Leaders noted that the Commonwealth Government will implement a ‘do not travel’ ban on Australians travelling overseas under the Biosecurity Act 2015.
This will help avoid travellers returning to Australia with coronavirus and the risks of spreading coronavirus to other countries.
Exemptions, which will be managed by the Australian Border Force, will apply to a range of categories of travellers, including for those citizens ordinarily resident overseas, where travel is essential or necessary, where travel is in our national interest, and on compassionate and humanitarian grounds.
This prohibition is aligned with the Government’s decision to raise the Smartraveller Travel Advice to Level 4 – Do Not Travel overseas.
Clarification of current measures and new measures
If we want to slow the spread of the virus, everyone must implement appropriate social distancing in accordance with state and territory laws.
National Cabinet agreed to new and enhanced social distance measures, building on the existing measures that are in place.
National Cabinet confirmed and clarified the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) advice regarding the requirements of previously announced measures, in particular those related to non-essential gatherings and outdoor gatherings.
National Cabinet will meet again on Wednesday 25 March 2020.
Additional prohibited activities and venues to apply from 11.59pm (local time) 25 March 2020

Business, premises or place	Exceptions
Food and drink
Cafes	Takeaway service and home delivery Cafés or canteens at hospitals, care homes or schools; prison and military canteens; services providing food or drink to the homeless, workplace canteens can provide takeaway
Food courts	Delivery and takeaway can remain operational
Retail
Auction houses
Real estate auctions and open house inspections	Private appointments for inspection
Outdoor and indoor markets will be a decision for each state and territory	Food markets will continue to operate in all states and territories
Beauty and personal care services
Hairdressers and barber shops	Up to 30 minute appointments and the 1 person per 4 square metre rule applies in the premises
Beauty therapy, tanning, waxing, nail salons, tattoo parlours
Spas and massage parlours
Entertainment venues
Cinemas, nightclubs
Casinos, gaming or gambling venues
Strip clubs, brothels and sex on premises venues
Concert venues, theatre, arenas, auditoriums, stadiums	Live streaming of a performance by a small group could be permissible with social distancing observed
Amusement parks and arcades
Play centres (indoor and outdoor)
Leisure and recreation
Community and recreation centres	Facilities may remain open for the purpose of hosting essential voluntary or public services, such as food banks or homeless services.
Health clubs, fitness centres, yoga, barre and spin facilities, saunas, bathhouses and wellness centres
Boot camps, personal training operating outside and inside	For outside events, limited to groups of no more than 10 people and social distancing must be exercised.
Social sporting-based activities
Swimming pools
Residential facilities
Hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, campsites, caravan parks, and boarding houses will be a decision for each state and territory	Excluding permanent residents and workers.
Outdoor recreation
Caravan and camping parks will be a decision for each state and territory	Where people live permanently in caravan parks or are staying in caravan parks as interim abodes where their primary residence is not available, they may continue to do so.
Non-residential institutions
Galleries, museums, national institutions and historic sites
Libraries, community centres, and youth centres
Local government non-essential facilities and services (such as libraries and pools)
Community facilities (such as community halls, clubs, RSLs, PCYCs);
Places of worship, weddings and funerals	Weddings with a maximum attendance of no more than 5 people and where the 1 person per 4 square metre rule applies. Funerals attended by a maximum of no more than 10 people and where the 1 person per 4 square metre rule applies.

Action to prevent price gouging and exportation of critical sanitary and medical products
The Commonwealth Government will take action to help prevent exploitative price gouging and exporting products that are essential to preventing and controlling the spread of coronavirus.
These measures will help prevent individuals purchasing goods including face masks, hand sanitiser and vital medicines and either re-selling them at significant mark-ups or exporting them overseas in bulk, which prevents these goods from reaching people who need them in Australia.
These measures will not be designed to affect normal consumer buying of goods, commercial imports and exports, or other appropriate bulk sales.

The Greens have circulated amendments in the senate to make sure no-one is disadvantaged by the Government’s stimulus package.
The Greens will seek the support of the senate to:

• Extend the $550 supplement to Youth Allowance for students, Austudy, ABSTUDY, DSP and Carer Payment; Age Pensioners on Commonwealth Rent Assistance;
• Extend the one off $750 payment to people on low income health care cards;
• Ensure that people in the Cashless Debit Card trial sites get their stimulus payment paid into their regular bank account, rather than quarantined; and
• Extend an additional $750 per child for families with children receiving FTB Part A.

Greens spokesperson on Family and Community Services Senator Rachel Siewert said:
“The Greens have welcomed the increase to Jobseeker payment in this package but unfortunately some groups are missing out on an increase to their payments. The Greens have moved these amendments to ensure that everyone is supported to get through this crisis.
“Students, disabled people, carers and older Australians who are renting are already more likely to be living in poverty or on a very low income and should have had their payments increased in the second stimulus package.
“I am disappointed that those on low income health care cards, who by the very definition of the card are living on a very low income, will not receive the $750 payment. We know those on low incomes will spend the money.
“For current Cashless Debit Card trial participants, the Bill quarantines 100% of the $750 payment onto a person’s card. Doesn’t the Government want all Australians to be spending cash and stimulating the economy at the moment?
“This is more of the Government’s punitive approach to those on income support. I will seek to remove this from the Bill to ensure that people on compulsory income management receive the payments straight into their bank account.
“It’s also unfair that families with children receiving FTB Part A won’t receive additional relief during this time to acknowledge that extra resources are needed if you are raising a family.
“Failing to address these issues could place the safety of our communities at risk.
“The Government must act urgently and provide adequate funding for at-risk communities to ensure that everyone is supported to get through this crisis.
“Now is the time for us to unite and make policy choices that help people cope through this crisis.”

The Greens have called on the Morrison Government to urgently fund services needed to respond to the increased risk of family violence during the Coronavirus crisis.
Greens Senator Larissa Waters urged the government to recognise the risks presented by quarantining at home.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe at home. But experience overseas shows that being at home during the COVID-19 crisis can put some women and children at higher risk of abuse from violent or controlling partners,” she said today.
“In the coming months, violence exacerbated by financial pressures, anxiety, restricted access to friends and family, and lack of escape options will mean that some women and children are not safe at home.  Services to support those escaping violence are already struggling to meet demand, and the coronavirus will only make things worse.
The Australian Greens are calling on the government to:

• Urgently fund crisis accommodation.
• Waive time limits on accessing crisis accommodation to ensure women and children can safely self-isolate for a minimum of 14 days.
• Urgently increase funding for frontline domestic and family violence services to respond to
  • increased and changing demands by:
  • increasing staff;
  • implementing public health protocols;
  • investing in new technology to allow remote advice and support services to be delivered safely and securely.
• Increase funding for Safe at Home programs.
• Work with the COAG Women’s Safety Council to ensure specialist domestic and family violence police officers are available to oversee DVO / AVO applications and enforcement.

“To get through this crisis we all need to work together and find ways to ensure everyone is safe from violence,” Senator Larissa Waters said.

More than 250,000 Australians will have an extra $550 a fortnight to get through the Coronavirus crisis, after the Greens pushed the government to extend a crucial supplementary payment that had omitted Australia’s students.
Following questioning from Senator Rachel Siewert and Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Matthias Cormann said the government would now immediately regulate to make Abstudy, Austudy, and Youth Allowance (Student) eligible for the Coronavirus Supplement.
Adam Bandt MP, Leader of the Australian Greens:
“We successfully pushed the government over recent weeks to lift Newstart, extend the stimulus package to the not-for-profit sector, and now to include students in the Coronavirus supplement.
“Students whose casual shifts have dried up were in real strife. The government’s package left too many people behind. The Greens have kept the pressure on the government, and delivered for people doing it tough.”
Australian Greens Education Spokesperson:
“When students and the Greens fight together, they win. We’ve won recognition that, at a time when students are losing work and their studies are up in the air, they are absolutely deserve of the same support as anyone else.
“We’ll keep fighting to protect students throughout this crisis, including for an increase to rent assistance and better access to mental health services.”
Australian Greens Social Services Spokesperson:
“It took a lot of questioning and pressure to get the government to give students this basic dignity, and to realise the negative impact their approach would have had on young people. This victory shows the importance of holding the government to account, even when they’re adamant that they will not budge.
“This isn’t over. We need to make sure people on disability support pension and carer allowance will also see a raise in this time of crisis.
Tonight, Matthias Cormann admitted the Minister has the power to extent the Coronavirus Supplement to people on those payments. If they don’t, it will be a shocking act of cruelty to vulnerable people during one of the worst crises Australia has ever faced.”