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Queensland residents inspired to put on masks amid Covid surge
Queensland deputy premier Steven Miles has inspired residents of the sunshine state to put on masks as the newest wave of Covid-19 spreads throughout the nation whilst governments haven’t but reintroduced masks mandates.
It won’t harm you.
Miles stated the federal government will “proceed to observe the state of affairs” and can talk any new choices as they happen. Till then the general public ought to comply with the well being recommendation.
Requested a couple of lack of private protecting gear (PPE) for Queensland well being employees, Miles stated he was not conscious of any shortages and the federal government had “labored arduous” to stockpile PPE across the state.
The feedback come amid a press convention asserting that Suncorp Stadium will stay the house of the Broncos for one more 12 years.
Queensland Well being reported no new deaths from Covid-19 on Sunday morning.
Key occasions:
Michael McGowan
In 2015, Stuart Ayres, the MP for Penrith in Sydney’s west, stood on the website of an outdated quarry in his citizens and informed a journalist to think about houses “so far as your eye can see”.
“There are such a lot of alternatives we will discover,” he informed Channel 9. “Several types of housing, bigger houses, smaller houses, and all kinds of leisure actions will occur there.”
Ayres was speaking about Penrith Lakes, a 2,000-hectare website owned by a consortium of companies, together with the Kerry Stokes-owned Seven Group via its majority stake within the constructing supplies provider Boral.
Eight years later, simply what number of – if any – houses will probably be constructed is topic to some uncertainty. Penrith Lakes is positioned across the Hawkesbury-Nepean floodplain, and has been among the many areas inundated within the quite a few floods to hit that a part of western Sydney in latest months and years.
Whereas a 2019 investor presentation from Boral raised hopes for “5000+” houses on the website, the federal government has cooled on its enthusiasm due to the flood threat. After increasing the realm permitted for enterprise improvement by 40 hectares in 2020, it has since dominated out residential zoning on the location.
Ayres, now the deputy chief of the New South Wales Liberal celebration, says he’s opposed too. In funds estimates earlier this 12 months Ayres stated he was “categorically opposed” to large-scale residential improvement at Penrith Lakes.
Final 12 months he stated the suggestion he supported large-scale residential improvement on the location was “a politically motivated lie”. The footage, he says, was taken earlier than flood mapping confirmed Penrith Lakes shouldn’t be developed on.
“Residential housing will not be acceptable on the Penrith Lakes. Full cease,” Ayres stated.
However as flood waters from the Hawkesbury-Nepean once more inundate houses for the fourth time since March 2021, the NSW authorities’s improvement plans within the metropolis’s fastest-growing area are once more below the highlight.
For extra on how New South Wales is grappling with the results of creating on floodplains, learn the total story from The Guardian Australia’s Michael McGowan.
Skywhale sizzling air balloon fails to take off in sturdy winds
The winds of Ballarat have confirmed an excessive amount of for beloved Australian art work Skywhale with the recent air balloon failing to take off after a rip left it unable to be inflated.
Skywhale is the creation of Australian artist Patricia Piccinini that first flew in 2013 and has since travelled across the nation. It’s fellow creation, Skywhalepapa additionally didn’t fly within the sturdy Ballarat sturdy winds.
In an announcement on its social media the Artwork Gallery of Ballarat apologised to those that got here out to see Skywhale.
Sadly because of the wind they received’t be flying at present, however we cherished listening to Jess Inexperienced and the choir play because the sculptures inflated and danced collectively because the solar rose.
The state of affairs in New South Wales could also be easing however the state isn’t completely out of the woods but.
In the meantime it’s been a frosty begin within the south-east nook of the nation.
Queensland residents inspired to put on masks amid Covid surge
Queensland deputy premier Steven Miles has inspired residents of the sunshine state to put on masks as the newest wave of Covid-19 spreads throughout the nation whilst governments haven’t but reintroduced masks mandates.
It won’t harm you.
Miles stated the federal government will “proceed to observe the state of affairs” and can talk any new choices as they happen. Till then the general public ought to comply with the well being recommendation.
Requested a couple of lack of private protecting gear (PPE) for Queensland well being employees, Miles stated he was not conscious of any shortages and the federal government had “labored arduous” to stockpile PPE across the state.
The feedback come amid a press convention asserting that Suncorp Stadium will stay the house of the Broncos for one more 12 years.
Queensland Well being reported no new deaths from Covid-19 on Sunday morning.
Australia’s jobless fee tipped to hit its lowest degree in 48 years
Australia’s jobless fee is tipped to hit its lowest degree in 48 years when official knowledge is launched later this week.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics will launch its June labour pressure survey on Thursday.
CBA Group economists count on round 25,000 jobs to be added within the month, with the unemployment fee easing from 3.9% to three.8 %, the bottom degree since August 1974.
NAB economists say the participation fee must be sustained at 66.7%.
The Commonwealth Financial institution’s family spending intentions index for June will probably be launched on Tuesday, alongside the ABS’s family spending indicator for Might.
– with AAP
Sri Lankan president agrees to resign amid unrest
Hannah Ellis-Petersen
The Sri Lankan president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, has agreed to resign after a dramatic day throughout which his home and places of work had been stormed by protesters and the house of the prime minister set on fireplace.
In a late-night message conveyed via the parliamentary speaker, Mahinda Yapa, the beleaguered president stated he would step down from energy on 13 July to “guarantee a peaceable transition of energy”.
It was an historic victory for the protesters who’ve been calling for him to resign for months and gathered on the streets of Colombo of their tens of 1000’s on Saturday, because the nation continues to wrestle via its worst financial disaster since independence.
Earlier prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, had informed a gathering of celebration leaders that he too would resign as quickly as a brand new all-party authorities was shaped.
In extraordinary scenes on Saturday, protesters broke via police limitations and charged into the president’s official residence. Pictures and witness accounts confirmed individuals flooding up the grand staircase of the colonial-era constructing, with chants calling for the president to go.
As protesters poured into the bedrooms and kitchen and rifled via the president’s possessions, many took full benefit of the president’s luxurious facilities which had been denied to them in latest weeks as a result of rampant meals and gasoline shortages. Protesters had been seen cooking up curries within the kitchen, mendacity down on beds and sofas, lifting weights and jogging in his personal gymnasium and leaping into the outside pool.
The president was not at residence, having fled the evening earlier than below army safety, and he remained in hiding as Saturday’s occasions unfolded.
Rajith, 50, stated he had come to participate within the protests as he had two younger youngsters and “there’s no meals to eat”. He spoke of his shock at coming into the president’s residence and seeing that, whereas Sri Lankans had been struggling, “they didn’t lack something. We noticed their luxurious rooms, their AC, their cooking fuel. They even have so many pedigree pets.”
For extra particulars see the particular report from the Observer’s Hannah Ellis-Petersen in Delihi and Devana Senanayake in Colombo.
Victoria’s ambulance service points one other ‘code pink’ below excessive demand
Victoria’s embattled ambulance service declares one other “code pink” in a single day after buckling below excessive demand. AAP reviews:
The emergency process was carried out at round 2am and lasted one-and-a half hours, throughout which these in metropolitan Melbourne had been urged to not name for an ambulance except they had been in a critical situation.
Employees had been compelled to function at restricted capability and restricted entry to triple zero meant some calls had been doubtlessly unanswered.
The disaster protocol noticed managers compelled to return to responsibility to handle hospital transfers, fast offloading of sufferers at hospital and decrease the variety of acuity sufferers being referred to different companies.
Extra employees had been recalled and non-emergency ambulances responded to some circumstances.
It comes amid contemporary considerations about Covid-19 outbreaks.
A minimum of two different code reds have been declared in latest months.
Ambulance union secretary Danny Hill stated the system is struggling.
The system is busier than it has ever been and that’s not due to a rise in strokes, coronary heart assaults or automobile accidents, it’s due to a rise in reliance on triple zero.
It means [paramedics] received’t be ending their shifts on time or getting a meal break and can spend a big a part of their shift ramped on the hospital as a result of there’s so many sufferers they’re bringing in.
Melbourne regulation agency Slater and Gordon is contemplating submitting a category motion lawsuit in opposition to the state’s triple-zero authority, as a result of latest deaths linked to inner failures.
1000’s of Victorians may be a part of the lawsuit in opposition to the Emergency Providers Telecommunications Authority, following a collection of deadly system errors which have led to a minimum of 15 deaths and a number of accidents together with youngsters since 2014.
Paul Karp
Coalition is ‘weak’ for criticising PM attending Pacific Islands Discussion board, Labor minister says
The minister for worldwide improvement and the Pacific, Pat Conroy, has slammed the Coalition for criticising Anthony Albanese for his plans to attend the Pacific Islands Discussion board.
Conroy informed Sky Information this morning the Coalition sniping exhibits they’re “weak” and labelled the feedback “incompetence” and “utterly in opposition to the nationwide curiosity”.
He stated the PIF is a key piece of regional structure, and the brand new authorities must go to elucidate that Australia is now taking local weather change significantly.
Conroy attended a gathering of Pacific international ministers late final week, which he stated reiterated the necessity to look to “our personal safety first earlier than any exterior companions”.
China is “very at rising their presence within the area, as is the US, UK, France, India”, he stated, however the “consensus was to take a look at the area first for safety wants, and solely look exterior in the event that they can’t be met from throughout the area”.
Conroy stated it’s more durable to persuade Pacific nations to look to Australia if the area feels “we’re disrespecting” them on points together with local weather change.
South Australian Coalition senator Simon Birmingham, stated it was “pure and regular” that the brand new authorities needed to determine relations with different governments, nevertheless it’s too early to say in the event that they’re any good at international affairs. The proof will probably be within the outcomes not the having of the assembly, Birmingham stated.
No Covid-19 deaths in Queensland
No individuals with Covid-19 have died in Queensland in a single day, with the state recording 4,174 new circumstances on Sunday morning, 744 individuals in hospital, and 15 in ICU.
Andrew Barr, chief minister of the ACT has introduced he’s Covid-positive and heading into isolation.
NSW residents face highway closures and prepare outages after floods
Residents of New South Wales seeking to journey again to their houses after the floods ought to pay attention to highway closures and prepare outages throughout the state.
The Hunter, decrease Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains areas, roads stay reduce in a number of cities and prepare companies are affected.
The T1 Western, Blue Mountains and Hunter prepare traces will not be working between some stations, and the Parramatta River ferries are providing alternative transport between some stops.
– with AAP
Flood-affected residents returning residence urged to be cautious
Flood victims returning to inundated houses have been urged to mentally put together and attain out for assist from individuals round them as evacuation orders ease.
Some 37,000 individuals remained below evacuation orders on Saturday because the State Emergency Service’s Adam Jones stated it was working via easing its emergency notices.
There’s clearly ramifications with that. It’s not only a free-for-all, run again in there.
There will probably be particles, their houses received’t have been checked, so if it has been inundated, there might be structural points.
The electrics may have to be checked out by an electrician. There might be mud and sewage all over the place.
Flood-affected residents returning to properties ought to put on PPE, boots, gloves and have sanitiser useful.
Jones additionally urged individuals to mentally put together to see their houses considerably broken, and to achieve out for group assist.
Everybody’s going to be a bit pressured below these circumstances.
Restoration efforts within the state will probably be overseen by former detective Dean Betts and fellow Resilience NSW director Mel Gore, Emergency Providers Minister Steph Cooke stated on Saturday.
“These appointments will assist to make sure flood-affected communities obtain assist in a well timed and environment friendly manner,” Cooke stated.
Flooding continued within the Hunter and decrease Hawkesbury areas on Saturday, with greater than 1,000 authorities personnel on standby to help.
Some 37 Victorian emergency personnel additionally travelled to NSW to assist with the rescue and clean-up, taking the entire variety of crew from the state to 94.
Cooke stated the instant priorities had been injury assessments and ensuring displaced residents may entry emergency lodging.
Of two,285 premises already examined, 239 have been deemed not liveable and an extra 973 require repairs.
– with AAP
Coalition’s EV messaging contributed to low uptake, skilled says
Australia’s former chief scientist Dr Alan Finkel says the earlier authorities’s messaging round electrical automobiles contributed to the low uptake of electrical automobiles.
Chatting with the ABC on Sunday morning, Dr Finkel, who’s now a particular advisor the federal authorities on low emissions know-how, was why Australia lagged Europe within the uptake of electrical automobiles.
There are plenty of causes, historic causes, one being simply the dimensions of the nation, one being a few of the messaging that has been on the market round electrical vehicles. However it’s altering very, very quickly.
Finkel stated that gross sales are rising, the variety of obtainable fashions are rising and the Albanese authorities was committing to constructing extra charging infrastructure and tax adjustments to encourage uptake.
He stated Australia needed to work to each mitigate local weather change and adapt to a unique world. Electrical automobiles would assist obtain this by decreasing transport emissions, however one other space the place work wanted to be performed was within the building of transmission traces to permit renewable power produced in a single space moved to a different.
If there’s a new renewable power zone, say, in western New South Wales or western Victoria and also you need to convey photo voltaic and wind electrical energy from that renewable power zone to Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle or the LaTrobe Valley, you want new transmission traces. That’s the limiting issue.
Finkel stated the federal authorities has put aside a $20bn fund to handle this however it would take time to assemble them as typically these traces are constructed throughout personal property, native title land, should navigate native and state regulation or face different geographical challenges.
Covid antivirals obtainable to over-70s from Monday
Aged Australians with extreme medical situations will have the ability to entry lifesaving Covid-19 antiviral therapies from Monday.
Australians aged over 70 who check optimistic to Covid will have the ability to entry antivirals on the Pharmaceutical Advantages Scheme.
Entry can even be expanded to individuals aged over 50 with two or extra threat components for extreme illness, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander individuals aged over 30 with two or extra threat components for extreme illness. Immunocompromised individuals over 18 can also be eligible.
There may be additionally larger entry for adults dwelling with incapacity who’ve a number of medical situations.
The brand new oral antiviral therapies can be found via an individual’s physician and might save lives – however should be began quickly after testing optimistic.
Greater than 73,000 Australians have already benefited from these medicines.
Antiviral therapies, taken as a pill or capsule, assist to cease Covid-19 an infection from changing into extreme – however they have to be began early after testing optimistic.
Federal well being minister Mark Butler stated he was “happy” hundreds of thousands of individuals will now be eligible for brand new antiviral therapies, notably with the unfold of latest variants.
The previous Morrison authorities purchased a whole bunch of 1000’s of doses of those medicines which were sitting on a shelf as a substitute of getting used to assist people who find themselves prone to extreme sickness.
These oral antivirals dramatically scale back the chance of extreme illness notably for older Australians and can assist hold individuals out of hospital.
Two antivirals are on the PBS that means these outstanding therapies that usually value greater than $1,000 will solely be $6.80 for a concession card holder, and round $40 for everybody else.
Nonetheless talking to ABC Insiders on Sunday, Butler resisted calls to reintroduce stronger measures like pandemic go away funds and masks mandates.
We’re past … lockdowns and mandates and emergency funds.
We’re on the level the place there must be most info to the group to allow them to make knowledgeable choices themselves.
– with AAP
‘Emergency funds can’t be continued ceaselessly’, Butler says
And that’s it for the interview with federal well being minister Mark Butler on how the federal government is at the moment fascinated by the pandemic at this stage.
However earlier than I let this go I simply need to return and pull out a quote from that trade. Speers was pushing Butler on the pandemic cost – and it’s price stating that it’s unlawful for individuals with Covid-19 to not isolate.
Butler:
This pandemic is a fluid pandemic and it’s not behind us by any means. We have to be trustworthy with the Australian individuals. The funds is in a really unhealthy place. And emergency funds can’t be continued ceaselessly.
There was plenty of info on this assertion – and maybe a well timed reminder that governments present you what they care about about how they spend their cash.
Butler on winding again telehealth companies
The opposite large challenge mentioned is the choice to wind again 70 telehealth companies. Speers factors out medical professionals need the federal government to rethink the choice to finish these companies.
Butler counters pointing to “some medical doctors” who “have made the purpose clinically that it’s an excellent determination to place a restrict on phone consultations”:
This [decision to end these services] was a choice by the previous authorities. Telehealth is now a everlasting characteristic. It’s at all times greatest if potential to have a head to head seek the advice of together with your physician, if you’ll want to seek the advice of with them remotely you are able to do that. It’s the restrict on telehealth consults for as much as 20 minutes.
The recommendation to me and my former colleague, Greg Hunt, there’s good purpose for that. For complicated longer consultations that face-to-face engagement you get, both in particular person or via FaceTime or Skyping, face-to-face video seek the advice of, is clinically necessary.
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