VICTORIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Victorian budget a risk to recovery

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Original article by Rachel Baxendale, Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 21-May-21

The Victorian government’s May 2021 Budget shows that the state’s net debt will blow out to $156.3bn by mid-2025. However, the government has confirmed that the state’s deficit for 2020-21 will be much lower than previously forecast, at $17.4bn. The key measure announced in the Budget is a payroll tax surcharge of 0.5 per cent on businesses with a wages bill of more than $10m; this will rise to one per cent for businesses with wages costs of more than $100m. The surcharge is slated to raise $387m in 2021-22 and about $3bn over four years, with the proceeds to be used to finance a $3.8bn mental health package. The levy has been criticised by business leaders and federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who warn that it will cost jobs and undermine the national economy’s recovery from the pandemic.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Experts eye Melbourne-made mRNA vaccines

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Original article by Paul Sakkal, Melissa Cunningham, Liam Mannix, Rachel Clun, Emma Koehn
The Age – Page: Online : 22-Apr-21

The Victorian government has announced that it will contribute $50m to the cost of establishing a facility to manufacture mRNA-based vaccines in Melbourne. Professor Colin Pouton of Monash University believes that this amount of funding would be sufficient to establish a facility for the local manufacturing of the COVID-19 vaccines that were developed by Pfizer and Moderna. He says Australia could begin producing these vaccines within a year, adding that this could be accelerated if CSL – which is producing AstraZeneca’s adenovirus-based vaccine – becomes involved. Australia currently receives limited supplies of the Pfizer vaccine.

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MONASH UNIVERSITY, PFIZER INCORPORATED, MODERNA INCORPORATED, ASTRAZENECA PLC, CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL

Victoria set to snap out of lockdown

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Original article by Tom Minear, James Campbell
Herald Sun – Page: 9 : 17-Feb-21

The number of COVID-19 cases linked to Melbourne’s Holiday Inn cluster has risen to 19, after Victoria recorded two new locally-acquired COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. Both are close contacts of a person who attended a family function in Coburg. However, the Victorian government is expected to end the state’s five-day snap lockdown as scheduled at 11.59pm on 17 February, unless there is a spike in positive cases. Some restrictions are likely to remain in place, including a requirement to wear a face mask indoors. Crowds are also set to return to the Australian Open, although a new cap is likely to apply.

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AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS

Victoria to test hotel quarantine staff daily after worker’s mystery Covid case

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Original article by Elias Visontay
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 9-Feb-21

The Victorian government has introduced changes to its quarantine hotel system after a second worker contracted the virus in less than a week. Amongst other things, quarantine hotel staff will be tested for the coronavirus every day, even if they have not worked a shift, while all staff will be issued with personal protective equipment. The changes were implemented after a Grand Hyatt employee contracted the UK variant and a woman tested positive for COVID-19 after completing a shift at the Holiday Inn on 7 February. Health authorities hope that genomic sequencing will help to determine how the woman contracted the virus.

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Back to work on Monday: Melbourne’s CBD revival can begin

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Original article by Shannon Deery, John Dagge
Herald Sun – Page: 11 : 15-Jan-21

The Victorian government has advised that 50 per cent of private sector employees will be able to return to working in offices from 18 January, while 25 per cent of public sector workers will be permitted on-site. The government expects to further increase the capacity limits in late February, subject to public health advice. Meanwhile, office staff will no longer be required to wear face masks at work, but employers will have to keep a record of all workers and visitors who attend their premises for more than 15 minutes. Victoria has recorded an eight successive day with no new locally-acquired COVID-19 cases; there are 29 active cases across the state.

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You need a permit to go home, Victorians told

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Original article by Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 4 : 12-Jan-21

Victoria’s Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien has criticised the state government’s new travel permit system for people who are returning from interstate, describing it as an ‘overreach’. He contends that the system will require Victorians to apply for permission from the government to enter the state even if they have been in a region that has never had a COVID-19 case. Failure to comply with the permit system will attract a fine of nearly $5,000. The government has also launched a ‘traffic light’ advisory system for people intending to travel interstate. Victoria has recorded five consecutive days with no new locally-acquired COVID-19 cases.

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LIBERAL PARTY OF VICTORIA

Victoria closes border to South Australia after outbreak

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Original article by Rachael Dexter, Benjamin Preiss, Craig Butt
The Age – Page: Online : 20-Nov-20

South Australian residents will be banned from crossing the border into Victoria for 48 hours. The border closure took effect at 11.59pm on 19 November, although some exemptions will apply, including freight drivers and people needing medical care. The Victorian government will introduce a permit system on 21 November. The border closure was prompted by the discovery of coronavirus traces in wastewater at Portland and Benalla. Acting Chief Health Officer Allen Cheng says they could be from an active case or a recovered case who is still shedding the virus. Victoria has now recorded 20 consecutive days with no new COVID-19 cases. Premier Daniel Andrews says his government is still on track to further ease coronavirus restrictions within days.

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VICTORIA. DEPT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET

Victorian ALP (58.5%) streaks ahead of L-NP (41.5%). Premier Daniel Andrews approval jumps 12% to 71%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 12-Nov-20

A Roy Morgan Snap SMS survey on Victorian voting intention shows that the ALP’s two-party support has jumped 7% to 58.5% following the end of the state’s coronavirus lockdown, with the L-NP on 41.5%. Primary support for the ALP is now at 45%, up 5% points from four weeks ago and well ahead of the L-NP on 34.5%, down 5.5% points. Support for the Greens is up slightly to 11% (up 2% points) while support for Other Parties is down 0.5% to 5.5%. The survey also found that 71% of Victorian electors approve of the way Premier Daniel Andrews is handling his job (up 12% since mid-October), while 29% disapprove (down 12%). This special Roy Morgan Snap SMS survey was conducted with a Victoria-wide cross-section of 818 electors aged 18+ on November 9 and 10.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF VICTORIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Victoria whole again as ring of steel rusts away

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Original article by Remy Varga
The Australian – Page: 9 : 9-Nov-20

Victoria has recorded nine consecutive days with no new coronavirus cases. Premier Daniel Andrews has announced a further easing of lockdown restrictions that took effect at 11.59pm on 8 November. Amongst other things, the 25km travel limit in Melbourne has been scrapped and residents will now be free to travel to regional Victoria. The number of patrons that hospitality venues can serve has been increased, while cultural venues such as libraries and museums can reopen with strict rules on the number of patrons. Lockdown measures will be further eased on 23 November, although Andrews says face masks are likely to remain mandatory for some time. There are now just four active COVID-19 cases in Victoria, compared with 42 in New South Wales.

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VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET

Hotel handed $500k to quarantine no one

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Original article by Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 1 & 11 : 6-Nov-20

The Victorian government’s handling of its hotel quarantine program has come under renewed scrutiny. It has been revealed that the Sands Golf Resort in Torquay was paid $511,500 to house returned travellers under two state government contracts. However, the resort was not used as a quarantine hotel, and the Chinese-linked company that owned it subsequently went into administration. The company was also sanctioned for visa fraud less than a week before it was awarded the first government contract. The inquiry into the quarantine program will release its interim report on 6 November.

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