VIRUS DISEASES – VICTORIA

Mini-steps to Melbourne reopening

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Original article by Alex White, Sharon McGowan
Herald Sun – Page: 9 : 12-Oct-20

Victoria recorded 12 new coronavirus cases on 11 October, following 14 on the previous day; the state’s death toll from COVID-19 has risen by one to 810. Victoria’s 14-day average of new cases is now 9.6, and Premier Daniel Andrews has conceded that the target number for stage-four lockdown restrictions to be eased on 19 October is unlikely to be met. However, he has signalled that there will be "significant changes" to the restrictions, which could include allowing larger groups of people to gather outdoors. Restrictions on regional businesses are also likely to be relaxed. Meanwhile, the government has extended Victoria’s ‘State of Emergency’ and ‘State of Disaster’ declarations for another four weeks.

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VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET

Andrews and staffers to hand over phone and text records

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Original article by Ewin Hannan, Tessa Akerman
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 12-Oct-20

The board of inquiry into Victoria’s botched hotel quarantine program has requested access to the telephone records of Premier Daniel Andrews and his senior staff. This includes Chris Eccles, the head of Department of Premier & Cabinet. Andrews has indicated that his government will provide full access to this data, including text messages and all messages that were posted on encrypted apps in relation to the quarantine program. The inquiry is still trying to determine who was responsible for the decision to use private security guards.

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VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET

Victoria must wait for freedom

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Original article by Rebecca Urban,Remy Varga
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 28-Sep-20

Premier Daniel Andrews says further easing of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in Victoria will depend solely on case numbers rather than the timetable outlined in his government’s ‘roadmap’. Andrews announced a number of changes to lockdown rules on 27 September, including the abolition of Melbourne’s controversial nightly curfew. In addition, the next date for easing of restrictions has been brought forward by one week, to 19 October, while Andrews has again urged the need to "stay the course" in coming weeks. Victoria reported 16 new coronavirus cases on 27 September, following 12 on 26 September and 14 on the previous day. There are currently 399 active cases across Victoria, and the state’s COVID-19 death toll has risen to 784.

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VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET

Labor MPs disgusted by treatment of Mikakos

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Original article by Alex White,Kieran Rooney,Sharon McGowan
Herald Sun – Page: 10 : 28-Sep-20

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has been criticised by some members of his own government over his treatment of former health minister Jenny Mikakos. One state Labor MP has described Daniels as a "tyrant" and a "dictator", after Mikakos resigned from both the health portfolio and parliament on 26 September. Mikakos said she cannot continue to serve in Andrews’ cabinet following his comments to the inquiry into the state’s hotel quarantine program. Amongst other things, Andrews said Mikakos was ‘accountable’ for the botched program. Martin Foley will take over the health portfolio.

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VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET,VICTORIA. DEPT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Citizens detaining fellow citizens a bridge too far: jurists

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Original article by Damon Johnson, Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 23-Sep-20

A group of barristers and retired judges have written an open letter to the Victorian government expressing concern about the COVID-19 Omnibus (Emergency Measures) and Other Acts Amendment Bill. They have urged the state’s upper house to reject the bill outright or push for changes to it, warning that the powers that would be given to ‘authorised officers’ to arrest and detain people would be "unprecedented, excessive and open to abuse". Amongst other things, the bill would allow people to be detained indefinitely if it is suspected that they could potentially breach COVID-19 restrictions. Key crossbenchers have signalled that they will reject the bill, which has already passed the lower house.

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REASON PARTY

MCG set for Boxing Day miracle

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Original article by Ben Horne
The Australian – Page: 22 : 8-Sep-20

Cricket Australia is set to provisionally announce that the MCG will host the traditional Boxing Day Test match in 2020, subject to coronavirus restrictions. The Adelaide Oval will be designated the back-up venue if the MCG has to be ruled out. The rate of community transmission of COVID-19 will determine if the MCG hosts the second Test of the four-match series against India, with a final decision likely to be made in November. The MCG is expected to have a reduced crowd capacity of between 20,000 and 30,000 per day for the match, with social distancing rules to be enforced.

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CRICKET AUSTRALIA, MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND, ADELAIDE OVAL

Low blow: Andrews’ Covid goal too hard

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Original article by Stephen Lunn, Jamie Walker
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 8-Sep-20

World Health Organisation adviser Professor Dale Fisher has questioned the COVID-19 case number targets in the Victorian government’s ‘roadmap’ for easing lockdown restrictions. He says the trigger of having fewer than five new cases per day over two weeks before most of the restrictions are eased may be too low, and a higher daily target may be appropriate. Infectious diseases expert Peter Collignon says the state government has clearly adopted a strategy of elimination rather than suppression, even though it has not admitted this. Victoria recorded just 41 new coronavirus cases on 7 September, its lowest daily total in more than 10 weeks. The state’s death toll from COVID-19 rose by nine to 675, lifting the national toll to 762.

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WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

Claimants face tough hurdles in virus class action

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Original article by Ronald Mizen
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 1-Sep-20

Law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan is leading a class action against the Victorian government on behalf of businesses that have been affected by the state’s new coronavirus lockdown. The lawsuit will allege that the government was negligent in its handling of the hotel quarantine program. Evidence from the inquiry into the botched program will be crucial in the class action, as will the results of genomic sequencing to trace the initial source of the second wave of infections. However, prominent lawyer Julian Burnside warns that establishing causation may be difficult.

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QUINN EMANUEL URQUHART AND SULLIVAN LP

Andrews sets date to reveal his post-shutdown plans for Victoria

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Original article by
The New Daily – Page: Online : 1-Sep-20

Premier Daniel Andrews will outline a ‘roadmap’ for easing Victoria’s coronavirus lockdown restrictions on 6 September. However, he says another week of daily case numbers will be needed before any decisions are made about which restrictions can be relaxed from 13 September. Victoria reported 73 new coronavirus cases on 31 August, the lowest daily total in eight weeks. The state has reported an additional 41 deaths from the respiratory illness; 33 of these deaths occurred in aged-care facilities in recent weeks but had not previously been reported to health authorities. Victoria’s death toll from COVID-19 has risen to 565, and the national toll is now 652.

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VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET

Victoria: State of confidence but virus is stubborn

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Original article by Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 5 : 24-Aug-20

Victoria reported 208 new coronavirus cases on 23 August, after case numbers remained below 200 on each of the two previous days. The state’s seven-day daily average has fallen to 218, its lowest level since mid-July. Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton is optimistic that daily case numbers will not return to the 300-400 range, while Premier Daniel Andrews has warned against complacency in the final weeks of Melbourne’s stage-four lockdown. Victoria’s death toll has risen by 17 to 415; and the national toll is now 502.

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