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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Elias Visontay and Mostafa Rachwani (earlier)

Scott Morrison says Covid close contact isolation rule ‘redundant’, more mobile homes on way to NSW flood victims – as it happened

New South Wales Scott Morrison Covid-19 ACT Queensland Western Australia Windsor Anthony Albanese Linda Burney Lismore
Prime minister Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny visit the flood affected property of Darren Vaughan and Chloe Konispoliatis on Old Hawkesbury Road at McGraths Hill in Sydney, Saturday, March 12, 2022.
Prime minister Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny visit the flood affected property of Darren Vaughan and Chloe Konispoliatis on Old Hawkesbury Road at McGraths Hill in Sydney, Saturday, March 12, 2022. Photograph: Dean Lewins/AAP

What we learned today, Saturday 12 March

With that, we’ll wrap up our live coverage of today’s news.

Here’s a summary of the main developments:

  • Scott Morrison has said civilians will always be at the centre of flood rescue and recovery strategies as his government continues to face criticism for not deploying defence forces in flood-ravaged areas sooner.
  • Nine more refugees who have been detained for several years have been released from Melbourne’s Park hotel, however those freed remain uncertain about whether they will be allowed to permanently live in Australia.
  • Victoria recorded 6,075 new Covid cases and 11 deaths while New South Wales recorded 12,850 cases and four deaths. Queensland recorded 4,029 cases and six deaths, while the ACT recorded 704 cases, Tasmania 1,130 cases and Western Australia 4,300 cases.
  • An emergency warning was issued for Wellesley in the Harvey shire in Western Australia, as a bushfire threatened lives and homes.

Have a great evening.

Updated

The prime minister says civilians will always be at the centre of flood rescue and recovery strategies as his government continues to face criticism for not deploying defence forces in flood-ravaged areas sooner.

Scott Morrison declared a national emergency in NSW late on Friday, triggering additional resources for the state and allowing the federal government to access stockpiled resources and remove red tape in terms of business and welfare support.

But the prime minister said locals would naturally be able to respond faster in disaster areas.

“That has always been an important part of our natural disaster response, and always will be,” Morrison said as he toured the flooded Windsor region on Saturday.

Scott Morrison visits a flood-affected property at McGraths Hill in Sydney
Scott Morrison visits a flood-affected property at McGraths Hill. Photograph: Dean Lewins/AAP

He also said 20 mobile home units had been set up in the Lismore area, with more than 100 more on the way, in a region where it’s estimated two-in-three flood-damaged homes will need to be demolished or undergo substantial repairs.

The federal government is splitting a $250m housing package with the NSW government which also includes rent relief as people are left homeless.

“It’s going to be a long road back,” Morrison said.

Read more:

Updated

Western Australia could soon have 10,000 Covid cases a day

Western Australia could have about 10,000 Covid-19 cases a day in the next week, as its Omicron wave peaks, reports AAP.

The health minister, Amber-Jade Sanderson, says WA is still in the early stages of its outbreak, with cases forecast to rise significantly from about 14 March.

Covid-19 hospitalisations will then peak about 10 days later, towards the end of the month.

Sanderson says the state has higher total case numbers than originally forecast but that reflected the public health measures.

She says:

We’ve tried to manage that rise to be slightly more gentle, obviously to manage hospitalisations but to limit the impact on business as well.

Putting the level two health measures and the fact that we’ve had masks since before Christmas has really helped us to flatten that curve out.

The state recorded 4,300 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday.

Updated

And with that, my time on the blog today comes to an end. Fear not, I leave you in the trusty hands of Elias Visontay. Thanks for reading.

And you can read more on the nine refugees released from Park hotel detention in the story from Elias Visontay:

Updated

Two earthquakes recorded in Victoria

The Seismology Centre is reporting two earthquakes in Victoria, near Mansfield.

One measured 2.6 and and the other 2.9, reported at 3:50am and 4:17am respectively.

Updated

Western Australia records 4,300 new Covid cases

Western Australia has reported 4,300 new cases, with 103 people in hospital and five people in ICU.

Updated

Emergency warning issued for bushfire in south-west WA

An emergency warning has been issued for Wellesley in the Shire of Harvey, in Western Australia, as a bushfire threatens lives and homes.

The warning is for an area bounded by Wellington Road, Wellesley Road North and Bernbrooke Place.

Authorities say people there are in danger and need to act immediately to survive.

Increasingly dangerous weather conditions meant the fire has been upgraded to emergency level, with the blaze first reported around 2am this morning.

Updated

Queensland records six Covid deaths and 4,029 new cases

Queensland has reported 4,029 new Covid cases overnight, and six deaths.

Updated

Tasmania reports 1,130 new cases

Tasmania has recorded 1,130 new cases overnight, with 14 people in hospital with the virus, and four in ICU.

Outside this anteroom at the University of Queensland is a stock standard laboratory where, like most labs around the world, plastic is ubiquitous. The bench tops are laminated, there are plastic tubs and bottles everywhere and staff walk around in lab coats made from synthetic fibres. There is plastic in the air, on the floor and scientists drink out of it.

But in here, through a tightly sealed door, there is virtually none of the stuff. Through another door, in an air-locked corridor, scientists walk in, plastic-free, ready to enter a laboratory space that is unlike any other in the world.

Here, the insulating wall panels are made from aluminium. The floor, ceiling and walls are made from steel that is welded to avoid the use of silicone or plastic joins. The air-filters are made from paper.

“Affectionately, it’s called the submarine,” says Prof Kevin Thomas, the director of UQ’s Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences.

Inside this metal box – just 12 sq metres in size and funded by the foundation of the mining billionaire, Andrew Forrest – scientists hope to answer one of the world’s most pressing environmental questions: is plastic, and the multitude of chemicals that go with it, getting into the tissues in our bodies? And if it is, are humans being harmed?

Read more:

While the trial is over, many matters remain unresolved.

My colleague Nino Bucci has been following the trial of the killing of 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker, and has written this on the questions his family still have, following the acquittal of Zachary Rolfe on Friday.

Scott Morrison says Covid close contact rules 'redundant'

I just wanted to return to comments the PM made at his press conference earlier, when he labelled close contact rules “redundant”.

Scott Morrison was speaking about the changes to close contact rules being considered by national cabinet, and said the old rules were “starving businesses of staff”:

It is important that we remove this close contact rule because it is starving businesses of staff, of hospitals of staff, and all of these things, although for the health sector, there have been some exemptions.

And the people who are running hospitality businesses and things like that, the close contact rule, particularly with kids back at school, I mean, we all know what it is like with kids and the flu and other things, they bring it home and then the whole family has to stay home and can’t go to work.

So that rule is becoming, we believe it is redundant, so we have gone to the medical expert panel to say what your urgent advice is on this as soon as possible, because we would like to say goodbye to that rule as quickly as we can.

Updated

ACT records 704 new Covid cases

The Australian Capital Territory has reported 704 new cases overnight.

Updated

Guardian Australia’s Christopher Knaus has been in Lismore this week, and his latest story, on the extraordinary evacuation of Ballina hospital, is well worth a read:

Updated

And that brings an end to the PM’s press conference.

The PM is asked about Covid restrictions, saying he doesn’t want to see a “regression” to previous Covid rules but couldn’t rule it out.

This is the challenge going into winter, we have had Covid for the past two years but the fact that we have had so many social restrictions means that we haven’t had a bad flu season in the last couple of years. In fact we have had very few fatalities from the flu. They dropped dramatically during that period.

Now that we are living with the virus, it means we are living with everything again, and that means there will be a flu season and so vulnerable people should be getting their flu shot, and even more broadly than that, we said that again, the flu shot should be mandatory in those aged care and disability care and places like that.

I know we discussed the mutations of the existing variant with Omicron yesterday, but we are largely talking about the same virus. The difference with Omicron and Delta was like a completely different virus. That is when you get a variant of really significant concern.

What we have seen with these latest permutations of this variant is, it doesn’t need to change our settings, we can keep doing what we are doing, we may see some more cases, but as we have known now, I have been trying to say for a long time, cases is not the point.

Updated

The PM is then asked about the emergency declaration decision for Queensland. He praises the consultative process and denies the declarations came too late:

The way you do this is you consult. And it was our intention to do it in both states. But after consulting and listening, and particularly listening to – as we got further information in from our agencies, the National Recovery and Resilience Agency, where more damage assessments had been completed ... And so as you get more data, that better informs your decision. And it also followed my discussion with the Queensland premier.

The first to talk about putting it in place was the federal government. The rule says – and I think it’s a good rule – that you should consult. I did and I listened to what she had to say.

I should stress that the state of emergency declaration has no connection to the deployment of defence forces or payments or any of that.

All of that’s flowing. And as Premier Palaszczuk noted, that was working incredibly well in Queensland, and the cooperation was outstanding.

Updated

Morrison says there are 20 mobile homes currently in Northern NSW, with “over a hundred” on the way, but when asked what else is being done to alleviate the housing crisis, the PM reiterated the payments on offer:

There’s everything from rent assistance and other temporary income support to support those accommodations.

It’s a $285 million package which the New South Wales Government has brought together and they’re running, and we’re funding half of it.

So, my answer is $142.5 million directly committed in the discussions the Premier and I had to support them address the accommodation crisis that is occurring in the Northern Rivers.

So, I commend the Premier on the package, and he had me at “hello” when it came to our support for it. We know it’s essential.

Asked what he’d say to insurance companies who are being accused of being “penny pinchers”, Morrison says they should just “pay out”.

Pay out. That’s what I’d say to them. And to honour their contracts. And those who have been able to have that flood insurance expect to be supported. That’s why you take it out. And if there are issues there, then I have no doubt that those matters will be raised.

Updated

Morrison continues, saying Lismore has faced an “inland tsunami”:

The situation, particularly in the Northern Rivers, is absolutely devastating. They’ve had an inland tsunami there. And as awful as the impact of the flood event here, once again in the space of just one year, here in the Hawkesbury is – I thank people in flood-affected areas all around the country.

Even though as they’re cleaning up their own homes and trying to re-establish their own businesses after being impacted by those flood events, it is amazing how they send their best wishes to those who are in northern New South Wales, at the site of what is like a blast and an epicentre, and at a scale of a 1-in-500-year flood.

Updated

Morrison says he spoke with the QLD premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, on the government response there so far, saying they both agreed it has been “good”.

He also says Palaszczuk didn’t think a state of emergency declaration was necessary:

We had considered also doing it for Queensland. I consulted with the Queensland premier. Her view in our consultation was that the cooperation between the federal and state governments had been excellent, and I agree with her. It has. It’s been very good in Queensland.

And I saw firsthand the rollout of the recovery and clean-up effort that’s under way. The premier didn’t believe that was necessary in Queensland, and so I listened carefully to her and our agencies, and that’s what consultation is – you listen and then you make decisions, and that’s what we’ve done.

Updated

Next, Morrison says 766,000 people have been supported by the Commonwealth Disaster Payment and Recovery Allowance so far, as well as reporting that there are currently 4,000 “boots on the ground”.

Across the country as of this morning, 766,000 individuals have been supported by the Commonwealth Disaster Payments and Recovery Allowance support to date.

That’s $631 million which is gone out the door and into people’s bank accounts and pockets in the last two weeks. Here in New South Wales alone, $423 million makes up that $631 million across the country.

And that says something to the scale of the floods that we’ve seen here in New South Wales. Here in the Hawkesbury alone, there are 8,671 claims, and over $7 million in direct support that has gone in.

There are over 4,000 boots on the ground here in New South Wales, and we have over 6,000 right across the country operating as part of Operation Flood Assist.

Updated

The PM begins by paying tribute to the way flood affected communities support each other:

Wherever I go to these terrible events, I see the same thing every single time, and that is such a strong community resilience response.

And here in the Hawkesbury on this occasion, after the events of less than a year ago, the preparedness, the resilience that even has been built up in the last year, the way that homes have been fitted out to better equip themselves to face a flood.

The fact that we’ve had large containers being put on people’s sites so they can get their property into a security place.

The reason we’re able to push through so many of these events is they all come together. And, of course, those who are first here are always gonna be the local community – neighbours helping neighbours.

That has always been an important part of our natural disaster response, and always will be. State, local and federal governments aren’t there to replace that but to aid it, to support it, and to continue to build on it.

And that is especially true once you get past the immediate impact of the flood event itself and you start moving into the rebuilding phase and the recovery phase, which is going on all around us here today.

Updated

Scott Morrison speaks in Windsor, NSW

And finally, the PM has stepped up to speak to the media in Windsor, NSW.

Updated

Dean Story, assistant commissioner at the New South Wales State Emergency Service, has said that while recovery efforts continue in flood-hit northern NSW continues, there are still 27 evacuation orders in place, covering around 4,000 people.

Story told the ABC the SES was focused on damage assessments in those communities, in an effort to get people back into their homes.

Very pleased to see some blue sky yesterday, and some respite from the heavy rainfall. There’s still some localised falls in some locations.

But SES units and agency partners are really focused on the damage assessments and the recovery efforts across large parts of the state.

That’s already under way and that will be, as you noted, a key focus for the days, weeks, and months ahead.

We still have 27 evacuation orders in place, so we’re really focused on damage assessments in those areas and releasing those evacuation orders so people can get back into their properties and their communities.

Those 27 evacuation orders currently are affecting about 4,000 people as well. So, still high river levels in some locations around Richmond, Windsor and Maitland on the Hunter as well.

Updated

In the meantime, Anthony Albanese was in Brisbane earlier this morning, slamming the government’s response to the floods in northern NSW and south-eastern Queensland.

Albanese said the PM was “here for the photo op” and then “disappeared”, saying he had refused to hear the concerns of locals.

This prime minister, once again, was here for the photo op and the headline and then disappeared. What we need is leadership on climate change in the immediate sense.

The prime minister, having done a visit where he refused to make people around Lismore and around the northern rivers, refused to hear their concerns. Then came to Brisbane, got out a mop on an already cleaned floor.

He’s incapable of leading because he leads a government that has been skeptical about climate change from the very beginning, that has ridiculed action on climate change.

Updated

And we are expecting the PM to step up and speak to the media shortly.

Burney was also asked about opposition leader Anthony Albanese announcing a boost to defence spending if Labor wins the next election.

Burney said the move wasn’t to “neutralise” the Coalition’s accusation Labor is soft on national security, and said it was an “outrage” the prime minister had tuned national security into an election issue.

It’s not about neutralising, and Anthony has made it very clear that 2% of gross national product will be spent on defence.

I think it’s an outrage – an outrage – that the prime minister has chosen this as an issue to feed in to the federal election. Labor has always supported the government when it comes to national security, and that has been the course for a very long time.

Accusing Labor and Anthony Albanese of being soft on borders and soft on security is an underhand, unacceptable political tactic.

Updated

Shadow minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney, was on ABC News, saying there is “enormous distress in the community” after Northern Territory police officer Zachary Rolfe was cleared of all charges over the fatal shooting of Kumanjayi Walker during an attempted arrest in the remote community of Yuendumu in 2019.

Burney said it was essential to keep in mind the “broader context of racism, poor living conditions, and deaths in custody”.

There is enormous distress in the community, which is absolutely understandable.

I actually met some time ago and spoke with people from Yuendumu, and I think the most important thing is to put this in context. And that is that this is the place where the last sanctioned massacre of Aboriginal people took place, called the Conaston massacre, in 1928, which is not that long ago.

I think the other thing to say is that it’s on the back of the royal commission, which this young man was not even born when that commission had its findings. But also we had the Black Lives Matter movement just last year.

And the shocking revelations about how many Aboriginal people are in jail, including young people, and, of course, people are asking for justice.

People are just frustrated. It’s not just about this outcome, it’s in the broader context of racism, poor living conditions and deaths in custody.

Shadow minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney.
Shadow minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Updated

Victoria records 11 Covid deaths 6,075 new cases

And Victoria has recorded 6,075 new cases and 11 deaths overnight.

Updated

NSW records four Covid deaths and 12,850 new cases

NSW has reported 12,850 new cases overnight, and four deaths.

Updated

Nine men released from detention at Park hotel

Reports emerged late last night of nine men detained at the Park hotel in Melbourne being released, with most offered bridging visas and one entering community detention.

There are still reportedly 18 people in detention in the Park hotel, with many lamenting their continued detention at the hotel.

There were also one release from Melbourne Immigration Transit Accomodation and three from Brisbane Immigration Transit Accomodation, bringing the total number of released to 13.

Updated

Good morning, Mostafa Rachwani with you this Saturday morning, to take you through the day’s news.

We begin with the ongoing flood clean-up across NSW and south-east Queensland, with a national emergency declaration made late on Friday night, allowing the federal government to access more funds and resources.

The declaration also comes as assistance for 12 LGAs in NSW is extended through to March, with many flood affected communities still struggling to get back on their feet.

Meanwhile, moderate flooding is still happening on the Hawkesbury River at North Richmond and Windsor, although flood waters have receded from their high earlier this week.

People are still being advised not to travel to western Sydney or the Blue Mountains, with severe thunderstorms forecast for the weekend.

In Covid news, national cabinet is considering moving towards scrapping quarantine rules for close contacts, amid concerns surrounding a new Omicron subvariant.

The SMH is also reporting NSW health has recommended the reintroduction of a mask mandate, as well as a return to density limits and a ban on singing and dancing.

The report comes as NSW is projected to hit 25,000 daily cases due to the spread of the new subvariant, and with booster levels still lagging.

But NSW Health minister Brad Hazzard told the Herald he was “not at all keen” on reintroducing the rules, referring to them as a “last resort”.

All eyes will be on the increasing Covid numbers, and we will bring you all the headlines as they come in.

Updated

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