Health Minister GregHuntMP says Victoria has made “enormous strides” in its contact tracing capabilities however there are further steps to be taken before the health situation is brought under control.
Health Minister Greg Hunt says Victoria has made “enormous strides” in its contact tracing capabilities however there are further steps to be taken before the health situation is brought under control. Mr Hunt told Sky News the arrival of the ADF in Victoria to assist with contact tracing efforts was a “huge step forward” for the troubled state. “We know that with good contact tracing we can get back to a safe life where people are approaching their normal lives,” he said.
“They’re doing their best but we know that it can be still stronger and that’s our positive, constructive message to Victoria. “We also know that with the hope and prospect of a vaccine now that we’ve completed these purchasing agreements there is shining light on the horizon for Victorians and all Australians.” The minister said to his knowledge all requests for assistance from Victoria had currently been met, but the federal government was prepared to offer more if required.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Civil rights and civil liberties are being 'lost in Victoria' | Sky News AustraliaThe shameful arrest of Zoe Buhler in Victoria is an example of how cherished rights and civil liberties can be lost when a populace is scared witless by hysterical politicians, according to Sky News host Rita Panahi.\n \nVictoria police have defended their decision to arrest Ms Buhler at her Miners Rest home - near Ballarat - during a raid for her alleged involvement in organising an anti-lockdown rally.\n \nHer husband live-streamed the arrest where police charged 28-year-old Zoe Buhler for incitement.\n \nMs Buhler was listed as an organiser for a rally against Victoria's stage four lockdown via a Facebook post.\n \nThe arrest was condemned around the world. \n \n“How can a civilised country have authorities behave in that manner over that Facebook post?” Ms Panahi asked.\n \n“The Stockholm Syndrome sufferers in Victoria may be defending the Andrews government and police tactics but the verdict from the rest of the world was damning.'\n \nMs Panahi said Ms Buhler’s treatment was particularly galling considering Victorian authorities “rolled out the red carpet for Black Lives Matters (BLM) protesters.” \n \n“No tough talk from the assistant commissioner, no he and the Andrews government rolled out the red carpet for BLM protesters,” she said.\n \n“Indeed they guaranteed a bumper turnout by declaring before the march that protesters would not be fined.\n \n“We cannot have a police force that selectively applies the law according to political or ideological considerations.”\n
Read more »
Regional Victoria a 'step ahead' of Metropolitan Melbourne: Andrews | Sky News AustraliaVictorian Premier Daniel Andrews has announced, “regional Victoria is essentially a step ahead of metropolitan Melbourne” and restrictions will start to be eased accordingly.\n\n“Regional Victoria, essentially, has completely different settings as it stands now”.\n\n“There is no extension of the current arrangements and they will be able to move a step ahead of metropolitan Melbourne”. \n\nThe Premier said regional areas would “move to step two” and will be reassessed every 14 days based on total case numbers but warned the Geelong Corridor could be “held back” due to higher case numbers. \n\n“We think that regional Victoria will essentially be able to move to the third step quite soon and it will be, perhaps, a matter of weeks before regional Victoria can move to a very different range of settings compared to metropolitan Melbourne”.\n\n“That would mean more shops open, more people back at work, people still working from home in some instances”.\n\nImage: Getty
Read more »
NSW a shining example of 'effective virus management' for Victoria | Sky News AustraliaLiberal MP Trent Zimmerman says Victoria should format its roadmap to recovery on the criteria used by NSW given the successful management of the coronavirus by the Berejiklian government.\n\n“If we had the type of criteria being used by the Victorian government in places in NSW, then NSW would be somewhere between stage two and stage three lockdowns,” he told Sky News.\n\n“What NSW has so effectively demonstrated is you don’t have to persist with those types of extreme lockdowns if you’ve got the tracing and management systems in place to be able to cope with low levels of community transmission”.\n\nLabor MP Peter Khalil noted “the only place I can think of that had a similarly strict suppression strategy … which almost looked like elimination was New Zealand”.\n\nHe called on the federal government to extend JobKeeper at its former rate for Victorians, provide additional tax relief and support small business through the lockdown. \n\nImage: Getty
Read more »
Federal ‘contact tracing regime’ could be ‘required’ in Victoria | Sky News AustraliaThe 'inadequacy' of Victoria’s COVID-19 contact tracing could be the reason behind the state’s “conservative” roadmap out of lockdowns Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell says.\n\nHe said Health Department Secretary Brendan Murphy suggested Victorian contact tracing might be leading to the Victorian government’s decisions.\n\n“One federal source suggested to me this afternoon that perhaps a federal contact tracing regime or centre is required, but this is not government policy,” Mr Clennell said. \n\n“The Victorian government did not engage or consult the federal government before coming out with its very conservative steps out of lockdown, which were announced yesterday, and which the prime minister has said today are so conservative Sydney would be under curfew right now.”\n\nHis remarks come after Prime Minister Scott Morrison heavily criticised Victoria and said it should look to NSW for guidance on contact tracing to exit lockdowns.\n\n“Lockdowns and borders are not signs of success in dealing with COVID-19,” Mr Morrison said.\n\n“It’s important we put ourselves in a position where they do not feature in how Australia is dealing with COVID-19 on a sustainable basis.”\n\nImage: News Corp Australia
Read more »
Regional Victoria to move to step two from Sept 14 | Sky News AustraliaRegional Victoria will move to the second step of the state’s roadmap out of lockdown from September 14 due to the low numbers of COVID-19 cases recorded outside of Melbourne.\n\nApproximately five per cent of Victoria’s coronavirus case count can be found within regional areas, with only 98 active cases found outside the state’s capital city.\n\nThe new changes will allow up to five people from two different households will be allowed to gather outdoors, while all students will begin a staged return to school.\n\nChildcare facilities will also reopen and people living alone will be allowed to have a single visitor. \n\nPremier Daniel Andrews flagged regional Victoria could move to step three in just a few weeks but warned the Geelong Corridor could be treated separately. \n\nDeputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack slammed the roadmap, saying the regions should be assessed and released according to their coronavirus situation rather than Melbourne’s, which for some regions was hundreds of kilometres away.\n\nImage: News Corp Australia
Read more »
Daniel Andrews has 'lied to Victoria' | Sky News AustraliaSky News host Paul Murray says one of the 'biggest lies that was told to Victorians' yesterday was the promise that regional Victoria would be able to step out of the virus restrictions faster Melbourne.\n\nMr Murray said under Premier Daniel Andrew’s plan to recovery, regional Victoria should enter stage three now, considering they have hit the benchmarks set by the Premier. \n\n“Under your plan premier, that you said would be applied, in regional Victoria if it hit the marks is that they would have the restrictions come off,” Mr Murray said. \n\nMr Murray today sent a very specific question about this issue to the premier and the chief medical officer, but heard nothing in response. \n\nThe only response to his inquiry came from the Department of Health and Human Services which replied with 'gibberish', Mr Murray said. \n\n“Forty-Eight councils right now in Victoria have 10 or fewer cases and they have for weeks, 29 have had zero for weeks – why are they being punished?” he said. \n\nImage: Getty
Read more »