Media Releases
Interview with Today
14 April 2020
ALLISON LANGDON: We're joined by Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Good morning to you Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER: G'day Ally, g’day Karl.
LANGDON: Unemployment reaching double digits, it's a bad number. But as we said it could have been a lot worse.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's a heartbreaking number. Unemployment at that rate, hundreds of thousands of people losing their jobs. It is just absolutely heartbreaking. But you're right. The JobKeeper program means that we'll be able to limit that devastation and also we've got the doubling of the JobSeeper program which means those who do find themselves unemployed will be able to gain access to the support that we've never seen in this country before.
KARL STEFANOVIC: It could go to 20 per cent, PM, couldn't it?
PRIME MINISTER: That's not our advice. What we're seeing in many other countries is far worse. We came into this crisis - which is a dual one, a health crisis and an economic crisis - in pretty strong shape. Our balance sheet was strong which meant we have been able and we brought the Budget back into balance which means we're able to do the things we’re doing now and cushion that blow. But it is still a big blow. I don't want to lessen that in terms of how we speak of it. It's a serious impact on our economy, it’s impacting people’s livelihoods and it's heartbreaking. But despite all that hardship, Australians have responded so well and they're doing their best. What they did over the Easter weekend like we asked them to, they did. We're keeping on top of this virus. But we've got to keep keeping on top of it and providing the economic supports that we can, the lifeline we've provided through JobKeeper and JobSeeker to get people through to the other side.
LANGDON: Will you consider expanding the JobKeeper program to include those casuals not currently covered or even foreign workers?
PRIME MINISTER: We've got to draw the line somewhere. That's what the JobSeeker program is for. For those who aren't eligible for JobKeeper, then we've doubled the rate of JobSeeker. They also get access to things like rental assistance and a range of other benefits which means they are certainly not forgotten. There is the strongest social safety net we've ever seen in this country for those who are out of work is now in place. And then we've got the JobKeeper program to keep 6 million Australians connected to their employer. So this is unprecedented in its scale. Over $200 billion now has been committed to supporting our economy for people in the economy. Their businesses, their jobs, to get through to the other side.
STEFANOVIC: PM, the Ruby Princess has been an unmitigated disaster for this country. Do you support an independent inquiry into what went wrong? Tasmania is now dealing with some of those consequences.
PRIME MINISTER: Look, there are a lot of complications that have come from that rather terrible event. But what we've got to do is we’ve...there are going to be failures in the middle of a crisis. There certainly has been here. No one is walking away from that. We've got to keep focused on the next set of problems. The problems down in Tasmania, there are a range of issues there. I spoke to the Premier on the weekend, we sent the Defence Force there to support as well as the AUSMAT teams to support them in north-western Tasmania. This is very important. We’ve got to, as we work through this crisis, we can't allow ourselves to get bogged down in everything that hasn't gone right. There will be things that don't go right. So many more things are going well. Particularly, the work of our health authorities and those who are doing amazing work all around the country. I have got 6,000 extra people processing JobSeeker claims and that's the redeployment of public servants from other areas of work, hiring more people into the job to ensure that we can get that support to people as quickly as possible. We've got to keep looking forward, Karl.
LANGDON: When we start looking at easing restrictions with the lockdown and what will that look like in its early stages?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we've got to not get ahead of ourselves here. The National Cabinet later this week, we are doing a lot of work over the last week or so in particular to look at the sort of prerequisites, the things that need to happen, before you can start considering that. You've seen in places like Singapore and Sweden and other parts of the world where the virus has just taken off again. We can't have those sort of things happen here in Australia. We have to do everything to prevent that. We've learnt a lot over the last few weeks. When we can get a health system to an even higher level of response, we have got one of the strongest testing regimes in the world. But it would need to be stronger still to ensure that we can stay on top of any outbreak in the future.
The immediate response capacity to outbreaks, wherever they might come, we've got to be able to slap down on these things very hard if we're to look at easing of restrictions. So we are looking at how that can be achieved. But I wouldn't want to mislead people. We're still many weeks to go on this. That's important to keep on top of the virus and while people are being amazing in complying with what we've been asking for, we can't allow that to be eroded by being premature in the easing of any restrictions.
STEFANOVIC: Ok, a couple of quick ones but important ones. Are you going to bail out Virgin and help Qantas? I'm hearing Virgin is very close to perhaps going into administration. Will you throw them a lifeline.
PRIME MINISTER: We've been very consistent and the support we've provided in the economy has been sector wide. We haven't been picking any winners or picking any favourites here. What we've been doing is ensuring we're giving sector-wide support, which has already been quite significant to the aviation sector. The Transport Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, has been working with those airlines around domestic trunk routes. They've already worked together with them on international routes that are vital, not just bringing people home and getting people to their homes but also to support much needed freight and transfer of medical supplies. So we'll continue to deal with the sector on a sector-wide basis.
LANGDON: What about the NRL starting back in late May? No one wants to see the Sharkies back more than you. But is it a bad look for the game?
PRIME MINISTER: I like the ambition. I like that they're planning to try and get the show back on the road at least in some form. That's what we're all trying to do. That's what the National Cabinet will be doing this Thursday as we look at what needs to be done further to shore us up further so we can look at restrictions easing at some point. The NRL are doing no different to that. I like they've got an ambitious date. But it will be subject to the health advice. There will be no special set of arrangements, the health advice is paramount and I'm sure they’ll comply with it.
STEFANOVIC: One final one before we get to the news, the World Health authority, our favourite authority, they've backed the reopening of wet markets where this virus is supposed to have originally come from. Your thoughts? And be nice.
PRIME MINISTER: I think that’s unfathomable, frankly. We need to protect the world against potential sources of outbreaks of these types of viruses. It's happened too many times. I'm totally puzzled by this decision. We don't have them here in Australia, and I am just puzzled by that decision. We have to stay focused on what is right in front of us and what we're doing here in Australia and the policies we're putting in place, the big responses economically and health wise.
And keep communicating and encouraging people. I hear you've got Claudia from Coorparoo coming on the program this morning. She sent me a question the other day. She misses being able to see her grandmother, I understand that. I know there are a lot of kids going through this and grandparents separated from grandkids. It's terribly hard on Australians. But they're responding well and I want to thank them again for the great work they did over Easter. Keep going Australia, you’re doing a great job. We’ve got to keep doing it to keep us all safe and to get ourselves back on track, which we will.
LANGDON: As you are too, Prime Minister, thank you for your time. We did love the interview with Claudia that you’re talking about, that you did a podcast with a whole bunch of kids who could write in questions and you answered them directly. So well done you for doing that.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks, Ally. It was good chatting to them. All the best.
Interview with Sunrise
14 April 2020
DAVID KOCH: Joining me now is Scott Morrison. Prime Minister, thanks for your time.
PRIME MINISTER: G’day David.
KOCH: I know it’s un-Australian to acknowledge anything we do well in this country, how proud are you of the way all levels of government, health authorities and the community worked together on this, it’s extraordinary.
PRIME MINISTER: Well everyone has pulled together and I am particularly proud of those who are on the frontline whether they’re our health workers or people out there processing claims for JobSeeker and JobKeeper, the country has pulled together and I particularly want to thank all Australian’s for their great effort over the Easter weekend. All of us urged people to stay at home, I know it was a very different Easter, it was for our family too. But everybody responded to that call on the weekend and we want to thank them very much for that because the level of activity was very low and that just means that what we have seen in the rate of increasing cases has remained low, and so well done, Australia.
KOCH: Yeah and as a result we’ve seen this flattening of the curve, and everyone I suppose is thinking quite naturally, hey we put in the hard work, when can we get, expect these easing of restrictions, and for life to sort of get back to a bit of normal? What will the National Cabinet decide later this week?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it is a fair enough question and I can understand the anxiety that is there, but as I said last week, patience has got to be our virtue here. The National Cabinet is in the process now of looking ahead but we can't get ahead of ourselves. The vast majority, two thirds of the cases that we’ve had thereabouts has been internationally acquired and we have to be careful, we can't be complacent. We have seen what’s happened in Singapore most recently, we’ve seen what happened in Sweden and other countries. If you take your eyes off of this thing, and it gets away from you, it writes its own rules, so we do need to understand what the prerequisites are, the things that we have to achieve before we can start to ease some of those restrictions. We will be having that discussion on Thursday and a lot of scientific work is being put into that and we have looked at the experiences of other countries and so we are hopeful that at some point, we can move from the phase we are currently in, to a new phase, but I do want to caution Australians that we're not in that phase yet we're many weeks away I think from being in a phase like that. We have got one of the best testing regimes in the world but it needs to be more comprehensive, our response capacity to outbreaks needs to be even stronger. No country has found their way out of this yet and Australia is in a better position than most, in fact many, and we want to keep it that way and that means being patient and careful in our planning, and listening, carefully to the medical advice and the economic advice.
KOCH: Yep, so from what you are saying, a lot of states are on this level 3 lockdown stage at the moment, and you are saying it will be many weeks before we can reduce that back to level 2?
PRIME MINISTER: Before we can actually start easing up here, David, we need to lock in the control that we are currently exercising over this virus, but it can get away, and you need to have the mechanisms in place, the tools in place that can keep on top of it and deal with any outbreaks that come, and when we have greater confidence about that, then we will be able to look at things like that, but kids are going back to school in Victoria today, obviously in a very different mode and many of them will be staying at home, just like they were in NSW last week. But as we know the health advice on schools is very clear. That children aren’t at risk by going to school. The schools issue is very much about a safety issue for the teachers and their workplace which we are continuing to address this Thursday as well.
KOCH: Because that is a tough thing for many Australian families to say, hey work at home where you can, but also, learn at home where you can. The two don't mix - you can't work at home and supervise the kids with online learning. You can't do both.
PRIME MINISTER: It's tough. It's very tough on those parents and that's why we have always said that if you can't provide a suitable learning environment for your child at home, and in most cases that's because people have to go to work, and every job in this economy is an essential one, then obviously no child can or should be turned away at schools or at childcare centres for that matter, where we put those arrangements in place for free childcare, so we’ve put a lot of those supports in place. But it is tough, it is very tough, David, and I understand that, and that's why we have to be very careful because we do not want to see the horror show that we have seen in so many other parts of the world visited upon Australians. And I think Australians are very aware of that risk and that's why I think they have been so patient and they’ve been so diligent. So we’ve got to keep going, Australia. We have to keep going with this. We're doing well but we can't get complacent.
KOCH: Okay so when you are sitting in National Cabinet with the Chief Medical Officers, what are the indications you are looking for, and what’s the advice from them, on say, the first steps of reducing a lockdown? Obviously, the big socialising sort of parts of the economy, like nightclubs, we can all understand that, are probably further down the track, but travelling between states, going away for a weekend; are they some of the early phases we can look at?
PRIME MINISTER: Broader travel I think is also very dangerous, but we need to get our construction industry going, our infrastructure programs, our manufacturing industries. All of these industries, I mean our agricultural sector. We have finally seen some rain and we are seeing a lot more activity out there in the rural sectors in our agribusinesses, we have got to look to those areas of the economy that can start picking up again, without creating great health risks. So it is a real trade-off about getting the best value of the restrictions that you can lift and at the same time, not put the health situation at greater risk. So, there are lots of trade-off decisions here David, and not one country in the world has been able to plan a path out of this at the moment. Australia is better positioned than many and most to ensure we can do that. We have bought ourselves important time. Six months, we have literally bought ourselves, through the JobKeeper programme, the doubling of the JobSeeker allowance, the free childcare, support for the universities. All of these arrangements means we have bought valuable time to plot our way out and that is what the National Cabinet, that’s what my Cabinet here federally is working to achieve.
KOCH: Okay so I'm getting a sense, if you look at priorities, the first priority is work, getting people back to work to school, and then leisure activities, let's wait and see?
PRIME MINISTER: That is a very good summary of it. Getting the economy back to a position where it can support more and more people is vitally important and getting schools ultimately back to a position which is more usual, I think that is vitally important, but the broader social restrictions that are in place, these things are incredibly important to stay on top of the virus. But there’s the other side of this David and that is to continue building up our health response capabilities. We’ve seen down in Tasmania, what can go wrong when some practices aren't followed. The ADF, the defence forces are down there and our AUSMAT teams are down there, I spoke to the Tasmanian Premier on the weekend, I want to thank him for his fast action in dealing with that and we’re very happy to help him and support him there. That's another way the National Cabinet is working David. It’s, Premiers and I, we’re talking all the time dealing with issues that are coming up and just getting all of governments; state and federal, to focus resources on these problems. I mean I have got 6,000 extra people involved over in Centrelink and government services just getting through the backlog of these claims. As we know unemployment is going to rise, but if it weren’t for the JobKeeper Payment, we would have seen that rate of unemployment rise even higher, by an extra 700,000 or so.
KOCH: Yeah, the National Cabinet has certainly been a massive success. The other extreme, the Ruby Princess has been a flamin’ nightmare, hasn't it? And is seen as the cause for this outbreak in Tasmania, is that what we have got to prepare ourselves for? That we're going to get sort of clusters of breakouts that we have to come down hard on?
PRIME MINISTER: I think that is very likely and I think we’ve got to acknowledge also David, that there are going to be some failures along the way and we can't have ourselves get dragged down by those. We have got to learn from them quickly, and we have to get on with it because the problems we face today and tomorrow will be there, and we can't spend all of our time just going over those issues. There will be proper processes to do that and you know people are doing the best job they can in the circumstances they’re under. These are extraordinary times and people are under a lot of pressure, so when things don't go the way we would like them to go, we have got to pick ourselves up and just keep going forward and working together.
KOCH: You have thrown a lot of money at the economy, but it’s fair to say the economy is in better shape than most other first world economies in the world to really be able to afford this, isn't it? We have relatively low government debt to the size of the economy, so let's just focus on keeping businesses going, and people in jobs?
PRIME MINISTER: Well that's exactly it. We did come into this crisis, and it is a dual crisis, a health crisis and it’s an economic crisis, and the two work against each other which is why this is one of the most complex issues Australia has ever faced, and we did come into this with a strong balance sheet in the position to do exactly what we have just done. By getting the budget back into balance and by keeping our debt as a share in the economy significantly lower than other countries around the world means that we have had the capacity to respond, but I have got to say, David, it has been the actions of the Australian people - our frontline health workers and others out there on the frontline doing things every day that are putting us in this position and keeping us in this position, and we have got to continue to show the diligence and the patience and application to keep it that way.
KOCH: Yep hear hear, just quickly, I know you have got to go, when is footy likely to come back?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I noticed the plans that they have to bring it back, and look I like it that people are planning to try and get Australia back to normal, but obviously, all of these things will be subject to the health advice and the health clearances that are necessary, whether it is opening up football or whatever it happens to be; the health advice has to be paramount. And I have no doubt that the NRL and the other codes understand that and they will comply with that. But I welcome the fact that people are thinking ahead and working out ways they can get things back on a stronger footing. That is certainly what we're doing as a National Cabinet, whether it is on the economy or on health, or any of these other issues, we have got to look forward to the other side, because there is another side, and Australians are helping us get to that other side, but there is some work to do yet and we are very focused on that, and ensuring we can take Australia there as soon as we can, but we have to be careful not to get ahead of ourselves.
KOCH: Yep, Prime Minister, appreciate your time. Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks a lot David, thanks for your time.
Media Statement - Ted Evans AC
13 April 2020
It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of Ted Evans, one of Australia’s great public servants.
Ted began his working life as a linesman with the Postmaster-General’s Department in Ipswich, Queensland. For a decade, he balanced the physical rigours of his work with earning a Honours Degree in Economics from the University of Queensland.
Ted joined the Australian Treasury in 1968 and devoted the next 43 years of his working life to public service, including eight years as Treasury Secretary from 1993 until 2001. He then served ten years on the Board of Westpac from 2001 until his retirement in 2011, including four years as Chairman.
Ted has left an indelible mark on Australia. As Treasury Secretary, Ted advised the Keating and Howard governments on balancing the budget, major tax reforms, including introduction of the GST, and establishment of the key economic frameworks that continue to serve Australia well to this day.
He was renowned for his sharp intellect, modesty, integrity and the quiet fearlessness and forcefulness of his advice, earning the respect of Prime Ministers and Treasurers on all sides of politics.
Ted was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 1999 in recognition of service to Australian economic policy development.
On behalf of the Australian people, I wish to express gratitude for the enormous contribution that Ted Evans made to Australia through his lifetime of distinguished public service and our deep condolences to his wife Judith and the Evans family for their loss.
Update on Coronavirus Measures
9 April 2020
Australian governments met today as the National Cabinet to take further action to slow the spread of coronavirus to save lives, and to save livelihoods.
Leaders thanked all Australians who have acted responsibly towards their fellow Australians and have been undertaking social distancing and isolation measures.
It’s clear that social distancing measures are working, we’re slowing the spread of the virus. But there is a long way to go, we will be living with this virus for at least six months.
National Cabinet reminds Australians to stay home for the Easter break - stay home and save lives.
The Chief Medical Officer Dr Brendan Murphy provided an update on the measures underway on the latest data and medical advice in relation to coronavirus.
There are more than 6,100 confirmed cases in Australia and sadly 51 people have died.
Testing keeps Australians safe. Australia has one of the most rigorous coronavirus testing systems in the world with more than 323,000 tests completed.
National Cabinet stressed the critical importance of continuing to adhere to self-isolation, social distancing and quarantine arrangements for returned travellers. Leaders also highlighted the importance of people who are self-isolating and registering on the COVID-19 app.
National Cabinet noted that Australia was now in the suppression phase of the response, which will last for some time. Restrictions will be reviewed regularly and planning for the medium to long-term has begun.
National Cabinet agreed to meet again on Thursday 16 April 2020.
Updated quarantine arrangements for non-cruise maritime and air crew
Australia’s skilled maritime workforce plays a unique and strategically important role in Australia’s supply chains.
National Cabinet agreed that the Australian Government and all states and territories will implement a consistent and immediate exemption for non-cruise maritime crew to provide for the transiting to and from their places of work, within and across jurisdictions with agreed documentation.
National Cabinet noted that states and territories may adopt additional protocols in consultation with industry that creates protection for crews on board vessels, and will put in place appropriate penalties for companies and individuals that are found to be in breach of the requirements of the exemption which will be reviewed on 1 June 2020.
The Australian Border Force, in consultation with the Commonwealth Department of Health, will continue to manage the safe movement of maritime crew.
Air crew play a vital role in maintaining a connection between Australia and other nations.
National Cabinet agreed to implement the revised advice from the AHPPC in relation to air crew quarantine exemptions. As a result, air crew on international flights will be required to self-isolate at their place of residence (or hotel if not in their local city) between flights or for 14 days, whichever is shorter.
Domestic air crew are exempt from self-isolation requirements except when a state or territory specifically prohibits entry.
Hardship provisions for energy, water and rates
Today, the National Cabinet agreed to a nationally consistent approach to hardship support across the essential services for households and small businesses.
The Commonwealth is already taking action across the energy and telecommunications sectors to scale-up hardship support provided by those industries.
State and territory governments agreed to adopt similar principles for the essential services within their remit, including water utilities and local governments. They will work with the organisations supplying those services to apply the principles to each sector.
The principles will also ensure accessing support for essential services is as simple and easy as possible. They specify that businesses eligible for the JobKeeper payment will automatically be considered to be under ‘financial stress’ for the purposes of accessing hardship arrangements.
These principles, modelled on the Government’s recently released Statement of Expectations for the energy sector, include:
Offering flexible payment options to all households and small businesses in financial stress – including small businesses eligible for the JobKeeper Payment;
Not disconnecting restricting supply/services to those in financial stress;
Deferring debt recovery proceedings and credit default listing;
Waiving late fees and interest charges on debt; and
Minimising planned outages for critical works, and provide as much notice as possible to assist households and businesses during any outage.
Those who can continue to pay their bills need to keep doing so - this is critical to ensuring the ongoing viability of essential services providers. But we need to ensure an appropriate safety net is in place for those experiencing financial stress.
These are extremely challenging times. It is vital that essential service providers work with governments to deliver the support the Australian people need.
Implementation of visa arrangements in the agricultural sector
The National Cabinet noted the approach to implementing measures to support the agricultural workforce needed to secure Australia food supplies:
the Commonwealth has implemented the visa measures and is urgently working on the associated changes to the Seasonal Worker Programme and Pacific Labour Scheme to ensure appropriate labour market testing continues;
the same conditions that apply under the Seasonal Worker Programme and Pacific Labour Scheme visa arrangements with regard to approved employers will be carried over to the new visa arrangements, including employer sponsorship to continue the link with the agricultural sector;
industry is leading on protocols for managing the risks of coronavirus in farming workplaces, including social distancing to mitigate public health risks;
Commonwealth and state and territory Agriculture Ministers will oversee and coordinate implementation and will report back to National Cabinet on progress.
National Cabinet agreed that state and territory governments are responsible for:
the introduction and enforcement of self-isolation requirements to avoid the spread of coronavirus;
applying sanctions where those requirements are not met and, where appropriate, referring concerns about visa holder compliance to the Department of Home Affairs for action;
ensuring accommodation complies with self-isolation and social distancing requirements, in conjunction with local governments and the National Farmers Federation;
seeking to harmonise these requirements as far as practical.
National Cabinet agreed that state and territory Agriculture Ministers will support the adoption of - as consistent as possible requirements - in respect to declarations required from employers and employees to facilitate agricultural employment.
National Cabinet agreed that the Australian and state and territory governments will undertake best efforts for these arrangements to be in place by 17 April 2020, or as soon thereafter as practicable.
National Cabinet agreed that employers and employees must continue to adhere to Australian and State and Territory government health requirements in respect to the management of coronavirus.
Update on Coronavirus Measures
7 April 2020
Australian governments met today as the National Cabinet to take further action to slow the spread of coronavirus to save lives, and to save livelihoods.
We will be living with this virus for at least six months, so social distancing measures to slow the spread of this virus must be sustainable for at least that long to protect Australian lives.
We need to ensure Australia keeps functioning, to keep Australians in jobs.
The Chief Medical Officer Dr Brendan Murphy provided an update on the measures underway on the latest data and medical advice in relation to coronavirus.
There are more than 5,800 confirmed cases in Australia, and more than 2,400 people have recovered from the virus. Sadly 44 people have died.
Testing keeps Australians safe. Australia has one of the most rigorous coronavirus testing systems in the world with more than 304,000 tests completed.
It is clear the epidemiology curve is beginning to flatten. But it is still too early to determine whether such movements will be significant or sustained. That’s why it’s important that all Australians continue to adhere to the social distancing measures.
Many Australians have been looking forward to an Easter holiday. National Cabinet reiterated previous advice that social distancing must continue and that Australians should stay at home and not undertake unnecessary holiday travel.
Leaders thanked all Australians who have acted responsibly and have been undertaking social distancing and isolation measures.
National Cabinet reiterated that social distancing is slowing the spread of the virus in Australia. These measures are saving lives and livelihoods. National Cabinet reminded Australians that social distancing must continue at Easter and agreed that Australians should stay at home this Easter and not undertake unnecessary holiday travel.
National Cabinet will meet again on Thursday 9 April 2020.
Commercial Tenancies
The National Cabinet agreed that states and territories would implement the attached mandatory Code of Conduct (the Code), including via legislation or regulation as appropriate, to implement the principles agreed on Friday 3 April. The Code builds on the draft codes submitted by landlord and tenant representative bodies in the commercial property sector.
The purpose of the Code is to impose a set of good faith leasing principles for application to commercial tenancies (including retail, office and industrial) between owners/operators/other landlords and tenants, in circumstances where the tenant is a small-medium sized business (annual turnover of up to $50 million) and is an eligible business for the purpose of the Commonwealth Government’s JobKeeper programme.
National Cabinet agreed that there would be a proportionality to rent reductions based on the tenant’s decline in turnover to ensure that the burden is shared between landlords and tenants. The Code provides a proportionate and measured burden share between the two parties while still allowing tenants and landlords to agree to tailored, bespoke and appropriate temporary arrangements that take account of their particular circumstances.
National Cabinet again noted that it expects Australian and foreign banks along with other financial institutions operating in Australia, to support landlords and tenants with appropriate flexibility as they work to implement the mandatory Code.
The Commonwealth Government is also acting as a model landlord by waiving rents for all its small and medium enterprises and not-for-profit tenants within its owned and leased property across Australia.
The Rent Relief Policy will include a mutual obligation requirement on the small and medium sized enterprises and not-for-profit tenants to continue to engage their employees through the JobKeeper initiative where eligible, and if applicable, provide rent relief to their subtenants.
National Cabinet Mandatory Code of Conduct - SME Commercial Leasing Principles during COVID-19
Impact of coronavirus - Theoretical modelling of how the health system can respond
Australia has a world class health system, including an Australian Health Sector Emergency Response Plan for Novel Coronavirus Management Plan. The Plan includes modelling of possible scenarios of coronavirus spreading through Australia. This informs the actions taken to slow the spread and prepare the health system.
Today National Cabinet released the first set of theoretical scenario modelling undertaken to inform how Australia is preparing our health system, including our Intensive Care Units (ICUs), for coronavirus. A summary of the modelling is attached, and the modellers will release a technical paper on the data today.
National Cabinet noted that the hypothetical scenarios were commissioned in early February, when the outbreak began and prior to National Cabinet implementing measures to reduce transmission and flatten the curve including through travel restrictions and social isolation.
National Cabinet noted that the modelling is a useful tool but it does not predict the future. In the real world, we can adjust restrictions as the outbreak evolves to manage the length of the outbreak.
What the modelling has done and continues to do, is to inform Australian governments and medical experts so we can take actions to slow the spread of coronavirus and ensure our health system is prepared under a range of scenarios.
National Cabinet noted that early data suggests the existing measures in Australia are flattening the curve to a point where the health system can meet expected demand. So far only 8 percent of cases in Australia have required hospitalisation and ICU.
While the modelling does not show how the virus will move through our community, it tells us some important things including that we would have been overwhelmed if we had not reduced the number of travellers and introduced public health measures.
The modelling does not reflect the actual recent evidence of the spread of the virus in Australia and measures that the National Cabinet has announced to slow the spread of the virus.
National Cabinet will commission a next phase of the modelling that will put Australian data into the model and see how it aligns to our actual experience. This has not been an option to date given the relatively small amount of data available on community transmission of the virus in Australia. As more ‘real’ data is put into the model its accuracy improves. National Cabinet has requested the first results of this modelling include state and territory breakdowns to reflect the different stages of coronavirus transmission by jurisdiction.
The theoretical scenario modelling by the University of Melbourne (Doherty Institute) Pandemic Modelling Team finds an uncontrolled coronavirus pandemic would overwhelm our health system for many weeks. Around 89 per cent of people would catch the virus, with 38 percent requiring some medical care. ICUs would be well beyond capacity for a prolonged period.
Quarantine and isolation slow the rate of transmission. This flattens the epidemiological curve. It reduces the proportion of people who would catch the virus to 68 percent, and those needing medical care to 29 percent. While this reduces the peak demand on ICUs, the modelled expanded ICU capacity would not be enough for several weeks.
Social distancing makes it harder for the virus to spread and reduces the proportion of people infected. The modellers have looked at two levels of social distancing. With a 25 percent reduction in transmission due to social distancing, the proportion of people infected would be 38 percent with 16 percent requiring some medical care.
With a 33 per cent reduction in transmission due to social distancing, the proportion of people infected is 12 percent and only 5 percent require some medical care.
The modelling confirms that with social distancing and an expansion in ICU capacity, everyone who needs an ICU bed over the course of the pandemic could access one.
The modelling parameters further show the severity of coronavirus on different age groups based on hospitalisation and ICU admission. The results for aged groups vary significantly with the rate of hospitalisation for cases under 20 years at 0.62 percent and negligible ICU needs. For older people, coronavirus has more severe impacts with 35.8 percent of cases requiring hospitalisation for those between 70 and 79 year olds and 65.9 percent of cases for over 80 year olds.
Unlike many countries, we have an opportunity in Australia to choose how to respond from a position of relative control. We can tailor our interventions to gain the most benefit and minimise the cost to society.
Impact of COVID-19 - Theoretical modelling of how the health system can respond
AHPPC Advice
National Cabinet noted the AHPPC advice on the use of Off-label Medicines for Treatment and Prophylaxis of coronavirus; Healthcare Worker Use of PPE When Caring for Suspected or Confirmed coronavirus Patients; Home Isolation; Organ Donation and Transplantation during the coronavirus Pandemic; and Rapid Point of Care Lateral Flow Devices to Detect Antibodies to SARS-COV-2.
Transfer of Ministerial Responsibility
6 April 2020
Responsibility for public service matters, including the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC), has been temporarily transferred from the Minister for Health, the Hon. Greg Hunt, MP to the Hon. Ben Morton MP, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
This will allow Minister Hunt to concentrate wholly on the coronavirus response in his Health portfolio.
At this time, the focus of all agencies, departments and employees is on delivering the critical functions, services and needs that Australians rely on.
Their efforts are keeping Australians healthy, saving lives and livelihoods and ensuring our nation bounces back strongly on the other side of this global pandemic.
The Australian Public Service Commission is engaged in the coronavirus response including managing the redeployment of public servants to support the critical and continued delivery of Government services.
Interview with Alan Jones, 2GB
3 April 2020
JONES: Prime Minister good morning, thank you for your time.
PRIME MINISTER: Morning Alan.
JONES: Heavens above, have you had a sleep?
PRIME MINISTER: I got one last night. But now I’m up and at it, like you, each and every day.
JONES: Look, thank you for your time and thank you for the unbelievable energy that you're demonstrating in what are difficult times. Look, I'll come to what you said yesterday, but can I just ask you what your thoughts were when you learned that 16,000 Australian citizens boarded flights to overseas destinations between March 19 and March 30, after the travel ban came into force on March 24. And after you made it quite clear on March 18 that Australians shouldn't travel abroad, 16,000 did.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, bewildered and frustrated, I think is the first reaction. And honestly, I think it was still an indication that people just weren't getting it. Now there are going to be some cases we know where for various scientific, for aid reasons and various other things that people are still going to move. We're still helping people in the Pacific, things like that. But that's not 16,000, I can assure you of that.
JONES: And PM why should they, sorry
PRIME MINISTER: A wilful defiance.
JONES: Absolutely.
PRIME MINISTER: This doesn't- the rules don't apply to me, that sort of thing. And that's, and we can't afford that. Because if people behave like that, then then we lose lives and,
JONES: why don't you hit them with a bill? Hit them with a bill for the quarantine?
PRIME MINISTER: Well those, those who go overseas over this period. Look how they think they're actually going to be able to get back now, I think it's going to be very difficult, and I don't think they'll find themselves high up, high on the list.
JONES: Good on you. You said, you and your Treasurer and several Ministers said this JobKeeper will apply to six million people, a full time, part time casual sole traders. Are you convinced that these six million people will see a slice of the action or may some well fall between the cracks?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, this is why we did JobKeeper and JobSeeker. JobSeeker, which is the welfare system, the social safety net that catches those who come through the other system. And the payments for JobKeeper is a bit higher, but JobSeeker is there to catch those who fall through the cracks, that's why you have a safety net. That's why we strengthened the safety net. I hope it's not 6 million, Alan. I'm sure those 6 million hope it's not them, too. I'm hoping that the businesses will be able to stay open where they can and be able to adjust and trade. But that's going to be very, very difficult. That's why the measures we need to pass in the Parliament next week are really important to pass the JobKeeper bill in that JobKeeper bill includes very important changes to the Fair Work Act, which means in one day we can just for 6 months have some temporary arrangements in the Fair Work Act, which means we can get that support directly to those are going to need it through these businesses.
JONES: Just on, just on, just take one example, because I won't dwell on this. But when all this started a while ago, a raft of business, it was government [inaudible]. The government said and I've kept on saying, we've got to support the government, we've got to support the prime minister. But by government (inaudible), the hotels tell shut down. Now, I'm sure some of them said that's it for me. Look, I've been at it for 35 years. I'm out of here and therefore the staff go so they won't be able to reconnect with their employer. He's closed up shop so they won't get the $750 bucks, they’ll get the $550 bucks. But if they were on $70 or $80,000 a year, how, what trauma may they face trying to survive on $550?
PRIME MINISTER: Well people will find themselves in that situation too Alan, sadly, if they're in a business that has to shut down, I mean, this is why the safety net payment and the job, that is the jobSeeker and the jobKeeper payments are not that far apart. And that is that is just the way. That is why this is such a devastating impact across the community, whether they’re on $80,000 or whether they’re on $50,000 or $150,000, if they've gone into a stood down job and find themselves in that situation where they have to rely on,
JONES: Which they do, and which they do,
PRIME MINISTER: That is tough. And that's why,
JONES: But you would imagine this may lead to significant psychological, emotional and social consequences?
PRIME MINISTER: This is why we increased the funding on everything from mental health to emergency cash support for we've put more money into Meals on Wheels, for goodness sake. We've put more money into domestic violence support. One of the things I was talking about last night, Alan, a lot more people would be online at the moment. And we've got a thing called scamwatch.gov.au that’s to protect people from scammers, particularly elderly people. Be very wary of scammers online at the moment. And for our kids online, we've seen an alarming increase in those trying to have predatory behaviour towards children online. And we've got the e-safety.gov.au website, which is very important to help parents and others who are looking after kids because our kids are online learning.
JONES: Absolutely. You've introduced federal regulations to make it illegal to bulk purchase goods needed by Australians which are purchased and sent overseas. I'm sure you understand how much the blood boils of hardworking Australians when there are two Chinese owned company developers, obviously with Australian names. They call themselves Greenland Australia and Risland Australia, and their staff go out and buy in bulk more than 100 tons of surgical masks, Anti-bacterial wipes, hand sanitizer, Panadol and ship them back to China. Are we too soft with these people?
PRIME MINISTER: Well we changed the laws basically to deal with that. The case you're talking about, were back early in February, circumstances were a little different then. But that. But it's important that we crack down on this. And that's what Peter Dutton is doing with Home Affairs to do just that. And yesterday and in fact, we got millions of more masks out of China, some great work by the various people who are working with us to help us with it. Twiggy Forrest had some involvement with that, as did Aspen Medical and a range of others that we work with to access these masks. And so, you know, that's that's what this is all about. Now, it's a day by day challenge to ensure we get the personal protective equipment. We're increasing the number of respirators we can get access to. This is very important to ensure that as the number of cases climbs and we’re slowing that it was down to a 6-percent increase yesterday. I mean, not, wasn't that long ago was 3 times that or more.
JONES: Yes it was 45 [per cent]. The thing that worries them, though, PM, and I'm sure you're aware of this, a former Chinese military officer who worked with the Chinese Communist Party agencies and another group with links to organised crime. These are the people behind all of this, this bloke Quang, is a former officer in the People's Liberation Army, runs a number of Communist Party backed organizations. And people are saying, how the hell, how are these people operating in Australia?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I think in many ways Alan, when these things are exposed and acted upon. I think it's a reminder that, you know, we need to have strong laws about these things. And that's why we have put strong laws in place.
JONES: Well, after all this though, and the cost to the world economy, trillions of dollars, this week the wet markets across China resumed operation. No additional rules, no regulations. Fruit bats are still on the menu. What is the world, or should the world be doing about this?
PRIME MINISTER: Well wet markets, I think, is a very real and significant problem wherever they exist. I mean, this virus started in China and went round the world. And that's that's how it started. We all know that. And these wet markets can be a real problem when it comes to what can occur in those markets. And I think from a world health point of view, this is something the World Health Organisation should do something about. I mean, all this money that comes out of the UN and the World Health organisation,
JONES: Well the bloke in charge is in bed with China, he’s an apologist for China.
PRIME MINISTER: You know, this is why we've got to be quite strident on these things in these forums. And make sure that they're dealing with what are quite serious world health risks.
JONES: Look, I'm not, I'm not here to pat you on the back, but a lot of people have commented about your address last Friday where you very sensibly warned that those advocating lockdown should be, your words, be careful of what you wish for. And sensibly, I think you agreed to quarantine people arriving in Australia from overseas in hotels guarded by police and the military and so on. But days later, state Premiers proceeded on their own way and imposed these draconian lockdown rules without parliamentary approval. Your advice was be careful what you wish for. What do you say to the people who now have to be careful? They're frightened of going out of their home?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the social distancing, the healthy distance rules that are being put in place are being put in place for people's own protection. Now each of the states and territories, they are making their own decisions about how they are enforcing those rules. And the police have discretion. I mean, I'm more familiar with what's happening in New South Wales, obviously, and in the ACT because I'm not in the other states. But all of them have to make their own decisions about how they do this and get this right. I think I'd say this, though, Alan. We're in the very early days of it. People are adjusting to it and so are the police and those enforcing it. These are huge changes we're asking the country to make. And I know they're frustrating. And I think we've got to give each other that, you know, give the police a fair go. They try to do something very difficult. We can't expect them to have perfect execution of these measures in the first instance. They'll get it right. People working with them will get it right. But equally, you know, we're still seeing people doing things that they know they shouldn't be doing. And that's very frustrating,
JONES: That’s a minority and we should deal with them.
PRIME MINISTER: It is a minority I agree with that. But a week or so ago, it wasn't the minority.
JONES: No. You've often said, though, that two things, it's a new normal. And and this could be six months, six months, a long time?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it is. And look, it could be longer, Alan. And I'm trying to prepare the country for a longer haul. That's why on these measures, these things of controlling behaviour and all of these things, we've got to be careful to ensure that people can keep doing it for that long. I don't want people to, we need them to be patient and not to get too frustrated. But it is going to be tough. That's why I think we've got to work together to ensure that we can have these rules in place for as long as we can. And then we can get our economy back on its feet as soon as we can. There are no magic numbers that allow that to happen. We're watching those things very closely. I mean, we've been able to get the growth in the virus down a lot, but it still needs to go further. Because if we don't do that, then obviously the pressures on the health system, the emergency departments, all of that would get to a very, very serious level. Now we're avoiding that so far. But as we've seen overseas, many places have not.
JONES: And one of the most prominent complaints, PM, from those who correspond is that the public service employees are still being paid a full salary, they’re not on $550 bucks or $750 bucks, the ABC, which spends most of its time criticizing you and your government, the ABC hasn't been pruned back. Should public, the public sector, the ABC, even politicians take a pay cut?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we've put a ban on any increases. And look, the percentage of total salaries of the budget is actually in the federal government very, very small. And look, we'll look at those things if that's necessary. But I honestly, it's not something that I'm focussed on. I know people are taking a hard hit every day in their businesses. There are many businesses, Alan, whether it's supermarkets or a lot of these areas. They're doing, they're doing quite well, actually, in these circumstances because of the rush. So some businesses, mining and so on, they're going on like they were before, other businesses are heavily hit. But I don't think it's actually helpful in a crisis to stop having people turn on each other about who's getting what.
JONES: Okay. But just on that, businesses and you're right, some doing well, you know, some heavily hit. Now, you announced yesterday that 1 million families will receive free childcare during the coronavirus pandemic. And the aim, you said, is to get the child sector through to the other side. Am I right in saying the government pay 50 per cent of the sector's fee revenue so long as the childcare centres remain open and don't charge families? Is that right?
PRIME MINISTER: Correct. And they also get the JobKeeper payment where they're in that situation as well. So the two together means that those centres will stay open. We've already seen that there are, the number of children going to childcare. Not, not surprisingly, has fallen, which would cause many centres to close. And what we need is for them to stay open. So those parents who still work. This is about parents who are working and can't have their children at home. And it's the same for schools. I mean, that's why they need to be able to send their children to those schools and they need to be able to send them to childcare centres because if they can't do that, they can't be a nurse and turn up to work today.
JONES: That's true. PM But given the childcare operates, private businesses either run for profit or not for profit. They're private players right across the country. Thousands and thousands of businesses have hit the wall across the country, including perhaps people like Virgin and whatever. Why do these childcare businesses get bailed out and others are left?
PRIME MINISTER: Because they ensure that people can go to work Alan.
JONES: Yeah, but there are people that you, you said yesterday if you're working from home or you're at home and not working, you can still have free childcare?
PRIME MINISTER: No, well what we’re saying is the childcare centres will be prioritising those who have to, parents who have to go to work.
JONES: Yeah but they’re private businesses, you’re you’re subsidising private businesses?
PRIME MINISTER: Alan, but what I'm saying is that I mean, the childcare centres won't be able to double the number of people they can take. What they'll be doing is taking the children of parents who can't look after their kids at home and who have to go to work. So the childcare sector is vital to keep our economy running, to keep our hospitals running, and to keep our aged care centres running. And if we don't have the childcare sector in place, Alan, then we're going to lose a significant part of our workforce, which is going to keep people alive.
JONES: Just before we go, thank you for that, you were talking about crossing the bridge, we hope it's not a long bridge. Do you think Australians know that when we get over that bridge, there could be fewer companies paying company tax, fewer individuals in work paying personal tax, there'll be more people on welfare, that expenditure goes up and then their export income may be significantly diluted because our markets are Asia and Europe. Therefore, the lesson is here, there's going to be an awful lot of belt tightening down the track.
PRIME MINISTER: Oh, look, Alan, on the other side of this, it's going to, it’s a long road back to recovery. But what's important is I'm trying to get Australia in the best possible place,
JONES: Yeah we understand,
PRIME MINISTER: Where we start that process by keeping as many businesses in business,
JONES: and as many people at work in work,
PRIME MINISTER: In work, and so on the other side, and can I stress this thing in particular, there'll be two parts of the legislation we need to pass next week to get JobKeeper up and running. There is the fiscal bills they're called. That's where the money comes from to support JobKeeper, and then there are the industrial relations changes that we need to make,
JONES: you are going to get me into trouble because I've got to to the networks,
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, anyway we need to pass both of them. And we need support for both of them.
JONES: Wednesday, next Wednesday. Good on you. Thank you for your time. Thank you for what you do. Talk next week.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks, Alan.
Update on Coronavirus Measures
3 April 2020
Australian governments met today as the National Cabinet to take further action to slow the spread of coronavirus to save lives, and to save livelihoods.
We will be living with this virus for at least six months, so social distancing measures to slow the spread of this virus must be sustainable for at least that long to protect Australian lives.
We need to ensure Australia keeps functioning, to keep Australians in jobs.
The Chief Medical Officer Dr Brendan Murphy provided an update on the measures underway on the latest data and medical advice in relation to coronavirus.
There are more than 5,315 confirmed cases in Australia and sadly 27 people have died.
Testing keeps Australians safe. Australia has one of the most rigorous coronavirus testing systems in the world with more than 270,000 tests completed.
It is clear the epidemiology curve is beginning to flatten. But it is too early to determine whether such movements will be significant or sustained.
Leaders thanked all Australians who have acted responsibly towards their fellow Australians and have been undertaking social distancing and isolation measures.
These measures are helping to slow the spread of the virus, ensure the strength of our health system and save lives.
National Cabinet stressed the critical importance of continuing to adhere to self-isolation, social distancing and quarantine arrangements for returned travellers. Leaders also highlight the importance of people who are self-isolating registering on the COVID-19 app.
National Cabinet noted that Australia was now in the suppression phase of the response, which will last for some time. Restrictions will be reviewed regularly and planning for the medium to long-term has begun.
Governments are working together to increase supplies of personal protective equipment such as masks, hand sanitiser and gloves. New supplies for the National Medical Stockpile are continuing to be sourced from overseas suppliers and domestic manufacturers.
The Prime Minister and the Secretary of the Commonwealth Treasury also provided an overview of the economic outlook and the medium and longer term financial risks.
National Cabinet agreed to meet again on Tuesday 7 April 2020.
Religious Services
Churches and other places of worship, will be considered places of work so that services can be live streamed to the community. This will ensure that religious services, including Easter services, remain accessible to congregations. National Cabinet agreed that providing access to services is important for a sense of continuity and social connection.
Services may be conducted and live streamed providing only essential staff are present, the venue/facility remains closed to the public, and social distancing principles are adhered to.
Any church wishing to conduct religious services, including Easter services, must use the minimum number of participants required to deliver and live stream the service, which may include a priest, attendants, organist, videographer and sound recordist.
Easter Holidays
Social distancing is slowing the spread of the virus in Australia. These measures are saving lives and livelihoods. National Cabinet reminded Australians that social distancing must continue at Easter and agreed that Australians should stay at home this Easter and not undertake unnecessary holiday travel.
Commercial Tenancies
National Cabinet made further progress on the issue of commercial tenancies. They have agreed that a mandatory code of conduct guided by certain principles will be developed and subsequently legislated by State and Territory Governments to apply for tenancies where the tenant is eligible for the Commonwealth Government’s JobKeeper assistance and is a small- or medium-sized enterprise (less than $50 million turnover).
The principles that guide the code will be:
Where it can, rent should continue to be paid, and where there is financial distress as a result of COVID-19 (for example, the tenant is eligible for assistance through the JobKeeper program), tenants and landlords should negotiate a mutually agreed outcome
There will be a proportionality to rent reductions based on the decline in turnover to ensure that the burden is shared between landlords and tenants
There will be a prohibition on termination of leases for non-payment of rent (lockouts and eviction)
There will be a freeze on rent increases (except for turnover leases)
There will be a prohibition on penalties for tenants who stop trading or reduce opening hours
There will be a prohibition on landlords passing land tax to tenants (if not already legislated)
There will be a prohibition on landlords charging interest on unpaid rent
There will be a prohibition on landlords from making a claim to a bank guarantee or security deposit for non-payment of rent
Ensure that any legislative barriers or administrative hurdles to lease extensions are removed (so that a tenant and landlord could agree a rent waiver in return for a lease extension)
For landlords and tenants that sign up to the code of conduct, States and Territories have agreed to look at providing the equivalent of at least a three month land tax waiver and three month land tax deferral on application for eligible landowners, with jurisdictions to continue to monitor the situation. Landlords must pass on the benefits of such moves to the tenants. In cases where parties have signed to the code of conduct, the ability for tenants to terminate leases as mentioned in the National Cabinet Statement on 29 March 2020 will not apply. Mediation will be provided as needed through existing State and Territory mechanisms.
The proposed code of conduct will be discussed at the next meeting of the National Cabinet on Tuesday 7 April.
Childcare and Education
National Cabinet welcomed the Australian Government’s Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) relief package, recognising that the sector is key to supporting essential workers and vulnerable children, while also underpinning economic recovery by allowing parents to work, study and volunteer. The relief package will provide families with free child care, while also offering certainty to ECEC services at a time where enrolments and attendance are highly unpredictable.
National Cabinet also supported the agreements made by Education Ministers on 2 April 2020 to reduce the regulatory burden on early childhood education and care. Amongst other things, it was agreed that ECEC services will remain open for all families who require care and any future decision regarding ECEC services will be consistent with advice of AHPPC (noting families who require care include all essential workers and vulnerable cohorts).
The current AHPPC advice is that ECEC centres are essential services and should continue at this time, but with risk mitigation measures in place. National Cabinet agreed with AHPPC advice that alternative care arrangements should be considered for those children who are highly vulnerable to adverse outcomes if infected with COVID-19 and that parents seek medical advice for these children.
The previous advice on schools has not changed. Education Ministers will work with medical experts to determine how the school year can be conducted.
Local Governments
National Cabinet agreed that states and territories were best placed to address issues related to the impacts of COVID19 and local governments.
Information on Coronavirus COVID-19 in Australia
To improve access to timely information on COVID19 National Cabinet agreed to the Commonwealth Department of Health releasing a national daily dashboard of data and key facts. The dashboard will shortly be available on www.health.gov.au.
National Cabinet will review up-dated health system capacity modelling on Tuesday 7 April 2020. This modelling will look at the trajectory of the outbreak in Australia, the capacity of our health care system and the measures put in place to suppress the spread of COVID19.
Interview with Tracy Grimshaw, A Current Affair - Channel 9
2 April 2020
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Hello, I'm Tracy Grimshaw. Welcome to A Current Affair. We begin tonight with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who joins me now from Canberra. Prime Minister, thank you for your time and good evening to you.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks, Tracy.
GRIMSHAW: You started your briefing today with a synopsis of how much has happened in 10 weeks since you announced that this coronavirus had pandemic potential. Are we today where you thought we would be just 10 weeks ago?
PRIME MINISTER: We obviously have many more cases since then, but with all the pressures we have been under over that period of time and the actions that have been taken, then we are flattening this curve and we are in a position that enables us to get through this. But we have to keep doing the right thing, we have to keep working together. The number of cases, particularly early on, were well-managed and I had a big shout out to the Chinese Australian community today because they were the first that were dealing with the coronavirus in their community. Of course, this coronavirus started up in China, in Wuhan, and we had those flights, we shut off flights and people coming back from China, and they did very well. That means now we are in a stronger position than we might otherwise have been, and if we keep doing the right thing, we keep taking the actions we are taking, then we have the best chance of saving lives and saving livelihoods.
GRIMSHAW: You just said you closed the borders to China about eight weeks ago, other countries followed. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, Prime Minister, we all have it. But given we are an island, and every case we have here is imported, with the benefit of hindsight, would you have closed the borders sooner?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, everything we have done has been to take actions based on the medical expert advice and that was the expert advice at the time and we took it. We continue to be guided by that advice and they were the critical decisions at that time. There were some countries in Europe, and the UK, that did not shut…
GRIMSHAW: Do you wish you’d done it sooner, though?
PRIME MINISTER: No, because the issue we’ve had with a couple of particular groups that have come through, and there has been a couple of cruise ships and events like that, about three quarters or two thirds, I should say, of the cases we currently have have been imported from overseas. Now, they have been from Australians coming home. We could never stop Australians coming home. The cases that we’ve had haven't been from visitors, they've been actually from Australians. And so Australians throughout the course of this coronavirus were always going to make their way back and that's where we've had the biggest exposure and that’s why we have further ramped up, week after week, the quarantine and other protections that we’ve had. Self-isolation of people coming back to Australia. So when you close the borders, you can't close them to Australians who live here and that’s who have been coming back and that is where the overwhelming majority of the cases have come from.
GRIMSHAW: So the infection rate is slowing, you said earlier that it looks like we are flattening the curve, the infection rate is slowing. But I wonder whether that is more a reflection of the fact we are now policing our borders and people are forced into quarantine for two weeks where they weren’t for many, many weeks and whether maybe it's community transmission that we still haven't got a handle on?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, community transmission at this point is still very low, but it's the one we're obviously watching most carefully and we have seen a slowing in the overall rate. But that community transmission, that's where someone has contracted it from someone else in Australia, not directly from someone who has come back from overseas. This is the issue that we have to keep very, very focused on and we are. And that's why we have the many restrictions that we have now in place right across the community, led by the National Cabinet, which is all the states and territories, all the Premiers and Chief Ministers who have agreed to put these restrictions in. And they're having an obvious impact and we need to keep having that impact. But they have to be sustainable too, Tracy. I mean, we've got to keep doing this for the next six months. It's fine for people to want to go even further and harder. But if you can't keep that up, then you'll end up putting the population at even greater risk, ultimately, and we have to be careful and keep it sustainable.
GRIMSHAW: Sorry, I don't mean to interrupt you. I want to talk to you about the six months a bit later that year. Do you have modelling on when you think that this will peak and what a peak will look like based on how the numbers are working now?
PRIME MINISTER: It changes all the time, almost every day, and there's lots of work that's being done and what all that tells you is you've got to keep doing things which mean you keep your economy running and you keep the level of transmission growth as low as you possibly can. And you've got to keep building up your ICU capacity, your personal protective equipment, all of these things, so you can cope with things when they get a lot more advanced than what they are now. That's why all that says. But it changes almost every day and the more we do those things to keep our distance, to ensure that we're following the rules, then that saves lives because that decreases the impact on the health system at the highest peak.
GRIMSHAW: What are you looking for? What are the triggers? What are the benchmarks that you are looking for to tell you that you've got this under control?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I wish it was that easy, but there are many factors that play into this, but one that we constantly look at is, of course, the daily rate of increase, but it's also the community transmission rate. That's what's happening in between Australians and that's something we've been watching, particularly in New South Wales and Victoria. Many other states have much lower rates of community transmission. And the overall numbers of community transmission in New South Wales and Victoria is still relatively low. But we're watching those growth rates and you can get spikes, like we've had with the spikes of growth that we've seen amongst the backpackers out in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. We saw earlier cases centered around places like Ryde and Eastwood. These outbreaks that happen in a local area, you've got to move on very quick. That's been the example of other countries like in Korea and Japan. And I've spoken particularly to the Japanese Prime Minister about that approach when I spoke to him just earlier this week.
GRIMSHAW: You always talk about six months. We're in this for six months. You mentioned that just before as we were talking. The Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Paul Kelly, told us yesterday there has never been an effective coronavirus vaccine for other coronaviruses. Obviously, we don't have one for this one yet. We are at least 12 to 18 months off and you can't eliminate this virus without one. So exactly what parts of this will be over in six months, Prime Minister?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, what I'm trying to do is make it very clear that those who think this can all be done in a couple of weeks with the ‘lockdown’, as they call it, that's just not true. I'm the only, it would seem, leader in the world at the moment which is talking about a much longer timeframe. I'm trying to get Australians to understand that there is no quick fix on this. Now, the six month period was based on early modelling that was done, which showed how we move through a peak and go through to the other side and it returns to lower levels. But, of course, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer is absolutely right. That's why the whole world is working on a vaccine. Now, on the other side of the peak of cases, we can obviously look at how we might ease restrictions and we have to be careful about that. But what I'm trying to get across to Australians is we're in this new normal for some time. So we have to do things that we can keep doing and when we're doing it, we've got to stay positive. We've got to stay connected, even if we're isolated, and we've got to stay strong and support each other.
GRIMSHAW: I guess people, people want to know what's happening, because I think it's the unknown that is frightening people probably right now as much as anything. Countries like the US…
PRIME MINISTER: I understand that. I understand that. I understand that very much.
GRIMSHAW: Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt, you go ahead.
PRIME MINISTER: I was going to say, there is a lot of anxiety about that and I wish a lot more things were known. But when I talk about the profile we've got in front of us and what is in front of us, what I'm saying is we're going to be in this new normal of where we're living now and the forms of restrictions that we have for the foreseeable future and we need to be able to keep doing that. I mean, if I told you it was all going to be over in two weeks, then people might be happy about that. But I wouldn't... that wouldn't be true. So I'm preparing the country to continue to do this for some time yet to come.
GRIMSHAW: I'm wondering how we're going to be over it, or at least over the bulk of it, in six months. I mean, it's going to be hard to imagine us opening our borders, for example, to the US or to Europe or even the UK for that matter, given what they're going through right now as soon as six months, especially if there's no vaccine.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I've said it's at least six months, Tracy, to be fair. I've said it's at least six months. It could be longer. But that's why when we've put our economic packages together, I've ensured that at least they've been funded to ensure that it takes us through the next six months. But our hope is, of course, over that period of six months that we'll be in a very different position in terms of the way that the virus is moving through the community. But that doesn't necessarily immediately mean that everything else can change and we'll have to assess that at the time based on the best medical advice. But this is going to be... there's a lot of uncertainties around this. And I can't shield people from uncertainties when they are genuine. But what we can do is ensure we put in place the most sustainable set of restrictions, the most generous set of supports that we can, that can help people just get through day by day by day. And day by day, we will get through this together.
GRIMSHAW: It's hundreds… you talked about the stimulus and the support package, it’s hundreds of billions of dollars. How are we going to pay for it, Prime Minister? You must have ideas.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we came into this crisis, which is we're fighting a war on two fronts. We're fighting the virus and we're fighting the very serious economic impacts of that virus. And we came into this crisis with one of the lowest debt to GDPs in the developed world and in the world. And that means that we are in a position to increase - even though it will be a much greater burden to carry - than most, almost all, the countries everywhere else in the world that are doing the same thing. So by keeping and going into this crisis with a budget that returned to balance, with getting debt under control, all of those things means that we can now take these steps. That's why we've been so keen and so focused in the past before the crisis on making sure we had strong financial management. But of course, it will be a greater burden. But we've made commitments that we know we can meet. But we've been careful about them and not to overextend. We've got to make what we've done last as long as possible.
GRIMSHAW: So do we expect increased taxes, increased GST, a massive deficit levy? I asked these questions of Josh Frydenberg this week. Are you going to change super? I mean, you're going to have to look at something. You can't just carry a $300 billion debt.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, right now, I'm focused on getting people through the crisis. There will also be a recovery plan that will come and that will also show the way out and the way we can meet these these greater commitments into the future. But we've been careful to ensure that they don't go on forever. The support we're providing is for a fixed time. We haven't committed to expenditure out over 12, 18 months, two years, which is what happened after the last financial crisis and that had a terrible impact on the budget. I don't mean that as a criticism, that is just a simple observation of history. And so what we're doing is we're keeping the support we're providing very focused, very tight, and we're being very disciplined about it. And that enables us to be more focused and targeted on giving people the help they need right now.
GRIMSHAW: You became, I think, emotional today when you are asked about what you say to your family and I know my mates' kids are asking them, when are we ever going to stop talking about the coronavirus? And I think we probably never are. What do you say to your kids?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we just talk about what happens every day and we just try to keep our kids focused on the here and now and just what's going to happen tomorrow and the day after that. And what's happening at school and talking to their friends and trying to keep their life as normal as possible and that's a big focus for us. I mean, I became a bit emotional today because I was thinking about a conversation I had with my grandmother and she lived through the depression out in rural New South Wales and she used to tell me stories about what that was like. And I honestly hope that my kids would never have to grow up in a situation that she faced. It is very upsetting that as a nation, we're faced with this. It is not through any fault of ours in Australia. These events have happened to us. But we will respond in the same way that my grandmother's generation did, I have great confidence about that, and I know my girls will show as much character as she did when she was growing up at that time. But we talk about the normal things each day. But one of the things I'm a little concerned about, because our kids are now doing a lot of their schooling online, Tracy, and that means as parents, we've got to be very mindful that they're now in an online environment. And that means the e-safety that we need to ensure that our kids are getting at home when they're on their computers as parents and carers and others. We've got to lift up our eyes onto that very real risk and esafety.gov.au is a great tool for parents in terms of the things that they need to know to keep their children safe online. And we've got a scammers website as well and that is also to protect people from scammers who are looking to take advantage of them during this period. While Australians will be great, there'll be some grubs out there who will want to do the wrong thing and we need to protect our families from them.
GRIMSHAW: You're right. It's an important message. We actually spoke with the e-safety Commissioner just two nights ago, I think, the days go quickly. I can't remember, but I think it was two nights ago. Anyway, it was good to talk with you. I know you are very busy.
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, Julie Inman Grant, she's doing a great job.
GRIMSHAW: Yep, she is.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks a lot. Good to be with you.
GRIMSHAW: You, too. Prime Minister Scott Morrison there in Canberra.
Interview with Michael Usher, The Latest - Channel 7
2 April 2020
MICHAEL USHER: Prime Minister, thank you for joining us again tonight. Firstly, I should check, you have been flat out in meetings right up until this interview, it's all very fast moving. Are there any developments we need to know right now?
PRIME MINISTER: No, the Cabinet and its various ministers’ groups are meeting very regularly. I've just actually stepped out of a meeting with the Opposition actually to talk about Parliament reconvening next week and moving towards that and talking through some of the issues about the legislation we will be bringing forward. But today, the major announcement was in relation to child care but also today we pointed out that we now have a testing rate in Australia of over 1,000 people for 100,000, which is the highest in the world as best as we can determine. That's been critically important to how we have been able to manage issues, on top of that we have also had a lot more personal protection equipment, which we have been able to access and so our stocks and stores of that have also been rising. That will also be very important to how we are managing the issue going forward as well.
USHER: Okay, the free child care package. Let me just rewind to that one for working parents. Could you clarify, PM, do you want children back in child care as soon as possible, and would that be children of anyone with a job right now?
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, well, if you have a job and you can't arrange for your child care at home, in a safe way, so you know, then that's what child care is there for. And equally the early childhood education component of that is also important. But child care to support these workers, and many of whom will be in critically important jobs, whether they be nurses or doctors or as I said today, the cleaners at these places. I mean there are a lot of essential jobs at the moment and if you have a job it's essential to you and so we want to make sure that people are in a position to be able to hold on to those jobs and what this also does is dramatically reduces the child care costs to nothing for those so that means every dollar can go further.
USHER: And this is in place for a period of 6 months. Is it likely after that, that these conditions may stay in place, universal child care?
PRIME MINISTER: No. No, it won't. These are special conditions to deal with the crisis that we are in, and like with all the arrangements we are putting in place, the JobKeeper program, the JobSeeker COVID-19 supplement all of these arrangements are being done on a temporary basis. All of the measures we are putting in place are designed to get us through the crisis period of the COVID-19 virus. And one of our key principals has been not to load up the Budget in years into the future. So that it will enable us to get back on to a sure footing once the crisis has passed.
USHER: The curve is showing signs of flattening as you mentioned, our testing rates are the highest in the world. Everything seems to be going in the right direction Prime Minister, is your timeline still pointing to 6 months of these restrictions?
PRIME MINISTER: Yes, it is. And it's very difficult to provide any other timeline. Even that 6 months is
indicative. I've been very clear about this because I've been trying to get the message across to Australians this is not something that just comes and goes in a couple of weeks. This is going to be a whole new normal for Australians for some time to come yet. We think 6 months is the most reasonable estimate of that at the moment. I certainly hope that it may be sooner than that, but it could also be longer. And so what we are dealing with here is very difficult. I mean this virus will follow its own rules. It won't follow ours. That means we need to adapt and change to ensure that we can both manage the devastating health impact this can have, taking so many lives already not just in Australia but, of course, all round the world. But also the devastating economic impacts it has. That's why we have tried in all cases to do things that are measured, that are scalable, that are sustainable. But my message today to Australians was to stay positive and stay connected to each other and just stay strong. That's what we need to do.
USHER: What would be the first signs for you that we are on a path to recovery?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, this is the difficulty, Michael. And that is the virus if we - and we are having some success in this but we are not complacent about it. We are in a position to push that curve down, we have particularly seen some of those results in NSW, which has been one of the most - which has been the most affected state, in NSW we have seen that flattening. We are seeing it in the other states as well. But the issue is, ultimately, there needs to be a vaccine. A vaccine ultimately enables everybody to go back to life as it was. In the meantime, we’d have to be careful that if we are ever to ease restrictions that we just wouldn't then see a rush on the virus again and our worst fears realised. It is a very difficult balancing act but the best thing for Australia is to ensure we minimise the disruption as much as possible, and that we keep the strong health measures in place and we hold that balance for as long as we possibly can. That's why I have been stressing that it has to be sustainable. We have to be able to adjust our lives and live with that for quite a period of time.
USHER: Look, the Easter holidays are upon us. I wouldn't mind you talking about parents and families right now. As you know kids are housebound, parents are juggling home schooling, working from home, working remotely. I think parents want a little ray of hope. Is there a chance that after the Easter school holidays would you like to see classes resume to allow as many kids back to school as possible?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, first of all I hope Easter does provide people with a ray of hope over the break. It's an important time of the year for families and everyone. But obviously people should not be going away, piling up in the car and going away as they might ordinarily do in Easter. People should be staying at home this Easter and that's what they should be doing. On the other side of the school holidays, what the teachers, the schools and everyone has been planning for has been to be a balance, a combination of both distance learning as well as for those who are not in a position to provide a learning environment at home, for the children to be able to return to school.
I mean school will return after the holidays. They just won't be holidays that most school students have known for a long time. And when they go back, it's the learning that matters, and we hope to have an arrangement that can return as much to normal as possible but we have to accept that there will be for some protracted period of time, this combination of distance learning and for those who can't do that at home, no child should be turned away from schools on the other side of the break and that includes up until the break in those states that school terms are still running.
USHER: So do you think it will be preferable if we can get as many kids back into the classrooms as possible. From the point of view of easing some of the pressure on the home at the moment?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, look, the health advice we have is that there is no health reasons why children can't go to school. Their health is not at risk. That is the advice that we have received. But there are many other issues that the State Governments and schools have to manage in terms of their workforce and ensuring the teachers can be there to provide that support to the children at school. And there are occupational health and safety issues that the unions have raised that the states are seeking to address and so there is going to be this combination. When the Premier in NSW talked about practical reasons, this is predominantly what she was referring to.
USHER: If you don't mind me asking a personal question, I'm guessing your family is not seeing you a lot at the moment. How is Jenny and the kids handling working from home? Learning from home?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's a big change for them. When I do get home and if they are still up I talk to them about their school day and they just say it's pretty weird, dad, doing this. And it is going to take a little bit of time for them to adjust. It is a whole different way of learning for young kids and one of the things I've been most adamant about is that the virus is going to take a lot of things from us in the months ahead. But I do not want it to rob our children of their education. And I know that teachers, the school systems, the independent schools, the Catholic schools everybody will keep putting the child's education at the top of the list, and of course their health. And we have got to ensure that they can do that for their teachers, the teachers need to be teaching in a healthy environment for them. And so at home when I get home it's a very different world we are living in at the moment. And the girls are doing fine. Jenny is doing fine. But we are only a few weeks into it and I suspect as the weeks go on they will adjust a bit but at the same time look, it's going to get frustrating. And that's why we have got to do all we can to stay connected and try and stay positive.
USHER: Just one question, a big question about the economy. It's a big question here. But you are spending naturally tens of billions, many tens of billions to safeguard jobs, protect the economy long term. At the end of it, there is likely to be a recession. How do we recover and is it going to be inevitable that higher taxes will come around to help pay for all of this?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, obviously there will be a heightened debt burden as a result of decisions we have had to take. They have been necessary decisions. Otherwise the calamity for Australian households, economic, would be very disastrous. We have taken that decisions of government to step up and to make this commitment to provide people with an economic lifeline over these many months ahead.
But you are right, we will have to then work hard on the other side to restore the economy. Now, that's why we are being so careful not to have things that tie the economy and the Budget down off into the future. We do need to snap back to the normal arrangements on the other side of this. And we are being very careful to do that. But we will need to build the economy strongly again. That's why the measures, that the things we are doing for businesses are so important. We want the businesses to be able to snap back and just get on with the job, when we get on the other side. We don't want them to be burdened down by debt and large outstanding lease payments and having to go into insolvency because they can't afford the various payments that they would have to make. We cannot have the businesses just go under. We need them to keep them vibrant and alive at least until the end of this period so they can get back to work and so people can get back to work. This has been a key part of our strategy, with everything we are doing. We want those businesses there on the other side. If we lose the businesses then that's going to put an even greater burden on re-kick starting the economy on the other side.
USHER: All along as you said today, stay connected as best you can.
PRIME MINISTER: That's it. Even if we are isolated we can stay connected.
USHER: OK. Alright. Prime Minister, good to talk to you again. Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks Michael.
Early Childhood Education and Care Relief Package
2 April 2020
Prime Minister, Minister for Education
Around one million families are set to receive free child care during the coronavirus pandemic under a plan from the Morrison Government that will help deliver hip pocket relief and help the early childhood education and care sector make it through to the other side of this crisis.
Under the plan, the Government will pay 50 per cent of the sector’s fee revenue up to the existing hourly rate cap based on a point in time before parents started withdrawing their children in large numbers, but only so long as services remain open and do not charge families for care. The funding will apply from 6 April based on the number of children who were in care during the fortnight leading into 2 March, whether or not they are attending services.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the plan supports families while also ensuring as many of the sector’s 13,000 child care and early learning services as possible could keep their doors open for workers and vulnerable families who need those services.
The plan provides funding certainty to early childhood education and care services at a time where enrolments and attendance are highly unpredictable. This, along with the JobKeeper payment, means services can offer free education and care.
“Relief is on its way for around a million Australian families and thousands of early learning educators and carers,” the Prime Minister said.
“These services are vital for so many parents so they can provide for their family, and children need as much familiarity and continuity as we can help provide at this unsettling time. Priority will be given to working parents, vulnerable and disadvantaged children that need early education more than ever and parents with pre-existing enrolments.
“This plan complements more than $1 billion we expect the sector to receive through our new JobKeeper payment to help ensure many of the 200,000 vital early education workforce can stay connected to services.
“It means building a bridge for these valuable services to the other side of this virus so they can continue to play their valuable role in our workforce and education systems and so Australia can bounce back strongly.”
The plan means the sector is expected to receive $1.6 billion over the coming three months from taxpayer subsidies because of the March 2 baseline that has been set, compared to an estimated $1.3 billion if current revenues and subsidies had continued based on the existing system and the significant reduction of enrolments the sector has seen.
The new system will see payments start flowing at the end of next week. The system will be reviewed after one month, with an extension to be considered after three months. The payments will be paid in lieu of the Child Care (CCS) and Additional Child Care Subsidy payments.
Minister for Education Dan Tehan said the assistance package would ensure services remained open to serve families that needed to work and to support vulnerable children.
“The Federal Government is working with states and territories and the sector to minimise the impact of coronavirus,” Mr Tehan said.
“The states and territories are looking at how to reduce the regulatory burden on the child care services which will further help them to remain viable. The Education Council of the country’s education ministers as well as National Cabinet will address regulation this week.
“This package will help support families during these difficult times, particularly those who have lost their job and are doing it tough.
Until the payments arrive, we are allowing services to waive gap fees for families who keep their children home, and families will be able to use the 20 extra absence days the government has funded for coronavirus related reasons without giving up their place in a child care centre.
“If you have terminated your enrolment since 17 February, then I encourage you to get back in contact with your centre and re-start your arrangements. Re-starting your enrolment will not require you to send your child to child care and it certainly won’t require you to pay a gap fee. Re-starting your enrolment will, however, hold your place for that point in time when things start to normalise, and you are ready to take your child back to their centre.”
“We will also make payments of higher amounts available in exceptional circumstances, such as where greater funding is required to meet the needs of emergency workers or vulnerable children.
“The Government is also providing certainty to the preschool sector in recognition of its importance to a student’s formal education.”
The Morrison Government will also provide $453.2 million for preschools in 2021 to support almost 350,000 children to attend preschool. The funding injection comes on top of the $3.2 billion the government has delivered for preschool education since 2014.
There is a range of government assistance available to early learning and child care operators. Most services operate as small businesses, with 79.9 per cent of providers operating a single service, while 95.9 per cent operating fewer than five. The available assistance includes:
The $130 billion JobKeeper payment
A cash flow boost of at least $20,000 and up to $100,000 with payments equal to 100 per cent of businesses’ and not-for-profits’ salary and wages withheld
Loan guarantees so businesses can get working capital
National Cabinet is also considering short-term intervention for commercial tenancy arrangements.
Child care services seeking health and situation information about COVID-19 should contact the 24/7 National Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080. Information is also available from https://www.dese.gov.au/news/coronavirus-covid-19
$130 Billion JobKeeper Payment to Keep Australians in a Job
30 March 2020
Prime Minister, Treasurer
The Morrison Government will provide a historic wage subsidy to around 6 million workers who will receive a flat payment of $1,500 per fortnight through their employer, before tax.
The $130 billion JobKeeper payment will help keep Australians in jobs as tackle the significant economic impact from the coronavirus.
The payment will be open to eligible businesses that receive a significant financial hit caused by the coronavirus.
The payment will provide the equivalent of around 70 per cent of the national median wage.
For workers in the accommodation, hospitality and retail sectors it will equate to a full median replacement wage.
The payment will ensure eligible employers and employees stay connected while some businesses move into hibernation.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the JobKeeper payment would bring the Government’s total economic support for the economy to $320 billion or 16.4 per cent of GDP.
“We will give millions of eligible businesses and their workers a lifeline to not only get through this crisis, but bounce back together on the other side,” the Prime Minister said.
“This is about keeping the connection between the employer and the employee and keeping people in their jobs even though the business they work for may go into hibernation and close down for six months.
“When the economy comes back, these businesses will be able to start again and their workforce will be ready to go because they will remain attached to the business through our JobKeeper payment.”
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the country was about to go through one of the toughest times in its history.
“Businesses will close and people will lose their jobs. That is why we have doubled the welfare safety net,” the Treasurer said.
“However, today we are going even further. Australians know that their government has their back.
“That is why we are delivering an historic $130 billion JobKeeper payment to support businesses and to help Australians in a job.
“This will keep Australian workers connected with their employer and provide hope and more certainty during these difficult and challenging times.”
JobKeeper Payment
The JobKeeper Payment is a subsidy to businesses, which will keep more Australians in jobs through the course of the coronavirus outbreak.
The payment will be paid to employers, for up to six months, for each eligible employee that was on their books on 1 March 2020 and is retained or continues to be engaged by that employer.
Where a business has stood down employees since 1 March, the payment will help them maintain connection with their employees.
Employers will receive a payment of $1,500 per fortnight per eligible employee. Every eligible employee must receive at least $1,500 per fortnight from this business, before tax.
The program will commence today, 30 March 2020, with the first payments to be received by eligible businesses in the first week of May as monthly arrears from the Australian Taxation Office. Eligible businesses can begin distributing the JobKeeper payment immediately and will be reimbursed from the first week of May.
The Government will provide updates on further business cashflow support in coming days.
Eligible employers will be those with annual turnover of less than $1 billion who self-assess that have a reduction in revenue of 30 per cent or more, since 1 March 2020 over a minimum one-month period.
Employers with an annual turnover of $1 billion or more would be required to demonstrate a reduction in revenue of 50 per cent or more to be eligible. Businesses subject to the Major Bank Levy will not be eligible.
Eligible employers include businesses structured through companies, partnerships, trusts and sole traders. Not for profit entities, including charities, will also be eligible.
Full time and part time employees, including stood down employees, would be eligible to receive the JobKeeper Payment. Where a casual employee has been with their employer for at least the previous 12 months they will also be eligible for the Payment. An employee will only be eligible to receive this payment from one employer.
Eligible employees include Australian residents, New Zealand citizens in Australia who hold a subclass 444 special category visa, and migrants who are eligible for JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance (Other).
Self-employed individuals are also eligible to receive the JobKeeper Payment.
Eligible businesses can apply for the payment online and are able to register their interest via ato.gov.au
Income support partner pay income test
Over the next six months the Government is temporarily expanding access to income support payments and establishing a Coronavirus Supplement of $550 per fortnight.
JobSeeker Payment is subject to a partner income test, and today the Government is temporarily relaxing the partner income test to ensure that an eligible person can receive the JobSeeker Payment, and associated Coronavirus Supplement, providing their partner earns less than $3,068 per fortnight, around $79,762 per annum.
The personal income test for individuals on JobSeeker Payment will still apply.
Every arm of government and industry is working to keep Australians in jobs and businesses in business, and to build a bridge to recovery on the other side.
The Government will continue to do what it takes to ensure that Australia bounces back stronger.
Update on Coronavirus Measures
30 March 2020
Australian governments met today as the National Cabinet to take further action to slow the spread of coronavirus to save lives, and to save livelihoods.
We will be living with this virus for at least six months, so social distancing measures to slow the spread of this virus must be sustainable for at least that long to protect Australian lives.
We need to ensure Australia keeps functioning, to keep Australians in jobs.
The Chief Medical Officer Dr Brendan Murphy provided an update on the measures underway on the latest data and medical advice in relation to coronavirus.
There are more than 4,200 confirmed cases in Australia and sadly 18 people have died.
Of the newly reported cases in the last week, the majority have been from New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.
National Cabinet noted that the vast majority of cases in Australia are imported from overseas or are locally acquired contacts of a confirmed case.
Testing keeps Australians safe. Australia has one of the most rigorous coronavirus testing systems in the world with more than 238,000 tests completed.
National Cabinet noted the successful implementation of enhanced border measures including the 14-day mandatory quarantine period for international travellers.
The Chief Medical Officer advice is that following the scaled up social distancing measures over the last week, Australia has now achieved significant behavioural change and that the message to “stay at home unless doing limited essential activities” is being heeded.
It is clear the epidemiology curve is beginning to flatten. But it is too early to determine whether such movements will be significant or sustained.
Stronger adherence to social distancing and new quarantine arrangements for returned travellers will take a number of days to show maximum effect.
The biggest single concern remains the evidence of cases where there are no known local links.
The Prime Minister and the Secretary of the Commonwealth Treasury also provided an overview of the economic outlook and the medium and longer term financial risks.
National Cabinet strongly endorsed the Commonwealth’s JobKeeper package and urged its support through the Commonwealth Parliament to provide much needed financial support to the Australian economy. They noted that the medium and long-term financial risks were manageable.
National Cabinet agreed to meet again on Friday 3 April 2020.
National Baseline Restrictions
Following agreement of a national baseline for social distancing and business restrictions, National Cabinet agreed to adopt the advice from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) that:
Supports the long-term nationwide maintenance and enforcement of the restrictions currently in place;
Local circumstances may prompt states and territories to introduce additional measures for a period to further control community transmission; and
Local decisions should be on the advice of the local Chief Health Officer informed by the local epidemiology at the time.
The factors influencing such a recommendation include consideration of:
the overall number of new cases, and particularly the rate of change
the proportion of locally acquired cases without known links to other cases
multiple outbreaks in vulnerable populations, including remote Indigenous communities and residential aged care facilities
capacity of laboratory testing and the health system to respond to current and predicted load.
Clarifications - Vulnerable people in the workplace
National Cabinet endorsed the AHPPC advice on vulnerable people in the workplace, specifically that the following people are, or are likely to be, at higher risk of serious illness if they are infected with the virus:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 50 years and older with one or more chronic medical conditions
People 65 years and older with chronic medical conditions. Conditions included in the definition of ‘chronic medical conditions’ will be refined as more evidence emerges.
People 70 years and older
People with compromised immune systems (see Department of Health website).
National Cabinet noted that the new AHPPC advice on the higher risk categories for people 65 years and older with chronic conditions had changed based on more up to date medical advice.
In addition, National Cabinet endorsed the AHPPC advice that:
Where vulnerable workers undertake essential work, a risk assessment must be undertaken. Risk needs to be assessed and mitigated with consideration of the characteristics of the worker, the workplace and the work. This includes ensuring vulnerable people are redeployed to non-customer based roles where possible. Where risk cannot be appropriately mitigated, employers and employees should consider alternate arrangements to accommodate a workplace absence.
Special provisions apply to essential workers who are at higher risk of serious illness and, where the risk cannot be sufficiently mitigated, should not work in high risk settings.
Excluding healthcare settings where appropriate PPE and precautions are adhered to, the AHPPC considers that, given the transmission characteristics of the virus, the following settings are at higher risk of outbreaks of coronavirus - correctional and detention facilities and group residential settings.
The AHPPC advice is that there is limited evidence at this time regarding the risk in pregnant women.
Air and port Crew
Aviation and maritime crew continue to provide an essential service in ensuring that Australians can return home, and that essential movements of critical goods and supplies continue.
National Cabinet re-confirmed that:
International flight crew are granted a concession from the mandatory 14 day quarantine requirements for individuals arriving in Australia. This is in recognition of their extensive training in infection prevention and control and use of personal protective equipment, whereby the risk from these individuals is considered to be lower than other international travellers. Air crew will continue to practise social distancing, cough etiquette and hand hygiene.
Maritime crew are granted a concession from the mandatory 14 day quarantine requirements. These crew members already practice self-quarantine on arrival in Australia and between movements in and out of the country. These arrangements should continue to apply, and as with air crew, maritime crew will continue to practise social distancing, cough etiquette and hand hygiene.
Truck Stops
National Cabinet agreed that truck stops can remain open with social distancing and hygiene measures in place, to the satisfaction of local state and territory health authorities.
Quarantine arrangements for vulnerable travellers
National Cabinet agreed that state and territory governments can consider exceptional circumstance exemptions to the requirement to serve the mandatory 14 day self isolation in a hotel or other facility, so as to enable vulnerable or at-risk individuals to self isolate (for 14 days) at home - including for minors or those with medical conditions, such as those returning to Australia from the Medical Treatment Overseas Program.
Early Childhood and Childcare
Previous advice on schools has not changed. National Cabinet agreed to consider arrangements for early childhood and childcare facilities at their next meeting on Friday 3rd April 2020.
Commercial and residential tenancies
National Cabinet agreed to consider advice from Treasurers on commercial and residential tenancies at their next meeting on Friday 3rd April 2020.
$1.1 Billion to Support More Mental Health, Medicare and Domestic Violence Services
29 March 2020
Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Women, Assistant Minister for Health, Minister for Families and Social Services
More help will be given to millions of Australians battling the devastating impacts of coronavirus with a $1.1 billion package which boosts mental health services, domestic violence support, Medicare assistance for people at home and emergency food relief.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said more support would be rolling out immediately to deal with the secondary effects of the health and economic crisis caused by coronavirus.
“As we battle coronavirus on both the health and economic fronts with significant support packages in place and more to come, I am very aware many Australians are understandably anxious, stressed and fearful about the impacts of coronavirus and what it brings,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.
“We are focused on saving lives and saving livelihoods and this new support package will provide much needed care and help to so many Australians facing hardship at no fault of their own.
“We will get through this crisis by staying together, by supporting each other and ensuring that no Australian, even though we have to be isolated, should have to go through this alone.”
Medicare support at home – whole of population telehealth
To provide continued access to essential primary health services during the coronavirus pandemic, $669 million will be provided to expand Medicare-subsidised telehealth services for all Australians, with extra incentives to GPs and other health practitioners also delivered.
Australians will be able to access support in their own home using their telephone, or video conferencing features like FaceTime to connect with GP services, mental health treatment, chronic disease management, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health assessments, services to people with eating disorders, pregnancy support counselling, services to patients in aged care facilities, children with autism, after-hours consultations and nurse practitioners.
Providing the opportunity to get health services at home is a key weapon in the fight against coronavirus while limiting unnecessary exposure of patients and health professionals to the virus, wherever treatment can be safely delivered by phone or videoconferencing. This will take pressure off hospitals and emergency departments and allow people to access essential health services in their home, while supporting self-isolation and quarantine policies.
The GP bulk billing incentive will be doubled for GPs and an incentive payment will be established to ensure practices stay open to provide face to face services where they are essential for patients with conditions that can’t be treated through telehealth. The new arrangements will be in place until 30 September 2020, when they will be reviewed in light of the need to continue the fight against coronavirus.
Domestic violence support
An initial $150 million will be provided to support Australians experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence due to the fallout from coronavirus.
Google is seeing the highest magnitude of searches for domestic violence help that they have seen in the past five years with an increase of 75 per cent and some services are already reporting an increase in demand.
The funding will boost programs under the National Plan to reduce Violence against Women and their Children including:
Counselling support for families affected by, or at risk of experiencing, domestic and family violence including men’s behaviour change programs which will provide a short, medium and longer term response to support men.
1800RESPECT, the national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling service, which already answers around 160,000 calls a year.
Mensline Australia, the national counselling service for men that provides support for emotional health and relationship concerns for men affected by or considering using violence.
Trafficked People Program to support particularly vulnerable cohorts such as victims of human trafficking, forced marriage, slavery and slavery-like practices.
Support programs for women and children experiencing violence to protect themselves to stay in their homes, or a home of their choice, when it is safe to do so.
A new public communication campaign will roll out to support those experiencing domestic violence over this period and to ensure those affected know where they can seek help.
Minister Payne and Minister Ruston will convene a COAG Women’s Safety Council meeting on Monday to discuss with the states and territories how to best deliver this funding to support local responses to this issue.
Mental health support
An initial $74 million will be provided to support the mental health and wellbeing of all Australians.
The Government’s digital mental health portal, Head to Health (www.headtohealth.gov.au), will be a single source of authoritative information and guidance on how to maintain good mental health during the coronavirus pandemic and in self-isolation, how to support children and loved ones, and how to access further mental health services and care.
A new national communications campaign, delivered in conjunction with the National Mental Health Commission, will provide information about maintaining mental wellbeing, raise awareness of the signs of when you or a loved one needs to get additional assistance, and where to find further information, support and care.
$10 million will be provided to create a dedicated coronavirus wellbeing support line, delivered by Beyond Blue, to help people experiencing concern due to a coronavirus diagnosis, or experiencing stress or anxiety due to employment changes, business closure, financial difficulties, family pressures or other challenges. The Government welcomes an additional $5 million contribution from Medibank to Beyond Blue to support this vital initiative.
$14 million will bolster the capacity of mental health support providers who have experienced an unprecedented surge in call volumes with funding increasing their capacity, including $5 million for Lifeline and $2 million for Kids Helpline. The funding will also bolster other existing services, including digital peer-support to people with urgent, severe and complex mental illness who may be experiencing additional distress at this time.
Health workers, who will be at the frontline of the pandemic, will get dedicated mental health support through digital platforms developed to provide advice, social support, assistance in managing stress and anxiety, and more in-depth treatment without having to attend in-person sessions.
To ensure that older Australians in aged care are not socially isolated despite visiting restrictions, $10 million will be provided to the Community Visitors Scheme. The funding will mean extra staff to train volunteer visitors, who will connect with older people in aged care online and by phone, and assist older Australians keep in touch with the community and loved ones.
To help younger Australians stay on track in their education and training and prepare them for the workforce, $6.75 million will be provided to deliver the headspace digital work and study service and eheadspace. Mentors and headspace vocational specialists working in an integrated team will offer technical and life skills, providing a comprehensive digital support service for all young Australians during the COVID-19 pandemic and after.
For Indigenous Australians, whose elders and communities are particularly vulnerable to the impacts coronavirus, Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia will develop culturally appropriate mental health and wellbeing resources. These will be available and easily accessible across a range of platforms, including print, podcast, NITV, Indigenous print media and internet/social media platforms.
$28.3 million will be utilised to continue to deliver psychosocial support to Commonwealth community mental health clients for a further 12 months. This will allow additional time for people with severe and complex mental illness to complete their applications and testing for support under the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Relief services for vulnerable Australians
An additional $200 million will be provided to support charities and other community organisations which provide emergency and food relief as demand surges as a result of coronavirus.
Given the unprecedented nature of the situation, emergency relief services are being heavily relied upon and this demand will increase.
The Community Support Package will provide flexible funding to boost support to services where demand is quickly increasing, including:
Emergency Relief which will help vulnerable Australians who need assistance with bills, food, clothing or petrol and increase and retain workforce capacity including volunteers.
Assistance for food relief organisations to source additional food and transport for emergency relief service providers, and rebuild workforce capacity.
Immediately scale-up services through the National Debt Helpline — which is often the first point of contact for people experiencing financial difficulties, and to support one-on-one tele-financial counselling.
Creating a short-form Financial Counselling course through Financial Counselling Australia to train new financial counsellors to boost the workforce, potentially providing hundreds of new jobs.
Expanding access to safe, affordable financial products through the No Interest Loan Scheme which provides an immediate financial relief alternative to other high-risk, high-interest products such as credit cards and payday loans.
National Cabinet Statement
29 March 2020
Australian governments met again today as the National Cabinet to take further action to slow the spread of coronavirus to save lives and to save livelihoods.
We will be living with this virus for at least six months, so social distancing measures to slow this virus down must be sustainable for at least that long to protect Australian lives and help Australia to keep functioning.
National Cabinet noted the latest statistics and medical advice in relation to coronavirus.
Our public health measures are taking effect, with over 211,000 tests undertaken and 3,966 confirmed cases in Australia.
The rate of increase in the virus curve is slowing, but overall numbers are still increasing. While the majority of cases in Australia are connected to travellers returning to Australia from overseas, there has been some sustained community transmission in areas of Sydney and Melbourne.
National Cabinet noted the extensive work underway to procure more masks, ventilators, gloves, gowns and hand sanitiser from both international suppliers and domestic manufacturers. National Cabinet further noted that the Commonwealth had announced a package of $1.1 billion to boost mental health services, domestic violence support, Medicare assistance for people at home and emergency food relief.
National Cabinet welcomed the new coronavirus app and WhatsApp channel that were released today by the Commonwealth Government. The app is now available on Apple and Android devices. The WhatsApp channel can be accessed by entering aus.gov.au/whatsapp into your internet browser.
These new platforms provide a trusted source of information for Australians looking for important advice on how they can protect themselves and others, current restrictions on social gatherings, how they can access support and the latest data on Australian cases.
The app also allows Australians to voluntarily register if they are self-isolating to provide governments with important information to protect public health and safety.
National Cabinet noted that there have been significant measures put in place that restrict gatherings including limits on retail premises. In some jurisdictions, retail outlets need to be prepared for further measures and adapt to different ways of engaging customers such as online and home delivery services.
Indoor and Outdoor Public gatherings
National Cabinet agreed to limit both indoor and outdoor gatherings to two persons only.
Exceptions to this limit include:
People of the same household going out together;
Funerals - a maximum of 10 people;
Wedding - a maximum of 5 people;
Family units.
Individual states and territories may choose to mandate and/or enforce this requirement.
National Cabinet’s strong guidance to all Australians is to stay home unless for:
shopping for what you need - food and necessary supplies;
medical or health care needs, including compassionate requirements;
exercise in compliance with the public gathering requirements;
work and study if you can’t work or learn remotely.
National Cabinet agreed that playgrounds, skate parks and outside gyms in public places will be closed. Bootcamps will be reduced to two persons, including the trainer.
These measures will be in place from midnight tomorrow night.
Social Distancing - further measures
National Cabinet discussed further restrictions on activities and venues. Overseas experience indicates further restrictions on personal movement and businesses will be required should the severity of the outbreak worsen in Australia.
States and territories agreed they would implement further measures specific to their own region, including closing categories of venues, where medical advice supported this action. These measures would be risk-based and targeted at non-essential activities.
Australians will still be able to access the goods and services needed to safely and sustainably live their lives.
Advice for Senior Australians including those with existing health conditions
The care and wellbeing of senior Australians remains a priority in this uncertain time.
All Australians respect and value the contribution that older Australians make to our community.
Coronavirus has more serious impacts on older Australians, those over 70 years of age and Australians with existing health conditions or comorbidities.
National Cabinet’s strong advice is for self-isolation at home to the maximum extent practicable for Australians:
over 70 years of age;
over 60 years of age who have existing health conditions or comorbidities;
indigenous Australians over the age of 50 who have existing health conditions or comorbidities.
These groups should limit contact with others as much as possible when they travel outside.
Commercial and residential tenancies
As part of its work on helping businesses hibernate, National Cabinet agreed that short-term intervention is needed for commercial tenancies. Work on this has begun, but there is more to do, including for residential tenancies.
National Cabinet agreed to a moratorium on evictions over the next six months for commercial and residential tenancies in financial distress who are unable to meet their commitments due to the impact of coronavirus.
Commercial tenants, landlords and financial institutions are encouraged to sit down together to find a way through to ensure that businesses can survive and be there on the other side. As part of this, National Cabinet agreed to a common set of principles, endorsed by Treasurers, to underpin and govern intervention to aid commercial tenancies as follows:
a short term, temporary moratorium on eviction for non-payment of rent to be applied across commercial tenancies impacted by severe rental distress due to coronavirus;
tenants and landlords are encouraged to agree on rent relief or temporary amendments to the lease;
the reduction or waiver of rental payment for a defined period for impacted tenants;
the ability for tenants to terminate leases and/or seek mediation or conciliation on the grounds of financial distress;
commercial property owners should ensure that any benefits received in respect of their properties should also benefit their tenants in proportion to the economic impact caused by coronavirus;
landlords and tenants not significantly affected by coronavirus are expected to honour their lease and rental agreements; and
cost-sharing or deferral of losses between landlords and tenants, with Commonwealth, state and territory governments, local government and financial institutions to consider mechanisms to provide assistance.
National Cabinet will meet again on Monday 30th March 2020.
Update on Coronavirus Measures
27 March 2020
Australian governments met today as the National Cabinet to take further action to slow the spread of coronavirus to save lives, and to save livelihoods.
We will be living with this virus for at least six months, so social distancing measures to slow this virus down must be sustainable for at least that long to protect Australian lives, to help Australia to keep functioning and to keep Australians in jobs.
National Cabinet noted the latest statistics and medical advice in relation to COVID-19.
There are more than 3,000 confirmed cases in Australia and sadly 13 people have died. Of the newly reported cases in the last week, the majority have been from New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.
National Cabinet noted that the vast majority (around 85%) of cases in Australia remain overseas acquired or locally acquired contacts of a confirmed case.
Testing keeps Australians safe. Australia has one of the most rigorous coronavirus testing systems in the world with more than 180,000 tests completed - more than the USA, France or the UK, which have much larger populations. Australia’s per capita testing rate is amongst the highest in the world, now surpassing South Korea.
Intensive Care Units (ICU) will be critically important to protect the health of Australians. National Cabinet noted that Commonwealth, states and territories are working on increasing ICU and ventilator capacity - with surge capacity being prepared in the case of outbreaks.
National Cabinet received a comprehensive economic update from Treasury Secretary Dr Steven Kennedy. It noted the Commonwealth and states and territories have implemented major new economic support packages, but that even with these packages it is expected there will still be significant impacts on unemployment and economic activity.
National Cabinet thanked all Australians who are adhering to social distancing and self-isolation arrangements. Hygiene, social isolation and contact tracing are our most important measures to reduce the spread of the virus. We recognise this is a distressing time for Australians and we must stand together to ensure that we support each other.
We will continue to look at further measures as and where necessary to protect Australians. Any further measures to restrict activity may need to be flexible and calibrated to the extent of outbreaks by jurisdiction and the impact on the wellbeing of Australians and economics activity. Our goal is to start businesses and economic again after this health crisis has ended
National Cabinet will meet again on Sunday, 29 March 2020 and consider issues including responses to address. Commercial and residential tenancies and health supply arrangements
Returning Travellers
Substantial numbers of returned travellers and small community outbreaks associated with travellers continue to contribute most of the significant further growth in COVID-19 cases in Australia.
In order to help drive down this concerning number of imported cases, National Cabinet has agreed to take action to further restrict the movement of incoming travellers and to increase compliance checks on travellers who are already undertaking their mandatory self-isolation period at home. This is about reducing the spread of the virus in Australia and saving lives
National Cabinet agreed that:
As soon as possible, but no later than 11:59pm Saturday 28 March 2020, all travellers arriving in Australia will be required to undertake their mandatory 14 day self-isolation at designated facilities (for example, a hotel).
Travellers will be transported directly to designated facilities after appropriate immigration, customs and enhanced health checks.
Designated facilities will be determined by the relevant state or territory government and will ordinarily be in the city of entry where the traveller has cleared immigration, but facilities in other areas may be used if required.
These requirements will be implemented under state and territory legislation and will be enforced by state and territory governments, with the support of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Australian Border Force (ABF) where necessary.
The Commonwealth will provide support through the ABF and ADF for these arrangements across Australia, and that states and territories would meet the costs and determine any contributions required for travellers arriving within their jurisdictions.
Air and maritime crews will be required to continue to undertake the existing precautions they are following where they self-isolate in their accommodation if they enter Australia until their next work voyage.
The Australian Defence Force will begin assisting state and territory governments to undertake quarantine compliance checks of those who are required to be in mandatory isolation after returning from overseas.
ADF personnel will bolster local police efforts in visiting the homes and residences of Australians who are in mandatory isolation as directed by state and territory governments and will report to the local police whether the identified individual was at the residence.
ADF assistance will be provided under the Defence Assistance to the Civil Community arrangements.
These new requirements will build on the existing support the Australian Defence Force is providing to the COVID-19 response, including:
Assistance to the states and territories to support contact tracing efforts.
Supporting industry with the production of surgical masks.
Provision of planning and logistics support to Commonwealth, state and territory agencies.
Provision of personnel to other agencies, including Services Australia.
Supporting the NT Police with border control operations.
Assisting states and territories to support the production of food hampers to supply to isolated civilians.
Statement on Schools by the National Cabinet
It is no longer business as usual for our schools, as we adapt to the impact of COVID-19.
We are now in a transition phase until the end of term as schools prepare for a new mode of operation following the school holidays.
For principals, teachers and support staff, the next few months will bring incredible challenges for our education system. We understand they need time to engage in the professional preparation and planning that is required to ensure that every child has access to education during this difficult time in a sustainable and effective manner for the rest of the 2020 school year.
Some states and territories have moved to pupil-free days already and each state and territory will come to their own transition arrangements with their workforce for the rest of this term.
While the medical advice remains that it is safe for children to go to school, to assist with the transition underway in our schools to the new mode of operation we ask that only children of workers for whom no suitable care arrangements are available at home to support their learning, physically attend school. This is vital to ensure that no parent should be forced to choose between their employment and the children’s education.
We understand the need for clear, nationally consistent health and safety advice so we have asked the AHPPC to develop guidelines about how staff in schools can protect themselves, manage social distance requirements and cater for those students who are at school. This will include guidelines for staff who work with vulnerable children, particularly those who have additional needs.
For education staff who identify as high risk, vulnerable or are caring for vulnerable family members, you will be supported to work from home.
We will continue to meet with education stakeholders and unions so that we can understand the education challenges for our communities and work constructively towards solutions. That will include the National Cabinet’s consideration of the measures needed for early childhood settings and TAFE.
Partnering with private hospitals
National Cabinet agreed to the importance of a strong and viable private hospital sector to bolster Australia’s response to COVID-19.
State and territory governments committed to urgently finalise arrangements with private hospitals under the COVID-19 National Partnership Agreement by 29 March 2020, to ensure sufficient and viable capacity exists within the private hospital sector both through the COVID-19 response and on an ongoing basis.
The private hospital system can play an important role in supporting the acute and intensive care needs of infected Australians together with other continuing urgent care needs. The capacity of the private system for non COVID cases and for overflow, particularly from ICU facilities, may be critical to Australia’s response.
Extraordinary G20 Leaders' Summit
27 March 2020
Overnight I joined G20 leaders for an extraordinary Summit, hosted by His Majesty King Salman of Saudi Arabia.
The G20 has come together to tackle what will be one of the most difficult and severe crises any of us will face.
The COVID-19 virus respects no borders.
On behalf of Australia, I urged G20 leaders to do whatever it takes to fight this twin crisis: to save lives and overcome the pandemic, and to cushion the economic blow.
G20 Health Response
Working together our countries can speed up research and the discovery of a vaccine and anti-viral drugs.
We will work in partnership on a vaccine.
We may be closing borders for now to stop the spread of coronavirus but we are committed to sharing ideas and collaborating on research.
Australia’s world-leading researchers are working tirelessly with international partners to strengthen testing, develop treatments and, critically, to find a vaccine.
The G20 will take all necessary health measures to contain the pandemic and protect the world’s citizens.
Crucially, we agreed to expand manufacturing capacity for medical supplies to ensure these are made widely available, at an affordable price, on an equitable basis, where they are most needed and as quickly as possible.
Economic Response
Collectively, G20 economies are injecting trillions into the global economy, as part of targeted fiscal policy and economic measures to counteract the social, economic and financial impacts of the pandemic.
Australia has already announced economic measures worth nearly 10 per cent of GDP. I urged the G20 to act with resolve and urgency.
Collective G20 action will amplify our efforts.
We have also agreed to resolve disruptions to supply chains, to secure the flow of vital medical supplies.
Supporting the Pacific and Timor-Leste
I explained to G20 leaders that our Pacific island family must be a focus of international support.
There has never been a more important time for Australia’s Pacific Step-up as we all face these massive challenges.
Since January, Australia has provided support for laboratories and public information campaigns, medical equipment, health expertise and for the WHO’s regional preparedness plan. We are reconfiguring our development assistance to ensure critical health services can continue to function and to help our Pacific neighbours and Timor-Leste to manage the immediate economic impacts of the pandemic.
As we fight this virus on our shores, in our region or around the world, the G20 has committed to working together to stop the spread and to save lives.
Operation Bushfire Assist Concludes
26 March 2020
Prime Minister, Minister for Defence
Defence will formally cease Operation Bushfire Assist 2019-2020 on 26 March 2020, having completed the emergency and recovery tasks requested by state and local authorities.
Defence has been assisting with the bushfire efforts since early September 2019 by providing wide-ranging support as part of the national response.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison thanked all personnel who provided direct support in the field, at sea, in the air, and from Defence bases as part of Operation Bushfire Assist.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the way Defence has been assisting emergency services across the country in these challenging circumstances,” the Prime Minister said.
“The permanent and part-time Australian Defence Force members provided essential support to our emergency services across Australia. This remarkable hard work has made a significant difference to the immediate emergency response and the longer-term recovery which Defence will continue to support.”
Operation Bushfire Assist commenced on 31 December 2019 to support state fire and emergency services across NSW, Victoria and Queensland and later provided support to the Australian Capital Territory, South Australia and Tasmania.
At its peak, more than 6,500 ADF members provided support as part of emergency relief, response and recovery operations. This included around 3,000 Reserve forces.
Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds CSC said it marked the largest mobilisation of the ADF for domestic disaster relief in Australia’s history.
“I am so proud of the service our permanent and part-time ADF members provided as part of this response,” Minister Reynolds said.
“I am also very grateful for the support provided by the many additional international defence force partners from Canada, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, and the United States. Their support demonstrates the strength of our relationships.
“Finally, I acknowledge and thank the families and employers of our Reservists for their understanding and support that has made this response possible.”
During Operation Bushfire Assist, Defence contributed to the response and recovery efforts through the delivery of the following support
Clearance of over 4,850 kilometres of roads;
Clearance and repair of over 1285 kilometres of fences;
Clearance of over 240 kilometres of fire breaks;
Production of nearly 10 million litres of drinking water for Kangaroo Island and Bega; and
Provision of over 77,000 meals on Defence bases to emergency services personnel and evacuees.
Defence will continue to provide support to non-emergency recovery operations.
The Government has committed $2 billion that the National Bushfire Recovery Agency is helping to deliver to ensure Australian families, businesses and communities can build back better.
Further Statement on Hairdressers, Barbers and Funerals from National Cabinet
26 March 2020
Following the receipt of feedback on the practical implementation of measures announced regarding barbers and hairdressers it was agreed by Premiers and Chief Ministers at National Cabinet last night that the instruction regarding 30 minutes per patron will be lifted (effective immediately), but that the 4sqm rule per person must be strictly observed within the premises and that personal contact during the patron’s visit should be minimised wherever possible.
Also it was noted that in hardship cases, States and Territories can provide exemptions in relation to attendance at funerals, but only at the margin.
National Cabinet will meet again on Friday, March 27.
National Cabinet Update
26 March 2020
Australian governments continue to work together to slow the spread of coronavirus to save lives.
Every extra bit of time allows us to better prepare our health system and put measures in place to protect Australian lives.
The Prime Minister, state and territory Premiers and Chief Ministers continued their meeting on 25 March as the National Cabinet to discuss enhanced health measures to support our efforts to quickly test and contact trace coronavirus in our community.
Expansion of coronavirus testing criteria
Australian has one of the most rigorous coronavirus testing systems in the world. To further protect Australia, National Cabinet agreed to an Australian Health Principal Protection Committee (AHPPC) recommendation to expand the current coronavirus testing criteria to include testing people with fever or acute respiratory infection in:
all health workers
all aged/residential care workers
geographically localised areas where there is elevated risk of community transmission as defined by the local public health unit
where no community transmission is occurring, high risk settings where there are two or more plausibly-linked cases, for example:
aged and residential care
rural and remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
detention centres/correctional facilities
boarding schools
military bases (including Navy ships) that have live-in accommodation.
National Cabinet also agreed that testing will be expanded to include hospitalised patients with fever and acute respiratory symptoms of unknown cause, at the discretion of the treating clinician.
This is the minimum testing criteria. States and territories have the discretion to expand their own criteria for testing if they have capacity.
Temporary suspension of all semi-urgent elective surgery
National Cabinet endorsed the recommendation for states and territories to suspend all non-urgent elective surgery.
National Cabinet agreed to extend the deadline for the suspension of semi urgent Category 2 and 3 elective surgeries at private hospitals to 11.59pm on 1 April 2020.
National Cabinet agreed that states and territories will continue to work with private hospital groups to ensure they can support efforts to protect Australians against coronavirus.
The changes will allow greater transition for the community to the new arrangements and ensure the national supply of essential PPE - such as masks, gowns, gloves and goggles for the healthcare workforce.
Nationally consistent public directions on self-isolation for individuals
National Cabinet agreed to implement nationally consistent public health directions, at the state and territory level, on self-quarantine for individuals diagnosed with coronavirus.
Further measures
National Cabinet will consider the need for any further measures at their next meeting on Friday 27 March 2020.