Friday, 20 March 2020
Iconic Bluesfest and a number of other events cancelled or postponed on NSW Far North Coast from March to December 2020
Several events in the NSW Northern Rivers have been cancelled due to the national large gathering bans in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.
These include: the iconic Byron Bay Bluesfest on 9-13 April 2020 ; Lismore’s Songkran Festival on 5 April; Anniversary Day at New Italy on 5 April; and the 116th Maclean Highland Gathering on April 10-11.
Casino's Beef Week due to be held in May has been postponed, possibly until early September 2020. However timing depends on how the pandemic progresses.
Splendour in the Grass 2020 is being rescheduled to Friday 23, Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October 2020 at North Byron Parklands.
Byron Harmony Festival 2020 scheduled for 21 March at Mullumbimby has been cancelled. Tickets will be refunded.
Local industry group Northern Rivers Food (NRF) has confirmed that the 2020 Northern Rivers Food Harvest Festival has been cancelled.
Ballina Coastcare Committee (in consultation with long-time Dune Care members) has postponed DuneCare and Coastcare 30th Anniversary. No new date announced.
Grafton Relay For Life due to be held on 4-5 April has been suspended. New date will be announced.
Grafton Eisteddford was to be held on Saturday 11 – Sunday 19 April but is postponed until a date later in the year.
Criterion Theatre, Grafton, live theatre performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has been postponed from 26 March-5 April to 26 November-6 December.
The Maclean Show Society has decided to cancel the 122 year old Maclean Agricultural & Industrial Show for this year in a unanimous decision of their committee.
Events that are still not confirmed under the latest large gathering ban (no more than 100 people limit): Carna Byron Bay on 21 March; Casino Race Day on 21 March; and Crankfest at Evans Head on 18 April.
Grafton Christ Church Cathedral has suspended the Wednesday 10am Eucharist for at least the next two weeks and Sunday services are expected to also be suspended following a meeting of the Parish Council tonight. Sunday services and other major holy days will be live-streamed via the cathedral’s Facebook page.
Lawrence Museum will be closed from Saturday 21 March due to the pandemic.
NOTE FOR SATURDAY SHOPPERS; Bunnings Warehouse has suspended Sauage Sizzles at all its stores.
Clarence Valley Conservatorium will still be going ahead with its scheduled concert featuring Swedish guitarist Johannes Moller at 7pm on Saturday 21 March 2020, but adhering to the strict guidelines being issued by health authorities only 30 tickets will be issued to ensure seating is suitably spaced.
Thursday, 19 March 2020
COVID-19 Pandemic 2020: Clarence Valley Council taking social distancing seriously
#COVID19 means it's important to reduce avoidable personal contact with other people. If you have an enquiry you could call or email us or use the Live Chat facility on our website.— Clarence Valley Council (@CVCNSW) March 16, 2020
If you need to make payments, call your bank now about setting up #BPay#ClarenceValley pic.twitter.com/xS11Yaek1L
Now, when do we hear that this local government council has also considered not just the health and safety of its own workforce, but how it will support the basic needs during this pandemic of the est. 17.5% of the Clarence Valley population 70 years of age and over whom social distancing is going to make just that little bit more vulnerable during a prolonged period of physical isolation, the est. 29% who live alone often without family support and, the est. 5.4% of local residents who have no car and rely on local buses or taxis.
In case shire councillors need to be reminded, residents who fall into one or all three of these categories were already sometimes dying alone and unnoticed before this pandemic arrived on the NSW North Coast. The annual figure was not high, but this current situation has the potential to raise the incidence.
There are fines for breaking Australia's national large gatherings ban dring the COVID-19 pandemic
Crikey Worm, 16 March 2020:
EVERYTHING WILL BE FINED
State governments and police will take responsibility for enforcing penalties over the new quarantine rules, with Morrison encouraging a “dob in” your mate system, and Pedestrian.TV reporting that, under existing rules, fines for breaching public health orders carry wildly different penalties according to state.
- Victoria: $6,400
- Tasmania: $8,400
- Queensland: $13,345
- South Australia: $25,000
- NSW: $11,000 and six months’ jail
- WA: $50,000 and 12 months’ jail
The Sydney Morning Herald and the ABC respectively report both NSW and Western Australia police will enforce the existing laws; ditto Queensland police, who will conduct random check-ins.
South Australia, meanwhile, has officially declared a public health emergency, the ABC reports.
Wednesday, 18 March 2020
Third COVID-19 case reported in the Northern NSW Local Health District
Northern NSW Local Health District, 18 March 2020:
A third confirmed case of COVID-19 has been recorded in the Northern NSW Local Health District.
This case is among the 267 total cases recorded for NSW as at 11am 18 March.
As with the other two cases recorded within the LHD, this case was acquired overseas, and is not the result of local community transmission.
The individual is self-isolating, and the North Coast Public Health Unit has already followed up close contacts of the case.
No further details relating to the individual’s location will be made public at this time. There are no locations that pose an ongoing risk to members of the public.
We can also confirm that all close contacts of the previous two recorded cases in NNSWLHD have been identified, contacted and followed up by Public Health officers.
NSW Health COVID-19 / Flu assessment clinics are up and running across the state however, we stress these clinics are for those most at risk with respiratory symptoms or fever, those returning from overseas or in contact with a COVID-19 case, or people like our health workers. People without symptoms do not need to be tested.
For more statewide statistics and flight details of confirmed cases, please refer to NSW Health – https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/news/Pages/20200318_00.aspx
UPDATE
On the morning of 19 March 2020 it was reporteded that a fourth person in the Northern NSW Local Health District has tested positive for COVID-19.
Reserve Bank of Australia dumps emergency $14.7 billion into banking system and states intention to buy up Morrison Government debt, as financial system is stressed by COVID-19 pandemic
Reserve Bank of Australia, media release, 16 March 2020:
Statement by Philip Lowe, Governor
In response, the Reserve Bank stands ready to purchase Australian government bonds in the secondary market to support the smooth functioning of that market, which is a key pricing benchmark for the Australian financial system. The Bank will also be conducting one-month and three-month repo operations in its daily market operations until further notice to provide liquidity to Australian financial markets. In addition the Bank will conduct longer term repo operations of six-months maturity or longer at least weekly, as long as market conditions warrant. The Reserve Bank and the AOFM are in close liaison in monitoring market conditions and supporting continued functioning of the market.
The Bank will announce further policy measures to support the Australian economy on Thursday.
Channel 9 News, 16 March 2020:
The Reserve Bank has pumped extra liquidity into the banking system, part of a package of measures aimed at ensuring business and households have access to credit as the coronavirus causes chaos in global financial markets.
The RBA used its daily money market operation to add $5.9 billion to the system through regular repurchase agreements, well above its original intention of $2.5 billion.
That followed an injection of $8.8 billion on Friday, which had left commercial banks with a hefty $10.7 billion of surplus cash held at the RBA.....
All major activities and events will temporarily be ceased in NSW public schools
Echo NetDaily, 15 March 2020:
All major arts, sports and initiative activities and events will temporarily be ceased until further notice. This includes whole school sporting events and inter-school events involving three or more schools.
‘Local inter-school sport and other activities, can proceed but we ask organisers to ensure that as far as possible, reasonable precautions are taken,’ he said.
‘I trust our principals and staff to show leadership during this time.
Schools will be provided with more detailed advice and suggestions on how they can adjust their day to day activities with minimal disruption.
The Department is continuing to prepare for further closures if necessary with scaling up of technology, additional training of staff and preparation of offsite lessons.
Useful links for families and students in self-isolation can be found here: https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/continuity-of-education
And general COVID-19 advice for schools here:
Tuesday, 17 March 2020
Clarence Valley 2020: For the first time since WWII Maclean's Highland Gathering has been cancelled
On 16 March 2020 the organiser's of the Highland Gathering at Maclean NSW - due to be held on 10 & 11 of April - announced it will not be held this year due to national restrictions in place with regard to large groups during the the COVID-19 pandemic.
Secretary of the Lower Clarence Scottish Association Alister Smith told The Daily Examiner; “We obviously have a lot of people within the particular age range that are susceptible. It’s a very difficult decision when you think the last time we’ve had to cancel the gathering was for World War II.”
Participating bands, solo players, stall holders and sponsors will be contacted in coming days to make arrangements for repayment of any fees.
In the Clarence Valley at least 17.5 per cent of the populaion are 70 years of age or older and, health authorities have identified the elderly as being more vulnerable to infection.
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