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Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison leaving COVID-19 press conference, IMAGE: Brisbane Times,13 July 2021 |
This blog is open to any who wish to comment on Australian society, the state of the environment or political shenanigans at Federal, State and Local Government level.
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Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison leaving COVID-19 press conference, IMAGE: Brisbane Times,13 July 2021 |
Scanning electron microscopic image of a cell infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles, shown in yellow. IMAGE: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
According to NSW Health data the number of community transmitted COVID-19 infections since the beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak now stands at 1,652 men, women and children including 5 deaths as of 8pm on 21 July 2021.
Those five deaths represent est. 8% of all COVID-19 deaths which occurred in the New South Wales population.
It only took the virus until Day 36 of this variant outbreak to infect 1,652 NSW residents. In 2020 the original COVID-19 virus took until about Day 214 to reach that level of cumulative community infection in the state.
Between 4-10 July 2021 a total of 97% of all COVID-19 infections had been contracted by community transmission - as opposed to 52% in the second half of 2020.
From 12 June to 10 July 2021, 100% of locally acquired cases were genome sequenced and found to be the Delta variant of concern and 51% of overseas acquired cases were identified as having COVID-19 variants of concern Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Gamma (P.1) and Delta/Kappa (B.1.617)].
As of 21 July this year, est. 44% of the state's total locally acquired COVID-19 infections since the pandemic began occurred in the last 36 days.
According to a news report, on Wednesday 21 July 2021 there were 106 people being treated for this virus in hospital, an increase of 11 from Tuesday. Some 23 of these are patients have been placed in intensive care and 11 of these are being ventilated.
The Delta Variant Outbreak has now spread to regional/rural New South Wales and as of 12.01am on 21 July, an est. 60,342 people across Orange City, Blayney and Cabonne local government areas are under a stay-at-home public health order until 28 July 2021.
According to a 19 July 2021 Northern NSW Local Health District media release more than 40 close contacts of 2 infectious people who travelled through Chinderah near Murwillumbah on 13-14 July have been placed in 14-day home isolation.
UPDATE: By 8pm on 22 July 2021 the total number of locally acquired infections since the start of the Delta Variant Outbreak in NSW has reached 1,788 cases, including 6 deaths. The NSW Premier announced a State of Emergency will be declared.
NOTE:
All weekly epidemiological reports issued by NSW Health have a time lag of around 6-8 days before publication, however these reports possibly allow for a clearer understanding of how this outbreak is progressing.
Office of the NSW Labor MLA for Lismore, Janelle Saffin, media release, 21 July 2021:
Seeking COVID clarity for business, workers & residents
LISMORE MP Janelle Saffin this week sought clarity from the Office of the Minister for Health on the NSW Government’s working from home direction in regional New South Wales and other related COVID-19 issues.
Ms Saffin said she had raised local businesses’ concerns after Public Health Orders had mistakenly lumped in regional NSW with Greater Sydney, where employers were REQUIRED to direct employees to work from home where reasonably practicable.
“Thankfully, those Public Health Orders were quickly amended and the advice is that employers in regional NSW must ALLOW people to work from home where reasonably practicable,” Ms Saffin said.
“There is a difference in these working from home directions as they apply to Greater Sydney and to here, so hopefully this will clear up any confusion for employers and employees.”
The amended Public Health Orders are attached.
Ms Saffin said she had also sought clarification as to whether anyone, including tradies, could leave the lockdown areas of Greater Sydney to travel to regional NSW for essential work.
“Locals are contacting me concerned that people are coming here from Greater Sydney,” Ms Saffin said.
Here is the Office of the Minister for Health’s response:
For residents of Greater Sydney (other than those living in the Fairfield, Canterbury Bankstown and Liverpool Local Government Areas who are not exempted workers), it is a reasonable excuse to leave your residence for work – but only when it is not practicable to work from home.
People who travel more than 50km outside Greater Sydney for work they are unable to do from home must not enter a premises for work unless they have been tested for COVID-19 in the preceding seven days. Workers must have evidence of the test available for inspection on request by an employer, occupier of the premises, or the police.
We note that any person whose place of residence or usual place of work is in Greater Sydney must still follow the stay at home rules while they are outside Greater Sydney – that is, they should not go to a restaurant or a pub or go shopping for anything other than essential goods. They should only spend time at work and their accommodation while working in regional NSW.
Ms Saffin said she had also expressed the concerns of the local community that we don’t know where the close contacts of the COVID-positive removalists from Chinderah Service Centre and the Coffs Harbour locations went after they were exposed to COVID-19.
“I asked for an update on the contact tracing that has occurred,” Ms Saffin said.
Office of the Minister for Health’s response:
For privacy reasons, NSW Health does not disclose details about venues unless there is a public health reason.
When a confirmed COVID-19 case attends a venue while possibly infectious, NSW Health carries out a risk assessment on that venue to determine whether other people may have been exposed and whether there is a public health risk.
Risk assessments may be re-evaluated as new evidence emerges, for example evidence of transmission of COVID-19 in a specific venue after further contact tracing has occurred.
Further to this, where contact tracing has allowed NSW Health to get in touch with every possible contact at a venue, and it is determined there is no public health risk, a venue will cease to be listed as a venue of concern on the NSW Health site (if it was even listed in the first place).
Mindful that Minister Hazzard is extremely busy dealing with COVID outbreaks, Ms Saffin has requested that he brief all regional and rural MPs on what is being done to keep regional communities safe.
ATTACHMENT
Public Health (COVID-19 Temporary Movement and Gathering Restrictions) Amendment (No 10) Order 2021 under the Public Health Act 2010
NSW Government Gazette, 20 July 2021, Number 331 "Health and Education" by clarencegirl on Scribd
ENDS
NSW Public Health (COVID-19 Temporary Movement and Gathering Restrictions) Order 2021_210720_10.44am by clarencegirl on Scribd
Maitland Mercury, 20 July 2021:
Rents across regional Australia surged by 11.3 per cent in the year ending June 2021, the highest annual growth figure since data firm CoreLogic began records in 2005.
Increases were most pronounced in Tasmania's South East region, including Bicheno, Bruny Island and Huonville, with combined rents for houses and units increasing a whopping 23.7 per cent to $430 per week.
Tasmania aside, many of the largest gains were found in regional Queensland, Western Australia and NSW, with many traditional tourist hotspots seeing the greatest growth.
The Richmond-Tweed region, home to well-known lifestyle enclaves like Ballina, Byron Bay and Lismore recorded regional NSW's highest increase, with combined rents rising by 19.0 per cent over the 12 month period to $620 per week.
Immediately south to Richmond-Tweed, the Coffs Harbour-Grafton region recorded combined rental growth of 16.7 per cent to $525 per week.
In the Southern Highlands-Shoalhaven region, which includes Nowra, Berry and Mittagong, rents rose 15.8 per cent to $549 per week.
Rents in regional Victoria recorded lower increases. The Latrobe-Gippsland region, which includes population centres such as Sale, Bairnsdale and Morwell, recorded the greatest increase in combined dwelling values at 10.4 per cent.
CoreLogic's Head of Research Australia, Eliza Owen said that regional Australia had been suffering from low levels of rental stock, likely contributing to an increase in prices…..
Regional rents continued to outpace capital city rents in the most recent quarter, though there are signs that both markets may be slowing, according to Ms Owen.
Regional rents increased by 2.7 per cent during the quarter compared to a 1.9 per cent for capital cities, both down on the previous quarter…….
Echo Net Daily, 19 July 2021:
Tweed-Byron police fined a 25-year-old Main Arm man $1,000 for breaching state public health orders over the weekend.
Byron Inspector Matt Kehoe said the man hosted a ‘large party’ at his property in defiance of orders limiting household guests in the region to five while concerns over Covid 19 outbreaks in Greater Sydney continued.
Inspector Kehoe said police were continuing to enforce compliance throughout the region and to engage with health authorities.
Police investigating Sydneysider’s illegal Tweed Shire visit
A 46-year-old Sydney woman was self-isolating in the Tweed Shire for fourteen days after breaching stay-at-home orders to visit, Inspector Kehoe said.
She was now complying with public health orders and police were still investigating the matter, the inspector said.
Officers also charged a 48-year-old Tweed Shire man $200 for refusing to wear a mask when visiting the Tweed Heads Police Station over the weekend.
Inspector Kehoe said police stations were under the same rules as businesses and other workplaces, in that anyone entering the buildings had to wear masks unless officially exempted and had to register via QR codes at point of entry.
He said the accused man refused to comply with the orders but didn’t have exemption.
Op-shop volunteers encouraged to report abuse
The police reports on public health order compliance in the region came after volunteers at an Anglicare op shop in Byron Bay said they were shutting shop doors due to abuse from customers who didn’t want to wear masks.
The story had attracted hundreds of comments in local social media forums by Monday morning and Inspector Kehoe said he encouraged the volunteers to report the incidents to police.
‘I understand some elderly ladies received some abuse and that’s very disappointing,’ he told The Echo.....
Read the full article here.
Yesterday afternoon UK hard right 'media personality' Katie Hopkins was deported from Australia via Sydney International Airport for breaching the NSW Public Health Order.
The Australian |
The Conversation, 18 July 2021:
Support for Scott Morrison and the government have slumped in Newspoll, in a major backlash against the botched vaccine rollout.
Labor has surged to a two-party lead of 53-47%, compared with 51-49% in the previous poll in late June.
The Australian reports the latest result is the worse for the Coalition this term, and if replicated at an election would deliver the government a clear loss.
Satisfaction with Morrison’s handling of the pandemic – which now sees lockdowns in the nation’s two largest states – plunged nine points in the last three weeks to 52%.
As the brought-forward Pfizer supplies start to arrive, confidence in the government’s management of the rollout is negative for the first time, with only 40% believing it being handled satisfactorily.
Morrison’s net approval in Newspoll – plus 6 – is at its lowest since the bushfire crisis, with an eight point overall shift. Anthony Albanese’s position worsened a little – he is on net minus 8. Despite a small drop, Morrison retains a solid lead over Albanese as better PM – 51-33%
Both Labor and the Coalition are polling 39% on primary votes – a two point fall for the Coalition and an equal rise for Labor.
The poll saw an 18 point drop in satisfaction with the handling of COVID since April.
Satisfaction with the government’s handling of the rollout was 53% in April and 50% in late June - in this poll 40% are satisfied with the handling and 57% are not…...
These days when I wake I am tempted not to immediately look at the bedside clock to check the time but instead to inspect the flashing date on its digital face to confirm which year I’m starting the day in.
And it’s because of little snippets of fact like these…...
In January 2020 the global COVID-19 pandemic quietly entered Australia and the state of New South Wales. However it wasn’t until February 2020 that it became obvious that the virus had firmly established itself here.
That month NSW had an unemployment rate of 4.9% (in original terms) representing est. 215,100 people with no paid employment – an increase of 10,100 on January’s unemployment numbers.
By July 2020 the unemployment rate had risen to 7.1% when the number of individuals without a job had grown to 222,900. By which time 3,567 NSW residents had contracted COVID-19 and 51 of those people had died.
In June 2021 the highly infectious Delta variant of COVID-19 was confirmed as having entered Australia and New South Wales.
That month NSW had an unemployment rate of 5.0% representing est. 218,900 people without paid employment and, the state cumulative COVID-19 case total had reached 5,637 and 56 people had died of the infection.
So New South Wales ended the month which saw the beginning of the Delta Variant Outbreak with a higher unemployment rate and more unemployed people than it had at the end of the month when the original COVID-19 outbreak began to make itself felt.
As yet there is no ABS Labour Force data compiled for July 2021, but sadly the growing infection numbers are available on a daily basis - as of 18 July 2021 the NSW total of cumulative COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began was 6,753 people infected and 60 of that number dead from this viral disease.
I keep looking for the healthy communities and strong economies Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been boasting about since February 2021. Because, right this minute, it feels as though Australia has been catapulted back to the start of this long climb out of a pandemic and, the new 16 June 2021 starting point began with a national cumulative total of 30,291 COVID-19 cases and 910 deaths.
Nationally the country may have ended June 2021 with a unemployment rate 0.7% lower (in original terms) than the rate in February 2020, but it is such a meagre step forward - given the east coast of mainland Australia is currently fighting a widening Delta variant viral outbreak which threatens to increase the number of people who are out of work for months to come.
Hi! My name is Boy. I'm a male bi-coloured tabby cat. Ever since I discovered that Malcolm Turnbull's dogs were allowed to blog, I have been pestering Clarencegirl to allow me a small space on North Coast Voices.
A false flag musing: I have noticed one particular voice on Facebook which is Pollyanna-positive on the subject of the Port of Yamba becoming a designated cruise ship destination. What this gentleman doesn’t disclose is that, as a principal of Middle Star Pty Ltd, he could be thought to have a potential pecuniary interest due to the fact that this corporation (which has had an office in Grafton since 2012) provides consultancy services and tourism business development services.
A religion & local government musing: On 11 October 2017 Clarence Valley Council has the Church of Jesus Christ Development Fund Inc in Sutherland Local Court No. 6 for a small claims hearing. It would appear that there may be a little issue in rendering unto Caesar. On 19 September 2017 an ordained minister of a religion (which was named by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in relation to 40 instances of historical child sexual abuse on the NSW North Coast) read the Opening Prayer at Council’s ordinary monthly meeting. Earlier in the year an ordained minister (from a church network alleged to have supported an overseas orphanage closed because of child abuse claims in 2013) read the Opening Prayer and an ordained minister (belonging to yet another church network accused of ignoring child sexual abuse in the US and racism in South Africa) read the Opening Prayer at yet another ordinary monthly meeting. Nice one councillors - you are covering yourselves with glory!
An investigative musing: Newcastle Herald, 12 August 2017: The state’s corruption watchdog has been asked to investigate the finances of the Awabakal Aboriginal Local Land Council, less than 12 months after the troubled organisation was placed into administration by the state government. The Newcastle Herald understands accounting firm PKF Lawler made the decision to refer the land council to the Independent Commission Against Corruption after discovering a number of irregularities during an audit of its financial statements. The results of the audit were recently presented to a meeting of Awabakal members. Administrator Terry Lawler did not respond when contacted by the Herald and a PKF Lawler spokesperson said it was unable to comment on the matter. Given the intricate web of company relationships that existed with at least one former board member it is not outside the realms of possibility that, if ICAC accepts this referral, then United Land Councils Limited (registered New Zealand) and United First Peoples Syndications Pty Ltd(registered Australia) might be interviewed. North Coast Voices readers will remember that on 15 August 2015 representatives of these two companied gave evidence before NSW Legislative Council General Purpose Standing Committee No. 6 INQUIRY INTO CROWN LAND. This evidence included advocating for a Yamba mega port.
A Nationals musing: Word around the traps is that NSW Nats MP for Clarence Chris Gulaptis has been talking up the notion of cruise ships visiting the Clarence River estuary. Fair dinkum! That man can be guaranteed to run with any bad idea put to him. I'm sure one or more cruise ships moored in the main navigation channel on a regular basis for one, two or three days is something other regular river users will really welcome. *pause for appreciation of irony* The draft of the smallest of the smaller cruise vessels is 3 metres and it would only stay safely afloat in that channel. Even the Yamba-Iluka ferry has been known to get momentarily stuck in silt/sand from time to time in Yamba Bay and even a very small cruise ship wouldn't be able to safely enter and exit Iluka Bay. You can bet your bottom dollar operators of cruise lines would soon be calling for dredging at the approach to the river mouth - and you know how well that goes down with the local residents.
A local councils musing: Which Northern Rivers council is on a low-key NSW Office of Local Government watch list courtesy of feet dragging by a past general manager?
A serial pest musing: I'm sure the Clarence Valley was thrilled to find that a well-known fantasist is active once again in the wee small hours of the morning treading a well-worn path of accusations involving police, local business owners and others.
An investigative musing: Which NSW North Coast council is batting to have the longest running code of conduct complaint investigation on record?
A fun fact musing: An estimated 24,000 whales migrated along the NSW coastline in 2016 according to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and the migration period is getting longer.
A which bank? musing: Despite a net profit last year of $9,227 million the Commonwealth Bank still insists on paying below Centrelink deeming rates interest on money held in Pensioner Security Accounts. One local wag says he’s waiting for the first bill from the bank charging him for the privilege of keeping his pension dollars at that bank.
A Daily Examiner musing: Just when you thought this newspaper could sink no lower under News Corp management, it continues to give column space to Andrew Bolt.
A thought to ponder musing: In case of bushfire or flood - do you have an emergency evacuation plan for the family pet?
An adoption musing: Every week on the NSW North Coast a number of cats and dogs find themselves without a home. If you want to do your bit and give one bundle of joy a new family, contact Happy Paws on 0419 404 766 or your local council pound.