NSW issues Covid warning with cases at 12-month high
NSW Health has issued a warning to stay “Covid-safe” amid a surge in cases across the state.
The latest NSW Health Respiratory Surveillance Report for the fortnight ending 6 January 2024 showed that Covid transmissions are currently at a “higher level” than during last winter’s peak.
They also say that case levels in Sydney are approaching levels not seen since December 2022. The PCR test positivity rate for Covid-19 in NSW for the week ending 7 January is 17.9%. Test positivity for flu is 3.6% and RSV is 1.6%.
They also say that while emergency presentations with the virus remain high, the proportion of presentations requiring admission to hospital has been declining, suggesting that while there has been an increase in cases, there hasn’t been an increase in the severity of the disease.
The chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, urged residents to remain vigilant:
Currently, the Omicron variants EG.5 and JN.1 appear to be driving the majority of transmission in the community, with JN.1 increasing in prevalence, in line what we have seen in other countries.
While there is no evidence to suggest these variants cause more severe disease the overall increase in case numbers puts more people, especially vulnerable people, at risk from Covid-19.
No one wants to see high levels of transmission in the community, but we do know what works to limit transmission in these circumstances and I am calling on the community to do those simple things that will make a big difference.
Key events
Sarah Basford Canales
Albanese government refuses to reveal stance on UN genocide case against Israel
Staying with South Africa’s case against Israel in the ICJ for a moment: the Albanese government has so far refused to reveal its position on the case, telling Guardian Australia in a statement it would be “inappropriate” to comment on matters before the international court.
However, a Dfat spokesperson said the Australian government would continue to share concerns with Israel over the language some of its officials have used.
Within South Africa’s 84-page application are examples of inflammatory comments made by top Israeli officials since the conflict began on 7 October, which South Africa argues show “genocidal intent”.
One example used is comments by the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, who said on 12 October it was “an entire nation out there that is responsible”, in reference to those living in Gaza, and that Israel “will fight until we break their backbone”.
The Dfat spokesperson said:
We have conveyed to Israeli counterparts our concern about such remarks on several occasions in the past and will continue to do so. While Australia has reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself, we have said consistently that the way it does so matters. We regularly press Israel on the need to respect international law and protect civilian lives.
Only a handful of countries, including Malaysia, Turkey and Bolivia, have so far offered their support for South Africa’s case while the US has strongly criticised it.
Sarah Basford Canales
David Pocock urges government to support South Africa’s ICJ case accusing Israel of genocide
The independent ACT senator David Pocock says he’s “strongly supportive” of South Africa’s case at the UN’s international court of justice against Israel and has urged the federal government to support the claims accusing the Netanyahu government of genocide, and having genocidal intent, in Gaza.
The first hearing into the claims will be heard at The Hague later today and a provisional ruling is expected to be released within weeks. Israel has called the allegations “a despicable and contemptuous exploitation” of the ICJ and urged the court to reject it.
Pocock said on Thursday he had received “thousands of emails from Canberrans” who are “deeply concerned” about the Israeli military’s conduct in Gaza.
Pocock said:
Given the extraordinary scale of civilian casualties and human suffering in Gaza and the serious allegations against Israel, I am strongly support of the need for a credible and robust examination of Israel’s conduct under the Genocide Convention.
The ACT senator also urged the government to confirm they will comply with any ruling and support its enforcement. A provisional ruling in South Africa’s favour would require Israel to significantly rethink its military campaign in the besieged strip. It would also force countries around the world to consider how they respond to the court, which arbitrates matters in line with the global rules-based order.
The latest figures from Gaza’s health ministry show more than 23,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza as a result of Israel’s military campaign to destroy militant group, Hamas.
The conflict began on 7 October after Hamas launched a surprise attack against southern Israel, killing 1,200 and taking more than 200 hostages.
Victorian communities still under threat from flooding
AAP is reporting that communities remain under threat from flooding in Victoria as the clean-up continues in other towns.
Watch and act alerts were in place on Thursday morning for the Goulburn River from Seymour to Shepparton, as well as Bendigo and Bullock Creeks downstream of Minto.
Authorities believe about a dozen houses could be flooded when waters peak at Shepparton on Friday morning, prompting the SES to doorknock about 300 homes.
The Goulburn River is expected to escape any significant rainfall over the coming days but storms with the potential of heavy rainfalls are brewing in the east and north.
SES deputy state duty officer Shane McBride urged people to stay vigilant and stay away from flood waters.
Murky water is travelling through waterways popular with holidaymakers such as the Murray River and Yarra River which is connected to Port Philip Bay, where several beaches remain unsuitable for swimming.
“Flood waters are very dangerous, very toxic,” McBride told AAP.
“You don’t know what’s in there, you don’t know what’s below there, it’s very hard to see at the bottom especially when driving through flood waters.”
There were two more water rescues overnight, bringing the total to 54 since the emergency started on Sunday morning.
NSW issues Covid warning with cases at 12-month high
NSW Health has issued a warning to stay “Covid-safe” amid a surge in cases across the state.
The latest NSW Health Respiratory Surveillance Report for the fortnight ending 6 January 2024 showed that Covid transmissions are currently at a “higher level” than during last winter’s peak.
They also say that case levels in Sydney are approaching levels not seen since December 2022. The PCR test positivity rate for Covid-19 in NSW for the week ending 7 January is 17.9%. Test positivity for flu is 3.6% and RSV is 1.6%.
They also say that while emergency presentations with the virus remain high, the proportion of presentations requiring admission to hospital has been declining, suggesting that while there has been an increase in cases, there hasn’t been an increase in the severity of the disease.
The chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, urged residents to remain vigilant:
Currently, the Omicron variants EG.5 and JN.1 appear to be driving the majority of transmission in the community, with JN.1 increasing in prevalence, in line what we have seen in other countries.
While there is no evidence to suggest these variants cause more severe disease the overall increase in case numbers puts more people, especially vulnerable people, at risk from Covid-19.
No one wants to see high levels of transmission in the community, but we do know what works to limit transmission in these circumstances and I am calling on the community to do those simple things that will make a big difference.
Labor announces Jodie Belyea as candidate for byelection in seat formerly held by Peta Murphy
Earlier in the PM’s presser, Anthony Albanese announced that community leader Jodie Belyea will be the Labor candidate at the upcoming federal byelection in the Victorian seat of Dunkley.
The byelection was triggered by the death of Labor MP Peta Murphy, who died in December after a long battle with cancer.
Belyea is the founder of volunteer group Women’s Spirit, which work to support disadvantaged women. and said she intended to carry on Murphy’s work. She told reporters on Thursday:
I’m not going to necessarily be Peta, but I am going to lean into her legacy, committed to making a difference. I have big shoes to fill.
I’m not a career politician. I am not interested in playing politics. What I am interested in is creating a community that works together through working with governments at all levels.
No Australians known to be caught up in PNG civil unrest: PM
Amid the civil unrest in PNG, the PM has said that the government are not aware of any Australians caught in the conflict.
PNG’s defence force are working to restore order after rioting and looting tore through Port Moresby following a peaceful demonstration outside parliament over a payroll issue for public servants that deteriorated.
Albanese said there have not been any requests for aid, nor any reports of any Australians there, although he admitted the advice he has received so far it “imperfect”.
The advice I have as of this morning – and of course, it’s not perfect advice, because of the nature of some of the troubles that have occurred there over the last 24 hours – is that our high commission in Port Moresby are keeping a very close eye on what is occurring there, making sure that Australians are looked after.
We continue to urge calm at this difficult time. We haven’t had any requests from the PNG government at this time
The advice that I have – and as I said, it’s not perfect advice, and not every Australian is on a register in PNG, so it is imperfect advice – but at this stage, we have not been made aware of, as of early this morning, of any Australians being caught up in the conflict.
Peter Hannam
Government fences off Rozelle Parklands after asbestos discovery
As Catie McLeod reported yesterday, the finding of some asbestos in playground mulch in new parklands in Sydney’s Rozelle triggered a closure of those areas just a couple of weeks after they had been opened:
This morning work crews were back to erect temporary fences around the whole zone even though NSW’s roads minister John Graham had said the asbestos was of “low risk”.
The parklands had begun to get a bit of use, while the bike lane – now shut – shaved about a kilometre off round trips to the city for cycling commuters compared with the alternative route over Anzac Bridge.
All a bit niche, of course, but it’s the latest kink in what’s been a troubled $20bn project.
Traffic through the adjacent Rozelle Interchange is generally smooth during the summer lull but locals and others are no doubt bracing for a return to lengthy morning delays once holidays wrap up.
PM says government’s ‘principled’ position on Gaza made ‘very clear’
Finally, the PM is asked two questions about the conflict in Gaza, the first being if Australia could do anything to stop Iran’s “meddling” in the enclave (without the reporter clarifying what they mean by meddling and where).
Albanese says he and his government have made their position “very clear”:
Iran should stop meddling. And Iran is playing a very destructive role in the region. Australia will continue to, through Penny Wong, make our position very clear. We want to make sure that there is not a widening of the conflict. There have been too many innocent civilians in Israel and in Gaza affected by this conflict.
The second question was about Labor’s relationship with Arab communities, some of whom have reportedly said they won’t be voting Labor at the next election due to the government’s response to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.
Here, Albanese said Labor had taken a “principled” position, but failed to actually address the question, and Labor’s relationship with Arab Australian communities:
Well, we take a principled view going back to our opposition to what occurred with Hamas’ actions in Israel. We condemn, unequivocally, we make no apologies for that. We’ve also been very clear about speaking out for the need to protect innocent lives – whether they be in Israel or in Gaza.
PM pushed on whether he is ‘running away’ from failure of voice referendum
Next up the PM is asked about a comment from Noel Pearson, who reportedly told an event that Indigenous affairs are in a worse state than they were prior to the voice referendum.
The PM is pushed on whether he is “running away” from the failure of the voice referendum, and what his plan B is.
Albanese begins by reiterating his disappointment at the referendum result, but fails to lay out any new plans on Indigenous affairs, instead rattling off what the government has already done:
I was disappointed by that outcome. I took responsibility for my role in accepting that request. But we continue to, as I said, on the night in October, that we needed to look at new ways to achieve the result of advancing reconciliation and Closing the Gap.
It is unacceptable that we have life expectancy gaps, that there’s a greater chance of an Indigenous young male going to jail than going to university.
So that’s why we’ll continue to work through, and to give one example – in the National Skills Agreement, the first National Skills Agreement reached between the commonwealth and states and territories in a decade, there was no agreement on skills. It’s quite extraordinary at a time where we know that there are skills shortages as a result in this country [of] the negligence of the former government.
We have specific programs in there to deal with giving Indigenous Australians to gain those skills, in their interest, but also in the interests of the nation.
In addition to that, we just in the last week have advanced our plan for remote housing as well. We had, as part of our Housing Australia Future Fund, a specific program for remote housing. And we continue to engage right across the board on Indigenous affairs.
Albanese reiterates government’s consideration of mandating supermarket code of conduct
Next, the PM is asked about Coles reportedly cutting some meat prices by 20%, and whether that indicates there is evidence they are overcharging customers.
Albanese responds by saying his government “will act”.
We want to make sure that every single reduction in costs to the big supermarkets gets passed on to the customers. They have a responsibility to do so. And we will act.
We have had the review by Dr Emerson announced. We’re also having action being undertaken by the ACCC. In addition to that, there’s a Senate inquiry.
We know that at a time when people are doing it tough, the big supermarket chains have been making record profits. And we know that there’s something out of sync there.
And we say to all of the supermarket and to big business, they have a responsibility to look after customers. And my government is prepared to take whatever action is necessary. We know at the moment, the code of conduct is a voluntary one. It’s industry-led. But we’re prepared to look at mandating, if that is necessary. So it’s a good thing that we’re seeing the pressure that the government is placing on supermarkets reducing costs at the supermarket checkout.
PM credits lower-than-expected inflation to government policies
Anthony Albanese has stepped up in Melbourne for a presser, and begins by discussing the fee-free places at Tafe.
Albanese says the scheme will put “downward pressure” on cost of living by making “something free” and by“ dealing with the longer-term … supply chain issues.”
The PM also claimed it was his government’s policies that led the charge against lower than expected inflation figures released yesterday:
So it fulfils both of the objectives which we have had.
In yesterday’s release by the ABS, on the inflation figures, they singled out government policy – whether it was the energy price relief plan, whether it be fee-free Tafe, or other measures which have made a difference, and which is why it is a contributing factor to that lower-than-expected figure that we saw in the inflation figures yesterday.
Queensland students in limbo as tertiary offers delayed
Rafqa Touma
The main tertiary education offer round for Queensland year 12 graduates has been pushed back, leaving students waiting an extra four days to know what universities they have been accepted into.
The Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre has moved this week’s offer round from today to Monday 15 January “to allow more processing time for applications,” according to a QTAC statement shared to social media yesterday.
Applicants will have until Friday 19 January from Monday to respond to their offers.
QTAC has been contacted for comment.
All aboard the Elvis Express
As is tradition, the Elvis Express has left Sydney for Parkes for the annual Elvis festival, and we have the pics to prove it:
The six-hour train journey will take them to Australia’s biggest celebration of the King (and the biggest attraction at Forbes).
The festival is in its 31st year, and is celebrating with the theme of Jailhouse Rock. It usually attracts 25,000 visitors to the small farming town and brings in $13m.
Shooting witnesses urged to come forward
Sticking with the shooting in Nowra, police are hoping any witnesses will come forward to help them with their investigation.
In their statement, they say they believe a “number of people” were in the vicinity, around or near a medical clinic on Junction Street about 2.40pm yesterday, and are asking them to contact Crime Stoppers:
A critical incident team from the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad will investigate all circumstances surrounding the incident.
Police believe there were a number of people in the vicinity who may have witnessed the incident; they are appealing for those people to contact Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000.
Just before 1pm yesterday, police were called to the clinic after reports a patient produced a firearm. And just after 2.40pm, the patient came out of the premises, armed with the firearm, and confronted officers.
He was shot and immediately treated by officers and paramedics but died at the scene.
Rents stabilise
As mentioned, AAP is reporting that the average asking price for rentals has steadied across the combined Australian capitals, ending a record stretch of 10 consecutive quarterly increases.
The cost of renting a house or unit in Melbourne, or a unit in Sydney, has also stabilised after significant periods of growth.
December quarter data released on Thursday by property website Domain showed Sydney remained the most expensive place to rent a house, with an average weekly asking price of $730.
But the Sydney recorded no quarterly increase in the average weekly unit rent of $680 for the first time in two and a half years.
Melbourne experienced no growth at all in house and unit rental asking prices, remaining steady at $550 and $520 a week respectively.
Not all capital cities experienced a slowdown, as Brisbane house rents rose to another record high of $600 a week.
Domain’s chief of research and economics Dr Nicola Powell said while tenants remain under pressure, there is a glimmer of hope that conditions are easing.
Overall what we’re seeing is a slowdown in rental growth across Australia. Some cities are still rising in rents, but largely speaking we’re seeing a slowdown in the pace of gains. We’re starting to see a shift in rental dynamics and I think that is going to continue into 2024.
Rental prices remain at a record high average of $600 for a house or unit across capital cities.
Good morning
Good morning, Mostafa Rachwani with you to take you through the day’s news. We start in Nowra, where police are appealing for witnesses to yesterday’s shooting to come forward.
NSW police have issued a statement saying a critical incident investigation is under way after officers shot a man holding a medical clinic hostage.
Police say they believe there were multiple people in the vicinity who witnessed the episode and are urging them to come forward.
Elsewhere, AAP is reporting that average rent has steadied across capital cities, ending a record stretch of 10 consecutive quarterly increases.
December quarter data released on Thursday by the property website Domain showed only Brisbane recorded an increase in rents, with prices remaining steady in Sydney and Melbourne.
We will bring you more as it comes.
