5.17pm EDT17:17
Melbourne claims unwanted lockdown record
When it comes to Melbourne now, by some counts, becoming the most locked-down city in the world, premier Daniel Andrews says he is proud of the sacrifices Melburnians have made over the pandemic.
Yesterday he called on Melburnians to make a final push before lockdown ends in coming weeks, reports Callum Godde from AAP.
We are going to get past this. We are going to end this lockdown and open up, and all that we will enjoy then will be a result of all that we have given.
Epidemiologist Tony Blakely, a long-time supporter of the elimination strategy, told ABC TV on Monday the lockdowns saved lives but Victoria had been unfortunate to have so many.
If we let it rip last year, we would have had severe mortality and morbidity. It’s just that we haven’t had the same luck as other place.
Victoria is forecast to hit 70% vaccination coverage of its 16-plus population on 26 October, triggering the end of lockdown under the state’s roadmap before restrictions ease further at 80%.
Andrews is hopeful the reduction of the second dose Pfizer interval in state-run clinics from six to three weeks from Monday will speed up meeting those targets.
Updated
at 5.24pm EDT
5.10pm EDT17:10
‘Cheerleader for the let-it-rip brigade’: federal Labor slams likely NSW premier
Federal Labor’s Jim Chalmers has told the Today show that Dominic Perrottet has been a “cheerleader for the let-it-rip brigade” and isn’t all too complimentary about the idea of him leading NSW.
He doesn’t have a good record as treasurer. Some things people liked about Gladys Berejiklian, he doesn’t have that.
Worryingly, he’s been the key cheerleader for the let-it-rip brigade, which is dangerous for the people of NSW.
While they spend this time sorting out who gets to sit in the big chair and who gets to sit in the slightly smaller chair, the people of NSW aren’t getting a look in. We want to make sure that they are well supported.
And that the new government, whoever leads it after tomorrow, does the right thing by people.
Updated
at 5.14pm EDT
4.47pm EDT16:47
While Melbourne escaped major damage in last month’s magnitude 5.9 earthquake, experts say thorough building inspections are needed to check for any undetected problems.
Buildings in Melbourne – particularly structures with masonry and reinforced concrete – may be vulnerable to “significant damage” even with low seismic activity, according to scientists who have assessed the impacts of the 22 September tremor.
Mark Quigley, an associate professor of earthquake science at the University of Melbourne, says: “Parts of Melbourne have extreme vulnerability to relatively low intensities of ground shaking.”
After the magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck near Mansfield in September, scientists “raced to the scene” to monitor the seismic activity around the epicentre.
You can read the full report below:
4.44pm EDT16:44
Philip Ruddock, president of the NSW Liberal party, has been asked on ABC radio just now if he thinks Gladys Berejiklian should have simply stepped down as premier but remained in state parliament.
It’s a matter of judgment. I think she looked at it in the context of how long it was likely to impact, and the approach that Icac takes in relation to its inquiries. I mean that could be very many months before her reputation would have been cleared.
It’s one of the reasons that I’ve commented on the way in which Icac undertakes inquiries … I believe passionately that we need to deal with corruption. I don’t see any place for corruption in public life, but having said that, I don’t believe people’s reputations should be jeopardised because matters are put into the public arena before issues relating to culpability have been clearly established.
Updated
at 4.46pm EDT
