Coronavirus Australia live update: Victoria records 134 new Covid-19 cases as Melbourne prepares for lockdown

Elias Visontay (now) and Amy Remeikis (earlier)

from on 2020-07-08 05:59 (#55FWG)

Confusion over NSW-Victoria border closure as the state's northern border closes for the first time in a century. Follow the latest news

6.54am BST

Nick Coatsworth reiterates that current AHPPC advice does not recommend the widespread wearing of face masks, noting that observing the restrictions in place in a jurisdiction - stage 3 in Victoria - is more important to stop further community transmission.

However, he said Australians with severe pre-existing conditions should continue to wear masks.

In situations like we have in greater Melbourne at the moment, the most important thing is going to be adhering to Stage 3 restrictions. That is designed to decrease movement, decrease mixing and increase distance between people.

But if you are in those areas and you find that you are unable to do that, then mask-wearing should be encouraged.

6.48am BST

Nick Coatsworth has cautioned against growing concern over the aerosolisation - or suggestion Covid-19 is airborne as opposed to spread by droplets.

He says authorities will continue to monitor how Covid-19 spreads but won't change any official advice yet.

Let me just but a little word of caution on that particular comment of aerosolisation. We know that you can find virus in the air around someone who is infected but those tests are largely done in laboratory conditions.

We do not necessarily know the implication of that and how readily that means the virus is going to be spread beyond the 1.5 metres that we recommend people to socially distance.

6.39am BST

There have been 147 new cases of Covid-19 recorded in the 24 hours to 1.30pm, Coatsworth said.

He said the share of transmissions that occurred overseas has dropped to 10%, indicating a surge in community transmission.

6.37am BST

Deputy chief medical officer Nick Coatsworth is giving a national Covid-19 update.

6.17am BST

NSW police have arrested a man who tried to cross the NSW/Victoria border without a permit.

According to a police statement, a car bearing Victorian number plates attempted to drive into NSW on Carlyle Road, Corowa shortly after 11am.

6.07am BST

Thank you for joining me on another huge day. I'll be back tomorrow morning to take you through the first day of Melbourne's localised lock down.

Elias Visontay will take you through the afternoon. Make sure you take care of you.

6.02am BST

There are also just a few more hours until the Melbourne lockdown is in place.

We are thinking of you, Victoria, particularly those who are about to go through another six weeks of isolation.

5.59am BST

There will be a national Covid-19 update in about 30 minutes or so.

5.47am BST

PM Morrison will be holding a virtual summit with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe tomorrow, his visit to Tokyo in January was cancelled due to the fires #auspol

5.46am BST

Julia Gillard has just been announced as the Q&A guest for next Monday.

5.45am BST

In what is just a 2020 mood, Oh no" is currently trending on social media in Australia.

5.36am BST

The afternoon press conferences meant this wasn't broadcast live, but the ABC managing director addressed the national press club this afternoon:

5.31am BST

In extreme 2020 news, a new trapdoor spider has been found. Cool, cool, cool.

(Via AAP)

5.17am BST

Labor's Julie Collins has responded to the government announcement of 6,100 new home care packages:

The additional home care packages announced today by the Morrison Government are yet another drop in the ocean.

There are still over 104,000 older Australians waiting for home care. There are no new level four packages for the 21,833 older Australians currently waiting for the highest level of home care.

5.15am BST

ACT authorities don't believe the risk of infection to the wider Canberra community is very high, though:

Prior to being tested, the three individuals had visited the Fyshwick Markets on Saturday 4 July between 3pm and 4pm and Westfield Belconnen on Monday 6 July between 12pm and 12:30pm.

5.13am BST

ACT Health authorities have released its official update:

There have been three (3) new cases of COVID-19 recorded in the ACT in the past 24 hours, bringing the ACT's total to 111.

The three individuals are one female and two males (aged in their 20s).

5.12am BST

The prime minister would say it is not so much a border closing, but Victoria broadening its self-isolation, but Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein has announced Victorians will not be able to visit Tasmania without a valid reason:

As of midnight tonight we will put in place additional restrictions on Victorian travellers, as I have said, if from midnight tonight. Last Sunday evening we put in place additional restrictions on essential travellers from Victoria including additional hygiene and movement restrictions in response to what was occurring in the Melbourne community.

Those travellers were contacted directly stop that is why we have not been speaking about it.

5.09am BST

The ACT was going to ease restrictions even further this Friday - it has now delayed that decision.

5.08am BST

And in New Zealand

New Zealand has one new case of Covid-19 today - a man who absconded from his quarantine facility for over an hour.

In that time he visited a busy Auckland CBD supermarket. Police are now scouring CCTV footage to determine the 32-year-old's movements.https://t.co/GSBj2BoiSf pic.twitter.com/IMUsivJC2w

5.07am BST

The ACT has broken its Covid-19 free streak:

#BREAKING: The ACT has recorded 3 new coronavirus cases, the first new cases in a month. They are all from the same house and are linked to the outbreak in Victoria

5.06am BST

NSW Health is contacting passengers who travelled on Jetstar flight JQ520 overnight, from Melbourne to Sydney, after airline staff mistakenly allowed passengers to leave the gate before they had been screened by health staff"

Passengers have been asked to self isolate for 14 days (and will be provided with accommodation if they can't) as well as go for testing at the drive-through screening test site at Summer Hill.

4.51am BST

Further to that not my job to tell the premiers what to do" answer from Scott Morrison, comes this message from his chief law officer (via AAP):

Western Australia's determination to keep its borders closed to all states, not just virus-plagued Victoria, is set to be scrutinised by the nation's highest court.

Billionaire mining magnate Clive Palmer's legal challenge against the closures is before the federal court, with hearings listed for next week.

4.46am BST

Other cases include:

4.45am BST

The official Victorian health data is out:

Victoria has recorded 134 new cases of coronavirus since yesterday, with the total number of cases now at 2942.

4.44am BST

Just a reminder that when asked about the Victorian government response to the outbreak (border closures, the enforced police lockdown of the public housing towers) Scott Morrison said:

So it's not my job to second-guess premiers on these things.

It's my job, as the prime minister, to rally the governments of Australia and our own government and the people of Australia to support Victorians in this time of need.

4.32am BST

The Chinese embassy has responded to Australia's updated travel advice for Australians in China (obviously we are not going anywhere, but there are Australians still in China) which warned of Australians being at risk of arbitrary detention:

We have noted Australia's updated travel advice regarding China, which asserts that Australians may be at risk of arbitrary detention.

This is completely ridiculous and disinformation. Foreigners in China, including the Australians, as long as they abide by the Chinese laws, have no need to worry at all. However, those who engage in illegal activities, such as drug smuggling or espionage, will be dealt with according to the laws in China, as is the case in all other countries.

4.22am BST

AAP has an update on Victorians who live near the South Australian border:

People living in cross-border communities will be restricted to a 50km radius inside South Australia when the state's border restrictions with Victoria come into force.

4.16am BST

And there will be a national cabinet meeting on Friday.

4.15am BST

We know the press conference is coming to an end, because we get the all in this together" speech (and Scott Morrison runs his sentences together when he is looking to dash away from the lectern, to stop journalists from jumping in and asking a question when he takes a breath.)

We will keep doing our job and I know Australians will keep doing theirs.

And right now, that job is if you're a Melburnian, is to tough it out and it will be tough, but know the rest of the country is with you.

4.12am BST

Someone asks about some sort of foreign travel tax? I don't know - there is a lot in the question, and it's involving shiz that none of us can even think about until at least July next year, because I'm not sure if this is common knowledge or not - but Australia's international borders ARE CLOSED.

Scott Morrison:

Well, there's a lot of speculation on all those questions. So I don't intend to engage in what is the normal budget speculation when you lead up to a budget.

Those matters will be addressed in the budget.

4.10am BST

On what we are planning on doing with Hong Kong residents, Scott Morrison says:

We continue to be concerned about issues in Hong Kong as many nations are, and we have remained in close contact with other like-minded countries about this issue.

This is about how we, as a nation, are responding, domestically, to these issues.

On the issue of the broader shutdown of Melbourne - this is a matter that the premier advised me of and, of course, based on their advice and the advice that I have received from the chief medical officer, then this was necessary.

I hope it isn't for that long. I hope it's for a shorter period as possible.

4.05am BST

Are Australian authorities changing their views on masks?

Scott Morrison:

The medical panel gives us advice on this issue pretty much every time we meet and sometimes more often than that. It's been a constant stream of advice from the medical expert panel from the HPPC and they will continue to provide that advice and we will continue to follow it.

4.03am BST

Will someone in Victoria receive income support than someone in say, Brisbane?

I'm not suggesting that at all.

We're running a national support of support.

4.02am BST

Should people start paying for their own hotel quarantine, if they come home from overseas:

In relation to paying - that is a decision for the states and territories. The states and territories can send people a bill today if they wish and if they wish to do that, then the commonwealth would have no objection to that.

They'd be actually solely within their rights to do that. I think that would be a completely understandable proposition for people who have been away for some time and there's been many opportunities for people to return.

4.01am BST

The prime minister says there has been no suggestion lockdowns will be extended nationwide (at this stage)

That is not something that is being put to me now or that's not the advice that we're receiving.

Let's remember that seven states and territories around the country remain in a very strong position when it comes to our response to Covid-19.

4.00am BST

Apparently Christian Porter and Mathias Cormann think the AFL grand final should be played in Perth, if it can't be held in Melbourne.

Scott Morrison is not amused (how far we've come from I'm off to the football", although he has mentioned the Sharkies" about a gazillion times in radio interviews in the past couple of months).

Where the AFL grand final is being played at the moment is one of the furtherest things from my mind. It really is. I mean, the AFL, I'm sure will sort that out and states and territories will sort that out. Right now, we're dealing with a pandemic outbreak in Victoria - right now.

3.58am BST

On WA having a cap put on its international arrivals, Scott Morrison says:

The issue is not redistributing the load to Western Australia to other states. Western Australia has been taking about a quarter of what New South Wales has.

So I don't think there's a strong case that Western Australia should carry any lesser load than it has been up until this time. I mean, Queensland and New South Wales are taking far more than Western Australia and, you know, the same issues need to be managed there and Western Australia is a strong and competent state and I'm sure they can manage their share of the burden.

3.57am BST

The official announcement for this press conference (which is not just to remind people that Richard Colbeck exists):

The extra 6,105 home care packages brings the total number of additional packages to over 50,000 since the 18-19 Budget, at a cost of more than $3 billion.

Home care package numbers will increase to 164,135 in 2022-23 - up more than 170 per cent since Labor were last in office - with funding increasing by 258 per cent due to growth in high-level packages.

3.56am BST

Scott Morrison hasn't changed his mind on border closures. He thinks they should be open. It's just that all of Victoria is self-isolating right now, and that is obviously completely different:

My position on borders hasn't changed. We need to understand what's happened here in Victoria.

What we have effectively done is Victoria has self-isolated.

3.55am BST

Scott Morrison is asked whether there needs to be a slowing of people returning to Australia?

The short answer to that is yes and I'll be taking a proposal to that end to national cabinet on Friday and I have been discussing that with premiers over the last 24 hours.

I had a good discussion with Premier McGowan about the same thing yesterday.

3.51am BST

Asked if he is confident the Victorian outbreak can be contained, Scott Morrison says:

Well, there are three rings of containment and the rings of containment has always been part of the government's national plan together with the states and territories. There are those suburbs specifically where we are seeking - I should say the Victorian government is seeking to ensure that containment measures are there. Then there's the broader Melbourne metropolitan area including the Mitchell shire and then beyond that there's the Victorian border. As each of those rings does its job, it puts less pressure on the ring external to it.

3.50am BST

The press conference has been held to announce another 6,1000 in home care packages (50,000 home care packages in total at a cost of $3bn) to help people stay at home, rather than move into residential care centres.

3.49am BST

Scott Morrison says there are 300 ADF personnel and 800 to 900 federal public servants helping with the health effort in Victoria, with another 350 ADF troops on the NSW-Victoria border.

So it is a very significant commonwealth effort to support what is happening in Victoria right now and we will prevail and we will get on top of it and we will protect the rest of the country because, as I have engaged with other leaders around the world.

They are facing the same challenges, whether in Europe or elsewhere, they are seeing as they're opening up their economy again and fighting for the jobs of their own citizens just as I'm fighting for the jobs of our citizens, then they find there are outbreaks and there are cases, the one in Melbourne is particularly serious, but on international scale, it is - it is well within the band and so it is not surprising and that's why we need to continue to apply our focus on our effort and work together as we did in March and in April and in May and in June and so we will do it in July, August, September, October, November, December, and into next year if necessary.

3.42am BST

Scott Morrison turns to Victoria:

For the people, in particular, of Melbourne - this is hard.

This is a hard call on you. It's tough. And it will test you and it will strain, but you have done it once before and you will be able to do it again because you have proven that.

3.41am BST

The prime minister starts his first presser in almost a week by repeating he warned us it would be tough:

I said Australians would be tested like we have never been tested before but we're a strong nation.

And that we would meet those nation. And that we would meet those tests. That will be true again now with nation. And that we would meet those tests. That will be true again now with the situation we're facing in Victoria.

3.38am BST

Jim Chalmers responded to Josh Frydenberg's confirmation the government was looking at bringing forward the flat tax rate, and would be announcing new stimulus measures on 23 July:

This new outbreak and these new restrictions are creating new levels of uncertainty for workers and for businesses, and the Morison Government is only adding to that uncertainty by refusing to release the JobKeeper review. They need to stop leaving businesses and workers in the dark and in the lurch. They need to stop leaving businesses and workers behind during this first recession in three decades. We need the Government to come clean. If they have a plan for JobKeeper, let's hear it. If they have a plan to bring forward tax cuts, let's hear that too. They need a plan for jobs in the recovery and that has been absent, a point that the Reserve Bank was making this week as well.

If they want to bring those tax cuts forward then put a plan on the table and Labor will engage with that constructively and responsibly. If they want to bring tax cuts forward, let's see what they intend to do. Labor has been calling for that to be considered for some time. The working families of middle Australia need help now, not later. The working families of Australia need assistance via JobKeeper, tax cuts, or some other way that doesn't rely on them having to raid their retirement incomes, with consequences for their quality and standard of living when they finish work.

3.26am BST

It's a two-flag press conference in the prime minister's courtyard today.

In the meantime, we have also been told there will be national Covid-19 update, with deputy chief medical officer, Dr Nick Coatsworth at 3.30pm

3.22am BST

Remember the seven-year tax plan that was passed in parliament about 1 million years ago in July last year?

There were three stages to those legislated income tax cuts and, you know, the benefit was very clear.

We're creating one big tax bracket between $45,000 and $200,000, where people pay a marginal rate of now more than 30c in the dollar, so [we] are looking at that issue and the timing of those tax cuts, because we do want to boost aggregate demand, boost consumption, put more money in people's pockets and that is one way to do it.

3.17am BST

Community sport has suffered considerably in this pandemic

Stephanie Convery has taken a look at the impacts on one of our favourite past times

3.00am BST

We should be hearing from the prime minister within the next 30 minutes or so.

It'll be his first press conference in six days.

2.48am BST

Meanwhile, my flatmate's dog and I are barely talking to each other after some intense close quarter living.

(Only joking, she's a doll. She's just sick of me always being up in her space.)

Australians are more stressed from #COVID19, new #ANUExpert research has confirmed

But the good news is parents with kids in their household say their relationships have improved #covid19australia #Relationships #Family #MentalHealth https://t.co/GbOONbPyJi pic.twitter.com/annXZtEROP

2.41am BST

The government finances for May have been published by the parliamentary budget office.

2.40am BST

Given the lack of discretion Victorian police will be applying to social distancing fines, you should know what the public health order can and won't let you do (information is power in these cases)

You'll find the health department guide here

2.34am BST

Ratings agency S&P has weighed in on the economic impact of Victorian Lockdown 2: the Lockdownening.

Unsurprisingly, the agency says it's bad - but not bad enough to dislodge the state's AAA credit rating.

The new restrictions, along with border closures with other states, will hurt economic activity and delay the state's recovery relative to other states. We expect weaker revenues, including payroll taxes, stamp duties, and goods and services taxes, and increased support and health expenditures. The negative outlook on our rating on the state reflects that Victoria's fiscal repair could be delayed, weakening its financial position compared with our forecasts, particularly the state's fast-rising debt levels."

2.32am BST

A little ray of light for some musicians today: federal arts minister Paul Fletcher and minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt have just jointly announced the first outlay of funding for the Indigenous Contemporary Music Program, which is aimed at increasing development opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians and bands."

The funds are part of the Australian Music Industry Package that the government announced approximately six lifetimes go, in March last year.

2.32am BST

The testing process is not perfect, which is why we have seen the numbers change, or be reclassified, as the days go on.

2.31am BST

Dr Kerry Chant also details the case of a Victorian teenager diagnosed with Covid-19 had been told, before travelling, that his test was negative:

Now, just to be very clear about the circumstances around this child, the child and his family were not from a hot spot at the time of leaving Melbourne.

They also undertook testing before coming to New South Wales and we're actually advised that the test result was negative.

2.29am BST

Dr Kerry Chant says there were eight new cases of Covid-19 diagnosed in NSW in the last 24 hours.

Seven were in hotel quarantine.

A woman in her 30s from south-western Sydney, who tested positive for COVID-19. Further investigations are under way to determine the timing of her infection, whether it's a historical infection or a more recent one and there are... her close contacts, including some health staff at Liverpool Hospital, are in isolation pending the outcome of those investigations.

2.28am BST

Gladys Berejiklian then takes aim at businesses which have not been following the rules (there were quite a few photos of shared salt bowls and condiments on social media over the past couple of weeks).

I also want to stress to businesses, not just in those border communities, but especially in those border communities, but also throughout the state, whilst it's pleasing to see that over 100,000 businesses have downloaded the app on how to be could every why ID-safe, the checklist on how to be Covid-safe, there's only about 10% of the businesses that have gone through the process of registering.

Now, I'm concerned with the lack of compliance in New South Wales of some hospitality venues, in particular cafes and restaurants, basic things like sharing a salt and pepper shaker, for example. And I get to that level of detail.

2.26am BST

The NSW premier continues:

I know I've already said it in the last minute or two but again - if you live in a border community and you're a New South Wales resident, please do not travel outside your border community at this time.

If you are a New South Wales resident outside of those border communities, please do not go to those communities unless you absolutely have to.

2.25am BST

It sounds like there will be more coming, in terms of official health orders, very soon.

Gladys Berejiklian:

The situation in Victoria is extremely serious. I also want to stress that the border closure between New South Wales and Victoria cannot be compared to any other border closure around Australia. No other border has at least 55 places.

No other communities, even though there are some border communities obviously impacted or were impacted with New South Wales and Queensland, New South Wales virtually had zero community transmission on those borders.

2.24am BST

Gladys Berejiklian:

We can certainly control what happens on our side of the border. We can't control what's happening on the other side of the border and I've already had advice this morning that at least one person from Wodonga, who has the virus - we're still awaiting details.

But given the appreciation we have for police and service New South Wales in standing up the permit process that carries with it enormous risk, because when you have communities mixing with each other, crossing a border, it carries enormous risk, so I will stress that the government is considering what further action we take to make sure the bubble, as we call it, of those border communities, is maintained.

2.23am BST

Gladys Berejiklian:

I do want to send a very strong warning.

The probability of contagion in New South Wales, given what's happening in Victoria, is extremely high.

2.21am BST

Gladys Berejiklian and the NSW police commissioner, Mick Fuller, held a press conference at the same time as Victoria

It sounds like the border towns may be placed into their own lockdown.

2.17am BST

What about the interstate front pages mocking Daniel Andrews and the Victorian government?

I've got pretty thick skin. I'm focused on doing the job I have to do.

The issue here is... I would focus much more, say, on the support I'm getting from other states rather than anything else, whether that be testing capacity, contact tracers, other support, support from the Commonwealth, support across the board, just as when other states have their time of need, in fire or flood, Victorians are the first to put their hands up, the first to go and put themselves in harm's way to support and protect others, we're very grateful to be getting support at our time, during our time of need.

2.15am BST

Now to the question on every Australian's mind - can Sam Newman play golf?

Golf essentially made a decision last time that they would very early on not play. They would close courses.

Then, as the stage 1, stage 2, stage 3, as we rolled through all of those different restrictions, it was simply not appropriate to roll that back.

It can't be more than two people. You need to be 1.5m apart. You need to do the hand sanitising and other work and again it's not an invitation to spend every afternoon fishing.

It's not an invitation to play 36 holes of golf every day. It's in the context daily exercise because we want people to be able to get fresh air and do those things safely.

2.11am BST

So there won't be a literal ring of steel around the lockdown area - but there will be a literal ring of blue. Which amounts to the same thing.

Commissioner Shane Patton:

Oh, the chances of actually being detected are going to be very significant.

We expect to see a lot less traffic out and about because of these restrictions.

2.05am BST

The Victorian premier is asked if he thinks he blamed Victorians for the outbreak.

Yesterday he said there were some people who had been acting as if the pandemic was over, and everyone knew someone who was not doing everything they should be.

Well, I made a number of comments yesterday and I think that's an accurate description of the way some people are behaving. That's not every Victorian.

And it's not ... It's not to do anything else other than, you know, call it out.

2.03am BST

Daniel Andrews continues on the economy (Josh Frydenberg said today the lockdown would cost the economy $1bn a week).

There's no doubt that there's very significant economic damage right throughout this global pandemic.

This virus is causing enormous damage to jobs, to businesses, to profits, to the state budget and, indeed, household budgets. There's no question about that.

2.01am BST

Does that mean extended jobkeeper for Victoria?

Daniel Andrews:

I'll say to you, what I said to the prime minister and what I said to the federal treasurer today.

Clearly there's going to be greater needs in some parts of Victoria than there will be in other parts of our nation. And I'm reassured that hardship is going to continue to be the main thing that drives all the different tools the federal government is using, just as it always has, just as it has for us also.

2.00am BST

What about support for Victoria's economy?

Daniel Andrews:

We will have announcements to make very soon. It's important that we get that package of support right. And we will. There's been some discussions - I've had a conversation with the prime minister. I had a conversation today with the federal treasurer. I note he's made a number of comments that I think all Victorians would be very reassured by, that hardship and that real need is going to continue to drive the federal government's policy response, just as it always has driven ours and will continue to. We'll make some announcements and we'll do that in good time.

2.00am BST

Daniel Andrews responds to the Victorian opposition's criticism:

Look, the opposition are not relevant to the work that I'm doing. I would note, though, that they were talking about bipartisanship yesterday.

I don't know whether those two positions sit very well together but that's really a matter for them. I haven't got time for silly political games. I really don't. We're focused on what has to be done. That is where our focus should be - on getting things done, not playing silly political games.

1.58am BST

Q: People are calling for you to resign. Is that something you're considering?

Daniel Andrews:

No, I'm not considering that. What I'm not just considering, but delivering, is the response to this pandemic and seeing this through. That's what's most important and it's what I'm going to get done.

1.57am BST

He is then asked about community anger about the Black Lives Matter protests and how the hotel quarantine security was carried out, given the calls for social distancing restrictions:

(There has been no evidence, despite repeated questions, that the protests contributed to the outbreak. At the same time as the protests, talk had turned to lifting restrictions even further. Of the four or so people who tested positive to Covid-19 and went to the march, two were diagnosed in the days after and did not contract the virus at the march and had worn masks, so were not thought to have spread it, and two worked in retail and were diagnosed almost two weeks after the march. Authorities said it was impossible to say where they contracted the virus, but it was noted they came into contact with members of the public as part of their job.)

Well, it's not a matter of calling for it. This is the law. These are chief health officer directions and the chief commissioner has just given every Victorian to whom those rules apply a very clear understanding of the approach that Victoria police, with the support of the Australian defence force, will take.

We can go back over Black Lives Matter. It shouldn't have happened. But unless you want Victoria police to literally lock up and arrest 10,000 people, that - I think there's a range of practical reasons why that just would not have worked.

1.52am BST

Daniel Andrews says he is confident authorities will finish testing residents in the public housing towers today.

We are very confident that we will be able to complete testing today.

Even though we have dedicated laboratory capacity for these tests, because we know that this is a harder lockdown than other people in Melbourne are having to experience from midnight tonight.

1.51am BST

Daniel Andrews goes to questions.

He is asked if he thinks Victorians have lost confidence in him:

I think every Victorian knows and understands this is real, serious, it's not over.

Pretending that it is will simply make a difficult situation into tragic set of circumstances. I think every Victorian knows that. And whilst ... You know, it's always a balance, you know.

1.50am BST

Victorians are understandably worried - Lisa Neville says the number of calls to the police line set up to answer questions about what can and can't be done (and snitch) went from 70 to 80 calls a day in May to 810 yesterday.

1.49am BST

There will be more than 700 police attached to Operation Sentinel, which means there will be more than 700 police in Victoria focused on upholding the social distancing rules.

Applying no discretion.

1.46am BST

The Victorian police commissioner, Shane Patton, says there will be almost no discretion applied by officers when it comes to social distancing rules:

I think I've made it fairly clear along the way - and I've said in the past - the window of police discretion is closing. nd I said it was closing and closing and closing.

There's only a little crack in that window still open because we're way past a discretionary aspect.

1.40am BST

The Victorian police minister, Lisa Neville, says police have done 92,215 checks as part of social distance rules so far.

They will be enforcing the lockdown of greater Melbourne from midnight.

1.39am BST

Daniel Andrews:

As I said yesterday, we are doing the hard work to look at options to accelerate opening up in regional Victoria for regional Victorians.

That comes with significant economic benefit, for them and therefore the whole state.

1.34am BST

Victoria did almost 30,000 tests yesterday - 29,424 tests in one day.

Daniel Andrews:

That takes us to a total of 1,000,867 tests, so we've broken through the 1m test barrier, given the tests conducted yesterday.

Can I again thank every single Victorian who has come forward for a test and the many thousands of people who are working to take those tests and to process them?

1.32am BST

That makes 861 active cases in Victoria.

Forty people are in hospital and seven of those people are in intensive care.

1.32am BST

Daniel Andrews says only 11 of the new Covid-19 cases are connected to known outbreaks.

There are now 75 cases in the locked-down towers.

1.28am BST

As we reported this morning, borrowers who continue to be in financial distress due to the coronavirus economic crisis might be able to get an extra four-month moratorium on repayments, once the existing six-month one expires.

But statements from the banks this morning indicates the emphasis should be on the word might".

ANZ, for example, appears less than keen to further extend loans, saying it will only do so in some circumstances".

NAB's tone is slightly less aggressive - it says it is encouraging customers who can begin repayments to do so as soon as they can".

Whether this newly invigorated approach to debt collection can survive the reimposition of stage three lockdowns across the Melbourne metropolitan area, plus the closure of the border between Victoria and NSW, remains to be seen.

1.10am BST

The NT's chief minister, Michael Gunner, says after a review, the government has declared all of Victoria a hotspot - which means no one from the state can travel to the territory:

There are three key reasons.

First - the escalating cases in Melbourne.

1.00am BST

Yesterday Daniel Andrews confirmed that the police-enforced lockdown of the Melbourne public housing towers would be in place only as long as testing took, with priority placed on results for tests from the residents. After that, the residents will be subject to the same lockdown rules as everyone else, which means they will be able to leave their homes for exercise.

Luke Henriques-Gomes has been talking to those under the extreme lockdown about what they need and wish for:

12.45am BST

Here's the scene at the NSW border town of Albury this morning.

12.27am BST

How did Victoria get to where it is?

The latest Full Story podcast charts the spread of Covid-19 in Victoria with Melissa Davey, (and you'll be able to hear the moment they found out about the Melbourne lockdown while making the episode).

12.18am BST

Greg Hunt spoke to Melbourne radio 3AW this morning about Victoria's Covid-19 position:

Well, you're right. Seven out of eight states and territories; they're in a very strong situation.

Victoria has taken a step backwards, there's just no question about it.

12.08am BST

Interesting titbit in the treasurer's press release on the banks extending loan payment deferrals for some customers - the ABA estimates that there are more than 800,000 loans that have been deferred, worth more than $260bn.

12.05am BST

Daniel Andrews will hold a press conference at 10.30am.

12.04am BST

Guess it is all over for weekends then:

The Morrison Government is continuing to support new technology that will help the uptake of electric vehicles (EV) by Australian motorists.

A new trial led by ActewAGL to support the integration of EV's in the Australian Capital Territory will receive $2.4 million in grant funding from the Morrison Government through Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

12.03am BST

The prime minister will be holding a press conference a little later this morning - his first since 2 July.

12.02am BST

Daniel Andrews was then asked about the frustrations people in Victoria felt, given some of the issues leading up to the outbreak:

Q: What about that double standard then that people are pointing out? Let me stay away from politics - the reaction wasn't political, it was visceral from people saying, Well, no, the hotel quarantine caused this"?

Well, ultimately, we are in the situation that we're in and there's no opportunity for us to pretend it isn't real. We've got to get this right.

We've got to put this back in the box. In terms of hotel quarantine, Corrections Victoria are running that program now, the people who run our jails. I can't change what's gone on there, we got an independent process to get to the bottom of that.

Well, we follow the best medical advice, you do what has to be done. Again, this is not a popularity contest, it's a pandemic. I don't enjoy making these decisions and I'm not pleased - I'm furious about where we find ourselves.

But I don't have the luxury and notice, neither does any Victorian to pretend that the reality that we face isn't real. It is absolutely real. And we have got to make these decisions so we can move past this.

We'll support those who are doing it tough. We know and understand that that's so important. Ultimately, if we all stick together, we can get to the other side of this, contain it and then begin our process of opening up again.

11.55pm BST

On ABC News Breakfast, Daniel Andrews was asked about schools returning for term three.

Years 11 and 12 are going back as planned (even in the lockdown areas) for VCE studies. Special school students are also returning as planned.

No, that's still being looked at very closely. I would - I certainly can't rule that out. If I had to call it, that's probably more likely rather than less likely.

That's not an easy decision. I got three kids myself. I know and understand how challenging that is. That week - that extra school holidays for metro Melbourne - gives us a little bit more time to work our way through that.

Because they're older - sure, it's 11 and 12, and 10s just for their VCE learning.

The key point is because they're older, then they can follow rules, they can distance, and that can be much better enforced, if you like. If you think about the littlest kids, they're not going to distance, that's just not part of being a seven- or eight-year-old.

11.49pm BST

The deputy chief medical officer (well, one of them) was also on ABC Breakfast this morning. He said Melbourne needed to know it was not alone.

Prof Michael Kidd:

I think we're all on notice, absolutely. But again, it's really important for the people in Melbourne to know they're not on their own.

And for all of us to be reaching out to our friends and loved ones in Melbourne as they find themselves in isolation and for the people in Melbourne to be doing what they did so well the first time, looking after each other and neighbours, neighbours who they know may be living on their own. If people do feel anxious or depressed, please reach out to the helplines, Lifeline, Beyond Blue and other mental health services. There are people all around the country who are waiting to assist you.

11.44pm BST

When asked if the federal government would extend jobkeeper and the Covid-19 supplement for jobseeker for Victoria, Josh Frydenberg told the ABC the legislated period for the stimulus package went until September, therefore covering the time Melbourne would be in lockdown.

He added:

There's going to be another phase of income support, the details of which will be announced on 23 July.

We recognise that some sectors are going to recover more slowly than others, for example, the tourism sector as a result of the international borders being closed.

11.39pm BST

The deputy chief medical officer Prof Michael Kidd spoke to the Nine Network this morning and said authorities were still on top of the Covid-19 situation in Australia:

No, we haven't lost control and, in fact, what we've seen over the last week is a very substantial boost in the number of people involved in both testing people across Melbourne,but also with the various central contact tracing to follow up everybody who has been in contact with someone who is a new infection.

We had over 800 personnel contributed by the commonwealth to assist with that additional contact tracing and testing and we have contact tracers in other states and territories who are assisting. That is a national response to the outbreak we're seeing in Melbourne.

11.34pm BST

The Australian Banking Association has confirmed that banks will extend loan payment deferrals for another four months for people who have been financially impacted by the pandemic.

If you deferred your payments for the six months but can restart payments, you are encouraged to do so. But if you can't, there are options:

Customers with reduced incomes and ongoing financial difficulty due to COVID-19 will be contacted as they approach the end of their deferral period, to ensure that wherever possible they can return to repayments through a restructure or variation to their loan.

If these arrangements are not in place at the end of a six month deferral, customers will be eligible for an extension of their deferral for up to four months. Customers will be expected to work with their bank, during this extra time, to find the best solution for them.

11.29pm BST

Daniel Andrews has been on an absolute blitz of the breakfast media programs, both TV and radio.

Most of it was what we have been hearing over the last week.

11.11pm BST

The Red Cross blood bank wants to remind people that it is still absolutely crucial to donate blood, if you can, during the pandemic:

Despite Coronavirus, Lifeblood still needs to collect 29,000 donations a week across Australia so patients will continue to receive the blood they need in times of trauma, major surgery, cancer treatment, pregnancy and a host of other situations.

11.09pm BST

The government services minister, Stuart Robert, has argued that Apple and Google are intruding on the sovereignty of nations like Australia by not giving them more control over the exposure notification system in their contact tracing technology.

In a strange and confusing defence given of the Covidsafe app in an interview on Sky News after his National Press Club address on Tuesday, Robert didn't say whether the app had identified any close contacts yet (and the Victorian chief health officer, Brett Sutton, indicated today it hadn't) but argued that it was a success, albeit with small issues.

The challenge is we're using the ubiquitous nature of the software and the hardware. So an Apple and a Google phone. So the iOS, internet operating system [sic] of Apple, the native Bluetooth is what we call a moderate effectiveness. So effectiveness is about 50% of the time when it's locked in the background, speaking to another locked phone in the background, and it varies based on software build, based on handset. So they are the challenges. We're working with Apple to improve that.

11.07pm BST

A coalition of mayors - 38 from across the country (minus Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania) have signed an open letter to the prime minister, asking for Covid-19 support to be extended to asylum seekers:

We believe as a matter of principle, people seeking asylum
should have:

10.59pm BST

The NSW police commissioner, Mick Fuller, was not happy to hear that the Albury mayor has been complaining about how the border closure was being handled in his town. Fuller told the Sydney radio station 2GB:

I think it's ridiculous to come out day one on such a large border operation and make complaints.

Perhaps he needs to go down and talk to the police who have been working through the night in freezing conditions, protecting the health of the people of NSW.

10.50pm BST

And for the second time in as many nights, Victorian A-League teams have been unable to get across the border for games.

After failing to get to NSW on Monday night, the three teams tried through Canberra - but changed ACT rules meant they would have to quarantine for 14 days. Fox Sports has that story.

10.48pm BST

The mayors of Albury and Wodonga have both said there has been a lack of information in the lead-up to the border closures - and as it closed, things didn't get much better.

But NSW police commissioner, Mick Fuller, is having none of it.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller hits back at the Albury Mayor.

Fuller: "It's ridiculous to come out day one of such a massive border operation and make complaints. It's not a time to be selfish". #NSWpol https://t.co/tnj3vAivno

This is the queue to get across the border from Wodonga into Albury - as NSW police stop each car and check for permits and ID pic.twitter.com/9sQCsB2UMC

10.34pm BST

While you were sleeping (I hope), the border between NSW and Victoria closed for the first time in 101 years.

The permit system stopped working for a few hours leading up to the closure, which meant long waits - if you don't need to cross urgently, maybe wait until next week. The system might be up and running again but there are still long waits and a bit of confusion.

We follow the best medical advice, you do what has to be done. Again, this is not a popularity contest, it's a pandemic.

I don't enjoy making these decisions and I'm not pleased - I'm furious about where we find ourselves. But I don't have the luxury and notice, neither does any Victorian to pretend that the reality that we face isn't real.

It's Victoria now, it could be anyone. We're all going to have to live with this virus for a long while.

Frydenberg: "There is going to be another phase of income support" (after September). Income support - sounds like it goes to the worker (JobKeeper style) rather than being industry support packages. Details not til 23 July. #auspol #COVID19Aus #COVID19Vic

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