NT chief minister says Omicron ‘too infectious’ for lockdowns to work as nation records at least 88 Covid deaths – As it happened

Michael Gunner says lockdowns and lockouts no longer effective; At least 88 Covid deaths recorded around the country as Kerry Chant says Omicron sub-variant is circulating in NSW; Queensland reveals back-to-school plan. This blog is now closed

• NSW reports 52 Covid deaths in deadliest day of pandemic to date as son of Omicron' variant cases emerge
• Anthony Albanese accuses Morrison government of leaving business behind during Omicron wave
• NSW unveils $1bn support package for businesses hit by Omicron
• How is Australia's Covid vaccine booster rollout going and is it fast enough for groups that need it most?
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Albanese says Labor will boost aged-care funding, but cannot specify by how much.

There has been a boost.

Two things they haven't done: One is to tie that funding of actual delivery of better healthcare for aged-care residents in terms of some of the regulatory measures required that were recommended by the royal commission, but the big missing piece in this workforce, we still don't have a commitment to have a nurse in a nursing home.

We still don't have a commitment to increase in the number of other care workers in aged care, and we still don't have a commitment to increases in wages and conditions so that aged-care facilities are able to attract the staff.

Quite clearly there will be a need for increased health funding, but there is a need also to look at the particular areas of funding.

GPs, for example. One of the reasons there is so much pressure on the hospitals is we have GP shortages in terms of training, we have GP shortages in terms of some of the changes that they've made to the Medicare schedule that have had an impact in our regions.