Coronavirus Australia live update: NSW and Victoria record no new Covid cases; Qld considers quarantine in mining camps

NSW issues alert for Brisbane’s Hotel Grand Chancellor amid fears UK virus strain may have crossed border. Follow all the updates, live

2.59am GMT

The treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, says some businesses will not make it to the other side of the Covid crisis, as he defends the planned end of the federal government’s jobkeeper wage subsidy at the end of March.

During a visit to a cafe in Torquay, Victoria, today, Frydenberg said the government intended to allow the jobkeeper program to conclude in line with its currently legislated end date. The government also had “no plans to change the major parameters of the jobkeeper program” despite calls for it to continue for harder hit industries.

As the restrictions are eased, as confidence comes back, as the economic support that we have provided continues to roll through the economy, more people will find jobs, businesses will stay on their feet, and we’ll get through this crisis.”

Well certainly there will be some who have deferred their insolvencies from last year that may go into that position this year, but overall the economy will continue to strengthen even when those temporary emergency measures come off and that insolvency legislation that passed the parliament will be a great support.”

2.49am GMT

Western Australia’s premier Mark McGowan has thanked kayakers who helped to rescue a man who was bitten by a bull shark in his state earlier today.

Paramedics responded to reports of a shark bite at Point Walter Reservoir, along the Swan River, shortly after 8am (local time) on Thursday.

I understand it’s quite a serious bite but we all hope and wish for the very best for the man involved and hope he recovers fully,

We haven’t had an attack by a bull shark in the river for 50 years. The last time someone was killed by a bull shark in the river was 100 years ago. So this is unexpected and surprising.

Continue reading…
Source: The Guardian