What we know so far
AFL gives green light to Western Derby
By Damien Ractliffe
Next weekend’s Western Derby between West Coast and Fremantle comes at a perfect time for the AFL, with no interstate teams needing to travel in to or out of Perth as the WA government grapples with a coronavirus cluster.
An AFL spokesperson said the league was flexible and could adjust fixtures if the situation changed but next Sunday afternoon’s derby clash – an Eagles home game – would go ahead at Optus Stadium.
The Dockers and North Melbourne played to an empty Optus Stadium on Saturday night.Credit:Getty Images
The news comes as North Melbourne players were told they would be forced into 14 days of home isolation and tested for COVID-19 under Victorian government protocols after playing Fremantle in an empty Perth stadium on Saturday night.
The players have exemptions to train and play within that two-week period and the club’s fixture next weekend in Tasmania against Melbourne would go ahead as scheduled.
The Roos players, fresh from their 51-point defeat to Fremantle on Saturday night, have boarded a plane back to Melbourne and will be taken to Arden Street to undergo tests.
COVID detections prompt NSW stay-at-home restrictions
By Harriet Alexander
The NSW government has asked people who have visited a close contact venue not to enter NSW and, if they do, to self-isolate, adhere to the same stay-at-home restrictions that apply to the Perth and Peel regions and notify NSW Health on 1800 943 553.
Traces of virus that causes COVID-19 have been detected in the Burwood Beach Sewerage Treatment Plant, near Newcastle.
This follows detections reported on Saturday in the sewerage works at Allambie Heights and Merimbula, although this may indicate the presence of people who have recently recovered from the disease, as they continue to shed the virus for several weeks after recovery.
NSW acquired no new local cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm EST on Saturday night and one new case acquired overseas.
Another year of Anzac driveway ceremonies for Perth
By Fran Rimrod
Driveway Anzac Day dawn services have returned to Perth after the city was plunged into a snap three-day lockdown on Friday.
World War II veteran Jack McCrae was captured by Nine News Perth hosting a socially-distanced driveway ceremony after being told he would be unable to march.
World War II veteran Jack McCrae hosted a socially-distanced driveway ceremony.
The 94-year-old is the last surviving Australian to have witnessed the end of the Second World War.
He was on the USS Missouri in 1945 when the Japanese officially surrendered.
‘Re-writing the rules’
By Daile Cross
The WA State Opposition says the government must immediately provide correct information and advice on Perth and Peel residents visiting the regions.
Opposition Leader Mia Davies said on Saturday night there had already been “chaotic mismanagement” of the latest COVID-19 outbreak.
“This Labor government has repeatedly said they were a finely oiled machine ready to kick into action if needed, but the last 24 hours has proved this is absolutely not the case,” Ms Davies said.
“They delayed the lockdown until 12 midnight … which caused a mass exodus of people from the Perth and Peel into regional WA.
“Today they have realised this was a mistake and the Minister for Health has tried to rewrite the rules on the fly.”
Businesses in the south-west scrambled to adopt the new rules, with Shelter Brewing Co staff in Busselton asking patrons to leave if they were from the Perth or Peel regions.
Other businesses welcomed tourists from Perth in the morning, but asked them to wear masks.
The latest information is that people who have been in Perth and the Peel regions are subject to the same lockdown restrictions as those who remained in Perth.
Dutton rejects McGown’s call to use RAAF base for quarantine
By Katina Curtis
Defence Minister Peter Dutton says air force bases aren’t suitable for quarantining thousands of travellers after WA Premier Mark McGowan questioned why they were not being used.
Mr McGowan said he was “getting to the end of my tether” with the Commonwealth’s continued refusal to help states with quarantine measures and suggested immigration detention facilities on Christmas Island or RAAF Base Curtin in the Kimberley should be used for returning travellers.
Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton.
“I think it’s becoming more urgent and I suspect all the states are getting pretty heartily sick of it that [the federal government] have these facilities that are available, and they refuse to use them, so we’re saying to the Commonwealth it’s time they step up,” he said.
But Mr Dutton said on Sunday the “quite austere” accommodation at air bases was not suitable for quarantine.
“I’d love to tell you that air bases or the Christmas Island facility is fit for purpose but it is not,” he told ABC’s Insiders on Sunday.
Read the full story here.
West Australians urged to check updated exposure site list
By Daile Cross
West Australians have been urged to check the Health Department’s official list of exposure sites.
WA Premier Mark McGowan said on Saturday night that new sites had been added to the list, including specific locations in Bentley, Joondalup, Morley, Wangara and Alexander Heights.
Anyone who has been at one of the locations must get tested and stay at home until they receive a negative test result.
“Our contact tracing teams are working around the clock to identify potential new locations, and, as more exposure sites become known, they will be made available on the website,” Mr McGowan said.
“If you have attended a potential exposure site that is listed as requiring 14-days quarantine, you must get tested for COVID-19 (if you haven’t already) and complete the full 14-days of self-quarantine – regardless of your result.”
If you have attended one of the other listed locations, please get tested and remain at home until you receive a negative result.
New direction issued after mass confusion
By Peter de Kruijff
Confusing messaging on who stay-at-home orders apply to in WA has been rectified after the state government issued a new direction on Saturday night backdating its lockdown rules.
Thousands of West Australians left the Perth and Peel regions on Friday afternoon before the two regions went into lockdown, thinking they would be able to carry on as normal outside the impacted areas.
Health Minister Roger Cook.Credit:Peter de Kruijff
Police, health, and political figures said on Friday it was legal to leave Perth and Peel before the midnight lockdown, stating anyone who had left the regions since April 17 would need to wear a face mask outdoors.
WA Health Minister Roger Cook confused the issue on Saturday when he said people who had left on Friday to other regions in WA needed to be acting as if they were in lockdown in Peel and Perth, and stay indoors at their accommodation or home, except for essential reasons.
Mr Cook’s office clarified after the press conference the lockdown did not only apply to people who had left in the past 24 hours but anyone who had been in the affected areas and gone elsewhere since April 17, which was when the infected Victorian man who sparked the restrictions was let out of hotel quarantine.
The new messaging was only ratified at 8.58pm on Saturday when WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson signed off on a direction which backdated the restrictions.
Latest WA coronavirus developments
By Fran Rimrod
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the coronavirus crisis.
Here’s the latest developments:
Stay with us as we bring you the latest developments as they come to hand.