National Cabinet Meeting - Additional Restrictions

The Prime Minister just made the following announcements following today’s National Cabinet Meeting:

• 2020 will be a tough year – this week has shown this
• 100s of thousands of people have lost their jobs this week
• Thousands of businesses have closed
• 16 people have lost their lives to COVID-19
• Rate of increase has been falling as reported this morning, but we must continue to do things we have committed to do
• Working through the night again to bring together the next tranche of support measures to help keep people in jobs
• As announced this morning another $1 billion for services in the health sector to boost telehealth, crisis services etc
• 1,600 people went into quarantine today (particularly in NSW) under the new arrangements of isolation in hotels
• New technology to help communicate the messages – WhatsApp message service (291,000 people have already connected to it), new Coronavirus App for iOS and Google (482,000 downloads today) – every Australian should download this app to keep informed
• Coronavirus App has a new ‘registration’ feature if you have support for access to essentials etc (ie for older people staying home)
• Tonight the National Cabinet met to specifically discuss public gatherings – currently restricted to 10 persons except for members of your households, employment and education – working from home where possible and following social distancing – 10 person limit now enforceable in most States and Territories – the new advice is restricted to 2 people anywhere other than inside your household – up to States and Territories if it is enforceable
• Outside play grounds and skateparks will be closed from tomorrow
• Bootcamps will be limited to 2 people
• Individuals – strong advice that is being endorsed following health advice – essential to reinforce – everyone must stay at home:
  • Shopping for things you actually need (food and other essential supplies – infrequently as possible) – jigsaw puzzle example considered essential
  • Medical care or compassionate needs
  • Exercise in compliance with the 2 person rule
  • Work and education if you cannot work or learn remotely
• Strong advice for people aged 70+ should stay at home and self-isolate for their own protection for the maximum time possible to limit interactions (can still go outside with a support person for fresh air etc but limit contact with others as much as possible) – utilise the available home based services and delivery options for groceries etc (you can access via new Coronavirus App) – this is not a strict rule, it’s a recommendation for their own protection
• The same advice applies for people with a chronic illness, people aged over 60 and Indigenous people over 50 should stay home with minimal interactions with others
• Commercial and residential tenancies:
  • The States and Territories will have a Moratorium to prevent evictions of persons as a result of financial stress if they unable to make their commitments for the next 6 months
  • More work to be done here and will come in days
  • Message to commercial tenants and landlords – you need to talk to each other and work this out – look at the businesses that have closed or had significant reduction – they need to sit down and come up with arrangements to come out the other side with a tenant at the end and a business that can employ
  • Banks need to help everyone achieve this outcome too
  • The Aus Gov will work on measures to encourage everyone to do this
  • If you don’t cooperate, the support you might expect to receive, you will not receive – this is part of the hibernation approach – bespoke to circumstances – sit down and work it out fairly
  • The goal is a landlord has a tenant to continue into the future – who are businesses that aren’t drowning in debt from unpaid rent – and banks that keep and help their customers
• Businesses congratulated for innovation – rethink business models to survive – everyone should be adapting to unusual circumstances that will run for at least 6 months (examples of restaurants changing to delivery only etc used as examples of change adoption)
• More to say on commercial tenancies in the days ahead – the States and Territories have been working hard on this – they will be engaging with businesses, landlords and banks to get the provisions in place – but everyone should sit down tomorrow and start working through it – everyone needs to carry a bit – including the Government
• Further closure of businesses may come if social distancing not possible or not complied with

Chief Medical Officer brief:

• 3,929 cases at the moment (460 new ones)
• Evidence that public health measures and social distancing having a good effect
• One of the lowest positive test rates in the world even though we have one of the higher testing rates
• Reasonably confident that most significant cases are being detected
• Slow down in cases, but we must slow it down further
• Biggest worry at the moment is community transmission (spread without a known source)
• The measures in place will have enough effect to bring the curve right down
• We all have to change the way we interact with each other – stay home unless you absolutely must go out for an essential requirement
• Vast majority of Australians complying – some silly behaviour of non-compliance, everyone must do the right thing for these measures to work (90% minimum required)
• Hopefully the early signs of flattening will help continue to see a reduction in cases