Gladys Berejiklian covid-19 coronavirus nsw lockdown outbreak
NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian (Image: AAP/Mick Tsikas)

EXTENSION ACCORD

Several news outlets are reporting that a four week extension to the Greater Sydney lockdown is expected at today’s 11am AEST briefing. If the extension happens, the strict restrictions, which began as a two-week lockdown for Sydney, Wollongong, the Blue Mountains, and the Central Coast on June 26, will be in place until at least August 28. More than 5 million people are under strict stay-home orders in NSW, ABC reports.

However, Premier Gladys Berejiklian is expected to allow tradies to return to the tools on Saturday (though not in hotspots), and a “singles bubble” will reportedly be announced, the AFR says. The SMH adds that rapid testing of Year 12 students will allow them to return to school — though other years will continue at-home learning. Yesterday was the worst day in Sydney’s Delta variant outbreak: of 172 new cases, 79 people were in infectious in the community.

NSW remains the only state at this level of lockdown — both South Australia and Victoria eased conditions yesterday. In Victoria, there are no restrictions on leaving home or travelling across the state. Face masks are mandatory indoors and outdoors (though not in your home). Gatherings at your house are not allowed, but you can hang out in public in groups of up to 10. In SA, level three restrictions say you can have groups of up to 10 people over, you can dine out and drink as long as you’re seated, and you need a mask in shared indoor public places. There’s also a shisha ban in SA.

[free_worm]

LABOR’S MISAPPREHENSIONS

Federal Labor is set to backtrack on its multibillion-dollar pledges for free cancer treatment and dental care for pensioners, the SMH reports. It’s part of a wider effort by the opposition to slim down election spending promises. The paper says the signature health policies are likely to be scrapped in the coming months. It comes after Labor went to the 2019 poll with a $2.3 billion package to curb out-of-pocket costs and waiting lists for cancer patients, and followed up with a $2.4 billion plan that would have given up to three million senior Australians free essential dental care every two years.

In May the SMH reported opposition leader Anthony Albanese warned the shadow cabinet that there’d be a rethink of policies after the economy plunged into a COVID-19 crisis. As PM, Albanese has promised he would keep the 2024 income tax cuts (set to cost the budget $184 billion) and not touch negative gearing and capital gains tax, in a “de-Shortening” of Labor policies, as Michelle Grattan says in The Conversation this week. The party is preparing itself for major budget constraints if they take the next election.

CAPITOL PUNISHMENT

US Capitol police officers have given a chilling insight into the January 6 riot, in which hoards of angry insurgents stormed the Capitol building. Officials are before the new House select committee, who opened its first hearing to focus on law enforcement.

Police officer Michael Fanone said he was “grabbed, beaten, tased, all while being called a traitor to my country”. Doctors later told him he’d had a heart attack, ABC reports. Fanone said the rioters’ chants to kill him with his own gun were still ringing in his head today. “… I was electrocuted again and again and again with a taser,” he said. Sergeant Aquilino Gonell told the committee he thought “this is how I’m going to die” during the riot, Politico reports. He stopped his wife from hugging him when he got home because he was covered in chemicals from the pro-Trump insurrectionists.

The chairman of the committee, Democrat Bennie Thompson, has suggested deposing Republicans and Trump officials who spoke to the then-president as the insurrection unfolded, The Guardian reports. Trump told the mob to “go home”, adding “we love you, you’re very special”. Rioters were wielding police shields, batons, sledge hammers, flag poles, Tasers, chemical irritants, metal pipes, rocks, broken table legs, and metal guard rails, Gonell said. Five people died during and after the January 6 riot.

GOOD SPORTS

Gearing up for another full day of saying “I could probably do that” as you watch Olympians at the peak of their careers on your crumb-covered couch? You can catch the swimming, rowing, cycling, equestrian, and football today, as The West Australian reports.

Perhaps today’s most widely anticipated event, the women’s 200m freestyle, has fans in Oz and the US wondering one thing: will Aussies Emma McKeon and Ariarne Titmus stick it to American Katie Ledecky — again? Also taking place today, Annabelle McIntyre and Jack Cleary will row for gold, while Grace Brown and Sarah Gigante cycle for Australia. Rohan Dennis and Richie Porte will be in a nail-biting men’s cycling final, too.

There was shock overnight as high-profile gymnast Simone Biles withdrew from Tuesday night’s competition at the Tokyo games, saying she wanted to focus on her mental health, the SMH reports. The world was waiting for the American to outperform her competitors as well as her own prior performances, but The Guardian argues that it was braver for her to walk away. Revisit some of the 24-year-old’s most incredible moves.

ON A LIGHTER NOTE

People always tell you to chase your dreams — and for one Florida man, that meant getting into a human hamster wheel and “walking” on water to New York.

Reza Baluchi left the St Augustine area on Monday, which is about 1560km south of the Big Apple (just under the distance from Brisbane to Melbourne), but ended up washing up further south. Baluchi reportedly turned back after he realised some of his safety equipment had been stolen. The trip follows plans for several others over the years, including a voyage to Bermuda and a multi-stop walk along the coasts of Puerto Rico, Haiti, Cuba and Key West (though it’s not clear whether those trips were taken).

He told Fox 35 Orlando that his goal is to raise money for “homeless people”, “the coast guard”, “the police department”, and the “fire department”. Admirable, if ambitious. He added: “I will show people anything you want to do, do it. Don’t listen to anyone. Chase your dreams.”

Agreed! Hope your Wednesday includes such a pursuit, big or small.

THEY REALLY SAID THAT?

He didn’t get a full mouthful. Luckily he had his mouthguard in and I was a bit sweaty … I have been bitten once on the chest before at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. But c’mon man, this is the Olympics.

David Nyika

The New Zealand boxer dodged a chomp from Youness Baalla, his 22-year-old Moroccan opponent, who seemed to be channelling Mike Tyson (though not in the way a professional boxer might usually aspire to) in the heavyweight match.

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Council approves proposal to rename Coon Island (news.com.au)

As Virus Cases Rise, Another Contagion Spreads Among the Vaccinated: Anger (The New York Times)

Explainer: What is the Lambda coronavirus variant? (Al Jazeera)

Wild winds, storms and snow on way for Vic, NSW (The New Daily)

US couple withdraws legal action against ABC over claim they abandoned surrogate child with a disability (Guardian Australia)

Drugs as deadly as terrorism, says AFP chief Reece Kershaw (The Australian) ($)

Coronavirus is raging in Indonesia, so Australians are trying to flee home on a charter plane (ABC)

Inside the ‘biggest sports coverage in Australian TV history’ (The Herald Sun) ($)

Man charged over US massage parlour massacre pleads guilty to four of eight shooting deaths (ABC)

Regulate Apple Pay, says CBA (AFR)

Jeff Bezos offers NASA $2b in exchange for moon mission contract (The Guardian)

Palestinian beaten before death in Israeli custody, family says (Al Jazeera)

CRIKEY RECAP

From the Middle Ages to patrol in Afghanistan, the dark history of the crusader symbol

Jul 27, 2021

7

“It isn’t hard to find links between crusader symbolism and white nationalist violence. The Ku Klux Klan used medieval symbols, as did terrorists in Oslo and Christchurch. And while there’s no suggestion the ADF is full of white supremacists, [Ben] Roberts-Smith’s comes with a troubling context. As far back as World War I, nationalist imagery highlighted the parallels between diggers fighting at Gallipoli, and the Crusaders “liberating” the holy land.

“Beyond the crusader patch, there have been numerous “incidents” involving soldiers in Afghanistan displaying less ambiguous far-right imagery. There’s the time soldiers flew a Nazi flag over their vehicle while in Afghanistan. Or when special forces troops displayed a Confederate flag. And in that context, Roberts-Smith’s patch doesn’t feel like an isolated incident.”

Oh how the experts sneered at ‘freedom boy’ Boris. Will he surprise them yet?

Jul 27, 2021

60

“Even with near record levels of infections, Britain’s third wave had resulted in about 60 people dying with COVID each day (the second wave led to more than 1200 daily fatalities). Barring a vaccine-escaping variant (which thankfully so far hasn’t occurred) or a double peak (which in fairness, happened in early December), the UK has shown the blueprint to living with the virus and defeating Delta.

“That is by not only vaccinating more than half the total population but, critically, ensuring almost all the high-risk 70+ age group has been vaccinated. There is never a perfect time to reopen up a society, especially since Delta has ensured we will never reach “herd immunity”. But as former deputy chief health officer Nick Coatsworth noted, and Johnson showed this week, it’s time to stop praying to the false idol of eradication.”

Labor quietly does a U-turn and shifts gears to go right on tax and housing

Jul 27, 2021

68

“On a day when Australia was preoccupied with COVID-19 outbreaks in its two largest cities, Labor leader Anthony Albanese was in Queensland quietly announcing two major policy reversals: the ALP would support the Coalition’s stage three tax cuts for high-income earners and would abandon plans to clamp down on negative gearing and capital gains tax.

“The decisions were unanimous in shadow cabinet and were endorsed by caucus on Monday, and are part of Labor’s strategy to avoid a repeat of its shock 2019 election loss: give the Coalition fewer lines of attack on economic issues while homing in on its messaging on Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s quarantine and vaccine rollout failures.”

THE COMMENTARIAT

Out-and-proud diver’s words as important as his medal-winning performance — Rob Harris (The SMH): “British diver Tom Daley, 27, has competed at the elite level as an openly gay man for seven years now. On Monday, he added Olympic gold in the men’s synchronised 10m platform dive to his bronze medals in London and Rio and numerous world championship successes. So what? He is not the first gay man to compete nor win gold at the Olympics. There is an ever-growing list. But in Daley’s case, it was as much about what he said as his winning dive itself.

“Many feared gold would elude Daley, who is at his fourth Games. He has often been encouraged by his coaches and mentors to focus more on his day job and less on his social crusade to ensure he fulfilled his obvious talent. Thank goodness for thousands of gay men, young and old, closeted or out in the open, that he never listened.”

Anthony Albanese makes big play for the centre — Paul Kelly (The Australian) ($): “Anthony Albanese’s Labor has revealed its true character — politic­ally hungry, tactically cautious and thinking about strategic reinvention. Labor has decided its true crisis is bleeding to political death in opposition term after term. This week’s decision is technically about tax — but it is really about Labor’s identity.

“It is a landmark event with two certainties — it makes Labor a significantly more formidable competitor at next year’s election and it makes the conseq­uences of any defeat horrendous. This decision sharpens the pivotal issue of national politics — will the COVID Delta strand plunge Australia into a double recession, terminate the Morrison government and trigger a return to Labor government? The pandemic, however, is a beast full of surprises. Labor’s tax decision is benefited by the pandemic but is not driven by the pandemic.”

I gave my 29-year-old partner the AstraZeneca vaccine. It’s a no-brainer — Richard Nguyen (Guardian Australia): “We are in a pandemic and the risk of contracting COVID far outweighs the risks of the vaccine. Throughout this pandemic I have been an advocate of GPs doing what they do best, working at the forefront of preventative care and taking a proactive approach towards reducing COVID transmission and deaths. The vaccinations work, and whether it is AstraZeneca, Pfizer, or Moderna, the best vaccine is the one that is in your arm. Now more than ever the threat of contracting COVID in Sydney is real.

“The messaging surrounding AstraZeneca has been extreme at times. We know that the vaccine can cause clots but the word “rare” is often ignored. Look up the rare side-effects of any common medication and you might think it would seem safer to just not take any medication at all. My partner is on the combined contraceptive pill, which more than doubles her background risk of clot. When we start a family, the risk of clotting due to pregnancy is about one to two in 1000 women (or up to three in 1000 women after a caesarean section).”

HOLD THE FRONT PAGE

The Latest Headlines

WHAT’S ON TODAY

Australia

  • Journalist Marian Wilkinson, chief economist Richard Denniss, and international and security affairs director Allan Behm come together in the Australia Institute’s latest webinar, “Feeling the Heat”, to discuss Australia’s climate change response.

  • Author Christy Lefteri chats about her international bestseller The Beekeeper of Aleppo and her new novel, Songbirds, in a webinar for Readings.

  • The Mackay Conservation Group will host a webinar on how we can protect the black-throated finch from population decline, with scientist Juan Mula Laguna. The species won 2019 Bird of the Year in an online poll by Guardian Australia.

Brisbane

  • Author and businessman James Fitzgerald chats about his new book, Bulletproof Investing: Gaining Financial Control in Uncertain Times, at Avid Reader. This event will also take place on Zoom.

  • Federal Member for Brisbane Trevor Evans talks small business at a Business Breakfast at Brooks & Stain.

Perth

  • People with Disabilities Western Australia gives an overview of the state government’s disability strategy 2020-2030 at the Citiplace Community Centre.

Canberra

  • In collaboration with the ANU Italian Studies, the Dante Alighieri Society of Canberra will host a screening of Italian film Quo Vado (Where am I Going?) with English subtitles.