Daily News Round-up

 

FRIDAY, January 28

The NSW Health Minister has suggested making the booster dose a requirement to be considered fully vaccinated after the state recorded 35 new COVID-19 deaths.

The proposal comes amid slow uptake of booster shots in NSW, with many appointments at vaccine hubs being unclaimed, and concerns about vaccine wastage.

NSW Health said a total of 2,737 people with the virus are now in the state’s hospitals, of whom 189 are in ICU.

More than 36 per cent people in NSW have now had their booster shot.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard told the ABC this morning he would like to see the third jab, currently being given as a booster, essential for people to be considered fully vaccinated across Australia.

He said this policy change would have to be made by national cabinet and wasn’t sure why there hadn’t been any progress on the issue yet.

“I’m not part of national cabinet, but I understand that most of these things require a range of medical expert input,” he said.

“I think when you’ve got a committee of a large number of people, all giving their input, sometimes it takes a while to get there.”

Mr Hazzard said there seemed to be major confusion among the public about who needed to get a booster and when.

“Mixed messaging that has come out probably as our situation has evolved over the last particularly 12 months where we have had vaccines and some people are confused about when they can have it after they’ve had COVID,” he said.

“But [there] is a very clear message now: four to six weeks after you’ve had COVID, you can have the booster.”

Yesterday, Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews indicated that a decision was forthcoming on making the booster a requirement of immunisation instead of an option.

“This is not a two-dose thing, two doses and a bonus. It really is international evidence, our own experience, the views of experts,” Mr Andrews said.

Victoria has recorded the deaths of 39 more COVID-19 patients.

It is the highest number of deaths reported in a daily update during the current wave, and the biggest daily increase since 59 deaths were reported on September 4 in 2020.

The daily death tolls include a number of recent deaths reported to health authorities and do not indicate that all the deaths occurred on the previous day.

There are now 988 people in hospital after contracting the virus, down from 1,057 reported on Thursday.

Of those patients, 114 are in intensive care units and 40 are receiving ventilation.

#######

Scott Morrison has broken his silence on the Grace Tame controversy, suggesting she’s had “a terrible life” but that he will always greet guests with a smile, reports Samantha Maiden from news.com.

In his first interview outlining his reaction to the now viral images of Ms Tame at the Lodge on Australia Day, the Prime Minister also suggested that the day was supposed to be about this year’s finalists, implying the furore had overshadowed that.

During an interview on 4BC, Mr Morrison was asked: “Did yourself and your wife Jenny feel disrespected?”

He did not deny he felt disrespected but noted he had greeted Ms Tame with civility.

“I’ve seen all of that. Anyone comes to our home, when we invite somebody, we greet them with a smile, and they’re always welcome,’’ Mr Morrison said.

Unprompted, the Prime Minister then noted that the focus of the day was supposed to be about this year’s finalists, not Ms Tame.

“And that day, that day was actually about all the finalists coming to celebrate,’’ he said.

“And the previous Australians of the Year were there. Jenny and I were there and that day was all about them.

“All I’m saying is we were there that day to celebrate those who’ve done an incredible job for our country. And Jenny and I wanted to welcome them into our home and wish them all the best.

Mr Morrison then suggested Ms Tame had experienced great difficulties.

“Look, Grace is a passionate person who’s raised important issues. She’s had a terrible life, terrible things happened to her,” he said.

“It’s just awful. And I know a lot of Australians, me included, and I support her efforts to ensure that these issues can be raised and addressed.

“Our government has done more than any other government on this issue. And that is in part because of the strong focus that has been brought to these issues.

“So I thank her for her time as Australian of the Year and as I say, when people come to our house, Jenny and I always greet them with a smile.”

Ms Tame was named the 2021 Australian of the Year after overturning a Tasmanian law that prevented her from speaking about her experiences of sexual assault when she was just 15.

#########

The federal government is set to make its largest-ever investment in saving the Great Barrier Reef, announcing an additional $1 billion towards improving water quality, reef management and research.

The government hopes the funding will help protect more than 64,000 jobs and $6.4 billion in tourism dollars attached to the reef economy.

More than half of the funding will go towards improving water quality through remediating erosion, improving land condition and reducing nutrient and pesticide run-off.

Environment Minister Sussan Ley said the $1 billion package would be managed by her department and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and would be delivered through local communities and industries, including traditional owners.

“Our farmers, tourism operators and fishers are our reef champions and we are supporting them through practical water and land-based strategies that will contribute significantly to the health of the reef,” Ms Ley said.

An additional $90 million will be invested in Great Barrier Reef research.(Supplied: Australian Institute of Marine Science)

Prime Minister Scott Morrison told Brisbane radio station 4BC the additional funding would not just protect the reef but also the livelihoods of tourism businesses that rely on it.

“There’s 64,000 jobs that are dependent on that reef and so its health is about the economic health of that region as well as the natural health of that region,” he said.

Dean Miller, of the not-for-profit research and conservation body Great Barrier Reef Legacy, welcomed the announcement but said it was pointless if not coupled with action on climate change. 

“The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, the Australian Institute of Marine Science, all the universities and the researchers are doing fantastic work,” Dr Miller said. 

“We are absolutely doing the best that we possibly can and this injection of funding will always go towards improving the situation on the reef. 

“We really need to couple that with some serious climate action because unless we can drastically change what’s happening with water temperature, we’re still going to continue to lose corals. 

“You kind of can’t have one without the other. 

“When we lose corals, we lose coral diversity and we lose ecosystem function.”

The federal government has faced calls to increase its efforts to preserve the Great Barrier Reef, since UNESCO warned last year it intended to list the reef as “in danger”.

The government successfully staved off an immediate listing, but the reef still faces the prospect of being listed as “in danger”.

########

Jason Momoa appeared dishevelled as he emerged from his luxury Ford RV in a friend’s front yard after announcing his shock divorce from wife Lisa Bonet, reports news.com..

Exclusive photographs obtained by The Sun newspaper in the UK show a tired-looking Momoa, 42, stepping out without his wedding band as he was supported by friends amid his split from his partner of almost 16 years.

Wearing thick-rimmed brown glasses with his untidy Aquaman locks flowing around his shoulders, the star appeared a world away from his red carpet photogenic self.

Pictures show the tattooed Momoa wearing a ripped oversized lilac T-shirt and jeans as he strolled around his friend’s yard – miles from the home he shares with Bonet, 54, and their two children in Topanga, California.

It is not known if he has officially moved out of their hilltop residence, thought to be worth $3.5 million, but a source told The Sun he was staying at a friend’s place last week after news broke of his split.

The actor, who is six feet and four inches and is said to be worth a whopping $19.5 million, confirmed he and Bonet had made the decision to call it quits in an Instagram post on January 13.

ENDS