Daily News Roundup

 

MONDAY, JUNE 29

The AFL has been forced into a late reshuffle of its fixture list due to the current COVID-19 outbreak in Victoria which continues to soar, reports the ABC.

Seventy five new coronavirus cases were identified overnight in Victoria.

“Obviously we are concerned by the increasing number and the upward trend and are monitoring the situation very closely,” Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said.

Thursday night’s game between West Coast and Richmond on the Gold Coast has been postponed, after the Queensland Government ruled against a Victorian team travelling into the state.

It is expected the reshuffle will see Sydney fly into the Eagles’ Gold Coast hub instead, for a game on Saturday, while the Tigers will now stay at home and play Melbourne on Sunday.

Carlton and St Kilda’s game, originally slated for Saturday afternoon, will likely be moved to fill the now-vacant Thursday night slot.

Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young released a statement on Monday morning clarifying the state’s new guidelines for Victorian sporting teams.

The total number of cases in Victoria since the pandemic began now stands at 2,099.

Ms Mikakos said the 75 cases could be broken down into the following categories:

• One case is a returned traveller in hotel quarantine
• 14 cases are linked to outbreaks (positive results in those tested as close contacts of existing cases)
• 37 cases were detected through routine testing (people presenting to general testing sites set up by health authorities)
• 23 cases are still under investigation (cases which came in late in the reporting day and are yet to be investigated and allocated to another category)

“Many of the cases that have come through today are overwhelmingly concentrated in those priority suburbs,” Ms Mikakos said.

“We’ve got many cases across the inner–northern suburbs and the western suburbs of Melbourne, but not exclusively.

“And it’s important to reiterate to the community that you are not immune from catching coronavirus by virtue of the postcode that you live in.”

Earlier, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said Victoria was experiencing a second peak of cases, with double-digit daily case increases for most of the past fortnight.

He said the state was “right on the edge” of being able to manage the peak in cases, which accelerated after restrictions were eased.

A fresh blitz aiming to test 100,000 Victorians over a 10-day period is now underway and Professor Sutton said if the surge did get out of control “it will not be from a lack of effort”.

Professor Sutton also said new advice about the benefits of wearing masks, where social distancing was not possible such as on public transport, was on the way.

“It’s pretty clear wearing a mask might provide a bit more physical distance between you and others as they see you wearing it,” he said.

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Prime Minister Scott Morrison has warned institutions which do not sign up to the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sex Abuse will be named and shamed.

In a letter sent to more than 25 institutions Scott Morrison and Social Services Minister Anne Ruston urged them to express their intent to join the scheme before the approaching deadline.

“We consider it reprehensible that you have failed to sign up to the scheme and we urge you to provide a clear written statement by 30 June 2020,” the letter said.

“Institutions that do not provide a clear statement of intent … will be publicly identified.

“The Government is considering other actions including the appropriateness of future funding and tax status.”

Under the scheme, eligible survivors of institutional child sexual abuse are able to seek a range of redress options including monetary payments of up to $150,000, access to counselling services and a direct personal response — such as an apology — from the institutions responsible.

The Government had previously flagged it was prepared to take a “big stick” approach to institutions that did not sign up, including by revoking their charity status.

While the Federal Government has not begun to name institutions which have not put their hand up to join yet, the National Redress Scheme maintains a list of those which were named in the royal commission and have not yet joined the scheme.

In their letter, Mr Morrison and Senator Ruston said the institutions that were not joining the scheme were “doubling down on the crime and doubling down on the hurt” caused by previous abuse.

“We urge you to join the scheme not because of concerns about being identified, but because it is the right thing to do,” the pair said.

“It is the right thing to do by survivors and their families and it is what every decent, honest Australian demands.”

If you or anyone you know needs help:

• Lifeline on 13 11 14
• Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800
• MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978
• Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467
• Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636
• Headspace on 1800 650 890
• ReachOut at au.reachout.com
• Care Leavers Australasia Network (CLAN) on 1800 008 774

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The Rolling Stones have threatened US President Donald Trump with legal action for using their songs at his rallies despite cease-and-desist directives

The band said in a statement that their legal team was working with music rights organisation BMI to stop the use of their material in Mr Trump’s campaign, reports the ABCNS .

“The BMI have notified the Trump campaign on behalf of the Stones that the unauthorised use of their songs will constitute a breach of its licensing agreement,” the Stones said.

“If Donald Trump disregards the exclusion and persists, then he would face a lawsuit for breaking the embargo and playing music that has not been licensed.”

The Stones had complained during Mr Trump’s 2016 campaign about the use of their music to fire up his conservative base at rallies.

The Rolling Stones’ 1969 classic You Can’t Always Get What You Want was a popular song for his events.

It was played again at the close of Mr Trump’s recent rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma — an indoor event criticised for its potential to spread coronavirus.

“[Mr] Trump was in no way authorised to use this song to further a campaign that leaves too many Americans and common sense behind,” the statement said.

“Both the late Tom Petty and his family firmly stand against racism and discrimination of any kind.

“Tom Petty would never want a song of his to be used in a campaign of hate. He liked to bring people together.”

Grammy Award-winning musician Neil Young lashed out at Mr Trump in 2018 after hearing one of his songs played against his wishes during campaign rallies.

The Canadian-born musician admonished Mr Trump for using his 1990 single Rockin’ in the Free World.

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US President Donald Trump has retweeted a video showing one of his supporters shouting “white power” at people protesting against his administration, drawing an immediate rebuke from the only black Republican in the Senate.

The video on Twitter, which was later deleted from Mr Trump’s feed, shows rival demonstrators shouting profanities at each other in Florida.

After a protester calls a Trump supporter a racist, the man responds by raising his fist and shouting “white power”.

Republican South Carolina senator Tim Scott told CNN’s State of the Union program Mr Trump should not have retweeted the “offensive” video.

“It was so profanity-laced, the entire thing was offensive — certainly the comment about the white power was offensive,” he said.

“It’s indefensible. We should take it down.”

White House spokesman Judd Deere said the President “did not hear the one statement made on the video”.

“What he did see was tremendous enthusiasm from his many supporters,” Mr Deere said.