Australia coronavirus news live: masks mandatory on all flights; international arrival caps reduced in NSW, WA and Queensland | Australia news
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WA fire and emergency services incident controller Sven Andersen is giving an update on bushfires north of Perth from the town of Gingin.
He says they have been downgraded to a “watch and act” warning, meaning firefighters are confident it is under control.
It could have been far worse, he said, with the fire pulled up within a kilometre of a housing estate.
But Andersen says today will still be a big test, and conditions could be difficult tomorrow, with firefighters expected to be working at the fire for the next five days.
“It’s a credit to them all. It’s hard work really so we are doing our best to make sure that they are hydrated and fed and that we are looking after their welfare.”
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The Victorian government has added another exemption to its list of reasons why people can apply to return to the state from NSW.
People can apply for an exemption if they “haven’t been in a part of NSW since it was classed as a red or hot zone”. This means those who were in NSW but not in any of the areas linked to Covid-19 clusters (so basically not the northern beaches, or parts of western Sydney and the central coast) can apply for an exemption on that basis.
Again, as mentioned earlier this week, there is a difference between an exemption (for people who are in NSW since the border has closed) and a permit (for those who wish to transit through NSW from Queensland or the ACT).
The details are here.
00:27
The Victorian government is saying that those who are in the Covid-19 hotspots around Brisbane should stay there for the next three days (and that nobody in Victoria should be travelling to them) but it is not formally introducing any restrictions at this time.
Sumeyya Ilanbey
(@sumeyyailanbey)If you’re a Victorian who’s been in a hotspot area, stay there, @VicGovDHHS says pic.twitter.com/Cwvw6ybdXP
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The Sydney Festival has assured Guardian Australia it is adhering to social distancing rules, despite a number of patrons attending last night’s production of Force Majeure’s The Last Season at the Carriageworks in Eveleigh commenting about what appeared to be an almost capacity crowd.
Complete strangers were seated next to each other with less than half a metre between them, and although masks are mandatory for everyone over 12, because patrons are allowed to take their drinks into the theatre, many went unmasked for the duration of the performance as they watched and sipped.
All festival patrons are seated in line with current NSW Public Health regulations, a festival spokesperson told the Guardian.
“The current regulations allow patrons to be seated alongside each other [but] patrons may not move between seats unless directed by an usher,” he said.
The venue adhered to the current 75% capacity rule he added.
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