Australia Covid Live News Update: Victoria Records 507 New Cases, One Death Before Roadmap Publication Reopens; Sydney open swimming pools | Australia News

Federal government ready to lease nuclear submarines from United States while its own fleet is built, defense minister says Peter Dutton said.

Asked about Sky News’ Sunday Agenda program if the government would consider leasing nuclear submarines in the meantime, Dutton said: “The short answer is yes.”

All of these discussions will take place over the next 12-18 months.

The talk that you can just buy a commercial nuclear powered submarine, of course, is just not accurate or correct. “

The AAP reports that Dutton said the Chinese are pumping submarines, frigates and aircraft carriers at a record rate and the rest of the world has therefore increased its own production.

Unfortunately, this is the dynamic in which we operate at the moment.

However, Australia’s decision caused a stir in the region and backlash from the French.

The cancellation of the $ 90 billion diesel-powered submarine deal between Australia and France prompted the European nation to recall its Australian ambassador. Dutton said he understands why the French are upset, but said the government must act in Australia’s national interest.

Given the changing circumstances in the Indo-Pacific, not just now but over the next several years, we had to make a decision that was in our national interest, and that is exactly what we did.

But he said suggestions that concerns about the French model had not been reported by the Australian government, “frankly defy what is known to the public and certainly what has been said publicly over a long period of time.” .

The Australian Workers Union wants the NSW government to consider removing the five client per establishment rule for hairstyling and beauty services before it reopens next month.

Along with the Australian Hair Council, the AWU said the rule would result in thousands of workers being unemployed. Daniel Walton, the AWU National Secretary, says:

Our members were among the first to be forced to close and have been out of work for almost 12 weeks. This cap will make it even more difficult for them to recover from the financial devastation they have already experienced.

We are deeply concerned that, as an unintended consequence of this rule, many small and medium-sized businesses will fail, leaving thousands of workers unemployed and ineligible for government financial assistance.

If you are always up to date with the latest news Christian porter work in progress, my colleague Paul karp wrote this helpful explainer on blind trust and why it matters.

Birmingham is asked about Christian porter disclosure that a blind trust paid part of his personal legal fees.

Birmingham says he won’t offer personal opinions, but concedes the disclosure is “unusual” and “raises serious questions.”

The Prime Minister has done well to admit that this affair raises serious questions. That is why he has sought specific and appropriate advice from his department, and I look forward to receiving it and the Prime Minister will undoubtedly act on that advice accordingly.

Birmingham also concedes that the government does not know how much the nuclear submarines they have now committed to purchase actually cost.

Speers asks if this means the government has signed a blank check, to which the minister replies that the government will seek to purchase the submarines “at the most efficient cost and on time.”

There is an obvious question here, and Speers asks it. By committing to buy the submarines without knowing the cost, has the government not instead weakened its negotiating position? Birmingham says no:

No, David. Like I said, they [the US and UK] themselves have strategic interests in ensuring that Australia has this capability. And the ability not only to make them work, but also to be able to build and maintain them. It is an important part of the nuclear stewardship agreement, but it is also a crucial part as allies and partners, increasing our global shared capabilities. [to] have increased their presence in the region to ensure balance, ensure regional peace and security, and support international standards and laws in the future.

On Insiders, the Minister of Finance, Simon Birmingham, is asked about the new agreement on submarines.

Host David Speers asks him about the $ 2.4 billion the government has already spent on the submarine deal with the French which has now been scrapped.

Birmingham says the money has “improved Australia’s skills and capabilities in a number of ways,” but Speers points out that much of that money was spent building things we no longer need in France. .

“Part of it ensures that we start the new program with better skills, better capabilities. But indeed, part of it is a sunk cost, ”concedes Birmingham.

Premier of New South Wales Gladys Berejiklian obviously decided she should be responsible today, and will hold a press conference at 11 a.m.

We understand this is to announce the opening of the outdoor pools starting Monday week, as well as potentially another release in these LGA hotspots.

As we know, today is the day Victoria discover what life will be like beyond the 70% double vaccination mark.

The Prime Minister, Daniel Andrés, tried to manage expectations up front, but we expect changes to travel restrictions and rules for venues.

Victoria’s rhetoric is that the state won’t be announcing the same level of easing that NSW has for its 70% brand, and I’m sure we’ll learn more about that from Andrews.

We don’t have time for the announcement yet, but I’ll let you know when I find out.

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) wants governments to stop using vaccination as the sole marker to ease public health restrictions.

The organization’s federal body issued a statement this morning calling on the national cabinet to approach the easing of measures “gradually and with caution” and to include “pause and assessment periods” in its stimulus plans ” to ensure strict control of the new numbers of infections are maintained ”.

Dr Omar KhorshidWADA’s chairman said the Doherty modeling update released on Friday night underscores the need to be careful when easing restrictions.

When implementing the national plan, we need to be realistic, cautious and test every change and the impact of the measures before moving on to the next phase, given that there are thousands of cases of Covid-19 in the community.

It must also take into account vulnerable communities, such as indigenous people and those in regional and rural areas, as the plan is only as good as vaccination rates in these vulnerable communities.

Among its recommendations, WADA says it wants communities facing large Covid epidemics “to bring them under control either by keeping high-impact public health measures in place for longer, and / or by relaxing those measures at a lower level. slower pace than other parts of the country ”.