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#19188870 at 2023-07-16 09:27:14 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #31: MAGIC SWORD - IN THE FACE OF EVIL Edition

#30 - Part 17
Australian Politics and Society - Part 17
>>19139080 Gender-sceptic doctor launches human rights challenge to 'cheerleading' trans pronouns policy - A doctor's right to object on medical grounds to the unquestioning affirmation of children as the opposite gender faces a human rights test in Queensland, with a suspended psychiatrist filing a complaint against the state's children's hospital over transgender health policies. Jillian Spencer alleges she was prevented from adopting a neutral therapeutic approach and instead forced to comply with gender-?affirming polices that risked causing substantial harm to young ?people, during the course of her employment as a senior staff specialist in the consultation liaison psychiatry team at the Queensland Children's Hospital. In a complaint lodged with the Queensland Human Rights ?Commission, Dr Spencer, who is openly critical of gender-affirming policies, reveals that she was subject to lawful employment directions that required her to use gender-?affirming pronouns at all times in her practise of medicine and ?refrain from dissuading any child and their family from seeking a ?referral to the hospital's children's gender clinic, which frequently prescribes puberty blockers and cross sex hormones to young teenagers.
>>19139143 Endocrinologists' challenge to the medical transition of gender-questioning children silenced by medical college - The medical affairs committee of the nation's peak endocrinology society opposed the prescription of hormones to children and expressed deep reservations over the lack of evidence underpinning transgender affirmative medicine standards of care adopted by children's hospitals in explosive advice to a peak medical college. The Medical Affairs Committee of the Endocrine Society of Australia - a subspecialty college of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians - did not support the endorsement of gender-affirmative standards of care developed by influential doctors at the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, pointing to concerns about the lack of evidence behind practices including placing children on puberty blockers at a very young age. The views of the ESA's medical affairs committee are contained in a letter to the RACP, which in late 2019 was consulting the profession at the request of then health minister Greg Hunt who had requested advice on the treatment of gender dysphoria in children and adolescents.
>>19139214 Slapdown for 'big baby' Donald Trump Jr tweet by Clare O'Neil - Anthony Albanese's office has stepped in and directed a senior cabinet minister to delete a tweet attacking Donald Trump and his son, with foreign policy experts describing the incident as a diplomatic "own goal". Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil accused Donald Trump Jr of attempting to blame the Albanese government for delays in his Australia tour, calling him a "sore loser" and a "big baby". She also attacked the former US president over his election fraud claims, saying he "lost an election fair and square". The Australian understands Ms O'Neil deleted the tweets at the direction of the Prime Minister's office. Strategic Analysis Australia director Michael Shoebridge said Ms O'Neil's comments were "an unnecessary own goal" that lacked foresight given Mr Trump may be the Republican nominee for the White House at next year's election. Mr Shoebridge said the election of Mr Trump for a second term was "absolutely a credible scenario".
>>19139383 EXCLUSIVE: Donald Trump Jr accuses Labor of 'lying' about why he cancelled his tour - and suggests a sinister reason for delaying his visa: 'They want to shut down conservative voices' - Donald Trump Junior has hit back at 'lies' from the Government about why he postponed his tour at the last minute - and suggested Labor delayed approving his visa because they want to shut down conservative voices. Trump Jr. confirmed he'd already sold 8,000 tickets to his speaking tour before it was cancelled at the last minute - and called Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil a 'coward' after she risked escalating the matter into a full-blown diplomatic crisis between the U.S. and Australia after posting a series of juvenile Tweets. The Prime Minister's Office ordered O'Neil to delete a series of Tweets in which she called Trump Jr. a 'sore loser and a big baby' - and claiming the reason he cancelled his tour was because of 'poor ticket sales' rather than visa delays. Trump Jr. exclusively told Daily Mail Australia her comments were 'ridiculous lies' and perpetuated 'fake news' - as he blamed the Labor Government for his decision to postpone the tour. 'The tyrannical Left doesn't believe people have the right to freedom of expression and will do anything to shutdown conservative voices, but we will not bow down to them,' he said.

#18422568 at 2023-02-28 05:54:05 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #27: THEY ARE IN FULL BLOWN PANIC MODE Edition

#27 - Part 35
Coronavirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Australia and Worldwide - Part 3
>>18258388 Video: Bill Gates complained to tech companies about 'laughable' COVID-19 conspiracy theories - ABC News (Australia)
>>18306120 Australian adults will be able to get fifth dose of COVID-19 vaccine, after the federal government accepted advice from its expert vaccine advisory body - The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has recommended all people aged 18 and over, who have not had either a COVID-19 vaccine or confirmed coronavirus case in the last six months, can get their latest shot from February 20 2023
>>18318512 Flinders University to sever ties with 'refusenik' vax developer Nikolai Petrovsky - Vaccine developer Nikolai Petrovsky is set to lose his academic affiliation at Flinders University after a meeting late last year of its senior executive resolved to end its relationship with the professor

>>18338146 Former health minister wants focus back on COVID as he embarks on new job - Pandemic-era health minister Greg Hunt is urging a national rethink on COVID-19's threat level, calling for a new vaccine push heading into winter and renewed focus on the volume of people dying from the disease
>>18338186 Unmasked: the failure of Covid mandates - A new, rigorous study that found masks did nothing to slow Covid-19 might have made the news. But no; a 305-page Cochrane analysis published globally on January 30 that assessed 78 high-quality scientific studies that included more than 610,000 participants has yet to rate a single mention in The Washington Post, The New York Times or on CNN - Cochrane found that surgical masks, the kind doctors wear in operating theatres to avoid accidentally sneezing into an open wound, did nothing to stop Covid-19
>>18401579 China to ASEAN: Don't pick sides - China's new foreign minister has warned Southeast Asian nations against engaging in "group politics and bloc confrontation", just hours after Defence Minister Richard Marles announced Australia and The Philippines were exploring possible joint military patrols in the South China sea - Qin Gang delivered the message in a joint press conference with Indonesian foreign minister Retno Marsudi, his first visit to the region as Beijing's new foreign envoy, where he also counselled Jakarta to "make independent judgments and choices"
>>18418081 Lab leak most likely origin of Covid-19 pandemic: US Energy Department - The US Energy Department has concluded that the Covid pandemic most likely arose from a laboratory leak, according to a classified intelligence report recently provided to the White House and key members of Congress

#18363726 at 2023-02-17 14:35:03 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #27: THEY ARE IN FULL BLOWN PANIC MODE Edition

>>18363722

6/8

I ask why she thinks he apologised to her. "He realised that it was never my position to tell anybody about Brittany Higgins' story," Reynolds says.

Though Reynolds says she has "mixed feelings" about how some on her own side treated her during this time, she says she is very grateful to her "guardian angels" - Anne Ruston, Jane Hume and Marise Payne - who supported her and protected her. "They were like lionesses when I couldn't protect myself from Labor, from the PMO, from the media, and other attack dogs. Those running the prime minister's office distanced themselves from me in exactly the way that the Higgins camp intended. It was lonely," she recalls. She says her partner, Robert, saved her life with his love and support.

Reynolds is hazy about the exact day - the days and weeks, she says, ran into each other - when she describes another morning in her office after days of relentless, unfair attacks on her. It was before Senate questions.

"I was in the bathroom. I was on the floor. I was just broken. I was sobbing. I was inconsolable. Anne (Ruston) - my saving angel - bolted in from across the corridor ... and she just immediately took charge. I think she contacted Simon Birmingham, the (Senate) leader. It was so bad. I literally cannot remember whether I did actually get up for question time that day or I didn't. She (Ruston) took charge of my staff and she just made sure that I had a space to calm down."

'I could have died'

I ask Reynolds about the extent of the collateral damage done to her, attacked in the Senate, in the media, hung out to dry by her own side. "I could have died," she says simply.

Reynolds ended up in hospital on the eve of a National Press Club address. She recalls former health minister Greg Hunt telling her after question time: "Linda, you look grey", and arranging for a doctor to see her. She describes the spasms around her heart, her heart rate spiralling up. "It was just awful."

She ended up waiting outside Canberra Hospital, but finally saw a cardiologist late that night in his rooms. "I had the most horrific night. I didn't get any sleep, and I was in pain. Robert, Anne (Ruston) and Jane (Hume) were incredibly worried."

The following day she was still planning to give her NPC address. She spoke with the specialist who, she says, said "don't be stupid, just come straight down to the hospital. And I did. And I was admitted."

'I feel sorry for Brittany'

Few people outside her inner circle understand that, despite the betrayal, the damage, the emotional and physical toll on her, Reynolds has no residual anger. Unusually, especially for a politician, there is little sign of bitterness or a thirst for revenge. Just setting the record straight will do for Reynolds. Part of that is explaining her feelings for Higgins.

"There are no winners from this," she says more than once to me.

"I feel very sorry for Brittany Higgins because her personal circumstances should always have been played out in the privacy of the justice system - she was terribly exploited by proponents of the #MeToo movement, by opponents of the government.

"The allegation that she made to Lisa Wilkinson first, and then to the police, was an allegation of rape. It should never have been played out in the Senate. It should never have been played out in the media.

"And it became all about what happened afterwards, not about that night. And that is fundamentally wrong.

"I have no doubt that this was a highly orchestrated political campaign, a political hit job on myself as defence minister, to get my scalp, to hurt Scott Morrison and the government of the day."

(continued)

#18363685 at 2023-02-17 14:26:13 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #27: THEY ARE IN FULL BLOWN PANIC MODE Edition

>>18363677

4/4

She described at one point collapsing up on the bathroom floor of her Senate office before question time. "I was just broken. I was sobbing. I was inconsolable," she said. Her friend and ministerial next-door neighbour, Anne Ruston, realised she was in trouble. "Anne - my saving angel - bolted in ... and so she just immediately took charge. She went out. I think she contacted Simon Birmingham, the (Senate) leader. It was so bad. I literally cannot remember whether I did actually get up for question time that day or I didn't."

Senator Reynolds had long suffered a heart problem that caused her heart rate and blood pressure to spiral. She said the stress of the personal attacks was exacerbating the condition causing heart spasms and pains in her chest.

The then defence minister had been due to deliver a major address to the National Press Club on February 24 but the day before ran into then health minister Greg Hunt who thought she looked so ill he immediately called his own doctor to come and see her. "So he came up, took one look at me, took my vitals and he said, I'm ringing Canberra Hospital," she said. "You're going down. Anyway, we went down there and we couldn't get in."

She finally saw a cardiologist late that night. "I had the most horrific night. I didn't get any sleep, and I was in pain," she said.

Senator Reynolds was admitted to hospital and announced she was taking medical leave for a heart condition. But there would be no escape from the media. One night, visiting a friend in Goulburn, the pair went out for a meal with a colleague at Italian restaurant La Casa Italiana.

There were a handful of patrons and one, she noticed, was a staff member of then treasurer Josh Frydenberg. "While still there, I got a message that a journalist had been alerted that I was wining and dining out and about in Goulburn," she said.

It was pretty clear who had tipped off the media.

"That is what hurt, one of our own had thrown me to the wolves over a bowl of pasta," she said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/brittany-higgins-the-hit-and-the-day-i-broke-down-linda-reynolds/news-story/57e2972aa86f61a137178328a99fd96e

#18338146 at 2023-02-13 09:18:07 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #27: THEY ARE IN FULL BLOWN PANIC MODE Edition

>>18252335
Former health minister wants focus back on COVID as he embarks on new job

Paul Sakkal - February 13, 2023

1/2

Pandemic-era health minister Greg Hunt is urging a national rethink on COVID-19's threat level, calling for a new vaccine push heading into winter and renewed focus on the volume of people dying from the disease.

In his first interview since the Morrison government's defeat, the now-retired MP - who is beginning a new job with the University of Melbourne - also propounded the need for the Liberal Party to attract multicultural and female candidates and declared history would judge the Coalition's pandemic response positively.

Hunt dismissed criticism about the vaccine rollout, which was pilloried by commentators and some state premiers and noted the uptake of boosters was slow, and said clear, ongoing public messaging on vaccines was crucial.

Without directly criticising the Albanese government elected in May, he said aged care deaths had risen dramatically since vaccination allowed governments across the world to drop onerous restrictions.

"Sadly there's been a doubling of deaths from COVID in aged care in the last 9 months (2500) compared with the previous 28 months (917), but with very little public awareness or commentary either within the media or government. That says there is a risk of losing focus," Hunt told this masthead, noting the overall death rate outside aged care has also risen.

"I hope we can have a renewed focus on vaccination ... as we approach winter, now might be a very timely moment to step up the vaccination campaign," he said.

About 34 per cent of the eligible population has had four vaccine doses and 35.9 per cent has had three. The rest have had two or fewer. The government last week announced fifth shots will be available from February 20.

In his new role as Honorary Melbourne Enterprise Professor, Hunt will work across university faculties and chair the medical school's innovation and enterprise board. He joins prominent banker John Wylie - through his billion-dollar Tanarra Capital fund - and former Victorian premier John Brumby - through the state government-run Breakthrough Victoria - in partnering with the university to turn research into high-value goods and services.

Hunt will help steer a 10-year plan to create an environment in which cutting-edge medical research is turned into products whose development attracts the smartest minds to Melbourne along with vast capital investment, unlocking jobs and productivity.

"I always said as [health] minister, Melbourne was one of the three greatest medical research precincts along with Boston and Cambridge," he said. "We are world-leading with them in research and treatment. We are also very good at innovation, but we have the capacity to join them as world-leading.

"The prospects for Melbourne are almost unlimited as a city ... It creates jobs and wealth and enormous health and career outcomes for Australians."

(continued)

#17417576 at 2022-08-20 04:10:33 (UTC+1)
Q Research Australia #25: My Koala Hates Spam Too Edition

>>17405885
Morrison says he feared undermining colleagues if he disclosed extra ministries

Katina Curtis and Lisa Visentin - August 17, 2022

1/2

Former prime minister Scott Morrison says he feared alarming his cabinet colleagues and the broader public by disclosing he had assumed co-control of powers across five senior ministries, as he sought to explain why he had kept his extra appointments secret.

At an extraordinary press conference in Sydney, Morrison rejected calls to resign from parliament and defended his actions in the context of the unusual circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But pressed on why he kept the matter secret, electing not to advise the Australian public or even his cabinet colleagues, Morrison said he did not want to undermine the confidence of his ministers or alarm the public.

"I think there was a great risk that in the midst of that crisis those powers could be misinterpreted and misunderstood, which would have caused unnecessary angst in the middle of a pandemic and could have impacted on the day-to-day functioning of the government," he said.

He said those fears were justified by the political discussion over the past couple of days since the matter came to light.

While serving as prime minister, Morrison took on the portfolios of then-health minister Greg Hunt, then-finance minister Mathias Cormann in March 2020, followed by then-resources minister Keith Pitt in April 2021 without publicly announcing that decision to the Australian public. It later emerged that he also took on the treasury and home affairs portfolios in May 2021, unbeknown to those ministers at the time, Josh Frydenberg and Karen Andrews, respectively.

Morrison confirmed he discussed the legal process for being appointed co-minister of the health department with then-attorney-general Christian Porter. But he didn't tell him when he later used that same authority to be appointed joint minister of the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, even though it was Porter's own department at that time.

Asked whether any members of his cabinet had been aware he had added the senior ministries of treasury and home affairs to his duties, Morrison said no but revealed there were bureaucrats and staffers in his office who knew of the appointments.

"There was people in the department and the people in my office who were directly responsible for managing these specific things," he said.

Responding to Morrison's remarks, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his predecessor was evasive in the face of demands for transparency and questioned his lack of contrition to the Australian public.

"The first rule of power grab club is don't talk about power grab club. And Scott Morrison broke that rule today. Scott Morrison was evasive, he was defensive, he was passive-aggressive and he was self-serving. So at least he was true to himself today. What we saw was all of his characters on full display," Albanese said.

"How about an apology to the Australian people? The Australian people went to an election not knowing that any of this had occurred, not knowing that there was a shadow government operating … without transparency."

Andrews is, so far, the only former minister to call on Morrison to resign, labelling his conduct unacceptable. But Morrison rejected this call on Wednesday, saying it was his intention to remain as the member for Cook.

Former employment minister Stuart Robert, a close confidante of Morrison and now shadow assistant treasurer, said there was no need for Morrison to resign, but added it had been "unwise" for him not to inform cabinet of his actions.

"My assessment is if Scott Morrison had brought this to cabinet, colleagues would have said it's not needed," he told Sky News.

(continued)

#17410333 at 2022-08-18 09:02:45 (UTC+1)
Q Research Australia #25: My Koala Hates Spam Too Edition

>>17405885
Scott Morrison breaks silence on ministerial roles

ELLEN RANSLEY - AUGUST 16, 2022

1/2

Former prime minister Scott Morrison says he took the "unconventional" move to assume responsibility in several portfolios due to the "unprecedented times" brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

He says he has no regrets about exercising his responsibility as prime minister because his government's decisions at the beginning of Covid-19 "saved 40,000 lives and tens of thousands of businesses".

He says he never triggered his responsibility in the portfolios of health and finance

It's a different story with the resources portfolio, which resulted in him using his powers to gazump his minister to overturn a controversial gas project.

He said ultimately he made that decision because the "buck stops with the Prime Minister".

Radio host Ben Fordhamsaid the revelations of the past few days had generated "a giant storm in a tiny teacup".

"At the end of the day, he didn't use the powers as health minister or finance minister," he said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has asked for a second briefing from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet after it was revealed Mr Morrison had been secretly sworn in to the portfolios.

Then health minister Greg Hunt and other cabinet ministers were aware of the move concerning that portfolio under the Biosecurity Act, while then finance minister Mathias Cormann was left in the dark.

Mr Morrison said that was an oversight of "offices".

"I thought it had been through offices, to be honest. That was an oversight. I've apologised to Mathias for that," he told Nine Radio.

While Mr Morrison's actions regarding finance and health came amid the Covid-19 pandemic, his decision to be sworn in to the resources portfolio came almost a year later.

Mr Morrison said he had taken that move because of the "importance" of the decision surrounding controversial offshore gas project PEP-11.

He said he had discussed the issue with then resources minister Keith Pitt.

"We'd discussed the issue, but I'd always respected Keith's role as the decision maker, and if I wished to be the decision maker, then I had to take the steps that I took," Mr Morrison said.

"I had to follow a very meticulous process in informing myself about the issue ... and then making a decision in accordance with all the legal requirements, which I did.

"The buck stops with the Prime Minister. If I hadn't personally considered that issue, then how could I look at the people of Newcastle and the Central Coast and the Northern Beaches in the eye and say, I've done everything I could."

Mr Pitt says people up in arms over Mr Morrison's actions should "take a calming breath and a cold shower".

According to news.com.au, Mr Pitt told colleagues he was kept in the dark that Mr Morrison swore himself in to his portfolio.

But on Tuesday morning Mr Pitt dodged questions about whether he knew that Mr Morrison had sworn himself in to the portfolio in 2021, only saying that it was "unusual".

Mr Morrison made the unprecedented move to take control of the resources portfolio reportedly to gazump Mr Pitt to reject the permit for the controversial PEP-11 project off the NSW coast.

Mr Pitt said it was indeed "unusual" for Mr Morrison to swear himself into the portfolio in order to dismiss an offshore gas exploration project.

But questions over whether he made that decision as prime minister or as a secret second resources minister remain unanswered.

During an ABC Radio interview on Tuesday morning, Mr Pitt said "those things in the fullness of time will come forward", citing the reason he needed to be cautious was because the PEP-11 case was before the Federal Court of Appeal.

"Over a period of time, who knew what when is bound to come out over a period of time. I think everyone just needs to take a calming breath and a cold shower to be honest," Mr Pitt told ABC Radio.

"I've got no issues with the decisions I've made.

"I'm absolutely confident we were a strong government."

(continued)

#17405928 at 2022-08-17 07:22:52 (UTC+1)
Q Research Australia #25: My Koala Hates Spam Too Edition

>>17405885
Former PM Scott Morrison was 'sedated' at night for his insomnia throughout pandemic

A new revelation about Scott Morrison has emerged amid the raging controversy about his secret moves as prime minister.

Samantha Maiden - August 16, 2022

1/2

Scott Morrison was so worried during the Covid-19 pandemic that he suffered from insomnia and relied on drugs to sedate him into sleep.

As controversy erupts over the former prime minister's decision to secretly appoint himself to key portfolios during the pandemic, the revelations are contained in a new book Plagued that is based on extensive interviews with Mr Morrison.

The drug regimen to tackle his insomnia, as outlined in the book, was said to include a "mild sedative" that is not referenced by brand name.

"He'd often wake at 3am, wrestling with the scale of what was facing the country and his responsibilities in dealing with it," the book says.

"He'd rouse in a fitful state and look at the ceiling for hours on end, saying to himself, 'I have to sleep or I won't get through this week.'

"More than once, so he could function the following day, he would take a mild sedative.

"He took half a sleeping pill to make sure he was fresh for the next day."

'What on earth is going on?'

However, it is the former prime minister's secret arrangements regarding cabinet jobs that could now spark a full-blown inquiry.

The revelations that Mr Morrison swore himself in as health minister and finance minister are outlined in the new book.

It states this was the idea of former attorney-general Christian Porter.

However, Mr Porter has told colleagues he remembers the arrangements relating to then-health minister Greg Hunt but does not recall any discussions involving then-finance minister Mathias Cormann.

Constitutional law expert Anne Twomey said the secret arrangements were "bizarre" and "utterly inappropriate".

"What on earth was going on, I don't know, but the secrecy involved in this is just simply bizarre," she told the ABC.

"I mean, you know, you just wonder what is wrong with these people that they have to do everything in secret and they can't 'fess up to what they're doing.

"Because if they had done it and made it public, [it] probably would have been seen [as] pretty reasonable. But hiding it? That's the weird thing."

If Mr Morrison did swear himself into the finance minister position, he also never told Mr Cormann.

Former resources minister Keith Pitt and industry minister Angus Taylor were also unaware the then-prime minister had control of their portfolios.

While Mr Taylor stayed in the dark, at some point in 2021, Mr Pitt discovered the arrangement.

"There is no doubt it was unusual,'' Mr Pitt told Sky News. "I am not going to throw him under a bus, I am just not. It's clearly something I was concerned about."

Peter Dutton did learn at some point about the health portfolio arrangements, apparently put in place in case Mr Hunt got sick and couldn't exercise the extraordinary pandemic powers he held to make decisions without parliamentary approval.

(continued)

#17405852 at 2022-08-17 06:48:26 (UTC+1)
Q Research Australia #25: My Koala Hates Spam Too Edition

>>17381238
>>17405824
Plagued: Covid-19 tsunami is just offshore

In the second extract from the book Plagued, the arrival of a mystery disease forces our leaders to make almost unthinkable decisions.

SIMON BENSON and GEOFF CHAMBERS - August 15, 2022

1/3

On Saturday, February 1, 2020, two days after laying his father to rest in a private ceremony, prime minister Scott Morrison sat in his study at Kirribilli House, the Gothic twin-gabled prime ministerial residence on the shores of Sydney Harbour.

He was facing a decision no prime minister before him had been forced to contemplate outside wartime.

Morrison had made up his mind that Australia would have to close its borders to China. It was only a question of when.

Morrison was by then acutely aware of the potential for an escalation of Covid-19 cases coming into the country, which in turn would cause an explosion of local infections.

Up until that morning, closing the border to China would have been unthinkable, the consequences too far-reaching, economically and politically. But overnight, US president Donald Trump had announced that his administration was doing just that.

Australia's diplomatic relationship with China was already strained. The decision in 2018 to ban Chinese tech company Huawei from the 5G network, and the urging by Australia for its Five Eyes partners to do the same, had enraged Beijing.

It was the beginning of an accumulation of unjustified grievances the Chinese Communist Party levelled against Australia.

Morrison was acutely aware that closing the border to two-way traffic with China would prompt an even fiercer reaction. But there could be no compromising on public health. Morrison reached for his phone. It was time to speak with his health minister.

When Greg Hunt picked up, Morrison could hear shouts and whoops in the background. Hunt was at a son's cricket match at Balnarring, not far from his home at Mount Martha, a semi-rural coastal township on the Mornington Peninsula, about an hour southeast of Melbourne.

"We're going to have to call a National Security Committee meeting today," Morrison told Hunt. "I think we need to close the borders (with China).'

"I was about to call you," said Hunt. He'd only just finished a conversation with (chief medical officer) Brendan Murphy, who was also in Melbourne. "Brendan and I have spoken, and we said the same thing."

A three-way call was then set up between them. Murphy repeated to Morrison what he had told Hunt - that he had reviewed the epidemiology from overseas counterparts overnight. The virus had spread to every province in China.

"If we want to stop this happening here, we need to shut the borders to China," Murphy told them.

Morrison said he wanted Murphy to get the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee ready to meet by midday, ahead of a meeting of the National Security Committee he was going to call for 2pm. Hunt and Murphy both hotfooted it to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices at Treasury Place in Melbourne where they met to dial in to the NSC meeting remotely.

Morrison headed to the CPO building on Bligh Street at Circular Quay in Sydney where he had access to a small, highly secure room, one level up from his office. From there he could take command in front of three video screens.

(continued)

#17405824 at 2022-08-17 06:35:55 (UTC+1)
Q Research Australia #25: My Koala Hates Spam Too Edition

>>17381238
The Covid-19 tsunami and the day Scott Morrison shut the door to China

GEOFF CHAMBERS and SIMON BENSON - AUGUST 15, 2022

1/2

China's under-reporting of surging Covid-19 cases and mortality rates in early 2020 helped fuel Scott Morrison's decision to close the international border, despite the former prime minister's deep concerns over the economic and political fallout.

In one of the biggest decisions a prime minister had faced outside of wartime, Morrison made the call as he sat in his study at Kirribilli House on February 1 2020, aware of the impacts it would have on supply chains, tourism and relations with Beijing.

"Closing the Australian border (with China) was a big deal. We knew it was shutting down tourism and international students," said Morrison, in a new book, Plagued, out on Tuesday.

"It was a huge decision. Even at that time, we were thinking: 'How do we get back to normal? Is it temporary? How quickly can we open it up again?'

"It became apparent that it was just the beginning. In the initial phase we were thinking of letting international students in, but by that afternoon the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee said no. I was terribly worried about the economics: I knew it was going to hurt."

The decision, which came the day after Donald Trump shut the US borders with China, was made after Morrison spoke with health minister Greg Hunt and chief medical officer Brendan Murphy. "We're going to have to call a National Security Committee meeting today. I think we need to close the borders (with China)," Morrison told Hunt.

"I was about to call you. Brendan and I have spoken, and we said the same thing," Hunt responded.

Murphy, who was put on a three-way call with Morrison and Hunt, had updated his advice after reviewing the epidemiology with overseas counterparts showing the virus had spread to all Chinese provinces.

"If we want to stop this happening here, we need to shut the borders to China," he told them.

The book recounts: "Morrison said he wanted Murphy to get the AHPPC ready to meet by midday, ahead of a meeting of the National Security Committee that he was going to call for 2pm. Hunt and Murphy both hotfooted it to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices at Treasury Place in Melbourne where they met to dial in to the NSC meeting remotely.

"One of the first calls Murphy made that morning was to Home Affairs secretary Mike Pezzullo, who was pushing a trolley full of groceries in his local Coles store in Canberra."

Pezzullo was told the initial closure would be for 14 days but it was unlikely to be a short-term measure. "Since late January, Pezzullo and the relevant agencies had been putting plans in place for a worst-case scenario. He left Coles immediately, wasting no time setting the wheels in motion.

"The border-closure decision was made, so the only question was how quickly he could get it done. At the 2pm NSC meeting, Pezzullo told Morrison and the committee that the border closure to China could be in place that night.

Murphy, who briefed NSC on the latest evidence of significant human-to-human transmission in China, had changed his view of the situation. He now believed China was "under-reporting cases and mortality and recommended that Australia go immediately to a level-four 'do not travel' alert for the People's Republic of China, not just Hubei province".

(continued)

#16080076 at 2022-04-15 09:20:03 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #22: THIS IS NOT ANOTHER 3-YEAR ELECTION Edition

>>16047076
>>16080058
Labor leader Anthony Albanese forced to clarify whether key health pledge formally costed

Stephanie Dalzell - 15 April 2022

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has once again been forced to clarify comments he has made on the election campaign trail, hampering efforts to refocus the Labor campaign over the Easter long weekend.

Labor insiders had hoped the four-day weekend would give the opposition the chance to reset its political fortunes after a highly publicised stumble over the unemployment rate during the first week of campaigning.

But after Mr Albanese unveiled a policy on Tuesday to fund 50 urgent care clinics if his party was elected, on Wednesday he declared the $135 million plan had been "fully costed" by the independent Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO).

Yesterday, Labor's Finance Spokeswoman Katy Gallagher was forced to issue a late-night clarification on social media.

"The costing of Labor's Urgent Care Centre policy is based on work done by the PBO, but for the avoidance of any confusion, has not been formally costed by the PBO," she wrote.

Speaking after a Good Friday church service in Sydney's south-west, Mr Albanese sought to put an end to the confusion.

"The policy is fully costed - it is informed by work that was done by the PBO," he said.

Labor sources later argued that while the party itself had costed the policy, it was based on work done by the Parliamentary Budget Office.

Health Minister Greg Hunt on Thursday seized on the comments, repeating the Coalition's argument a Labor government would struggle to manage the economy.

"This is an embarrassing economic and health backflip for Anthony Albanese and his team," Mr Hunt said.

"Anthony Albanese said this project was fully costed yesterday. He's either ill-informed, not across the facts, or have they fudged the figures?

"You just can't trust Labor with health, because you can't trust them with economic management."

Morrison also under fire for broken election promise and captain's pick

Both federal leaders entered Good Friday hoping for a campaign ceasefire, downing the tools to attend church services.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is facing criticism over a controversial captain's pick for the once blue-ribbon Sydney seat of Warringah.

Katherine Deves has been forced to issue another public apology for offensive transphobic comments.

In a now-deleted social media post from January obtained by News Corp and Nine Newspapers, she claimed "half of all males with trans identities are sex offenders" after also comparing her anti-trans comments to the resistance against the Nazis.

In a statement, Ms Deves said she apologised for her comments.

"In my dedication to fighting for the rights of women and girls, my language has on occasion been unacceptable. It has hurt people and detracted from my arguments," the statement said.

Labor started the election campaign ahead in the opinion polls, while Mr Morrison faced accusations of lying and racism.

But a week is a long time in politics, and sources on both sides have told the ABC the Coalition's prospects have improved in the first week of the campaign.

The leaders are expected to return to the hustings tomorrow, before going head to head on Wednesday in their first debate of the election campaign.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-15/labor-anthony-albanese-election-clarify-health-pledge-costed/100994654

#16047438 at 2022-04-10 07:38:30 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #22: THIS IS NOT ANOTHER 3-YEAR ELECTION Edition

>>16047076
Federal Election 2022: The key seats where it will be won or lost

The pathway to victory will not be easy for the Coalition or the Labor Party as "both have a murky path ahead of them".

Ellen Whinnett and Clare Armstrong - April 10, 2022

1/2

The election will be fought through hand-to-hand combat, with the Coalition and Labor fighting for single seats across the country and a host of previously safe seats coming into play due to the retirement of well-known local Members of parliament.

The Coalition must stem its losses in Western Australia, cling onto at-risk electorates in Queensland and try to pick up a couple of marginals in New South Wales in order to win a fourth term in office when Australians go to the polls on May 21.

Labor needs to pick up marginal seats in Victoria and Tasmania, capitalise on its popularity in Western Australia and defend its coalmining seats in regional NSW if it is to win majority Government for the first time since 2007.

"The pathway to victory is wider for the Labor Party than it is for the Liberal Party but both have a murky path ahead of them,'' pollster Kosmos Samaras, from RedBridge Group, said.

To maintain its one-seat majority the Liberals would have to at least regain the south Sydney seat of Hughes, which they lost when sitting MP Craig Kelly defected to Clive Palmer's United Australia Party (UAP). This would help offset the loss of the abolished Liberal seat of Stirling in WA, and the creation of the new seat of Hawke in Victoria, which is on a notional margin of 10 per cent for Labor.

The Coalition would then have to hold all of its seats, or pick up something in NSW to offset potential losses in Tasmania and Victoria.

Taking into account Stirling and Hawke, Labor needs to win another seven seats to claim majority victory.

The most obvious of these likely gains are in WA, where two and possibly three seats are up for grabs, while the Liberals are vulnerable in the NSW marginal seat of Reid, Victorian ultra-marginal Chisholm, and the Tasmanian seat of Bass.

Both major parties are bleeding votes to minor parties, but the Liberals are copping it from several directions, losing conservative voters to the anti-vax, anti-lockdown appeal of the UAP, as well as progressive inner-city votes to the well-organised and funded "Voices of'' independents.

With the retirement of a number of well-known and established MPs, seats which were previously safe are now potentially in play. These include Lingiari in the Northern Territory, where Labor's Warren Snowden is retiring, Casey in Victoria, vacated by Liberal Tony Smith, and even Flinders, where Liberal Greg Hunt is retiring. In South Australia, the resignation of Liberal Nicolle Flint has made Boothby vulnerable.

(continued)

#15727103 at 2022-02-26 09:50:14 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #21: MIL-CIV ALLIANCE Edition

>>15656192
Australia reports 35 more COVID-19 deaths as masks come off in eastern states

States and territories have further eased COVID-19 restrictions, with mask-wearing requirements easing as the Omicron wave subsides.

SBS / AAP - 26 February 2022

Australia has reported 35 new COVID-19 deaths at the start of a weekend when mask mandates have lifted and dance floors reopened across the eastern states.

Several jurisdictions announced an easing to restrictions from Friday.

In NSW, Victoria and the ACT mask-wearing is still required in high-risk settings such as public transport, aged care facilities, airports and hospitals.

There are exceptions for some school students in Victoria and the ACT, who will still have to keep their masks on for now.

Queensland is set to ease its mask rules and density limits next week.

Mask mandates remain in WA, Tasmania, SA and the NT.

The eased restrictions come as a new vaccine is approved for use in Australia, specifically for people who haven't been able to have a dose of existing vaccines.

Evusheld has been granted approval for immunocompromised people who aren't likely to have an adequate immune response to a COVID-19 vaccine.

It can also be used for people who currently can't get a COVID-19 vaccine due to a history of severe reactions to immunisation.

People aged 12 and over and who weigh more than 40 kilograms can access the vaccine.

NSW reported 7,017 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday morning while Victoria recorded 5,874 and Queensland 4,838. The ACT added 478 new infections to its caseload.

There were 1,688 cases announced in South Australia, 792 in Tasmania, 632 in the Northern Territory and 1,105 in WA, its highest one-day total since the beginning of the pandemic.

There are 1,130 people in hospital with COVID-19 in NSW, with 59 in intensive care, while Victoria has 281 people hospitalised, with 43 in ICU. In Queensland, hospital patients number 341, 24 of them in ICU.

Of the 35 deaths reported, 15 were in Victoria, 11 in NSW, eight in Queensland and one in the NT.

Indigenous health services are also getting an immediate funding boost which federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said was a result of lessons learned from the pandemic.

Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services will get a $54.7 million cash boost, but a 3 per cent funding increase per year over four years won't kick in until July 2023.

"The ongoing pandemic has once again shown how critical the ACCHS sector is in delivering health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people," Mr Hunt said.

Australia reported 28 new COVID-19 deaths on Friday, the bulk in Victoria, while the country recorded 24,739 new cases with NSW marking the most.

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/another-26-covid-19-deaths-in-australia-masks-off-across-nsw-and-victoria/50phimhma

#15592262 at 2022-02-10 08:44:24 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #21: MIL-CIV ALLIANCE Edition

#20 - Part 10
Coronavirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Australia and Worldwide - Part 1
>>15175352 Australia treasurer calls for easing Covid curbs despite rising cases
>>15180150 Australia shortens wait time for COVID-19 booster doses as Omicron cases rise
>>15181614 Video: What Really Happened in Wuhan: Donald Trump - Sharri Markson has a frank and freewheeling conversation with the former US president in his first Australian sit-down interview on China's "gross incompetence" and the mysteries still unsolved - The Australian
>>15185153 More border rules ease in Australia ahead of Christmas holidays
>>15185173 Video: Australia-South Korea deal the largest defence arrangement with any Asian nation - Sky News Australia
>>15186797 Australia poised to become largest producer of mRNA vaccines outside the US and Europe under $2bn-plus deal with Moderna to build a plant in Melbourne capable of producing 100 million vaccines a year
>>15186803 Scott Morrison promises to give Australians their "freedom" back and get big government out of their lives - Coalition anchors its re-election pitch with pledge to keep the nation "stronger, safer, together"
>>15195696 Australia reopens borders to non-citizens despite Omicron worries
>>15206640 Pubs, parties push Australia's COVID-19 cases to record levels
>>15206650 Defence Minister Peter Dutton says there is no escaping Omicron's spread in Australia

>>15212341 Australia's new COVID-19 cases hit record high - 4,017 cases on Saturday, 18 December 2021
>>15217577 Australia says it is well prepared for mounting COVID-19 cases
>>15223515 Sydney shrugs off COVID-19 spike, resists calls to restore tough curbs
>>15223553 Video: ATAGI to consider three-dose vaccine schedule as states push for earlier boosters
>>15229711 Australia rules out lockdowns despite Omicron surge
>>15229750 Expert says critics calling for more Covid restrictions will be proven wrong - Australia's former deputy chief medical officer Dr Nick Coatsworth hits out at critics calling for more restrictions as cases rise sharply before Christmas
>>15235748 Australian PM says no Xmas lockdown as hospitals coping with rising Omicron
>>15235751 PM reveals steps to avoid new lockdowns - Scott Morrison reveals suite of new measures to ensure Australia is not plunged back into lockdowns as Covid cases rise
>>15241362 Australian states reinstate COVID-19 curbs as Omicron cases jump
>>15241365 Video: Victoria makes masks mandatory indoors as state records 2,005 COVID-19 cases and 10 deaths

>>15241372 Video: Masks, density limits reintroduced as NSW records 5,715 COVID-19 cases and one death
>>15241380 Despite Omicron explosion, Health Minister Greg Hunt says 'heartening' sign as number of COVID-19 patients on ventilators remains stable
>>15241443 Ghislaine Maxwell Jury Deliberates in Empty Courtroom as Virus Surges
>>15247140 Australia shortens booster wait as Omicron explosion turns holidays into chaos
>>15261247 Australia records first Omicron death, authorities stick to reopening plan
>>15270897 Australia COVID numbers hit a peak as Omicron outbreak strains domestic politics
>>15271297 Australia seeks to ease COVID-19 test rules as cases hit records
>>15271303 Video: New proposal to overhaul definition of COVID-19 close contact, shorten quarantine requirement
>>15271427 Citing COVID, judge prods Ghislaine Maxwell jury to work overtime
>>15271499 Mark McGowan West Australian Premier "getting his covid booster shot"

#15592190 at 2022-02-10 08:24:54 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

#20 - Part 10
Coronavirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Australia and Worldwide - Part 1
>>15175352 Australia treasurer calls for easing Covid curbs despite rising cases
>>15180150 Australia shortens wait time for COVID-19 booster doses as Omicron cases rise
>>15181614 Video: What Really Happened in Wuhan: Donald Trump - Sharri Markson has a frank and freewheeling conversation with the former US president in his first Australian sit-down interview on China's "gross incompetence" and the mysteries still unsolved - The Australian
>>15185153 More border rules ease in Australia ahead of Christmas holidays
>>15185173 Video: Australia-South Korea deal the largest defence arrangement with any Asian nation - Sky News Australia
>>15186797 Australia poised to become largest producer of mRNA vaccines outside the US and Europe under $2bn-plus deal with Moderna to build a plant in Melbourne capable of producing 100 million vaccines a year
>>15186803 Scott Morrison promises to give Australians their "freedom" back and get big government out of their lives - Coalition anchors its re-election pitch with pledge to keep the nation "stronger, safer, together"
>>15195696 Australia reopens borders to non-citizens despite Omicron worries
>>15206640 Pubs, parties push Australia's COVID-19 cases to record levels
>>15206650 Defence Minister Peter Dutton says there is no escaping Omicron's spread in Australia

>>15212341 Australia's new COVID-19 cases hit record high - 4,017 cases on Saturday, 18 December 2021
>>15217577 Australia says it is well prepared for mounting COVID-19 cases
>>15223515 Sydney shrugs off COVID-19 spike, resists calls to restore tough curbs
>>15223553 Video: ATAGI to consider three-dose vaccine schedule as states push for earlier boosters
>>15229711 Australia rules out lockdowns despite Omicron surge
>>15229750 Expert says critics calling for more Covid restrictions will be proven wrong - Australia's former deputy chief medical officer Dr Nick Coatsworth hits out at critics calling for more restrictions as cases rise sharply before Christmas
>>15235748 Australian PM says no Xmas lockdown as hospitals coping with rising Omicron
>>15235751 PM reveals steps to avoid new lockdowns - Scott Morrison reveals suite of new measures to ensure Australia is not plunged back into lockdowns as Covid cases rise
>>15241362 Australian states reinstate COVID-19 curbs as Omicron cases jump
>>15241365 Video: Victoria makes masks mandatory indoors as state records 2,005 COVID-19 cases and 10 deaths

>>15241372 Video: Masks, density limits reintroduced as NSW records 5,715 COVID-19 cases and one death
>>15241380 Despite Omicron explosion, Health Minister Greg Hunt says 'heartening' sign as number of COVID-19 patients on ventilators remains stable
>>15241443 Ghislaine Maxwell Jury Deliberates in Empty Courtroom as Virus Surges
>>15247140 Australia shortens booster wait as Omicron explosion turns holidays into chaos
>>15261247 Australia records first Omicron death, authorities stick to reopening plan
>>15270897 Australia COVID numbers hit a peak as Omicron outbreak strains domestic politics
>>15271297 Australia seeks to ease COVID-19 test rules as cases hit records
>>15271303 Video: New proposal to overhaul definition of COVID-19 close contact, shorten quarantine requirement
>>15271427 Citing COVID, judge prods Ghislaine Maxwell jury to work overtime
>>15271499 Mark McGowan West Australian Premier "getting his covid booster shot"

#15534244 at 2022-02-03 07:36:18 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

>>15534240

2/2

What's happening elsewhere?

Another Northern Territorian has died from COVID-19, with the death of an unvaccinated resident at a central Australian aged care facility.

The man in his 80s died on Wednesday, bringing the Territory's virus death toll to four, NT Health says.

He was a resident at the virus-ravaged Old Timers Aged Care Service in Alice Springs and had underlying health conditions.

Meanwhile, the Commonwealth has established biosecurity zones in the NT's remote communities to slow the pandemic's spread.

The new measures would prevent anyone entering or leaving the designated zones and were based on advice from Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly, Health Minister Greg Hunt said.

South Australia has reported another 1583 COVID-19 cases and one more death as the number of active infections across the state continues to fall.

Premier Steven Marshall says active cases are down to 18,308, the lowest number for some time.

"What we're now seeing is a settling of the numbers in South Australia," Mr Marshall said on Thursday.

"We're starting to see those numbers plateau a bit. We'd like to see them go lower."

South Australia has 226 people in hospital including 18 in intensive care, with five on ventilation.

Tasmania has recorded an additional COVID-19 death and 656 new infections.

The death, reported on Thursday, takes the state's number of coronavirus fatalities since the beginning of the pandemic to 19.

Tasmania has reported six deaths since reopening to mainland hotspots in mid-December.

There are seven people receiving treatment for COVID-19 in hospital, with two of them in intensive care.

Six positive cases are in hospital for unrelated medical conditions, the state's health department says.

It is the third day in a row the number of new cases has been in the 600s, after 504 were documented on Monday.

There are 3,782 known active cases statewide, continuing a downward trend over several weeks.

Tasmanian public school students, meanwhile, will return to the classroom on 9 February.

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/hospitalisations-fall-in-nsw-and-victoria-as-84-covid-19-deaths-reported-across-australia/c3a78030-db2c-42e1-8ed6-5c798d42fbf8

#15525465 at 2022-02-02 07:55:09 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

Anti-vaxxers jump ship to the sovereign citizen movement

JACK THE INSIDER (Peter Hoysted) - FEBRUARY 2, 2022

1/2

Numbers were down, ratings were poor. Rather than shift the battlelines to Covid vaccinations for children, which seemed the logical next step, anti-vaxxers have jumped the shark, embracing the sovereign citizen movement on the basis that if you don't like the laws of the state, you can simply make up your own.

A mob assembled outside the National Press Club on Tuesday, briefly blocking the Prime Minister's access to the venue. The PM's speech went ahead and afterwards, the crowd was kept away with a strident few charging Comm Car One and giving the PM a gob full through the passenger window.

The mob in Canberra who tried to block the Prime Minister's access to the National Press Club on Tuesday have been invariably called anti-vaxxers in the media but this is only half true. It's a human potpourri of grievance based on the gamut of conspiracy theories, Woodstock for Q-cooked middle-aged saddos who spent much of Monday afternoon in the nation's capital, shouting at an empty building.

If this was a protest about vaccine mandates it would make sense, but nothing makes sense about this mob. Take a look at any one of their interminable 'lives' and it will not take long before the word 'paedophile' is not just uttered but shrieked, along with gnarled accusatory fingers pointed at the windows of the parliament.

Stay watching the footage for long enough and you'll hear blubbering about satanic rituals, and the torture of children which only they can see. Police preventing them from storming public buildings are labelled with spit-speckled vehemence, "paedophile protectors."

This is not Q-Anon although it retains the cult's broad bizarre claims. It is Q-Anon Australian-style, replete with the red ensign waving while the blue ensign appears alongside it, upside down, the international semaphoric symbol of distress. Q-Australia's adherents don't babble about the Clintons or the Obamas. Rather they impute Scott Morrison, Greg Hunt, and Dan Andrews.

The organiser of what's become known as the Canberra freedom convoy calls himself Ironbark Thunderbolt. Not content with the admittedly impressive sobriquet, Mr Thunderbolt was running around last year serving fake legal documents on Prime Minister Scott Morrison, signing them as "Post-Master General-Commander-in-Chief, Terra Australis-New Holland-and Surrounding Waters, known commonly as Australia."

His real name is the not-quite-so-exciting James Edward Greer.

Those who have become used to sov-cit legal mumbo jumbo which turns out to be just about everyone from the Governor-General to a 16-year-old girl working a shift at the local pharmacy accused of treason, will recognise the gibberish:

"Notice to agent is notice to principal. Notice to principal is notice to agent."

The Canberra assembly began as a lazy pinch of Canada's truck convoy to Ottawa. For a little while the Australian protest even appropriated the Canadian moniker for protesters - "Yellow Vests" which in turn had been swiped from the French - but the colour coding doesn't quite cut it in Australia where the preferred nomenclature is fluoro.

While the Canadian truck convoy blocked streets and briefly caused mayhem in the Canadian capital last weekend, in Australia, the parliamentary lawns have become home to just a handful of trucks and at least one of those went only for a sneaky peek and then took off to Melbourne. It turns out truck drivers have jobs, things to do, better places to be. This forced a quick rebranding of the Truck Convoy to Canberra to now become the Convoy for Freedom.

(continued)

#15420474 at 2022-01-20 08:00:49 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

>>15420457
Hopes unvaccinated will get Novavax as new COVID-19 vaccine, drugs approved for use

Akash Arora and David Aidone - 20 January 2022

The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine is set to be rolled out across Australia, as two oral antiviral drugs for the disease have been provisionally approved.

The nation's medicines watchdog has given the green light for the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine to be used in Australia.

Health Minister Greg Hunt confirmed the news from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) on Thursday.

Australia has ordered 51 million doses.

"We know that some people have waited for this vaccine, and … hopefully this will encourage those people in the last five per cent to come forward," Mr Hunt said.

Mr Hunt said the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation would now review the decision and, subject to their approval, Novavax would be made available "over the coming weeks".

Australia's COVID-19 Taskforce Commander Lieutenant General John Frewen said Novavax had been approved for a "primary course", meaning the first and second vaccine doses.

Doses will be delivered 21 days apart.

Quizzed over who might be waiting for the Novavax vaccine, General Frewen said some individuals were "worried about new technology", referring to the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines.

"The technology on which it is made is an older technology, it uses a protein," General Frewen said.

TGA boss Professor John Skerritt said his agency was only the second major regulator in the world to approve the protein vaccine known as NUVAXOVID.

"Our dream is to turn 95 per cent (vaccination rate) into 97 or 98 per cent," he told reporters.

He said the company had yet to submit data relating to its use as a booster or for people aged under 18, but when a submission was made the regulator would work through it as quickly as possible.

Trials had shown the vaccine had over 90 per cent efficacy with "no strong signals of adverse events", Professor Skerritt said.

Protein vaccines use a non-infectious component found on the surface of the coronavirus and are manufactured in cells in a laboratory.

After vaccination, immune cells recognise the vaccine protein as foreign and launch an immune response against it.

The TGA has also provisionally approved the first oral treatments for COVID-19.

The antiviral treatments, Lagevrio and Paxlovid, "have been found to be effective in treating people with mild to moderate COVID-19, who have a high risk of progressing to severe disease", Mr Hunt said in a statement on Thursday morning.

The drugs will be free, and if deemed necessary for treatment, general practitioners will be able to provide a prescription for people to obtain them through a pharmacy.

The medical regulator said the treatment, however, is not a substitute for the COVID-19 vaccine.

"The Government has secured access to 300,000 treatment courses of Merck Sharp & Dohme's (MSD) Lagevrio and 500,000 courses of Pfizer's Paxlovid for supply throughout the course of 2022, with the first deliveries of both medicines anticipated over the coming weeks," Mr Hunt said.

The prescription-only medicines are designed to be taken every 12 hours for five days and reduce the virus's ability to rapidly multiply.

Both oral treatments have already been approved for use by the US and UK health authorities.

Mr Hunt said the new treatments won't be used for everyone who contracts COVID-19.

"These treatments will be of most benefit for people most at risk of severe disease and through the oversight from a healthcare professional," he said.

"We are working to target access to those most vulnerable, including the elderly and those in aged care."

Merck Sharp and Dohme medical director Gary Jankelowitz said the provisional approval of Lagevrio was a major achievement in the fight against COVID-19.

"Lagevrio has the potential to help address a medical need in the community," he said.

"The provisional approval of this oral anti-viral treatment for COVID-19 in eligible at-risk adults is a regulatory milestone."

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/hopes-unvaccinated-will-get-novavax-as-new-covid-19-vaccine-drugs-approved-for-use/e807f4a4-a061-4313-b59a-70fdce58224b

#15412119 at 2022-01-19 07:25:22 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

PM tells Australians to disregard George Christensen over 'dangerous' vaccine advice

Cameron Atfield - January 18, 2022

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has urged parents to ignore George Christensen, a member of his own government, after labelling the member for Dawson's calls for them not to immunise their children as "dangerous".

The Queensland MP, who has announced he will not contest the next election, released a podcast on Tuesday morning under the title "Do NOT vax your children" accompanied by an interview with Dr Robert Malone, whose views on COVID-19 vaccinations have been widely debunked.

Dr Malone has been permanently suspended from Twitter for spreading COVID-19 misinformation.

"I strongly disagree with the message sent out by Mr Christensen regarding children's vaccinations," Mr Morrison said in a statement.

"It is contrary to the official professional medical advice provided to the government, and I urge parents to disregard his dangerous messages in relation to vaccines."

Mr Morrison said vaccinations were "our primary weapon against this virus" currently sweeping through the Australian population.

The statement, issued on Tuesday afternoon, made no mention of any action the government might take against Mr Christensen.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said the inaction was a "failure of leadership" on the part of the Prime Minister.

"Scott Morrison has just presided over a circumstance, which has been watched by the whole world, of the deportation of Novak Djokovic," he told Sydney radio 2SM.

"At the same time that, eventually, there was action taken, there's been no action taken whatsoever against [South Australian Liberal Senator] Alex Antic, George Christensen, and [Queensland Nationals Senator] Matt Canavan at various times.

"They have said some rather extraordinary things. These are people who are out there promoting ideas that are based upon conspiracy theories, which, if listened to, would have a bad health outcome for people who would follow their advice."

Mr Christensen's Nationals partyroom colleague Darren Chester went further than the Prime Minister, calling out the "reckless" claim, which he described as "just more of the same conspiracy theory crap".

Former Nationals leader Michael McCormack, meanwhile, seemed to suggest Mr Christensen needed to be "pulled into line" in a Twitter post on Tuesday night.

But the Nationals' leader, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, has long said Mr Christensen had a right to express his views.

"We've got anti-vaxxers, certainly, but they're not from overseas," Mr Joyce told this masthead earlier this week.

"What can [we] do? As much as [Immigration Minister Alex] Hawke would like, he can't send any of our politicians to Serbia."

But Mr Albanese said that as government MPs, they had extra responsibility.

"As Australians, they can say whatever they like, but these are government members," he said. "They shouldn't say whatever they like as members of the Australian government."

Earlier, Health Minister Greg Hunt said he had not heard about Mr Christensen's comments.

"Vaccinations save lives and I would flatly, plainly disagree with anyone who said that," he said.

"Anti-vaxxers aren't just losing the debate, they've lost the debate.

"We're at a 95 per cent national 16-plus vaccination rate. That's beyond the conception of almost any commentator or observer through the course of the pandemic, and yet we pushed through."

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/pm-tells-australians-to-disregard-george-christensen-over-dangerous-vaccine-advice-20220118-p59pa6.html

https://www.georgechristensen.com.au/podcast

#15403887 at 2022-01-18 07:30:20 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

>>15175352
Australia suffers deadliest day of pandemic as Omicron drives up hospital cases

Renju Jose - January 18, 2022

SYDNEY, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Australia suffered its deadliest day of the pandemic on Tuesday as a fast-moving Omicron outbreak continued to push up hospitalisation rates to record levels, even as daily infections eased slightly.

Australia is dealing with its worst COVID-19 outbreak, fuelled by the Omicron variant of the coronavirus that has put more people in hospitals and intensive care than at any time during the pandemic.

A total of 77 deaths was recorded, exceeding the previous national high of 57 last Thursday, official data showed.

"Today, is a very difficult day for our state," New South Wales (NSW) Premier Dominic Perrottet said during a media briefing as the state reported 36 deaths, a new pandemic high.

Only four of those who died in NSW had received their booster shot, prompting the state's health officials to urge people to avoid delays and get their third dose soon. Thirty-three were double-dosed.

"There needs to be a sense of urgency in embracing the booster doses," NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said. "For Omicron, we know that the protection is lower and we need that next boosting to get that higher level of protection."

The surge in case numbers battered consumer confidence last week, an ANZ survey on Tuesday showed, triggering self-imposed lockdowns and stifling spending even as states looked to avoid lockdowns and keep businesses open.

Omicron also dented Prime Minister Scott Morrison's approval ratings, according to a widely watched poll on Tuesday, putting opposition Labor into a leading position months out from a federal election.

Amid rising hospitalisations, Victoria on Tuesday declared a "code brown" in hospitals, usually reserved for shorter-term emergencies, that would give hospitals the power to cancel non-urgent health services and cancel staff leave.

To help public hospitals cope, the federal government has activated a plan for private hospitals to provide up to 57,000 nurses and more than 100,000 staff to Omicron-affected areas around the country, Health Minister Greg Hunt said.

While authorities usually do not specify the coronavirus variant that leads to deaths, officials have said most patients in intensive care were infected with the Omicron strain, with unvaccinated young people forming a "significant number".

Queensland said none of Tuesday's record 16 deaths in the state had received booster shots. Of the 45 people who have died in the state due to COVID-19 since Dec. 13, only one had received their third dose.

"Please come forward and get your booster, we know that it makes a difference," state Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said.

About 73,000 new infections were reported on Tuesday, down from a high of 150,000 last Thursday. So far, Australia has reported about 1.6 million infections since the pandemic began, of which around 1.3 million were in the last two weeks. Total deaths stood at 2,776.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-suffers-deadliest-day-pandemic-omicron-drives-up-hospital-cases-2022-01-18/

#15336619 at 2022-01-09 08:15:33 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

>>15175352
Australia's New South Wales marks its highest COVID-19 death count

Byron Kaye - January 9, 2022

SYDNEY, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Australia's most populous state, New South Wales, recorded its highest number of daily COVID-19 deaths on Saturday as the Omicron variant sweeps the country and lawmakers face pressure to close widening supply chain gaps.

The home to Sydney and a third of Australia's 25 million people reported 16 deaths from the coronavirus in the previous day. New South Wales reported 30,062 new infections, near record levels.

The second-largest state, Victoria, which hosts the Australian Open tennis tournament this month, reported 44,155 new COVID-19 cases and four deaths.

The country reported just under 100,000 cases overall, down from a record 116,025 the previous day, but still surpassing most previous peaks. Total deaths for the day were 36.

With the surge bringing a rush for government-funded pop-up testing clinics, the authorities have shifted their messaging and urged people to instead take rapid antigen tests at home, then report positive results to their doctor, who enters it into a database.

Authorities are calling for calm amid reports of bare supermarket shelves as people stay home to avoid infection and delivery personnel self-isolate due to virus exposure.

"We have seen very low rates of significant illness," federal Health Minister Greg Hunt told reporters. "It is the workforce furloughing which remains the principal challenge at this point in time."

The government and its health advisers have cut mandatory isolation times for close contacts and narrowed the definition of close contacts but were still reviewing the rules for furloughing workers, Hunt said.

Australia meanwhile plans to start vaccinating children aged 5 to 11 on Monday. Most states said they would begin the new school year as scheduled at the end of January but Queensland, the third most populous state, said it would postpone the return to school by two weeks to give children time to be vaccinated.

Despite the outbreak, political leaders have cited Australia's high vaccination rate - more than 90% of people over 16 are fully vaccinated - to justify a reopening plan. But several states in recent days have postponed non-urgent elective surgery to clear hospital beds for COVID-19 patients and reintroduced mask mandates.

New South Wales, which emerged from more than 100 days of lockdown late last year, has reinstated a ban on dancing and drinking while standing up in bars.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australias-new-south-wales-marks-its-highest-covid-19-death-count-2022-01-09/

#15318619 at 2022-01-06 09:12:35 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

>>15318615

2/2

Ranked No.1 in the world, Djokovic has won the Australian Open nine times and a 10th title would take him past rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who are tied with him for the men's record of 20 career grand slam wins.

Djokovic and his support staff arrived at Melbourne Airport late on Wednesday night and left about 10am on Thursday. Shortly afterward, media gathered outside the Park Hotel in Carlton, the immigration facility where he is being detained.

Legal sources told The Age that Djokovic's lawyers would need to highlight a substantive error in the decision to cancel his visa for him to stay in Australia, that it would be insufficient to review the decision again and that the standing as the world's best men's player would carry no clout in court.

Carina Ford, an immigration law specialist with no connection to the case, said Djokovic's lawyers would be mindful that anyone who has a visa cancelled can be barred from reapplying to enter Australia for three years, unless they have a waiver.

"It does have serious consequences," she said.

Djokovic has expressed anti-vaccination sentiments in the past, but believed he would be allowed into Australia after a letter of support from Tennis Australia.

Federal health authorities told Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley on two occasions in writing that people who were not vaccinated and had contracted COVID-19 in the past six months would not be granted quarantine-free travel to Australia.

The emergence of two letters from the Department of Health and Health Minister Greg Hunt in November casts doubt over why tennis star Novak Djokovic was granted an exemption to play in the Australian Open by health panels set up by Tennis Australia and the Victorian government.

According to multiple sources, the world No.1 men's player applied for an exemption on the basis that he had contracted COVID-19 in the previous six months.

In a letter sent to Mr Tiley on November 18, Department of Health First Assistant Secretary Lisa Schofield said that "people who have previously had COVID-19 and not received a vaccine dose are not considered fully vaccinated".

Ms Schofield said such people would "not be approved for quarantine-free entry, regardless of whether they have received foreign vaccination exemptions".

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/novak-djokovic-launches-court-bid-to-fight-deportation-20220106-p59mdp.html

#15316408 at 2022-01-06 00:58:53 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

>>15316397

2/2

Prime Minister Scott Morrison took to Twitter and said: "Mr Djokovic's visa has been cancelled. Rules are rules, especially when it comes to our borders.

"No one is above these rules. Our strong border policies have been critical to Australia having one of the lowest death rates in the world from COVID, we are continuing to be vigilant."

HOW DID IT COME TO THIS?

The Herald Sun understands that Djokovic was being held while border force officials assess whether he has sufficient evidence to enter Australia with a vaccination exemption.

Tennis and state government officials confirmed on Wednesday that the defending Australian Open champion - who has vocally opposed vaccinations - had been granted an exemption to compete in the grand slam.

They refused to detail the grounds on which the exemption had been granted but said having had coronavirus during the previous six months met the criteria.

Under Australia's border regulations, a federal source said: "If he's not vaxed, it just requires him to present a valid medical exemption."

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said this morning: "Unvaccinated people, as a general rule, cannot come into Australia unless there is a medical exemption.

"That (medical exemption) process has been led by the Victorian Government.

"My understanding is that the Border Force is reviewing that."

The news of the latest drama broke just as Djokovic's flight into Melbourne was landing, with a source saying the case could take a few hours or even up to a day to resolve. The source did not rule out the tennis star being booted out of the country.

Djokovic was still being detained as of 7am AEDT.

STATE VS FED

The state and federal governments traded blows on Thursday morning over how the extraordinary visa spat has played out - and who was responsible.

In a late night tweet last night, Acting Sports and Major Events Minister Jaala Pulford said the federal government had asked Victoria to formally support Djokovic's visa application.

"We will not be providing Novak Djokovic with individual visa application support to participate in the 2022 Australian Open Grand Slam," she posted at 11.14pm.

"We've always been clear on two points: visa approvals are a matter for the federal government, and medical exemptions a matter for doctors."

Concerns then emerged last night that Djokovic was seeking to enter Australia on a visa that did not permit medical exemptions to vaccination, allowing border officials to deny entry.

State government sources said while they were willing to follow the advice of independent doctors who had granted a vaccination exemption, sponsoring his visa was a different matter entirely.

One source said: "They might have to send him back or put him in immigration detention while the issue was ?resolved."

But the Australian Border Force has this morning issued a statement, contradicting Ms Pulford's claims.

"(The) Victorian government claims are incorrect, ABF did not request (the) Victorian government support a visa," a spokeswoman said.

"ABF reached in to Victorian government to validate their public statements about their support for his entry, and whether Victoria had further information related to his medical exemption documentation."

Djokovic's coach Goran Ivanisevic, a former player who took out Wimbledon in 2001, posted a selfie to social media from the waiting area of Melbourne Airport in the early hours of Thursday morning.

"Not the most usual trip Down Under," he wrote.

The post was met with a heap of fans voicing their support for the star.

"You have our support. #WeStandWithNovqk and #TeamDjokovic," one page wrote.

"Hang in there! #freeNovak," one added.

Another, titled 'novakdjokovic_fanpage_', said: "We are with you."

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/tennis/novak-djokovic-melbourne-arrival-for-2022-australian-open-after-gaining-medical-exemption/news-story/413a45117c7bc2e8ef6dce9489b16ee9

https://twitter.com/MichalSamulski/status/1478868396666241033

#15316397 at 2022-01-06 00:58:07 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

>>15312119
Novak Djokovic's visa is denied as world No 1 faces deportation from Australia

MITCH CLARKE, LAURA PLACELLA, EMILY BENAMMAR and MARC MCGOWAN - JANUARY 6, 2022

1/2

Novak Djokovic has had his visa cancelled in an incredible twist that could see him flown out of Australia as early as today (Thursday).

Australian Border Force made the decision on the grounds that he has failed to provide appropriate evidence to meet the requirements to enter the country.

A federal government source said he failed to provide proof that he had a legitimate medical exemption to vaccination.

It is believed that Djokovic has been transported to a quarantine hotel in Carlton and is expected to leave Australia on a flight later tonight.

On his official website the Australian Open has been deleted from his schedule.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has confirmed the visa cancellation following "overview of the exemption provided by the Victorian government process".

"Essentially, (Border Force) reviewed the exemption process and the material and made requests of Victoria as to whether or not Victoria could validate what they provided, and neither Victoria nor Mr Djokovic could, and so one rule for all, we've been very clear, very strong on that," he told ABC.

"The ABF can confirm Mr Djokovic failed to provide appropriate evidence to meet the entry requirements to Australia, and the visa has been subsequently cancelled.

"That's been a clear policy of the government to make sure that everybody's treated equally."

"Australians in so many cases have to show their own vaccination status in order to enter cafes or other things. It's not unreasonable that other people have to provide equivalent evidence.

"It is a matter for him whether he wishes to appeal that. But if a visa is cancelled somebody will have to leave the country."

The Herald Sun understands that three other players with similar exemptions to Djokovic's have already entered the country without incident, and that the World No. 1's lawyers are already preparing to challenge the ruling in court.

"Deportation!" Srdjan Djokovic later posted on Instagram after Australia's decision.

"Our pride, our Novak is returning … We should all welcome him as deserved!"

"That's wild," anti-vax tennis player Tennys Sandgren said as the news broke.

"It seemed like he cleared all the hurdles, but this is all pretty astonishing.

"This is sport, he's come to play tennis, but this is something else entirely.

"Everyone is asking what are the reasons and what is the hold up at this point."

Djokovic had been stranded at Melbourne airport since arriving in Australia at around 11pm Wednesday (AEDT) when an incredible visa drama began.

According to Djokovic's father Srdjan, his son was "isolated in a room" at the airport without his entourage or mobile phone.

"Novak is currently in a room which no one can enter," Srdjan Djokovic, told the B92 internet portal. "In front of the room are two policemen.

"I have no idea what is going on.

"They are holding my son captive. If they don't release him in the next half an hour, we will gather on the street, this is a fight for everyone."

DIPLOMATIC ROW

The matter has escalated in the last few hours with Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic now involved.

Shortly after 8am AEDT, Vucic announced he had spoken with Djokovic on the phone and told him: "Our authorities are doing everything to see that the harassment of the world's best tennis player is brought to an end immediately.'

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews says the Morrison government "make no apologies" for the cancellation of Djokovic's visa.

"The Morrison Government makes no apologies for our strong border protection arrangements. Australians know we will uphold the integrity of our border," Ms Andrews said.

"Every single person seeking to enter Australia must comply with our strict border requirements - no one gets special treatment. Individuals who do not meet our strict requirements will be denied entry to Australia, it doesn't matter who they are."

(continued)

#15299790 at 2022-01-03 05:20:56 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

>>15175352
Australia to push ahead with reopening amid record COVID-19 cases

John Mair - January 3, 2022

SYDNEY, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Australia's government said the milder impact of the Omicron strain of COVID-19 meant the country could push ahead with plans to reopen the economy even as new infections hit a record of more than 37,000 and the number of people hospitalised rose.

Record daily case numbers were reported on Monday in the states of Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania, as well as the Australian Capital Territory.

In New South Wales, there were 20,794 cases, higher than Sunday's figure but below the daily record of 22,577 set on Saturday, with testing numbers lower over the New Year's holiday weekend.

The national daily total hit a record of more than 37,150 cases, exceeding Saturday's 35,327 cases, with Western Australia and the Northern Territory still to report.

"We have to stop thinking about case numbers and think about serious illness, living with the virus, managing our own health and ensuring that we're monitoring those symptoms and we keep our economy going," Prime Minister Scott Morrison told Channel Seven.

Hospitalisations rose to 1,204 in New South Wales, up more than 10% from Sunday and more than three times the level on Christmas Day.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said the advice to the government was that the Omicron strain was more transmissible but also milder than other variants, which reduced the risk to both individuals and the health system.

Michael Bonning, chairman of the Australian Medical Association's New South Wales Council, said the significant increase in hospitalisations combined with the peak holiday period and the number of health workers exposed to COVID were putting pressure on capacity.

"With both the Christmas period and with hospital workers being furloughed due to their close contact status…. we're finding that it is becoming quite difficult to staff, especially critical areas of hospitals," he told ABC Television.

In late December, the government changed its advice on when people should get a free PCR test for COIVD-19, and is calling for greater use of rapid antigen tests, in part to relieve pressure on testing capacity.

But the rapid antigen tests are in short supply, and Morrison said the government would not cover the cost for people to test themselves, which he put at A$15 ($10.90).

"We're at another stage of this pandemic now, where we just can't go round and make everything free," he said.

Eight deaths from COVID had been reported on Monday, taking the national toll through the pandemic to more than 2,260.

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/australia-push-ahead-with-reopening-amid-record-covid-19-cases-2022-01-03/

#15247140 at 2021-12-24 08:19:52 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

>>15175352
Australia shortens booster wait as Omicron explosion turns holidays into chaos

Renju Jose and Byron Kaye - December 24, 2021

SYDNEY, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Australia on Friday narrowed the wait time for people to receive COVID-19 booster shots as another record jump in daily infections resulted in cancelled flights and sent Christmas travel plans into disarray.

From Jan. 4, the country would offer booster shots to every person aged over 18 who had their second shot four months earlier and the interval would be again reduced to three months by the end of the month, said federal Health Minister Greg Hunt.

"These dates have been set out of an abundance of caution to give Australians early continued protection," Hunt told reporters in Canberra.

Most states had been pressing the federal government to make more people eligible for boosters to stem the tide of Omicron cases, which reached 9,100 on Friday, up from the previous day's record of 8,200. While most new cases were previously in New South Wales and Victoria states, neighbouring Queensland and South Australia clocked sharp increases.

Media reported thousands of people planning to travel interstate for Christmas the following day had their plans thrown into chaos as airlines cancelled or postponed flights due to frontline staff being forced to isolate due to possible exposures to the virus.

Sydney Airport, the country's busiest, cancelled 80 of its 500 domestic flights on Friday, a spokesperson told Reuters, without giving a reason.

Australia has been looking to ramp up the rollout of boosters after becoming one of the world's most-vaccinated countries against COVID-19, with more than 90% of people over the age of 16 having received two doses.

A growing number of countries are reducing the wait time for boosters from six months after the emergence of the Omicron variant. This month, South Korea, Britain and Thailand cut that interval to three months.

Despite record cases, the Australians hope the hospitals will not come under extreme pressure from the new strain, which they say appears to be less severe than other variants.

The number of people admitted in hospitals is rising steadily, but remains far lower than during the Delta outbreaks. Just over 4% of patients in hospitals have been infected with Omicron as of Dec. 20, with only one in intensive care.

The World Health Organization earlier this month warned wealthy countries against hoarding COVID-19 vaccines for booster shots as they try to fight off the new Omicron variant, saying it threatened supplies for poorer countries where inoculation rates are still low.

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/australia-shorten-covid-19-booster-dose-intervals-january-2021-12-23/

#15241380 at 2021-12-23 07:34:40 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

>>15241362
Despite Omicron explosion, Health Minister says 'heartening' sign as number of COVID-19 patients on ventilators remains stable

Jake Evans and Georgia Hitch - 23 December 2021

Australians should not fear the explosion in COVID-19 case numbers, says the federal Health Minister Greg Hunt, as the number of people admitted to hospital with serious illness has not yet grown.

Record-breaking case numbers detected in multiple states in recent days - caused by the spread of the highly infectious Omicron variant - have triggered the reintroduction of some restrictions, as concerns grow ahead of the holiday season.

But Mr Hunt said that, while there was still a need for caution, he was relieved to see the growth in cases had not translated into a spike in patients in intensive care.

"Ventilation a week ago was 54 patients with COVID around Australia. As of yesterday, there were still 54 patients on ventilation with COVID. So, despite the increase in case numbers, there had been zero increase in ventilated numbers," Mr Hunt said.

"Now these things can change, there can be a lag, so I don't want to make false promises on this.

"But [this situation is] very, very heartening."

Mr Hunt also noted that there were 112 patients in intensive care with COVID-19 yesterday, an increase of just three people from a week earlier.

"Despite an increase in case numbers, we're not seeing an increase in these serious cases [requiring] ICU or ventilation" Mr Hunt said.

He reaffirmed that the health system was prepared to manage an increase in hospital admissions.

In the past 24 hours in New South Wales, COVID-related hospital admissions rose from 302 to 347, with that state having 45 people in ICU.

In Victoria, acting Premier James Merlino said the state's vaccination rates there meant it was in a good position to face off Omicron but that masks and other measures were needed to make sure the health system was not overwhelmed.

There are currently 398 people in Victorian hospitals with COVID-19.

In Queensland, despite record case numbers, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the "good news" was there was only one person in hospital with COVID-19.

There are three people in hospital in the ACT, with none in ICU, five people are in hospital in South Australia but none were in ICU, and one in Tasmania, who is being treated for a different condition but who also has COVID-19.

Hunt says Australia has booster supplies

Mr Hunt also sought to reassure Australians that the government already had vaccine supplies ready for its booster program.

General John Frewen - who is overseeing the national vaccine rollout - said yesterday that there were five million doses already in fridges at vaccination sites across the country, and 20 million in the country ready to be distributed.

He said he hoped that, by January 10, when 5-11-year-olds will become eligible for the vaccine, Australia would be administering two million doses a week.

Already, 1.8 million boosters have been administered, which Mr Hunt said was half a million ahead of the government's expectations for this time of year.

ATAGI 'continuously' reviewing timeframes

Mr Hunt said the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) is actively assessing whether the interval between the second vaccine dose and a booster shot needs to be shortened.

"We've continued to follow [ATAGI's] advice, and they are going through what they call 'continuous review'," Mr Hunt said.

ATAGI has already recommended the timeframe be reduced from six months to five, but several state leaders have called for it to be reduced further.

Earlier today, Victoria's chief health officer Brett Sutton pushed for ATAGI to drop the timeframe to four months.

"The difference between four and five months at the moment is who is eligible to get it right now as we face very large numbers of Omicron, and so having those individuals eligible and receiving that booster will protect them," Mr Sutton said.

"We need as many people in that category already boosted as we possibly can, especially those at risk of dying."

Mr Hunt criticised those pushing for ATAGI to shorten the timeframe, including Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese, saying the panel should be able to make its decision without interference.

Earlier today, Mr Albanese told Channel Nine he expected ATAGI to shorten the timeframe.

"All the medical advice from overseas and the experience that we have is that it should be, and I am sure that ATAGI will come up with that recommendation," Mr Albanese said.

Mr Hunt said the comment was "utterly irresponsible and utterly inappropriate".

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-23/Greg-Hunt-reassures-omicron-icu-ventilator-cases-stable/100722410

#15241365 at 2021-12-23 07:30:15 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

>>15241362
Victoria makes masks mandatory indoors as state records 2,005 COVID-19 cases and 10 deaths

abc.net.au - 23 December 2021

1/2

Victoria's Chief Health Officer says an indoor mask mandate coming into effect tonight is a "critical" measure to dampen the spread of the Omicron variant, but an accelerated delivery of booster vaccination doses must be the "backbone" of the state's response.

Masks will be mandatory indoors in Victoria from 11:59pm tonight for people aged eight years and over, in a rule which applies to all indoor settings except private homes.

Acting Premier James Merlino said masks would also be required when people were moving around at major events of more than 30,000 people, but not when they were seated outdoors.

Mr Merlino said Victoria was in one of the "strongest" positions in the world to combat the new variant due to its high vaccination rate.

However, he said there was a "need to be smart" to make sure the health system was not overwhelmed.

"We are not considering going into lockdown," he said.

"The promise was, if you go and get vaccinated, then you can enjoy Christmas and New Year with your families and your loved ones and that's exactly what will happen."

Mr Merlino also recommended people work from home if they could over the festive season and that hospitality venues stick to seated service rather than have people moving about.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said reintroducing a mask mandate was a "small individual cost" that would have a "terrific impact on transmission".

"So please bear that in mind. Mandating wearing masks indoors, with the usual exceptions, is really critical," he said.

Victoria intensifies push for shorter booster interval

Mr Merlino also ramped up the government's advocacy for the vaccine expert panel ATAGI to shorten the interval between second and third COVID-19 vaccine doses from five to four months.

"I want to be really clear: the interval needs to be shortened and the interval needs to be shortened immediately," he said.

"That's the view of Victoria, that's the view of New South Wales, that's the view of jurisdictions across the country, it's the clear public health advice that we're getting."

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt today criticised those pushing ATAGI to adjust the interval, saying the expert panel should be able to make its decisions without interference.

"We've continued to follow [ATAGI's] advice, and they are going through what they call 'continuous review'," Mr Hunt said.

ATAGI co-chair Allen Cheng last week penned an opinion piece for Nine newspapers in which he explained that the group was waiting for more concrete data on Omicron and its interaction with vaccines.

"We need to consider the 'long game' - do we 'take the shot' now, or wait until the picture is a bit clearer with an eye to winter, variant vaccines and what might still come?" Professor Cheng, who is a former Victorian deputy chief health officer, wrote.

Professor Sutton said the evidence was "pretty clear" that the booster dose provided greater protection from hospitalisation, ICU and death.

"We need to respond to what's in front of us right now as an immediate and urgent concern, that's my view," he said.

"And I know that people are at risk without the booster dose and I want to see them, especially those most at risk, to have access to that booster.

"The difference between four and five months at the moment is who is eligible to get it right now as we face very large numbers of Omicron and so having those individuals eligible and receiving that booster will protect them."

Mr Merlino said the Victorian government was spending an additional $31 million to expand the rollout of the COVID-19 booster, opening more than two dozen new vaccination sites and extending site hours to 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

He said the state's investment meant that up to 900,000 doses could be delivered weekly in Victoria if the Commonwealth met its targets for vaccine supply.

Mr Foley said the latest measures were "overwhelmingly" in line with Professor Sutton's formal health advice, but declined to detail any measures recommended by Professor Sutton which were not implemented.

"I took all of Professor Sutton's advice into account, as I'm obliged to, I also took into account the impacts on the Human Rights Charter, which I'm obliged to, and I've arrived at ... what I consider to be a measured, necessary and appropriate and proportionate set of outcomes," he said.

Under the amended public health laws, the government must publish the Chief Health Officer's formal advice along with the Minister's reasoning for making pandemic orders within a week of the orders coming into force.

(continued)

#15229711 at 2021-12-21 06:28:00 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

>>15175352
Australia rules out lockdowns despite Omicron surge

Renju Jose - December 21, 2021

SYDNEY, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Australia must move past "the heavy hand of government" and authorities must stop shutting down people's lives with COVID-19 lockdowns, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Tuesday, as daily infections in the country shot up to a new pandemic high.

COVID-19 cases have been breaking records over the last several days, the surge fuelled by the more transmissible Omicron variant, but Morrison insisted that limiting the spread of the virus comes down to personal responsibility.

"We have got to get past the heavy hand of government and we have got to treat Australians like adults," Morrison told reporters, urging authorities to shift from "a culture of mandates" when it comes to masks and social distancing rules.

"We're not going back to lockdowns. We're going forward to live with this virus with common sense and responsibility."

Swift lockdowns and strict social distancing rules have helped Australia to keep its COVID-19 numbers relatively low at around 260,000 total cases and 2,154 deaths. But most of the country has been reopening over the last few weeks after higher inoculations despite the threat from the Omicron variant.

Authorities are now aiming to ramp up the rollout of booster shots with Morrison urging states to reopen hundreds of immunisation hubs shut down after demand slowed when double-dose rates in people above 16 years topped 80%.

Despite the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said "only a fraction" of those cases were ending up in hospitals. The number of people in hospitals has been creeping up, but remains far lower than during the Delta wave.

Around 4,600 cases were reported in Australia on Tuesday, exceeding the previous high of some 4,100 over the weekend. New South Wales, home to Sydney, became the first Australian state to top 3,000 COVID-19 daily infections, while neighbouring Victoria logged 1,245 cases. Other states have fewer cases.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-rules-out-lockdowns-despite-omicron-surge-2021-12-21/

#15223553 at 2021-12-20 08:02:25 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

ATAGI to consider three-dose vaccine schedule as states push for earlier boosters

Dana Daniel, Lucy Carroll and Timna Jacks - December 20, 2021

1/2

Australians may soon have to get a third dose to be considered fully vaccinated, as an expert taskforce weighs the evidence on the Omicron variant's ability to evade vaccines and state governments push to bring forward the timing of booster shots.

Premiers will urge Prime Minister Scott Morrison to agree to speed up the schedule for booster shots when national cabinet holds an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss public health measures to curb rapidly increasing case numbers in NSW and Victoria.

In advice to national cabinet seen by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee warned that Omicron could "strain health system capacity" even if the variant caused milder illness, recommending "minimal to moderate restrictions" and increased efforts to boost vaccine coverage.

"Masks should be mandated in all indoor settings including retail, hospitality when not eating or drinking, and entertainment facilities," the advice sent to the Prime Minister and state and territory leaders by Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said.

"Implementation of mask-wearing measures should occur prior to Omicron case escalation to have maximum benefit."

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard and his Victorian counterpart Martin Foley have written to federal Health Minister Greg Hunt calling for ATAGI [the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation] to make "specific determinations" for both states to have a fast-tracked booster program ahead of "a very challenging holiday and summer period".

Mr Hazzard told this masthead this would be critical in "beating the new strain."

"I worry that ATAGI are holding back on giving what is logical advice for earlier boosters because of concerns that pharmacies and GPs will be shutting down for Christmas," he said.

"There needs to be careful explanation that while there may be wait time in some places, people should still be eligible from the four-month mark."

The federal government is pushing back on the states to keep their vaccination hubs running throughout the booster program.

ATAGI last week advised that boosters be brought forward from six to five months - rendering more than 4.1 million Australians eligible for a booster by the end of the year, an increase of 2.4 million people. Just under one-third of those eligible have had their booster shot.

The AHPPC noted that the expert body "will continue to monitor the evidence and update its advice accordingly".

The expert body said in its advice that it understood ATAGI "will consider whether a three-dose rather than a two-dose course meets requirements for full vaccination status, noting that there will be significant considerations for implementation if this definition changes".

It called for a public awareness campaign "to reflect the importance and urgency of receiving booster doses once eligible" and warned that GPs, who are pushing the federal government to restore incentive payments to those giving vaccines, would be essential to the rollout.

"Continued strong partnership between the Commonwealth, states and territories, GPs, pharmacies, the Aboriginal community controlled sector and other providers will be required in the coming weeks to ensure a smooth and rapid rollout of boosters," the document said.

"Clear messaging is needed to maximise uptake of booster doses, including if ATAGI recommends accelerating shortening the duration between the second dose of vaccine and booster dose."

(continued)

#15217577 at 2021-12-19 05:44:15 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

>>15175352
Australia says it is well prepared for mounting COVID-19 cases

Sonali Paul - December 19, 2021

MELBOURNE, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Australian officials on Sunday said there was no need to clamp down on Christmas festivities even as new COVID-19 infections climbed in Sydney, with the country's high vaccination rate helping keep people out of hospital.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said he was confident Australia would not need to follow the Netherlands, which has reimposed a strict lockdown over the Christmas and New Year period to curb the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant.

"We're going into summer, we have one of the highest vaccination rates in the world and a very different set of circumstances. So we don't see that's a likely situation in Australia," Hunt told reporters in a televised media conference.

The Netherlands, he said, has suffered vastly higher infections and deaths than Australia over the pandemic and is now in the depths of winter when cases were more likely to climb sharply.

"We're well prepared and people are overwhelmingly … continuing to do an amazing job," Hunt said, referring to the more than 90% of Australians over 16 who have been fully vaccinated.

Australia's most populous state, New South Wales, on Sunday reported 2,566 new cases, up from 2,482 on Saturday. Cases in intensive care remained low at 28, which state premier Dominic Perrottet said was "incredibly positive."

Pressed by reporters on whether the state was being complacent in the face of mounting cases, Perrottet said the key metric was the number of cases in intensive care.

"It's a time for calm. But it's also an important time to go out and get your booster shot, because vaccination has been key to New South Wales' success," he said.

In Victoria state, new infections fell to 1,240 on Sunday from 1,504 a day earlier, with 81 cases in intensive care. Tasmania reported three new cases.

Health officials said it was not clear yet what the split was between Omicron and Delta cases among Australia's new infections.

Australia has fared much better than other countries in the pandemic after shutting its borders in March 2020, with around 247,000 total cases and 2,142 deaths.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-says-it-is-well-prepared-mounting-covid-19-cases-2021-12-19/

#15186799 at 2021-12-13 17:49:00 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

>>15186797

2/2

Australia is already the largest manufacturer of vaccines in the southern hemisphere through the CSL facilities also based in Melbourne and regarded as the ?nation's leader in the field of medical research.

The new facility will establish Australia as the only mRNA ?vaccine technology manufacturer currently outside of the US and Europe.

Industry sources confirmed the deal was worth "several billion dollars", although the exact price tag was deemed commercial in confidence.

The federal government funding component would come from grants under the $20bn Medical Research Future Fund.

General manager Moderna Australia and New Zealand Michael Azrak said: "Moderna is proud to be at the forefront of mRNA vaccine development and to be playing a role in the global response to the pandemic.

"We look forward to finalising agreements and starting work to develop onshore respiratory mRNA vaccine manufacturing capability here in Australia," he said.

The Victorian government said the facility would be built to produce 25 million doses a year but it would have the capacity to scale up to produce 100 million doses a year during a pandemic.

The Acting Victorian Premier, James Merlino, said mRNA ?technology was a "new frontier for vaccine development" and a "new weapon in the fight against a range of diseases".

"This is a huge announcement not just for Victoria but the whole country - being able to manufacture mRNA vaccines and treatments locally will lock in vaccine security both on our shores and across our region."

Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt said the facility would ensure Australians were given priority access to the most advanced vaccine technology.

"This is another key pillar in Australia's long-term medical manufacturing future, and we are looking forward to finalising the agreements with Moderna as soon as possible," Mr Hunt said.

"Ensuring Moderna has a manufacturing presence here will deliver Australia priority access to products manufactured here in Australia, by Australians, for Australians, using the most cutting-edge vaccination science avail?able in the world today."

Both the Victorian and NSW governments have previously stumped up promised funds for mRNA research, amid the federal government's troubled vaccine rollout prior to the Delta wave of the pandemic. The nation's vaccination rate is now among the highest in the world.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/moderna-vaccine-deal-to-deliver-100-million-doses/news-story/b024938df039874f7efec6fea5b8155e

#15180150 at 2021-12-12 06:55:07 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

>>15175352
Australia shortens wait time for COVID-19 booster doses as Omicron cases rise

Colin Packham - December 12, 2021

CANBERRA, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Australia said on Sunday it will shorten the wait time for people to receive a COVID-19 booster following a rise in cases of the Omicron variant.

Australia had previously said it would offer the booster to everyone over 18 who had had their second dose of the vaccine six months earlier.

But with rising cases of the Omicron variant, Health Minister Greg Hunt said the time interval will be shortened to five months after the second dose.

"A booster dose five or more months after the second dose will make sure that the protection from the primary course is even stronger and longer lasting and should help prevent spread of the virus," Hunt said in an emailed statement.

"Data from Israel shows boosters supporting reductions in the rate of infection in eligible age groups, severe disease in those aged over 40 years and deaths in those over 60 years."

Australia will use both vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna in its booster programme.

Australia is one of the most vaccinated countries, with about 90% of people over 16 fully inoculated.

Still, Australia on Sunday reported 1,556 cases in the previous 24 hours as infections lingered near the six-week high reported a day earlier.

Australia has recorded about 229,000 COVID-19 infections, well below the toll of other nations, and 2,100 deaths.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-shortens-wait-time-covid-19-booster-doses-omicron-cases-rise-2021-12-11/

#15175307 at 2021-12-11 10:02:27 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

#19 - Part 25
Qanon / Conspiracy Theory Hit Pieces, Australia and Worldwide
>>14852986 QAnon faithful gather in Vegas on their mission to save the world from Satan - Will Pavia - theaustralian.com.au
>>14865460 Video: The Passion of the Christ actor Jim Caviezel evokes Braveheart, tells QAnon conference to send their enemies 'back to hell where they belong' - Bevan Hurley - independent.co.uk
>>14865475 Sydney man's descent into QAnon and how he got out - Jitarth Jadeja was sucked into a dangerous world that almost destroyed his life. Here's how he escaped. - Nina Young - news.com.au
>>14928143 The doomsday cults have failed and vaccine victory is ours - For all the half-truths and gormless rhetoric from the likes of QAnon, Candace Owens and idiot podcaster Joe Rogan, this is a surrender. Reason and facts have won the day - Jack the Insider (Peter Hoysted) - theaustralian.com.au
>>14949278 Video: Ali Velshi: Even "Q" Is Disavowing Some of QAnon's Fringe Conspiracy Theories - MSNBC
>>14988985 Protests erupt in Melbourne's CBD as vaccination mandates come into effect - A massive protest against the Pandemic Bill in Melbourne saw some bizarre conspiracy theories touted by the crowd - Helena Burke - news.com.au
>>14989021 Thousands take to Melbourne's CBD to protest new pandemic laws, vaccine mandate - 'Some speakers pointed to the QAnon conspiracy theory' - Rachael Dexter and Marta Pascual Juanola - theage.com.au
>>14995182 QAnon: how the far-right cult took Australians down a 'rabbit hole' of extremism - Van Badham - theguardian.com
>>15025557 Left's post-lockdown deb ball at Trades Hall - The launch of Van Badham's book QAnon and On, "already ranked number one in the conspiracy theories category of the Kindle bookstore" - Stephen Brook and Samantha Hutchinson - theage.com.au

>>15025562 QAnon Changes Strategies and Spreads Globally - How the appeal of the baseless conspiracy theory is taking hold in Australia, where anti-vaxxer protestors are using QAnon to speak out against lockdowns - CJ Werleman - bylinetimes.com
>>15025570 OPINION: Melbourne's conspiracy movement is traumatised, incoherent, and potentially dangerous - Elise Thomas - theage.com.au
>>15032771 OPINION: A gallows and words of menace imported from the (dis)United States - Tony Wright - theage.com.au
>>15033557 Kevin Rudd Tweet: Video: Premier Andrews is right to call out Morrison's offensive courting of political extremists at the expense of ordinary law-abiding Australians. Whether it's far-right radicals, anti-vaxxers or the QAnon cult. Just appalling.
>>15087552 'Freedom' rally fills Melbourne's streets again to protest vaccine mandates - People carried signs with slogans such as "my body, my choice"...Others alluded to QAnon conspiracy theories - Tom Cowie and Ashleigh McMillan - theage.com.au
>>15126538 Greg Hunt resignation: a beautiful speech wasted on the fringes - Jack the Insider (Peter Hoysted) - theaustralian.com.au
>>15149978 George Christensen uses US conspiracy show 'Infowars' appearance to call for Australian embassy protests
>>15162807 Peter Dutton blasts QAnon and other online conspiracy groups spreading "unbelievably dangerous" conspiracy theories

#15175297 at 2021-12-11 09:56:28 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

#19 - Part 19
Coronavirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Australia and Worldwide - Part 2
>>14989074 Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Protest organiser Karen Brewer arrested for breach of bail
>>14995387 Video: Australian Football League Covid news - Vaccine-hesitant Carlton defender Liam Jones announces his retirement
>>14995454 Young children unlikely to be vaccinated against COVID until 2022, Health Minister Greg Hunt says
>>15010021 Victorian government agrees to changes to proposed pandemic bill as protests continue
>>15033557 Kevin Rudd Tweet: Video: Premier Andrews is right to call out Morrison's offensive courting of political extremists at the expense of ordinary law-abiding Australians. Whether it's far-right radicals, anti-vaxxers or the QAnon cult. Just appalling.
>>15042123 Melbourne's 'freedom' protest fever spreads across the country
>>15042135 Prominent 'freedom' protesters back Craig Kelly and Clive Palmer
>>15046333 Video: ENORMOUS Protests Across Australia: Compilation Of Massive Rallies From Perth, Melbourne, Sydney+++ - Tim Truth
>>15054022 Australia to reopen to foreign visa holders in bid to revive economy
>>15061072 Gladys Berejiklian reacts after NSW Health advice on Sydney lockdown released

>>15081800 Australia's border to remain open to South Africa despite emergence of new Covid variant
>>15086604 Video: WHO classifies South Africa COVID strain as variant 'of concern', names it Omicron
>>15086619, >>15086626 Video: Government introduces bans on Africa travel over new Omicron COVID variant
>>15087495 South African traveller in Howard Springs quarantine tested for new Omicron COVID variant, as Katherine moves from lockdown to lockout
>>15087660 More border bans flagged as Omicron variant alarms chief health officers
>>15092331 Video: Tourism Minister Dan Tehan won't rule out tougher international travel restrictions; fears Omicron has landed in Australia
>>15092340 Two returned travellers from southern Africa test positive to omicron Covid variant in NSW
>>15094387 Omicron - New, highly transmissible strain of virus arrives in Australia
>>15098064 Video: National Cabinet to meet to discuss COVID-19 Omicron variant, whether to reinstate hotel quarantine
>>15098077 Video: COVID-19 vaccine booster time frame to be reviewed after Omicron variant detected in Australia

#15175296 at 2021-12-11 09:56:04 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

#19 - Part 18
Coronavirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Australia and Worldwide - Part 1
>>14789391 Australia's Sydney to welcome overseas arrivals without quarantine
>>14793386 NSW becomes the first state to dismantle its quarantine program - Australians free to travel in and out of the country without isolating from November 1
>>14798254 NSW hits 80 per cent double vaccination target against COVID-19
>>14798262 "The Everest" Horse race marks Sydney's emergence from long COVID-19 lockdown - The nation begins to live with the coronavirus through extensive vaccination
>>14800353 Melbourne to ease world's longest COVID-19 lockdowns as vaccinations rise
>>14800445 Australia secures two new "breakthrough" Covid treatments - Pfizer's COVID-19 oral antiviral drug PF-07321332 and antibody-based treatment Ronapreve
>>14806339 Some Sydney school students return as more COVID-19 curbs eased
>>14812510 Australia's COVID-19 cases remain subdued as vaccinations rise
>>14812514 NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner fires back at US Senator Ted Cruz over "COVID tyranny" social media post
>>14818568 Video: 70 per cent of Australians 16 and older have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, reaching national milestone

>>14818708 Video: Health Minister Greg Hunt chokes back tears as he reveals death threats to family
>>14825507 Victoria records 2,232 new local COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths as lockdown exit nears
>>14832011 Melbourne reopens as world's most locked-down city eases pandemic restrictions
>>14845523 Australia's Melbourne enjoys weekend of eased COVID curbs after long lockdown
>>14852846 Australia looks to roll out COVID-19 booster shots soon as curbs ease
>>14865313 Australia to lift outbound travel ban for vaccinated residents from next week
>>14865369 PDF: 'Draconian': Victorian Government introduces new pandemic laws into Parliament
>>14867402 Video: TGA approves Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for people aged 18 and over
>>14877399 Victoria records 1,656 COVID-19 cases and 10 deaths as Melbourne's retail shops reopen
>>14891612 Australia set for international border reopening for vaccinated public

>>14897856 Australia eases international border restrictions for first time in pandemic
>>14903487 COVID-19 restrictions in Sydney to ease weeks ahead of schedule
>>14928186 'Endangering the world': Anthony Fauci, GOP senator Rand Paul in fiery clash over Covid origins
>>14935232 Video: Eighty per cent of Australians now fully vaccinated against Covid-19
>>14942468 Coronavirus boosters likely for years to come: Pharmacy Guild
>>14942507 Australia's first coronavirus Delta vaccine, COVAX-19, developed by University of Tasmanian Alumni Nikolai Petrovsky
>>14949219 Australia begins vaccine booster rollout as more curbs ease in Sydney
>>14965279 Victoria records 1,003 COVID-19 cases as MP sounds alarm over threats linked to pandemic bill
>>14988985 Protests erupt in Melbourne's CBD as vaccination mandates come into effect - A massive protest against the Pandemic Bill in Melbourne saw some bizarre conspiracy theories touted by the crowd
>>14989021 Thousands take to Melbourne's CBD to protest new pandemic laws, vaccine mandate - 'Some speakers pointed to the QAnon conspiracy theory'

#15175286 at 2021-12-11 09:52:44 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

#19 - Part 7
Malka Leifer Extradition and Prosecution
>>14825539 Malka Leifer's lawyers consider seeking report on fitness for trial, court told

#19 - Part 8
Australian Government Sexual Assault Allegations
>>15104740 Video: Independent Review into Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplaces finds 1 in 3 staff in federal parliament experience sexual harassment

#19 - Part 9
Australian and Regional Resignations
>>14957532 Mike Hughes stands aside as managing director of Landbridge, the Chinese company that owns the lease over the Port of Darwin amid national security concerns
>>15112506 Two senior members of the Morrison government, Health Minister Greg Hunt and former attorney-general Christian Porter, will retire at the federal election
>>15119154 Video: Education Minister Alan Tudge stands aside amid abuse allegations, PM tells parliament
>>15150343 Magellan CEO Brett Cairns's abrupt resignation for "personal reasons" spooks investors

#19 - Part 10
George Papadopoulos Tweets, Alexander Downer and SPYGATE Revelations
>>14928326 George Papadopoulos Tweet: Remember these two individuals (Alexander Downer and Stefan Halper). Their names. And why they met a week before both started spying on me in London. #Durham
>>14928326 George Papadopoulos Tweet: Mueller was never there to "investigate." He was there to cover up. They never thought she would lose
>>14957376 George Papadopoulos Tweet: Strzok looked incredibly unhinged in his interview with Maddow. And we aren't even at the Joseph Mifsud, Stefan Halper, Alexander Downer part of the story
>>14957381 Video: Strzok Calls Out Durham's Russia Scandal Investigation For Pushing Pro-Trump Narrative - MSNBC
>>15002062 George Papadopoulos Tweet: Do not be surprised if the intel community burns all their assets used (Downer, Mifsud, Steele, Halper, Turk) in the Russia collusion trap because they understand what Trump and his team knew all along, as did Kissinger, you will need to cooperate with Russia to contain China
>>15042185 George Papadopoulos Tweet: Big names to watch moving forward in Durham probe: Victoria Nuland - US embassy personnel (London/Athens) - Alexander Downer

#19 - Part 11
Australian Defence Force Afghanistan Inquiry and Ben Roberts-Smith Defamation Trial
>>14789400 Judge refuses to move Ben Roberts-Smith defamation case across state borders
>>14806475 Journalist Ross Coulthart's private investigation into Ben Roberts-Smith, prepared for Seven West Media, should remain secret, say lawyers
>>14865509 Ben Roberts-Smith seeks top-secret evidence of 'key witnesses' in defamation trial - Army fighting a request from Roberts-Smith's lawyers to reveal what 12 Special Forces members told a top-secret inquiry into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan
>>14884963 Ben Roberts-Smith defamation trial likely to resume in 2022 due to uncertainty about restrictions likely to be in place for witnesses and parties travelling interstate to attend court
>>15025596 Former soldier willing to testify against Ben Roberts-Smith, court hears
>>15033279 Defence Department confirms criminal investigation into conduct of Australian commando platoon in Afghanistan
>>15042210 Australian Special Forces war crimes prosecution could be blown up by legal minefield
>>15061842 Judge rules Seven West Media's secret Ben Roberts-Smith report will not be available at defamation trial
>>15126709 Ben Roberts-Smith defamation trial set to resume in February

#15175273 at 2021-12-11 09:49:03 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #20 - INSURGENCY Edition

Notables
are not endorsements

#19 - Part 1
Australian Politics and Society - Part 1
>>14789393 AUKUS needed to counter Xi Jinping's aggression: Former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
>>14789397 Australia PM Morrison says he will attend U.N. climate summit
>>14795778 Australia considers world-first laws giving the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) authority to take over computer systems of any critical infrastructure business unable or unwilling to defend itself against a crippling cyber attack
>>14806352 Malcolm Turnbull on Murdoch, lies and the climate crisis: 'The same forces that enabled Trump are at work in Australia'
>>14812973 Japanese Ambassador YAMAGAMI Shingo Tweet: Delighted to welcome Defence Minister @PeterDutton_MP to my residence last evening! His leadership is essential for (Japan) and (Australia) to achieve a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.
>>14812973 Japanese Ambassador YAMAGAMI Shingo Tweet: Pleased to talk with Minister for Home Affairs @karenandrewsmp. I hope (Japan) and (Australia) continue to develop cooperation on various issues including cyber security and counter-terrorism.
>>14812980 Marine Rotational Force - Darwin Tweet: Two Forces, One Fight - "For the first time, Combined Task Force GINAN integrated over 2,000 U.S. and Australian troops from both MRF-D and Australian Army's 1st Brigade at Exercise Koolendong 2021".
>>14818708 Video: Health Minister Greg Hunt chokes back tears as he reveals death threats to family
>>14818713 ASIO warns foreign attackers may try to insert malicious code in critical infrastructure to exploit later
>>14818713 PDF: ASIO ANNUAL REPORT 2020-21

>>14818761 Department of Defence Tweet: The 2021 @MrfDarwin has departed from the NT! This marks the end of the 10th rotation of @USMC and Sailors through Australia's Top End. The #Marines will return to the Northern Territory in 2022.
>>14818761 US Marines depart Australia's top end - news.defence.gov.au
>>14825519 British defence chief General Sir Nicholas Carter says AUKUS security pact 'not designed to be exclusive'
>>14825530 'We feel the heat': Malaysia cool on Australian submarines
>>14825568 Japanese Ambassador YAMAGAMI Shingo Tweet: Delighted to welcome Minister for Foreign Affairs @MarisePayne to my residence. Thanks to her contribution, (Japan and Australia) cooperation has been and will grow from strength to strength!
>>14831650 Former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor who shot and killed unarmed Australian woman Justine Damond sentenced to 57 months in jail
>>14831893 Schools risk our next-gen security: Alan Tudge - Schools feeding students a negative view of history and undermining confidence in liberal democracy
>>14831917 Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority's revised Draft Curriculum gets C, must try harder - Education Minister Alan Tudge - theaustralian.com.au
>>14832023 Controversy over AUKUS pact overhyped, says UK armed forces minister James Heappey
>>14832365 PM announces $146 million strategy to combat child sexual abuse across Australia - 9 News Australia

#15175269 at 2021-12-11 09:40:29 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

#19 - Part 25
Qanon / Conspiracy Theory Hit Pieces, Australia and Worldwide
>>14852986 QAnon faithful gather in Vegas on their mission to save the world from Satan - Will Pavia - theaustralian.com.au
>>14865460 Video: The Passion of the Christ actor Jim Caviezel evokes Braveheart, tells QAnon conference to send their enemies 'back to hell where they belong' - Bevan Hurley - independent.co.uk
>>14865475 Sydney man's descent into QAnon and how he got out - Jitarth Jadeja was sucked into a dangerous world that almost destroyed his life. Here's how he escaped. - Nina Young - news.com.au
>>14928143 The doomsday cults have failed and vaccine victory is ours - For all the half-truths and gormless rhetoric from the likes of QAnon, Candace Owens and idiot podcaster Joe Rogan, this is a surrender. Reason and facts have won the day - Jack the Insider (Peter Hoysted) - theaustralian.com.au
>>14949278 Video: Ali Velshi: Even "Q" Is Disavowing Some of QAnon's Fringe Conspiracy Theories - MSNBC
>>14988985 Protests erupt in Melbourne's CBD as vaccination mandates come into effect - A massive protest against the Pandemic Bill in Melbourne saw some bizarre conspiracy theories touted by the crowd - Helena Burke - news.com.au
>>14989021 Thousands take to Melbourne's CBD to protest new pandemic laws, vaccine mandate - 'Some speakers pointed to the QAnon conspiracy theory' - Rachael Dexter and Marta Pascual Juanola - theage.com.au
>>14995182 QAnon: how the far-right cult took Australians down a 'rabbit hole' of extremism - Van Badham - theguardian.com
>>15025557 Left's post-lockdown deb ball at Trades Hall - The launch of Van Badham's book QAnon and On, "already ranked number one in the conspiracy theories category of the Kindle bookstore" - Stephen Brook and Samantha Hutchinson - theage.com.au

>>15025562 QAnon Changes Strategies and Spreads Globally - How the appeal of the baseless conspiracy theory is taking hold in Australia, where anti-vaxxer protestors are using QAnon to speak out against lockdowns - CJ Werleman - bylinetimes.com
>>15025570 OPINION: Melbourne's conspiracy movement is traumatised, incoherent, and potentially dangerous - Elise Thomas - theage.com.au
>>15032771 OPINION: A gallows and words of menace imported from the (dis)United States - Tony Wright - theage.com.au
>>15033557 Kevin Rudd Tweet: Video: Premier Andrews is right to call out Morrison's offensive courting of political extremists at the expense of ordinary law-abiding Australians. Whether it's far-right radicals, anti-vaxxers or the QAnon cult. Just appalling.
>>15087552 'Freedom' rally fills Melbourne's streets again to protest vaccine mandates - People carried signs with slogans such as "my body, my choice"…Others alluded to QAnon conspiracy theories - Tom Cowie and Ashleigh McMillan - theage.com.au
>>15126538 Greg Hunt resignation: a beautiful speech wasted on the fringes - Jack the Insider (Peter Hoysted) - theaustralian.com.au
>>15149978 George Christensen uses US conspiracy show 'Infowars' appearance to call for Australian embassy protests
>>15162807 Peter Dutton blasts QAnon and other online conspiracy groups spreading "unbelievably dangerous" conspiracy theories

#15175262 at 2021-12-11 09:35:35 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

#19 - Part 19
Coronavirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Australia and Worldwide - Part 2
>>14989074 Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Protest organiser Karen Brewer arrested for breach of bail
>>14995387 Video: Australian Football League Covid news - Vaccine-hesitant Carlton defender Liam Jones announces his retirement
>>14995454 Young children unlikely to be vaccinated against COVID until 2022, Health Minister Greg Hunt says
>>15010021 Victorian government agrees to changes to proposed pandemic bill as protests continue
>>15033557 Kevin Rudd Tweet: Video: Premier Andrews is right to call out Morrison's offensive courting of political extremists at the expense of ordinary law-abiding Australians. Whether it's far-right radicals, anti-vaxxers or the QAnon cult. Just appalling.
>>15042123 Melbourne's 'freedom' protest fever spreads across the country
>>15042135 Prominent 'freedom' protesters back Craig Kelly and Clive Palmer
>>15046333 Video: ENORMOUS Protests Across Australia: Compilation Of Massive Rallies From Perth, Melbourne, Sydney+++ - Tim Truth
>>15054022 Australia to reopen to foreign visa holders in bid to revive economy
>>15061072 Gladys Berejiklian reacts after NSW Health advice on Sydney lockdown released

>>15081800 Australia's border to remain open to South Africa despite emergence of new Covid variant
>>15086604 Video: WHO classifies South Africa COVID strain as variant 'of concern', names it Omicron
>>15086619, >>15086626 Video: Government introduces bans on Africa travel over new Omicron COVID variant
>>15087495 South African traveller in Howard Springs quarantine tested for new Omicron COVID variant, as Katherine moves from lockdown to lockout
>>15087660 More border bans flagged as Omicron variant alarms chief health officers
>>15092331 Video: Tourism Minister Dan Tehan won't rule out tougher international travel restrictions; fears Omicron has landed in Australia
>>15092340 Two returned travellers from southern Africa test positive to omicron Covid variant in NSW
>>15094387 Omicron - New, highly transmissible strain of virus arrives in Australia
>>15098064 Video: National Cabinet to meet to discuss COVID-19 Omicron variant, whether to reinstate hotel quarantine
>>15098077 Video: COVID-19 vaccine booster time frame to be reviewed after Omicron variant detected in Australia

#15175261 at 2021-12-11 09:35:02 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

#19 - Part 18
Coronavirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Australia and Worldwide - Part 1
>>14789391 Australia's Sydney to welcome overseas arrivals without quarantine
>>14793386 NSW becomes the first state to dismantle its quarantine program - Australians free to travel in and out of the country without isolating from November 1
>>14798254 NSW hits 80 per cent double vaccination target against COVID-19
>>14798262 "The Everest" Horse race marks Sydney's emergence from long COVID-19 lockdown - The nation begins to live with the coronavirus through extensive vaccination
>>14800353 Melbourne to ease world's longest COVID-19 lockdowns as vaccinations rise
>>14800445 Australia secures two new "breakthrough" Covid treatments - Pfizer's COVID-19 oral antiviral drug PF-07321332 and antibody-based treatment Ronapreve
>>14806339 Some Sydney school students return as more COVID-19 curbs eased
>>14812510 Australia's COVID-19 cases remain subdued as vaccinations rise
>>14812514 NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner fires back at US Senator Ted Cruz over "COVID tyranny" social media post
>>14818568 Video: 70 per cent of Australians 16 and older have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, reaching national milestone

>>14818708 Video: Health Minister Greg Hunt chokes back tears as he reveals death threats to family
>>14825507 Victoria records 2,232 new local COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths as lockdown exit nears
>>14832011 Melbourne reopens as world's most locked-down city eases pandemic restrictions
>>14845523 Australia's Melbourne enjoys weekend of eased COVID curbs after long lockdown
>>14852846 Australia looks to roll out COVID-19 booster shots soon as curbs ease
>>14865313 Australia to lift outbound travel ban for vaccinated residents from next week
>>14865369 PDF: 'Draconian': Victorian Government introduces new pandemic laws into Parliament
>>14867402 Video: TGA approves Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for people aged 18 and over
>>14877399 Victoria records 1,656 COVID-19 cases and 10 deaths as Melbourne's retail shops reopen
>>14891612 Australia set for international border reopening for vaccinated public

>>14897856 Australia eases international border restrictions for first time in pandemic
>>14903487 COVID-19 restrictions in Sydney to ease weeks ahead of schedule
>>14928186 'Endangering the world': Anthony Fauci, GOP senator Rand Paul in fiery clash over Covid origins
>>14935232 Video: Eighty per cent of Australians now fully vaccinated against Covid-19
>>14942468 Coronavirus boosters likely for years to come: Pharmacy Guild
>>14942507 Australia's first coronavirus Delta vaccine, COVAX-19, developed by University of Tasmanian Alumni Nikolai Petrovsky
>>14949219 Australia begins vaccine booster rollout as more curbs ease in Sydney
>>14965279 Victoria records 1,003 COVID-19 cases as MP sounds alarm over threats linked to pandemic bill
>>14988985 Protests erupt in Melbourne's CBD as vaccination mandates come into effect - A massive protest against the Pandemic Bill in Melbourne saw some bizarre conspiracy theories touted by the crowd
>>14989021 Thousands take to Melbourne's CBD to protest new pandemic laws, vaccine mandate - 'Some speakers pointed to the QAnon conspiracy theory'

#15175253 at 2021-12-11 09:30:19 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

#19 - Part 7
Malka Leifer Extradition and Prosecution
>>14825539 Malka Leifer's lawyers consider seeking report on fitness for trial, court told

#19 - Part 8
Australian Government Sexual Assault Allegations
>>15104740 Video: Independent Review into Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplaces finds 1 in 3 staff in federal parliament experience sexual harassment

#19 - Part 9
Australian and Regional Resignations
>>14957532 Mike Hughes stands aside as managing director of Landbridge, the Chinese company that owns the lease over the Port of Darwin amid national security concerns
>>15112506 Two senior members of the Morrison government, Health Minister Greg Hunt and former attorney-general Christian Porter, will retire at the federal election
>>15119154 Video: Education Minister Alan Tudge stands aside amid abuse allegations, PM tells parliament
>>15150343 Magellan CEO Brett Cairns's abrupt resignation for "personal reasons" spooks investors

#19 - Part 10
George Papadopoulos Tweets, Alexander Downer and SPYGATE Revelations
>>14928326 George Papadopoulos Tweet: Remember these two individuals (Alexander Downer and Stefan Halper). Their names. And why they met a week before both started spying on me in London. #Durham
>>14928326 George Papadopoulos Tweet: Mueller was never there to "investigate." He was there to cover up. They never thought she would lose
>>14957376 George Papadopoulos Tweet: Strzok looked incredibly unhinged in his interview with Maddow. And we aren't even at the Joseph Mifsud, Stefan Halper, Alexander Downer part of the story
>>14957381 Video: Strzok Calls Out Durham's Russia Scandal Investigation For Pushing Pro-Trump Narrative - MSNBC
>>15002062 George Papadopoulos Tweet: Do not be surprised if the intel community burns all their assets used (Downer, Mifsud, Steele, Halper, Turk) in the Russia collusion trap because they understand what Trump and his team knew all along, as did Kissinger, you will need to cooperate with Russia to contain China
>>15042185 George Papadopoulos Tweet: Big names to watch moving forward in Durham probe: Victoria Nuland - US embassy personnel (London/Athens) - Alexander Downer

#19 - Part 11
Australian Defence Force Afghanistan Inquiry and Ben Roberts-Smith Defamation Trial
>>14789400 Judge refuses to move Ben Roberts-Smith defamation case across state borders
>>14806475 Journalist Ross Coulthart's private investigation into Ben Roberts-Smith, prepared for Seven West Media, should remain secret, say lawyers
>>14865509 Ben Roberts-Smith seeks top-secret evidence of 'key witnesses' in defamation trial - Army fighting a request from Roberts-Smith's lawyers to reveal what 12 Special Forces members told a top-secret inquiry into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan
>>14884963 Ben Roberts-Smith defamation trial likely to resume in 2022 due to uncertainty about restrictions likely to be in place for witnesses and parties travelling interstate to attend court
>>15025596 Former soldier willing to testify against Ben Roberts-Smith, court hears
>>15033279 Defence Department confirms criminal investigation into conduct of Australian commando platoon in Afghanistan
>>15042210 Australian Special Forces war crimes prosecution could be blown up by legal minefield
>>15061842 Judge rules Seven West Media's secret Ben Roberts-Smith report will not be available at defamation trial
>>15126709 Ben Roberts-Smith defamation trial set to resume in February

#15175243 at 2021-12-11 09:25:52 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

Notables
are not endorsements

#19 - Part 1
Australian Politics and Society - Part 1
>>14789393 AUKUS needed to counter Xi Jinping's aggression: Former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
>>14789397 Australia PM Morrison says he will attend U.N. climate summit
>>14795778 Australia considers world-first laws giving the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) authority to take over computer systems of any critical infrastructure business unable or unwilling to defend itself against a crippling cyber attack
>>14806352 Malcolm Turnbull on Murdoch, lies and the climate crisis: 'The same forces that enabled Trump are at work in Australia'
>>14812973 Japanese Ambassador YAMAGAMI Shingo Tweet: Delighted to welcome Defence Minister @PeterDutton_MP to my residence last evening! His leadership is essential for (Japan) and (Australia) to achieve a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.
>>14812973 Japanese Ambassador YAMAGAMI Shingo Tweet: Pleased to talk with Minister for Home Affairs @karenandrewsmp. I hope (Japan) and (Australia) continue to develop cooperation on various issues including cyber security and counter-terrorism.
>>14812980 Marine Rotational Force - Darwin Tweet: Two Forces, One Fight - "For the first time, Combined Task Force GINAN integrated over 2,000 U.S. and Australian troops from both MRF-D and Australian Army's 1st Brigade at Exercise Koolendong 2021".
>>14818708 Video: Health Minister Greg Hunt chokes back tears as he reveals death threats to family
>>14818713 ASIO warns foreign attackers may try to insert malicious code in critical infrastructure to exploit later
>>14818713 PDF: ASIO ANNUAL REPORT 2020-21

>>14818761 Department of Defence Tweet: The 2021 @MrfDarwin has departed from the NT! This marks the end of the 10th rotation of @USMC and Sailors through Australia's Top End. The #Marines will return to the Northern Territory in 2022.
>>14818761 US Marines depart Australia's top end - news.defence.gov.au
>>14825519 British defence chief General Sir Nicholas Carter says AUKUS security pact 'not designed to be exclusive'
>>14825530 'We feel the heat': Malaysia cool on Australian submarines
>>14825568 Japanese Ambassador YAMAGAMI Shingo Tweet: Delighted to welcome Minister for Foreign Affairs @MarisePayne to my residence. Thanks to her contribution, (Japan and Australia) cooperation has been and will grow from strength to strength!
>>14831650 Former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor who shot and killed unarmed Australian woman Justine Damond sentenced to 57 months in jail
>>14831893 Schools risk our next-gen security: Alan Tudge - Schools feeding students a negative view of history and undermining confidence in liberal democracy
>>14831917 Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority's revised Draft Curriculum gets C, must try harder - Education Minister Alan Tudge - theaustralian.com.au
>>14832023 Controversy over AUKUS pact overhyped, says UK armed forces minister James Heappey
>>14832365 PM announces $146 million strategy to combat child sexual abuse across Australia - 9 News Australia

#15138506 at 2021-12-05 05:10:18 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

>>14798254
Australia regulator approves Pfizer vaccine for children 5-11

Lidia Kelly - DECEMBER 5, 2021

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia's medicine regulator on Sunday provisionally approved the Pfizer Inc coronavirus vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11, with the health minister saying the rollout could begin from Jan. 10.

The Therapeutics Goods Administration "have made a careful, thorough assessment, determined that it is safe and effective and that it is in the interests of children and Australians for children 5 to 11 to be vaccinated," said Health Minister Greg Hunt.

After initial delays with its general COVID-19 inoculation programme, Australia has swiftly become one of the world's most-vaccinated countries, with nearly 88% of Australians over the age of 16 having received two doses.

The high vaccination has helped slow the spread of the virus and promote a speedy economic recovery, with the government planning to raise its 2022 growth forecast within weeks.

The efficacy of vaccines against the new Omicron variant, which is spreading in Australia, remains unknown.

The most populous state, New South Wales, reported two more Omicron cases on Sunday, bringing the total to 15 cases, and the Australian Capital Territory confirmed its second.

Parliament House was closed over the weekend to the public until further notice after a staffer to a member of parliament tested positive to COVID-19 after the legislature's final sitting week of the year on Friday.

The variant of that infection case has not been disclosed, but health authorities said the staff was fully vaccinated.

While nationwide vaccinations are voluntary, states and territories have mandated shots for many occupations, and some require full vaccination to access most hospitality services and non-essential retail.

Australia's overall childhood immunisation coverage is also one of the highest in the world, with 95% of 5-year-olds inoculated with vaccines recommended for their age, health data showed.

The Pfizer vaccine for those children still needs the approval of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. Once approved, it will be available to about 2.3 million children in the 5-to-11 age group.

Despite battling many outbreaks this year, leading to months of lockdown in Sydney and Melbourne - Australia's largest cities - the country has had only about 834 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 7.9 deaths per 100,000 people, according to the World Health Organisation, a fraction of the toll in many other developed nations.

Australia has had just under 217,000 cases in total and 2,042 deaths.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-australia/australia-regulator-approves-pfizer-vaccine-for-children-5-11-idUSKBN2IJ0OM

#15126574 at 2021-12-03 08:34:41 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

>>14798254
Australia records first Omicron community case, authorities hold nerve for now

Byron Kaye - December 3, 2021

SYDNEY, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Australia on Friday reported its first community transmission of the new Omicron coronavirus variant, but authorities held steady on a plan to reopen the economy amid hopes it would prove to be milder than previous strains.

The new case, a school student from Sydney, was the first confirmed Omicron infection of a person who had not travelled overseas, a sign the variant was now in the community, authorities in New South Wales state said.

"Transmission is always a concern but we again need to keep it in perspective," NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard told reporters, explaining why Australia's most populous state was not reversing its staged reopening from strict lockdowns imposed in July due to the Delta variant.

"Worldwide there is no clarity around whether this particular variant is going to cause us anywhere near the problems that the earlier variants caused us."

Australia now has nine confirmed cases of the Omicron variant, eight in NSW, where a third of the country's 25 million people live. Although some states have tightened domestic border controls, the federal government is hoping to avoid a return to stop-start lockdowns.

Even so, it has postponed by two weeks a plan to let foreign students and skilled migrants into the country, and Australians returning from southern Africa must complete two weeks of hotel quarantine.

Asked if the federal government would stop targeting arrivals from southern Africa, now that the new variant was no longer limited to people who had been there, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said "we will continue to review the medical advice, but we follow it because it has kept Australia safe."

Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly, the government's top health adviser, said Australia would not recommend bringing forward vaccine booster shots, as other countries have done, as there was "no evidence" this would improve protection against Omicron.

Australia's aggressive COVID-19 response has helped it avoid the high numbers of COVID-19 deaths recorded in many other countries, with about 212,000 cases and 2,000 deaths.

The country's remote Northern Territory, which is home to most of its indigenous population, recorded its first COVID-19 death, an indigenous woman in her 70s.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-records-first-omicron-community-case-authorities-hold-nerve-now-2021-12-03/

#15126538 at 2021-12-03 08:18:53 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

>>15112506
Greg Hunt resignation: a beautiful speech wasted on the fringes

JACK THE INSIDER (Peter Hoysted) - DECEMBER 3, 2021

1/2

At just after three o'clock on Thursday afternoon, Health Minister Greg Hunt got to his feet to give his valedictory speech.

He spoke of the sacrifice made, not by him, but by his wife and his children. His children, Hunt said, had told him it was time to come home.

The highlight of the valedictory speech was a reference to the letter Hunt has kept in his office that he described as the most cherished person in his public life.

"I received a letter some years ago from Olivia. Olivia is the mum of Bella, who at the time was five. They were a family from a dairy and potato farm at Cora Lynn, just outside of Koo Wee Rup. Olivia said to me that Bella had an ultra-rare genetic enzyme condition, which led to liver fibrosis and that it was a terminal condition without treatment. It's so rare that there may at any one time be one child in Australia with it.

"There was no medicine in Australia and there was never going to be one that was listed. But, at her request, we asked the company to provide compassionate access from overseas, and thankfully they gave us the grace and did that. It's the letter on her 6th birthday, which I keep behind my desk, which I wish to read briefly:

"'Isabella celebrated her sixth birthday at the start of August, and I thought this was a great opportunity to thank you and update you on her progress. We are overwhelmed with her response to the Kanuma infusion she started two months ago. She's a changed little girl. Most notable for us is that she is no longer in constant pain. She's started to build muscle. She has bounds of new energy. She spends most of her free time playing on the gym rings outside. We hope to enrol her in gymnastics class soon.' Well, she's just turned nine. They did enrol her in gymnastics - and in soccer, and in cross-country. And, if there had been nothing else in these last 20 years, that alone would have been enough.

"But now, Mr Speaker, it's time to turn to focus on another family: Paula, Poppy, James, Elsa and Charlie, the Cavoodle. And there's a lot more to do over the next six months. To paraphrase my favourite film, The Princess Bride - we've all got our secrets - there's a country to protect, medicines to list, a budget to prepare and an election to win, but, when all of that is done, it will be time to come home. I honour the House."

Thank you for your service, Greg.

No one country could claim perfection in public administration through the pandemic, but any rational analysis would find that Australia's response was as good as it gets and that a great deal of the credit belongs to Greg Hunt.

And it might be enough to leave it there, to thank one of the most visible faces in the nation over the period of the pandemic, a man who exhausted himself to save Australian lives.

It should be but it's not.

Many stories in the media today speak of the tumult in the federal parliament over the last week in sittings for the year. An MP doxed, her phone number released on social media by another MP. A minister stood down over allegations of an abusive relationship. Abuse flying thick across the chambers. All this as the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Kate Jenkins released a report which detailed 37 per cent of respondents in parliamentary workplaces had experienced bullying and 33 per cent of people had personal experience of sexual harassment, with 1 per cent experiencing an actual or attempted sexual assault amid a culture of silence and a complaints mechanism that offered no hope of effective resolution.

There is work to be done and the recommendations contained in the report need to be adopted without argument.

As bad as that is, it is nowhere near the level of vicious rhetoric on display out there on the political fringe.

In the wake of Greg Hunt's resignation and that beautiful speech, a torrent of vile and violent abuse was directed his way from the so-called Freedom Movement that is anything but. The threats, dripping in cruelty and brutality, are always anonymous, no limits, no boundaries, not a skerrick of basic human decency.

(continued)

#15112506 at 2021-12-01 08:03:36 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

Resignations in the news

Greg Hunt and Christian Porter set to quit politics

Tom McIlroy and Phillip Coorey - Dec 1, 2021

Two senior members of the Morrison government, Health Minister Greg Hunt and former attorney-general Christian Porter, will retire at the federal election.

Mr Hunt is expected to announce plans to quit his Victorian seat of Flinders on Thursday, while Mr Porter confirmed reports he would quit after the damaging fallout from historic rape allegations and secret donations to fund his legal bills.

Federal Liberal Party figures told The Australian Financial Review Mr Hunt - who was first elected to Parliament in 2001 - would use the last parliamentary sitting day of the year to announce he would retire at the election, due by May 2022.

The former environment, industry and sport minister has repeatedly said he intends to contest the election. But possible preselection candidates have been positioning themselves to contest the Mornington Peninsula seat in the event he does announce plans to retire.

Mr Hunt holds the seat with a margin of 5.6 per cent and easily held off a challenge from Liberal turned independent Julia Banks at the 2019 election.

"I am preselected and running," he has said when asked about his future.

In September, Mr Hunt said he would like to stay on as Health Minister after the election, provided he had the support of Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

"It's as important a role as I've been privileged to have," he told 2GB.

Mr Hunt's office pointed to his previous statements when approached for comment on Wednesday.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg paid tribute to his "closest friend" in Parliament. The pair are godfathers to each other's daughters.

"We are very, very dear friends and he has been an outstanding health minister through this crisis," he said..

"The fact that Australia has one of the lowest mortality rates in the world and the fact that we have one of the highest vaccination rates in the world is due in no small part to the incredible work that all health professionals have done across Australia, but Greg as the Health Minister during this once-in-a-century pandemic has been absolutely outstanding."

Mr Porter used a lengthy social media statement to announce his decision on Wednesday afternoon. He moved to the backbench after refusing to disclose donors to a trust which paid the bill for his ditched defamation action against ABC journalist Louise Milligan. He strenuously denies allegations he raped a woman in the late 1980s.

The Financial Review reported last month Mr Porter was expected to retire at the election. He switched from state to federal politics in 2013.

Mr Porter decried the state of politics, saying there "appears to be no limit to what some will say or allege or do to gain an advantage over a perceived enemy".

"This makes the harshness that can accompany the privilege of representing people, harder than ever before.

"But even though I have experienced perhaps more of the harshness of modern politics than most, there are no regrets."

"After a long time giving everything I could to the people of Pearce it's now time to give more of what is left to those around me whose love has been unconditional."

Mr Hunt launched a strong defence of the government's management of the COVID-19 crisis in question time this week. He has overseen public health measures at a national level, and shared criticism for the delayed rollout of vaccines in Australia this year.

This week he has struck an optimistic tone on the risk from the omicron variant.

"Let us never forget, as a Parliament, that of all the nations in the world Australia is one of the few with a loss of life that is so limited," he said.

"Each life lost is to be deeply regretted, but no nation is immune. But few nations have done better than Australia. That's what is fundamentally important."

Former Liberal staffer Zoe McKenzie is among likely Liberal preselection candidates in Flinders. A director of NBN Co, she worked for former trade minister Andrew Robb and serves on the board of the Australia Council for the Arts.

https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/Greg-Hunt-set-to-quit-politics-20211201-p59dsx

https://www.facebook.com/christianportermp/posts/433955814960018

#15104707 at 2021-11-30 06:14:26 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

>>15104700

2/2

Professor Kelly said the country's chief health officers were continuing to meet daily to discuss the latest data on the variant, with signs still showing it caused mild symptoms, but more work was needed.

The effectiveness of vaccines against Omicron was one of the main concerns, he said, but the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee and national cabinet meetings would also be looking at public health measures in response to the strain.

"We do know it's transmissible. We don't know still about the vaccine effectiveness. We don't know about severity," Professor Kelly said. "This is a temporary pause so we can get that information that we need."

Tuesday's national cabinet meeting will receive an update on the Omicron strain, and Mr Morrison will outline the action taken by the federal government before leaders look at any measures state and territories also want to take.

"The purpose of this afternoon's meeting is to ensure that we're all on the same page about what this Omicron variant is, what its risks are, what its risks are not," Mr Morrison said.

Universities, which have been desperate for international students to return to their campuses, were racing to respond to the sudden changes on Tuesday.

The Group of Eight lobby, which represents the country's elite research universities, feared the pause would most impact hundreds of offshore medical students, many of whom were based in the US and Canada and had studied remotely during their first year.

"They need to be on campus and in our hospitals undertaking their clinical placements as soon as practically possible," chief executive Vicki Thomson said.

University of Sydney vice-chancellor Mark Scott, in an email to students, urged those offshore to "proceed with your student visa application", saying the university was continuing to plan for more arrivals in January once borders reopened.

The University of Melbourne also moved to reassure its 18,000 international students by email on Monday, saying it was "committed to doing all we can to ensure you are able to travel safely to join us on campus in 2022".

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said the decision to defer the reopening was not taken lightly and the government was "acutely aware" of the impact it would have on people, families and businesses.

"We have been very focused on doing all we can to open our international borders as safely but as quickly as we possibly can do," she said. "I do want to stress that this is a 14-day pause and we are working to ensure that we can open our borders as soon as we possibly can."

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the decision to keep the border shut to certain visa holders for a further two weeks was proportionate.

"What we've done is follow the medical advice," he told reporters on Tuesday morning. "Australia has dealt with challenges and we're ready for this, we're able to deal with this, and we want to give Australians that confidence."

https:// www.smh.com.au/ politics/ federal/temporary-border-closure-over-omicron-concerns-a-proportionate-response-Hunt- 20211130 -p59dbv. html

#15098077 at 2021-11-29 05:21:36 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

>>15086619
COVID-19 vaccine booster time frame to be reviewed after Omicron variant detected in Australia

abc.net.au - 29 November 2021

Australia's expert immunisation panel will review the time frame for COVID-19 booster shots, as the nation's leaders come to terms with the the detection of the Omicron "variant of concern".

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation's (ATAGI) current advice for the booster shot is that it be administered six months after a person has received their second dose.

Health Minister Greg Hunt today called for calm and insisted Australia was well placed to deal with the new variant should it spread in the community.

He said he had asked ATAGI to review the time frame for booster shots and said Australia's vaccine stocks could accommodate fast-tracking them if it was recommended.

"We will, as ever, allow them (ATAGI) to act independently and continue to follow their advice," Mr Hunt said.

"But we're prepared with supplies. We are already one of the earliest nations in the world, after Israel, to have a whole-of-nation booster program.

"If they recommend changes, we will follow those changes."

Early evidence suggests symptoms caused by the Omicron variant appeared to be mild.

Mr Hunt said 415,000 people had so far received booster shots, out of an eligible cohort of about 500,000.

Two cases of the Omicron variant were confirmed in NSW yesterday, and NSW Health authorities are conducting urgent genomic testing to determine whether another two people who arrived from southern Africa last night have the Omicron COVID-19 variant.

The Northern Territory has also recorded the strain in a man in quarantine who recently returned from South Africa.

The federal government on Saturday announced that non-Australian citizens who had been in nine countries in southern Africa where Omicron had been detected were barred from entering Australia.

Mr Hunt said the government would not hesitate to take additional measures if required, but the government's aim was to "remain safely open".

"We're in a vastly different position from where we were on February 1, 2020," Mr Hunt said.

"We are one of the most highly vaccinated, one of the most recently vaccinated, and one of the first to commence a whole-of-nation booster program from around the world."

CMO says it will take time to understand Omicron

Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said vaccine manufacturers Pfizer and Moderna were already preparing for the event that the Omicron variant proved more resistant to current vaccines.

But Professor Kelly said there was no evidence yet that vaccines were less effective against the strain.

He said it would take time to understand its severity.

"We know that there are several hundred either confirmed or suspected cases that have gone through that genomic analysis in South Africa," he said.

"We know that there are one or two confirmed cases from surrounding countries.

"There are handfuls of cases from parts of Europe, and so forth, very small numbers at the moment.

"What we know so far is the mildness of those that have travelled to other countries ... it will only be when we have larger numbers that we can make that assessment."

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is convening the government's National Security Committee this evening to discuss the Omicron variant, with a meeting of state and territory leaders also expected in the next 48 hours.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-29/health-minister-Greg-Hunt-covid-omicron-variant-booster-timing/100658110

#15094387 at 2021-11-28 17:47:36 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

>>15086619
New, highly transmissible strain of virus arrives in Australia

STEPHEN RICE and JOSEPH LAM - NOVEMBER 28, 2021

1/2

Two passengers who tested positive for Covid-19 on arrival in Sydney from southern Africa on Saturday night have been confirmed as infected with the new, highly transmissible Omicron strain.

The development came as thousands of returning Australians face at least three days of home isolation, with concerns growing that the new Covid strain will be "impossible to keep out", despite the nation closing its borders to nine African countries.

The two infected travellers, both asymptomatic and fully vaccinated, were among 29 who had entered Australia via countries of concern.

About 260 people, including passengers and air crew, have been determined to be close contacts and have been ordered to go into isolation.

Across the nation's airports, international arrivals took extra precautions over the Omicron strain as they prepared to enter quarantine.

Passengers arriving in Sydney Airport on Sunday morning on a flight from Guangzhou, China, wore hazmat suits and anti-Covid-19 face shields as they passed through immigration.

Authorities in Victoria and NSW have ordered all overseas arrivals to isolate at home for 72 hours, as authorities respond with caution to the new Covid-19 variant which reportedly has more than 30 mutations and has been shown to be highly transmissible.

The measures apply to all ?arrivals, regardless of their departure point.

Health authorities are now racing to identify all passengers who may have been in contact with the two cases.

Some travellers arriving from the affected African nations ?queried why they were being forced to undergo a two-week quarantine when passengers they had sat next to on the plane were asked to spend only three days in self-isolation at home.

The federal government has not ruled out closing international borders in response to the threat.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said he "will not hesitate" to make changes based on health advice, but added there was currently no evidence that Omicron was more dangerous than the Delta strain or more resistant to vaccination.

Travel and tourism chiefs expressed concern about the impact of the new strain on confidence in the industry. Flight Centre founder Graham Turner told The Australian he expected to see a drop in bookings over the next few days but predicted the new restrictions would last only a couple of weeks.

"If the vaccines are effective against the new strain, it won't change anything in the medium term," he said. "It just depends on how panicked governments get; it's a political thing, they have to show they're doing something."

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said his government's intention was not to move away from the December 15 deadline for a further easing of restrictions but "These variants are highly transmissible and it's highly certain they will get into countries around the world".

"That is just the reality of the situation," he said.

Victoria chief health officer Brett Sutton said the variant would likely become the new dominant strain but it might be "a step too far" to close borders to all international arrivals.

"It's going to be impossible to keep out, I imagine, so it's still important to buy time," he said.

(continued)

#15092340 at 2021-11-28 06:44:35 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

>>15086619
Two returned travellers from southern Africa test positive to omicron Covid variant in NSW

Genomic sequencing on two returned travellers has confirmed the new Covid-19 variant Omicron has officially reached Australian shores.

Rhiannon Tuffield, Steve Zemek and Anthony Piovesan - November 28, 2021

Genomic testing has confirmed two overseas travellers who returned to Sydney on Saturday have been infected with the new Omicron Covid-19 variant of concern.

NSW Health in a statement confirmed the development on Sunday afternoon after earlier noting the two passengers had undergone testing upon arrival and returned positive results for Covid-19.

Both passengers arrived in Sydney from southern Africa on Saturday night.

The two positive cases, who were asymptomatic, were in isolation in the Special Health Accommodation - Both were fully vaccinated.

The two passengers were among 14 people from southern Africa who arrived on Qatar Airways QR908 flight, Doha to Sydney, which touched down about 7pm.

The remaining 12 passengers from southern Africa are undertaking 14 days of hotel quarantine in the Special Health Accommodation.

Around 260 passengers and aircrew on the flight are considered close contacts and have been directed to isolate.

Scott Morrison earlier on Sunday avoided making a kneejerk decision on Australia's border, maintaining there were "too many unknowns" about the Omicron variant.

The emergence of the new variant has led to dozens of countries closing their borders and placing restrictions on multiple southern African countries, with Australia last night closing its border entirely to several destinations.

Australian now joins Britain, Germany, South Africa, Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong and Israel will confirmed infections of Omicron.

The Prime Minister on Sunday called the new variant "concerning", but said there were still too many questions about it to prompt rash decisions.

"We've always said there will be new variants. This is the nature of the pandemic - Australia is in the strongest position as we possibly can be to deal with these sorts of issues," he said.

"This is not like it was back in February and March of 2020 - we now have good knowledge, good advice, the uncertainties are not like they used to be, we have good systems."

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard emphasised that Omicron was still not well understood.

But he said keeping tabs on returning travellers from the countries of concern presented challenges, noting that the Delta variant took three weeks to sweep across 53 countries.

"We have to expect that Omicron may well already be here," Mr Hazzard said.

Preliminary evidence suggests Omicron can spread rapidly, including between people who are double-vaccinated, and scientists are determining if the new variant can reduce the protection of vaccines.

But Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has downplayed the severity of the new strain.

He said preliminary evidence, subject to emerging details, suggested there were no signs the strain was a "more dangerous disease" in terms of its impact on hospitalisation, serious illness or loss of life.

Mr Hunt also said there were no signs as yet that the strain was resistant to Covid-19 vaccines.

"But constant updating of medical advice has been what we've done throughout the pandemic and will continue to do," he told reporters on Sunday morning.

Australia swiftly moved to close its borders to a number of African countries overnight, after dozens of other countries imposed travel rules on southern Africa.

Meanwhile, Northern Territory authorities have been waiting on test results for a confirmed Covid case to rule out the new variant.

About 20 travellers believed to have travelled from South Africa were repatriated last week and are currently quarantining at Howard Springs.

One person has so far tested positive.

Authorities at home are attempting to track down at least 100 Australians who recently arrived home from the nine African nations without quarantine.

Those people will need to be tested, and quarantine immediately for 14 days.

Australia chief medical officer Paul Kelly will update state and territory counterparts daily.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/two-returned-travellers-from-southern-africa-test-positive-to-covid-in-nsw-sparking-fears-it-is-the-new-variant/news-story/ef65f91d41854ba29f830fa3589a2363

#15092338 at 2021-11-28 06:43:36 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

>>15092336

3/3

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Health Minister Greg Hunt met Saturday with Secretary of the Department of Health Brendan Murphy and Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly to discuss a response to the development.

Mr Hunt said anyone who was not an Australian citizen who has been in the African countries impacted by Omicron would not be permitted to enter Australia, as flights from nine countries were suspended for at least 14 days.

"Australian citizens and residents and their dependents arriving from these countries will need to go into immediate supervised quarantine for 14 days, as subject to the jurisdictional requirements of the relevant states or territories" Mr Hunt said.

The restrictions will apply to international students and skilled migrants arriving from travel bubbles who have been in any of the nine countries within the past 14 days.

"Anyone who has already arrived in Australia and who has been in any of the nine countries within the past 14 days must immediately isolate themselves and be tested for Covid-19 and follow jurisdictional quarantine requirements which will require quarantine for 14 days from the time of their departure from the relevant African countries," he said.

Victorian health authorities are working alongside federal counterparts to understand the potential local implications of the new Covid variant.

In a statement on Saturday, the Department of Health said: "In response to the new Omicron B. 1.1.529 COVID-19 variant of concern, Victorian health authorities are working with our Commonwealth and state and territory colleagues to better understand the potential implications of this new variant and which mitigation strategies are required to keep Australians protected."

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet is also implementing new measures, which will take effect at midnight Saturday.

* In line with Commonwealth measures, all travellers arriving in NSW who have been in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini, Malawi, and the Seychelles during the 14 day period before their arrival in NSW must enter hotel quarantine for 14 days, irrespective of their vaccination status;

* All travellers who have been in any other overseas country during the 14 day period before their arrival in NSW must travel directly to their place of residence or accommodation and isolate for 72 hours, pending further health advice;

* All flight crew who have been overseas during the 14-day period before their arrival in NSW must travel directly to their place of residence or accommodation and isolate for 14 days or until their departure on another flight that leaves Australia, consistent with the current rules for unvaccinated flight crew;

* Anyone who has already arrived in NSW who has been in any of the nine African countries within the previous 14 days must immediately get tested and isolate for 14 days, and call NSW Health on 1800 943 553;

*All unvaccinated travellers from any overseas country will continue to enter hotel quarantine.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/australia-to-restrict-entry-to-southern-african-nations-after-omicron-variant-emerges/news-story/9ed39f1888c5dd05e48319bdfc7d5941

#15092336 at 2021-11-28 06:42:51 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

>>15092331

2/3

From December 15, restrictions will ease for unvaccinated people while masks will only be required for public transport, on planes, at airports and for unvaccinated front-of-house hospitality staff.

Authorities are working to determine if the two positive cases have been infected with the Omicron variant - a concerning new variant which reportedly has more than 30 mutations and been shown to be highly transmissible.

Two travellers tested positive after arriving on Qatar Airways flight QR908 from Doha which arrived in Sydney about 7pm on Saturday.

Urgent genomic sequencing is underway to determine if they were infected by the new Omicron B. 1.1.529 variant of concern, NSW Health said on Sunday.

The infected passengers have been transported to special health accommodation where they will undertake 14 days of quarantine.

It comes as authorities are waiting on test results of a positive case who returned from South Africa to the NT.

While there are no direct flights between South Africa - where the Omicron variant originated - and Australia, 20 people were repatriated last week and are quarantining at Howard Springs.

One person has so far tested positive.

Authorities are yet to rule out whether the person has the Omicron variant.

Health Minister Greg Hunt on Saturday said he had spoken to his Northern Territory counterpart, and authorities were attempting to pin down the specifics of the case, with an update expected later on Saturday.

Mr Hunt said as it stands, there are no cases of Omicron in Australia.

But, authorities are also attempting to track down at least 100 Australians who recently arrived in Australia from the nine African nations without quarantine - as is the new norm in NSW, Victoria and the ACT.

Chief medical officer Professor Paul Kelly said he had been in touch with his state counterparts to enlist their help in mitigating any risk of outbreak.

"I can't give an accurate figure right now, but we're working with jurisdictions and with others to make sure this is the case," he said.

The new developments come as Australia will close its borders immediately to nine African nations as the world races to contain a new Covid-19 variant.

In addition, Australians who have been to, or are due to arrive from in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, the Seychelles, Malawi and Mozambique within the last 14 days will be ordered into immediate supervised quarantine.

Mr Hunt and Prof Kelly said the move was required after the World Health Organisation renamed B. 1.1.529 'Omicron' a 'variant of concern' overnight.

In addition, non citizens who have been in those nine countries in the past 14 days will not be able to enter Australia.

Restrictions are also in place for international students and skilled migrants who have been in any of the nine countries in the past two weeks.

All flights from the nine countries have been suspended for 14 days "as a matter of precaution".

Countries from around the world have rushed to ban flights from the region after the World Health Organisation on Friday declared the B. 1.1.529 strain discovered recently in South Africa "a variant of concern" and renamed it Omicron.

The move puts it up there with the globally-dominant Delta variant and its predecessors Alpha, Beta and Gamma variants.

(continued)

#15087660 at 2021-11-27 10:07:34 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

>>15086619
More border bans flagged as Omicron variant alarms chief health officers

James Massola, Lisa Visentin, Sally Rawsthorne and Latika Bourke - November 27, 2021

The federal government is prepared to slap further travel bans on arrivals from overseas as NSW on Saturday moved to introduce a 72-hour isolation requirement for all international arrivals.

As health officials were scrambling to understand the seriousness of the new COVID-19 Omicron variant, Australia closed all borders to all non-citizens from nine southern African nations.

The Sunday Age and The Sun-Herald can reveal that several state and territory chief health officers pushed for a temporary pause on all overseas arrivals during a meeting of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committees on Saturday.

Two sources familiar with details of the AHPPC discussions said several state and territory health officers expressed "significant concerns" about the fact that Australia's recently reopened borders left the country exposed to the Omicron variant.

In a sign of how seriously authorities are taking the emergence of the Omicron variant, federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said that even with 92.2 per cent of Australians aged 16 and over having had a first jab, the government "will be implementing additional precautionary border security measures in order to protect Australians whilst more is learnt about the nature and impact of the Omicron variant".

NSW went further on Saturday evening, announcing that all travellers who have been in any other overseas country during the 14-day period before their arrival in the state must travel directly to their place of residence or accommodation and isolate for 72 hours, pending further health advice.

Anyone who had already arrived in the state who has been in any of the nine countries in the previous 14 days has to immediately get tested and isolate for 14 days.

Premier Dominic Perrottet said the "NSW Government will continue to put community safety first by taking these precautionary but important steps until more information becomes available".

There are no known cases of the Omicron strain in Australia, and fewer than 100 people have arrived from southern Africa since November 1.

Asked if the federal government could go further than the temporary suspension of flights from affected countries, Mr Hunt said: "If the medical evidence shows that further actions are required, we will not hesitate to take them. And that may involve strengthening or expanding the restrictions."

Federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese urged the Morrison government to go further and reintroduce a period of quarantine as soon as possible for "all relevant international visitors whilst an assessment of what the potential health impact of this variant will be".

In reality, that could mean a much larger list of countries, including parts of Europe and North Asia.

"The precautionary principle should apply here," he said.

(continued)

#15086619 at 2021-11-27 03:15:20 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

>>15086604
Government introduces bans on Africa travel over new Omicron COVID variant

James Massola, Latika Bourke and Sally Rawsthorne - November 27, 2021

1/2

The federal government has announced all flights from the nine southern African countries affected by the new coronavirus strain, Omicron, will be suspended for two weeks.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt on Saturday said the travel restrictions also apply to people, such as international students and skilled migrants arriving under travel bubble arrangements who have been in any of the nine countries within the past 14 days.

These countries are South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Seychelles, Malawi and Mozambique.

Anyone who has already arrived in Australia and has been in any of the countries within the past 14 days, must immediately isolate themselves and get tested.

Mr Hunt also stressed that the emergence of the variant of concern came as the country was in a very different position that earlier in the pandemic.

He said there were no known cases of the Omicron variant in Australia.

"We'll just note that there are 20 people in quarantine in Howard Springs in the Northern Territory who've arrived from South Africa in the last week," he said.

They had all been tested with just one positive case and that case would be examined further.

"The difference is that we now have strong vaccines, we have one of the highest level of coverage in the world, we have one of the most recently vaccinated populations in the world. We have strong public health and social measures and we also have, most significantly, a well-prepared hospital system."

Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly on Saturday said the new variant of concern was the 13th identified so far in the pandemic and there was no evidence that it led to more severe illness.

"We do know that it is it does contain a large number of mutations. It is quite different to previous variants that we've been watching, but at this point other than understanding that it is transmissible between humans and is transmitting, particularly in South Africa, but also in those surrounding countries," he said.

"We did not at this point have any clear indication that it is more severe, or any definite indication of issues in relation to the vaccine. So I think they're crucial points to the reason why we're taking this precautionary approach, which is proportionate to that risk."

Europe, Britain and a host of other countries closed their borders to non-residents arriving from the Southern Africa countries due to the emergence of the variant.

There are no direct flights between South Africa and Australia at present, but a series of other precautionary measures are likely to be announced later on Saturday.

The NSW government does not plan to make any changes to the post-lockdown reopening road map, despite concerns about a new and highly transmissible variant of COVID-19.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard told reporters on Saturday that the Omicron variant appeared highly contagious

"That's concerning for anyone in public health across the world. At this stage, on the early evidence, it is possibly even more transmissible [than Delta]," he said.

"It could be something which is going to cause us a degree of concern going forward. We don't know if… any of the vaccines will work with the Omicron variant."

A Victorian Health Department statement said the government was "working with our Commonwealth and state colleagues to better understand the potential implications of this new variant and which mitigation strategies are required to keep Australians protected".

(continued)

#15081800 at 2021-11-26 10:14:19 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

>>14798254
Australia's border to remain open to South Africa despite emergence of new Covid variant

Health minister Greg Hunt says officials were assessing the threat but had advised there was 'no basis for change' to border arrangements at this stage

Michael McGowan - 26 Nov 2021

Australia has no plans to restrict flights from South Africa, despite the emergence of a new variant of Covid-19 which has prompted the UK to shut its borders to the country.

As the World Health Organisation called an urgent meeting to discuss the new variant detected in South Africa, Australia's health minister, Greg Hunt, said on Friday that officials were assessing the threat posed by the strain and would not yet introduce restrictions on arrivals from southern Africa.

While Australia would "be able to act quickly if there's advice", Hunt told media the country's chief medical officer, Paul Kelly, had advised him there was "no basis for change" in border arrangements.

The UK on Friday announced it would ban flights from southern parts of Africa amid concern about the emerging B.1.1.529 variant, but Hunt said international health authorities were still gathering information about it.

"The world is learning and looking [at] the strain," he said. He had been briefed by both Kelly and the secretary of the department of health, Brendan Murphy, on Friday morning.

"At this stage they are gathering information [but] we're flexible and if the medical advice is we need to change then we won't hesitate," Hunt said.

He said a repatriation flight from South Africa had arrived in Australia last week and the returnees had been in quarantine at Howard Springs in the Northern Territory. He was not aware of any cases of the new strain being detected in Australia.

It comes as Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's technical lead on Covid-19, said in a question-and-answer livestream on Friday that information about the strain was still emerging.

"What we do know is that this variant has a large number of mutations. And the concern is that when you have so many mutations, it can have an impact on how the virus behaves," she said.

The emergence of a new strain is by no means a first. Another variant, C.1.2, was also detected in South Africa earlier this year, but has not proven as infectious as the more common Delta strain.

However, the B.1.1.529 variant has raised concerns in the international community due to the "extremely high number" of mutations, which some researchers fear could help the virus evade immunity.

Whether or not the strain is classified a variant of concern by the WHO, its emergence has drawn renewed attention to efforts to help increase global vaccination rates.

South Africa's vaccination rate is only about 24% while in neighbouring Botswana, where the strain has also been detected, only one in five people have been vaccinated.

Prof Catherine Bennett, an epidemiologist from the University of Deakin, said the rest of the world needed to do more to increase global vaccination rates.

"Australia has now contributed 9m doses to partners in the region, some to the Covax program, some to funding, but it isn't enough," she said.

While Australia was "rightly" focused on our region, she said, low rates of vaccination across the globe remained a substantial problem.

"Vaccination rates like in Botswana really does leave you vulnerable," Bennett said.

"It doesn't have to be a super-infectious strain of the virus, it just has to get into places with those low vaccination rates. We don't know what will happen with this, it might fizzle out and the vaccine might work just as well. But if any of those things isn't quite right, you are putting yourself in a position where the virus might just make a bit of a leap in its evolutionary development."

On Friday Hunt defended international efforts for developing countries, saying there had been "extraordinarily high" rates of vaccination in some of those countries.

"Our spare vaccines are being provided but beyond that we're also working directly through the Covax program," he said.

"South Africa is doing everything it can to encourage vaccination within its population and to continue to expand its distribution network, but there are different challenges in different countries."

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/nov/26/australias-border-to-remain-open-to-south-africa-despite-emergence-of-new-covid-variant

#15042135 at 2021-11-20 09:03:03 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

>>14988985
Prominent 'freedom' protesters back Craig Kelly and Clive Palmer

Rachael Dexter - November 20, 2021

1/2

Some of Australia's most prominent "freedom" activists involved in the protests unfolding in Melbourne plan to stand for election alongside former Liberal MP Craig Kelly as candidates for Clive Palmer's United Australia Party.

A number of figures from the "freedom" movement - including one accused of inciting protests during Melbourne's lockdown - have also directed their support and large social media following to support Mr Kelly, who joined the billionaire mining magnate's party after quitting the Liberals in February.

Mr Palmer's party has received more than 1500 nominations for all 151 lower house seats and all Senate seats, and one political expert has forecast that the UAP could hold the balance of power in the event of a hung Parliament at next year's federal election.

NSW-based Mr Kelly, who quit the Liberals after being reprimanded for propagating unsubstantiated claims about COVID-19 and vaccines, has been campaigning hard in lockdown-fatigued Victoria in recent months.

Protests in Victoria are currently focused on the state government's pandemic bill, which would transfer public health powers from the chief health officer to the premier and health minister. Critics say the powers are too far-reaching and do not allow for proper parliamentary scrutiny of decisions.

Morgan C Jonas, a well-known social media personality in the protest movement and partner of Reignite Democracy Australia founder Monica Smit, is the most high-profile right-wing protester to announce his political plans with UAP.

"What we need is for real Aussies like you and me to get involved in politics. That is why I recently submitted my candidate application for the United Australia Party," Mr Jonas announced to thousands gathered at last Saturday's rally in Melbourne's CBD.

Mr Jonas said if he was endorsed he would "make it my personal business" to have "criminals like Daniel Andrews, Scott Morrison and Greg Hunt" removed from office.

"Who here is willing to roll their sleeves up and do anything it takes to secure the future of this country?" he called on the crowd, which cheered. "Who is willing to take action, get boots on the ground and play a role in getting them removed?"

Mr Kelly, who was appointed leader of United Australia Party in August, addressed the crowd alongside Mr Jonas last weekend, urging the crowd to help "kill the bill", referring to the Andrews government's proposed pandemic legislation and claimed he would "bring (Victorian Premier) Daniel Andrews to his knees".

Mr Jonas rejected any suggestions he was anti-vax, far-right or peddled conspiracy theories on his webcast which streams four nights a week and has featured guests, including Mr Kelly and Sunshine GP Dr Mark Hobart who is currently under investigation for issuing false vaccine exemptions.

"I've got nothing against people taking the jab, but I'm strongly opposed to coercion, threats and mandates," he told The Age.

Ms Smit stands accused of inciting people via social media by encouraging them to attend anti-lockdown protests in Melbourne in August, including ones where police were injured - two criminal charges of inciting others to contravene the Chief Health Officer's directions and three counts of failing to comply with a Chief Health Officer direction.

She is fighting the charges and her next court appearance is slated for February next year.

Other right-wing 'freedom' activists who have been campaigning against the bill, which is now stalled in the Victorian upper house, have been promoting Mr Kelly or UAP to their large followings. They include Avi Yemeni, Mel Ciechanowicz also known as Mel Ann, Fanos Panayides, Romeo Georges, Dave O'Neegs and Simeon Boikov aka 'Aussie Cossack'.

Christos Harisopoulo, a 53-year-old semi-retiree from Melbourne's west who is known in online circles for his satirical "Senator Papahatziharalambrous" character, also confirmed to The Age he had submitted his application to run for UAP. He said his concerns were for "loss of freedoms and medical seGregation" and mandatory vaccines, but said he did not believe in QAnon conspiracies, as others within the movement did.

Greg Barton, professor of politics at Deakin University, said the UAP's courting of fringe groups could prove a successful tactic in the event of a hung Parliament but would no doubt influence the entire political debate.

"It might be that some of these independents ended up in Parliament or it may be that it shapes the Coalition and their rhetoric," he said. "UAPs preferences are likely to flow to the Coalition."

(continued)

#14995454 at 2021-11-14 07:49:29 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

>>14798254
Young children unlikely to be vaccinated against COVID until 2022, Health Minister Greg Hunt says

Stephanie Dalzell - 14 November 2021

Australian children aged between five and 11 are unlikely to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before January, Health Minister Greg Hunt says.

United States regulators recently cleared Pfizer's vaccine for use among younger children, authorising a 10-microgram dose for children in the age group, one-third of the dose given to those aged 12 and older.

However, Australia's national medical regulator the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), is still reviewing the health and safety data for younger kids.

Once it gives the shot the green light, the nation's expert immunisation advisory body, The Australian Technical Advisory Group (ATAGI), will need to make its own assessment before the shots are rolled out to the younger cohort.

Appearing on Insiders, Mr Hunt said he believed that would occur early next year.

"The expectation that they have set is the first part of January, hopefully early January," he said.

"But it is in the hands of the medical experts. They operate independently. But they're going as quickly as possible."

Pfizer and BioNTech said their vaccine showed 90.7 per cent efficacy against coronavirus in a clinical trial of children aged five to 11.

But Mr Hunt noted the trial had far fewer participants than in the adult COVID-19 vaccine trials, as it was initially limited to 2,268 children in that age group.

He said ATAGI was watching the US closely.

"They want to review the real-world data coming out of the United States," he said.

"It was a very small clinical trial by vaccine clinical trial standards. Only a few thousand children. They will see very significant numbers of children in the general population vaccinated in the United States."

The Health Minister insisted that once regulators approved the vaccine for younger children, the government was ready to expand its rollout.

"We're in the fortunate position that we have the doses that we require," he said.

Need for annual booster shots unclear

Australia's COVID-19 vaccine booster program is well underway, with anyone aged over 18 who received their second dose of an approved vaccine more than six months ago now eligible for a top-up.

On Insiders, Mr Hunt was asked whether the government would introduce a "three-dose vaccine program," requiring Australians to have a booster shot in order access certain freedoms, like air travel or working in essential services.

The Health Minister said that was not the current plan.

"The advice at this stage ... is that you're regarded as fully vaccinated with two doses," he said.

"Everything is always under review but there's no plan to change that requirement at this stage. But as we've done throughout, we'll continue to follow the medical advice."

Speaking later at a press conference, Mr Hunt said it was unclear whether Australians would ultimately need more than one booster or even regular top-ups.

Mr Hunt said experts he had spoken to believed it was likely immunocompromised Australians might need more than one booster shot, but the general population might not.

"The world is learning as to whether or not there will be more doses required beyond the third shot or the booster," he said.

"At this stage there's no advice that is required but we've acquired the supplies if that is the case."

Missing duty-free shopping? You're in luck

Mr Hunt also revealed that, in another step in Australia's COVID exit strategy, travellers were now able to stock-up on duty-free shopping at Australia's international airports for the first time since the border was closed in March last year.

The federal government has lifted the COVID-related ban on retail outlets operating at international airports, two weeks after the border reopened.

Mr Hunt said Australia's rising vaccination rates had made the change possible.

"Duty free is back on! And it's another step towards the reopening of the country," he said.

Almost 82 per cent of Australians over 16 are now fully inoculated.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-14/young-children-unlikely-to-be-covid-vaccinated-until-2022/100619256

#14867402 at 2021-10-27 17:39:50 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

>>14798254
TGA approves Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for people aged 18 and over

Georgia Hitch and Stephanie Borys - 27 October 2021

Australians are one step closer to receiving COVID-19 booster shots, after the national medical regulator gave them the green light.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has approved booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine for people aged 18 years and older, six months after their second dose.

In a statement, the TGA said people could receive the booster shot regardless of what their first two vaccine doses were.

However, it did note that data on the use of Pfizer as a booster with other COVID-19 vaccines, such as AstraZeneca, was limited.

While the TGA has made its decision, boosters are not available just yet.

The federal government has to wait for advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) about exactly who it thinks should receive booster shots, and when.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said he would not pre-empt ATAGI's advice but he was "quietly hopeful".

"Subject to the ATAGI advice, we intend to commence the general population booster program no later than November 8," he said.

"We have the supplies, we have a distribution mechanism, we will work with the states, the GPs, the pharmacies."

Mr Hunt said the boosters would not be required by the federal government to exempt people from restrictions or rules, like being able to travel overseas without needing permission.

ATAGI met on Wednesday to discuss the matter, and Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he expected a decision would be made soon.

"The TGA approval which gives those booster shots for over 18s, six months apart, we will be starting with those in the aged care facilities like we did with the vaccine program," he told Channel Nine.

In the United States booster shots have been approved for people over 65, and in the United Kingdom for those over 50, as well as anyone who is immunocompromised or is a frontline worker.

Israel has offered Pfizer boosters to anyone aged 12 and older.

Mr Hunt said, pending ATAGi's approval, it would make Australia one of the first countries in the world to offer a "whole population" booster program.

TGA head John Skerritt said it was important to reinforce that having two doses of the vaccine provided "excellent protection" and boosters were about additional protection, particularly for the elderly or frontline workers.

"By January 1 there'll be 1.6 million people who will be six months [on from their second dose] or more," Professor Skerritt said.

"Because of the efforts of the government, including additional doses from overseas, there is more than enough vaccines in the system to cover that, should the advice come from ATAGI to do that."

Professor Skerritt also said the data and research so far showed the mRNA vaccines had no impact on pregnancies and there was no evidence to say booster shots would be any different, meaning pregnant women should receive one.

He also confirmed the TGA had received part of an application from Pfizer to approve its vaccine for use in children between the ages of five and 11.

"It'll take a few weeks but I'd hope that we get there by the end of November, but it depends on getting the full application from Pfizer," he said.

Mr Hunt also confirmed the Pfizer vaccine would now be offered at pharmacies and the Moderna shot would be made available at GPs.

Earlier this month, ATAGI recommended that booster shots be given to the "severely immunocompromised", with that rollout starting nearly immediately.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-27/tga-approves-covid-vaccine-booster-shots-for-over-18-year-olds/100571442

#14865313 at 2021-10-27 05:38:35 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

>>14798254
Australia to lift outbound travel ban for vaccinated residents from next week

Renju Jose - October 27, 2021

SYDNEY, Oct 27 (Reuters) - All fully-vaccinated Australian citizens and permanent residents will be able to leave the country without a special exemption from Nov. 1, authorities said on Wednesday, as Australia eases coronavirus restrictions amid a rise in vaccination rates.

Australians have been unable to travel abroad for more than 18 months without a government waiver, while thousands of fully-vaccinated residents living abroad have been unable to return due to a cap on arrivals to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Many of these are now expected to return after Sydney and Melbourne ended quarantine rules for inoculated travelers from Nov. 1. Other cities, mostly virus-free, are expected to ease their border rules once they reach higher vaccination rates.

"The national plan is working … (it) is about opening Australia up and that is because the vaccination rates are climbing so high," Prime Minister Scott Morrison told Seven News on Wednesday.

Australia's drug regulator, meanwhile, provisionally approved a booster dose of Pfizer Inc's COVID-19 vaccine for people aged over 18, as first-dose vaccination levels in people over 16 neared 90%.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said the rollout is expected to begin by Nov. 8 once the government receives advice from the country's vaccination technical advisory group.

The decision to lift the travel ban from next week comes after Singapore on Tuesday said it would allow quarantine-free entry to travellers vaccinated against COVID-19 from Australia from Nov. 8.

A third wave of infections fuelled by the Delta variant forced lockdowns in Australia's biggest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, and both have been gradually easing restrictions after racing through their vaccination targets.

Even with the Delta outbreaks, Australia has fared better than many comparable countries, with around 164,000 cases and 1,669 deaths. Victoria state reported 1,534 new cases on Wednesday, up from 1,510 a day earlier, while those in New South Wales rose to 304 from 282.

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/australia-drugs-regulator-approves-booster-doses-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-2021-10-26/

#14818708 at 2021-10-20 07:47:53 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

>>14818568
Greg Hunt chokes back tears as he reveals death threats to family

Rob Harris - October 20, 2021

Health Minister Greg Hunt has choked back tears while recalling violent threats made against him and his young family as the Australian Federal Police reviews the security arrangements of federal MPs following the stabbing murder of their British counterpart.

Mr Hunt, first elected 20 years ago, said the violent threats against MPs, including Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner at the weekend, must be "clearly, absolutely, unequivocally" condemned.

Mr Gunner's family had to leave their Darwin home after his personal address was disclosed in front of a large contingent of anti-vaccine protesters at the weekend.

Mr Hunt told reporters in Canberra he had never spoken about details of the threats received.

"There was a period where, yeah, the lives of my children were threatened quite openly some years ago, and that it was a matter of great concern. But we have very fine federal police in this country," an emotional Mr Hunt said.

"To those that think violence or the threat of violence is acceptable in any way, shape or form, it is not. As a country, we have to, I think, relearn the value of respect.

"And I don't mean holding … parliamentarians up on any pedestal. We're not better than anybody, but they're not worse than anybody.

"They are overwhelmingly public servants that seek to serve the nation, and there will be differing views and different approaches. But this notion of national tolerance and mutual respect is something I believe in … we follow the advice of the police at a state and federal level based on threat assessments, but it's that culture of mutual respect, which is critical."

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews met AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw on Tuesday after half a dozen Coalition members raised concerns about the safety of their colleagues and staff members in their weekly party room meeting.

She told Parliament on Tuesday evening that members should not let the murder of Conservative MP Sir David Amess at a public meeting with voters deter them from important work in their communities.

Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said he had received "a number of death threats" during his five years in Parliament and had an AFP security detail at times as a minister.

"Obviously that comes with what comes out of my mouth sometimes … but we live in a free country and I should be able to say what I want, within reason," the Nationals MP said.

"But obviously, I trust the AFP in making determinations of whether I need protection or not. I think Australia is a very mature country. They understand the political process. Some of them aren't as engaged in the political process as we'd like, but I think broadly we're a safe country."

Opposition home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally said she was personally thankful for the effort the AFP makes to protect federal MPs of all political persuasions and said she had received threats in recent months.

"When my children were younger it was quite stressful. I had situations as NSW premier where I had police in my house with their guns drawn, clearing rooms to ensure an intruder wasn't there, with my children upstairs. This is part of the job, unfortunately."

She took aim at several Coalition MPs who she accused of giving a "wink and a nod" to ideologically motivated groups, saying it was in the national interest that they were called out and rejected by everyone from Prime Minister Scott Morrison down.

"We all have a role to play in saying Australian democracy is worth preserving. It's better than this. If there are things that Labor can do to assist the government, in making a more secure environment, then I'm happy to do that," she said.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/Greg-Hunt-chokes-back-tears-as-he-reveals-death-threats-to-family-20211020-p591l0.html

#14818568 at 2021-10-20 06:46:12 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

>>14798254
70 per cent of Australians 16 and older have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, reaching national milestone

Jake Evans - 20 October 2021

Seventy per cent of Australians aged 16 and older have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, a national milestone in the government's plan to reopen the country.

While vaccination rates differ between states, causing a staggered move to ease restrictions, the national rate has now reached the major target set by the government to begin moving out of the pandemic.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the milestone was a testament to Australians.

"I can officially confirm that Australia has now passed the 70 per cent double-dosed vaccination rate for the 16-plus population," Mr Hunt said.

"To be precise, 70.007 per cent of Australians.

"It's a memorable number, but it's memorable above all else because it represents the movement at a national level to phase B of our national roadmap."

Under the national roadmap, the move to phase B happens when the national average, as well as the average in a particular state or territory, has reached 70 per cent.

Lockdowns become less likely, restrictions are eased for fully vaccinated residents, international traveller caps are raised, and international students and other temporary visa holders are able to enter Australia.

It also marks the beginning of preparations to administer vaccine booster shots.

Details of that program are expected later this month, but Mr Hunt suggested boosters would first be rolled out in aged care homes.

"We have the supply, we have the mechanism. The last part is the medical advice and the medical approval," he said.

'Patchiness' between states

Mr Hunt also celebrated the outstanding vaccination rate in Canberra, which is now one of the most vaccinated cities in the world.

"I think it's important to acknowledge what has happened here in the ACT," he said.

"The ACT is at 98.1 per cent first vaccinations. It is one of the most highly vaccinated societies in the world."

But Mr Hunt noted there was some "patchiness" between states, particularly among children aged 12 to 15, for whom vaccines have only recently become available.

While NSW and the ACT have surpassed 80 per cent double dose rates for the eligible population, Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory are not expected to reach their 70 per cent milestones until mid-November, and 80 per cent a month after that.

Nationally, 85.5 per cent of the population has received a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-20/national-double-dose-full-vaccination-rate-reaches-70-per-cent/100552790

#14800445 at 2021-10-17 04:17:16 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

>>14798254
Australia secures two new "breakthrough" Covid treatments

BLAKE ANTROBUS - OCTOBER 17, 2021

More than half-a-million additional doses of Covid-19 treatments have been secured for Australians, with the first 5000 expected to arrive by the end of the month.

The Federal Government on Sunday announced it had secured 500,000 treatment courses of Pfizer's Covid-19 oral antiviral drug, which will be used in combination with the protease inhibitor drug ritonavir.

Another 15,000 doses of the Covid-19 antibody-based therapy Ronapreve were also secured.

Early studies have shown the drug Ronapreve reduced the risk of hospitalisation and death by up to 70 per cent in positive Covid cases.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the initial shipment of 5000 doses was expected to be ready by the end of the month.

The supply will be held in the National Medical Stockpile.

Clinical trials are still being undertaken on the Pfizer antiviral drug but Mr Hunt said it is expected to help to reduce the severity or onset of illness in adults who contract or are exposed to Covid-19.

He said it is expected to be available over the course of 2022, subject to final clinical trials and approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administrator (TGA).

"This oral antiviral treatment is taken every 12 hours for five days and is designed to block an enzyme the virus needs in order to multiply early in its life cycle," Mr Hunt said.

"Co-administration with a low dose of ritonavir is expected to help slow the metabolism of the treatment in order for it to remain active in the body for longer periods of time at higher concentrations to combat the virus."

He said it was expected to be targeted for use in unvaccinated people who are at risk of developing severe disease.

Australia has also secured an advanced purchase agreement for 300,000 courses of the oral Covid-19 treatment Molnupiravir - expected to be supplied in 2022 subject to TGA approval.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/australia-secures-two-new-breakthrough-covid-treatments/news-story/f4e78b5f27bac653d25ffb30760130fd

#14789338 at 2021-10-15 09:04:33 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #19 - THE ONLY WAY IS THE MILITARY Edition

#18 - Part 21
Coronavirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Australia and Worldwide - Part 1
>>14395525 AstraZeneca to change vaccine brand name to Vaxzevria in Australia, in line with name already in use in Europe and the UK
>>14404403 Sydney imposes nightly curfew as Australia battles Delta outbreak
>>14404481 Health Minister Greg Hunt's family involvement in graphene and vaccines
>>14411862 Sydney police crack down on planned anti-lockdown protest, August 21, 2021
>>14412079 COVID-19 is accelerating the rise of conspiracy and sovereign citizen movements in Australia
>>14413607 Video: Police overwhelm modest Sydney anti-lockdown protest
>>14413620 Video: Anti-lockdown protesters clash with police in Melbourne
>>14422510 Australia's PM Morrison defends lockdown strategy until majority vaccinated
>>14433814 US gives Australia a cold shoulder on vaccines - Health Department confirms Australia has neither bought or received any shots from the US
>>14433953 Australia PM says pandemic focus must shift to reopening

>>14437099 Video: Scott Morrison persists with national reopening plan - 9 News Australia
>>14437099 Video: Scott Morrison challenges state leaders over ending COVID-19 lockdowns - SBS News
>>14437099 Video: Prime Minister Scott Morrison says COVID lockdowns can't last forever | 7NEWS
>>14443157 Scott Morrison's blast for slow states as vaccine rates lag
>>14452019 Australia pandemic panel, the Doherty Institute backs reopening targets despite Sydney outbreak
>>14461699 Sydney hospitals erect emergency tents as COVID-19 cases hit record
>>14461797 Race on for new Wuhan inquiry - Scientists tasked by World Health Organisation to probe origins of Covid-19 pandemic call for urgent start to inquiry's second phase, lest crucial evidence be lost
>>14477262 Rebel WA splits from national cabinet four-stage reopening plan amid health system fears - Premier Mark McGowan declares he will not "deliberately infect our citizens"
>>14477305 Wuhan lab leak plausible, Biden probe into Covid-19 origins finds - Sharri Markson - theaustralian.com.au
>>14483209 Australia logs record 1,126 COVID-19 cases, driven by New South Wales - epicentre of the Delta-fuelled outbreak

>>14483313 Video: Police on Hunt for suspects after COVID-19 testing clinic set on fire in Sydney's west
>>14486968 Video: Special investigation into the origins of COVID-19 to premiere on Sky News Australia - Sky News Australia
>>14490294 A weary Australia plans reopening as COVID-19 death toll hits 1,000
>>14490309 US Republicans push for Wuhan report evidence - Sharri Markson - theaustralian.com.au
>>14490378 'What Really Happened in Wuhan': Donald Trump among the insiders interviewed in new COVID-19 investigation
>>14495885 Half a million Pfizer doses from Singapore secured to help Australia's COVID-19 vaccine rollout
>>14496037 To land of the free, we're a weirdly authoritarian mob - Adam Creighton - theaustralian.com.au
>>14501959 Coronavirus: Shadow puppet-mistress pulling protest strings - Karen Brewer - 'a delusional conspiracy theorist hiding out on a farm in New Zealand' - Stephen Rice - theaustralian.com.au
>>14501972 Australia aims to 'live with virus' instead of eliminating it
>>14513048 Australian PM flags quicker reopening after COVID-19 vaccine swap with Britain

#14789256 at 2021-10-15 08:45:22 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #18 - Talisman Sabre: MAGIC SWORD Edition

#18 - Part 21
Coronavirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Australia and Worldwide - Part 1
>>14395525 AstraZeneca to change vaccine brand name to Vaxzevria in Australia, in line with name already in use in Europe and the UK
>>14404403 Sydney imposes nightly curfew as Australia battles Delta outbreak
>>14404481 Health Minister Greg Hunt's family involvement in graphene and vaccines
>>14411862 Sydney police crack down on planned anti-lockdown protest, August 21, 2021
>>14412079 COVID-19 is accelerating the rise of conspiracy and sovereign citizen movements in Australia
>>14413607 Video: Police overwhelm modest Sydney anti-lockdown protest
>>14413620 Video: Anti-lockdown protesters clash with police in Melbourne
>>14422510 Australia's PM Morrison defends lockdown strategy until majority vaccinated
>>14433814 US gives Australia a cold shoulder on vaccines - Health Department confirms Australia has neither bought or received any shots from the US
>>14433953 Australia PM says pandemic focus must shift to reopening

>>14437099 Video: Scott Morrison persists with national reopening plan - 9 News Australia
>>14437099 Video: Scott Morrison challenges state leaders over ending COVID-19 lockdowns - SBS News
>>14437099 Video: Prime Minister Scott Morrison says COVID lockdowns can't last forever | 7NEWS
>>14443157 Scott Morrison's blast for slow states as vaccine rates lag
>>14452019 Australia pandemic panel, the Doherty Institute backs reopening targets despite Sydney outbreak
>>14461699 Sydney hospitals erect emergency tents as COVID-19 cases hit record
>>14461797 Race on for new Wuhan inquiry - Scientists tasked by World Health Organisation to probe origins of Covid-19 pandemic call for urgent start to inquiry's second phase, lest crucial evidence be lost
>>14477262 Rebel WA splits from national cabinet four-stage reopening plan amid health system fears - Premier Mark McGowan declares he will not "deliberately infect our citizens"
>>14477305 Wuhan lab leak plausible, Biden probe into Covid-19 origins finds - Sharri Markson - theaustralian.com.au
>>14483209 Australia logs record 1,126 COVID-19 cases, driven by New South Wales - epicentre of the Delta-fuelled outbreak

>>14483313 Video: Police on Hunt for suspects after COVID-19 testing clinic set on fire in Sydney's west
>>14486968 Video: Special investigation into the origins of COVID-19 to premiere on Sky News Australia - Sky News Australia
>>14490294 A weary Australia plans reopening as COVID-19 death toll hits 1,000
>>14490309 US Republicans push for Wuhan report evidence - Sharri Markson - theaustralian.com.au
>>14490378 'What Really Happened in Wuhan': Donald Trump among the insiders interviewed in new COVID-19 investigation
>>14495885 Half a million Pfizer doses from Singapore secured to help Australia's COVID-19 vaccine rollout
>>14496037 To land of the free, we're a weirdly authoritarian mob - Adam Creighton - theaustralian.com.au
>>14501959 Coronavirus: Shadow puppet-mistress pulling protest strings - Karen Brewer - 'a delusional conspiracy theorist hiding out on a farm in New Zealand' - Stephen Rice - theaustralian.com.au
>>14501972 Australia aims to 'live with virus' instead of eliminating it
>>14513048 Australian PM flags quicker reopening after COVID-19 vaccine swap with Britain

#14757625 at 2021-10-10 03:40:53 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #18 - Talisman Sabre: MAGIC SWORD Edition

>>14404403
Australia braces for more COVID-19 infections as country moves towards re-opening

Lidia Kelly - October 9, 2021

MELBOURNE, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Australia was bracing for more COVID-19 infections and hospitalisations, officials said on Saturday, even as it moves toward gradually easing pandemic restrictions with the vast majority of its people getting vaccinated against the virus.

Sydney, in a lockdown for more than 100 days, is to ease some key restrictions for the fully vaccinated from Monday. More than 70% of people across New South Wales state, of which Sydney is the capital, have been fully vaccinated.

"We know that as we open up, case numbers will increase," said New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet. "But what has been key to keeping people safe is our high vaccination rate."

Australia's most populous state recorded 580 new infections on Saturday, all of the Delta variant, and 11 deaths.

Neighbouring Victoria, its capital Melbourne in a lockdown since early August, reported a record 1,965 cases and five deaths. The state, home to around a quarter of Australia's 25 million people, has inoculated around 57% of its population.

The federal government is completing a plan to bring in 2,000 nurses and doctors from overseas over the next six months to help with the expected higher demand, Health Minister Greg Hunt told The Age newspaper.

"This will be a one-off boost to provide additional support," Hunt said.

Hospitals in Melbourne and Sydney have been under strain in recent weeks, with Ambulance Victoria, the state's provider of pre-hospital emergency care and ambulance services, reporting four of its five busiest days ever over the past two weeks.

Australia's COVID-19 cases remain, however, far lower than many comparable countries, with some 125,000 infections and 1,421 deaths.

Neighbouring New Zealand, which was largely virus-free for most of the pandemic until a Delta outbreak in mid-August, reported 34 new local cases, down from 44 on Friday.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-braces-more-covid-19-infections-country-moves-towards-re-opening-2021-10-09/

#14677515 at 2021-09-28 07:16:36 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #18 - Talisman Sabre: MAGIC SWORD Edition

>>14677513

2/2

The latest vaccination figures, released on Monday, show 76 per cent of adults across the country have had at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. Just under 52 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Almost 86 per cent of adults in NSW have had one dose, while 60 per cent have had both.

Ms Berejiklian denied that ?allowing the unvaccinated the same freedoms by waiting another five or six weeks would prove a disincentive. "I think today is a very disappointing day for those who aren't vaccinated," she said. "I think they assumed once we hit 80 per cent double dose, they will have certain freedoms."

Business groups welcomed the plan to unlock NSW, saying it gave people the certainty they needed to get on with their lives.

"NSW is again leading the pack with a plan that gives businesses and the community confidence by charting a path to safely reopen the state," Business Council chief executive Jennifer Westacott said.

"For businesses, it means they can plan for Christmas, start ?ordering supplies and roster on staff for more hours. If NSW can safely reopen as we meet our vaccine targets, there is no reason other states can't do the same."

Health Minister Greg Hunt said he welcomed the Berejiklian government's announcement.

"It's heartening to see other states and territories moving closer to 70 and 80 per cent as Australians continue to come forward and get vaccinated," he said.

The NSW road map timetable came as the state recorded 787 new local cases of Covid-19, a dramatic drop in daily case numbers.

Ms Berejiklian said hospitalisation and ICU admission rates had been lower than modelling predicted but warned that coronavirus cases would "go through the roof" once the state reopened at 70 per cent vaccination coverage.

"But what will protect us is the fact that so many people have ?received at least the first dose of the vaccine and those people will have that extra layer of protection against ending up in hospital or worse," she said.

The NSW government is also considering changes to international arrival caps, so more people can return home for Christmas.

That timetable came as ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr released the territory's road map for reopening, with rules set to ease from Friday and lockdown to end on October 15. Two households visitors will be allowed from this Friday, while outdoor boot camps would recommence.

Lockdown would be lifted as planned in mid-October, Mr Barr said, which would bring much of the ACT economy out of hibernation.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/summer-to-herald-the-end-of-coronavirus-lockdown-calamity/news-story/d1a99c625b8311a3976eab83f2c0b852

#14612592 at 2021-09-19 01:41:41 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #18 - Talisman Sabre: MAGIC SWORD Edition

>>14612578

2/2

Vaccine hesitancy has become a significant challenge during, particularly as at least 70 per cent of the country needs to be fully immunised for restrictions to start to ease and international travel to resume.

It is something that Dr Burton is acutely aware of. Last month Japan suspended more than 1.6 million doses of the Moderna vaccine after vials were contaminated with foreign particles.

The source of the contamination was from a line change at the factory of its manufacturing partner ROVID Pharma Industrial Services, in Spain, which resulted in small metal particles entering the vaccine.

"We caught it, we found out why it happened. We've got you know, a very thorough corrective action plan in place. We did a very careful medical assessment, and you know, there really is no risk of these little tiny stainless steel particles - even if some that end up being injected," Dr Burton said.

"They're very tiny. The barrel of the syringe is, you know, three times a human hair. So it's tiny, it isn't a risk. But ... people depend on us for a high quality product, and we're committed to delivering that."

The first two million doses of the Moderna vaccine that Australia will receive will come from Moderna's Belgium plant.

Dr Burton stressed Moderna's vaccine was safe, with more than 200 million doses administered so far across the globe.

"At the end of the day, I think you have to go back to the massive database that we have worldwide now. Looking at efficacy, looking at safety, it's a fantastic platform," he said.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has approved and the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has recommended the use of the Moderna vaccine for Australians aged 12 and over.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the first one million doses will be "distributed to more than 1800 community pharmacies across the country and put into the arms of Australians in the next week".

"A further 1800 community pharmacies across the country will start to receive doses the week commencing September 27," Mr Hunt said.

"To date, we have administered over 24 million Covid-19 vaccines across Australia, with more than 70 per cent of Australians having received a first dose and 45 per cent having received a second dose. These are important achievements as we move closer, every day, to the vaccination rates required for us to safely reopen our country."

Australia has an advance purchase agreement with Moderna to secure 25 million doses of the vaccine - 10 million this year and 15 million in 2022. The Moderna vaccine doses will go through the standard TGA batch-testing process as all other Covid-19 vaccines.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/moderna-confirms-plans-to-bring-covid19-vaccine-manufacturing-to-australia/news-story/e901a10dfce58a7cab717b6241d4d6d7

#14385831 at 2021-08-18 07:30:22 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #18 - Talisman Sabre: MAGIC SWORD Edition

#17 - Part 20
Coronavirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Australia and Worldwide - Part 1
>>14020199 Lockdown measures extended in Australia amid COVID-19 outbreak - June 2021
>>14020312 Video: Queensland's Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young rejects Prime Minister's comments on AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine for under-40s
>>14020328 'A personal choice': NSW clinics will not give AstraZeneca to under-40s
>>14021844 Video: "Lone woman on train harassed by police who then absconded with her property."
>>14035752 Australia to slash traveller intake, PM announces four-phase pathway out of COVID-19
>>14041172 Covid-19 vaccine targets to unlock the path to freedom - National cabinet agrees to four-step blueprint for phased easing of restrictions once Australians have met new vaccine thresholds
>>14041436 Lockdowns 'can stop in two months' when Covid-19 vaccines hit 30pc: Deakin University chair in epidemiology Catherine Bennett
>>14050812 'Eat a bat and die': Vile threats against Wuhan lab conspiracy-buster, Australian virologist Danielle Anderson
>>14050829 Ben Roberts-Smith's long wait to face accusers - landmark trial adjourned for at least a month after Sydney's COVID-19 outbreak
>>14057811 OPINION: Greg Hunt has failed to vaccinate the nation and must go - Kevin Rudd - brisbanetimes.com.au

>>14085663 Covid-19: Australia 'talks softly and carries a big ?vaccine' in Pacific
>>14098337 Australia reports first 2021 COVID-19 death, highest case number
>>14105467 Senior business figures turned to former PM Kevin Rudd to intervene in bringing forward Australia's Pfizer vaccine supply
>>14105480 Malcolm Turnbull Tweet: Thank you @MrKRudd for speaking to the Chairman of Pfizer to secure an earlier delivery of vaccines. Staggered the vaccination of Australians was apparently not important enough to warrant a call from @ScottMorrisonMP or @GregHuntMP to the Pfizer boss.
>>14105482 Pfizer denies Kevin Rudd helped Australia gain earlier access to COVID-19 vaccines
>>14105484 Defence Minister Peter Dutton tears into Rudd's talks with Pfizer
>>14105492 Peter Dutton Tweet: @MrKRudd - Pfizer statement: Recent media reports suggesting that any third party or individual has had any role in contractual agreements reached between Pfizer and the Australian government are inaccurate. The only two parties involved in these agreements are Pfizer and the Australian government.
>>14110865 Australian Vax push isn't supported by the data
>>14127170 Melbourne joins Sydney in lockdown as COVID-19 spreads in Australia
>>14141277 Sydney tightens lockdown as Australia's COVID-19 cases rise

>>14141315 Scott Morrison demands answers over COVID origins after WHO Wuhan lab leak concession
>>14141320 Video: Premature to rule out lab leak: World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom - Sky News Australia
>>14141323 Video: PM says world 'deserves answers' over COVID origins - Sky News Australia
>>14159491 Australia's COVID-19 lockdowns cover more than half the 25 million population
>>14172626 Video: Prime Minister says 'sorry' for problems with COVID-19 vaccine rollout program
>>14174776 SA-Best Party MP Frank Pangallo Says Unvaccinated People "Need To Be Controlled And Restricted"
>>14180599 Sydney's COVID-19 outbreak throws harsh spotlight on Australia vaccine rollout
>>14180610 Australia's TGA finds Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is safe for children aged 12 to 15
>>14194970 Australians may face longer lockdown after "reckless" mass protests
>>14200877 Lockdown protesters plotted on social media - Anthony Khallouf and "Australians vs The Agenda" - Rhiannon Down - theaustralian.com.au

#14019875 at 2021-06-30 06:26:39 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #16 - INFILTRATION NOT INVASION Edition

#16 - Part 17
Coronavirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Australia and Worldwide - Part 2
>>13890985 Chinese Consulate General in Sydney Tweet: Proponents of the theory that the virus which causes #COVID_19 was created in and escaped from #China's Wuhan Institute of Virology imply that new evidence has emerged to support it, but in fact none has: Australian Citizens Party.
>>13890985 Still no evidence for COVID-19 leak from Wuhan lab: media - xinhuanet.com
>>13890985 Still no evidence for COVID 'lab leak' theory - Richard Bardon, Australian Alert Service - citizensparty.org.au
>>13895726 Video: WORLD EXCLUSIVE: Footage proves bats were kept in Wuhan lab - Sky News Australia -
>>13898710 Video: Wuhan live bat video contradicts WHO investigation - Sharri Markson - theaustralian.com.au
>>13907925 Wuhan bat video shows much of pandemic origin information was 'Chinese disinformation' - Sky News Australia / Fox News / Tucker Carlson
>>13914986 Victoria continued to use Uighur labour firm to avoid delays on $2.4b rail project
>>13929552 Video: Bombshell Evidence: Live Bats in Wuhan Lab & "Intense Clashes" Between China & France - Inconvenient Truths by Jennifer Zeng
>>13929580 Video: (Google Translation) Record the construction and research team of Wuhan P4 laboratory of Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences - zmkxj.cas.cn
>>13929743 Coronavirus: WA, Qld Covid check-in data accessible to foreign authorities

>>13949295 Ben Roberts-Smith defamation trial resumes after war veteran tests negative for COVID
>>13984301 Greg Hunt orders review into risky Wuhan research - CSIRO and several Australian universities engaged in at least 10 joint projects with Wuhan Institute of Virology in the past decade
>>13998806 China's terrifying virus warning - Warnings of the 'threat to mankind' came in Beijing's declaration to a UN meeting under the Biological Weapons Convention
>>14003854 Ben Roberts-Smith defamation trial headed for adjournment due to COVID lockdown
>>14003983 Australian scientist Danielle Anderson - the sole foreign researcher at the Wuhan lab speaks out
>>14004038 Australia's COVID-19 response team holds urgent meeting amid outbreak
>>14006907 PDF: Australian researcher's stunning Covid origin find - "coronavirus appears to be best adapted to attack human cells" - Professor Nikolai Petrovsky
>>14008034 9 News National Vaccine Rollout coverage: Total Doses Administered: 7,364,666
>>14012112 Chinese Consulate General in Sydney Tweet: Video: The accusation of "Wuhan laboratory leaking the novel coronavirus" has no factual basis. "I do not believe the virus was manmade." said #Australia's Dr. Danielle Anderson, the #Wuhan Institute of Virology's last foreign scientist, about the Institute.
>>14012285 'We'll take it': Countries line up to take CSL's Australian-made AstraZeneca vaccine

#14019872 at 2021-06-30 06:25:46 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #16 - INFILTRATION NOT INVASION Edition

#16 - Part 16
Coronavirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Australia and Worldwide - Part 1
>>13748583 Masks, social restrictions return to Australia's Melbourne after fresh outbreak - May 25, 2021
>>13762807 Victoria to enter seven-day lockdown as COVID-19 outbreak in Melbourne grows
>>13764021 Video: Victoria plunged into seven-day lockdown from midnight - Sky News Australia
>>13764361 Coronavirus lab leak theory not ruled out by Australian officials
>>13764363 Transcript - Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on May 26, 2021
>>13764374 China's trial of Yang Hengjun begins with Australia's ambassador denied access
>>13773095 Video: 'There is no immune cloak for a nation': Health Minister Greg Hunt urges vaccine uptake - Sky News Australia
>>13779177 Anthony Fauci backed virus experiments 'despite pandemic risk' - Sharri Markson - theaustralian.com.au
>>13779414 Enough of Fauci's lies!: Miranda Devine
>>13805067 Australian newspaper NT News praised for Covid-19 vaccine front page - 'JUST GET THE DAMN JAB'

>>13811944 How it ends for the anti-vaxxers - Jack The Insider (Peter Hoysted) - theaustralian.com.au
>>13814754 Bombshell emails over what Anthony Fauci knew - informed as early as February 2020 that Covid-19 exhibited unusual viral characteristics potentially engineered in lab
>>13827031 Army chief Lieutenant General John Frewen selected to push national COVID-19 vaccine rollout - 7NEWS Australia
>>13832164 US paid Chinese People's Liberation Army to engineer coronaviruses - Sharri Markson - theaustralian.com.au
>>13833540 Scott Morrison appoints Lieutenant-General John Frewen to lead powerful new national Covid-19 vaccination taskforce under "Operation Sovereign Borders" model
>>13869394 Covid-19: when governments started lying to us - Adam Creighton - theaustralian.com.au
>>13884837 Scott Morrison makes G7 pledge that Australia will provide coronavirus jabs to SE Asia and Pacific region
>>13890900 Dan Andrews Tweet: If you can, you must. Let's beat this, Victoria.
>>13890902 Andrews government secretly negotiating permanent pandemic laws to replace state of emergency
>>13890958 G7 leaders discuss Wuhan lab leak theory and back new investigation

#14019870 at 2021-06-30 06:24:50 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #16 - INFILTRATION NOT INVASION Edition

#16 - Part 15
Australia / China Tensions - Part 3
>>13915160 Video: Former UK High Commissioner Alexander Downer: China 'incredibly aggressive' towards Australia - Sky News Australia
>>13922338 Video: PM Morrison says Australia 'working hard' to avoid war with China
>>13922510 'Utter nonsense': CSIRO blasted for dropping Chinese climate partner
>>13922524 Beijing backs Mark McGowan's 'constructive' criticism of Scott Morrison
>>13922524 Transcript - Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on June 16, 2021
>>13929830 Video: The China files: how Morrison persuaded Europe to talk tough
>>13936688 Federal government takes China to WTO over wine tariffs
>>13942023 Morrison's China list left leaders shocked and appalled
>>13955828 China-led UNESCO 'ambush' on health of the Great Barrier Reef - World Heritage Committee concerned reef protection has been insufficient
>>13955847 Fifteen Coalition MPs demand Josh Frydenberg impose tougher controls on the half-Chinese owned Port of Newcastle

>>13955899 Video: 9 News Facebook Post - Australian navy ships are preparing to send a message to Beijing by sailing through the South China Sea
>>13963401 China warning: Joyce calls on MPs to prepare for end of Pax Americana
>>13963447 WA government appointed two pro-Beijing community leaders to new paid advisory council before Premier Mark McGowan escalated his criticism of the Morrison government's handling of the China relationship
>>13963499 Chinese less favorable to Australia amid strained ties: GT poll - Chen Qingqing, Zhao Yusha, Xie Jun and Xu Keyue - globaltimes.cn
>>13979916 Japan will stand by Australia on complex issues in Asia Pacific: Japanese Ambassador Shingo Yamagami
>>13979937 Committee for Economic Development of Australia Tweet: Video - "When push comes to shove, you will know who is your real friend, and this is the kind of moment Australia needs real friends - and Japan is hereby standing with Australia." - Japan's Ambassador to Australia, @YamagamiShingo, on tensions with China. #SoN2021
>>13984301 Greg Hunt orders review into risky Wuhan research - CSIRO and several Australian universities engaged in at least 10 joint projects with Wuhan Institute of Virology in the past decade
>>14003916 'You can count on us': WA consul general spruiks Japanese relationship as China tensions grow
>>14004059 Perth's billion-dollar train deal linked to exploited Uighur workers in China
>>14012249 Calls rise for Australia to rethink hostile approach to China as losses mount - Chu Daye and Xiong Xinyi - globaltimes.cn

#13984301 at 2021-06-26 00:01:08 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #16 - INFILTRATION NOT INVASION Edition

>>13895726
Greg Hunt orders review into risky Wuhan research

SHARRI MARKSON and LIAM MENDES - JUNE 24, 2021

1/2

The CSIRO and several Australian universities have engaged in at least 10 joint projects with the Wuhan Institute of Virology in the past decade, a laboratory US intelligence has linked to the Chinese military and which is suspected of being at the centre of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Australian scientists and politicians are calling on Health Minister Greg Hunt to halt and review "gain-of-function" research in Australia, amid concerns this type of experimentation may have sparked the pandemic.

The risky research, which aims to increase the virulence of viruses through genetic manipulation, is allowed to take place under Australian government policy, even though it was deemed so dangerous the Obama administration banned it in 2014.

Late on Thursday - after questions from The Australian - a spokesperson for Mr Hunt said he had ordered a review of gain-of-function research in Australia by the National Health and Medical Research Council.

The CSIRO has been forced to correct evidence it gave at a Senate estimates hearing after initially denying its researchers had undertaken work on live bats with the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the lab at the centre of growing international concern it was the source of Covid-19. CSIRO chief operating officer Judi Zielke admitted the organisation had "undertaken research on bats previously".

Under questioning from ­Nationals senator Matt Canavan on June 3, the CSIRO initially gave evidence that it "does not undertake research on live bats at ACDP". However, Senator Canavan later presented the CSIRO with an excerpt from a scientific paper written in conjunction with the Wuhan lab stating: "Wild caught P Alecto bats were trapped in Southern Queensland, Australia, and transported alive by air to the Australian Animal Health Laboratory in Victoria, where they were euthanised for dissection."

Correcting the record in a letter the next day, Ms Zielke said her ­responses "weren't clear and have led to misinterpretation of the answers". She clarified that research on live bats was not currently being undertaken but had been.

Senator Canavan said the Morrison government should immediately suspend any gain-of-function research or experiments involving potential pandemic pathogens. "Serious questions have been raised that gain-of-function may be the reason we have a global pandemic so it would be absolutely irresponsible to ­continue such funding when there is a risk of it causing another pandemic," Senator Canavan said.

"I don't think there's a case to fund gain-of-function research long term but, if there is, the ­burden of proof should be on those virologists who think it makes sense and they should be held to account for how they are protecting the wider com­munity for this type of research."

Raina MacIntyre, head of the Kirby Institute's biosecurity program, said she has been concerned about the risks of gain-of-function research since 2011, from both an ethical standpoint and because of the risk of accidents.

"It's the kind of research that has global impact because you can do a bit of research here in Australia, say there's an accident, and it spreads the virus, it can infect people in Indonesia, or in India or somewhere else where the research wasn't conducted, so that opens up a whole lot of other ethical questions," Professor MacIntyre said. "The possibility (that gain-of function research causing the Covid-19 pandemic) has to be considered because if we don't consider the possibility, then we can't take any action to prevent any future incidents that might occur. And we know that there are a lot of laboratory accidents that have been documented."

Australian government policy has continued to allow gain-of-function research.

A spokeswoman from the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator said: "Work with genetically modified pathogenic viruses would be restricted to a high-level containment facility certified by the regulator and would require a licence from the regulator before it can proceed. Australia's gene technology legislation is regularly reviewed to keep the legislation up to date with technological progress and changes in scientific understanding of the risks posed by gene technology."

(continued)

#13877040 at 2021-06-11 08:09:06 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #16 - INFILTRATION NOT INVASION Edition

>>13788675
Dan Andrews' injury: inside the conspiracy theory around the premier's fall

Unfounded claims about the Victorian premier's hospitalisation were first aired by an obscure blog which pushes conspiracy theories

Michael McGowan - 11 Jun 2021

It started with an anonymous post on an encrypted messaging app favoured by far-right activists and conspiracy theorists and moved to a fringe website promoting QAnon and Port Arthur massacre misinformation.

Quite how a conspiracy theory about Victorian premier Dan Andrews' March fall at a Mornington Peninsula holiday home made its way from social media's backwaters to the mainstream has been the subject of intense speculation this week.

On Monday the Victorian opposition treasury spokeswoman, Louise Staley, gave new impetus to a complicated web of conspiracy theories about Andrews' fall by releasing a list of questions about the accident.

Staley has continued to insist she had simply been urging Andrews to "clear up" rumours when she released a list of 12 questions, which included whether Andrews had been interviewed by police after the accident and who had called the ambulance.

But her statement, which also called for the premier to answer the questions "if there is no cover-up", followed a long-running conspiracy narrative which emerged almost immediately after Andrews' announced his accident on 9 March.

In the hours following his statement, the encrypted messaging app Telegram, home to Australia's largest anti-lockdown, anti-vaccination and far-right groups, was alight with theories about the accident.

The timing of the fall - it came on the same day that the federal health minister, Greg Hunt, was hospitalised with cellulitis and shortly after Christian Porter and Linda Reynolds both took indefinite leave from cabinet - fed into a series of conspiracy narratives given oxygen by a string of prominent actors in Australia's convoluted conspiracy space.

A 9 March post by prominent anti-lockdown group Reignite Democracy Australia, run by former reality television contestant Monica Smit, noted a "strange trend" and fuelled a baseless rumour the MPs had all suffered adverse reactions to the Covid-19 vaccination. So too did a post by the far-right actor Blair Cottrell on the same day.

The next day, the first mentions of trucking tycoon Lindsay Fox in relation to the fall were made by a user in an anti-lockdown group known as Melbourne Freedom Rally. The Guardian has previously revealed links between the group's leader and a number of far-right organisations. The post, which claimed Andrews had been at Fox's home when he fell, was followed by a series of users advancing QAnon-flavoured claims he had "the shit kicked out of him" and been "taught a lesson".

Since then, conspiracy rumours have centred on trucking magnate Lindsay Fox and a former PricewaterhouseCoopers executive, Luke Sayers. Different iterations of the theories have centred on the false beliefs Andrews was with Fox at the time of the accident or that he was involved in an altercation with Sayers.

Andrews is a friend of Lindsay Fox's son, Andrew Fox, and some of the early posts on Telegram linked to a February article in the Age which examined the links between the premier and the family. The relationship was also subject to questioning by Staley in the Victorian parliament earlier this year.

The rumours that Andrews was with Fox at the time of the accident, though, have been roundly discredited. This week the Age reported Fox was considering legal action over the rumours - which he flatly denies - while the Australian Financial Review reported that Sayers was at an entirely different location having dinner with his wife on the night in question.

Staley's questions also prompted Victoria Ambulance to release a statement this week confirming the timeline Andrews had previously given for the accident. The state's police commissioner, Shane Patton, also confirmed police did not attend the home where Andrews fell, or interview him.

Outside of Telegram, however, the unfounded claims that Andrews' fall was the subject of a cover-up were first aired by an obscure Queensland blog which also pushes Port Arthur massacre conspiracies, QAnon theories and baseless claims that Covid-19 is a "psyop".

On 11 March - the day after the first Telegram posts - the website posted an article under the headline "Who bashed Dan Andrews?". It claimed, again without basis, that the injuries suffered by the premier were "consistent with having been kicked while prone on the ground".

(continued)

#13833540 at 2021-06-05 06:47:34 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #16 - INFILTRATION NOT INVASION Edition

>>13827031
Operation Sovereign Borders-style jab plan

GEOFF CHAMBERS - JUNE 4, 2021

Scott Morrison has appointed Lieutenant-General John Frewen to lead a powerful new national Covid-19 vaccination taskforce under an "Operation Sovereign Borders" model, integrating multiple government departments, agencies and stakeholders to maintain the record pace of inoculations across the country.

The Prime Minister, state and territory leaders on Friday also ordered the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee to devise an urgent plan to implement mandatory vaccination of aged-care and disability workers. With 20 per cent of adults having received their first Covid-19 jab and the country on track to hit 5 million doses by the end of the week, the Morrison government has moved to fast-track vaccine supply to reach more Australians.

National cabinet agreed to expand access to vaccines from next Tuesday, with Pfizer jabs to be made available for all Australians aged 40-49, and vaccines ensured for Indigenous Australians and people on the NDIS and their associated carers over the age of 16. Temporary visa holders under 50 who have been approved for return travel to Australia under exemptions will also be eligible.

Health Minister Greg Hunt also announced the commonwealth would increase the supply of vaccines to Victoria in response to a vaccination spike in the state, fuelled by the latest outbreak. In the 24 hours to Friday, a daily record 143,659 doses were delivered taking the overall number to more than 1 million in 10 days.

The elevation of Lt-Gen Frewen - a former acting head of the Australian Signals Directorate who led the Australian Defence Force's Operation Covid-19 Assist - adds to the role of Commodore Eric Young, appointed under Mr Morrison's "war footing" to manage vaccine supply and distribution.

Mr Morrison said Lt-Gen Frewen - who will assume responsibilities held by retiring Department of Health associate secretary Caroline Edwards - would have direct operational control of government departments involved in the national vaccination program.

"This change gives us the opportunity to step up another gear. Some years ago ... there was an operation called Operation Sovereign Borders ... a completely new organisational structure ... for getting a whole-of-government effect on a very big problem," he said. "It worked ... and I think moving (to) that footing now will further improve how we're working in the vaccination program.

"Lieutenant-General Frewen will have direct operational control across numerous government departments for the direction of the national vaccination program and all of those working in that program, from communications to dealings with states, to the distribution and delivery of vaccines ... and the ramp-up ... working with the GPs, pharmacists and others."

Mr Morrison and national cabinet leaders on Friday asked the AHPPC, made up of federal, state and territory chief health and medical officers, to work up a plan to vaccinate the aged-care and disability workforce, following recent breaches in Victoria.

The national cabinet statement said all leaders had indicated an "in-principle disposition to mandating aged-care and disability workforce Covid vaccinations".

Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly urged all aged-care workers to get vaccinated and said authorities were doing everything to make vaccines available to frontline staff. "We need to balance that unintended consequence potentially of affecting the workforce in our aged-care facilities, of course. And we saw this last year when large numbers of workers were furloughed because of contact with Covid-19," he said.

After consultation with the aged-care sector, Mr Hunt said from June 15 mandatory reporting of all aged-care worker vaccinations would be in place. Aged and Community Services Association chair Sara Blunt welcomed the "in-principle disposition" of governments towards mandatory vaccinations for aged-care workers.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/operation-bordersstyle-jab-plan/news-story/eb4a43eb48bb618ba9343d84968d1ae9

#13773095 at 2021-05-28 09:02:01 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #16 - INFILTRATION NOT INVASION Edition

>>13762807
'There is no immune cloak for a nation': Hunt urges vaccine uptake

Sky News Australia

May 28, 2021

Health Minister Greg Hunt has dismissed suggestions Victoria's fourth lockdown could have been avoided if the national vaccine rollout had been more successful.

"What we see is that around the world countries that have high rates of vaccination are having in some cases, thousands of cases a day," he said.

"We are perhaps the most successful, or one of the most successful, countries in the world but no country is immune.

"There is not an immune cloak for a nation, vaccination is critically important."

Mr Hunt told Sky News Victoria has the "significant capacity" to boost their rollout as the state had received 666,000 vaccine doses before Thursday.

"Our focus is absolutely on ensuring as many people are vaccinated as early as possible, we know that there are significant supplies that have been prepositioned in Victoria."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=272_WzMUsi8

#13555653 at 2021-05-01 07:08:51 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #15 - NEVER RETREAT FROM THE BATTLEFIELD Edition

Border can't open until the world is vaccinated: Sinodinos

ADAM CREIGHTON - MAY 1, 2021

Ambassador to the US Arthur Sinodinos has raised the prospect of indefinite restrictions travel in and out of Australia, suggesting the border couldn't open until "the world is vaccinated".

Speaking at an online event on Friday at the Washington DC-based Hudson Institute, Mr Sinodinos suggested reopening the border was an "economic imperative" but unlikely to happen soon, especially given popularity of restrictions.

"We have major industries like international education which require people coming in, immigration has been big driver of Australian growth and that's really tailed off. For us there's a real economic imperative to getting borders open," he said.

"Because we've done well on community transmission there isn't same pressure from the public to get the vaccines out ... it's not like the US and elsewhere where there's been a real urgency," he added.

Australia's international border has been shut to foreigners since March 20 last year and returning residents subject to 14 day hotel quarantine, even if vaccinated, at a cost of $3000 per person.

"Until the world as a whole is vaccinated, and I'm thinking here of India, and other places, then we're never going to be completely out of this.

"This is a genuine externality problem, or public good problem, where we're all in this together and people in developing countries being vaccinated is as important as people in our own countries being vaccinated," the ambassador said.

His comments follow Health Minister Greg Hunt's recent remarks that even if the whole country were vaccinated the border wouldn't open.

In a wide-ranging online discussion with American journalist Walter Russell Meade, Mr Sinodinos played down the impact of the federal government's tearing up of Victoria's Belt and Road deal with China.

"In terms of how it makes the relationship any worse ... I'm not sure about that," he said. "The relationship has reached a certain equilibrium ... I don't think we can see an early reset."

Mr Sinodinos said in its series of economic sanctions on Australian exports, including on wine, barely and coal, China was trying to set an example to other nations that if they behaved like Australia, they too would face economic consequences.

"We're finding now China increasingly lashing out at any country which appears to be in any way critical or seeking to take then on in terms of their behaviour," he said.

On climate change policy, Mr Sinodinos played down the perception Australia and the new Biden administration were at odds in the wake of President Biden's climate summit last week, revealing the government would have a "dialogue with the US" on "ambition and technology" in the lead up to the UN's climate summit in Glasgow later this year.

"The reality is Australia reviewed its Nationally Determined Contributions at end of last year, so the thinking within the Australian government prior to the recent climate summit was we have the period until Glasgow to see what more we can do," he added.

The ambassador also dismissed the "stereotype that's been developing" that New Zealand was a less willing participant in the Five Eyes intelligence network which also includes Australia, the US, UK, and Canada.

"They see a lot of value [in the group]. I don't detect on their part some wish to disassociate," he said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/border-cant-open-until-the-world-is-vaccinated-sinodinos/news-story/05be2e90d8e9568734ba85deef113df3

#13414930 at 2021-04-13 08:10:55 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #15 - NEVER RETREAT FROM THE BATTLEFIELD Edition

Johnson & Johnson's one-dose COVID-19 vaccine won't be coming to Australia due to AstraZeneca similarities

Tom Lowrey - 13 April 2021

Johnson & Johnson's one-dose vaccine will not be part of Australia's vaccine rollout, at least for now, after the federal government confirmed it would not purchase any doses from the company.

The vaccine is being widely used in the United States and has the advantage of only requiring one dose, unlike the Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna alternatives which all require two doses.

The federal government had been in talks with the global pharmaceutical giant about potentially acquiring its vaccine, and the company had previously submitted an application to the Therapeutic Goods Administration for provisional registration.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is based on similar technology to the AstraZeneca vaccine.

A spokesperson for Health Minister Greg Hunt said those similarities were the reason the federal government had decided against pursuing the option any further.

"The [Johnson & Johnson] vaccine is an adenovirus vaccine, the same type of vaccine as the AstraZeneca vaccine," they said in a statement.

"The government does not intend to purchase any further adenovirus vaccines at this time."

The news comes despite the fact the federal government has been considering how to increase Australia's vaccine orders in response to changing advice around the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Under new advice, Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine is the preferred option for Australians under 50 due to concerns over an extremely small number of cases of a rare blood clotting condition recorded in recipients of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Late last week it was confirmed an order for a further 20 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine had been lodged.

Australia has deals in place with Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Novavax, but the Novavax vaccine is yet to be approved.

The federal opposition demanded further explanation about why the government was not pursuing a deal with Johnson & Johnson.

Shadow Health Minister Mark Butler said Australia needed to secure more vaccine deals.

"With this very important vaccine that's rolling out through the US, will start to roll out through the United Kingdom very soon, if there is a decision not to go with it, what are the reasons for that?" Mr Butler said.

"I think this is the problem Australians and Australian businesses are having right now - the communication channels from the government have shut down.

"We've got a Prime Minister that's retreated to Facebook and a minister who's making announcements through a spokesperson without clear background information."

Millions vaccinated abroad with a single dose

As of April 11, nearly 6.5 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine had been administered in the United States, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Because patients only require one dose, full vaccination of a population can be achieved relatively quickly.

The vaccine is approved for use in the European Union, and shipments to Europe reportedly began this week.

At a press conference with the Prime Minister last Friday, Health Department Secretary Brendan Murphy confirmed the government was "still exploring with Johnson & Johnson".

But he also noted that it was a similar type of vaccine to that produced by AstraZeneca.

Last week the European Medicines Agency said it was looking into four blood-clotting cases in the US associated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

However, Johnson & Johnson said "no clear causal relationship has been established" between the cases and the vaccine.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-13/johnson-johnson-covid-19-vaccine-australia/100064454

#13376601 at 2021-04-07 08:55:57 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #15 - NEVER RETREAT FROM THE BATTLEFIELD Edition

Contact books of Australian diplomats hacked in major 'phishing' scam

Anthony Galloway - April 7, 2021

Senior Australian diplomats, including ambassador to the United States Arthur Sinodinos, have been caught up in a sophisticated identity theft scam in which cyber attackers impersonated them on encrypted messaging services WhatsApp and Telegram in a bid to get sensitive information from their contacts.

The Australian Federal Police is investigating the security lapses after a number of heads of mission reported experiencing suspicious activity on their phones.

The cyber scare appears to mirror the attacks on senior cabinet ministers, including Finance Minister Simon Birmingham and Health Minister Greg Hunt, whereby the attackers are impersonating the individuals on WhatsApp or Telegram by using their names and personal phone numbers and gaining access to their contact book. There is also a third federal MP who has been hit by the scam who has not been identified.

The "phishing" attacks have unsettled some senior members of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to the extent that they are now operating on the basis their phones have been compromised. This climate of fear has been exacerbated by a number of other unrelated cyber attacks against diplomats, as well as sophisticated hacks on the computer networks of Parliament House and Nine News (publisher of this masthead).

Mr Sinodinos confirmed a Telegram account was created in his name and said the matter had now been addressed by the AFP.

The AFP's investigations, which included having MPs hand over their phones, so far show none of the devices have been physically hacked into, despite their contact books being stolen. But cabinet ministers did have their phones replaced out of caution.

Under the scam, senior politicians and diplomats are being sent messages asking them to validate new WhatsApp and Telegram accounts. Once they click on the link or download the app, the hacker then has access to their contact book and the ability to impersonate them on the new account. The cyber attackers are then sending unsolicited messages to the person's contacts asking for contact details of people in Hong Kong.

The person impersonating Senator Birmingham's phone began sending messages to a number of his contacts on Telegram, with one of the recipients asked: "Do you have a contact in Hong Kong. An Aussie preferably."

After one of the recipients handed over contact details for two pro-democracy activists not knowing they were speaking to an imposter, the cyber hacker responded: "Let me know if you have reached out to the both of them."

The AFP has yet to establish whether a criminal syndicate or a foreign country is behind the scam, but security agencies believe it is more likely to be a criminal group. While the focus on Hong Kong activists has sparked concern among some members of the government that China is behind the cyber attacks, the attackers appeared to be wanting money.

Some people contacted were asked to transfer money to a Hong Kong bank account with the account name "Yat Ting Ho Laundry Co". The account was with Standard Chartered Hong Kong.

A spokeswoman for the AFP said it was aware of the matter and was investigating.

"There is no compromise of the affected users' devices," the AFP spokeswoman said.

The AFP has organised briefings for MPs to educate them on how to look out for phishing scams.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/contact-books-of-australian-diplomats-hacked-in-major-phishing-scam-20210406-p57gte.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1617741524

#13341735 at 2021-04-01 06:51:29 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #15 - NEVER RETREAT FROM THE BATTLEFIELD Edition

#14 - Part 9
Coronavirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Australia and Worldwide
>>13177350 Video: Coronavirus: Anthony Fauci praises Australia response, lockdowns
>>13177438 Rocco Galati Tweet: Australian Health Minister hospitalized, "in serious condition", day after receiving Covid, Astra-Zeneca, Vaccine
>>13183855 Scott Morrison says he will act as health minister but Greg Hunt will return to work next week
>>13190587 Prime Minister Scott Morrison: 'AstraZeneca is safe' - Australia not concerned by reports of blood clots in Europe
>>13301064 Clive Palmer's anti-vax pamphlets slammed by Scott Morrison as "complete rubbish"

#14 - Part 10
Julian Assange Indictment and Extradition
>>13184085 Julian Assange's father, John Shipton, in Katoomba and Hazelbrook, New South Wales
>>13196546 Julian Assange's father brings his fight to free his son to Canberra
>>13273605 Bipartisan delegation of Australian MPs meets with US embassy about Julian Assange
>>13275730 Video: The Aussie human rights lawyer who has stood by Julian Assange for 10 years - ABC / Australian Story
>>13328158 Pope sends Julian Assange personal message to his jail cell, partner Stella Moris says

#13341722 at 2021-04-01 06:49:00 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #15 - NEVER RETREAT FROM THE BATTLEFIELD Edition

Notables
are not endorsements

#14 - Part 1
Australian Politics and Society - Part 1
>>13165211, >>13165218 Philippines Foreign Minister Teddy Locsin calls on Myanmar junta to release Aussie Sean Turnell
>>13165331 'It's our turn': Inside the Christian Right conference plotting a political takeover - "Church and State"
>>13165352 Video: The Australian #ChurchAndState Summit 2021 is just for you - Church And State
>>13165358 Video: Cardinal George Pell is a keynote speaker at the Australian #ChurchAndState Summit in 2021 - Church And State
>>13168992 Hopping mad: US campaign to ban kangaroo product imports gains bipartisan support
>>13169146 Video: How extreme right-wing groups have 'weaponised the internet' in Australia
>>13169267 Foreign Minister Marise Payne suspends military aid to Myanmar
>>13173275 Video: Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews suffers broken ribs, spine damage after "nasty fall" on "wet and slippery stairs"
>>13173322 Video: Three women go public with allegations against MP Craig Kelly's senior aide, Frank Zumbo - ABC News In-depth
>>13173867 Video: Australian Sean Turnell 'tried to flee Myanmar with secret state financial information', junta leader Min Aung Hlaing says
>>13174865 Video: Anzac Day marches will be held in every capital city after Prime Minister Scott Morrison's intervention - "If people can party and if people can protest, then we can remember as a nation, and honour our veterans on Anzac Day"

>>13177387 Video: Daniel Andrews' recovery could take 'months', decision looms on surgery
>>13177438 Rocco Galati Tweet: Australian Health Minister hospitalized, "in serious condition", day after receiving Covid, Astra-Zeneca, Vaccine
>>13183865 Greg Hunt has been hospitalised with cellulitis. So what is it? And how serious is it?
>>13183855 Scott Morrison says he will act as health minister but Greg Hunt will return to work next week
>>13183787 Video: Scott Morrison to join 'historic' Quad talks with Joe Biden, Yoshihide Suga and Narendra Modi
>>13184102 Former Hong Kong lawmaker and pro-democracy activist Ted Hui moves to Australia
>>13184141 Australian Federal Police push for sweeping online surveillance powers lashed as 'dangerous overreach' by human rights groups
>>13184169 Video: Australia's top spy, ASIO director-general Mike Burgess 'knows' culprit behind ANU cyber attack, but won't say
>>13195850 Australia pulls off stunning diplomatic coup - Mathias Cormann set to be announced as secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
>>13195985 Video: Scott Morrison Facebook Post: A huge honour and recognition for Australia. Well done to Mathias Cormann on being elected as the next Secretary-General of the OECD
>>13196051 Scott Morrison Facebook Post: An historic meeting for India, the United States, Japan and Australia - the first ever leaders' meeting of the Quad

>>13196059 Video: First ever Quad Leaders' Meeting - Scott Morrison: My opening remarks to the historic first Quad Meeting involving the leaders of India, the United States, Japan and Australia
>>13196223 President Joe Biden Tweet: This morning, I met virtually with the Quad in the first multilateral summit I've hosted as president
>>13196242 Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga Tweet: I think this meeting was a meeting that was able to take the four countries of Japan, the United States, Australia and India to a new stage. We also agreed to hold a face-to-face summit meeting within the year
>>13196255 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tweet: Our discussions today on vaccines, climate change, and emerging technologies make the Quad a positive force for global good and for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific
>>13196427 U.S. Department of State Tweet: Video - The United States, Japan, India, and Australia are united in our vision for a free and open, inclusive and healthy Indo-Pacific region
>>13200420 Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews moved from ICU - expecting a "very long journey" to recover from a fractured vertebra and several broken ribs
>>13200498 Video: Australia joins US, India and Japan in 'unprecedented' deal for coronavirus vaccines after historic Quad meeting
>>13228570 Our four nations are committed to a free, open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region - Opinion by Joe Biden, Narendra Modi, Scott Morrison and Yoshihide Suga - washingtonpost.com
>>13241716 Scott Morrison's soft-power diplomacy triumphs - Mathias Cormann becomes OECD Secretary-General and the Quad holds its first leadership meeting
>>13247553 ASIO boss Mike Burgess says agency is ditching 'Islamic' and 'right-wing' tags, will now refer to 'religious' or 'ideological' violence
>>13247553 Transcript - ASIO Director-General's Annual Threat Assessment - Wednesday, 17 March 2021
>>13247553 ASIO cracks 'Nest of Spies' seeking access to Australia's Defence secrets - "the country behind the foreign spy ring was not China"

#13341678 at 2021-04-01 06:36:32 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #14 - THE ART OF WAR Edition

#14 - Part 9
Coronavirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Australia and Worldwide
>>13177350 Video: Coronavirus: Anthony Fauci praises Australia response, lockdowns
>>13177438 Rocco Galati Tweet: Australian Health Minister hospitalized, "in serious condition", day after receiving Covid, Astra-Zeneca, Vaccine
>>13183855 Scott Morrison says he will act as health minister but Greg Hunt will return to work next week
>>13190587 Prime Minister Scott Morrison: 'AstraZeneca is safe' - Australia not concerned by reports of blood clots in Europe
>>13301064 Clive Palmer's anti-vax pamphlets slammed by Scott Morrison as "complete rubbish"

#14 - Part 10
Julian Assange Indictment and Extradition
>>13184085 Julian Assange's father, John Shipton, in Katoomba and Hazelbrook, New South Wales
>>13196546 Julian Assange's father brings his fight to free his son to Canberra
>>13273605 Bipartisan delegation of Australian MPs meets with US embassy about Julian Assange
>>13275730 Video: The Aussie human rights lawyer who has stood by Julian Assange for 10 years - ABC / Australian Story
>>13328158 Pope sends Julian Assange personal message to his jail cell, partner Stella Moris says

#13341656 at 2021-04-01 06:29:26 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #14 - THE ART OF WAR Edition

Notables
are not endorsements

#14 - Part 1
Australian Politics and Society - Part 1
>>13165211, >>13165218 Philippines Foreign Minister Teddy Locsin calls on Myanmar junta to release Aussie Sean Turnell
>>13165331 'It's our turn': Inside the Christian Right conference plotting a political takeover - "Church and State"
>>13165352 Video: The Australian #ChurchAndState Summit 2021 is just for you - Church And State
>>13165358 Video: Cardinal George Pell is a keynote speaker at the Australian #ChurchAndState Summit in 2021 - Church And State
>>13168992 Hopping mad: US campaign to ban kangaroo product imports gains bipartisan support
>>13169146 Video: How extreme right-wing groups have 'weaponised the internet' in Australia
>>13169267 Foreign Minister Marise Payne suspends military aid to Myanmar
>>13173275 Video: Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews suffers broken ribs, spine damage after "nasty fall" on "wet and slippery stairs"
>>13173322 Video: Three women go public with allegations against MP Craig Kelly's senior aide, Frank Zumbo - ABC News In-depth
>>13173867 Video: Australian Sean Turnell 'tried to flee Myanmar with secret state financial information', junta leader Min Aung Hlaing says
>>13174865 Video: Anzac Day marches will be held in every capital city after Prime Minister Scott Morrison's intervention - "If people can party and if people can protest, then we can remember as a nation, and honour our veterans on Anzac Day"

>>13177387 Video: Daniel Andrews' recovery could take 'months', decision looms on surgery
>>13177438 Rocco Galati Tweet: Australian Health Minister hospitalized, "in serious condition", day after receiving Covid, Astra-Zeneca, Vaccine
>>13183865 Greg Hunt has been hospitalised with cellulitis. So what is it? And how serious is it?
>>13183855 Scott Morrison says he will act as health minister but Greg Hunt will return to work next week
>>13183787 Video: Scott Morrison to join 'historic' Quad talks with Joe Biden, Yoshihide Suga and Narendra Modi
>>13184102 Former Hong Kong lawmaker and pro-democracy activist Ted Hui moves to Australia
>>13184141 Australian Federal Police push for sweeping online surveillance powers lashed as 'dangerous overreach' by human rights groups
>>13184169 Video: Australia's top spy, ASIO director-general Mike Burgess 'knows' culprit behind ANU cyber attack, but won't say
>>13195850 Australia pulls off stunning diplomatic coup - Mathias Cormann set to be announced as secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
>>13195985 Video: Scott Morrison Facebook Post: A huge honour and recognition for Australia. Well done to Mathias Cormann on being elected as the next Secretary-General of the OECD
>>13196051 Scott Morrison Facebook Post: An historic meeting for India, the United States, Japan and Australia - the first ever leaders' meeting of the Quad

>>13196059 Video: First ever Quad Leaders' Meeting - Scott Morrison: My opening remarks to the historic first Quad Meeting involving the leaders of India, the United States, Japan and Australia
>>13196223 President Joe Biden Tweet: This morning, I met virtually with the Quad in the first multilateral summit I've hosted as president
>>13196242 Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga Tweet: I think this meeting was a meeting that was able to take the four countries of Japan, the United States, Australia and India to a new stage. We also agreed to hold a face-to-face summit meeting within the year
>>13196255 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tweet: Our discussions today on vaccines, climate change, and emerging technologies make the Quad a positive force for global good and for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific
>>13196427 U.S. Department of State Tweet: Video - The United States, Japan, India, and Australia are united in our vision for a free and open, inclusive and healthy Indo-Pacific region
>>13200420 Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews moved from ICU - expecting a "very long journey" to recover from a fractured vertebra and several broken ribs
>>13200498 Video: Australia joins US, India and Japan in 'unprecedented' deal for coronavirus vaccines after historic Quad meeting
>>13228570 Our four nations are committed to a free, open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region - Opinion by Joe Biden, Narendra Modi, Scott Morrison and Yoshihide Suga - washingtonpost.com
>>13241716 Scott Morrison's soft-power diplomacy triumphs - Mathias Cormann becomes OECD Secretary-General and the Quad holds its first leadership meeting
>>13247553 ASIO boss Mike Burgess says agency is ditching 'Islamic' and 'right-wing' tags, will now refer to 'religious' or 'ideological' violence
>>13247553 Transcript - ASIO Director-General's Annual Threat Assessment - Wednesday, 17 March 2021
>>13247553 ASIO cracks 'Nest of Spies' seeking access to Australia's Defence secrets - "the country behind the foreign spy ring was not China"

#13183865 at 2021-03-11 04:20:38 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #14 - THE ART OF WAR Edition

>>13183855
Greg Hunt has been hospitalised with cellulitis. So what is it? And how serious is it?

abc.net.au - 11 March 2021

As Health Minister, Greg Hunt is no stranger to hospitals. But this week, he's found himself playing an unfamiliar role - patient.

Mr Hunt was diagnosed with cellulitis on Wednesday, a day after being admitted to hospital with a suspected infection.

In a statement, his office said he was on the mend and is expected to be discharged "in the coming days".

"He'll be fine by next week, he'll be back up on his feet," Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.

So what is cellulitis? And how serious is it? Here are a few fast facts.

What is it?

Cellulitis is a spreading inflammation of the skin, usually caused by a bacterial infection - and if you've got it, there's a pretty good chance you'll know about it.

Those suffering from the infection may experience red, painful and swollen skin that is warm to touch, but more severe cases can also lead to fever, blisters, chills and nausea.

It can occur anywhere on the body, including the face, but is most often encountered on the lower legs and in areas where the skin is damaged or inflamed.

While no-one is immune to developing cellulitis, those who smoke, have diabetes or poor circulation are at a higher risk.

Cellulitis accounted for almost 60,000 hospitalisations and 11 per cent of all potentially preventable hospitalisations in Australia in 2013-14.

How do you get it?

The infection occurs when bacteria, such as staph, enters through the skin.

It could be as simple as a cut, scratch or insect bite, or a pre-existing skin condition like eczema or psoriasis.

However, cellulitis can also occur in areas without any visible skin damage.

While the bacterial infection can't always be prevented, a common cause of infection is via the fingernails.

"Handwashing is very important as well as keeping good care of your nails by trimming and cleaning them," noted healthdirect.

"Generally, maintaining good hygiene such as daily showering and wearing clean clothes may help reduce the skin's contact with bacteria."

How serious is it?

While cellulitis is treatable with a course of oral antibiotics, in more serious cases, antibiotics may need to be administered intravenously in hospital.

And without any medical attention, the condition can prove dangerous.

When bacteria from cellulitis spreads into the bloodstream, it can lead to sepsis - a serious blood infection capable of causing organ failure and death.

"People with cellulitis can quickly become very unwell and a small number of people may develop serious complications," advised healthdirect.

However, it should be noted that in most cases, patients respond to antibiotics in "two to three days and begin to show improvement".

So how do I avoid it?

It's not known how or where Mr Hunt may have developed the bacterial infection.

But while cellulitis is "not generally contagious", there are ways to reduce your risk.

In addition to handwashing and paying attention to hygiene, it's recommended that those more susceptible to the condition should:

- Wear appropriate footwear, gloves and long pants during situations where it is easy to get scratched or bitten (such as bushwalking or gardening)

- Look after your skin by regularly checking your feet for signs of injury

- Moisturise the skin and trim fingernails and toenails regularly

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-11/Greg-Hunt-cellulitis-what-is-it-how-do-you-contract-it/13235598

#13183855 at 2021-03-11 04:18:06 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #14 - THE ART OF WAR Edition

Scott Morrison says he will act as health minister but Greg Hunt will return to work next week

abc.net.au - 10 March 2021

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Health Minister Greg Hunt will be back at work when Parliament sits next week, after a brief hospital stint for a bacterial infection.

Mr Hunt was admitted to hospital yesterday with a suspected infection.

In a statement today his office said testing overnight had led to a diagnosis of Cellulitis, a bacterial infection in his leg.

It said the Minister was improving and was expected to be discharged from hospital "in the coming days".

"He'll be fine by next week, he'll be back up on his feet," Mr Morrison said.

"Minister Hunt and I have worked hand in glove over this last year and until he returns I will be personally addressing the ministerial responsibilities on health and aged care."

The Prime Minister said he had total confidence in the AstraZeneca vaccine. Mr Hunt's office said his condition "is not considered to be related to the vaccine".

He is expected to make a full recovery.

Fellow Cabinet minister Dan Tehan said he spoke to the Health Minister yesterday and that Mr Hunt was confident he would be out of hospital "sooner rather than later".

"I don't think there is a fitter or more active member than Greg," Mr Tehan said.

"So if there's anyone who can bounce back it will be Greg, but when I spoke to him yesterday he was going well."

Mr Hunt is the third senior Cabinet minister now on sick leave, with Attorney-General Christian Porter and Defence Minister Linda Reynolds also currently on leave.

Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne is acting Defence Minister and Employment Minister Michaelia Cash is filling in for Mr Porter.

The next Parliament fortnight kicks off next week.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-10/Greg-Hunt-sick-leave-hospital-infection-prime-minister/13233056

#13036188 at 2021-02-24 04:34:59 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #13 - THE WAR IS REAL Edition

>>12941464
Linda Reynolds admitted to hospital, cancels Press Club appearance

FINN MCHUGH - FEBRUARY 24, 2021

Under-fire senator Linda Reynolds has been admitted to hospital and cancelled a highly anticipated appearance at the National Press Club in the wake of the Parliament House rape allegation scandal.

The Defence Minister was set to face a grilling from journalists on Wednesday over her handling of Brittany Higgins' rape claim.

Ms Higgins, a former staffer to Ms Reynolds, alleged she was raped in the Minister's office by a colleague in 2019.

A statement from Ms Reynolds said she would take a period of medical leave.

"This follows advice from her cardiologist relating to a pre-existing medical condition," the statement read.

"As a precautionary measure, Minister Reynolds has this morning been admitted to a Canberra Hospital."

Prime Minister Scott Morrison phoned Ms Reynolds to "express his concern and sympathy, and wish her a quick recovery".

Health Minister Greg Hunt denied the revelation was an attempt to dodge the Press Club grilling.

"Linda was desperate to appear before the national Press Club today, desperate to appear," he said.

"And it was only on the strongest medical advice that she took the reluctant decision not to do it."

Ms Reynolds has faced a week on intense scrutiny over the rape allegation, after failing to disclose the information to the prime minister.

She has consistently cited Ms Higgins' privacy to dodge questions over her timeline of events.

She broke down in the Senate question time on Friday, asking to take an unrelated question on notice.

Mr Hunt said on Wednesday Ms Reynolds was "a good person" and called on reporters to show "compassion ... (and) focus on the needs of others".

"We have to remind ourselves that this is the most intense, arguably, environment in Australia," he said.

"There are many intense environments, and all of us need to be aware of the pressures and pains, the impact of each of us on each other.

"She is a good person and so she needs our support. She has our support."

Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne will act on her behalf until she returns to work.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/linda-reynolds-admitted-to-hospital-cancels-press-club-appearance/news-story/11326876235276bb79d103e46ffdb691

#12995652 at 2021-02-19 05:05:27 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #13 - THE WAR IS REAL Edition

>>12995647

2/2

Mr Dutton was among several ministers to slam Facebook on Thursday after its extraordinary move to ban news content in Australia.

When users go on reliable Facebook news accounts, including the ABC, 7News and Daily Mail Australia, they are met with a message saying there are 'no posts' available - hiding news content which is visible to those overseas.

Even the Australian Greens Facebook page, the Bureau of Meteorology and domestic violence charities were banned from posting updates.

Facebook's extraordinary move to ban news contrasted with Google, which in recent days has brokered deals with media groups, including Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the action was 'heavy-handed and will damage its reputation here in Australia'.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said blasted the social media giant for denying Australians access to fundamental health, mental health and vaccination information.

'Facebook has taken steps, which are unprecedented and reprehensible,' he said.

'Unacceptable in a democracy such as this and an abuse of their power.'

'The Australian people and its government will not be bullied by some big tech company that is putting people as lives at risk and putting profits ahead of people,' he said.

Nationals Senator Matt Canavan said he did not agree with this stifling of free speech.

'We already have laws that stop foreigners interfering in political debates. Facebook at least appears to be acting against the spirit of those laws,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'Any overseas companies that try to unduly control the free speech of Australians should be sent packing.'

Former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said Mark Zuckerberg is behaving like North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un.

Mr Joyce said the decision meant Facebook resembled North Korea which tightly controls which news and information its citizens can access and relentlessly publishes propaganda supporting the leadership.

'Journalism is essential for the functioning of democracy. If you don't want journalism then go to North Korea,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'This is a North Korean policy agency being pursued by Facebook,' he added.

Mr Joyce said the government should consider issuing licences that grant permission for social media companies to operate in Australia to make sure they act in the national interest.

'If they leave then so what? Another platform will be set up,' he said.

Mr Joyce added: 'When I look up at the press gallery in Parliament or when I walk around Tamworth, I don't see a Facebook bureau or a Google bureau - so if they want to benefit from journalism done by others then they need to pay for it.

'It took 10,000 years of human experience to gain the liberties we enjoy today and the investigatory endeavours of paid journalists is a crucial pillar of that. To have journalism you need real presence and advertising.

'If Facebook wants to embezzle the process they can return to their garage and table tennis.'

Communications Minister Paul Fletcher has insisted the government will not back down and said the publisher could either abide by Australia's laws or leave the country.

Mr Fletcher said the government 'will be proceeding' with the new law, which passed the House of Representatives on Wednesday night and looks set to pass the Senate within days.

'We want Google and Facebook to stay in Australia but we have been very clear that if you do business in Australia, you need to comply with the laws passed by the elected Parliament of this nation,' he told the ABC on Thursday morning.

But Mr Fletcher didn't rule out tweaking the code after continuing discussions with Facebook.

Treasurer Josh Treasurer spoke to CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday morning and revealed the pair were trying to find 'a path forward'.

'Let's allow those discussions to continue and, at the same time, let's continue with the process of legislating the code,' Mr Fletcher said.

Facebook's decision means its nine million daily users in Australia can no longer view any news - even from foreign websites.

Australian Facebook users can't even share content they find interesting with friends and family, and those overseas can't read or access any content from Down Under either.

Minister Fletcher said Facebook's move is likely to increase the amount disinformation on Facebook.

'There are already questions about the credibility of information and sources on the Facebook platform,' he told Ben Fordham on 2GB radio.

'They're basically saying to Australians: If you're looking for reliable news, Facebook is not the place to look for it.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9272893/Facebook-slammed-Peter-Dutton-changes-making-easier-paedophiles-share-abuse.html

https://twitter.com/PeterDutton_MP/status/1362222617868922887

#12952584 at 2021-02-17 06:05:27 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #13 - THE WAR IS REAL Edition

>>12952517
Coronavirus: Gatecrashing consul was one of China's top cyber spies

BEN PACKHAM - MAY 1, 2020

1/2

The Chinese official Andrew Forrest helped to gatecrash Health Minister Greg Hunt's press conference was a former top cyber official for Beijing as the Chinese Communist Party waged a hacking war against Western businesses and governments.

China's Victorian consul-general, Long Zhou, was a co-ordinator of cyber affairs at China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he developed the country's cyberspace "co-operation" policy, putting a positive spin on Beijing's global digital incursions.

While China's state-sponsored cyber spying has sparked diplomatic protests across the world, the policy argued that countries must oppose cyber "hostility and aggression, prevent arms races and conflicts in cyberspace, and settle disputes through peaceful means".

Mr Long's former role has compounded Mr Forrest's offence in the eyes of the government, with the fallout set to be long-lasting.

"Twiggy will find the door to Canberra is closed," a senior source told The Australian, after he helped the Chinese diplomat ambush Mr Hunt.

The West Australian miner's ties to the government were immediately put on ice, with Mr Hunt cancelling another scheduled joint press conference at a Melbourne children's cancer centre.

It's understood the Health Minister feared a media circus at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, with questions about China likely to overshadow a $67m investment in children's cancer treatment.

"The announcement was issued by media release so as not to distract focus from the importance of this lifesaving ­program for children," Mr Hunt's spokesman said.

The Australian has also learned Mr Forrest only told Mr Hunt he'd invited Mr Long to speak at Wednesday's press conference when a television camera was already trained on the trio at Melbourne's Treasury Place commonwealth offices. Mr Hunt had assumed Mr Long was one of Mr Forrest's ­business contacts, who had helped him obtain the coronavirus test kits for Australia.

Mr Forrest was responsible for a similar scenario four weeks ago, helping China's West Australian consul-general, Dong Zhihua, get airtime at a press conference with state Health Minister Roger Cook to announce the arrival of a $160m shipment of personal protective equipment that he helped acquire.

Like Mr Hunt, Mr Cook found out he would share the podium with a Chinese government representative moments before the press conference got under way.

Days later, Mr Forrest said the pandemic gave him no reason to rethink his business relationship with China. "Yeah, and I see pandemics coming out of Europe mate, I can see them coming out of Africa. This one came out of China. You might even cop one coming out of Australia one day," he told Perth radio station 6PR.

"The pandemic starts somewhere. It is how you react to them and I really say to any leader mucking around blaming people, taking up people's precious airtime throwing blame, throwing criticism and not getting on with the job of fixing it, well, you are defining yourself as a pretty crap leader."

(continued)

#12952517 at 2021-02-17 05:55:02 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #13 - THE WAR IS REAL Edition

Diplomat Long Zhou wants more 'respect' for China

REMY VARGA - FEBRUARY 17, 2021

A Chinese diplomat and former top Beijing cyber official who infamously gatecrashed a federal minister's press conference says Australia needs to "abandon ideological principles" in order to repair its fractured relationship with the Asian superpower.

China's Victorian consul-general Long Zhou says Australia needs to uphold the principles of mutual respect and equal treatment and promote bilateral relations between the two nations.

His comments to Chinese state media come as trade restrictions on Australian exports - including beef, barley, lobster, wine and coal - devastate domestic businesses, and a Senate inquiry considers whether to ban the ­importation of goods produced by Uighur slave labour.

"Australia should treat China and China's development objectively and rationally, abandon ideological prejudices, and truly uphold the principles of mutual respect and equal treatment in handling bilateral relations and actively promote China-Australia relations to return to the track of normal and healthy development as soon as possible," Mr Zhou is paraphrased as saying in an article published on the consulate's website on February 1.

"Because this is in line with the two common interests of the two countries and the fundamental interests of the two peoples."

Mr Zhou made headlines when he was invited to speak alongside Health Minister Greg Hunt at a press conference by mining magnate Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest in April 2020, blindsiding the federal government.

His latest comments were made before the formal arrest of Australian journalist Cheng Lei earlier this month after the University of Queensland graduate had already been detained on suspicion of sharing state secrets.

Professor of public ethics at Charles Sturt University and China critic Clive Hamilton described the statement as "boilerplate Communist Party language", saying the gulf between Beijing's actions and words was vast.

"Last time I looked, bullying, subversion and economic coercion were not listed under 'the principles of mutual respect and equal treatment'," he said.

"As for 'the fundamental interests of the two peoples', let's hope one day soon the people of China can, like the people of ­Australia, breathe the fresh air of freedom."

The Senate's Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee is examining a proposed bill introduced by independent senator Rex Patrick to ban the importation of goods produced by Uighur forced labour.

Senator Patrick said China had been using Australia as an economic punching bag.

"If he (Mr Zhou) was truly interested in principles of mutual respect and equal treatment, he could start by getting his own ministers to answer the phone when our ministers call," he said.

"That would be a helpful first step, but I suspect he is just peddling propaganda under directions from his CCP masters."

The Australian has previously revealed Mr Zhou was a co-ordinator of cyber affairs at China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and developed the country's cyberspace "co-operation" policy, which put a positive spin on Beijing's global digital incursions.

Attempts to contact Mr Zhou went unanswered.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/diplomat-long-zhou-wants-more-respect-for-china/news-story/fd6875db82cbd12e38eaaadda7d28aba

#12866739 at 2021-02-09 07:27:28 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #13 - THE WAR IS REAL Edition

>>12775348
European Union will not block Pfizer coronavirus vaccine doses bound for Australia, ambassador says

Millions of doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine bound for Australia will be allowed to leave the European Union (EU), its ambassador has confirmed.

Australia has secured 20 million doses of the vaccine, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison previously saying the goal was to vaccinate 80,000 people a week from the end of February.

Concerns were raised about whether Australia would receive its order after the EU introduced new rules on exports of COVID-19 vaccines produced within the bloc, including Pfizer.

The measure could be used to block shipments to many non-EU countries and make sure any exporting company based in the EU would first have to submit their plans to national authorities.

But today, the EU's ambassador to Australia, Dr Michael Pulch, insisted the first Pfizer doses would not be blocked.

"Australia can indeed rely on deliveries from Europe," he said.

"The shipments to Australia will arrive on time.

"My colleagues in Brussels have assured the Australian side that they will work with them on a smooth authorisation process."

Mr Morrison and Health Minister Greg Hunt have both said the local rollout of the vaccine would be subject to the Pfizer and AstraZeneca doses arriving in Australia on time.

"We'll set a final date once we have shipping confirmation from [Pfizer] but we've been in contact with Pfizer Australia yesterday, and they remain on track," Mr Hunt told 2GB radio yesterday.

Dr Pulch said the new rules introduced by the EU were not export bans but measures to increase "transparency".

"As a result of announcements by pharmaceutical companies that they would reduce the delivery of vaccines to Europe, we felt that we needed to get a grip on the situation," he said.

"We had two companies that announced this, one was Pfizer-BioNTech ... and AstraZeneca, who out of the blue announced they would only deliver 40 per cent of what they had promised.

"So we felt we had to put down a marker here and develop some guardrails if you wish for cooperation with these companies."

He said companies would now have to disclose plans to send doses outside of the EU and have those plans authorised.

As well as Pfizer, the Federal Government has purchased just under 54 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is currently being considered for approval by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

The rollout is due to begin at the end of February, starting with frontline health and quarantine workers and those in aged care.

The Government's goal is to have all Australians who want to receive a vaccine offered a jab by the end of October.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-09/european-union-not-block-pfizer-coronavirus-vaccine-australia/13134702

#12775363 at 2021-01-31 05:04:07 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #13 - THE WAR IS REAL Edition

>>12775348

2/3

Earlier this week, Pfizer officials told The Weekend Australian "it is critical that governments do not impose export restrictions or other trade barriers that risk creating uncertainty and disrupting supply of vaccine to patients around the world''.

Some of the uncertainty about Australia's international supply stems from the country's success in managing the virus. Australia's perceived need for vaccines is much less than in Europe, where coronavirus death rates are still high and populations are under ­severe lockdown conditions.

The European issues stem from two unrelated problems.

Pfizer has had to halt production at its factory in Puurs for several weeks to increase its manufacturing output. At the same time, European officials have accused AstraZeneca of fulfilling an 100 million British order ahead of the Europeans' contract for 400 million doses, providing British ­patients with jabs not only from its UK plants in Wrexham and ­Oxford, but from the Seneffe ­factory in Belgium and another in The Netherlands.

The amount of Australia's ­initial supply of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is being imported from Europe before local manufacturing begins, has already been slashed as the UK pharmaceutical giant struggles to fulfil global ­orders of hundreds of millions of doses of its viral vector shots, amid problems with vaccine yield at its Belgium plant.

European Council president Charles Michel said Brussels was exploring "urgent measures to ensure effective vaccine productions and supply for our population".

Australian drug company CSL, which is contracted to make the AstraZeneca vaccine at its Broadmeadows plant in Melbourne, on Friday said it had experienced ­initial problems growing the cell culture to manufacture the 50 million doses onshore.

Australia is importing 3.8 million doses of the AstraZeneca jab from Europe, and CSL will manufacture 50 million doses in Melbourne. Australia is also importing 10 million doses of the Pfizer jab.

"Vaccine manufacture is highly complex, and it is not unusual to experience variations in yield ­levels in the initial product man­ufacturing runs - particularly for a new vaccine," CSL said in a ­statement.

"In close consultations with ­AstraZeneca, we have leveraged our deep expertise in vaccine ­development and recombinant drug manufacture to optimise the AZD1222 manufacturing process and achieve higher yields for each batch.''

CSL said it was "striving" to ­deliver the first doses of locally manufactured vaccine from late March, following Therapeutic Goods Administration approval and testing.

The Morrison government expects CSL will supply one million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine per week from late March.

As well as orders for the AstraZeneca and Pfizer jabs, Australia has also contracted to buy 50 million doses of the Novavax vaccine.

Phase 3 interim trial data for that vaccine, released on Friday, shows it has an effectiveness of 89.3 per cent with a strong protection against the highly contagious British variant of the virus.

The Novavax vaccine was found to be 95.6 per cent effective against the original COVID-19 virus and 85.6 per cent effective against the British variant.

It also appears to offer strong protection against the dangerous South Africa variant.

On Friday, Health Minister Greg Hunt defended the efficacy of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the elderly, after Germany's vaccine committee recommended it not be administered to people who are aged over 65. German officials were not satisfied that the ­efficacy of the vaccine had been demonstrated in the elderly, with only limited numbers of volunteers aged over 65 having been included in phase 3 clinical trials.

Mr Hunt said the TGA had noted there was "no evidence in relation to any risk with regards to effectiveness or other elements" in relation to the AstraZeneca vaccine's administration to elderly people. The British regulator has approved the AstraZeneca vaccine for use in all age groups.

(continued)

#12775348 at 2021-01-31 05:03:13 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #13 - THE WAR IS REAL Edition

EU bans coronavirus vaccine exports to Australia

JACQUELIN MAGNAY and NATASHA ROBINSON - JANUARY 30, 2021

1/3

The European Commission has slapped an immediate export ban on corona­virus vaccines to Australia so European citizens can be vaccinated first, throwing the rollout of Australia's program into disarray.

In a dramatic move that could escalate into a broader trade war, the EU has begun hoarding the vaccines for 450 million Europeans after claiming the UK had "hijacked'' doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine made in a Brussels plant.

The new rules, released overnight, will stop or slow the rate of export of any vaccines made or bottled in Europe to anywhere outside the continent, including Australia.

This will immediately affect Australia's 80,000 doses of the Pfizer BioNtech vaccine made in Puurs, Belgium, which is due in the coming weeks to start Australia's vaccination program.

Australia's 3.8 million international AstraZeneca Oxford vaccine doses, made in Seneffe, Belgium, had already been cut to 1.2 million and Europe's moves have added fresh uncertainty about this reduced amount.

Australia failed to obtain an exemption from the European rules despite the diplomatic efforts of Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Health Minister Greg Hunt.

However the European Commission - the executive branch of the EU - has provided exemptions to countries such as Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Israel, Moldova, Ukraine, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland and the Vatican City.

European politicians are under huge pressure to increase vaccination rates within the bloc after a slow start to their inoculation program, starting a month later than the UK; and exacerbated by supply issues. Only two per cent of Europe have been given a coronavirus inoculation compared to ten per cent of the UK who have had their first jab.

The European Commission said the measures were "to ensure timely access to COVID-19 vaccines for all EU citizens and to tackle the current lack of transparency of vaccine exports outside the EU''.

EU bureaucrats want to know if the big pharmaceutical companies are fulfilling non-EU orders at the ­expense of delaying any supplies to the 27-nation bloc.

The commission says it will now assess if the volume of exports poses a threat to the execution of the Advance Purchase Agreements the EU has concluded with vaccine manufacturers.

German Health Minister Jens Spahn warned the German public of "at least another 10 weeks of shortages".

The Commission's new rules were flagged following manufacturing issues that halved supply of the Pfizer and ­AstraZeneca vaccines in recent weeks.

European politicians have scrambled to secure supplies as vaccination programs slowed drastically, and in some regions stopped altogether. In France, vaccinations for 12 million people living in and around Paris have been halted, and other regions have had to push back their plans by six weeks.

In Madrid and in North Rhine Westphalia, the Spanish and German governments have stopped new inoculations, preferring to use dwindling supplies to provide the second jab to those who have had the first one. Barcelona and the wider Catalonia region are due to run out of supplies by this weekend.

Italy and Poland have threatened legal action to try to force the European manufacturers to divert stocks to their countries.

(continued)

#12076403 at 2020-12-18 07:46:39 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #11 - THE SILENT WAR CONTINUES Edition

#11 - Part 8
Coronavirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Australia and Worldwide
>>11420342 NSW police officer probe over COVID-19 virus letter, "Cops for Covid Truth" - Serene Teffaha / Advocate Me - illawarramercury.com.au
>>11422845 Coronavirus: Dozens arrested at Melbourne anti-lockdown protest
>>11588706 Coronavirus: Vaccine rollout for five million Aussies tipped for March
>>11603585 Video: Anthony Fauci says working with Trump Administration on coronavirus has been 'very stressful' - ABC News In-depth
>>11623123 Victoria's top health bureaucrat Kym Peake resigns following coronavirus hotel quarantine inquiry
>>11623384 Australia will share its COVID plan with incoming Biden administration
>>11623384 PDF: Australian Government - Department of Health - National Contact Tracing Review - November 2020
>>11651658 'F**king idiot': Melbourne doctor roasts Pete Evans over new COVID-19 comments

>>11676574 Compulsory vaccination at Goodstart Early Learning in Gladstone, Queensland faces legal challenge
>>11676660 CSL plans to build $1.8bn vaccine factory in Melbourne's north
>>11738960 Morrison pushes G20 for global access to vaccine; Trump says he's here to stay
>>11762085 Australians are 'winning' coronavirus fight, Health Minister Greg Hunt says
>>11792496 Vaccine, quarantine or no entry for overseas arrivals: Prime Minister Scott Morrison
>>11829920 Anthony Fauci has applauded Australia's use of lockdowns - Australia leads on Covid, says Anthony Fauci
>>11978765 University of Queensland's Australian COVID vaccine terminated due to HIV 'false positives'
>>12017586 Victoria's contact tracing system was unfit for purpose during coronavirus second wave, parliamentary inquiry finds

#11 - Part 9
George Papadopoulos Tweets, Alexander Downer and SPYGATE Revelations
>>11420723 Downer was too sloppy and I had to report him to US authorities who foolishly notified me downer was in on it
>>11420723 Matt Bevan Tweet: OK but how does him writing an opinion piece in a national newspaper in favour of Trump fit into that?
>>11420723 His actions in 2016 have a big impact on himself and the US-Australia relationship in 2020
>>11420723 Matt Bevan Tweet: Writing an op-ed in favour of Trump to try and save himself from the people investigating him for spying. Got it.
>>11535230 I have never seen so many triggered people. I mean, you "won", right?
>>11535230 The crash is going to be brutal

>>11570888 Alexander Downer Tweet: @realDonaldTrump should concede gracefully. He's lost.
>>11571040 Video: Alexander Downer: Joe Biden will be a 'ceremonial president' - Sky News Australia
>>11587588 The world is watching
>>11605184 The UK and Australia were working against the campaign and sending operatives. They are now working to block declassification
>>11665184 Remember "Ambassador Downer"? He will become a household name once they drop the documents
>>11734733 It's going to be biblical

#11978773 at 2020-12-11 06:52:57 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #11 - THE SILENT WAR CONTINUES Edition

>>11978765

2/2

Health department secretary Brendan Murphy said the risk of a false-positive was seen to be "extremely low at the outset".

"Everyone was very surprised at the unexpected prevalence of the false positive," Professor Murphy said.

More than 200 volunteers in two groups - aged 18 to 55, and 56 and over - were involved in the phase one trial with a proportion of the participants receiving a placebo.

Evidence publicly released so far from the clinical trials found the vaccine to be safe and said it produced a strong immune response able to neutralise the COVID-19 virus in laboratory based tests.

A government source said the Australian government's Science and Industry Technical Advisory Group, headed by Professor Murphy and acting Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly, had reviewed the findings this week and recommended ending the deal.

An industry source said CSL, Australia's biggest company, will make a statement to the ASX 200 on Friday before the market opens. Both UQ and CSL will continue their research in the hope of creating a successful vaccine in coming months.

Neither CSL, the University of Queensland nor the Morrison government would comment when contacted by this masthead.

Vaccines typically require years of research and testing before reaching the clinic, but scientists around the world are racing to produce a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine by next year.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the decision showed the planning process was working.

"It's an honest explanation of some of the challenges we've had," Mr Hunt said.

"But, at the end of the day, 31 million new vaccines purchased for Australia, and the potential for a slightly earlier completion of the rollout with the commencement process still on track for March, subject to the approvals and the news on our vaccine candidates is strong."

The University of Queensland was tasked by the Oslo-based Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations to develop a vaccine against the coronavirus in January, which was supported by an initial investment of up to US$4.5 million.

The vaccine efforts reached a critical milestone in April, showing the ability to raise high levels of antibodies that can neutralise the virus in early pre-clinical testing.

Although the deal with CSL was expected to be worth up to $1 billion, the federal government was not required to pay unless the vaccine had received the green light from health authorities and large-scale production occurred. It means the funding commitment can be diverted to securing doses from other candidate vaccines.

Before the UQ-CSL termination, the Morrison government had signed five agreements securing potential access to 134 million doses from different vaccines at a total cost of $3.2 billion.

Researchers are testing 58 vaccines in clinical trials on humans, and at least 86 preclinical vaccines are under active investigation in animals.

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/australian-covid-vaccine-terminated-due-to-hiv-false-positives-20201210-p56mju.html

#11762085 at 2020-11-24 05:39:34 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #11 - THE SILENT WAR CONTINUES Edition

Australians are 'winning' coronavirus fight, Health Minister Greg Hunt says

Australia has recorded a new breakthrough in the coronavirus pandemic with no patients in hospital relying on a ventilator.

The development on Tuesday comes as the Oxford University vaccine makers reveal the jab is on track to be rolled out next year.

Health Minister Greg Hunt on Tuesday toured ventilator manufacturer ResMed's Sydney headquarters.

"Australians being without a single person on ventilation assistance, that is an immensely important milestone," Mr Hunt said.

"It says that Australians are winning (but) we haven't won yet because this disease is still abroad internationally."

Australia has 7000 ResMed ventilation units in the national medical stockpile.

Mr Hunt said news about phase 3 clinical trial results from AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine overnight meant Australia was on track for some of the first vaccines.

Analysis from the trials showed that the vaccine efficacy in two different dose regimens was 90 per cent in one and 62 per cent in the other.

Australia has signed supply agreements with four vaccine makers, including more than 33 million units of Oxford vaccine that will be manufactured in Victoria.

Mr Hunt said immunisations for healthcare workers would start in March 2021 followed by the elderly.

"Our expectation is that all Australians who seek it will be given access to a free vaccine on a voluntary basis during the course of 2021," he said.

Staff at the ResMed headquarters were also thanked for being part of Australia's "finest years" since the Second World War.

"You've worked day and night," Mr Hunt said.

"What do you have done is saved lives and protected lives."

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/australians-are-winning-coronavirus-fight-health-minister-Greg-Hunt-says/news-story/3ec4b7bedc768555881bc609388db84c

#11588706 at 2020-11-11 08:54:10 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #11 - THE SILENT WAR CONTINUES Edition

Coronavirus: Vaccine rollout for five million Aussies tipped for March

The regulator of medicines in Australia has confirmed it expects to be able to approve the first coronavirus vaccine in late January, with jabs of five million people to begin in March.

That's provided safety and efficacy data provided by pharmaceutical company Pfizer - which is manufacturing the frontrunner vaccine - meets rigorous regulatory standards. The head of the Therapeutic Goods Administration, John Skerritt, on Wednesday confirmed the news first reported by The Australian that Pfizer had been granted a provisional determination for its vaccine, which fast-tracks the approval process.

A vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca in conjunction with Oxford University has also been granted a provisional determination and is expected to be available in Australia in January, with vaccinations to begin in March if clinical trials prove successful and regulatory approval is granted.

The provisional determinations mean the TGA is already liaising with the pharmaceutical companies, examining data and co-­ordinating with overseas regu­lators to cut time to approval.

"I'm hoping that, all going well, that by, say, the end of January, we'll be in the position to be able to give the first couple of vaccines an approval," Professor Skerritt said.

The TGA is also in discussions with "at least a dozen" other companies that are developing coronavirus vaccines to speed up the regulatory process should any of those vaccines prove successful.

There are more than more than 200 COVID-19 vaccines in development globally, with 41 of those in human clinical trials. Ten vaccines are in the final phase of human trials, with hundreds of thousands of volunteers now being injected with vaccines or placebos.

Pfizer released interim results from its phase-three clinical trials in a press release on Monday, reporting that its vaccine had 90 per cent efficacy in tens of thousands of people involved in its clinical trial.

Pfizer, which is developing the BNT162 vaccine with German partner BioNTech, has enrolled 43,538 participants in its phase-three trial. The trial began on July 27 and, so far, 38,955 people have received two doses of the vaccine.

During the trial, 94 people have contracted COVID-19, but only 10 per cent of those received the vaccine rather than a placebo. ­Pfizer said it would continue the trial until there had been 164 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among participants.

The company said it expected to be able to provide the US Food and Drug Administration with the required amount of safety data for emergency-use authorisation of the vaccine by the third week of November.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said Australia had secured cold-chain logistics for the Pfizer vaccine, which must be refrigerated to -70C. The vaccines will be transported to Australia in "very sophisticated eskies" and cooled by dry ice. The vaccines last 14 days refrigerated in the dry ice containers, which means they will be able to be distributed to GP clinics and administered there.

"We are on track to deliver vaccines to Australians, commencing in March of 2021," Mr Hunt said. "We want to see all Australians have the option of being vaccinated during the course of 2021. Our distribution process is set up to achieve that."

Health workers, the elderly and aged-care workers are in line to ­receive jabs first.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/science/coronavirus-vaccine-rollout-for-five-million-aussies-tipped-for-march/news-story/d65799ab801708d49eacddb66ea6dcde

#11128009 at 2020-10-18 02:07:34 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #10 - INFORMATION WARFARE Edition

>>11127991

2/2

Further easing for Regional Victoria

Regional Victorians would also get some greater freedoms, he said.

Hospitality businesses outside Melbourne would be allowed to host up to 40 customers indoors and up to 70 people outdoors from 11.59pm on Sunday night.

Regional libraries and toy libraries will be able to reopen for a maximum of 20 people indoors while outdoor religious gatherings would be allowed with a limit of 20 people. Religious gatherings of up to 50 people would be allowed in two weeks.

"Not so long ago we had 725 cases and there was simply no way we could have a debate, a perfectly legitimate debate about how to open, went to open, how to do that," Mr Andrews said.

"But Victorians, in every community, from every background, every circumstance, have stayed the course and we just have a little longer to go, just a little longer to go in order to see off the second wave, defeat the second wave, and then to find the normal and to begin the process of rebuilding."

The benchmarks for Victoria's next steps have changed, with case numbers no longer needing to be under an average of five per day over two weeks to move to the next step.

Premier Daniel Andrews said that "modelling gets very challenging" when case numbers get low.

He said the number of tests completed each day, the number of mystery cases and the 'story' that sits behind each new case will determine if the state can roll back more restrictions from November 2.

"As the numbers gotten very low, you do have to make that difficult judgement, could this be as good as it is going to get? And then make a proportionate decision," he said.

Two new cases

Victoria recorded two new cases of coronavirus and no news deaths on Sunday.

Melbourne's rolling 14-day average of case numbers has dropped to 7.5, a reduction of 0.6 from Saturday. Regional Victoria's two-week case average remains at 0.5.

The current tally for mystery cases recorded between October 2 and October 5 is 15.

There is a new mystery case of COVID-19 in Melbourne's north-eastern suburbs.

The new case is connected to postcode 3081, which takes in Melbourne, Heidelberg West, Heidelberg Heights and Bellfield.

Another mystery case was revealed on Saturday in the 3128 postcode, within the Box Hill area. Metropolitan Melbourne has had 15 mystery cases - COVID-19 cases without a clear source - between October 2 to October 15.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said this mean that there is "at least another unidentified individual" in the 3081 postcode, or even chains of transmission in the city's north-east.

"The interviews are indicating that people have not been to those high risk sites that are listed on the (health department) website," he said.

"It again points to the importance of wearing masks for all of those outdoor activities that you are involved in, whether it is food shopping or other essential business outside of your home, including meeting others with the new limits from midnight tonight."

Health Minister Greg Hunt said that Victoria had met the public health benchmarks needed to open up to the same extent as NSW, and "hospitality, movement and family reunions among others" should be allowed.

Victoria recorded only one case on Saturday and no deaths.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/premier-reveals-new-lockdown-rules-for-victoria-20201018-p5665h.html

#10500441 at 2020-09-02 04:33:51 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #9 - Welcome to the Digital Battlefield Edition

Open Letter to Health Minister About Ivermectin - "One Dose is Normally Sufficient for Recovery"

[Editor's note: This letter was sent to the minister by one of Gumshoe's readers, RWA, and is published in part below. The references are at the bottom of the letter.]

The Hon. Greg Hunt, MP, Minister for Health

Dear Minister

Introduction

I am a very healthy 74yo Australian male. I take great care with my diet which includes very few vitamins and mineral supplements. This ensures that I maintain my health, correct bodyweight & a strong immune system.

I am so healthy that I haven't had a common cold for over 40 years and I haven't needed to visit a doctor for some 5 years. This suddenly changed recently when I needed a prescription for two packs of Stromectol, the brand name for Ivermectin in Australia.

IVERMECTIN (STROMECTOL) PRESCRIPTION

Stromectol is available as a pack of 4 tablets, each of which contains 3mg of Ivermectin. A Standard Single Dose of Stromectol consists of 1×3mg tablet per 15-20kg of patient body weight.

Currently, Stromectol is only available in Australia on prescription. The prescription system provides an important means to control those medications which are an asset to society but which could also be a hazard due to their characteristics and potentially adverse effects on the human body, especially if it is misused or abused.

The prescription system becomes a curse when it unnecessarily controls the availability of any benign medication which has a wide range of capabilities, some of which have yet to be discovered. Ivermectin is one such benign medication, and especially in the recently discovered ability of Ivermectin to control the novel Coronavirus.

I recently became aware of the efficacious capabilities of Ivermectin with COVID-19 which had been discovered through "off-label" experimentation by various doctors and medical experts throughout the world - especially in the USA. ("Off-label" is defined as medication that has yet to receive official approval from the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the FDA (USA) or any similar sovereign authority for use regarding any particular disease.) …continued in link

https://gumshoenews.com/2020/09/01/open-letter-to-health-minister-about-ivermectin-one-dose-is-normally-sufficient-for-recovery/

#10343915 at 2020-08-19 18:50:42 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #9 - Welcome to the Digital Battlefield Edition

Back tracked in the same day. Testing limit of population? Too early to kill everyone? Flush out the most vocal opposition first then kill them one by one?

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has back-tracked after suggesting vaccinations against the coronavirus could become mandatory.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-53840086

19 August 2020

Announcing a deal that could provide free doses to Australia's entire population, Mr Morrison had said there should only be medical exemptions.

But after concerns raised by health experts, he clarified: "There are no compulsory vaccines in Australia."

Meanwhile, visitors to Australia may also be required to have immunisation.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said he "wouldn't rule out" making it mandatory for anyone travelling to Australia - including Australians returning to the country - if that was the advice from medical experts.

"It would seem passing strange if we had a massive vaccination programme in Australia but we were then to allow people in who could bring it in," he told A Current Affair.

#10315234 at 2020-08-17 06:28:09 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #9 - Welcome to the Digital Battlefield Edition

Australia could have a COVID-19 vaccine within six months

Australia could have access to a vaccine for COVID-19 within six months and negotiations are already under way to secure the jab, the Health Minister says.

Australians could have access to a vaccine against the deadly coronavirus within six months, Health Minister Greg Hunt says.

The Government is in negotiations with a number of companies to procure the University of Oxford's vaccine candidate, which is still being tested but has shown promising results.

Mr Hunt called it a "ray of hope" that Australia could be able to vaccinate against the virus by early next year.

"I am now, on the basis of our best medical advice, more optimistic," he told Sky News on Sunday.

"I think the world is moving closer to a vaccine … If anything occurs before then that would be an outstanding result, not just for Australia, but the world.

"For the first time, I feel cautiously but genuinely optimistic about the prospect of a vaccine."

It is understood that one of the companies Australia is negotiating with is British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca.

It comes after researchers from Oxford University revealed positive results from trials on their vaccine last month.

Research published in the journal Lancet claims an experimental vaccine - labelled ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 - was tested on more than 1000 people and prompted a protective immune response in those aged 18 to 55.

"The vaccine was safe and tolerated," researchers wrote.

"Preliminary results from a phase 1/2 trial involving 1077 healthy adults found that vaccine induced strong antibody & T cell immune responses up to day 56 of the ongoing trial," the Lancet wrote when announcing the breakthrough on social media on Monday night.

"These responses may be even greater after a 2nd dose, according to a subgroup study of 10 participants."

Oxford University's Jenner Institute director Dr Adrian Hill, said the results were hugely promising.

"We are seeing good immune response in almost everybody," Dr Hill told the Associated Press.

"What this vaccine does particularly well is trigger both arms of the immune system."

He claimed the vaccine causes a reaction in the body's T-cells which help to fight off the coronavirus and that a partnership was already underway with a drug manufacturer to produce millions of doses.

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/australia-could-have-a-covid19-vaccine-within-six-months/news-story/6e755868b561e800d90e60f224783037

#10077129 at 2020-07-25 23:30:15 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #8 - WE ARE THE CURE Edition

Repost from Q Research General #12896

Morrison government ministers allowed to defy travel ban to fly to the US

Australia's foreign and defence ministers will become the first members of the government to leave Australia since the international border closed.

Today, Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Defence Minister Linda Reynolds will travel to Washington for annual talks with the US government, with "China" set to dominate discussions.

The Australian Ministers will meet face-to-face with US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington DC - a risky trip given the US has hit over four million COVID-19 cases.

The small delegation, which also includes Chief of the Defence Force, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) secretary Frances Adamson and Defence secretary Greg Moriarty, will have isolate for fourteen days when they return.

"And they'll be doing it on the basis of medical advice," Health Minister Greg Hunt said.

"The fact that they're meeting in the middle of the pandemic is important, and of course it will all be about China," Peter Jennings, executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, told 9News.

"It's acceptable for both Washington and Canberra if we kind of to steer our own courses on this issue.

"It's not smart for Australia to look like we're just in American's coattails."

Before take-off, the ministers blasted Beijing for its coercive conduct in the South China Sea and its undermining of democratic freedoms in Hong Kong.

They also noted cyberattacks are on the rise - without once naming China.

Meanwhile, at the United Nations, Australia formally rejected Beijing's claims to islands in the crucial trading waters.

"Australia needs to defend the Australian national interest and we also need to stand up for international law," Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said.

https://www.9news.com.au/national/morrison-government-ministers-allowed-to-defy-travel-ban-us-meeting-china/f6c95774-c6ed-43cf-aee1-cce4a13293bd

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROagCq4Sf9s

#10019867 at 2020-07-20 08:51:49 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #8 - WE ARE THE CURE Edition

>>10019861

2/2

It has also not taken long for conspiracy theorists to attack the move as an alleged money-making scheme for Chinese mask manufacturers. Some even made a wild and unsubstantiated claim that Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is somehow making money from the rules.

"Most masks are from China = Dan Andrews enforces masks = Keeps his Chinese paymasters happy. Join the dots," one conspiracy theorist wrote on Twitter.

Despite the resistance by some, the new Victorian rules have also found widespread support.

Australian Infectious Disease physician and researcher, Professor Sharon Lewin said the latest evidence on the spread of COVID-19 shows that masks do work.

"Masks play two roles. First of all, they play a role in protecting someone from becoming infected," she told Nine this morning.

"We've known for a long time that if you wear a mask for a prolonged period they don't work as well but they also play an important role in stopping someone who is infectious from spreading to other people.

"We've known that for long time so we have told people if they're symptomatic don't go to your doctor without a mask, put on a mask and go to see your doctor.

"What we hadn't appreciated is how common people are infectious when they have absolutely no symptoms, you don't know that you're infected when you go to work."

She said that the only way to deal with this problem is universal mask-wearing.

"All of us should wear a mask because we don't know when we're infectious and that has changed dramatically," she said. "We have much better evidence just over the last two to three months that this does work."

Epidemiology professor Tony Blakely from University of Melbourne told the Today show it was clear that some Australians had an "issue" with being told to wear masks, but that won't be the case for long.

"By Wednesday next week - people will be looking sideways at the person in the supermarket not wearing it and they will be considered rude, impolite or not socially appropriate," he said. "Back up, think about it. When we made pubs smoke-free, it was a bit controversial initially and then considered the best thing to do and I'm pretty sure that will happen here. We have to go for a culture change here. It is going to happen quickly."

Victoria's laws have also been supported by several high-ranking Federal politicians, such as Josh Frydenberg and Health Minister Greg Hunt.

Mr Hunt said Victoria is at the point where masks are now "necessary" in the state and says federal officials "fully and completely support".

"It is necessary, and we are sorry that it has reached this point for all those who were affected. But this is about saving lives and protecting lives."

In making the announcement on Sunday morning, Mr Andrews said anybody caught outside the home without a mask would face a $200 fine.

"It's a relatively simple thing but it's also about embedding behaviour, which I think is just as important on the other side of this second wave as it is in bringing these case numbers down," he said.

"We're going to be wearing masks in Victoria and potentially in other parts of the country for a very long time. There's no vaccine to this wildly infectious virus and it's a simple thing, but it's about changing habits, it's about becoming a simple part of your routine.

Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said children under 12 are exempt.

"That is in recognition that it's likely to work for all of those age groups. Below the age of 12, it's a consideration. We say not for toddlers. So not for two years and below," he said.

"It's a consideration for all other children. But it is mandatory, really, from that high school age onwards."

Exemptions will be given to people who cannot wear a mask due to a medical condition, and when engaged in an activity where it is "entirely impractical" to wear a mask, it's also not a requirement, Prof Sutton said.

https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavirus/australia/face-masks-furious-aussies-rise-up-against-victorias-mandatory-rules/news-story/cf0859410b2caee7dd4fffd42569298f

#9822546 at 2020-07-02 07:18:53 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #8 - WE ARE THE CURE Edition

Gilead donates Covid-19 drug remdesivir to Australia's medical stockpile after US buys up supply

US bought more than 500,000 doses, representing all of Gilead's production for July and 90% of August and September

The US pharmaceutical giant Gilead has donated a supply of the antiviral medication remdesivir to Australia's national medical stockpile, with the federal health minister, Greg Hunt, saying there will be enough of the drug to meet Covid-19 patient demand.

It followed news overnight that the US government bought virtually all of the global supply of remdesivir for the next three months. The drug has shown some promise in helping Covid-19 patients recover faster. However, it is not a cure. Remdesivir is the first drug approved by licensing authorities in the US to treat Covid-19, prompting the White House under US president Donald Trump to buy more than 500,000 doses, representing all of Gilead's production for July and 90% of August and September.

However, a spokesman for Hunt said this would not affect the ability of doctors to administer the drug in Australia. Australia's Covid-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce currently states that the use of remdesivir for adults with moderate, severe or critical Covid-19 may be considered by doctors. This recommendation will be updated as further evidence from clinical trials becomes available.

"The Australian government has received from Gilead a donated supply of remdesivir to the national medical stockpile, which will be available for use in eligible patients prescribed by a medical practitioner," the spokesman said. "Australia currently has sufficient supply of remdesivir to meet current patient needs on the basis of our expert medical advice."

Associate Professor Alice Motion from University of Sydney's school of chemistry said the actions by the US were nonetheless "a real concern". Motion, who works as part of open source drug discovery projects including the Breaking Good citizen science project, said: "We would want to make sure something like this isn't possible for a vaccine.

"A vaccine should be available to people all over the world rather than one country, or a group of countries having preferred access to a medicine.

"Remdesivir is a medicine that helps people to recover faster, but imagine if the same thing happened with a vaccine that emerges. That would be terrible."

She said the actions of the US raised fundamental issues about fair and equitable access to medicine.

"The other issue is whether everyone in the US will now have equal access to remdesivir too," Motion said. "Equal access is not just an issue on a global level, but within countries."

If remdesivir does prove to be significantly effective in treating Covid-19, the drug would be needed not only in the US but globally, Associate Professor Barbara Mintzes from the University of Sydney's Charles Perkins Centre and School of Pharmacy said.

"The US arrangement to buy 500,000 doses of remdesivir from Gilead raises concerns not only about access in other countries but also how to prevent profiteering from the Covid-19 pandemic and ensuring that patients who need treatment are able to access it," she said. "Gilead announced its global price for remdesivir on June 29 as US$390 per vial. The Guardian reports that the cost will be US$3,200 for a six-day treatment, or A$4,607. The cost of production of remdesivir has been estimated to be less than US$1 per day or US$6 (A$8.64) for a six-day course of treatment.

"Gilead has licensing agreements with manufacturers in Egypt, India and Pakistan to supply remdesivir to 127 low to middle-income countries. The US deal with Gilead and limits on which countries can be supplied under this licensing agreement leave countries like Australia in the lurch: unable to access remdesivir from Gilead at a high price - as the US is doing - and unable to access it at a low price from generic manufacturers, as lower income countries can."

As for a solution, Mintzes said in a public health emergency governments can issue compulsory licenses to bypass patent protection and either produce a drug themselves or buy the drug from generic manufacturers. The Netherlands is currently considering an amendment to its patent law to allow compulsory licensing of remdesivir.

"Currently we don't know for sure whether remdesivir will prove to be an important treatment for Covid-19," she said. "If it does, given that the US is buying out Gilead's supply, and also given the extremely high price as compared with costs of production, the obvious solution for Australia would be to also consider compulsory licensing."

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jul/01/gilead-donates-covid-19-drug-remdesivir-to-australias-medical-stockpile-after-us-buys-up-supply

#9740253 at 2020-06-25 07:11:47 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #8 - WE ARE THE CURE Edition

Australian Defence Force to send 1,000 personnel to assist Victoria in coronavirus response

The Australian Defence Force will provide more than 1,000 personnel to assist with the coronavirus response in Victoria, by helping to run a huge testing facility at the Melbourne Showgrounds and organising the transportation of tests to other states for processing.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews today announced a new suburban testing blitz to do 100,000 tests across 10 Melbourne suburbs in 10 days.

"That blitz will mean we need more testing capacity," Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said.

The governments of New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia and Queensland have all agreed to help process the extra tests.

The tests will be flown interstate by the ADF for processing.

On Tuesday, 21,000 tests were carried out in Victoria, the highest number in a single day this year. More than 20,000 tests were done on Wednesday.

The defence force staff will help to run a massive new test site at the Melbourne Showgrounds.

They will also assist with the transportation and logistics involved in moving returned travellers between the airport and the hotels where they will serve their mandatory quarantine period.

More than 18,500 returned travellers have gone through 14 days of hotel quarantine in Victoria since the start of the pandemic.

Two separate coronavirus clusters have been linked to quarantine hotels - the Stamford Plaza Hotel and Rydges on Swanston hotel.

Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said the procedures for staff working in hotel quarantine were continually under review to deal with the spread of cases from the hotels.

Health Minister Greg Hunt, speaking in Melbourne, said clearly the hotel quarantine structure in Victoria "could be improved."

"We're stepping in at Victoria's request to assist them as we would any other state," he said.

He said the Government had responded to Victoria's request for help in the same way it had done for other states, like Tasmania and New South Wales.

"Whilst we expect there will be more cases today ... the Chief Medical Officer's view is that the number of cases are contained, but there is a risk," Mr Hunt said.

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said the 1,000 troops would include roughly 850 people to help with planning and assisting with the enforcement of hotel quarantine.

"Our soldiers are not law enforcement personnel ... they are not security guards, but they are assisting those locations to make sure quarantine requirements are met," she said.

The Minister said about 200 medical personnel would work with Victorian authorities to speed up testing processes.

Complacency about coronavirus virus prompts concern

The state today recorded 33 new coronavirus infections and this week a man in his 80s died from COVID-19, bringing the state's death toll to 20.

It was the first death in more than a month and took the national total to 103.

Thursday was the ninth consecutive day of double-digit increases in coronavirus cases in the state.

A rise in community transmission of the virus prompted the State Government to declare six local government areas hotspots, including Hume, Darebin, Casey, Cardinia, Moreland and Brimbank.

Australian Medical Association president Tony Bartone said the deployment of more defence personnel sent a "strong message" about the seriousness of the virus.

"Complacency has possibly started to set in and it is a reminder that the virus is still there," he said.

"We need to get on top of this before, indeed, it becomes anything more and leads us into a second wave."

Dr Bartone said he expected the military would help bolster the "logistical response and the expertise" at the front line.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-25/victoria-coronavirus-adf-personnel-sent-in-hotel-quarantine/12390486

#9584018 at 2020-06-12 08:18:31 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #8 - WE ARE THE CURE Edition

'This is not Trump's America': Barr hits back at PM's call to arrest protesters

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called on state authorities to arrest people who turn up to protests at the weekend, prompting a sharp rebuke from ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr.

Mr Barr said arrests were not practical and would put people at more risk by bringing them into close contact. It was better to rely on "collective goodwill and respect for the public health situation we find ourselves in", he said, describing the NSW police response to the lockdowns as "very strange" and very aggressive.

He accused Mr Morrison of double standards, after Mr Morrison said "it's a free country" when asked about anti-lockdown protests.

"This example in Victoria highlights the risks associated with large public gatherings so that should serve as a timely reminder to everyone," Mr Barr said. "But of course in a liberal democracy we do retain the right of citizens to protest. This is not Trump's America or Putin's Russia. We do not seek authoritarian responses in this country to people protesting."

In Melbourne, a protester tested positive a day after attending a rally last Saturday, prompting Janet Rice, a Greens Senator at the same event to stay away from the Senate chamber on Thursday. Four Labor MPs who attended separate protests were tested this week, all negative.

Mr Morrison said protesters who defied rules banning mass gatherings this weekend should be arrested.

"You can't have a double standard here," he said. "… People who would turn up to a rally this weekend would be showing great disrespect to their neighbours."

Mr Morrison will push hard for states to reopen their borders when the national cabinet meets on Friday, saying he is frustrated they haven't named a firm timetable.

Border restrictions are still in place in Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.

"Hotels have to be provisioned. Planes have to be fuelled. They have to be ready to get back in the air and crews have to be brought back and training has to be done on COVIDSafe operating environments," Mr Morrison said. "There's a lot of work to do. So nominate the date and let's get on with it."

An OECD report on Thursday showed the Australian economy performing well compared with other countries, with its GDP predicted to fall 5 per cent this year, or 6.3 with a second wave of infections and lockdowns. That is better than any other OCED country bar Korea, and compares with New Zealand (8.9 per cent, down, or 10 per cent with a new lockdown), and Britain (11.5 per cent or 14 per cent).

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said it was critically important that Australia maintain momentum.

"Closed borders cost jobs," he said. "There is no clear medical reason as to why domestic borders should be closed."

It is unclear whether Black Lives Matter protests will go ahead this weekend, and plans for a refugee protest in Sydney on Saturday are back in court. No protest has been confirmed for Canberra.

But Mr Morrison said last week's protests had "put the whole track back to recovery at risk" and any more protests would be "absolutely unacceptable on any terms". It would be at least a week before it was clear whether coronavirus infections had spread at the rallies, he said.

"It just puts a massive spanner in the works. And that's why it's so frustrating."

Health Minister Greg Hunt said people were protesting for 'the most noble of causes", but mass gatherings were dangerous.

"There are no safe mass gatherings, please do not go," he said.

But Greens Leader Adam Bandt said if the government didn't want people to protest it should tackle Aboriginal deaths in custody and institutionalised racism. The issue should be on the national cabinet agenda on Friday and at every national cabinet, Mr Bandt said, accusing Mr Morrison of being in denial about racism and trying to whitewash history.

Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi accused the government of "myopic and reactionary malice". The protests were a chance to upend the system that had failed indigenous Australians, she said.

"Police brutality and systemic violence against black people is not a thing over there, it is happening right here in our own country, it's a reality that indigenous people live with every day," she said, citing the death of Aboriginal man David Dungay who also said "I can't breathe" as he died in custody in 2015.

(continued)

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6790220/this-is-not-trumps-america-barr-hits-back-at-pms-call-to-arrest-protesters

#9235470 at 2020-05-19 07:27:53 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #8 - WE ARE THE CURE Edition

President Donald Trump Tweet

We are with them!

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1262392931962454020

—

SBS News Tweet

India, Japan, Britain, Canada, New Zealand, Indonesia, Russia, and all 27 EU member states are backing Australia's push for a probe into the COVID-19 pandemic.

https://twitter.com/SBSNews/status/1262114445536440320

—

Coalition of 116 countries back Australia's push for independent coronavirus inquiry

A group of 54 African nations has joined Australia's push for an inquiry into coronavirus, taking the total number of countries on board to 116.

More than 110 countries have backed Australia's push for an independent coronavirus inquiry which has caused a damaging rift with China.

The African Group's 54 member states will co-sponsor the motion, joining 62 other countries including Russia, Indonesia, India, Japan, Britain and Canada.

The European Union's 27 members are all on board, along with Brazil, South Korea, Mexico, Turkey and New Zealand.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne on Monday said it was encouraging to see so many countries backing the inquiry.

"I think what it illustrates is a broad view that given the experience of COVID-19 - over 300,000 deaths, millions of people around the world losing their jobs, the impact on economies from one corner of the globe to the other - that there is a strong view that it is appropriate to engage in a review of what has happened.

"I don't want to preempt speculate about the outcome, those discussions will be under way later this evening. I think it's a win for the international community."

The draft resolution calls for impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation of the international response to the pandemic.

It doesn't mention China, but Australia's push for the inquiry has angered Beijing, which has threatened a huge tariff on barley and blocked some beef imports.

Health Minister Greg Hunt will represent Australia at the virtual World Health Assembly meeting on Monday night.

A vote is expected in the early hours of Tuesday.

In relation to the motion pushing federal Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said on Monday it was important to "get to the bottom" of what had happened.

"I think the most important thing, rather than apportioning blame to one particular country or another country, is that we get to the bottom of what's happened. And part of that is about the origin, where this virus came from," he told reporters.

"Looking at the entire way that it has spread so rapidly around the world and what's happened in different countries in the ways that different countries have approached that problem will be part of that investigation. And I hope that that resolution will be successful," he added.

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said the inquiry was about investigating what the world could learn from the devastating pandemic.

"That's the responsible thing to do when 300,000 souls have lost their lives around the world," he told the ABC on Monday.

Mr Littleproud said his Chinese counterpart had indicated he would not discuss trade issues in the near future.

Trade Minister Simon Birmingham has not received a return call from his Chinese counterpart.

Australia isn't ruling out taking China to the World Trade Organisation over the 80 per cent tariff on barley.

Mr Littleproud said he would continue to make the case to China that exporters were not dumping product.

"We will prosecute that case on behalf of Australian exporters," he said.

"If those that we're prosecuting against don't understand it, we'll take it to an umpire for them to understand."

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has described the push for an inquiry into the origins of coronavirus as completely unremarkable.

But China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi lashed out at foreign lawmakers for politicising the pandemic.

Beijing's man in Canberra raised the prospect of consumer boycotts of Australian products because of the push for an inquiry.

Since then, the barley threat has surfaced, while four major Australian abattoirs have been blocked from sending their product to China.

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/coalition-of-116-countries-back-australia-s-push-for-independent-coronavirus-inquiry

#9048713 at 2020-05-06 10:03:43 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #7 - FIRE & FURY Edition

COVID-19 treatment news: How blood plasma could be used to treat future cases

Australians who have recovered from coronavirus will soon be able to donate their plasma to help create a new treatment for future patients.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said almost 6000 Australians have already recovered from COVID-19 and their blood and plasma could be used on a voluntary basis.

"This treatment has the potential to assist those who are facing extreme conditions," Mr Hunt said today.

"(It is for those) in ICU, those in advanced stage of the effects of COVID-19 - Australia is leading the world in research and treatment."

He said the trial is still in the early stages of development and it will depend on the Therapeutic Goods Administration on how big it can be.

"We think somewhere between 50 and 100 patients, so that we can demonstrate this product is safe to use in patients with COVID-19 and is effective in neutralising the virus," Mr Hunt said.

The trial will be overseen by researchers from blood products giant CSL, who have started development of the potentially life-saving COVID-19 treatment at its Melbourne-based Broadmeadows facility.

The project will rely on recovered coronavirus patients donating their plasma, which contains antibodies that fight the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The company will firstly collect a small sample of plasma so it can detect, purify and concentrate these antibodies, to make what it calls 'COVID-19 Immunoglobulin'.

A second phase will involve a larger batch of COVID-19 Immunoglobulin being produced for clinical trials in Australian hospitals, to establish the safety of the product.

It's hoped the treatment will eventually be used on patients seriously ill with complications caused by coronavirus, particularly those who may need ventilation.

"This is a treatment, not a vaccine," CSL's Chief Medical Officer Dr Charmaine Gittleson told reporters today.

"The hope is that the COVID-19-specific antibodies combine to the virus and neutralise it, assisting that patient in recovery and preventing progression."

The company estimates about 800 plasma donations will be required to treat 50-100 critically ill patients in a clinical trial.

More than 5000 people have recovered from coronavirus in Australia

The Australian Red Cross Lifeblood will collect donations from May 11.

"We'll be talking to hospitals and health departments in order to recruit donors as well as looking to our existing donors to identify suitable participants," Lifeblood chief executive Shelly Park said in a statement.

"This work may ultimately help treat patients suffering from this terrible disease and I would urge anyone who has recovered from a confirmed case of COVID-19 who thinks they may be eligible to donate blood, to contact us."

Mr Hunt said CSL, and Australia more broadly, is leading the world in research and treatment of the deadly disease.

"We don't want to over-promise, but in particular this treatment has the potential to assist those people who are facing extreme conditions, ones who are in ICU, those who are in an advanced stage of the effects of COVID-19," Mr Hunt told reporters.

Trials using plasma as a treatment for patients suffering from COVID-19 are also underway in other countries including Canada, China, the UK and the US.

https://www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-plasma-from-recovered-patients-used-in-clinical-trial/f39ed0b8-b3d2-48de-9e6b-de2526a9e4d3

#8970178 at 2020-04-30 07:44:31 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #7 - FIRE & FURY Edition

>>8959531
Australian intelligence officials have no evidence of Wuhan lab link to coronavirus

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has raised doubts about speculation the coronavirus started in a Wuhan laboratory after Australian intelligence officials were unable to find any evidence to support the theory.

Intelligence agencies in the United States are investigating whether the virus started at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, near where the outbreak was first recorded, as part of a number of theories relayed to the Australian government under the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing arrangement.

The intelligence has found no evidence that the Wuhan lab was the cause of the outbreak - only that it is one of a number of scenarios that cannot be ruled out.

The most likely cause of the virus is still the city's Huanan Seafood Market where environmental samples of the virus were found, Australian intelligence officials believe. Scientists studying the pathogen's genome have said it can only have evolved in nature and had long been warning that deforestation, urban sprawl and wet markets selling live wildlife such as that market in Wuhan were creating a "perfect storm" for another dangerous virus to jump from animals into humans.

Mr Morrison is also of the belief the wet market is the most likely culprit and has told senior members of the government he has seen no evidence that would suggest otherwise, several senior government sources confirmed.

Health Minister Greg Hunt on Wednesday said the original source of the virus had not been determined but "we do know, and all have agreed, that it was early spread within a wet market".

Intelligence shared with the Australian government has also rejected any suggestion that the virus was intentionally released.

The theory that the coronavirus leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology has been receiving significant coverage in the American media. News Corp's Australian newspapers also published reports this week revealing two Chinese scientists who work at the Wuhan lab have previously studied live bats in Australia in research jointly funded by the Australian and Chinese governments.

Senior sources within the Australian intelligence community have told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age there is growing concern about promoting the theory when there was "no positive evidence".

"We can't rule it out, we can't rule out a lot of things," one senior source said. "It's hard to prove a negative".

Some senior members of the government are also uneasy about the theory being promoted when Australia is campaigning on the global stage to ban wildlife wet markets and push for a global review into the origins of the virus.

The legal wildlife trade continued in China after a wet market gave birth to the first deadly coronavirus outbreak of the modern era, SARS, in 2002.

Now wet markets have again reopened in Wuhan as the city emerges from lockdown, a move Mr Morrison has called "unfathomable" given what is known about their risks to global health.

The Wuhan Institute of Virology is just a 30-minute drive from the market, an offshoot of the state-owned Chinese Academy of the Sciences, built with help from France. But virologists say it's not top-secret - international collaboration is common and its researchers had been trained to handle dangerous pathogens as part of a long partnership with the Galveston lab in the US.

While viral leaks are not without precedent around the world, and there had been concerns raised by the US State Department in 2018 about a lack of staff at the lab, the scientists at the facility have strongly denied a connection to the pandemic. On Wednesday it again said it did not have the technical capability to build a new virus and suggestions it had accidentally released one had been pulled out of thin air.

Its deputy director Shi Zhengli, who helped trace the origins of SARS, has previously said she checked the lab's own samples as the new virus emerged just in case something had been mishandled, but it hadn't.

The virus is new, scientists say, and has not been recorded by a lab before. Most pandemic viruses, and more than 70 per cent of all new diseases emerging in humans, come from animals - when a virus that has long been circulating in one species jumps into a new host, sometimes more than one. These spillovers are happening more and more as people push further into the wild and force animals out of their habitat.

The lab theory is surfacing again as Australia and other countries try to counter a Chinese disinformation campaign, including the claim that it was a US military delegation that brought COVID-19 to Wuhan.

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/federal/australian-intelligence-officials-have-no-evidence-of-wuhan-lab-link-to-coronavirus-20200429-p54o5i.html

#8959531 at 2020-04-29 09:05:42 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #7 - FIRE & FURY Edition

Australia was told there was a '50% chance' coronavirus may have leaked from a Wuhan lab two months ago - but the government now believes that isn't true

The federal government was told in the early stages of the coronavirus outbreak in Australia that the deadly virus may have been leaked from a Wuhan lab, senior sources have confirmed.

The Morrison government was told in February there was a 50 per cent chance it was accidentally released from a bio-containment facility located in the initial Chinese virus epicentre before more became known about it.

The government now believes it's unlikely the Wuhan Institute of Virology was the source of the virus which has claimed 89 lives in Australia and more than three million worldwide.

It comes after it was revealed two senior scientists from the lab - Peng Zhou and Shi Zhengli - previously studied bats at the CSIRO's Australian Animal Health Laboratory as part of research funded by both the Australian and Chinese governments.

Australia is now calling a review from China to understand 'exactly' how coronavirus originated.

'We want a clear, independent, fearless global review of the origins, the actions, and the global path forward, in relation to this and all future pandemics,' federal health minister Greg Hunt told the Daily Telegraph.

The work of Mr Zhou and Ms Zhengli is being examined by intelligence agencies from the 'Five Eyes' network comprising of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the UK and the US as part of their investigations into the origins of coronavirus.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton was reluctant to comment on the investigation.

'Obviously, ASIO and our agencies do a lot of work with their international counterparts, particularly the Five Eyes community. We've looked at a number of cases, particularly over the last couple of years,' he told the publication.

Trade Minister Simon Birmingham denied knowing of any such investigation.

'Obviously we want to see a transparent investigation into the matter,' Senator Birmingham told ABC Radio National.

'I don't and the government does not comment on national security or intelligence matters, that is a long standing practice. I am not aware of any investigation and I wouldn't comment on them even if I were.

'However, we want to see transparent investigations into the causes so that we can prevent repeats of such pandemics into the future.'

Mr Peng, head of Wuhan's Bat Virus Infection and Immunity Project, spent three years at the Australian Animal Health Laboratory between 2011 and 2014.

He was part of a study which involved transporting bats from Queensland to the lab in Geelong in regional Victoria where they were killed, dissected and studied for viruses.

The project, funded jointly by the Australia and Chinese governments, found 'bats are rich reservoirs for emerging viruses'.

Ms Zhengli also worked at Australia's Animal Health Laboratory for three months in 2006, where she studied bat faeces to identify the mammals as a natural host for viruses similar to SARS.

She is now the director of the Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Chinese Academy of Sciences at the Wuhan lab.

The two scientists jointly wrote a paper in January that said the novel coronavirus probably originated from bats, similar to SARS.

Zhengli told the Scientific American that when she was first told of a pneumonia outbreak she feared the lab may be responsible for leaking coronaviruses.

She told the journal that she wondered: 'Could they have come from our lab?'

Ms Zhengli now insists the virus did not escape from her "world-class lab".

Test results showed genome sequences taken from infected patients did not match any her team were working on in the lab, meaning the novel coronavirus did not come from an accidental leak.

'That really took a load off my mind. I had not slept a wink for days,' Ms Zhengli said.

The CSIRO has confirmed bat research has taken place at its high biocontainment facility, the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP).

'While there is no current research on bats at ACDP, research into bats underpins much of our understanding of zoonotic diseases,' a CSIRO statement read.

'CSIRO undertakes all research in accordance with strict biosecurity and legislative requirements

CSIRO's collaborations with research organisations from many countries around the world are helping drive global effort forwards to human diseases prevention and management.

'As with all partners, CSIRO undertakes due diligence and takes security very seriously.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8267029/Federal-government-confirms-told-coronavirus-leaked-Wuhan-lab-two-months-ago.html

#8945737 at 2020-04-28 08:40:15 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #7 - FIRE & FURY Edition

>>8894216
Clive Palmer takes out three-page ads promoting purchase of malaria drug, hydroxychloroquine

Businessman, former politician and publicity hound Clive Palmer has taken out a three-page spread in News Corp publications, claiming to have purchased 32.9 million doses of hydroxychloroquine - an antimalarial drug being studied for its effectiveness in treating COVID-19.

Palmer's text-heavy ad says he has purchased the drug and donated it to the Australian government, "so it may be available free to all Australians".

Palmer said he had paid for the drugs "with his own money" and claimed health minister Greg Hunt was grateful for his efforts.

Thus far, clinical trials of the drug have experienced inconsistent results, but some Australian hospitals are prescribing it to those COVID-19 patients in intensive care.

Palmer, however, said acting fast was key, and the drug was the "best hope" for those knocked down by the disease.

"If we had not moved in early March when we did, we would have lost our opportunity," he quotes himself in the ad.

"The tablets we have acquired have a shelf life of three years and the bulk materials longer," he said. "A vaccine may take many years to develop and Australia has to be ready to provide the best treatment for its citizens should the worst occur. The small contribution that I have made will assist Australia in getting back on its feet sooner."

Palmer also used the ad to heap praise on the government for its response to COVID-19.

"The Australian government has done a great job in protecting and defending the Australian people in this time of national crisis," he said. "In particular, the Prime Minister has showed the calm leadership necessary to guide the nation in troubled times. The Health Minister Greg Hunt had shown exceptional courage and dedication in filling his role and his performance as health minister was just what any doctor would have ordered."

Pages two and three of the ad provide a COVID-19 timeline, including when the diseases was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and various counties' experimentation with the hydroxychloroquine drug.

https://mumbrella.com.au/clive-palmer-takes-out-three-page-ads-promoting-purchase-of-malaria-drug-hydroxychloroquine-626121

#8894216 at 2020-04-23 09:19:50 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #7 - FIRE & FURY Edition

Palmer buys 32,900,000 doses of Hydroxychloroquine for Australians

Media release

23 APRIL 2020

True to his word, Clive Palmers' Palmer Foundation has bought over 32,900,000 doses of hydroxychloroquine. Millions of doses of the drug have already arrived in Australia. The Palmer Foundation has already paid for the drug in the form of tablets and bulk pharmaceuticals.

The Palmer Foundation has donated the drug to the Australian Government to be placed on the National Medical Stockpile so it may be made available free to all Australians.

In the United States of America, President Trump has confirmed the country had 29,000,000 doses of the drug on its national medical stockpile to be available to 330 million Americans.

On the 2 April 2020, Australia's Minister for Health, Greg Hunt announced hydroxychloroquine would be made available if doctors wish to use it to treat COVID-19 patients who are in Australian hospitals. Since that time, Australia's death rate from COVID-19 has been the lowest in the world and the curve has flattened. Mr Hunt also congratulated Mr Palmer for the steps he was then taking to acquire hydroxychloroquine internationally, paying for the effort with his own money.

On 2 April 2020, Caroline Edwards, Acting Secretary for the Department of Health, as a delegate of the Minister for Health, established the Therapeutic Goods (Medicines- Hydroxychloroquine and Chloroquine) (COVID-19 Emergency) Exemption 2020. The exemption allowed the Palmer Foundation to make the acquisitions for the sole purpose of donating all drugs acquired for the free use of the Australian people.

"The Australian government has done a great job in protecting and defending the Australian people in this time of national crisis. In particular, the Prime Minister has showed the calm leadership necessary to guide the nation in troubled times," Mr Palmer said.

"The Health Minister Greg Hunt had shown exceptional courage and dedication for filling his role and his performance as health minister was just what any doctor would have ordered."

Mr Palmer said that he believed that hydroxychloroquine was the best hope for those suffering COVID-19. He said that while all Australians had played a critical role in containing the virus, they had to remain vigilant that a second wave did not destroy the economic fabric of the nation and Australian lives.

"The tablets we have acquired have a shelf life of three years and the bulk materials longer,'' Mr Palmer said.

"A vaccine may take many years to develop and Australia has to be ready to provide the best treatment for its citizens should the worst occur. The small contribution that I have made will assist Australia in getting back on its feet sooner.

"The challenge now facing all Australians is to save our country's economy and restore employment and prosperity to all.

"I am happy that the quick action we took in early March to secure hydroxychloroquine for Australia has been successful. It is important that Australians that have been using the drug to treat malaria, lupus and autoimmune diseases over the last 40 years will not have any difficulty in acquiring the drug."

Mr Palmer said it was critical that the drug remained available in hospitals for those who needed it to treat COVID-19 and was available to the Australian community when required.

"If we had not moved in early March when we did, we would have lost our opportunity,'' he said.

"At this time of national crisis in our country, all Australians must do whatever they can to help their fellow Australians.

"I want all Australians who have done well in this country to remember their fellow Australians and the sacrifices that have been made by previous generations and dig deep to support all efforts necessary to defeat this threat to our lives and our livelihood,'' Mr Palmer said.

https://www.unitedaustraliaparty.org.au/palmer-buys-32900000-doses-of-hydroxychloroquine-for-australians/

#8776869 at 2020-04-13 09:41:11 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #7 - FIRE & FURY Edition

The three tests Australia will need to pass before the coronavirus restrictions end

Australia's effort to slow the spread of coronavirus is earning praise from the federal Health Minister but it's coming with a warning that there's no end in sight to the restrictions that have shuttered swathes of the economy.

Greg Hunt lauded Australians for adhering to the Prime Minister's demand to stay home at Easter, amid fears travel could lead to a spike in the spread of the disease.

"Australians have done what we had hoped - and more," he said.

"They have stayed at home. They have self-isolated."

Slowing the spread has led to hopes restrictions might soon be lifted and life will return to normal.

But the Health Minister has outlined the three tests Australia would have to pass before the restrictions end.

Test one: A sustained decrease in cases

Having started handing out billions of dollars in welfare in a bid to help Australians avert joblessness amid an economic downturn, federal leaders are now turning their attention to how the nation will bounce back.

Mr Hunt said authorities were "actively planning the road out" and the first test would be a further fall in COVID-19 cases in Australia.

"One [test] is clear indication that we are suppressing the case numbers in Australia," he said.

Australia has so far managed to flatten the infection curve, recording fewer than 100 new cases a day for the past week - well down from weeks ago.

But further falls in cases are needed.

There have been more than 6,300 cases, more than half of which have already recovered.

Test two: Rapid response capabilities

In recent weeks, Australia has been frantically trying to increase the number of ventilators available for intensive care units across the country.

It wants to ensure that if there is a sudden surge in cases, hospitals will have the resources they need to treat patients.

The Federal Government is growing increasingly confident the nation will soon have enough ventilators.

But it also needs to be prepared to quickly trace any potential outbreak.

Mr Hunt said leaders needed to be satisfied that if there was a localised spike in cases, then health workers would be well placed to respond, contain and isolate the infected people.

"If there were individual cases which broke out into a local spike, then the ability to respond, contain and to isolate will be absolutely critical to Australia's capacity to, further down the track, progressively lift restrictions on a step by step basis," Mr Hunt said.

Test three: An exit plan

Mr Hunt confirmed the Government was working on a plan for the "steps out", which would involve gradually reopening businesses.

The Prime Minister has flagged that some states and territories might start to reopen businesses ahead of others.

But he has repeatedly said social-distancing measures will be in place for at least six months and potentially longer if researchers are unable to develop a vaccine.

Mr Hunt said Australia was looking to South Korea, Japan and Singapore to monitor how they were planning their response to the virus.

He said any steps to reopen Australian businesses would be targeted and gradual to ensure there was not a sudden surge in cases.

Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy has warned it will be weeks before authorities can judge how successful Australia had been in slowing the spread of the virus.

But he said there were few signs that Australia needed tougher measures in the interim.

"Our track record over the past few weeks is looking pretty good," Professor Murphy said.

We're continuing in the right direction. I'm not sure further measures are warranted on the data we have at the moment."

When we pass the tests, will life return to normal?

Few can predict when Australians will be able to leave their homes.

It's clear that when some restrictions drop, others will remain in place - particularly the ban on international travel.

Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said domestic travel restrictions were likely to be relaxed well before Australians were able to head overseas again.

(continued)

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-13/coronavirus-Greg-Hunt-lockdown-social-distancing-isolation/12144576

#8741250 at 2020-04-10 02:22:57 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #7 - FIRE & FURY Edition

Repost from Q Research General #11181

>>8732769 (pb)

Ship at center of virus outbreak raided by Australian police
2 hours ago

"BRISBANE, Australia (AP) - Police wearing protective gear boarded a cruise ship to seize evidence and question crew members of the vessel linked to hundreds of coronavirus infections and 15 deaths across Australia.

About 2,700 passengers disembarked from the ship on March 19 in Sydney and it has since become the largest source of coronavirus infections in Australia. More than 600 cases of COVID-19 and 15 deaths are linked the to the ship, the Ruby Princess.

New South Wales police, which boarded the ship Wednesday night at Port Kembla south of Sydney, said it's expected to remain in port for 10 days with its 1,040 crew undergoing medical assessments. About 200 crew have shown symptoms of COVID-19, while 18 have tested positive for the virus that causes it. The workers remaining on the ship are from 50 countries.

New South Wales police Commissioner Mick Fuller said Thursday that officers seized a black box "very similar to that of international planes" and other evidence. He said the captain had been extremely helpful.

"I can confirm there's still over 1,000 crew members on the ship," he said, adding that three-quarters of them want to remain on the ship. "They feel safe on the ship and I think that's a good outcome."

The ship's owner, Princess Cruises, is a subsidiary of the Carnival Corporation. Carnival Australia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On Thursday, Australia recorded its lowest increase in coronavirus cases in more than three weeks.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said there were 96 new cases, the first time there have been fewer than 100 a day since March 17. The peak was on March 28, when 457 cases were recorded. There have been a total of just over 6,000 and 51 deaths in Australia from the virus.

Seeking to limit the impact on the economy, lawmakers passed a wage subsidy program late Wednesday worth 130 billion Australian dollars ($81 billion)."

moar:
https://apnews.com/5075520be05899471ea93377ae4c5b6b

#8701867 at 2020-04-06 08:53:43 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #7 - FIRE & FURY Edition

Australia is doing well. Now we must manage the aftermath

Social isolation can't last for long without doing more harm than the virus itself. So it's now time to start thinking about an exit plan.

Alexander Downer Columnist

In the United States - unlike Australia - there is already a vigorous debate about when the lockdown must come to an end and the economy return to something akin to normality. This is sometimes called the lives versus livelihoods debate.

Donald Trump may have backed down from his comment that America would reopen by Easter, but sources in the White House are privately saying that he's pleased there is such a forthright debate about getting the economy going again.

The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, has said that America needs to get people back to work once antibody testing gets going. And in the UK, the government's chief pandemic modeller has said that a prolonged lockdown risks causing more social harm than the virus itself and that the British government needs to find a way out of its current dilemma.

Here, only the most mean-spirited partisan would say the Australian government has done a bad job of fighting the coronavirus. Australia's testing rates are among the highest - if not the highest - in the world, and its mortality rates are among the lowest; the growth in infections is declining steeply and the government has provided a huge economic package that is carefully designed to support businesses, the unemployed and people at risk of losing their jobs.

Full credit to Scott Morrison, Greg Hunt and Josh Frydenberg. They have all done a brilliant job.

Their principles have been quite simple: to contain the coronavirus, we need to strengthen border protection, increase testing and tracing, and continue for the time being with social isolation.

The data shows these measures are gradually working to reduce the growth in COVID-19 infection. That means these measures are saving lives. The curve has been flattened and that trend is likely to improve over the next fortnight or so and our mortality rate is only about 0.5 per cent, one of the lowest in the world.

The federal government has been particularly effective in striking a balance between trying to contain the disease on the one hand and trying to save as much of the economy as it can on the other. I know they've done that with a fair bit of resistance, particularly from New South Wales and Victoria.

I'm told by insiders in the federal government that New South Wales and Victoria wanted to reduce the economy to a shell and impose a police state. Not surprisingly, the federal government thought that was just too much.

For the time being, the suspension of some civil liberties is acceptable to the general public. But be warned. The public will put up with these measures only for so long. Likewise, the federal government cannot indefinitely keep funding wage subsidies, free childcare and a huge increase in the social security bill. At some point, their capacity to raise money will reach its limit.

When these limits will be reached is a hard matter of judgment. Social isolation, I suspect, cannot last for more than a few weeks.

So the federal government now has to start thinking about its exit plan and sell this through the national cabinet to the states. It has to develop acceptable criteria for winding back social isolation and, at some point, end the substantial subsidies to business and the offer of free childcare.

What are those criteria?

It would be easy to wind back the current measures if a vaccine was developed in the next few weeks and, more realistically, new treatments were to become available for those afflicted with the coronavirus. No scientist seems to think a vaccine will be available for between a year and 18 months. As for treatment, tests are under way but a widely available and effective treatment for the virus is some months away, at best.

So easy medical solutions to COVID-19 would seem to be too slow, assuming they are possible at all.

(continued)

https://www.afr.com/policy/foreign-affairs/australia-is-doing-well-now-we-must-manage-the-aftermath-20200405-p54h65

#8658908 at 2020-04-02 07:19:49 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #7 - FIRE & FURY Edition

'We will have significant supply': Drug considered the best treatment for coronavirus will soon be available in Australia

An antimalarial drug touted by some as the best current treatment for COVID-19 will soon be available in Australia, the government has announced.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said he is 'confident' a 'significant supply' of hydroxychloroquine will soon be ready for doctors to use.

Speaking on A Current Affair on Wednesday night, he said: 'I have just come off a call with a supplier and I am confident we will have a significant supply of hydroxychloroquine if doctors wish to use them with patients who are in hospital.'

He said scientists were 'cautiously hopeful' that the antimalarial drug, which is also used to treat lupus, can have an impact on coronavirus treatment.

It will soon be available for doctors to use on patients in hospital if they believe it will help.

There is no current vaccine for COVID-19, and any breakthrough is likely to be about a year away, experts have warned.

Hydroxychloroquine has been used for decades to prevent and treat malaria.

While studies are in very early stages, some tests showed the drug was capable of keeping the COVID-19 molecules from entering cells.

American president Donald Trump recently announced US doctors would be trialling the drug, saying 'I sure as hell think we ought to give it a try'.

In a later tweet, he claimed that using the drug in combination with an antibiotic called azithromycin could be 'one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine'.

But some experts warned it may not be the heralded cure that some might hope.

The drug's popularity began after a study in France, where 40 COVID-19 patients who took the drug had clearer airways within three to six days.

But critics have said the study was too small to deem the drug an effective treatment, and even France's own health ministry has warned against its use.

France's health minister Olivier Véran said it should only be used for 'serious forms of hospitalization and on the collegial decision of doctors and under strict medical supervision'.

'They are cautiously hopeful that it can have an impact, it's not a perfect cure, it's not a perfect prevention', Mr Hunt confirmed on Wednesday day.

'It's not fully proven, but there have been some promising trials around the world.

'So this will allow us the capacity to expand those trials in Australia.'

He also heralded 'positive signs' that the curve of infection rates was slowly flattening in Australia.

Rates of infection have dropped in recent days, with just a 9.4 per cent increase in cases on Sunday, compared to 26.2 per cent on March 22, in the first signs the coronavirus curve may be flattening.

'As with flu, we work to have the vaccine. But also to flatten the curve and reduce the spread,' he said.

'And we've seen early positive signs of that, cautiously positive, again.

'Two weeks ago we were at 25-30 per cent a day growth rate during the height of the growth.

'That, thanks to the great work of Australians in isolating, in quarantining, in practicing social distancing has meant we've dropped to the low teens.

'In the last few days, we've dropped below the 10 per cent mark.

'I won't count that until it stabilises, but these are promising signs that all of this agonisingly, difficult work that Australians are having to do is starting pay dividends.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8175371/Drug-considered-best-treatment-coronavirus-soon-available-Australia.html

#8613099 at 2020-03-29 17:43:56 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #7 - FIRE & FURY Edition

From General 11015

Astonishing breach of faith': Private hospital company stands down 800 staff
Frantic negotiations are underway to save more hospitals from closing and ensure tens of thousands of beds could be used to treat coronavirus patients.
Private hospital company Healthe Care has already stood down 800 staff and is putting in doubt 8000 beds at 34 private hospitals across Australia after the federal government cancelled elective surgeries in response to the COVID-19 spread.
In a letter to staff, a copy seen by 9News, Healthe Care stated that the availability of private hospitals is at risk. It is now putting the pressure on state and federal governments for financial help.
Chinese billionaire Liu Dian Bo bought Healthe Care for $900 million in 2015. Now, the company, which 9News understands was already facing financial pressure, is putting the heat on federal and state government for help.
"We have received no firm proposals," the company's letter to staff said.
"Regrettably, this has driven us to these immediate actions."
Other private hospitals are threatening to follow suit.
"We need it to be solved by the end of this weekend or hospitals will start to close," Australian Private Hospitals Association Michael Roff told 9News.
Ramsay Health Care has 25,000 beds at 72 private hospitals and is now sending staff on leave.
Healthscope has 4400 beds at 43 hospitals.
States and territories responsible for their hospital systems are now locked in crisis talks to keep doors open. The federal government is involved too.
"The important thing is that we keep beds open, particularly ICU beds," Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack told 9News.
Governments could temporarily acquire beds or pay nurses allowing them to be on hand when they might be needed more than ever.
Health Minister Greg Hunt told 9News sacking nurses during this crisis "is an astonishing breach of faith".
The national cabinet is expected to sign off on a deal regarding private hospital beds tomorrow.
https://www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-healthe-care-private-hospital-company-stands-down-800-staff/69040a83-b020-4b47-a543-24e2348788d4
Australia

#8547258 at 2020-03-24 16:40:23 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #7 - FIRE & FURY Edition

Australian PM says 'stay at home' as coronavirus shuts down large sections of economy and social life

Large sections of the Australian economy and social life will be shut down from midnight on Wednesday, after the national cabinet agreed to a range of further restrictions on indoor and outdoor gatherings in addition to a ban on non-essential overseas travel to combat the Covid-19 outbreak.

But despite the range of further restrictions, Scott Morrison said the national cabinet would not "just rush on the sense of an opinion of inevitability" towards a full lockdown, because measures to contain the spread of the virus may yet prevent it and more severe action would threaten the livelihoods of many Australians.

On Tuesday evening Morrison announced that real estate auctions and open houses, markets, personal services including beauty salons, food courts in shopping centres, arcades, amusement parks, play centres, community centres, health and fitness, social sport, cultural institutions and swimming pools will all be closed.

Morrison told reporters in Canberra that Australians would be urged to "stay at home unless it is absolutely necessary you go out", suggesting that outings should be limited to "basics" such as attendance at work, exercise with a partner or small group, or attending shops to buy food or medicine.

Morrison acknowledged that New South Wales and Victoria - which pushed for more extensive restrictions - were "far more advanced" than other states in terms of case numbers, but despite not all states being in the same position, the cabinet had still achieved "consistency of application".

With hundreds of thousands facing unemployment, the federal government has suspended mutual obligations to apply for jobs to obtain jobseeker payments for one week, with further measures to protect renters now expected to be decided on Wednesday not Tuesday, as planned.

In addition to widespread business closures, Morrison announced new restrictions on funerals, which must be limited to 10 people or fewer, and weddings, which are limited to the marrying couple, celebrant and witnesses.

Social visits to one another's houses "should be kept to a minimum and with a very small numbers of guests", he said, although the government would not be "overly specific" on the limits of social life.

Morrison warned that states and territories would also consider whether to make it an offence to hold house parties, with barbecues and birthday gatherings also listed as events that should no longer occur.

Morrison said the "do not travel" advisory on overseas trips would be upgraded to a ban on Wednesday, with limited exceptions for essential work, aid workers and compassionate grounds.

The federal government will also look to create a new offence in relation to profiteering on the export of essential goods overseas, including medical supplies and personal protective equipment.

Asked if a fuller lockdown, such as implemented by the UK, was now inevitable, Morrison replied "hopefully it is not necessary".

"If we do all the things that [chief medical officer] Dr Murphy has outlined, and these other quite strict measures we have put in place about areas of social gathering ... stopping all those things we believe will have a really significant impact, we would hope, on the spread of the virus."

Morrison said the medical advice remained to keep schools open, and he would meet with the education sector and unions on Wednesday about measures to do so while protecting teachers.

On Tuesday, the total number of coronavirus cases in Australia reached 2,139, with 95 new cases confirmed in NSW, 78 in Queensland and 56 in Victoria.

A group of experts from the Group of Eight universities, asked by the chief medical officer to advise on social distancing, backed the "the stronger decisions being now taken by government and what we term as the 'go now, go hard and go smart' strategy".

In a letter sent to the health minister, Greg Hunt, on Sunday, the experts warned at its current rate of increase Australia "could theoretically expect over 6,000 cases by the end of next week and over 50,000 cases by Easter".

They recommended that Australia "without delay implements national stronger social distancing measures, more extensive banning of mass gatherings, school closure or class dismissal".

(continued)

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/24/australian-pm-says-stay-at-home-as-coronavirus-shuts-down-large-sections-of-economy-and-social-life

#8262824 at 2020-02-27 07:59:56 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #7 - FIRE & FURY Edition

Coronavirus: PM initiates emergency response plan as Australia prepares for global pandemic

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said the coronavirus outbreak will enter a pandemic phase, prompting the Australian government to initiate its emergency response plan.

Addressing the public, Mr Morrison said there is "every indication" coronavirus will become a pandemic and the risk to Australia is "very much upon us".

"I want to stress that these actions are being taken in an abundance of caution," said Mr Morrison.

Mr Morrison said the plan was triggered to "contain the impact of this virus".

"Together we will get through this," he said.

The World Health Organisation has not yet declared the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic, but Mr Morrison said based on "expert medical advice" the government has taken "steps necessary" to contain the pandemic.

Mr Morrison has asked the Commissioner of the Australian Border Force to strengthen Australia's ports of entry to identify persons who may require additional quarantine.

The PM also stressed the declaration of a pandemic does not place additional risk on vulnerable people in the community.

"There is no evidence before us that children are at any greater risk, but we do believe to take care of our kids that we needed an even greater abundance of caution," said Mr Morrison.

"There is no need for us to be moving to stopping mass gatherings of people.

"You can still go to the football and the cricket and play with your friends down the street, you can go to the concert and you can go out for a Chinese meal.

"You can do all of these things because Australia has acted quickly, Australia has gone ahead of this at this point in time."

The Morrison government has also extended the travel ban on people coming from China for a further week and enacted an emergency response plan as the deadly coronavirus continues to spread globally.

WHY THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN WAS ACTIVATED

The turning point was new data showing the rate of cases being confirmed outside China was growing faster than those inside China.

Australia has so far had 22 cases of COVID-19, most of whom have been cleared and are now back in the community.

There has been no evidence of transmission within the community.

State and territory health ministers will meet with federal minister Greg Hunt on Friday to discuss the next steps.

Border Force has also been asked for advice on how to step up measures at ports of entry.

Education ministers will look at what steps can be taken to further protect children.

…..

LATEST FACTS AND FIGURES ON CORONAVIRUS

* 23 confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Australia: 8 in Queensland; 4 in NSW; 7 in Victoria; 3 in South Australia; 1 in Western Australia.

* 15 of these cases are reported to have recovered. The remaining cases are in a stable condition.

* 8 cases are passengers who were on the Diamond Princess repatriation flight from Japan. They have returned to their home states for medical treatment.

* Across the world, there have been 81,310 confirmed cases and 2771 reported deaths.

* Of the confirmed cases reported globally, the case fatality rate is 3.4 per cent. The case fatality rate in countries and regions outside mainland China is 1.4 per cent.

* Australia's travel restrictions have been extended for a further week.

* Foreign nationals - excluding permanent residents - who have been in mainland China will not be allowed to enter Australia for 14 days from the time they left mainland China.

* Australian citizens and permanent residents will still be able to enter, as will their immediate family members (spouses, legal guardians and dependants only).

* People who have been in contact with someone confirmed to have coronavirus must self-isolate for 14 days from the time they were in contact with that person.

* Australian government is operating on the basis that a pandemic will be declared soon.

https://www.9news.com.au/world/coronavirus-outbreak-australia-emergency-plan-activated-pandemic-phase/9c9c5a9c-d237-4e6d-bb10-936ae20cf85d

#5542412 at 2019-03-06 21:23:00 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #3 - March MADNESS Edition

Complaint to ASIO about Politicisns & Treason
Councils, UN Agenda21 ClimateScam
Greg Hunt