RECAP: Scott Morrison announces reduced JobKeeper, JobSeeker rates as Victoria records 374 new cases

21 Jul 2020 10:42am

NSW south coast set for extra testing

You may have heard the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club, on the NSW south coast, was yesterday linked to eight cases of coronavirus. State health authorities have directed all patrons who attended the venue on four days last week to self-isolate.

SBS News' Pablo Vinales is down on the NSW south coast and says the Eurobodalla Shire Council is looking to ramp up testing in the area.

21 Jul 2020 10:06am

Press conferences this morning

Yet again, multiple press conferences are occurring simultaneously this morning.

Victoria's coronavirus update is scheduled for 11am AEST. Scott Morrison and co. will step up at the same time to talk about the changes to JobKeeper and JobSeeker.

No word on Gladys Berejiklian and NSW Health yet.

We'll do our best to bring you everything as soon as possible.

21 Jul 2020 9:44am

NSW Police urges Sydney not to hold BLM protest

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller has urged Sydneysiders against attending a Black Lives Matter protest on 28 July. He told Sky News yesterday NSW Police will attempt to block the protest in the Supreme Court, as COVID-19 numbers continue to rise across the state.

"The question is, do you want your protest to be the one that puts NSW back five or 10 years economically, because that's exactly what could happen.”

More than 4,000 people on Facebook have registered their interest in attending the rally, which organisers have pledged to hold in a coronavirus-friendly manner.

Other BLM protests have been held around the country in recent months, with very few COVID-19 cases having been linked to any of them.

Thousands of people attended the Black Lives Matter rally in Brisbane on 6 June 2020.

Thousands of people attended a Black Lives Matter rally in Brisbane on 6 June Source: AAP

21 Jul 2020 9:29am

SA mulling jail time for border breaches

South Australia is looking at adding jail time to penalties for people who breach the state's coronavirus border rules. Per AAP:

The government will seek to amend the Emergency Management Act with a bill to go before parliament today.

"As a government, we want to send the strongest possible message to those who break the law," Attorney-General Vickie Chapman said.

"We can't be too casual when it comes to protecting our state from the second wave of COVID-19 our Victorian neighbours are currently facing."

SA has a hard border closure in place with Victoria, preventing anyone except essential travellers from entering. People arriving from NSW and the ACT must also quarantine for 14 days.

21 Jul 2020 9:21am

New Oxford vaccine trial is 'very encouraging', DCMO says

Overseas, and there is promising news about a COVID-19 vaccine being developed by scientists at Oxford University.

The vaccine, called AZD1222, did not prompt any serious side effects and elicited antibody and T-cell immune responses, according to trial results.

Deputy chief medical officer Nick Coatsworth told the ABC while there are "still some significant steps to get through" it looks "very encouraging".

"The response of this vaccine has been to create increased number of antibody levels and T-cell activation. What we need to see now is that boosting actually translates into protection from COVID when it's rolled out ... So this is encouraging news. We still have to make sure that over a large population it's a safe vaccine and most importantly an effective vaccine."

21 Jul 2020 8:55am

New JobKeeper and JobSeeker rules to remain until March

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has been speaking to the breakfast TV shows, confirming the announcements on JobKeeper and JobSeeker to be made later this morning will likely be in place until March.

He hasn't said too much in the way of detail, but he told the ABC businesses that previously qualified for JobKeeper will be reassessed twice, once in October and again in January, to confirm they are still eligible.

He also told the Seven network the government was lowering the rate of the payments "in order to wean businesses off" the support.

21 Jul 2020 8:32am

International student visa changes

ICYMI yesterday, a raft of measures were announced to keep Australia an attractive destination for international students.

You can read more here.

21 Jul 2020 8:13am

JobSeeker changed this mum's life. Could a basic income for all ever be a reality?

For those who have qualified for an increase in welfare support during the coronavirus pandemic, it has gone a long way.

SBS News’ Fintan McDonnell filed this feature, which also looks at the basic income scheme Spain has introduced amid its own ballooning unemployment rate.

21 Jul 2020 8:12am

JobKeeper and JobSeeker overhaul: what we know so far

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg are expected to hold press conference later this morning to fully detail the changes. Without going into specifics, the government confirmed a few things last night:

The payments will continue at their current rates until 28 September, after which they will be extended but paid at a reduced rate
Eligibility for both will be tightened
After September, JobKeeper will also have two payment tiers to more closely reflect the incomes of those who previously worked fewer hours

The coronavirus supplement, currently $550, is also set to continue at a reduced rate.

21 Jul 2020 8:00am

Good morning!

Welcome to SBS News’ first-ever live blog! My name is Evan Young and I’ll be here with updates about the government’s JobKeeper and JobSeeker overhaul, plus other relevant coronavirus news.

If you want to get in contact, you can do so by emailing me at evan.young@sbs.com.au or tweeting at @evanb_y.

And of course, you can follow SBS News on Twitter and Facebook for updates about everything else happening in the world.

RECAP: Scott Morrison announces reduced JobKeeper, JobSeeker rates as Victoria records 374 new cases

The federal government detailed its revised JobKeeper and JobSeeker schemes, while Victoria recorded another 374 coronavirus cases.

NSW south coast set for extra testing

Press conferences this morning

NSW Police urges Sydney not to hold BLM protest

SA mulling jail time for border breaches

New Oxford vaccine trial is 'very encouraging', DCMO says

New JobKeeper and JobSeeker rules to remain until March

International student visa changes

JobSeeker changed this mum's life. Could a basic income for all ever be a reality?

JobKeeper and JobSeeker overhaul: what we know so far

Good morning!

previous

2of2

next

RECAP: Scott Morrison announces reduced JobKeeper, JobSeeker rates as Victoria records 374 new cases

The federal government detailed its revised JobKeeper and JobSeeker schemes, while Victoria recorded another 374 coronavirus cases.

NSW south coast set for extra testing

Press conferences this morning

NSW Police urges Sydney not to hold BLM protest

SA mulling jail time for border breaches

New Oxford vaccine trial is 'very encouraging', DCMO says

New JobKeeper and JobSeeker rules to remain until March

International student visa changes

JobSeeker changed this mum's life. Could a basic income for all ever be a reality?

JobKeeper and JobSeeker overhaul: what we know so far

Good morning!

previous

2of2

next

Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.