RECAP: Sydney Black Lives Matter protest organisers slam police response after six arrested

28 Jul 2020 12:09pm

Passengers on Melbourne to Sydney flight told to isolate

Passengers who flew on flight JQ506 from Melbourne to Sydney on 25 July and were seated in rows 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 are being told to isolate for 14 days.

A woman in her 30s who was onboard the flight has tested positive for coronavirus, a NSW Health spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday.

28 Jul 2020 12:05pm

Multiple arrests made at Sydney Black Lives Matter protest

SBS News reporter Omar Dehen is at The Domain in Sydney where the Black Lives Protest was scheduled to get underway at midday.

He says he has counted at least five arrests as of 11.51am, almost 10 minutes before the rally was meant to start.

A police officer said they are being detained for breaking the NSW public safety order, but will be issued fines and released.

We also understand one of the organisers has called for the protest to be called off. We will bring you further details as soon as we have them.

28 Jul 2020 11:44am

Victoria records 384 new coronavirus cases, six more deaths

A further 384 coronavirus cases have been recorded overnight in Victoria, down from a daily increase of 532 on Monday.

Six more people have also died from the virus, including a person in their 70s, taking the state's COVID-19 death toll to 83.

28 Jul 2020 11:42am

Watch live: Daniel Andrews delivers daily Victorian coronavirus update

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews will soon deliver the state's daily coronavirus update, alongside Health Minister Jenny Mikakos. You can watch the media conference live below.

28 Jul 2020 11:31am

'We're one country': Prime Minister responds to border closure threat

The Prime Minister has responded to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk's warning that she would "slam" the NSW border shut if cases continued to grow, stating: "We're one country, but there are parts of the country which need to be contained from other parts of the country".

"Victoria is very clearly in that situation," he said.

"There are some concerning outbreaks in New South Wales but they're getting on top of them extremely quickly and containing them and they're able to keep their economy open and they're able to get on top of an outbreak and it is in Australia's national interests that they be successful."

Scott Morrison cuts Queensland tour short for urgent talks about aged care COVID-19 crisis

On Monday, Ms Palaszczuk barred more NSW residents from entering the state after she declared the Fairfield area in western Sydney a hotspot.

Liverpool and Campbelltown, both in Sydney, are also declared hotspots, as is the entire state of Victoria.

28 Jul 2020 11:24am

NSW records 14 new coronavirus cases

Fourteen new coronavirus cases have been recorded in NSW overnight, authorities have confirmed.

Six of the new cases are linked to a funeral gathering, four to the Thai Rock restaurant at Wetherill Park cluster in western Sydney, and one with the Thai Rock restaurant at Potts Point in central Sydney.

Another one of the new cases is a staff member at The Apollo restaurant in Potts Point. On Monday, NSW Health urged all people who visited The Apollo restaurant from 23 Thursday to 25 July to quarantine for two weeks.

There are now 75 cases linked to the Thai Rock at Wetherill Park cluster and 56 to the Crossroads Hotel.

We'll bring you more details on the situation in NSW shortly.

28 Jul 2020 10:59am

Morrison to return to Canberra to deal with Victorian aged care crisis

Prime Minister Scott Morrison he will return to Canberra later this morning to deal with major outbreaks of coronavirus in Victorian aged care facilities, despite initially planning to spend a number of days in Queensland.

Eighty facilities out of 430 in Victoria have been impacted by the virus.

"The situation in Victoria aged care is very complex. You have a combination of community transmission, which is widespread in Melbourne, finding its way into many facilities. And in particular, it has found its way into the aged care workforce." he said from Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

"Now, the standing-down, necessarily, of many in that workforce has had a very significant disruption to the provision of care in those facilities."

On Monday night, Australian Defence Force officers and nurses were sent to cover the night shift in an aged care facility, Mr Morrison said.

28 Jul 2020 10:45am

'Think about a different way to express your views ... it is a pandemic': Berejiklian

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has also called on those planning to attend the Black Lives Matter rally in Sydney today to reconsider their decision, just hours before the event is set to begin.

Appearing on the Nine Network on Tuesday morning, Ms Berejiklian issued the following plea:

"We are appealing to people's conscience and ethical standards and say that you should not be out there," she said. "Think about a different way to express your views ... it is a pandemic."

Organisers made a last minute decision on Monday to change the location of the protest to The Domain, a large outdoor space in Sydney's CBD (which is currently experiencing wet and windy weather), so attendees have more space to socially distance.

Under current health orders, no more than 20 people are allowed to gather outside in NSW.

28 Jul 2020 10:29am

About 380 new coronvirus cases recorded in Victoria, ABC News reports

ABC News reports that about 380 new coronavirus cases have been recorded in Victoria since yesterday, following a record 532 on Monday.

The official daily case numbers have not been released. We expect Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews to address the media with the latest figures at about 11.30am.

28 Jul 2020 10:17am

Watch live: Scott Morrison addresses the media in Queensland

The Prime Minister is in Queensland and will address the media shortly. You can watch the press conference live below.

28 Jul 2020 10:09am

ICYMI: Aged care workers to get paid pandemic leave

We're expecting the Prime Minister to start a media conference shortly, but in the meantime let's take a look at story from late last night.

From Wednesday, aged care workers will be entitled to paid pandemic leave if they are required to isolate due to COVID-19 symptoms.

The Fair Work Commission released its ruling as the number of coronavirus cases linked to aged care facilities in Victoria continues to grow.

According to the Victoria Department of Health and Human Services update yesterday, significant outbreaks have been detected in the following facilities:

84 cases have been linked to St Basil’s Home for the Aged in Fawkner
82 cases have been linked to Estia Aged Care Facility in Ardeer
77 cases have been linked to Epping Gardens Aged Care in Epping
62 cases have been linked to Menarock Life Aged Care Facility in Essendon
53 cases have been linked to Glendale Aged Care Facility in Werribee
57 cases have been linked to Kirkbrae Presbyterian Homes in Kilsyth
50 cases have been linked to Estia Aged Care Facility in Heidelberg

Australia's aged care workers will get paid pandemic leave to prevent coronavirus outbreaks

28 Jul 2020 9:47am

What are the Sydney protesters calling for?

The family of David Dungay Jr, an Indigenous man who died in Sydney’s Long Bay jail in 2015, have said they would call off the protest if the NSW Premier agrees to reopen a death in custody investigation.

Mr Dungay could be heard saying “I can’t breathe” at least 12 times on CCTV footage as he was held down by guards. His death has been compared to the killing of American man George Floyd, which sparked a wave of global protests.

Leetona Dungay, the mother of David Dungay Jr, speaks to media after their appeal failed on Monday. Source: AAP

The coroner found none of the five guards should face disciplinary action in 2019.

“If the premier can commit to asking Safework NSW and the DPP to investigate whether charges can be laid in relation to my Uncle’s death I’m sure that we can put off the protest,” Mr Dungay's nephew Paul Silva wrote on Facebook on Monday.

“I would like the premier to confirm that black lives matter in NSW by asking for that investigation, if she refuses then it just goes to show that no one cares about our lives and we will see you on Tuesday.”

Read the full story from yesterday here.

28 Jul 2020 9:44am

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner issues final warning to protesters

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing has spoken to 2GB radio this morning, urging people planning to attend the Black Lives Matter protest in Sydney today to "find another way to express your views".

He warned that while police did not want to issue arrests, officers were "quite prepared to, if we have to".

"I'm asking people not to turn up today, find another way to express your views, it's just not safe today," he continued.

"This is not about the right to protest, we support the right to protest, this is about doing it in a pandemic, and at the moment we just can’t take that risk."

28 Jul 2020 9:34am

Melbourne abattoir staff walk out over coronavirus fears

Now to Victoria, where workers at the JBS meat factory in Brooklyn, Melbourne, have walked off the job after 71 coronavirus cases were linked to the business.

The United Workers Union said the company has failed to address health and safety concerns, while claiming some employees have been left without income while in isolation.

The walk out comes after Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews claimed people going to work while sick were the "biggest driver" of the state's second wave.

Some 245 people are now in hospital with the virus in Victoria, including a baby after an outbreak emerged in the Royal Children's Hospital neonatal intensive care unit.

The updated number of cases in Victoria is expected to be announced later this morning. In the meantime, you can read more here.

28 Jul 2020 9:14am

'Economies have to open up, people have to work,' WHO says

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that international travel bans cannot stay in place indefinitely, as director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged countries to ramp up measures at home.

"It is going to be almost impossible for individual countries to keep their borders shut for the foreseeable future. Economies have to open up, people have to work, trade has to resume," he said in an overnight news briefing.

"What is clear is pressure on the virus pushes the numbers down. Release that pressure and cases creep back up."

Here's the current global coronavirus situation:

Read the full story here.

28 Jul 2020 8:55am

'No second thoughts': Nephew of David Dungay Jr steadfast ahead of banned protest

Paul Silva, the nephew of David Dungay Jr, has told ABC News that organisers of today's Sydney protest are having "no second thoughts about going ahead with a peaceful gathering" after warnings from NSW Police and Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

"Despite what's happening around Australia as we speak, with all the commercial gatherings, such as football events and weekend markets and, you know, just everyday living, no-one is really COVID safe," he said.

Paul Silva outside the NSW Supreme Court last week. Source: AAP

"At this protest today, there's gonna be COVID teams supplying hand sanitiser and masks and also reassuring that everyone does social distance. There's a big grass area where you can social-distance.

"If we're abiding by health orders and the New South Wales laws in regards to the pandemic, which is social distancing in groups of 20, that's exactly what we're doing. So, we're not breaking no laws. And if police are to make arrests, it would be unlawful."

He said they are expecting approximately 500 people to attend the rally.

28 Jul 2020 8:54am

Here's what to expect today

There’s a lot going on today, so here’s a brief run down of what we are expecting.

An unauthorised Black Lives Matter protest is planned to take place in Sydney at midday. On Monday, organisers lost their appeal against a NSW Supreme Court ruling that the event was prohibited due to coronavirus restrictions.

Almost 5,000 people have expressed interest in attending the event on Facebook as of Tuesday morning and could face $1,000 on the spot fines if they breach the NSW public health order, which limits outdoor gatherings to 20 people.

Organisers have urged all attendees to remain 1.5 metres away from others, wear a mask, and to not gather in groups larger than 20. They are also asking people to register their attendance.

We will also bring you the usual daily update from Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on the state’s coronavirus crisis, following Monday’s record 532 cases.

28 Jul 2020 8:28am

Good morning and welcome!

Good morning and welcome to SBS News’ rolling coverage of the day’s coronavirus news and the planned Black Lives Matter protest in Sydney.

My name is Maani Truu and I’ll be bringing you the day’s most important developments over the next few hours.

If you see or hear anything you think we should know about, you can contact me at maani.truu@sbs.com.au or on Twitter @maanitruu.

And, as always, you can find coronavirus information in 63 languages at SBS’ online portal here.

RECAP: Sydney Black Lives Matter protest organisers slam police response after six arrested