Australia news LIVE: NSW records 1742 new local COVID-19 cases; Victoria infections continue to grow amid eased restrictions; second Ashes test begins in Adelaide; 2021 VCE results released

• NSW has reported 1742 new COVID-19 cases and no new deaths, Sarah McPhee reports. It is the highest daily total recorded for the state since the pandemic began, after a peak of 1599 cases on September 11. Health Minister Brad Hazzard yesterday said that cases would soon double every two to three days as the Omicron strain of the virus takes hold. There are now 192 coronavirus patients in NSW hospitals, 26 of whom are in intensive care. Hospital admissions are up by 26 patients from yesterday. To date, the state has recorded 122 cases of the Omicron variant of the virus, after 12 more cases were confirmed overnight.

• NSW Health has asked Newcastle residents to “seriously consider” postponing social gatherings until after Christmas, as an Omicron outbreak in the city continues to grow. Late today the state government also cancelled the Lunar Electric Music Festival, which was expected to go ahead in Newcastle this weekend. The health department said the spread of coronavirus in the region “presents too great a risk for the festival to take place this weekend”. As Mary Ward reports today, 633 of the record 1742 COVID-19 cases reported in NSW today were in the Hunter New England Local Health District, including 267 in Newcastle and 213 in Lake Macquarie.

• Prime Minister Scott Morrison today echoed NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet’s words yesterday that people must take “personal responsibility” in response to COVID-19, a day after the state scrapped a raft of restrictions including mandatory masks in most indoor settings. Masks remain mandatory in retail settings in Victoria but in NSW they are only required on public transport, in airports and on planes, and for unvaccinated indoor hospitality staff. NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant has urged people to consider continuing to wear masks in indoor settings. Mr Morrison said the government was taking the Omicron strain of COVID-19 “incredibly seriously” but “at the end of the day, our own health is our own responsibility” and people could choose to continue wearing masks, and “choose to stay home”.
• Victoria has recorded 1622 new cases of COVID-19 and nine deaths. Today’s total is up on yesterday’s 1405 cases and the state’s highest daily total since October 29. There are 384 people in Victorian hospitals with coronavirus. Of those, 87 are active cases in intensive care. Forty-nine people are on a ventilator. As Cassandra Morgan reports, the state recorded another three cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 today, bringing the total number of confirmed cases of the variant in the state to 13.

• Felicity Caldwell reports that Queensland has reported a spike in new COVID-19 cases after opening its borders to interstate hotspots on Monday, with 22 new cases reported today. That’s up from yesterday’s six cases. Of today’s new cases, 18 were infectious in the community for between one and seven days in locations including Brisbane’s south, north, Darling Downs, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Townsville, West Moreton and Wide Bay. One of the positive cases visited an aged care facility in Holland Park before later testing positive, with residents and staff now being tested. Queensland has also confirmed three Omicron cases following genomic testing.

• Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein says a total of 29 additional NSW local government areas were declared “high risk” last night. “What this means is the Greater Sydney area is now all high risk in addition to the Central Coast, Newcastle and a number of LGAs around Newcastle,” he said. “In Victoria, there has been a declaration of three new local government areas: Maroondah, Nillumbik and Whitehorse. This means that all of the Greater Melbourne area is now designated high risk as well as Geelong.” Interstate travellers aged five and up entering the state rom high-risk LGAs must do the following, according to the Tasmanian government: return a negative COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours before departure to Tasmania; and get a PCR test within 24 hours of arriving into Tasmania (if you been out of Tasmania for seven days or less and spent time in a high-risk area). There is no need to quarantine while waiting for this test result.
• Tasmania recorded one case of COVID-19 after opening its borders earlier this week. The man, in his 20s, arrived on Qantas flight QF1533 from NSW early yesterday morning. He had tested negative to coronavirus before his arrival. He is isolating at a private residence.

This is Michaela Whitbourn signing off on the blog for today. My colleague Broede Carmody will be back early tomorrow morning.

“On a day when these children were meant to be celebrating their last day of primary school, instead we are all mourning their loss,” he said.

“Our hearts are breaking for the families and the loved ones, schoolmates, teachers of these young people who were taken too soon.

“Our thoughts are also with those emergency services personnel who attended to try and save these people’s lives.

“We’re going to be doing everything we possibly can to support the school community and the community at large. There will be counselling available to the wider community and also to the school community.”

“On a day when these children were meant to be celebrating their last day of primary school, instead we are all mourning their loss,” he said.

“Our hearts are breaking for the families and the loved ones, schoolmates, teachers of these young people who were taken too soon.

“Our thoughts are also with those emergency services personnel who attended to try and save these people’s lives.

“We’re going to be doing everything we possibly can to support the school community and the community at large. There will be counselling available to the wider community and also to the school community.”

Mr Hine said a police and WorkSafe investigation was under way.

“That’ll take some time to complete and once that’s completed, it’ll be handed to the coroner for an inquest,” he said.

Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said the events were “simply inconceivable” and “devastating and heartbreaking”.

“I know that this is a strong and caring community that will stand together and support one another,” he said.

“I speak for all Tasmanians in extending my deepest sympathies to the family, friends and loved ones of everyone affected by today’s tragedy. For the five children who remain in hospital, our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families and their friends during this very difficult time.”