As it happened: NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian resigns; NSW records 864 COVID-19 cases while Victoria reports 1143 infections, three deaths

Thank you for joining us on the national blog for our coverage of the day’s major events. If you’re in need of a quick recap, here’ a summary of what has happened:

• NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced her resignation after the state’s anti-corruption body revealed it was investigating her over her secret relationship with disgraced former MP Daryl Maguire. We have a separate blog dedicated to the political bombshell as it unfolded.
• Australians will be able to holiday abroad within weeks and quarantine at home for just seven days without seeking a permit, following the federal government’s decision to scrap a contentious 18-month ban on overseas travel. Qantas announced it has brought forward its resumption of international flights to November 14 after Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Friday the trigger to restart international travel will be a national average vaccination rate of 80 per cent of over-16s.
• Mr Morrison has also announced a low-key reshuffle of his ministers, triggered after Christian Porter quit the frontbench a couple of weeks ago. Energy and Emission Reduction Minister Angus Taylor will add the industry portfolio to his role while Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price takes on the science and technology roles.

• Every authorised worker in Victoria will need to have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by October 15, if they want to continue attending their workplace.

• The city of Shepparton in Victoria’s north will be plunged back into lockdown for seven days from 11.59pm Friday. Announcing the lockdown in a statement, acting Chief Health Officer Ben Cowie said caseloads in the City of Greater Shepparton had increased in recent days, with 24 active cases in the area.

Three people have been arrested and more than 120 people have been fined after a number of ‘silent’ park protests against vaccine mandates were held across Victoria on Friday.

Police issued 121 penalty notices to demonstrators for breaching the Chief Health Officer’s directions, while three people were arrested for failing to state their name to officers.

A spokeswoman for Victoria Police said they were prepared for any additional protest activity on Saturday, warning officers would crack down on anyone who commits a “clear and blatant” breach of COVID-19 restrictions.

“Victoria Police will continue to have a highly visible presence to maintain public safety, and to ensure any protest activity that breaches the CHO directions does not impact on the broader community’s right to go about their daily lives,” the spokeswoman said.

Victoria’s latest tier-1 exposure sites include a truck repairer and a panel beater in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs, an orthodontist in the city’s east and a medical clinic in the west.

Springvale’s Armstrong & Sons No.1 panel beaters has been listed as a tier-1 exposure site on September 19 and 20.

DTR Truck Repairs in Hallam has also been identified as a place of potential COVID-19 exposure, with visitors at various times on September 22 and 23 required to get tested and isolate for 14 days.

Four Corners Medical Clinic in Cobblebank and Smile Avenue Specialist Orthodontists in Blackburn have both been listed as a tier-1 exposure site on September 27.

Around 29 exposure sites have been added to the list by Victorian health authorities on Friday, with the number of exposure sites totalling 600.

Recent tier-2 exposure sites have cropped up in suburbs like Reservoir, Westmeadows, Emerald and Epping, with other sites of concern listed in the regional Victorian towns of Geelong, Terang and Shepparton.

Outgoing NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian was not present at national cabinet today, West Australian Premier Mark McGowan has told a press conference this afternoon, saying that he wished his best during a difficult period.

Mr McGowan said Prime Minister Scott Morrison raised the issue of Ms Berejiklian’s absence at the beginning of the regular meeting of state and territory leaders on Friday.

“He said he’d pass on all of our thoughts in regards to her during this difficult period and all of us agreed with that,” Mr McGowan said.

He joined other state leaders, including Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, in speaking on Ms Berejiklian’s departure on Friday.

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan is set to hold a press conference.