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As it happened: Victoria records 273 cases and another Melbourne death; Sydney pub cluster rises

Roy Ward
Updated ,first published

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Pinned post from 10.56am on Jul 12, 2020
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Watch: Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Education Minister James Merlino give a COVID-19 update

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Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Education Minister James Merlino gave a COVID-19 update on Sunday.

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That's all for today!

By Roy Ward

That's all I have for today. Thanks again for joining me for another Sunday of this COVID-19 pandemic.

Before I go here is a look back at today's major developments including Victoria's decision to send school students in Melbourne and Mitchell Shire back to remote learning until August 19 and possibly longer.

Students to return to remote learning in parents' winter of discontent

Shortages of food, medicine and trust: stories from lockdown paint a picture of chaos

'We are definitely at a crossroads in NSW': State records five new cases

Four more COVID-19 cases emerge in Sydney pub outbreak, pushing cluster to nine

By Sarah Keoghan

Four more people have tested positive for COVID-19 following an outbreak at a pub in Sydney’s south-west.

The cases have been linked to a cluster from Crossroads Hotel in Casula, which has now caused nine positive COVID-19 cases.

The four new cases include a teenager who worked at the hotel on several days including July 3, a close contact of the worker in her 50s, a local diner in her 40s and a Victorian diner in his 20s.

NSW Health is urging anyone who attended the hotel from July 3 to July 10 to immediately self-isolate for 14 days.

“While investigations are continuing, it is vital people get tested so we can try and establish the source of infection at the hotel,” NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said.

'Natural reaction might be to hold back': Parents ponder extra year of kinder

By Madeleine Heffernan and Adam Carey

Linda Davison is not surprised that more families are questioning whether to delay their child's start at school.

The early-education leader said the COVID-19 shutdown and recession had made many of us worried, and anxious parents tended to keep their child at kindergarten.

"COVID has raised anxieties, in parents in particular, and in some ways the natural reaction might be to hold back," said Ms Davison, who is centre co-ordinator at Clarendon Children's Centre in South Melbourne.

Linda Davison, centre co-ordinator at Clarendon Children's Centre. Eddie Jim

Inquiries about a second year of kindergarten are on the rise, the Victorian Education Department has said, as parents worry that choppy attendance will leave their child ill-prepared for school.

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Popovich, James ready to restart NBA season in Disney bubble

By Tim Reynolds

Gregg Popovich fondly remembers his freshman year at the United States Air Force Academy, even though as a first-year cadet he was extremely limited in where he could go and what activities were allowed.

Lockdown at Walt Disney World, he said, reminded him of those days.

“But two days, anybody can do that,” the San Antonio coach said Saturday.

LeBron James won't be wearing a social justice message on the back of his jersey when the NBA season resumes.AP

He made it through that freshman year with ease, made it through the two days of in-room Disney quarantine as well, and now the longest-tenured and oldest active coach in the league is free to roam within the NBA bubble in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

'Change is as good as a holiday': Dons embracing hub life

By Greg Davis

Essendon coach John Worsfold says the Bombers are embracing hub life and all that it entails after grinding their way to a 14-point win over North Melbourne at Metricon Stadium on Saturday night.

The slippery conditions at Carrara and wayward accuracy in front of goal made the four points harder to come by for Essendon, who jumped into fourth spot on the ladder with a 4-1 record and one game in hand over their top-eight rivals.

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The Bombers will move into their second Gold Coast resort in less than a week with the WA clubs vacating the Royal Pines Resort, which is a stone's throw from Metricon Stadium.

Worsfold said whatever hurdles were to come on or off the field, the Bombers were up for the challenge.

Police withdraw coronavirus fine for Melbourne horse owner

By Rachael Dexter

Police will not proceed with fining a Ferntree Gully woman for breaching COVID-19 restrictions while she was travelling to feed her pet horse.

It comes as 119 others were issued $1652 fines over the past 24 hours, up from 83 previous day in Victoria's second lockdown.

Ferntree Gully woman Karen Evans told 7 News on Friday that a police officer issued her a postal fine for being 13 kilometres from her home to feed her horse agisted at another property.

Police doing stop checks in Melbourne on Friday.Jason South

Ms Evans said she had no one else who could feed her horse Lily.

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Opinion: Expats not asking for a free ride, we just want to come home

By James Mort

Following the lead of Premier Gladys Berejiklian, who earlier this month limited international arrivals to Sydney Airport, the Australian national cabinet on Friday announced it had agreed to cut Australian international arrivals by half. Daily arrivals of returning Australians are now limited to 4,000 a week.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison earlier asserted that Australians trying to return home now had had ample time to do so and “obviously delayed that decision for a period”.

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This shows little understanding of the kinds of Australians who find themselves still overseas. Most Australians abroad are not frivolous gap-year backpackers able to fly home at the drop of a hat.

They are working professionals who had made plans to live overseas for the medium term. Those of us in this position have ties to foreign countries that cannot be severed overnight.

Frankston Police Station temporarily closed for cleaning after officer tests positive

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Frankston Police Station is temporarily closed after an officer tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday.

Victoria Police said the officer returned to work on July 6 after leave and was tested after feeling unwell on July 7 then went into self-isolation.

The station was closed as a precaution and will undergo a professional deep cleaning before it is re-opened.

Victoria Police also said contact tracing was underway to find out how many police members or community members may have come into contact with the officer.

"Enquiries are being made to determine whether any members of the public had contact with the officer while they were contagious and may need to be tested," Victoria Police said in a statement.

"While the station is closed, local area service delivery will not be impacted.

"Victoria Police’s priority first and foremost is to ensure the safety of its people and the community."

Dr Coatsworth says PM attending NRL match shows we can do things safely during pandemic

By Roy Ward

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Nick Coatsworth says he has no problem with Prime Minister Scott Morrison attending an NRL match on Saturday.

Some criticism emerged on Sunday because Mr Morrison didn't wear a mask and because Melbourne and Mitchell Shire are in lockdown.

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But Mr Morrison was not obliged to be wearing a mask at the match and NSW is allowing fans to start returning to sporting events in smaller, socially-distanced seating arrangements.

"We will need to live with COVID-19 and do the things that we enjoy doing in the areas where restrictions have been lifted," Dr Coatsworth said.

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279 new cases in Australia, call for Crossroads Hotel patrons to get tested

By Roy Ward

Australia recorded 279 new cases on Sunday and one death.

Victoria is again the centre of the nation’s battle with COVID-19 after 273 new cases were found on Sunday and the death was also in Melbourne after a man in his 70s died.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Nick Coatsworth said 7728 people had recovered from COVID-19 while 67 people remained in hospital and 17 of them in intensive care.

Dr Coatsworth also issued a call out for anyone who was at the Crossroads Hotel in Casula, Sydney from July 3 to July 10 to get a COVID-19 test.

The hotel several customers who were at the hotel that night have tested positive for the virus and it's feared some people who visited the venue during that time period may have headed interstate.

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