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Summary
Victoria recorded one new case on Tuesday and no deaths. The single case could be removed from the tally as the Health Department is investigating whether it is an active case or the person is "shedding" the virus from a previous infection.
Queensland has recorded another day with zero cases.
8.30pm on Oct 20, 2020
Day in review
By Rachael Dexter
That brings us to the end of another day of live coronavirus news. As always, our rolling coverage will be back early tomorrow morning.
What were the main stories around the country today?
Victoria recorded one new case on Tuesday and no deaths. The single death may be removed from the tally as investigations continue into whether it is an active case or the person is "shedding" the virus from a previous infection. A second case was reclassified as it related to a person with a Victorian address who is quarantining interstate. The Premier flagged further easing of restrictions this weekend, depending on this week's numbers.
Queensland recorded another day with zero cases. Two people are in hotel quarantine after arriving in the state under the federal government’s travel arrangement with New Zealand.
US President Donald Trump blasted coronavirus expert Anthony Fauci as a "disaster" in a conference call with campaign workers and sought to reassure them he still had a pathway to win on election day despite slipping poll numbers.
Britain said on Tuesday it would back "human challenge" trials, where young and healthy volunteers were deliberately infected with COVID-19, to accelerate the development of vaccines for the disease.
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This is Rachael Dexter signing off. Take care of yourselves and goodnight.
8.17pm on Oct 20, 2020
Exclusive: Victoria 'at risk of repeating fatal hotel quarantine mistakes', as row breaks among departments
By Sumeyya Ilanbey
An interdepartmental row has broken out between Victoria's health and justice departments over how a revamped hotel quarantine scheme should work when international flights to the state resume.
A senior Department of Health and Human Services source has warned that Victoria risks repeating the bureaucratic failings that led to the bungling of the hotel quarantine system, which seeded the state's devastating second wave of coronavirus, infecting almost 20,000 people and killing more than 800.
The Department of Justice - an "unhappy and reluctant participant" in the scheme - has been attempting to shift greater responsibility to DHHS and Alfred Health ahead of the resumption of the program, according to the DHHS source, who has been intimately involved in hotel quarantine but spoke to The Age on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorised to speak to media.
Both DHHS and Alfred Health have refused to accept a greater role in the program.
UK backs COVID-19 vaccine trials that infect volunteers
By Reuters
Britain said on Tuesday it would back "human challenge" trials, where young and healthy volunteers are deliberately infected with COVID-19, to accelerate the development of vaccines for the disease.
The government said it would invest 33.6 million pounds ($43.5 million) in the studies in partnership with Imperial College London, laboratory and trial services company hVIVO and the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.
The UK government has financially backed COVID-19 vaccine trials that infect volunteers.Stock
If approved by regulators and an ethics committee, the studies would start in January with results expected by May 2021, the government said.
Britain's hVIVO, a unit of pharmaceutical services company Open Orphan, said last Friday it was carrying out preliminary work for the trials.
Using controlled doses of virus, the aim of the research team will initially be to discover the smallest amount of virus it takes to cause COVID-19 infection in small groups of healthy young people, aged between 18 and 30, who are at the lowest risk of harm, the government said.
Up to 90 volunteers could be involved at the early stage, it said.
Imperial College's Chris Chiu, lead researcher on the human challenge study, said the trials could increase understanding of COVID-19 in unique ways and accelerate development of the many potential new treatments and vaccines.
"Our number one priority is the safety of the volunteers," he said. "My team has been safely running human challenge studies with other respiratory viruses for over 10 years. No study is completely risk free, but the Human Challenge Programme partners will be working hard to ensure we make the risks as low as we possibly can."
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8.06pm on Oct 20, 2020
Melbourne: Golf resumes at Northcote course as local debate tees off
By Rachel Eddie
The return of golf on Wednesday will tee off a larger debate in Northcote, where locals have been using their course as a picnic ground during lockdown.
Residents had cut the wire fence to access the rolling green space when stage four lockdown rules began in August, prompting the City of Darebin to unlock the public course while golf was banned.
People out and about enjoying the Northcote Golf Course earlier this month.Wayne Taylor
Now that the sport has been allowed to resume, some are reluctant to let go of their newly acquired green space.
Local golfers have splintered into two groups in response: those who believe the 24 hectares can be shared and those who think any change will undermine the nine-hole course.
Bill Jennings, who launched the We Play Golf at Northcote website, believes sharing the course is a slippery slope towards closing it to golfers.
Bill Jennings wants Northcote Golf Course to stay with golfers.Jason South
He said the public course was one of the few affordable ways for new and diverse players to discover golf.
"I think that golf's not a very offensive sport when you're talking about a public golf course. I understand the stereotypes about elite, entitled privileged white people characterised by people like Donald Trump and Sam Newman. That is not us. You know, people who play down there are not those people."
Mr Jennings wants to pause the debate to see how public space is used once hospitality reopens after the COVID-19 lockdown.
Melbourne residents are still barred from congregating in homes or hospitality venues until at least November 2.
Ruth Liston, from Northcote, has been using the park about three times a week during lockdown and was gutted that golf was resuming.
"It's been an absolute lifesaver for us during lockdown for walks, for picnics for socially distancing with friends, for seeing people and feeling like part of a community, for connecting with nature," Ms Liston said.
"Losing that on Wednesday is devastating. Because even though some of the restrictions have lifted ... life's not going to be normal for a long time."
'I'll stay right where I am': more responses to our Vic-NSW border question
By Rachael Dexter
We're reaching the tail end of the blog tonight, and I wanted to thank the many dozens of you who continue to write into us about your plans for when the border between Victoria and NSW opens up again.
We can't publish all of them unfortunately due to the volume of responses, but all of your responses are read though.
The NSW-Victoria border could be opened over the next month, the NSW Premier has flagged.Justin McManus
I'll stay right where I am... tight border restrictions are one of the best things Australia has in its favour in this crisis.John
Once that border opens, I will go to the middle of NSW to reunite a friend with many boxes of precious books she has stored at my house in Melbourne, then to Sydney for the hell of it, and will return via the South coast to visit another friend, detour to Canberra for galleries and then wind my way back to Melbourne via Gippsland. But if SA opens first I will go there, as I have an expensive travel voucher to use over there and only 'til February to use it. And for those three states / territories, I will take an empty esky. HVM
Job market in Victoria has deteriorated by a huge amount over past 6 months. Will move to Sydney for some opportunity till the situation stabilises. Rahuk
My Dad has final stage lung disease, but not yet in palliative care, so I don't qualify for a border permit. If if I did, it would mean two weeks in quarantine there, and two weeks coming back, so effectively around six weeks away from my husband and kids. FaceTime doesn't cut it anymore for us and all other families - I hope the Premiers in both states realise that. There needs to be a balance found between mitigating this virus and letting people connect and live their lives; extremes don't work. Alison
My immediate family are located in NSW; my extended family are in SA. I became a mum for the first time during the first lockdown in April. At the time, I was devastated that my immediate family could not be there for the birth but luckily they were able to meet my daughter a few weeks later in the intervening period between lockdowns. The physical closure of both the NSW and SA borders has been incredibly tough on my mental health. I cried (not for the first time, mind you) when the photos and stories were published of families reuniting from New Zealand. The fact that I can't see my family (even with the option of quarantining, if I could afford it) in either NSW or SA is devastating. The uncertainty regarding opening only makes it worse - at least QLD has a clear policy on what is required to be achieved in order to open (however achievable), we have no such clarity with NSW or SA. I'm just praying the border opens before Christmas, I'll be an absolute wreck if it doesn't. Lucy
I haven't seen my parents in months. Our three year old asks about his Nanna and Poppy constantly and says he can't wait for the silly germ to go. He's done so much growing up over the last six months, I can't wait for my parents to see him and hug him again. We're originally from Sydney so our closest support networks are up there. We normally make about 8 trips to Sydney every year! My son misses his Nanna and Poppy terribly. He's started chatting up any person over the age of about fifty he meets on the street! Breakfast zoom dates and video call duplo sessions aren't cutting it anymore! We need cuddles! Fingers crossed everyone keeps doing their bit and we can get there soon! Nicole
I am an amputee and have had major reconstruction surgery to my other leg, and all the trauma associated with such decisions, without the support of my family. The thought of seeing my Mum in Sydney again keeps me going, but feels unattainable. Anon
Leave Victoria. This is not the Victoria I grew up with and loved, and it will never be the same due to this insane lockdown. The fact that we're grilled for breathing fresh air, I'm sorry but I can't stay in a place like that for one more minute than I have to. Nathan
I work in the aviation industry and getting any border open is a step forward towards recovery. Aviation is in my blood and it saddens me to see what’s happening to our industry. But we are only one part of the the pie, there are millions more who will see benefits to the borders opening up. Anon
7.36pm on Oct 20, 2020
Analysis: Trump's feud with Fauci exactly what Republicans want to avoid
By Matthew Knott
Washington: With just two weeks remaining until election day, you might expect US President Donald Trump to be resolutely focused on hammering Democratic rival Joe Biden's weaknesses and outlining his case for a second term.
Instead, Trump spent a good chunk of Tuesday (AEDT) on his feud with Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert. On a conference call, Trump labelled Fauci a "disaster", saying: "People are tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots, these people, these people that have gotten it wrong."
The US President has taken on a foe who is popular – and trusted – across America.The Age
On Twitter, Trump hit out at Fauci, saying he had received "more air time than anybody since the late, great, Bob Hope" and making fun of him for his wayward pitch at the opening game of the 2020 baseball season.
At an afternoon rally in Arizona, Trump attacked Biden's coronavirus policies, saying: "He wants to listen to Dr Fauci."
Biden responded on Twitter by simply saying: " ... yes".
This has followed a string of attacks on Fauci over recent days, including Trump labelling him a Democrat and a friend of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Fauci has served under Republican and Democratic presidents since the Reagan era and has never been associated with either party.
Taking pot-shots at Fauci is exactly the type of undisciplined behaviour Republican strategists want Trump to avoid at this stage of the campaign. There's no political benefit to be gained from attacking a highly respected and popular national figure.
A September poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation showed that 68 per cent of Americans have a great deal or a fair amount of trust in Fauci to provide reliable information on the coronavirus. That compared with 52 per cent for Biden and just under 40 per cent for Trump.
It's why veteran Republican senators advised Trump to stick closely to Fauci in the early days of the pandemic; they hoped some of his scientific credibility might rub off on Trump with independent voters. But that was the road not taken.
'Open up workplaces': Big businesses ask Victoria to move faster
By David Crowe
Seven of Australia’s top chief executives are urging Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews to move more quickly to open the state economy in an extraordinary warning about the damage to jobs and the community from prolonged restrictions.
In a joint letter from big employers such as BHP, the Commonwealth Bank and Wesfarmers, the chief executives warn the current restrictions are unsustainable and must be scaled back so workers can return to their jobs.
Wesfarmers CEO Rob Scott is one of seven big business leaders who have written to Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews asking him to lift restrictions.Philip Gostelow
"We urge you now, in light of the excellent recent progress, to permit the careful and staged return to the workplace of office workers and the small businesses that provide services to them," they write.
"Safely opening up more Victorian workplaces, based on medical advice and guidance, and enabling the collaboration and creativity that will result, is critical to our state’s economic future."
The letter is signed by BHP Billiton chief Mike Henry, Commonwealth Bank chief Matt Comyn, Coca Cola Amatil chief Alison Watkins, Incitec Pivot chief Jeanne Johns, Newcrest chief Sandeep Biswas, Orica chief Alberto Calderon and Wesfarmers chief Rob Scott.
The intervention comes as Mr Andrews hits back at federal government accusations that he is moving too slowly to relax restrictions on the timetable he outlined last Sunday. Retail in Victoria is expected to be open from November 1, or earlier depending on case numbers, with Mr Andrews saying the virus must be dealt with before the economy can recover.
After days of criticism from peak business groups, the new letter marks a significant escalation in the demands from big employers to allow them to reopen offices and stores and redeploy their staff.
The seven executives acknowledge the need for caution and do not demand an instant removal of restrictions or an immediate move to match the rules in place in NSW, which has fewer active coronavirus cases than Victoria.
'Complex equation': Christmas wish may not be granted for stranded Aussies
By Katina Curtis
The federal government insists it is exhausting every avenue to get more than 32,300 Australians stranded overseas home but can't say how many will be back by Christmas.
At the moment, 5575 international arrivals are allowed each week into Sydney, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide, with the state governments saying that is the upper limit of what their hotel quarantine systems can take.
The first Australians on new repatriation flights will arrive at the Howard Springs quarantine facility on Friday.Ben Sale
Officials from the Prime Minister's department said on Tuesday the Commonwealth was in negotiations with the Victorian government to resume international flights into Melbourne, which they described as a "game-changer". Before its second wave of coronavirus and the cancellation of international flights, the city was taking more than a quarter of the nation's international arrivals.
As well, opening up a travel bubble with New Zealand had freed up about 15 per cent of the hotel quarantine capacity in Sydney.
But department officials could not answer repeated questions from Labor Senate leader Penny Wong about how many Australians would have to return each week to get everyone home by Christmas. Nor could they say when they expected everyone to be able to return.
Breaking: 500 race horse owners allowed to attend Melbourne racetrack this weekend
By Rachael Dexter
The Victorian government has just announced that race horse owners will be allowed to attend Moonee Valley racecourse in Melbourne on Friday and Saturday, on top of the already allowed jockeys, club operations staff, security, COVIDSafe marshals and media.
In short, it means up to 1250 people can attend the racecourse for the Manikatos Stakes on Friday and the Cox Plate on Saturday across the whole of the day, with only 1000 allowed on site at anyone time. The venue can host 38,000 people in normal times.
The connections of horses running in the Cox Plate carnival will be allowed on course this weekend.Getty
The plan for the race meets, which are occurring on the same weekend as the AFL Grand Final, include take-away food and beverage and time limits on how long owners and connections can watch the races.
Minister for Racing Martin Pakula said the allowance, done under the advice of the Chief Health Officer, would allow owners the change to see their horses compete under strict health protocols.
"The change has been closely considered by health officials, who will monitor the implementation of the plan to ensure the health and wellbeing of everyone involved," he said.
The announcement comes as Premier Daniel Andrews this morning urged Melburnians to not break coronavirus restrictions by meeting up with friends and family indoors for the AFL Grand Final on Saturday - the same day as the Cox Plate.
Tennis Australia and government authorities are continuing to thrash out details about the composition of the summer calendar Down Under as Victoria, the home of the Australian Open, slowly creeps out of COVID-19 restrictions.
Victoria's Sport, Tourism and Major Events minister Martin Pakula says "there's a whole lot of work to do" but he remains "extremely confident" the Open will go ahead in Melbourne.
Sofia Kenin claims the 2020 Australian Open.AP
Quarantine rules in different states for tennis stars arriving from overseas are among some of the sticking points, as well as the amount of spectators allowed on site at Melbourne Park for the grand slam event.
Tennis officials are pushing for quarantine provisions in Melbourne that still allow the world's leading players to take to the practice court, or even play in an event.
"It's really about how the players are allowed to train and practice when they land because they don't want to obviously sit in the hotel room for 14 days without being able to move and do any exercise and practice," Pakula told the Break Point podcast.
"How we get them in and out of Melbourne Park safely, how we keep them and spectators away from one another, how we keep spectators away from each other."
The tennis calendar has taken on a sharply different look in 2020 due to the worldwide impact of coronavirus. Wimbledon was cancelled for the first time since 1945 while the US Open went ahead without fans and the rescheduled French Open unfolded with limited spectators.
In an ordinary year, there would be a number of lead-in tournaments across Australian cities before the global tennis contingent converged on Melbourne Park.
Last year the new ATP Cup men's teams tournament was held for the first time in three cities – Perth, Brisbane and Sydney.