National Queensland Coronavirus pandemic

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Coronavirus Queensland LIVE updates: almost 700 cases and new police powers to enforce social distancing rules

If you suspect you or a family member has coronavirus you should contact (not visit) your GP, local hospital or 13HEALTH.

Danielle Cronin, Ben Bissett and Cameron Atfield

Updated March 31, 2020 — 7:32pm,first published March 31, 2020 — 9:44am

Summary

Private hospitals to be integrated with public system.
Queensland has recorded 743 cases of COVID-19 and three deaths.
"Now is not the time for fun," says the Queensland Premier as she details new rules to stem the spread of coronavirus.
Police get powers to break up parties as Queensland shores up borders.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a $130 billion package to support the wages of up to six million Australians throughout the coronavirus crisis.

7.32pm on Mar 31, 2020

Cases, tracking, and fines

Here are today's key developments.

Fifty-five people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in Queensland overnight, bringing the state total to 743 cases.

The justice department has been enlisted to help with the tracking of people placed under isolation.

An allegedly unlicensed Queensland brothel has been slapped with the first fines for failing to comply with new physical distancing and quarantine regulations.

Wesfarmers boss Rob Scott warns the federal government's $130 billion JobKeeper wage subsidy won’t go far enough and that Australia will need additional measures at the end of coronavirus pandemic. At 8am, more than 113,000 businesses had registered for the wage subsidy scheme.

6.56pm on Mar 31, 2020

Families struggle with co-parenting orders

By Michaela Whitbourn

Separated parents are grappling with co-parenting arrangements amid the coronavirus crisis, as infection fears and restrictions on movements raise questions about the ability of children to move safely between households.

The Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court, which both hear family law matters, have urged parents to act in the best interests of their children and respect the "spirit" of co-parenting orders where "strict compliance" is difficult or impossible due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The restrictions on movements introduced across Australia do not prevent children moving between parents' households but there are cases where existing access arrangements must be altered, such as where a contact centre facilitating access by a parent to a child has temporarily shut.

The effective closure of some state borders has also created issues of compliance with co-parenting orders where parents live in different states.

6.45pm on Mar 31, 2020

While on the topic of travel

By Toby Crockford

A formerly five-legged green tree frog was left stranded far from home due to new travel restrictions after having one of its "two left arms" removed has been thrown a lifeline.

The Frog Hospital treated the amphibian in the north Queensland town of Mission Beach, which is a 620-kilometre drive north of where a woman found the frog with "two left arms".

The Frog Hospital president Deborah Pergolotti said the crackdown on non-essential travel aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 had put the frog's journey home on hold.

This afternoon, the frog was offered a lift home to Mackay.

6.34pm on Mar 31, 2020

New restrictions on FIFO workers

By Matt Dennien

All but critical interstate mine workers will be barred from Queensland in a further attempt to keep coronavirus out of regional and remote communities.

Mines Minister Dr Anthony Lynham says the state will close its borders to all other fly-in fly-out workers from midnight on Saturday.

People in positions “critical” to operations will be exempt from the border controls. Those workers travelling from within Queensland will also not be impacted.

“Queensland has no known cases in our remote regional communities, and restricting these workers from entering the state will remove a possible transmission route,” Dr Lynham says.

“Most importantly, these critical people will ensure projects operate safely for the workers on site.”

All resources projects in the state are preparing COVID-19 plans to deal with interstate workers and will submit these to Queensland Health along with plans for their Queensland workforce.

Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young this month south extra precautions for mining camps and workers travelling - either by plane or road - for work in the sector.

Police have flagged an escalation of border control measures from later in the week, which will see those without permits to enter turned around at the border rather than ordered to self-quarantine.

5.53pm on Mar 31, 2020

Six Qantas baggage handlers test positive for COVID-19 in Adelaide

By Megan Gorrey

Six Qantas baggage handlers at Adelaide Airport have tested positive for coronavirus, as 32 new cases emerged in South Australia overnight.

There are now 337 COVID-19 cases in South Australia. The new cases have been diagnosed in people aged from their 20s to their 80s. Three of the new cases are among passengers on board the Ruby Princess cruise ship.

Chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier said health authorities were investigating the outbreak among the baggage handlers and would endeavour to reduce the risk to the public.

"We are also currently talking to Qantas about risk mitigation and there is going to be a requirement for a significant number of staff to go into quarantine. This is a serious situation."

5.37pm on Mar 31, 2020

Rugby Australia stands down 75 per cent of staff

By Tom Decent

Rugby Australia will stand down 75 per cent of its staff for a three-month period starting on Wednesday, with chief executive Raelene Castle describing the call as the “hardest news imaginable” with a possible worst-case scenario $120 million black hole on the horizon.

Following a call to staff, RA released a statement on Tuesday afternoon which read: "Rugby Australia has today made the toughest decision in the game’s history which will see 75 per cent of its workforce stood down from April 1 through June 30, while remaining staff have been offered significant salary reductions or reduced hours as a result of the global coronavirus (COVID-19) health crisis.

“The game is projecting a worst-case scenario of up to a $120 million loss in revenue should the Super Rugby season and the entire Wallabies domestic Test calendar be cancelled as a result of the virus.”

Castle added: “Today we have had to deliver the hardest news imaginable to our incredible, hard-working and passionate staff, that many of them will be stood down for a three-month period so that the game can survive this unprecedented crisis."

Read the full story here.

5.27pm on Mar 31, 2020

'I can't pay bills': Vic gun dealers set to sue police over ban on sales

By Paul Sakkal and Michael Fowler

Gun shop owners in Victoria will fight the decision to suspend the sale of guns and ammunition in that state following a spike in weapon registrations in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

The gun purchase laws are being tightened during the coronavirus pandemic, with Queensland making a similar ruling on Tuesday.

Victorian Police Minister Lisa Neville on Tuesday.AAP

An association representing up to two dozen Melbourne gun dealers is preparing a legal challenge against the ban which they say could financially devastate the families of hundreds of firearms traders.

On Monday Victoria Police, temporarily banned the sale of weapons to recreational shooters, who make up a large proportion of the market. Police said there had been a spike in firearm applications and stockpiling of weapons this month.

Gun dealers strongly disputed the police's claims and say the surge in demand was caused by shooters buying products before a 15 per cent price rise on many firearm products that was due to kick in on April 1.

Read the exclusive full story here.

4.41pm on Mar 31, 2020

More testing urged as doubts grow over undetected NZ cases

By Ben McKay

Wellington: The New Zealand government has conceded it needs to up COVID-19 testing rates to get a clearer picture of how the virus is spreading through the country.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said New Zealand had the capacity to test at twice the current rates - around 1700 a day - and she expected doctors to hit those targets.

New Zealand Jacinda Ardern has outlined a new four-tier system to handle the crisis.Getty

The government's sluggishness to ramp up testing has drawn criticism from the opposition National party and comes after repeated calls from the World Health Organisation to up testing rates.

But the Prime Minister denied this was a concession of a mishandled response to the growing pandemic.

4.30pm on Mar 31, 2020

Please Explain podcast: $130 billion economic lifeline

For the duration of the COVID-19 crisis, our podcast Please Explain is coming to you five days a week.

In today's episode of Please Explain, national editor Tory Maguire and chief political correspondent David Crowe discuss the logistics of the federal government's $130 billion JobKeeper package. This stimulus package is the biggest in Australia's history and is the latest development in the government's evolving coronavirus response.

4.14pm on Mar 31, 2020

Panic purchases drive $13 billion jump in spending

By Matt Bungard

Australians spent an extra $13 billion in March compared with an average month, with panic buying and growing concerns around COVID-19 resulting in huge upticks in sectors such as share trading, health care expenses, and groceries.

Consumer website Finder’s data says that in March, Australians spent $766 each on groceries, with clothing and electronics also boosted.

In April, retail spend outside food and groceries is obviously expected to plummet, with stores around the country closing their doors as the lockdown continues.

Unsurprisingly, spending on restaurants and dining has dropped by 9 per cent, and is expected to drop further.

Compared with October 2019, Australians have spent 214 per cent more on share trading, 68 per cent more on groceries, and 35 per cent more on insurance. Petrol spend is also up, despite fewer people driving to work.