Covid Australia live update: NSW announces 112 cases, new vaccine hubs; positive Sydney removalist travelled to Victoria, SA

4.07am EDT 04:07

Victoria Health says interviews with the removalist who travelled from Sydney to Melbourne on 8 July and subsequently tested positive for Covid-19 are proving to be “complex and challenging”, Victoria Health has said.

The state health department has issued a statement with some further details on the case, who was infectious in the community in Victoria on 8 and 9 July.

The positive case entered Victoria on the morning of 8 July in a party of three for work, the health department says.

They departed Victoria and entered South Australia on the morning of 9 July.

“Households visited by the case for work are isolating and have been tested.

“Interviews, which are ongoing, are proving complex and challenging. The Department is also using other methods of validation to determine their movement.

“This afternoon, the Department was advised that another individual in this travelling party has returned a positive result.

“Public exposure sites will be published as soon as possible once confirmed and validated.”

3.55am EDT 03:55

Tasmania is offering one-off financial payments to people forced to isolate as a result of precautionary coronavirus tests linked to a health worker overseas, AAP reports.

The worker tested positive in London on 4 July after returning a negative test in Tasmania prior to their departure.

There is no indication they were infectious or contracted the virus in Tasmania, but state authorities have urged people who were at more than 30 “exposure” sites to get tested.

“This has been a precautionary approach but in these situations it is necessary and responsible,” deputy premier Jeremy Rockliff said on Monday.

The state government would provide payments of $250 for workers who have lost wages while isolating during the testing process. Small businesses impacted by the testing directive can apply for assistance, Mr Rockliff said.

More than 1400 people have been tested since the list of venues was revealed on Saturday.

“It’s my hope by later this week we’ll have enough information to be confident there’s not missed transmission in Tasmania,” public health director Mark Veitch said.

Rockliff said the state government would have no hesitation in putting up a hard border with all of NSW if the mainland state’s outbreak worsens.

Tasmania has banned travel from more than 30 NSW local government areas and hundreds of high-risk premises in the state.

Updated at 3.59am EDT

3.12am EDT 03:12

Here’s the statement from MTC-Broadspectrum, the private managers of the Parklea Correctional Centre.

The security operations group and correctional officers are currently responding to an incident at Parklea Correctional Centre after 14 inmates climbed onto the roof of an accommodation wing about 2pm.

Parklea’s immediate response team officers and the security operation group are managing the situation to safely bring the inmates down from the roof.

Updated at 4.00am EDT

3.03am EDT 03:03

Some more footage from the unfolding incident at Parklea jail via Nine.

2.46am EDT 02:46

Nationals Senator Matt Canavan is also critical of the advertisement, but, erm, for slightly different reasons. Canavan says the ad is “not realistic” because “we know that Covid doesn’t affect young people that much more than the flu”.

We don’t run ads around the flu like this. I mean, there are people who are impacted obviously by this virus, as other viruses, but I think it’s way over the top. It’s not connected back to the real facts on the ground. Any kind of scare campaign that’s not connected to the facts ultimately will fail.

Currently in NSW there are 14 people under the age of 35 are in hospital with Covid including two people in ICU.

A screen grab from the Australian federal government’s Covid vaccine campaign. Photograph: Australian Government Department of Health

Updated at 2.54am EDT

2.37am EDT 02:37

Bill Shorten has been on ABC TV this afternoon, with a few choice words about Australia’s vaccine rollout.

“The vaccine rollout in Australia is a shitshow,” Shorten tells host Patricia Karvelas.

Shorten was also critical of the government’s new Covid awareness advertisement, which features a young woman gasping for air in a hospital bed.

We should probably use someone of the age group … we want to get vaccinated first, someone older than the actress. In terms of social marketing, we’ve got a whole library of real life experience. It’s called Victoria. Why not get some of them, surely there’s enough inspiration and wisdom in Australian marketing to get some quick real life stories about what happens, rather than relying on an actor?”

The advertisement has been widely criticised for encouraging people to get vaccinated while featuring a woman who appears too young to be eligible under the scheme. Shorten says that makes the ad “useless”.

We do want to encourage young people to get vaccinated but you can spend all the money you like advertising … If people are reading on Facebook or Twitter, reading in the newspaper or watching this show and we know there’s not enough vaccines, then you’re just pouring good money after bad.”

Updated at 2.41am EDT

2.18am EDT 02:18

Seven News is reporting on an unfolding situation at Parklea jail. We’ll get you some more details, but as the vision shows inmates have climbed onto the roof of the prison complex.

2.14am EDT 02:14

Good afternoon from locked down Sydney!

NSW Health has just issued a long updated list of new venues of concern. As you might expect, the majority are centred around Fairfield and the south-west.

Updated at 2.20am EDT

2.04am EDT 02:04

I’m now handing this blog over the Michael McGowan in Sydney. He’ll take you through beyond sunset and into the evening. Thanks for your company this afternoon.

1.40am EDT 01:40

That statement certainly had a sting in the tail.

Updated at 1.55am EDT

1.39am EDT 01:39

Daniel Hurst

A spokesperson for Kevin Rudd has just issued the following statement:

Mr Rudd wrote to Scott Morrison on 30 June to update him on the outcome of a personal conversation with [the] chairman of Pfizer earlier that day.

Mr Rudd sought this meeting at the urging of senior Australian business leaders, who were deeply concerned by the government’s failure to lobby Pfizer at its most senior levels as many other world leaders have over recent months.

Prior to speaking with Dr Bourla, Mr Rudd directly notified Mr Morrison and asked if there was anything he could say, or not say, that would benefit Australia’s efforts to accelerate the vaccine rollout. Mr Morrison provided some advice and later thanked Mr Rudd for his letter summarising the conversation.

As the letter records, Mr Rudd spoke with Dr Bourla in a personal capacity as a concerned private citizen – not as a representative of the federal government.

Mr Rudd also indicated that he was not seeking to negotiate on the government’s behalf and any contractual arrangements needed to be made with officials.

Mr Rudd’s letter is entirely consistent with public statements by Pfizer.

Mr Rudd has not claimed responsibility for decisions by Pfizer and – as he made clear to Mr Morrison – all negotiating powers rested with the federal government

Mr Rudd would definitely not seek to associate himself with the Australian government’s comprehensively botched vaccine procurement program.

Updated at 1.43am EDT