Australia live news: NSW records seven local Covid cases after 70000 tests as premier gives …
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7.16am GMT 07:16 End-of-day summary
5.42am GMT 05:42 Qantas repatriation flight from India to Australia cancelled
4.32am GMT 04:32 Boy, two, dead after Victoria quad bike crash
3.42am GMT 03:42 Summary
3.22am GMT 03:22 Queensland records two new cases of Covid
3.20am GMT 03:20 World Health Organization director-general shares Christmas message
2.37am GMT 02:37 NSW man accused of Christmas Eve murder attempt
7.16am GMT 07:16
End-of-day summary
I hope you’ve had a pleasant Christmas so far and thanks for spending part of it here.
Here’s a recap of today’s news:
New South Wales recorded seven new locally acquired Covid-19 cases, as the northern beaches cluster grew to 108.
NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian has urged Sydney shoppers not to enter the central business district for the traditional Boxing Day sales tomorrow, as authorities fear it could spread coronavirus across the city. The Australian Retailers Association has labelled the plea “incredibly disappointing”.
A second person who was on board a luxury superyacht that sailed from the Maldives to Cairns has tested positive for coronavirus.
An Australian government-facilitated repatriation flight, scheduled to bring Australians home from New Delhi, has been cancelled due to “unforeseen logistical difficulties”. About 39,000 Australians spent Christmas stranded overseas.
The Morrison government spent a total of$128m on advertising in the past financial year, including $5.2m on market research for the ad campaigns, new figures reveal.
A two-year-old boy has died after being thrown off a quad bike in north-east Victoria, while a man has drowned off Wilsons Promontory off the southern tip of the state this afternoon.
Wishing you a relaxing Christmas evening and a great weekend.
Updated
at 7.27am GMT
7.07am GMT 07:07
Victoria police have released a statement about the man who drowned this afternoon.
One man died and a second man is missing in waters off Wilsons Promontory, the police force said.
It’s believed the pair were swimming with friends at Squeaky Beach when they got into difficulty about 3.40pm. A member of the public managed to pull one of the men from the water. CPR was commenced however he died at the scene.
The second swimmer is yet to be located and a search is underway with the help of local police officers and the air wing. Water police are also on their way to the scene to assist.
Updated
at 7.30am GMT
6.54am GMT 06:54
Early morning snowfall has been recorded in parts of the UK, with the Met Office declaring it a white Christmas.
Reports of snow had come in from Leconfield in Humberside and Wattisham in Suffolk as of 5am on Christmas day.
6.51am GMT 06:51
Thanks to everyone who shared their stories on our open thread on spending Christmas alone. Here are some more comments from readers:
Seeing friends on Boxing Day, so it’s far from the end of the world. And, in the end, it’s just one lunch.
I have weathered many storms to get to the point where I do the things that keep me content calm and happy. It takes courage to be on your own at Christmas.
I am alone, but not lonely. If I feel adventurous, I might even put up some Christmas lights. Sometimes, there’s no stopping me and I am like a coiled spring, barely containing my excitement.
I’ve been spending Christmas alone for many years, well, since my husband died. I plan my day and go somewhere we used to go to together, the beach, and go for a long walk. Come home, turn on the tv and enjoy a meal, and stollen.
6.40am GMT 06:40
9News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb)
#BREAKING: A man has drowned at Squeaky Beach in Wilsons Prom.
An air ambulance helicopter was dispatched but sadly the man has passed away.
Another person is still unaccounted for and a search is underway.
More information on #9News at 6.00pm. #9News pic.twitter.com/3s9SZbpjRS
December 25, 2020
6.40am GMT 06:40
NSW Health has released an updated list of venues and transport routes of concern in relation to the northern beaches coronavirus cluster.
The list includes venues in Sydney’s northern beaches, as well as in the city, north shore, eastern and western suburbs.
Included in the list is an alert for anyone who visited the Santa Photos set up at the Queen Victoria Building on Wednesday 23 December between 10.15-11am.
You can see the full list of new venues and transport routes here.
Updated
at 6.46am GMT
6.31am GMT 06:31
My Christmas in quarantine: a Covid carvery, Santa patrols and paper bag decorations
Escaping the UK to spend Christmas alone in a New Zealand Novotel was a small price for Elle Hunt to pay to rejoin her family in relative freedom.
6.01am GMT 06:01
It has been a whole year since the skies parted and the almighty delivered this gift – Barnaby Joyce’s memorable Christmas message for the ages.
In the video, the Nationals MP and former deputy prime minister declared “I just don’t want the government anymore in my life”.
Despite the revelation Joyce was “sick of the government being in my life”, he has continued serving as a member of the government.
Barnaby Joyce (@Barnaby_Joyce)
Merry Christmas pic.twitter.com/QGYPv51pTN
December 24, 2019
5.42am GMT 05:42
Qantas repatriation flight from India to Australia cancelled
One of the Australian government-facilitated repatriation flights to bring home Australians from India has been cancelled, as about 39,000 Australians remain stranded overseas for Christmas.
The flight from New Delhi to Brisbane was scheduled to depart on Sunday 27 December, operated by Qantas.
However, vulnerable Australians who were offered places on the flight have been told it has been cancelled “due to unforeseen logistical difficulties … which are out of Dfat (the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) and Qantas’s control”.
A Dfat spokeswoman told Guardian Australia: “All passengers booked on this flight have been or will soon be offered alternative flights with Qantas to return to Australia.”
Guardian Australia understands some passengers have been offered seats on a Chennai to Darwin flight scheduled to leave on 31 December while others were moved to a New Delhi to Darwin flight scheduled for 7 January.
Amit Sahni’s family was booked on the cancelled flight, and while they have now been offered seats on the Chennai flight four days later, they are nervous about the risk of potentially catching Covid during the domestic flight to Chennai.
Amit has been living with his partner and two children, aged three and eight, in New Delhi, and first registered with Dfat in April for assistance to return to Sydney.
“Our family has been locked in a small apartment for the past nine months,” Amit said, noting the family is cautious of the coronavirus risk when leaving their home.
Amit said news the government-organised flight had been cancelled “has ruined our Christmas”.
Updated
at 5.59am GMT
5.19am GMT 05:19
South Australia has recorded two new overseas-acquired cases of Covid-19.
Today’s cases are a female in her 30s and a female child. Both have been in a medi-hotel since their arrival.
4.53am GMT 04:53
Australian Government Department of Health (@healthgovau)
If you’re feeling isolated this holiday season, help is at hand. #HeadtoHealth has a range of trusted digital #mentalhealth resources and information to help support your mental health and wellbeing. Visit https://t.co/3QWvsMDBVf today. pic.twitter.com/9neBYmCxjj
December 25, 2020
4.32am GMT 04:32
Boy, two, dead after Victoria quad bike crash
A two-year-old boy is dead after being thrown off a quad bike in north-east Victoria, AAP reports.
The boy was a passenger on the all-terrain vehicle when it crashed at a Barnawartha North property at about 11.50am on Friday, police said.
Witnesses freed the boy from underneath the vehicle and attempted to revive him, but he died at the scene.
The driver is assisting police and the exact cause of the crash is yet to be determined.
Updated
at 5.02am GMT
4.11am GMT 04:11
Hi I’m Elias Visontay and I’m thrilled to be bringing you the news this Christmas afternoon from Sydney, after a festive morning on the blog for my colleague Melissa Davey.
I’ll be bringing you some information shortly about Qantas repatriation flights bringing home stranded Australians.
Updated
at 4.12am GMT
3.49am GMT 03:49
Melissa Davey
My colleague Elias Visontay has filed the latest Covid-19 news on the situation in NSW here:
On that note, as one of many of you spending Christmas far away from family and loved ones, I’m going to hand this blog over to Elias to take you through the afternoon, and crack a bottle of cheap fake champagne for myself.
Thanks for sharing your comments and thoughts throughout the day. Stay safe, and Merry Christmas.
3.42am GMT 03:42
Summary
Melissa Davey
I hope everyone is having a lovely Christmas so far, even if it’s being spent far away from loved ones. Here is a recap of today’s news so far:
In NSW the Avalon Covid cluster hit 108 cases on Friday after four new infections linked to the cluster were reported. Three other locally acquired cases were reported in NSW on Friday, and their origin is under investigation. In total seven new cases were announced in NSW on Friday.
NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian has urged people not to attend Boxing Day sales. Her comments prompted a rebuke from the Australian Retailers Association, which said the day is the biggest on the retail calendar.
Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese have thanked essential workers for helping Australia through the coronavirus pandemic in their Christmas messages.
World Health Organization director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged people not to “squander” the sacrifices of health workers and people doing the right thing by taking public health and hygiene measures. He acknowledged those who have lost loved ones to the pandemic in his Christmas message.
The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee issued a statement on the new variant of the virus that causes Covid-19 spreading in the UK, saying: “At this stage, it is not clear whether the mutations are responsible for the higher growth rates in cases. It could also be a combination of factors such as a mutation, winter, superspreading events, or found in areas or populations where people live in more crowded settings.”
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Updated
at 3.57am GMT
3.31am GMT 03:31
Graham Russell
The pandemic cast a pall over Christmas celebrations worldwide, with South Korea reporting record daily cases, the pope holding a reduced Christmas eve mass, and China halting UK flight arrivals indefinitely.
Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said China had decided to follow the example of dozens of countries that introduced bans following the emergence of a new, apparently more transmissible, variant of the coronavirus. There are currently eight weekly flights between mainland China and Britain, including two by British Airways.
Late on Thursday, Hong Kong announced it had extended mandatory hotel quarantine from 14 to 21 days for all overseas arrivals, after announcing it for UK arrivals earlier this week. Some UK travellers discovered the new measures only upon their arrival, reported RTHK.
Updated
at 3.33am GMT
3.27am GMT 03:27
Australia and China have collaborated on a mission to medically evacuate an Australian expeditioner from Antarctica with help from the United States.
The operation took five days, used ships, helicopters and planes, and covered thousands of kilometres of the icy continent, AAP reports.
Australian Antarctic Division director Kim Ellis described it as one of the most complex and challenging medical evacuations his team has undertaken in recent years. The unwell Australian was at Davis research station in east Antarctica when the operation began.
China trade war extends to NSW and WA timber
Meanwhile, in case you missed it yesterday, Reuters reports the trade war with China has expanded.
China has suspended imports of timber from NSW and Western Australia after local customs offices found pests in cargoes from those states, the General Administration of Customs said late on Wednesday.
The ban, effective from Wednesday, follows previous suspensions of timber shipments from Victoria and Queensland amid worsening relations between Beijing and Canberra.
Local customs authorities must further strengthen inspections on timber imports from Australia, and return any cargoes found with pests, the administration office said in a statement on its website.
China also banned timber shipments from Tasmania and South Australia from 3 December, according to the statement. Read more from Reuters here.
Updated
at 4.20am GMT
3.22am GMT 03:22
Queensland records two new cases of Covid
Queensland has recorded two new cases of Covid-19, both detected while in quarantine. The cases, a man in his 30s and a man in his 40s, were infected while overseas.
The first is associated to an earlier confirmed case announced yesterday, in connection to a marine vessel arriving from the Maldives. The second is an international arrival, detected in hotel quarantine in Brisbane.
They bring Queensland’s total cases to 1,240, of which 12 are active.