Mark Butler says fifth dose of Covid vaccine not reccommended
The health minister Mark Butler says Atagi has not recommended a fifth dose:
Atagi has considered international evidence as well as the local data around the vaccination numbers as well as case numbers in the pandemic. And decided not to recommend a fifth dose or a third booster, if you like. At this point in time. They have said they anticipate new booster recommendations being made in early 2023 in preparation for the southern hemisphere winter.
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On some of the confusion around mask use in hospitals, Mel Davey has this story:
Chief health officer says to consider wearing masks
The chief health officer asks people who are at risk of Covid complications to consider wearing masks. That is good advice for anyone.
Kelly also says he thinks Australia is in the middle of this latest wave.
Two shipments of the new Pfizer vaccine are due in Australia in the next two weeks.
Chief health officer says antivirals important to prevent severe illness
Prof Paul Kelly expands on the need to have an anti-viral plan if you are 50 and over with two risk factors or over 70:
For example, a person over 70 who, even those that have three or four dose of vaccine, can halve the rate of death by taking the tablets. Halve the rate of death. It is incredibly important to get those treatments as quick as possible within a day of being diagnosed as best but up to five days, it would also make a difference in both your chance of severe illness lengthy hospitalisation or indeed of dying from Covid.
Vulnerable people should speak to GP about antivirals – Butler
People over the age of 50 with two risk factors are being encouraged to have a plan with their doctor to be able to access antivirals in the case they test positive with Covid.
Mark Butler:
We know even from recent evidence from Victoria, just again, how important antivirals can be in protecting vulnerable Australians from severe disease, hospitalisation or even worse.
Mark Butler says fifth dose of Covid vaccine not reccommended
The health minister Mark Butler says Atagi has not recommended a fifth dose:
Atagi has considered international evidence as well as the local data around the vaccination numbers as well as case numbers in the pandemic. And decided not to recommend a fifth dose or a third booster, if you like. At this point in time. They have said they anticipate new booster recommendations being made in early 2023 in preparation for the southern hemisphere winter.
Tamsin Rose
Liberal MP says report of bullying and harassment in NSW parliament was ‘not surprising’
The leader of the New South Wales parliamentary advisory group of MPs, and current and former staff, Leslie Williams, has followed up O’Dea’s statement with one on behalf of the group.
She acknowledged the harms that had occurred including abuses of leadership positions, the progress that had been made and what was still to be done following the Broderick report.
The Liberal MP said while the extent of bullying and harassment claims captured in the report was “both disturbing and confronting” it was also “not surprising” for many.
She told the parliament:
We as an advisory group want to convey to all survivors, we stand with you, and we look forward to working collaboratively to address the recommendations to ensure that the NSW parliament and elected offices are safe and respectful places to work. We make a strong and unequivocal commitment to work towards change that will ensure a positive professional supportive culture for all.
She explained the plans of the advisory group moving forward:
We will recognise the unique and escalated risks of misconduct experienced by people of diverse gender, race and sexuality, Aboriginal people and people with disability. We will value and respect the role of survivors and their representatives in designing and monitoring responses to the risks of misconduct and we will ensure that the contributions of underrepresented voices are actively sought out and taken into account.
Government approves Pfizer’s Omicron-specific booster vaccine
Here is the media release for those who can’t read the tweet:
Atagi has found this next generation vaccine triggers a modest improvement in the immune response against both strains. This vaccine and the original vaccines still provide significant protection from severe disease against Omicron subvariant infections.
The first doses of the bivalent vaccine have arrived in the country and are undergoing batch testing by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Rollout of this vaccine will commence from 12 December 2022.
This is the second bivalent vaccine approved for use in Australia. The Moderna Spikevax Bivalent Original/Omicron BA.1 vaccine has been available for people aged 18 years or older since 14 October 2022.
A separate recommendation from ATAGI to make the paediatric Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine available for certain at-risk children aged 6 months to under 5 years has also been accepted. This vaccine will become available for eligible children from mid-January 2023.
The Pfizer vaccine is being restricted to children who are severely immunocompromised or who have other specific conditions that put them at increased risk of severe illness from Covid-19.
Government has also approved Pfizer’s Omicron-specific booster vaccine.
#Breaking – the government has approved Pfizer’s omicron-specific booster shot, after accepting a recommendation from ATAGI. It will be available from December 12 for people aged 18 years and over. Moderna’s omicron-specific booster has been available since October 14 #auspol pic.twitter.com/d0nRrjKpst
— Michael Read (@michael_read_) November 15, 2022
Covid vaccination update
Mark Butler is holding a press conference with the chief health officer, Dr Paul Kelly.
That is after Atagi gave this advice on immunisation:
“Atagi recommends the Pfizer 6 month to 4 years Covid-19 vaccine as a primary course of vaccination against Sars-CoV-2 for children aged 6 months to 4 years with severe immunocompromise, complex or multiple health conditions, or disability with significant or complex health needs.
“This includes children with the following or similar conditions:
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Severe primary or secondary immunodeficiency, including those undergoing treatment for cancer, or on immunosuppressive treatments as listed in the Atagi advice on 3rd primary doses of Covid-19 vaccine in individuals who are severely immunocompromised.
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Bone marrow or stem cell transplant, or chimeric antigen T-cell (CAR-T) therapy recipients.
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Complex congenital cardiac disease.
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Structural airway anomalies or chronic lung disease.
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Type 1 diabetes mellitus.
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Chronic neurological or neuromuscular conditions.
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A disability with significant or complex health needs, such as severe cerebral palsy or Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21).
“The Pfizer 6 months to 4 years vaccine requires 3 primary doses, each containing 3mcg of mRNA. Atagi recommends an interval of 8 weeks between each dose. Children with severe immunocompromise are also recommended to receive three primary doses. Atagi will update this recommendation if future evidence demonstrates a need for additional doses.
“Atagi currently recommends the administration of Covid-19 vaccines be deferred for 3 months after a confirmed Sars-CoV-2 infection. Vaccination after this interval is likely to provide a better immunological response and optimise the duration of protection.”
Ben Smee
Queensland police commissioner’s future under scrutiny – reports
The Queensland police commissioner, Katarina Carroll, says she is “hoping” to keep her job after the release of an inquiry report that is understood to be critical of her leadership.
Carroll and the police minister, Mark Ryan, held an hour-long press conference on Tuesday morning.
Most questions were about Guardian Australia’s reporting on the Brisbane city watch house tapes, which recorded officers using racist and violent language.
Carroll said:
The stuff that we heard in the watch house is truly abhorrent.It’s tough to stand here and listen to that being said and I know that I have apologised and I apologise again.
A report in the Australian on Tuesday said the final report of the inquiry into QPS responses to domestic violence was critical of Carroll. Guardian Australia understands the report includes an entire section on leadership and that Carroll’s future is being discussed by the state government, ahead of the release of the report next week.
Ryan said Carroll had his confidence. She would need the confidence of the cabinet to continue.
Asked if she thought she would survive, Carroll said:
I am hoping to survive. I actually believe that I am the person to take this organisation forward.
Peter Hannam
AGL shareholders unimpressed with remuneration plan for executives
AGL Energy’s AGM continues with the chair, Patricia McKenzie, retaining support from shareholders for now.
Shareholders, were less enamoured with the company’s remuneration plan (which also includes four more directors after today) – delivering what looks to be the first “strike” about executive pay.
Around 30 per cent of AGL shares voted against the company’s remuneration report – delivering a first ‘strike’ against the company’s board. pic.twitter.com/94tvtZVEC1
— Michael Mazengarb (@MichaelM_ACT) November 15, 2022
Reaction to the new directors – a win for Mike Cannon-Brookes – was initially positive on the stock market itself. Shares were up about 1% on the news, but have given up their gains to be roughly unchanged by midday.
Among the reactions, director of independent thinktank Climate Energy Finance and energy finance analyst, Tim Buckley, who says today was a “turning point for the company”.
AGL has been by far the biggest carbon emitter in Australia, and a global laggard in accepting and acting on the climate science.
This board renewal is critical for AGL investors given the opportunity to start to reverse the $10bn of shareholder wealth destruction in the last six years, but also for the wider context given AGL is a key Australian energy sector incumbent, with financial resources and staffing that can be leveraged constructively, with the right leadership.
Tamsin Rose
NSW parliament acknowledges bullying and harassment
Harms caused by poor behaviour in the New South Wales parliament have been acknowledged in a statement delivered by the house speaker, Jonathan O’Dea.
The statement comes following the Broderick review that found systemic bullying and widespread sexual harassment in parliament.
O’Dea said:
Today, as we near the end of the parliamentary term, we deliver this statement of acknowledgment on behalf of the NSW parliament. We sincerely apologise to all those who have experienced bullying, sexual harassment or sexual misconduct in any of the parliament’s workplaces. We acknowledge the harms caused and deeply regret the trauma experienced by some here in this parliament and in our offices that serve the communities of NSW.
We acknowledge your pain and the mental stress and anguish caused by such behaviour. We understand the lasting impact of your experiences. We thank those who came forward to share their lived experiences and observations as part of the review. We acknowledge how hard it is to speak up about these issues. Your courage will help to create the safe, inclusive and respectful workplaces we all deserve.
He said the implementation plan to deal with the recommendations made by Broderick would be released shortly.
Five years since Australia’s marriage equality vote
For many people, today is not a commemoration, but a reminder of just how much people had to go through:
Science minister thanks outgoing CSIRO chief for ‘dedicated service’
The federal science minister, Ed Husic, has responded to the news the CSIRO chief executive, Dr Larry Marshall, is finishing up in June 2023:
Dr Marshall has steered CSIRO through a rapidly changing scientific environment. A period of much scientific promise amid global turbulence, particularly through the Covid pandemic.
When he completes his term in June next year, Dr Marshall will have been the national science agency’s longest serving chief executive in the past 50 years.
Undoubtedly he will leave the organisation with a lasting legacy and I thank him for his dedicated service.
Husic paid tribute to achievements the body made under Marshall’s tenure, including the launch of the CSIRO missions program, which brought together Australia’s top researchers and research bodies, with government, industry and community to try to address some of the nation’s most pressing issues.
Husic finished with:
I particularly welcomed the opportunity in August to launch CSIRO National Vaccine and Therapeutics Lab alongside Dr Marshall.
CSIRO’s contribution to Australia’s resilience during the pandemic cannot be overstated. And it will play a vital role in developing sovereign capability in the years to come.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia reports $2.5bn profit
The Commonwealth Bank has reported a $2.5bn profit in the September quarter – 13% more than it made in the same period last year.
AAP reports the unaudited figures show the bank’s operating performance was also up 12% from the last two quarters.
The CBA chief executive, Matt Comyn, said:
In a competitive environment we remained disciplined and achieved good volume growth in our core markets.
The economy has shown resilience in the face of growing cost of living and interest rate pressures and despite these near-term challenges we remain optimistic on the medium to long term outlook.
Also reported – household deposits have grown by 8.6% year on year, home lending increased by 6.3% and business lending rose by 12.6%.
The number of loans and assets the bank considered to be “troublesome and impaired” fell slightly from 0.48% to 0.45% since the last quarterly report.
All in all, that saw share prices increase 1.4% to $106.53.
Victoria’s electoral commission rejects independents’ how-to-vote cards
Benita Kolovos
The Victorian electoral commission has rejected the how-to-vote cards of at least four independent candidates who placed a “1” beside their names only.
Nomi Kaltmann in Caulfield, Kate Lardner in Mornington, Melissa Lowe in Hawthorn and Sophie Torney in Kew have all told Guardian Australia the VEC rejected their how-to vote cards, which had the number one beside their names and blank preference boxes next to other candidates.
The same type of cards were distributed at the federal election in May by independents Monique Ryan and Zoe Daniel.
Under Victoria’s Electoral Act, how-to-vote cards for election day must be registered with the commission and indicate the voting preference for all candidates listed on the card, or contain a statement that a number must be placed against the name of each candidate.
In 2018, the independent MP for Shepparton, Suzanna Sheed, unsuccessfully attempted to overturn the rejection of her how-to-vote card due to blank boxes at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
Kaltmann, Larder, Lowe and Torney, who are all being backed by Simon Holmes à Court’s Climate 200 outfit, are considering taking legal action.
Inquest into 2020 Canberra bushfires adjourned until next year
The ACT chief coroner, Lorraine Walker, has tested positive for Covid, resulting in the hearings for the inquest into Canberra’s 2020 summer bushfires being postponed until 2023, AAP reports.
The inquest was announced in July 2021, but the wait for information on how it took 45 minutes for an army helicopter’s crew to alert the ACT Emergency Service Agency they had started a fire will continue.
On Monday, the court heard the crew on board the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter were landing for a toilet break when they inadvertently ignited the monster blaze.
They were scouting remote helipads in preparation for bushfire season, when they landed with their searchlight still on and started the fire in the Orroral Valley.
An onboard recording heard one of the helicopter’s passengers yell “Come up, come up, we’ve started a fire, turn the searchlight off”.
The helicopter only stopped for about one minute before returning to Canberra airport, but neither the pilots nor their passengers contacted emergency services to let them know they had started a fire, which one pilot estimated was already “200m by 200m” when they evacuated.
The pilot said he was “concerned we were going to fall out of the sky” because of aircraft damage.
The fire, which burned for five weeks, was declared out of control after 6pm when more than 1000ha were alight and would eventually grow to burn 87,923ha throughout the ACT.
Walker opened proceedings by saying the inquest wasn’t about “crucifying any individual or decision made in the heat of the moment”.
“We’re here to explore how we can learn from it with a view to enhancing everyone’s safety in the future,” she said.
