7 October 2021 News in Brief

COVID

NSW has hit its 70% double-dose vaccine target leading to the next stage of the roadmap being implemented on Monday, 11 October 2021.

Mandatory vaccinations continue to be an issue of concern with multiple court cases in multiple states. Despite the 1 December 2021 date in NSW for unvaccinated to be reintegrated into society and the ACT roadmap not including vaccine-based segregation, mandatory vaccination in certain circumstances continues to move forward. Police, health workers, teachers, Rural Fire Service staff, and others all require mandatory vaccine by set dates to enter the workplace. There seems to be approximately 10% of employees refusing to get the vaccine even in the face of the prospect of losing their job. 

In NSW new unions are being created to support those workers who choose not to be vaccinated. The workers who choose not to be vaccinated feel like their unions have abandoned them and so have created their own unions.

Concerns have been raised about the QR code information being accessed by Police for criminal investigations. According to the SMH, NSW has prohibited the practice through a health order, as have South Australia and the Northern Territory. WA and Qld police have accessed the data. Victorian police have reportedly tried but been refused on a number of occasions. The Greens in QLD are seeking to have legislation passed to prevent police accessing QR codes.

Suprisingly, The Project's Waleed Aly, has come to the former NSW Premier's defence arguing that ICAC is causing the fall of competent leaders.

VICTORIA

Victoria has recorded 1638 cases today.

The Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) in Victoria is reportedly investigating a number of senior members of the government, including the Premier. Unsurprisingly, this has led to the media asking why Andrews (Victorian Premier) is not standing down as the Premier in NSW did recently when advised that she was being investigated by the NSW ICAC.

AUSTRALIA

Climate change targets, despite taking a bit of a back seat to COVID, have again gained prominence. It seems the Prime Minister is choosing not to go to the climate conference in Glasgow. The NZ Premier is reportedly also not attending. In a related issue expansions of coal mines have been approved to the disgust of climate change advocates.

WORLDWATCH

Taiwan is calling for support from Western powers. China has reportedly engaged in frequent incursion into Taiwanese airspace leading Taiwan to fear invasion by China. Taiwan has called for Western powers to support it in any action against China. 

Sweden and Denmark have paused the Moderna rollout over concerns of pericarditis in younger people.


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