SIGN OF THE TIMES

Joe Biden has capped off his first day as US president by issuing a slew of executive orders that (deep breath):

• Rejoin the Paris climate accords
• Repeal Donald Trump’s “Muslim ban”
• Cancel the emergency declaration to use federal funds to build the wall with Mexico
• Require masks and social distancing on federal property (and soon planes)
• Revoke the Keystone XL pipeline permit and put a moratorium on oil and gas development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
• Pause the deportation of some undocumented migrants for 100 days and suspends a “remain in Mexico” policy for asylum seekers
• Issue principles for accounting the impact of climate change
• Rejoin the World Health Organization and contribute to the COVAX vaccine program for poorer nations
• End Trump’s policy of ignoring undocumented migrants in the census
• Include several COVID-19 policies accelerating vaccination, testing and mask production, along with measures aimed at “safely” reopening schools i.e. directing agencies to create guidelines and reimburse schools for purchases of personal protective equipment
• Re-institute race and gender diversity training and eliminate Trump’s weird, racist and ahistorical “1776 Commission”
• Extend the suspension of federal student loan payments
• Extend bans on evictions and foreclosures.

As ABC reports, Biden is also developing a US$1.9 trillion stimulus package, while, in the likely event Republicans stonewall, incoming chairman of the Senate Budget Committee Bernie Sanders has outlined a plan at CNN to pass the following with a simple Senate majority: increase direct payments from US$600 to US$2000, expand emergency unemployment benefits to US$600 a week, state and local funding, 12 weeks of paid leave, universal pre-K, tuition-free college, cancel student debt, and $15 minimum wage.

PS: According to The Australian ($), Scott Morrison has pledged to work with Biden on combating climate change — a plan that would require Morrison to do something on climate change — and ­regional security challenges in the Indo-Pacific.

FLIGHT TESTING

International travellers coming to Australia from today will need to return a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours of departure, a requirement ABC explains is exacerbated by a recent decision by national cabinet to halve the number of passengers allowed into three states.

National cabinet will meet again today to discuss arrivals caps and the vaccine rollout, although no major announcements are expected. Separately, the airline Emirates has announced plans to resume flights to Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane less than a week after cancelling services.

Elsewhere, The Australian ($) reports that new Education Minister Alan Tudge has warned universities it would be “very difficult” to get significant numbers of foreign students back on campus this year.

And according to The Age, Spanish tennis player Paula Badosa — who was forced to quarantine in her Melbourne hotel room after potentially being exposed to COVID-19 on an Australian Open charter flight– has announced she has tested positive.

COST SOULS

Finally, The Guardian reports that Peter Dutton has claimed Home Affairs’ decision to release 34 men after a year in Melbourne hotel rooms — and at least 7 on offshore detention — was a cost-saving measure.

Which, if true, can only mean good things for the several hundred other people seeking asylum who have been detained by Australia, including the Bileola family of four being kept on Christmas Island at a cost of $6 million so far.