CLOSED FOR BUSINESS

Last night, Scott Morrison announced that federal and state governments have agreed to shut down the following facilities from midday local time today for at least six months.

• Pubs, registered and licenced clubs (excluding bottle shops attached to these venues) and hotels (excluding accommodation).
• Gyms and indoor sporting venues.
• Cinemas, entertainment venues, casinos and nightclubs.
• Restaurants and cafes, although takeaway and/or home delivery will be permitted.
• Religious gatherings, places of worship and funerals (in enclosed spaces and other than very small groups and where the one person per 4 square metre rule applies).

Isolated remote community hubs are not included in these restrictions, and neither, as the ABC explains, are supermarkets, banks, petrol stations, pharmacies, convenience stores, freight and logistics, food delivery, bottle shops, hairdressers and beauticians.

SECOND STIMULUS PACKAGE

The government has outlined a second economic stimulus package that, combined with earlier announcements and the RBA’s $90 billion banking pledge, Treasury says will cover a total $189 billion across forward estimates or 9.7% of annual GDP.

Below are some of the major initiatives, along with timeframes, cost breakdowns and links to fact-sheets.

• A new coronavirus supplement at a rate of $550 per fortnight for those receiving the following benefits: JobSeeker Payment, Youth Allowance Jobseeker, Parenting Payment, Farm Household Allowance and Special Benefit. (From April 27; cost: $14.1 billion.)
• Income support recipients not eligible for the coronavirus supplement — for example, Youth Allowance Student, Austudy and Disability Support Pension — will receive a second $750 payment from July 13 on top of the previously announced $750 payment to be made available for all welfare recipients from March 31. (Cost: $8.8 billion for both payments.)
• Affected individuals will be able to access up to $10,000 of their superannuation tax-free in 2019-20 and a further $10,000 in 2020-21. (Cost: $1.15 billion.)
• The previously announced boosting cash flow for employers package will now cover up to $100,000 across two financial years for eligible small and medium businesses — and now not-for-profits and charities that employ people too — on turnovers of below $50 million. Payments will be based on PAYG payments with a floor of $20,000. (Cost: $32 billion, up from $7 billion.)
• A coronavirus SME guarantee scheme covering 50% of new loans to small and medium enterprises of up to $250,000. (Cost: up to $20 billion.)

ANDREWS SPLITS FROM MORRISON ON SCHOOLS

Although Morrison also announced last night that schools will be open today, the ABC reports that Victoria has gone its own way by bringing school holidays forward a week (to start tomorrow) while the ACT will pursue a shift to online education.

The Guardian has a rundown of conflicting federal-state views, including a hint from NSW about education announcements today.

STATE QUARANTINES: Western Australia and South Australia have joined Tasmania and the Northern Territory by announcing border closures and 14-day self-quarantine measures for travellers, starting tomorrow, the ABC reports.

A LOT CAN CHANGE OVERNIGHT

Because it was a big news weekend, here are a couple more major announcements.

• The Victorian government announced its own $1.7 billion economic survival package — to include, uniquely, a $500 million working for Victoria fund to help workers who have lost their jobs find new employment opportunities, as well as emergency relief packages of both food and essential supplies for people self-isolating.
• NDIS Minister Stuart Robert announced new measures for NDIS participants, workers and providers, including an extension of plans by up to 24 months, face-to-face planning shifted to telephone meetings where possible, and an action plan to ensure NDIS participants and their families continue to receive the essential disability supports they need throughout the crisis.
• Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt has suspended Work for the Dole and other Community Development Programme group requirements, with online activities to be made voluntary.

GOODBYE, RUBY PRINCESS

And finally, 2700 passengers aboard the Ruby Princess cruise ship were — despite multiple presentations of COVID-19 symptoms and subsequently confirmed cases — allowed to disembark in Sydney last Thursday, The Australian ($) reports.

Reportedly, NSW Health deemed the ship “low risk” when it docked with four confirmed cases on board, but federal government-run biosecurity portal MARS listed it as “medium risk” only a week earlier.

NOT SO FUN FACT: According to the ABC, Sydney beaches have been cancelled (like, more than usual) — although some tourists have ignored the signs and/or that little bit of empathy for fellow human beings.