• National Cabinet agrees to aim for returning to work in July:
  • When they meet on Friday they will lift restrictions in three stages with aim of establishing ‘a Covid-safe economy in July 2020.’
  • Each state will move at its own pace.
• National Cabinet agreed that SafeWorkAustralia would be single source of information on workplace Covid-19 safety protocols:
  • the website has industry-by-industry guidelines – (https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/covid-19-information-workplaces)
• Australia’s Covid-19 infection ‘growth factor’ has risen to be above one for the first time in more than a month (ABC)
  • key measure, means more new cases this week than last week.
  • reflects new cluster at Victorian meatworks
• Australia is in a position to start exporting ventilators. (AFR)
  • follows the Industry Minister Andrews assembling a ‘Tiger Team’ (Dulux chief Patrick Houlihan, infrastructure specialist Darren Norman, former health chief Glenys Beauchamp, Defence Scientist Tanya Munro among others) to break down blockages
• Assistant Minister for Finance and Charities Senator Seselja is to amend Ministerial guidelines to provide extra credit to charities. (Australian)
• Qantas chief Joyce has flagged post-recovery Syd-Melb flights costing as low as $19 to stimulate travel. (Australian)
• JobKeeper payments start flowing today.
• Treasurer Frydenberg has been given 24/7 security detail due to threats over economic impact of Covid-19. (West Australian)
• Senate Select Committee into Covid-19 sits today (1pm). Witnesses – Attorney General’s Dept, Digital Transformation Agency, Dept of Health
• The UK has overtaken Italy as the country with second highest death toll.