Australia news LIVE NSW records 124 new local COVID-19 cases Victoria records 26 new cases

Key postsHide key posts

Latest

1 of 6

Oldest

Two athletes are among four residents of the Olympic Village added to the Thursday tally of people accredited for the Tokyo Games who have tested positive for COVID-19 this month, bringing the number to 91.

Skateboarder Candy Jacobs of the Netherlands, whose positive test first came to light yesterday, and table tennis player Pavel Sirucek of the Czech Republic have both tested positive and had to leave the village to enter a quarantine hotel.

Two additional “Games-concerned personnel” - a category that includes team coaches and officials - staying in the village overlooking Tokyo Bay have also included in the 91 total cases listed by organisers since July 1.

That number does not include athletes who tested positive at home before their scheduled travel to Tokyo for events they will now miss.

AP

Never miss a medal or great sporting moment with our Olympic update emailed daily. Sign up for our Sport newsletter here.

A former professor at the University of Technology, Sydney, has been found guilty of sending herself a series of threatening letters, including some containing underwear and photographs of her face.

Dianne Jolley, 51, faced trial in the NSW District Court accused of sending herself 10 notes in 2019 which detailed threats about a course closure including “you chop our future, we chop yours”, “I know where you live” and “I watch you, I see what you do, you’re not safe”.

Former UTS Dean of Science Dianne Jolley.Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

As a result of the threats, some of which were left at Ms Jolley’s home, the university spent $127,586.93 on security measures including installing CCTV at her home and office and posting guards at her house for two weeks.

Ms Jolley admitted to writing one of the letters on her work computer, in what she claimed was an attempt to get fired due to the stress, but denied writing any of the others. She pleaded not guilty to one count of causing financial disadvantage by deception, and 10 counts of conveying information she knew to be false or misleading to make a person fear for the safety of another.

On Thursday, a jury of 11 found Ms Jolley guilty of all 11 charges after deliberating for about three days.

Ms Jolley was earlier found not guilty of nine charges relating to sending letters to other UTS staff, after Judge Ian Bourke directed the jury to enter the verdicts because there was insufficient evidence.

Ms Jolley is no longer employed by UTS, having resigned as dean of science in March 2020.

She will remain on bail until her sentencing hearing on September 2.

Read the full story here.

On Friday, one of the most complicated Olympics in history will hold its opening ceremony in Tokyo.

After being delayed by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Tokyo Olympics have continued to feel the effects of the virus, with several athletes and support staff testing positive to the virus and sponsors pulling out because they don’t want to be aligned with the Games.

And the Games remain under a cloud, with the boss of the Tokyo Olympics saying earlier this week he would pull the pin on the event at the 11th hour if it wasn’t safe to carry on.

At this stage the Games will take place and Australia’s athletes are in Japan preparing for the opening ceremony and two weeks of competition. As usual, all eyes will be on the pool as we pin our gold medal hopes on our swimmers.

Meanwhile, Brisbane has been confirmed as the host city of the 2032 games.

Today on our podcast, Please Explain, Nathanael Cooper is joined by sports reporter Phil Lutton from Tokyo on the eve of the Olympics’ first day.

Still in Western Australia, Prime Minister Mark McGowan said earlier today that authorities would do everything possible to keep COVID-19 out of the state.

“The whole country, bar here, Tasmania and the Northern Territory has cases in the community. It is a very worrying time. A very worrying time,” Mr McGowan said.

WA Premier Mark McGowan.Credit:Hamish Hastie

“We are going to do everything that we can, everything that we can to keep it out. So therefore a hard border with South Australia, which is difficult for them and difficult for people with families there, is the best way we can keep it out of WA.”

WA has tightened its border controls with South Australia, re-classifying the state from a “low risk” jurisdiction to a “medium risk”â€" or hard border status â€" from midday Thursday, meaning only exempted travellers from select professions will be allowed to travel.

There is one flight due to arrive from South Australia at 5.10pm Thursday, but returning West Australians on the plane will still be allowed to enter the state and quarantine.

WA is already shut to the entire eastern seaboard.

Two new mass COVID-19 vaccination clinics are set to open in Perth as Western Australia starts rolling out an an extra 10,000 Pfizer doses each week from the end of July.

More doses will be made available for regional areas and a trial will also be run for walk-in vaccinations for Perth Royal Show patrons.

A new mass-vaccination clinic will be opened at the Perth Convention Centre from August 16 and an eastern suburb clinic at Centrepoint Midland from September 6 to replace the Redcliffe facility.

The Claremont Showgrounds clinic will also go from 40 vaccination booths to 60, lifting its capacity from Sunday.

Mr McGowan said a trial would be held during the Perth Royal Show â€" which runs from September 25 to October 2 â€" where eligible age groups could walk-in for a vaccination to the Claremont clinic without booking.

“You might want a break; go and get an injection, as an alternative to going on one of those rides,” he said.

WA has the lowest rate for a fully vaccinated population over 16 out of all states and territories at 12.1 per cent. More than 700,000 first doses of vaccine have been administered in WA and a new daily record was set on Wednesday when 8300 people got their jab at public clinics.

A marauding bear and a foul-smelling swimming venue have sparked alerts for Tokyo Olympics organisers as the sporting action began in Japan on Wednesday.

Sightings of an animal intruder caused alarm for police outside the Fukushima softball venue, which was hosting the first event of the COVID-delayed Games.

In Tokyo Bay, concerns about elevated levels of E-coli bacteria were raised about the water quality in the area, where open-water swimmers and triathletes are due to compete.

Local reports said residents had complained that the bay smelled “like a toilet” immediately around the Odaiba Marine Park, an urban beach in the heart of Tokyo where the marathon swim and triathlon events take place.

Nearly 76,600 shots of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine have gone to those under the age of 40 in the last month, according to Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Are you one of these people? And has that influenced anyone in your inner circle to go and do the same? If that sounds like you and you’re happy to be interviewed by one of our reporters, leave your details below. Don’t forget to leave a phone number.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he was making “constant appeals” to the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), the expert advisory group on vaccines, regarding its advice that Pfizer should be the preferred vaccine for under-60s.

Today, he says he “completely respects” ATAGI’s advice although he does challenge it.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

“I ask questions, I drill into it. You would expect me to do that,” he says. “Asking questions of advisers is not disrespecting them, it’s my job.”

The Prime Minister points out ATAGI’s earlier advice was based on balancing the risk of COVID infection and the risks posed by rare AstraZeneca side effects.

“The balance of risk has shifted and therefore, based on the balance of that risk shifting, what if any is the change in the advice that ATAGI would provide?” he says.

“I am very concerned, very concerned that the advice that had come previously has caused some hesitation amongst people, particularly older people. Those people are now at risk in south-western Sydney, in particular, but more broadly across Sydney and I need AstraZeneca vaccines in their arms to protect them and their lives.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was a decision for state governments whether they offered the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to under-60s in their mass vaccination clinics.

Some states, such as WA, have said they won’t do this.

“I want to get AstraZeneca vaccines into people’s arms to protect them and their communities,” Mr Morrison said.

As we’ve noted already, he is particularly focused on getting people aged over 70 vaccinated. With three-quarters of that age group already having had a first dose, the Prime Minister said it shouldn’t be long before reaching high levels of full protection.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison again says the plan for pharmacies to deliver COVID-19 vaccinations is being brought forward to give “horsepower” to the vaccine rollout.

Pharmacies should be able to deliver AstraZeneca from mid-August and the Moderna vaccine when it arrives.

“Bringing in the pharmacists earlier than we planned ... means that we can get more horsepower behind the AstraZeneca vaccines, but particularly, as I think you probably have picked up, I am concerned about ensuring that we get those over 70 in particular, getting vaccinated,” Mr Morrison said.

In addition, from Monday all GPs who want to be part of the vaccine rollout will be able to do so.

The Prime Minister said the case numbers in NSW “show the lockdown is keeping a lid on this”, but echoed NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s warning that cases would continue for some time yet.

“The risk that is there means that it is vital, absolutely vital [to get vaccinated],” he said.

“I implore not just those themselves who are over 60 to go and do this. Have the conversation in your family. Talk to your parents. Talk to your relatives who are particularly in that age group. Have the discussion. Offer to book it for them. Take them along. It’s important that you get your family, particularly the more elderly members of your family, vaccinated.”

Latest

1 of 6

Oldest

Share this post