What we know today, Friday December 17
An AFLW pre-season practice match between the Adelaide Crows and GWS Giants due to be played at Norwood Oval tomorrow has been cancelled due to a positive COVID test in the Giants camp.
- AFLW Norwood game cancelled due to COVID
- Jetski rider charged over swimming child’s death in Murray River
- Exposure site list grows as SA reports six Omicron cases
- SA awaits news on restrictions changes
- Authorities brace for day of bushfire risk
- Five children killed in jumping castle tragedy
- Cummins won’t be last COVID brush: Warner
- New SA integrity chief named
AFLW Norwood game cancelled due to COVID
An AFLW pre-season practice match between the Adelaide Crows and GWS Giants due to be played at Norwood Oval tomorrow has been cancelled due to a positive COVID test in the Giants camp.
The AFL on Friday announced the Saturday match was off.
“The health and safety of everyone in the game and the wider community remains paramount as we continue to navigate the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” said AFL general manager competition management Laura Kane.
“The decision to cancel the practice match between the Adelaide Crows and the GWS GIANTS was made in consultation with each club and the AFLPA to minimise risk to all players, staff and officials ahead of the Christmas and New Year period.
“Players and staff are looking forward to the holiday period and spending time with their family and friends and when you consider the time of year together with current quarantine requirements across respective states, it was determined the safest decision on this occasion is to cancel the practice match.”
Jetski rider charged over swimming child’s death in Murray River
A 43-year-old man has been charged over the death of a teenager and injuries to a younger child after they were hit by a jet ski while swimming in the Murray River, northeast of Adelaide.
A 14-year-old boy was pulled from the water at Murbko after the incident on Thursday afternoon but died at the scene.
A younger child suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital as a precaution.
Police say the rider of the jet ski has been charged with aggravated cause death by dangerous driving and aggravated cause harm by dangerous driving.
He has been bailed to appear in Adelaide Magistrates Court in February.
Detectives, marine safety officers and water operations police continue to investigate the incident and have called for any witnesses to come forward.
Exposure site list grows as SA reports six Omicron cases
Hospitality venues including a popular Norwood pub are among South Australia’s latest exposure sites, as SA Health confirms six cases of the Omicron variant have been detected in the state since last week.
In an update last night, SA Health added 13 close contact and three casual contact exposure sites, some of which are listed as hotspots more than a week ago.
Anyone vaccinated who visited a close contact exposure site must quarantine for seven days from the time of exposure, or 14 days if they are unvaccinated.
New close contact exposure sites:
- Adelaide – Bonobo Espresso on Tuesday December 7 from 12.30pm to 1.15pm
- Adelaide – Cane Sugarcane Juice on Wednesday December 8 from 3.15pm to 3.45pm, and Friday December 10 from 2pm to 2.05pm
- Adelaide – CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice on Friday December 10 from 5.15pm to 5.45pm
- Adelaide – Hains & Co (patrons) on Wednesday December 8 at 11.45pm to Thursday December 9 at 2am
- Adelaide – Hains & Co (staff) on Tuesday December 7 at 10.30pm to Wednesday December 8 at 12.15am
- Adelaide – PBR3 Vietnamese Eatery and Cafe on Tuesday December 7 from 11.45am to 12.45pm
- Adelaide – Pepper Lunch on Wednesday December 8 from 4.25pm to 5.15pm
- Golden Grove – Zeea’s Eatery on Monday December 6 from 10am to 11.30am
- Hampstead Gardens – Hampstead Gardens Church of Christ on Sunday December 12 from 11.15am to 3.30pm
- Newton – Strength Lab on Friday December 10 from 5.15pm to 7pm, Sunday December 12 from 7.45am to 9.15am, and Monday December 13 from 6.30am to 8am
- Norwood – Alma Tavern on Friday December 10 from 6.30pm to 11pm
- Norwood – Derrimut 24:7 Gym on Monday December 6 from 5pm to 8.15pm (updated time)
- Paralowie – St Joseph’s Community Centre on Saturday December 11 from 12pm to 9pm
Anyone who visited a casual contact exposure site must immediately get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result.
New casual contact exposure sites:
- Gilman – AutoNexus Adelaide on Thursday December 9 from 7.45am to 8.30am
- Trinity Gardens – Adelaide Exclusive Mechanical on Monday December 6 from 8.30am to 5.30pm, Tuesday December 7 from 9.15am to 5.30pm, Wednesday December 8 from 8.30am to 5.30pm, Thursday December 9 from 9.15am to 5.30pm, and Friday December 10 from 9.15am to 3pm
- Norwood – Commonwealth Bank on Wednesday December 8 from 3.30pm to 4.30pm
Other new exposure sites, including the Exeter Hotel, four city restaurants and H&M on Rundle Mall, were added to SA Health’s growing list yesterday afternoon.
SA Health reported 24 new COVID-19 cases yesterday, brining the total since the borders reopened on November 23 to 159.
Of those, six confirmed cases of the Omicron variant have been detected.
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Yesterday’s cases include five children under the age of 18, nine men aged between 19 and 45, and 10 women aged between 20 and 74.
Thursday’s tally follows the 25 new infections on Wednesday, which was the state’s highest daily number for more than 18 months.
It comes as people face hours-long testing queues across Adelaide, with the increase in exposure sites and cases forcing 1362 close contacts into quarantine.
Wait times to receive test results have also blown out to over 24 hours in some cases.
Meanwhile, under new directions issued by Police Commissioner and state emergency coordinator Grant Stevens last night, international arrivals will no longer be allowed to enter “high risk settings”, such as aged care facilities, or COVID management plan evens for 14 days after arriving in the state.
Decisions on restrictions changes near
South Australians could find out today which restrictions will lift once 90 per cent of the state’s population aged over 12 is fully-vaccinated.
Under South Australia’s “COVID-Ready Plan”, restrictions on “most activities” will ease once the vaccine target is reached, but only fully-vaccinated people will be allowed to participate in “high-risk activities”, such as drinking alcohol while standing or visiting nightclubs.
Hospitality venue owners have called for greater clarity on the rule changes, arguing they are still in the dark about what constitutes a “high-risk” activity, or when the vaccination target would be reached.
Premier Steven Marshall told reporters yesterday that he was “very hopeful” that the state’s transition committee would decide by the end of this week when and which restrictions would lift.
“We have maximised that vaccination rate that we have in South Australia and we’re now heading towards that 90 per cent (target),” he said.
“I’m very hopeful that by the end of this week, we can set a date for when we will reach that 90 per cent (target) and then announce what the reduction in restrictions are going to be.”
Marshall said earlier this week that authorities planned to set a firm date for the easing of restrictions – similar to the decision to set November 23 as the date for reopening the state’s borders – meaning the changes could be made before or after the 90 per cent vaccination target is actually reached.
He reiterated his hope that South Australia would reach the target before Christmas, but noted the data showed the state was still “three weeks away from when we can get to that full vaccination rate”.
Latest SA Health data shows 85.3 per cent of South Australians are fully-vaccinated, while 91.5 per cent have received their first dose of a vaccine.
Authorities brace for day of bushfire risk
Total fire bans have been declared across nine South Australian districts today, with the bushfire risk considered severe.
Areas from the west coast, through the Eyre Peninsula and the Adelaide Hills and down to the southeast will experience very hazardous bushfire conditions, the Country Fire Service said.
"Reminder: TOTAL FIRE BANS for Fri 17 Dec 2021 in the following Fire Ban Districts:
NW Pastoral – Severe
West Coast – Severe
Eastern Eyre Pen – Severe
Lower Eyre Pen – Severe
Mid North – Severe
Mt Lofty Ranges – Severe
Yorke Pen – Severe
KI – Severe
Lower SE – Severe pic.twitter.com/vaOFLoXsgO""— Country Fire Service (@CFSAlerts) December 16, 2021"
Temperatures are expected to hit 37C in Adelaide and push well into the 40s in the west and north of the state.
Oak Valley is forecast to have a top of 46C and Marla 45C.
"Good morning #Adelaide! 15⁰C min overnight, heading for a very hot and mostly sunny 37⁰C to round out the week. A change overnight will drop the max on Saturday to 27⁰C. Keep up to date at https://t.co/RcsQB4HMrG pic.twitter.com/N9n0GcrJ98"
"— Bureau of Meteorology, South Australia (@BOM_SA) December 16, 2021"
CFS State Duty Commander Yvette Dowling said Friday will be the most significant day for fire risk so far this summer.
“We really do want everyone to recognise that yes it has been a bit wetter and cooler than we’ve experienced in previous years, but the risk is still there,” she said.
“The grass fuel loads are quite significant across the state and the soil indices in the forest areas are dry.
“A fire will run now wherever it starts and people need to be prepared for that.”
A change is expected to sweep across the state late in the day bringing cooler temperatures but also the risk of lightning strikes and little rain.
Five children killed in jumping castle tragedy
Five children have died after a wind gust blew a jumping castle into the air at a primary school in northwest Tasmania.
They fell from a height of about 10 metres in the freak accident during end-of-year celebrations at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport on Thursday.
Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine confirmed two boys and two girls had died in the incident, and another five children were in hospital, four in a critical condition and one with serious injuries.
In a statement on Thursday evening police confirmed a fifth child died in hospital.
“These children were meant to be celebrating their last day of primary school, instead we’re all mourning their loss,” Hine told reporters.
“Our hearts are breaking for the families and the loved ones, schoolmates, teachers, of these young people who were taken too soon.”
Police and WorkSafe Tasmania are investigating the incident and a report will be prepared for the state coroner, who has already inspected the scene.
Hine said the investigation would take “quite some time” and a number of people and witnesses needed to be interviewed.
“Our focus now is supporting those who are tragically affected by what’s happened,” he said.
Hillcrest Primary School closed for the day and told parents to urgently pick up their children not long after the incident at 10am.
Multiple ambulance crews rushed to the school and several rescue helicopters helped take the children to hospital.
Police initially reported one child had died before confirming other deaths later in the afternoon.
Counselling is being made available to families, the community and first responders.
Commander Debbie Williams said it appeared the children fell from a height of about 10 metres and described the scene as very distressing and confronting.
Bob Smith, who lives near the school, told The Mercury newspaper he saw kids on the ground.
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“There was one really strong gust of wind on what (was) a beautiful calm day,” he said.
“At first we thought it might have been an emergency services training exercise then the reality of what was happening kicked in.”
The school was holding a ‘Big Day In’ celebration to mark the end of the school year.
“(The) tragedy is something that will have a deep impact on the northwest community,” Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison described the accident as unthinkably heartbreaking.
“Young children on a fun day out, together with their families and it turns to such horrific tragedy. At this time of year, it just breaks your heart,” he told reporters on the NSW Central Coast.
An online fundraising account to support the families had raised more than $24,000 by Thursday evening.
Cummins won’t be last COVID brush: Warner
Australian cricketer David Warner says it’s inevitable that more players will become close contacts of COVID-19 cases, after captain Pat Cummins yesterday withdrew from the second Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval due a COVID scare.
Cummins status as a close contact has shone a light on restrictions through the Ashes, with Cricket Australia adamant they don’t want to limit players’ freedoms too tightly.
Cummins will spend the next week in quarantine in Adelaide after dining at a restaurant on Wednesday night with a man who later discovered he had contracted the virus.
The situation could have been far worse, with Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon at the same restaurant but able to play on given they were only casual contacts after sitting outside.
Restrictions will tighten somewhat in both Melbourne and Sydney from next week, with more than 1000 cases per day being recorded in both cities.
But Warner accepted Cummins‘ case was unlikely be the last to impact the series, as players attempt a commonsense approach.
“It’s inevitable in today’s society that people are going to get COVID or become close contacts,” Warner said on Thursday night after his 95 against England.
“Unfortunately, Pat was in a spot where someone had tested positive that day.”
Warner’s comments came as Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley stressed the importance of players’ mental well-being and how that would be under threat if placed in a hard bubble.
“What we don’t want to do is to completely lock down the players,” Hockley said on Thursday.
“We’re very conscious of taking a precautionary approach.
“Our chief medical officer and our medical team will be working with the playing group, the ECB and their medical staff to make sure over the course of the rest of the Test match and over the rest of the tour, that we’re mitigating the risk.
“I spoke to my counterpart this morning and everyone wants to see both sides with their full-strength best side out on the park.
“I think dining outside is a great way to further mitigate the risk.”
Exact restrictions are yet to be locked in for Melbourne and Sydney, but Warner revealed on Thursday he believed that would now include not being able to eat inside while in the two cities.
The opener also stated that players had been told not to go out in groups bigger than three, and to ensure they are extra cautious to avoid busy places, restaurants of cafes.
“With the borders opening and COVID hitting South Australia it’s up to obviously the medical staff (what the rules will be),” Warner said.
“We have to check in with each other to see which restaurants everyone’s going to (to ensure the group is not too large in one place).
“It’s just being smart, isn’t it? Don’t go to where you think restaurants are going to be jam-packed.
“Thankfully it’s a day-night game, we don’t have to worry about that now.
“But, obviously, breakfast and all that kind of stuff. It’s a tough one but we’ve got to just be smart.”
Warner hit his way to 95 before throwing away an Ashes century at the Adelaide Oval.
Australia went to stumps on Thursday at 2-221.
New SA integrity chief named
A senior prosecutor who helped reform South Australia’s child sex abuse and domestic violence laws has been appointed the new director of the now standalone Office for Public Integrity.
Planning Minister Josh Teague appointed a former Attorney-General’s Department worker and current senior prosecutor Emma Townsend as the new director of the Office for Public Integrity (OPI).
Townsend will take over from current acting OPI director Fraser Stroud on January 7.
It comes after the Government in October officially separated the OPI from the Independent Commission Against Corruption to create two standalone independent integrity agencies in line with recently-passed legislation.
Under the reforms, which were swiftly and unanimously passed through parliament in September to the chagrin of ICAC Commissioner Ann Vanstone, misconduct and maladministration investigations have been handed to the State Ombudsman, while the OPI is now tasked with assessing complaints about public officers to determine whether they warrant investigation.
Teague said Townsend had a 20-year background in the legal profession, including working as a solicitor and prosecutor within the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
During her time at the agency, she managed the vulnerable witness team, which is responsible for prosecutions involving child sex abuse and other matters involving vulnerable witnesses.
In her previous role working for the Attorney-General’s Department’s legislative services division, Townsend helped reform child sex abuse and domestic violence laws.
“As solicitor, prosecutor and senior prosecutor within the Office of the Direct of Public Prosecutions, Emma Townsend has had extensive experience in prosecuting complex criminal matters across a range of serious offences,” Teague said.
“She has been responsible for managing teams of prosecutors, instructing them and overseeing their trial work.”
Teague thanked Stroud for his “steady guidance and leadership” overseeing the OPI while it transitioned into a standalone agency.
Townsend said she was “committed to ensuring the Office for Public Integrity continues to perform to the highest possible standard, fulfilling its duties in supporting integrity, honesty and transparency in public administration”.
As well as assessing complaints about public officers, the OPI is also tasked with handling reports about corruption, misconduct and maladministration in public administration, and overseeing the investigation of complaints about the conduct of SA Police officers.
-With AAP and Reuters
