The day that was, Sunday 13 March
That’s where we will leave the live blog for Sunday.
Here’s what we covered today:
- Flood damage has left 25% of some 15,000 Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley properties that have been assessed so far for damage are “uninhabitable”, recovery coordinator Dean Betts said.
- NSW premier Dominic Perrottet has said the deployment of Australian Defence Force troops and rescue teams would be examined as part of a review into the response to the flooding event. Currently there are still 23 evacuation orders in place across the state, with the premier announcing “this event is not over”.
- Meanwhile the federal government will provide $35.9m to ensure communities affected by the Queensland and NSW floods can continue access health services, including mental health support.
- The NSW government also announced $25m in additional funding for mental health support in the state.
- Queenslanders have been warned to avoid “disaster tourism” and stay off the Brisbane River, with the clearing of debris caused by devastating floods expected to take weeks. Maritime authorities say more than 1,000 tonnes of debris have already been removed from Brisbane waterways.
- In Covid-19 news, there were 29,311 new cases reported: 13,093 in NSW, 5,192 in Victoria, 3,669 in Queensland, 3,602 in Western Australia, 2,023 in South Australia, 932 in Tasmania, 649 in the ACT and 151 in the Northern Territory.
- There were 16 more deaths, including four in Victoria, seven in NSW, three in Queensland, one in South Australia, and one in Western Australia.
- The prime minister Scott Morrison said he believes Australians understand why petrol prices are going up but won’t say whether there will be help in the budget at the end of the month through a cut in fuel excise.
Thanks for reading today. We will be back with you tomorrow for all the latest news.
Updated
National Covid-19 update
Here’s the daily Covid snapshot, via AAP:
- There have been 55,114,521 vaccine doses administered in the national Covid-19 rollout up to Saturday, including 72,514 recorded in the previous 24 hours.
- Of that total, 34,749,316 have been administered by commonwealth facilities, an increase of 42,425 in the previous 24 hours.
- State and territory facilities have administered 20,365,205 vaccines, an increase of 30,089 in the previous 24 hours.
- 96.54% of people aged 16 and over have had at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine and 94.74% are double vaccinated.
- A total of 12,195,821 people have received more than two doses – with a booster or top-up shot – an increase of 33,246 in the previous 24 hours.
- 29,311 new cases: 13,093 in NSW, 5,192 in Victoria, 3,669 in Queensland, 3,602 in Western Australia, 2,023 in South Australia, 932 in Tasmania, 649 in the ACT and 151 in the Northern Territory.
- The national death toll is 5,587 (+16): Victoria 2,644 (+4), NSW 1,980 (+7), Queensland 632 (+3), South Australia 222 (1), ACT 37, NT 31, Tasmania 26 and WA 13 (+1). (Two Queensland residents who died in NSW have been included in the official tolls of both states).
Updated
