What we learned: Sunday 17 April
With that, we will wrap up the blog for the evening.
Here’s what happened today:
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Scott Morrison confirmed he would appoint Anne Ruston as health and aged care minister if the Coalition government is re-elected on 21 May.
- Marise Payne said she does not share the views expressed by Katherine Deves about transgender and gender diverse people.
- Payne also said Australia will continue to offer Solomon Islands security assistance, even if the country signs its proposed agreement with China.
- The minister for superannuation and financial services, Jane Hume, said it is “admirable” that the controversial Liberal candidate for Warringah, Katherine Deves, remains committed to “the cause”.
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NSW Ambulance confirmed that an incident has taken place near Batemans Bay, with one man in critical condition, having been found in cardiac arrest.
- NSW reported 9,725 new cases and six deaths, Victoria recorded 8,153 new cases and two deaths, Queensland reported 4,850 new cases, the NT reported 340 new cases, Tasmania reported 1,212 new cases and one death, Western Australia recorded 5,112 new cases and eight deaths, seven of which were historical, and South Australia has reported 2,675 new cases.
Thanks for reading.
Tony Brown dead aged 86
AAP is reporting that former NSW and Australia five-eighth Tony Brown has died, aged 86.
A star at Newtown in the 1950s and 1960s while spending six years as the club’s captain, Brown played nine matches for NSW and 10 for the Kangaroos.
But it is at Penrith where he is most fondly remembered, named as the club’s first captain when they entered first grade in 1967.
Released by the Bluebags in 1964, he joined the Panthers’ second-division team and rose with the club to the top flight.
The No.6 then had a hand in the club’s first ever try, before being injured in his third first-grade team for the club. He later became captain-coach of the club’s reserve grade side.
The Panthers confirmed on Sunday he had died after a battle with illness on Friday.
Updated
