Australia news live: Victoria reports no new Covid cases as hotel quarantine worker diagnosed with UK variant

Queensland police have clarified that a teenager charged with murder over the car crash deaths of a Brisbane couple on 26 January will not be charged for the murder of their unborn child.

There have been two high-profile deaths involving cars and alleged young offenders in Queensland, with the premier today announcing tougher new bail laws.

On Friday in Townsville, a 22-year-old woman, Jennifer Board, was killed after she was hit by a car driven by an alleged “vigilante” chasing a stolen car.

On 26 January in Brisbane, a couple were killed by a car allegedly stolen by a 17-year old teenager.

Kate Leadbetter was pregnant when she and her partner Matt Field were struck and killed.

The 17-year old was charged with the murder of both Leadbetter and Field on the day in January, but police today clarified that there were no charges relating to the death of their unborn child.

Police said legal advice shows they can’t charge him with killing an unborn child in this case.

“We understand that this may be difficult for some to understand,” assistant commissioner Brian Codd told reporters on Tuesday.

‘But I can assure you that the death of baby Miles will not be overlooked and will be presented for consideration to the courts as an aggravating element of the murder charge that we have put forward relating to the death of his mother Kate.”

Here is our full story on a remarkable development in the US.

Facebook has banned misinformation about all vaccines following years of harmful, unfounded health claims proliferating on its platform.

A man has been charged with murdering another man using a wooden chair at a home in Rockhampton, AAP report.

The two men were at a house at Lakes Creek on 28 January when they got into an altercation, police say. They were both from Lakes Creek and knew each other.

One man, 35, allegedly hit the other man, 32, in the head with a wooden chair handle.

The 32-year-old suffered serious injuries and later died at Rockhampton Hospital.

The 35-year-old was later charged with one count of murder, Queensland police said on Monday night.

He is due to face Rockhampton magistrates court on May 5.

The crew of an Australian coal ship has been allowed to disembark after waiting for months off the coast of China.

The crew of the MV Anastasia will be heading to Japan soon to allow its crew to change over.

The Australian newspaper reported that the ship was believed to have left Chinese waters on 4 February.

The ship has still not been given permission to dock in China.

The Queensland police minister, Mark Ryan, clarifies that the reversal of the presumption of bail for young offenders only applies to serious offences while committed on bail.

“This is about the hardcore recidivist offenders, those on bail committing serious indictable offences,” he says.

The leader of a new youth crime taskforce, assistant commissioner Cheryl Scanlon, is asked about the GPS tracking of 16 and 17-year-olds.

“It is just one tool in the suite of what could be offered,” she says.

“So it is not the panacea but it is one tool that we do not have right now. We have seen it used in other places and that is what the trial is about.”

The Queensland police commissioner, Katarina Carroll, says she welcomes the state government’s new laws.

But she says it is important to know that “youth offending and the amount of youth offenders has decreased dramatically over the years”.

“But unfortunately as has been mentioned a number of times, there is a small cohort of 10% [repeat offenders] who need to be dealt with.”

Carroll also says that it is important that the laws are a trial.

“What the trial does is give you the ability to see what is working and what may need to be changed.”

Palaszczuk also announces that police will be able to use handheld metal detector wands “to check for knives”, especially in areas on the Gold Coast.

And there will be “anti-hooning” laws, where “the registered owner of a vehicle can be deemed responsible for offences unless the car was stolen or they can reveal another driver.”

She says that these changes will be evaluated in six months’ time by former commissioner Bob Atkinson.

New South Wales has recorded no new locally acquired coronavirus cases in the 24 hours until 8pm Monday.

That comes after a returned traveller in the Wollongong area tested positive on the 16th day after entering the country, and visited a range of locations. NSW Health said on Tuesday:

“Extensive investigations remain ongoing into the source of infection for a returned overseas traveller who tested positive to Covid-19 after being released from hotel quarantine … The person from the Wollongong area returned two negative tests during their quarantine period at the Sofitel Wentworth, but subsequently returned a positive result after being contacted on day 16 by NSW Health and requested to be tested again, as part of an enhanced follow-up for all returned overseas travellers introduced last week.

“NSW Health has updated its advice for people who attended two previously announced venues in the Wollongong area. Anyone who attended the beer garden at the Headlands Hotel in Austinmer on Tuesday 2 February from 1pm to 3pm, and the Bulli Beach Café on Saturday 6 February from 1.30pm to 4pm is now considered a close contact and should immediately get tested and self-isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result.”

“Anyone who was at the Headlands Hotel (in all areas other than the beer garden), and anyone who got takeaway from the Bulli Beach Café at the above dates and times, is now considered a casual contact and should monitor for symptoms. If any symptoms develop, get tested immediately and self-isolate until you receive a negative result.”

Two new cases were acquired overseas.

There were 7,315 tests reported to 8pm last night, compared with the previous day’s total of 11,399.

Palaszczuk says that young offenders who are charged with serious crimes like breaking and entering, while on bail, will now have the presumption of bail “reversed”.

Sixteen and 17-year-olds will also be required to wear GPS trackers while out on bail.

“48% of the youth crime in Queensland is committed by just 10% of criminals,” Palaszczuk says. “They have no concept of the consequences of their actions and no fear of the law.”

She says cabinet is “unanimous” on this issue. “In fact, it was one of the longest cabinet meetings deliberating one particular issue,” she says.

Queensland will “reverse the presumption of bail” – for young offenders who are charged with “serious indictable offences” like breaking and entering and armed robbery.

Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is speaking now.

She says the state has recorded no new community cases of Covid, and one internationally acquired case.

She announces “strong action” on youth justice.

“This is a really serious issue and, of course, I said publicly that the community expects us to do more and that is exactly what we will do,” she says.

The European Union has promised not to block shipments of coronavirus vaccines to Australia, AAP reports.

Australia is currently relying on 20 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, which are being produced within Europe. There were fears the order could be delayed after the EU placed export controls on vaccines produced in its territory.

But the EU ambassador to Australia promised Europe would not delay or block the order.

“Australia can indeed rely on deliveries from Europe,” Michael Pulch told ABC radio on Tuesday.

“The shipments to Australia will arrive on time. My colleagues in Brussels have assured the Australian side that they will work with them on the smooth authorisation process.”

Meanwhile, the Morrison government has backed the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine despite concerns it is not effective in combating a concerning mutant strain.

South Africa suspended its rollout of the vaccine after data showed it gave minimal protection against mild to moderate illness caused by the country’s new strain of the virus.

The health minister, Greg Hunt, has downplayed concerns, citing the latest UK data.

“There is currently no evidence to indicate a reduction in the effectiveness of either the AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccines in preventing severe disease and death,” he told reporters in Melbourne.

“That is the fundamental task to protect the health of not just Australians, but people all around the world.”

Here is the full story on the Townsville crash, where a man was charged this morning:

South Australia is closing in on a major milestone, AAP reports, with almost 1 million Covid tests conducted over the past year.

The state has so far conducted more than 994,000 swabs for coronavirus, which health minister Stephen Wade said gives it one of the the world’s highest testing rates per capita.

Daily testing rates in SA have fluctuated considerably over recent months but peaked at more than 17,000 during November’s Parafield cluster in Adelaide.

The state has a current estimate population of 1,769,319.

Annastacia Palaszczuk and Queensland police will be giving media conferences later today about youth crime and vigilantism in the state.

On Friday, a suspected vigilante in Townsville killed a woman, after he hit her with his car while chasing down an alleged stolen car.

Last month in Brisbane, on 26 January, a couple and their unborn child were killed when they were hit by a teenager driving an alleged stolen car.

Palaszczuk released a statement this morning saying: “The loss of four innocent lives cannot go unanswered”, and will give a media conference later today about youth crime.

Queensland police are expected to speak earlier.

On Friday night, Jennifer Board, 22, was killed in Townsville after she was hit by a Holden Statesman, which had allegedly been following a stolen Hyundai sedan during a suspected vigilante pursuit.

A 25-year-old Bushland Beach man who was allegedly driving the Holden was arrested on Monday and charged with murder.

Two 18-year-old men, from Rasmussen and Garbutt, were also charged over the fatal crash.

In January in Brisbane, Kate Leadbetter, who was pregnant, and her partner Matt Field were struck by an allegedly stolen car driven by a teenager in Alexandra Hills.

The ABC has cut away from the Daniel Andrews press conference to give other news updates – as the premier started talking about a local infrastructure issue.

The broadcast should be back in time for questions from reporters, anchor Joe O’Brien says.

Andrews confirms that the latest hotel quarantine worker to contract Covid-19, at the Holiday Inn, has the UK variant.

He says there are 136 work contacts of the woman, and eight “social primary contacts”.

“[That is] family and other who are very very close to this particular worker. They are all isolating. They’ve all been tested. We have no positive results back yet. We have no results back yet.”

“There are 136 work close contacts or employment close contacts. Similarly, they’re all isolating, they’ll get tested and as soon as we’re in a position to update you on those results, we will.”

The latest hotel quarantine case was recorded on Sunday night, and is a woman who worked at the Melbourne airport Holiday Inn. Previously another quarantine worker tested positive who worked at the Grand Hyatt hotel, which was part of the Australian Open quarantine process.

Victorian premier Daniel Andrews is speaking now.

He announces, as was reported earlier, that the state recorded no new cases – either local or international – in the past 24 hours.

However, he says that a returned traveller, who has Covid-19, has been taken to intensive care.

“That’s a returned traveller, not a community, case but, of course, we send our best wishes to that person and their family,” he says. “And we again are reminded of the outstanding care that our health professionals provide to all of those who have been touched by this global pandemic.”