The President of the Children’s Court has issued Public Notice 7, dated 2 August 2020. The Children’s Court acknowledges the increase in the number of locally acquired COVID-19 cases within NSW and has reviewed practices in response to the advice of health authorities and Youth Justice. As a result, changes have been made to minimise the risk of the virus entering a custodial setting and will apply on and from Monday 3 August 2020.

Queensland will close its border to all NSW and ACT residents from 1am, Saturday 8 August 2020. All visitors will be denied entry to QLD except for rare exemptions. Returning Queenslanders will have to pay for 14 days mandatory hotel quarantine. Queensland’s Chief Health Officer has declared all of NSW and the ACT as hotspots. More here.

NSW has temporarily imposed border restrictions with Victoria. Only persons authorised under the public health order may enter NSW if they have been in Victoria in the last 14 days. More here.

NSW residents are being strongly encouraged to wear masks in high-risk public settings to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant specifically recommends wearing masks in a number of public settings. More here.

Following updated health advice, NSW residents returning from Victoria must go into mandatory hotel quarantine for 14 days at their own expense. More here.

NSW has recorded 12 new cases in the past 24 hours. All from local sources. View latest COVID-19 case locations here.

Victoria has recorded 471 new cases and eight deaths in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. Greater Melbourne is now in stage four lockdown until mid-September. Regional Victoria moved up to stage three on Tuesday 4 August 2020. More here.

The Hon. Justice Alstergren, Chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia and Chief Judge of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia, has issued the following statement in relation to operations of the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court in Victoria during Stage 4 restrictions.

The latest State Insurance Regulatory Authority August e-bulletin is now available with information on the new Personal Injury Commission and the Statutory Review and the Workers Compensation Operational Fund. Read here. 

Mutual obligations rules for JobSeeker, including a requirement to apply for a certain number of jobs every month, were reintroduced for most recipients on Tuesday 4 August 2020. Victorians on JobSeeker will be exempt from mutual obligation requirements. More here.

On 21 July the government announced proposed changes to JobKeeper including an extension through to 28 March 2021. These changes do not impact JobKeeper payments until after 28 September 2020. More here.

NSW businesses can check, test and promote their COVID Safe credentials with the NSW Government’s online COVID Safe Check. More about how to become a COVID Safe business here.

Prime Minister, Scott Morrison and Minister for Home Affairs, Peter Dutton have released the 2020 Cyber Security Strategy, the largest ever Australian Government financial commitment to cyber security. More here.

Other issues discussed by the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, and Minister for Home Affairs, Peter Dutton, at today’s media conference at Parliament House include Victoria, COVID-19, mental health, telehealth, economy, unemployment, support payments, supply chains, WA's border, and Lebanon. View here.