NSW recorded zero new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, the 53rd consecutive day without a locally acquired case. There were six new cases in returning overseas travellers, bringing the total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 5,037. More information here.

The Administrative Appeals Tribune (AAT) has updated the special measures Practice Directions, which were put in place last year to facilitate its operations during COVID-19. Following changes in circumstances and Government advice, the AAT is now able to provide some in-person services and our special measures Practice Directions have been updated to reflect this. The updated special measures Practice Directions are now in operation for the following divisions:

• Freedom of Information, General and Veterans’ Appeals Division
• Migration and Refugee Division
• National Disability Insurance Scheme Division
• Small Business Taxation and Taxation and Commercial Divisions
• Social Services and Child Support Division

The Practice Directions came into effect on Monday 8 March 2021 and are available on the AAT website. The AAT will continue to process applications and answer enquiries through its online services, email and telephone and will contact parties in individual cases to discuss the most appropriate way to progress their case.

Australia’s airlines, hotels and caravan parks, restaurants and bars, travel agents and tourism operators are set for a rush of hundreds of thousands of tourists as part of a new $1.2 billion support package from the Federal Government. The package includes half-price airline tickets on designated routes between April 1 and July 31, cheap loans for businesses and direct support to keep planes in the air and airline workers in their jobs. Read the details here.

The rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine is officially underway in NSW. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, NSW Chief Health Officer and 2021 Woman of the Year Kerry Chant and Health Minister Brad Hazzard received the jab yesterday (10 March) along with frontline health workers at the new St George Hospital vaccination hub. Most Australians are expected to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine at GP clinics in line with the federal government’s phased approach, beginning with the elderly. Anyone who receives the AstraZeneca dose will need a second one 12 weeks later. More information on NSW’s vaccine timeline here.

The Federal Department of Health has revealed the top three questions asked on social media about the vaccine:

1. Do I need to be an Australian resident to receive a vaccine?
2. What can I do if a family member’s mental health has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic?
3. Will I need to have the COVID-19 vaccines if I want to come to Australia?

Watch the answers from Dr Lucas De Toca, First Assistant Secretary of the COVID-19 Primary Care Response, here.

The NSW Government will aggressively target international and local businesses through a new body – Investment NSW – designed to attract billions of dollars into the state and drive the economy to recovery. Investment NSW will take advantage of NSW’s successful handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and its position as a safe place to do business. The State Government says Investment NSW will be a “one-stop-shop” for the private sector, allowing NSW to target new jobs and lure domestic and international investment, as well as tourists, to the state. More details here.

The COVID recession hit women much harder than men, and will compound women’s lifetime economic disadvantage, according to a new Grattan Institute report. The impact of the recession on shows women copped a triple-whammy: they lost more jobs than men - almost 8 per cent at the peak of the crisis, compared to 4 per cent for men; they shouldered more of the increase in unpaid work including supervising children learning remotely - taking on an extra hour each day more than men, on top of their existing heavier load; and they were less likely to get government support as JobKeeper excluded short-term casuals, who in the hardest-hit industries are mostly women. However, the faster than expected economic recovery and school re-opening has helped improve the outlook for women. Read the Institute’s findings here.

A COVID digital revolution is allowing inmates to attend programs, court hearings and connect with family, making Corrective Services NSW a world leader in its response to the pandemic. The pandemic fast-tracked plans to equip inmates with digital technology, enabling them to continue therapeutic programs and stay connected to their families during lockdown. It has facilitated more than 200,000 visits since March 2020 and enabled inmates to see their homes and pets and connect with overseas or frail relatives. More here.

The National Cabinet met on Friday 5 March to discuss Australia’s ongoing COVID-19 response and the vaccination strategy. The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly, provided an update on the latest epidemiological data and medical advice in relation to COVID-19.  To date 71,867 Australians have received their first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine. The National Cabinet will meet again on Friday 9 April. More details of the last meeting available here.