Australia Covid updates live: Morrison speaks in Washington; second major outbreak at Sydney’s Liverpool hospital; Melbourne expects fourth day of protests

So I think the biggest takeaway from that media appearance was that it seems Scott Morrison has been attempting to get the French president on the phone to discuss this whole submarine saga but Emmanuel Macron won’t take his calls just yet.

Scott Morrison has labelled yesterday’s anti-lockdown protests that ended at Melbourne’s Shine of Remembrance “disgraceful”:

I think that the scenes were disgraceful and the conduct was disgraceful. I think that the RSL president put it best. This is a sacred place. It is not a place of protest. It was disrespectful and it dishonoured those Australians who have made the ultimate sacrifice and I would hope any and all who were in that should be ashamed.

Scott Morrison has been asked if his conversations with UK prime minister Boris Johnson have lead to any additional plans to help get England cricketers to Australia for the Ashes:

You only ever have lively discussions with Boris Johnson and it was tremendous to spend time together last night. At 80% vaccination rates, the plan provides for people to travel again and that’s certainly what we intend to facilitate.

And for vaccinated people to travel. We’re not looking for any special arrangements …

We’re expecting to be welcoming back students. We’re expecting to be welcoming back skilled migrants. We’re expecting to be welcoming back, when they’re vaccinated, people into the country when they’re vaccinated on that basis. The premiers and I are looking at that. So I look forward to that. I think Australians look forward to that.

Morrison says he is glad the US president managed to have a constructive discussion with France, but seems to imply that the French president isn’t quite ready to jump on the phone to him just yet.

Reporter:

When you went to the Pentagon, Joe Biden was able to make a 30-minute phone call to Emmanuel Macron which could lead to the return of France’s ambassador to Washington by the end of next week.

What is your interpretation of the consequences that flow from that conversation for Australia and the resumption of diplomatic normality in Canberra?

Morrison:

Well, I welcome the fact that they’ve had that discussion and that was discussed between President Biden and I yesterday. So I’m glad that that call took place. I’m glad that he was able to reinforce, not just from the United States’ perspective, but from all partners in this new arrangement, that we very much want to see not only France but all the nations of Europe, our like-minded nations in Europe, playing a very important role in the Indo- Pacific …

I look forward when the time is right and when the opportunity presents that we will have a similar discussion …

The opportunity for that call is not yet. But we’ll be patient. We understand their disappointment and that is the way that you manage difficult issues. It’s a difficult decision. It was a very difficult decision.

Scott Morrison says the US providing Australia with the technology to build nuclear-powered submarines has unwavering support in Washington from both Republicans and Democrats:

Today, Australia received overwhelming support for our Aukus partnership with the United States and the United Kingdom. We received overwhelming support when it came to Australia moving ahead to establish a nuclear submarine fleet for Australia. To ensure that we could contribute to the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific.

There is great enthusiasm for us going ahead with these projects. Whether it’s from the secretary of defense, the bipartisan support that was on display today up on Capitol Hill. Both at the House and Senate levels. In the Congress, there is an overwhelming sentiment towards Australia.

Prime minister Scott Morrison is speaking now from Washington DC and is starting with yesterday’s earthquake in Victoria:

I’m pleased that overnight and as further information has come in, those events have ended up being less serious than first thought and we welcome that. But of course, it was an earthquake and that’s a serious thing and I want to thank all of those last night and in Australia who were working as the response and the coordination between federal and state government.

Obviously, we need to remain cautious because of the threat of aftershocks and wish those well who are going through inspecting and shoring up those properties that are affected and any damage that was there. But that is pleasing to know that what was first feared was not realised and particularly in relation to any reports of serious injury.

Good morning everyone, Matilda Boseley here, ready to take you through the day’s news.

Let’s start in Sydney where two dozen people at Liverpool hospital have contracted Covid-19 in a week, in the second major outbreak there.

Those infected include 13 patients and two staff members in the orthopaedics ward, five patients in the geriatrics ward, three patients and one staff member in the neurology ward, two patients and one staff member in the renal ward, one patient in the cardiothoracic ward and an intensive care nurse.

All staff members who have tested positive are fully vaccinated, a spokesperson for the hospital said.

The previous outbreak, which came after a nurse unknowingly worked while infectious in late July, left 12 people dead.

In Melbourne police are bracing for a fourth day of protests, though yesterday’s significantly smaller turnout has left many hopeful the demonstrations are winding down.

About 300 to 400 protesters again swarmed the Victorian capital, despite stay-at-home orders and repeated warnings from authorities. They ended up at the Shrine of Remembrance, which led to a tense standoff with police that lasted about three hours.

Riot squad members appeared to fire teargas, rubber bullets and other non-lethal rounds when some of the mob became increasingly hostile and refused to leave.

Victoria police say 215 people were arrested.

Now Scott Morrison is about to speak from the US about the successes he has had convincing France to be our friend again, so why don’t we jump right in and I’ll bring you all those updates as soon as he stands up.