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Children aged three to five will be able to take free rapid antigen tests, with Victoria expanding its voluntary school COVID-19 testing program to early childhood services.
While Victorian primary and secondary students have been asked to take twice-weekly RATs since the start of term one last week, the same recommendation only applied to staff in early childhood settings.
Premier Daniel Andrews on Tuesday announced the voluntary testing program will be rolled out to children aged three to five who attend childcare services.
In the next two weeks, 1.6 million rapid antigen tests will be delivered to services, beginning with sessional kindergartens and then early childhood services, including long day care, family day care and occasional care.
"It's all about giving parents peace of mind, it's all about trying to support every family," Mr Andrews told reporters on Tuesday.
The program is voluntary but highly recommended, in line with school settings.
Jay Weatherill, chief executive of advocacy group Thrive by Five, welcomed the move but said state and federal governments must do more to minimise impacts of outbreaks in the sector, including clearer isolation protocols and income support.
"We don't want to jeopardise the ongoing viability of early learning centres and undermine their vital work," the former South Australian premier said.
Since the regime began in schools last week, 7046 students and 925 staff have tested positive.
"That's 0.7 per cent of students and 0.84 per cent of staff," Education Minister James Merlino said.
Victoria's schools surveillance testing regime was scheduled to run for at least the first four weeks of term one and involve the use of 14 million free RATs.
Mr Andrews says supply from the state's RAT stockpile won't be a limiting factor in whether the schools testing scheme will be extended, but whether the caseload justifies it.
The state government will also consult with the commonwealth on a potential extension, as the costs of the tests are being split 50/50.
It comes as Victoria recorded 20 COVID-related deaths and 9785 new cases on Tuesday, as hospitalisations fell below 600.
The continual fall in patient numbers has the opposition demanding the full resumption of non-urgent elective surgery be fast-tracked after it restarted at 50 per cent of normal levels in private hospitals and day procedure centres on Monday.
"There is nearly an MCG full of Victorians on the public surgery waiting list, and that's growing by 1000 people a week," Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said.
Health Minister Martin Foley told state parliament further changes could be announced in coming days, depending on updated health advice.
Meanwhile, Mr Guy and his MPs were photographed with Essendon legend Kevin Sheedy not wearing a mask inside parliament after he gave a party room motivational speech ahead of the 2022 state election, prompting criticisms during question time.
VICTORIA'S LATEST COVID-19 FIGURES:
* Hospital cases: 575, down 63
* ICU cases: 72
* Ventilator cases: 30
* PCR tests processed: 19,404
* Positive PCR tests: 2569
* Positive RATs: 7216
* Active cases: 58,449, down 1352
* Vaccine doses administered at state-run sites on Monday: 15,870
* Vaccine booster rate for Victorians 18 and over: 45.9 per cent
© AAP 2022
Photo: A healthcare worker holds up a COVID-19 Rapid Antigen test on Campus at Firbank Grammar School in Brighton, Melbourne, Thursday, October 14, 2021. (AAP Image/James Ross)
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NSW has recorded a further 28 virus-related deaths, two of whom were people in their 40s, as support comes for businesses hit by COVID-19 safety measures at schools.
There were 7,893 COVID-19 cases reported on Sunday, 4,337 of which were from positive rapid antigen tests, bringing the total number of positive RATs since reporting began on January 13 to 285,053.
The 3,556 positive PCR results reported on Sunday were returned from 35,697 PCR tests.
Of the 28 people who died, two people were in their 40s, three people were in their 60s, six people were in their 70s, ten people were in their 80s, and seven people were in their 90s.
Five of these people had received three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, 20 people had received two doses, and three people were unvaccinated.
COVID-19 cases reported from PCR tests ( As of February 5 )
* Wollongong LGA 2813 active cases
* Shoalhaven LGA 1143 active cases
* Wingecarribee 363 active cases
* Eurobodalla LGA 242 active cases
* Kiama LGA 209 active cases
* Muswellbrook LGA 131 active cases
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Worthy or not of an extension, Justin Langer's treatment "as a person" by Cricket Australia fell well short of the mark, says WA Cricket chief Christina Matthews.
Langer resigned as Australia's men's head coach on Saturday after rejecting a six-month extension tabled to him by the CA board.
The drawn-out, public process has been heavily criticised by former Test captains including Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh.
Waugh was the latest to back the former Test opener, wondering on Saturday night why Langer was no longer deemed worthy given the team's return to form and improved standing in the public eye.
"Buzz words but no clarity," he wrote on Instagram.
"Not sure how the team evolves from (already) being loved by the public, being ranked number one in Test cricket and the world champions in T20."
A fierce supporter of the former title-winning Western Australia Warriors and Perth Scorchers coach, Matthews admitted Langer's much-publicised intensity could "at times go a bit far".
But she said a lack of transparency and common decency had contributed to the coach's messy exit.
"There's so many aspects to it that you can focus on," she told the ABC.
"It's up to CA who they want to coach the Australian side. My difficulty here is how Justin's been treated a person.
"I don't think he's been treated with any sort of respect, kindness or compassion."
Langer's disciplined approach was credited for the rebuild of the side following the 2018 ball-tampering scandal that saw former coach Darren Lehmann stand down.
Now it's being viewed as ideal for the wounded England side, Michael Vaughan publicly endorsing Langer for the job vacated by Chris Silverwood a day earlier.
Matthews said Langer's laser-focus could be managed and that results spoke for themselves.
"We had a very successful period with Justin, but that's not to say you don't disagree on things," she said.
"Everybody knows he likes honest, up front conversations.
"Unfortunately some people - players, administrators,whatever - find those conversations challenging and that's, I think, when things get out of control."
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The health minister's assertion is sure to tested by an opposition not convinced by Mr Joyce's change of heart since sending the message in March 2021.
Mr Hunt issued a guarantee on Saturday he had never privately criticised Scott Morrison and considered the prime minister a "deep personal friend".
"He's one of the finest human beings I have ever had the opportunity to meet or work with," he said.
Mr Joyce's apology over the matter should be accepted and everyone should just move on, Mr Hunt said.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said the remarks in the leaked message had made his position "untenable" and dismissed the suggestion the deputy prime minister had since reconsidered.
"Hang on a second here," Mr Albanese told reporters.
"That was after Barnaby Joyce had served in the cabinet for over half a decade."
After the text was sent to an unnamed party on March 22, it was passed on to former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins, who in the previous month had gone public with allegations she was raped in a parliamentary office in 2019, sparking a national conversation about treatment of women in the workplace.
"Tell BH (Brittany Higgins) I and Scott, he is Scott to me until I have to recognise his office, don't get along," a screenshot of the text reads.
"He is a hypocrite and a liar from my observations and that is over a long time. I have never trusted him and I dislike how he earnestly rearranges the truth to a lie."
Mr Joyce was a backbencher at the time but returned to the Nationals leadership three months later.
"My view from the backbench about the prime minister was based on assumption and commentary, not from a one on one working relationship," Mr Joyce said on Saturday in a bid to downplay the remarks.
"From a one on one working relationship, I found a man who has honoured every agreement that he's made with me."
He would not say what prompted him to write the text and insisted he never intended it to be forwarded to Ms Higgins or made public.
Mr Joyce said he was made aware it was circulating among third parties this week and immediately called Mr Morrison to apologise and offer his resignation, which the prime minister did not accept.
In a statement, Mr Morrison said he understood Mr Joyce was in a "different headspace last year" and believes he "genuinely no longer feels this way".
The prime minister's character was called into question last week when leaked texts revealed former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian labelled Mr Morrison a "horrible, horrible person" during the 2019/20 bushfire crisis.
In the exchange, a unnamed federal cabinet minister branded Mr Morrison a "complete psycho" as well as "desperate and jealous".
© AAP 2022
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