E&OE…
Topics: Coronavirus updates, crackdown on sugar and process foods, Bridget McKenzie’s future.
FRAN KELLY:
Urgent efforts are now underway to try and evacuate Australians trapped in Wuhan, the epicentre of a deadly outbreak of coronavirus.
It’s understood at least 100 Australian children are stranded in the Chinese province, which is in lockdown following the deaths of more than 50 people.
Here at home, three men in Sydney and one in Melbourne have been diagnosed with the highly contagious virus and are now in isolation. All four had flown in from China.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has been holding talks with the states trying to coordinate our response – Australia’s response – to this outbreak. Greg Hunt, welcome back to RN Breakfast.
GREG HUNT:
Good morning Fran.
FRAN KELLY:
Minister, Wuhan is now cut off to the outside world. Trains, planes, and buses have all been stopped.
How many Australian citizens are there? Do we know that, and what is the government trying- doing to try and help get them out?
GREG HUNT:
So at the moment, we know that there are over 100 young Australians, we’re gathering the information, DFAT is reaching out through international cooperation- cooperation with the Chinese authorities to gather the names and details of all of the Australians.
We know at this point that the Chinese authorities have closed the Wuhan city, as well as other cities within Hubei province, and so they’ve applied a rule across everybody.
We are working on a number of fronts, firstly to make sure I’ve been in contact with the Foreign Minister about not only yesterday, but also this morning.
We are working to make sure there’s support for those Australians and that we are there- we are also working on, as our other countries, to try to secure their ability to return to Australia.
And that- at this point in time, the Foreign Minister is working around the clock on that one.
FRAN KELLY:
Any news on that? Because we have heard this morning that the US, for instance, is chartering a flight.
France and Japan too trying to arrange charter flights to get their citizens out. Is our government trying to do that? Is there some kind of evacuation plan afoot?
GREG HUNT:
So at this point the Foreign Minister and DFAT- so the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade -are working with the Chinese authorities on all options to secure the return of the Australians. And.
FRAN KELLY:
Is there any chance any breakthrough on that, though? Any sense that there might be some success on any front?
GREG HUNT:
So we’re expecting statements from the Foreign Minister – I don’t want to create any false expectations – over the course of today on progress.
But these are international discussions that many countries are having and we’re coordinating with other countries in the discussions.
And our focus is on the welfare on the ground and the health and safety on the ground, and then on the return.
We’re running on both fronts simultaneously and around the clock.
FRAN KELLY:
All right, let’s go to the health update now here, at home. The number of people in Australia diagnosed with coronavirus stands at four.
I think there is one other suspected case. Do you have any update on that number and on the condition of these people?
GREG HUNT:
Yes. So there are four confirmed cases and one highly probable. That’s subject to confirmation and we should receive the results of the second round of testing later today, and as soon as that is known that will be made public.
The advice from the Chief Medical Officer is that we expect that there could well be other cases in Australia, and then this is part of the global situation where the latest numbers that I have from the situation report this morning is 2019 globally confirmed cases, and sadly 56 lives lost.
That we expect will be updated today with further figures from China and the World Health Organization.
FRAN KELLY:
The Chief Medical Officer has said more cases will be inevitable. I mean, the four we know of have either been in Wuhan or been in China, one of them arrived in Australia more than three weeks ago.
How many more cases are we bracing for here?
GREG HUNT:
So at this stage, we’re not putting a particular figure on it, because we’re simply dealing with the cases as they arrive.
I think the very important thing to I understand that when the World Health Organization reviewed national systems for epidemic preparedness in 2018, Australia was ranked the number one country in the world.
FRAN KELLY:
Sure, but each case is different, I suppose. I mean, with these for instance, these four men arrived in Australia on separate flights. Has the government made- been able to contact all other passengers on board those planes? Is that a measure being taken?
GREG HUNT:
So tracing is underway. And- so what’s called close contact tracing, that’s being authorised. Information’s been provided.
Commonwealth and states are working together on that tracing, and they are making very significant process and progress.
FRAN KELLY:
So people are being contacted, and once contacted are they then being screened or checked?
GREG HUNT:
So they’ve been contacted, they’re being checked as to whether or not they have any of the symptoms.
They’re being advised on appropriate actions in terms of themselves.
There’s been no sign at this stage on the latest advice I have, as of immediately just prior to this call this morning, of any further transmission from those initial Australian patients to anybody else who has been in contact with them.
FRAN KELLY:
People are – just from the text and the tweets we’re getting this morning – people are very concerned about the spread of it obviously.
One listener asked the advice is if you’ve been in China and you’ve got some symptoms, go to your GP.
But what about all the other people sitting in the GP waiting rooms? What protocols are in place there?
GREG HUNT:
So the advice remains that if you have been in China you have developed symptoms, contact the GP, or contact the emergency department, preferably call ahead and if you have access to masks to wear that on the way into the facility.
So those are fair and reasonable questions from your correspondents. That’s very clear. The Chief Medical Officer will be convening.
FRAN KELLY:
But once you get to the waiting room at the GP, you rock up the waiting room, maybe you had a mask, maybe you didn’t. Is there any rules to be followed?
GREG HUNT:
Well basic hygiene is what the Chief Medical Officer and the state health authorities have been advising and that in particular is obviously to make sure that people are washing their hands, that they are not coughing into open spaces.
But in particular, to call ahead, to provide that information that you have been in an effected area or you have been in contact with somebody who has themselves been diagnosed or has presented with symptoms and then to take all of those steps.
Now those procedures have been followed so far, that we have had very, very good cooperation from patients and medical authorities.
The Chief Medical Officer will today be convening a further meeting of the expert committees in terms of health to provide any additional actions and updates.
And over the weekend we have convened all of the states and territories in a national response.
FRAN KELLY:
Meanwhile nine planes were touched down in Sydney today alone, six in Melbourne, three in Brisbane, 160 flights arriving from China each week.
Is Australia considering stopping flights from China, suspending flights from China?
GREG HUNT:
At this stage, no, but every flight is being met by officials and officials, I’m advised, will be boarding the flights and ensuring that each individual who is travelling on those flights is directly receiving information (inaudible).
FRAN KELLY:
Is that enough? I mean should we be screening every person coming off these flights and can we do that?
GREG HUNT:
So we continue to follow the advice which is being updated every day from the medical officials. As I say, the Chief Medical Officer is doing that.
The advice is that they are talking with passengers, providing information, if there are any signs of symptoms, then obviously action is being taken.
And that during the asymptomatic phase, so when no symptoms are showing, it is not at this stage, according to World Health Organization officials, the best advice that’s available in Australia and internationally, a transmissible condition at that phase.
FRAN KELLY:
Okay. You’re listening to our RN Breakfast. Our guest is the Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt. A couple of other issues in your portfolio, or one in your portfolio anyway Minister.
We’re going to be joined by Dr James Muecke, Australian of the Year after 8:00 this morning. He’s calling for more action to kind of crackdown on the high level of sugar in drinks and processed foods because the spread of diabetes in this country which leads to blindness is too widespread.
Why won’t the government countenance a sugar tax?
GREG HUNT:
Well firstly, I think James Muecke’s a magnificent choice as Australian of the Year, and I agree on the need to take further action on diabetes and so-
FRAN KELLY:
And what about a sugar tax?
GREG HUNT:
Well in order to do that what we have just done in- with regards to diabetes is a number of things.
We’ve made obesity which is really one of the core of the issues, one of the four pillars of our National Preventative Health Strategy, which is being developed at the moment, as well as a direct National Obesity Strategy.
In order to reduce sugar, we have agreed on a 20 per cent reduction in beverages by 2025 (inaudible).
FRAN KELLY:
Which experts say is just too slow.
GREG HUNT:
Well this is driving forward at a very fast pace including what’s called reformulation as part of those beverages.
And then of course we have the differential rates for taxation where fresh food is GST exempt which is providing an incentive there. As a government, we-
FRAN KELLY:
What about a sugar tax though? Why not?
GREG HUNT
We don’t support one?
FRAN KELLY:
Why?
GREG HUNT
We don’t think that driving up the price of household goods for families is the way of achieving this particular outcome. There are three things that we.
FRAN KELLY:
Is soft drink a household goods for families? I mean, you know, it’s- really, is that in the basket of goods?
GREG HUNT
So with respect, there are a series of actions which we have taken and are taking. One is the very goal of reducing consumption of sugar through drinks is being pursued through the 20 per cent reduction which has been voluntarily reached.
Secondly, the Health Star Rating System and I’m looking forward to it I’ll be reaching out to Dr Muecke this week to find a time that will work.
He’ll obviously be very busy over the coming weeks to meet to discuss his labelling proposals to see if they fit within the health star component or could be complementary to.
But I think it’s a very interesting proposal. And thirdly we have the GST exemption of fresh food, as well as the 125 million which we’ve just invested in cardiovascular and diabetes research.
FRAN KELLY:
Okay. Just finally, Minister, a lot of pressure on your Cabinet colleague Bridget McKenzie over the sports grants program. Will Bridget McKenzie still be a Cabinet Minister when Parliament resumes next week?
GREG HUNT
I presume that’s the case and obviously the Prime Minister’s commissioned the-
FRAN KELLY:
Should she be?
GREG HUNT
I have no change in my position and I’ve previously expressed my confidence and that hasn’t changed.
FRAN KELLY:
And why are you so confident given Bridget McKenzie has been effectively caught red handed politicising government grants? I mean that’s what the Auditor-General found – distributional bias.
GREG HUNT
Well I think that what we’ll see is that the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet will do their assessment and that’s independent and that will be judged on its merits.
And the Prime Minister has commissioned that so that will be assessed. Beyond that, I’ve made my point.
FRAN KELLY:
Can I just ask you finally, I know that you made representations for the Main Ridge Pony Club in Mornington in your electorate – wealthy electorate, it received a 30,000 grant ahead of last year’s election.
Who did you make representations to? Was it just to Bridget McKenzie or did you make representations the Prime Minister’s Office or?
GREG HUNT
No, with respect, we actually had a look at this because this was raised last week and to the best of our information and advice we have not provided a reference or representation.
We do provide advice- we approached all clubs in the electorate to indicate that the grants were open and a club such as this helps with riding for kids with disabilities, it helps with riding for-
FRAN KELLY
Sure. But you didn’t lobby?
GREG HUNT:
No.
FRAN KELLY:
Okay. Health Minister Greg Hunt, thank you very much for joining us. Thanks a lot Greg Hunt. Federal Health Minister.