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PM wants to give vaccinated Aussies freedom to skip hotel quarantine

Prime Minister Scott Morrison wants to give fully vaccinated Australians the freedom to travel overseas and return without going through hotel quarantine.

The PM, while warning vaccination was not a "silver bullet" and opening borders now would bring "1000 cases a week or more", said he had already put medical experts on the job of figuring out how to allow vaccinated Australians to travel freely.

"What I'd like to see happen next, and this is what I've tasked the medical experts with, is ensuring that we can know when an Australian is vaccinated here with their two doses, is able to travel overseas and return without having to go through hotel quarantine," Mr Morrison told Nine's 6PR Perth on Thursday.

READ MORE: Doctors 'surprised' after PM flags mass vaccination hubs

"Now, I think we're still some time away from that. 

"The states, at this stage, I'm sure wouldn't be agreeing to relaxing those hotel quarantine arrangements for those circumstances at this point in time."

Mr Morrison said states needed to be "on the same page" for such a shift to take place and the key thing to define was how to offer that increased travel freedom safely.

"Vaccinations are not a silver bullet. We've never said they are," he said.

"And if we were to lift the international borders, then no doubt, and I was talking to the head of the AMA about this today, we would see an increase in the number of case numbers. 

"So Australians have become very used to the fact, particularly here in Western Australia, of having zero case numbers and zero community transmission. 

"If we were to lift the borders and people to come, then you would see those cases increase and Australians would have to become used to dealing with 1000 cases a week or more."

READ MORE: EU announces massive focus on Pfizer

Scott Morrison talking about the death of Prince Philip.

Health Minister Greg Hunt recently said "vaccination alone is no guarantee that you can open up" the borders.

Asked in February about vaccinated Aussies travelling freely, the PM said "at this stage, quarantine continues".

Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly clarified the situation, saying although some preliminary evidence showed the AstraZeneca vaccine influenced the transmission of the virus, as well as preventing serious illness, he was still waiting on studies into jabs from Pfizer, Moderna and other drugmakers.

"At the moment that two-week quarantine in hotels, as has been so successful up to now, remains, regardless of vaccination," he said.

On April 2, the US Centres for Disease Control said a "growing body of evidence suggested vaccinated people are less likely to have asymptomatic infection and potentially less likely to transmit SARS-CoV-2 to others. However, further investigation is ongoing."

Top US vaccine adviser Dr Anthony Fauci on Wednesday night warned no country, even Australia with its almost non-existent virus transmission, would be safe from the coronavirus until the whole world had the pandemic under control.

"As long as there's the dynamic of virus replication, somewhere, there will always be the threat of the emergence of variants, which could then come back," He said.

"And even though most of the rest of the world is vaccinated, it can threaten the world that has felt that they've controlled the virus, when they're still quite vulnerable."

The federal Department of Health website states: "Australian Government advice for international travellers remains unchanged regardless of your vaccination status."

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World Bank Ups $20M for St. Vincent’s Volcano Eruption Aid, Grenada Offers $1M

The World Bank has disbursed US$20 million to support the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ response to the crisis posed by the La Soufrière volcano eruption.

The explosive eruptions began on April 9 and has required the evacuation of 20,000 people from the high-risk zones around the volcano, both to other parts of Saint Vincent and surrounding countries.

Explosions are continuing, and the falling ash is causing air quality concerns and interruptions in electricity and water supply.

“Our hearts are with the people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines during this crisis,” said Tahseen Sayed, World Bank Country Director for the Caribbean.

“We are committed to supporting the response efforts at this critical time when the country faces this new disaster while already managing the social and economic effects of the pandemic.”

The funds are disbursed from a contingent credit line from the World Bank, known as the Catastrophe Deferred Drawdown Option (Cat-DDO), approved in June 2020.

The Cat-DDO instrument is designed to provide immediate liquidity to support a country’s efforts to recover from disasters triggered by natural hazards or a public health emergency. In recent years, the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has been making efforts to strengthen its preparedness and capacity to respond to disasters.

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Grenada Offers St. Vincent $1m in Assistance

The Government of Grenada will provide $1 million in support for the Government and people of St Vincent and the Grenadines, to help deal with the impact of the explosive eruptions at the La Soufriere volcano.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell confirmed that his Cabinet colleagues unanimously supported the proposal to help the neighbouring country, despite the fiscal challenges Grenada now faces.

Grenada initially pledged to accept hundreds of Vincentian evacuees if they opted for relocation and immediately began making arrangements to do so, in collaboration with St George’s University.

 

However, at an emergency meeting of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Authority, this week, Vincentian Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves advised his colleagues of a general reluctance among Vincentians to relocate to other countries and in some cases, to even evacuate the high-risk areas.

It is against this backdrop that countries have now started looking at alternative means of providing support for the Government and people of St Vincent.

Mitchell said: “This is a time of serious crisis and our hearts go out to our brothers and sisters in St Vincent and the Grenadines. We have not lost sight of the fact that we are in the middle of a global pandemic that has affected all economies but when a crisis of this nature occurs and your brothers and sisters are in trouble, we simply have to extend a helping hand.

It is the right thing to do. In situations like this, I recall September 2004 when Hurricane Ivan devastated our country and these very neighbours, were among the first to help us. Being our brother’s keeper is just part of our tradition as Caribbean people.”

The La Soufriere volcano has experienced several explosive eruptions since last Friday, and with ongoing uncertainty over how long the situation could continue, Vincentians must be prepared for the long haul.

Mitchell said this is even more reason to help because the situation is still unfolding and its true extent may not be known for some time. Also, the fact that community spread of COVID-19 has been confirmed in St Vincent, further compounds the situation.

The Prime Minister said Government’s cash donation will be in addition to all other emergency humanitarian relief that is being coordinated by the National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA).

The first shipment of supplies left Grenada on Sunday afternoon, arriving in the neighbouring country just hours later.

The shipment contained primarily water as this has become an urgent need given the contamination of St Vincent’s water supply, but it also included non-perishable food, hygiene products, baby products and adult care items.

The relief effort continues, and a few other shipments have left Grenada for St Vincent, with excellent support coming from individuals, businesses and organisations.

NaDMA, as the coordinating agency, continues to solicit donations of items on the needs list provided by the National Emergency Management Organisation in St Vincent.

These items include drinking water, water tanks, collapsible water bladders, buckets, portable toilets, sleeping mats, field tents, respirator masks with filters, hygiene kits, disinfectants and sanitisers.

Meanwhile, preparations continue to be made to host evacuees in the event that persons decide to take advantage of the opportunity. Evacuees are however reminded that all arrangements are to be made at the Government level and the existing COVID-19 protocols will be strictly enforced.

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NSW woman dies days after getting coronavirus vaccine

Australia's medicines regulator is calling on NSW Health to provide more information about the death of a woman who developed blood clots after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration has joined NSW Health in investigating the 48-year-old diabetic woman's death, to determine whether it has any connection to the vaccine.

The TGA said it had not yet been established whether there was any link between the jab she received and the woman's death.

READ MORE: EU issues stinging rebuke of AstraZeneca

A vial of the Pfizer vaccine is prepared for use.

"The TGA is seeking further clinical information including clinical test results from the New South Wales Health Department," it said, in a statement.

It is not yet known what vaccine the woman received, but medicines regulators in Australia and overseas have identified a "possible link" between AstraZeneca's shots and an extremely rare form of blood clot known as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome'.

On Thursday, the federal government said it no longer recommended people under 50 get AstraZeneca vaccines.

"The blood clotting disorders being investigated in connection with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine are very rare and differ from common blood clots or venous thromboembolism, which occur in around 50 Australians every day," the TGA said.

"The clotting disorder being investigated in connection with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, which is now referred to as 'thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome' (TTS), has been confirmed in only two cases out of over 700,000 people who have received the AstraZeneca vaccine in Australia.

Medical authorities stress that the blood clots remain extremely rare in vaccine recipients, about about "four to six, per million doses of vaccine", according to the Chief Health Officer last week.

"NSW Health does not speculate on or discuss individual cases, but the death of anyone is always a tragedy and our condolences are with the family and loved ones of the person who has passed away," the NSW Health Department said, in a statement.

"An adverse event following immunisation is any untoward medical event that occurs after a vaccination has been given, which may be related to the vaccine.

"A conclusion regarding a causal relationship with the vaccine is not necessary to suspect or report an adverse event.

A vial of the Pfizer vaccine is prepared for use.

"Many conditions can arise during normal life, whether or not a vaccine is administered, but it remains important to report any new serious or unexpected events so that safety can be appropriately monitored."

Prime Minister Scott Morrison cautioned against jumping to conclusions, saying "I think there's a lot more to understand and learn about that issue."

"I think it's important because of the fact that people can have concerns that we follow that important process to inform ourselves properly, to allow those medical experts to make their enquiries and to be able to inform government in an appropriate way," he said.

"And so for us not to move to any conclusions at this point what's important is that we continue on with the project and we'll certainly do that.

"And we've been very transparent, very transparent when it comes to information on these issues."

As of the latest update, 164,855 vaccinations for coronavirus have been administered in NSW.

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Haiti: Test Case Win May Force UN Peacekeepers to Pay for Kids They Fathered

By Anastasia Moloney

BOGOTA, April 14 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – A historic court order for a former United Nations peacekeeper to pay child support for a daughter he fathered while stationed in Haiti raises hopes for dozens of other mothers seeking similar claims worldwide, the woman’s lawyers said.

A judge in Jacmel, a port in southern Haiti, ordered a Uruguayan peacekeeper to pay 350,000 Haitian gourdes ($4,320) a month in child support to a woman he impregnated, according to a ruling seen by the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

“This is an important ruling that speaks to the Haitian judicial system’s capacity and willingness to hold U.N. peacekeepers to account for their actions,” said Sandra Wisner, a senior attorney who worked on the case.

The ruling is part of a three-year legal battle by 10 Haitian women who each filed individual claims to force men from the U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), which ended in 2017, to contribute to the upbringing of their children.

The human rights group Bureau des Avocats Internationaux in Haiti and the U.S.-based Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti (IJDH), who have given legal support to the women since 2017, said it was a “crucial step towards justice”.

“This is the only favorable judgment we have received to date … the case may encourage similar claims around the world,” said Wisner of IJDH, adding that the ruling was handed down in December but was not made public until recently.

“It is now up to the U.N. to uphold its obligation to facilitate this ruling and establish a clear mechanism for enforcement in Uruguay.”

Hundreds of women in countries where U.N. troops are deployed, from Mali and the Central African Republic to the Democratic Republic of Congo, are seeking child support in paternity claims from U.N. peacekeepers, according to the IJDH. ‘PRIORITY COLLECTIVE EFFORT’

Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for the U.N. Secretary-General, described the ruling in Haiti, where children born to U.N. peacekeepers are nicknamed Petit – French for small – MINUSTAH, as “very important”.

“The U.N. has cooperated to facilitate the administration of justice in this case, providing critical documentation and information to the mother herself as well as to the relevant national authorities of Haiti,” Haq said in emailed comments.

Paternity issues are not the only problems facing MINUSTAH, which set out to restore stability after a 2004 coup and helped rebuild Haiti after a devastating earthquake in 2010.

There have been multiple reports of sexual contacts – and several rape claims – involving peacekeepers, with girls as young as 11 being impregnated and abandoned with their babies, found a 2019 study in the journal International Peacekeeping.

Sexual relationships between peacekeepers and residents of countries hosting a U.N. mission are strongly discouraged under the U.N.’s “zero-tolerance policy” for sexual exploitation and abuse.

According to data on the U.N.’s website about the conduct of its field missions, it has received 324 paternity claims worldwide since 2010 from women who have become pregnant as a result of sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers.

The U.N. can investigate crimes and send peacekeepers home but it has no power to prosecute individuals.

“Combating sexual exploitation and abuse perpetrated by personnel serving under the United Nations flag is a priority collective effort for the United Nations,” Haq said.

The U.N. appointed a Victims’ Rights Advocate in 2017 to lead its global efforts to support victims of sexual exploitation and abuse by its personnel, and works to facilitate paternity and child support claims, Haq said.

In Haiti, an advocate works to ensure “victims can report with confidence, access assistance and receive timely information on the status of their complaints” and that they receive documentation required to support their cases, he said. DNA TEST RESULTS

Lawyers at IJDH say dozens of mothers on the Caribbean island, the poorest country in the Americas, are struggling to bring up children fathered by U.N. peacekeepers from Uruguay, Argentina, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka who have returned home.

The world body says its peacekeeping arm does not take responsibility for financial assistance to children fathered by peacekeepers.

In practice, this often means mothers must raise children alone in some of the world’s poorest, most troubled nations.

Haiti is in turmoil, with surging gang violence and anti-government protests exacerbating a humanitarian crisis in a country where two-thirds of people make less than $2 per day.

Haq said the U.N. has received 32 paternity claims from Haitian women since 2007, all of whom have been given help, such as school fees and facilitation of legal assistance, including the mother in the court case.

“We have provided several Haitian mothers with DNA test results received from the State of nationality of the fathers or alleged fathers of their children,” he said.

“The aim is to support the resolution of the mothers’ claims,” he said, adding that the U.N. also established contact between victims and state authorities, and liaised with member states to follow up on pending claims.

“We continue to call on those who fathered these children in Haiti to assume their individual parental responsibility towards them. Thus far, only a very few have acknowledged their paternity or provided support to these children,” Haq said.

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Haiti: US Calls for Free and Fair Elections After Prime Minister Resigns

WASHINGTON – The U.S. is reiterating its call Wednesday for free and fair legislative and presidential elections in Haiti, hours after Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe resigned and President Jovenel Moise named Foreign Minister Claude Joseph as his replacement.

“The U.S. looks forward to continued cooperation with Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph, the Government of Haiti and all Haitian stakeholders and international partners working to hold free and fair legislative and presidential elections in 2021,” tweeted Julie Chung, acting assistant secretary for the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.

Jouthe announced his resignation in the pre-dawn hours of Wednesday without explaining why he decided to step down. He had been at odds with other members of Moise’s Cabinet, who openly opposed and acted against Jouthe’s orders on issues pertaining to security and justice.

“I gave my letter of resignation to the President of the Republic, SEM @moisejovenel. It has been an honor to serve my country as prime minister. I thank the members of my government, (and) our technical and financial partners for their collaboration. God Bless Haiti!” Jouthe said on Twitter.

In a tweet, Moise said, “The resignation of the government, which I have accepted, will allow me to address the insecurity that is calling out to be handled and pursue discussions that will help us find the consensus that is necessary for political and institutional stability in our country.”

Responding to VOA’s request for comment on the Cabinet reshuffle, a State Department spokesperson expressed the Biden administration’s commitment toward working with Haiti to promote democratic governance and the rule of law.

“We encourage Haitian politicians, civil society and the business community to find common ground to work toward free and fair overdue legislative, as well as presidential, elections,” the spokesperson told VOA.

The Moise government plans to hold a constitutional referendum in June, followed by legislative and presidential elections in September and November.

Spike in kidnappings

The Cabinet change follows a spike in kidnappings during recent days that saw Protestant pastors and church officials kidnapped at gunpoint during a live broadcast on Easter Sunday, the abduction for ransom of Catholic priests and nuns, and the killing of a prominent businessman in broad daylight during a failed kidnapping attempt.

The Organization of American States expressed its concern late Tuesday about the deteriorating security situation.

“The Secretary General of the OAS (Luis Almagro) is closely following the situation in Haiti and deplores the deterioration of the security situation, particularly the resurgence of kidnappings and killings, including five religious leaders over the weekend,” the OAS said in a tweet.

“The right to life is a reflection of respect for human life, which is a fundamental human right. the OAS Secretary-General calls on Haitian officials to take the necessary measures to protect the life and dignity of its citizens.”

Laurent Weil, research analyst and specialist on Latin America and the Caribbean at The Economist magazine, said the Cabinet change was not enough to improve security.

“A change of prime minister or Cabinet reshuffle is unlikely to be sufficient by itself to improve the security situation ahead of the referendum,” Weil told VOA. But he thinks the resignation could signal Moise’s willingness to engage in a more inclusive dialogue.

“The move may reflect President Jovenel Moise’s recognition of the deteriorating situation and indicate that he is willing to engage in talks with some of his opponents to lower the heat on the political scene,” Weil said. “But the prospects for negotiations are slim, as very few political leaders are willing to cooperate.”

The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, BINUH, criticized the electoral process Tuesday, saying it was neither inclusive nor transparent enough.

“The national appropriation of the constitution project requires the engagement of a larger segment of political actors, civil society, women and religious groups from across the nation,” BINUH tweeted.

Weil said there are steps Moise can take to show he is committed to free and fair elections.

“At this stage, if the government is really committed to free and fair votes this year, its priority will be to improve citizens’ confidence by ensuring that a significant portion of the population takes ownership of the referendum and electoral process,” he told VOA.

The new prime minister

Joseph is Haiti’s 164th minister of foreign affairs and religious affairs. Before being named foreign minister in March 2020, he held posts as Haitian ambassador to Argentina, and chargé d’affaires at the Haitian Embassy in Spain. Prior to working in politics, Joseph was a professor at the University of Connecticut and at Long Island University.

Under normal circumstances, Joseph’s nomination would require Parliament‘s approval. But the legislative body is not functioning because of a failure to organize elections to renew the terms of lawmakers.

Joseph has not responded to VOA’s request for comment on his new Cabinet position, but he did retweet Moise’s announcement of his appointment, as well as a congratulatory tweet from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan.

“We welcome @moisejovenel’s naming of @claudejoseph03 as interim PM of Haiti & look forward to continuing close bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest benefiting the people of both countries and the region. Taiwan is Haiti’s true friend & partner in prosperity.”

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Coroner hands down findings after inquest into nurse's outback murder

The South Australia coroner has handed down a number of findings after an inquest into the murder of nurse Gayle Woodford.

Ms Woodford, 56, was abducted, raped and killed while responding to a call-out in Fregon, a remote community in South Australia's Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, in March 2016.

She had been on call by herself and responded alone to a call-out from her killer, Dudley Davey.

READ MORE: Inquest opens into SA nurse's brutal outback rape and murder

Her body was found buried in a crude grave three days after she went missing.

Davey pleaded guilty to her rape and murder, and is serving a minimum 32-year jail term.

Ms Woodford's death led to the creation of Gayle's law, which requires a second person to accompany a medical responder during out-of-hours or unscheduled call-outs in remote communities.

The coroner recommended strengthening and expanding this provision, along with tighter parole conditions, better sharing of information, a permanent police presence in the region, and banning high-risk offenders from APY Lands.

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Australia's most expensive capital cities to rent a home revealed

Housing rental prices have reached record highs in multiple Australian capital cities, with Canberra tenants facing the highest costs in the country.

According to the Domain Rent Report released today, Canberra tenants coughed up a mega $600 in weekly rent for houses in the latest quarter and $500 for units.

Housing rentals in Sydney remained at a high of $550 per week, $20 more than the asking price in March last year.

READ MORE: Average first home buyer deposit cracks $100,000

The weekly rent for units remained at $470, which is $60 less than this time last year.

Sydney units recorded the steepest annual fall since Domain records began in 2004.

Overall, the harbour city was tied in second place for highest rental prices with Darwin, followed by Hobart in third at $480.

Brisbane overtook Melbourne by $10, the asking rental housing price hitting $440.

It means for the first time on record, Melbourne is the second most affordable capital city in the country, tied with Perth at $430.

READ MORE: Raft of rental law reforms come into place in Victoria

Melbourne's rental market saw significant rental price falls for houses and units over the last year and quarter, which could be due to the effects of its lengthy COVID-19 lockdowns.

Adelaide was crowned the most affordable with housing rental prices at just $425.

Outer-city regions across the country also saw median rental asking prices rise as demand ramped up.

Areas such as Sydney's Northern Beaches, Sutherland, outer south-west, outer west and the Blue Mountains grew in rental asking prices.

Prices similarly rose in Melbourne's outer-east, south-east and Mornington Peninsula.

Demand also increased for the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast in Queensland.

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House Committee Holds Hearings on Puerto Rico’s Potential Statehood

By Tony Aiello

When it comes to cultural pride, Puerto Ricans are strongly united, but much less so when it comes to the future of the island, currently a territory of the U.S.

On Capitol Hill, there are two approaches competing for support.g

The Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act authorizes a formal offer of statehood to be settled by Puerto Ricans in a simple yes/no vote.

Activist George Laws Garcia, with the Puerto Rico Statehood Council, wants Puerto Rico to become the 51st state.

“I think that it would be the thing that would empower us the most to reach Puerto Rico’s maximum economic potential so that we can really contribute to the United States and retain our culture and identity,” he told CBS2’s Tony Aiello.

A competing bill is sponsored by New York Democrats Nydia Velazquez and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Under the Puerto Rico Self-Determination Act, people on the island would elect delegates to a convention with multiple options, including independence from the U.S.

“It certainly wants to consider other options to independence but still move self-determination along,” said Dr. Carlos Vargas-Ramos, with the Center for PR Studies.

A non-binding referendum last year attracted just 55% of Puerto Rican voters; statehood narrowly won, 53% to 47%.

Bronx Congressman Ritchie Torres backs statehood, but says of the two competing bills in Congress, “The honest answer is that neither has momentum. We’re caught in a deadlock.”

“Puerto Ricans within the Democratic party are divided on the question of status,” he added.

Democrats do feel some pressure to act while they still control both houses of congress.

So far, only the statehood referendum bill is winning Republican support, including from Long Island Congressman Andrew Garbarino.

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How to tell if your smartphone is spying on you

Even with the virtual assistant turned off, most of us have suspected our mobile phone is listening to our private conversations.

While this can sometimes be convenient, helping marketers direct targeted advertising to our social media, search engines and news feeds, many people are creeped out and see it as an invasion of privacy.

According to digital privacy experts NordVPN, there are ways we can determine for sure if our phones are listening to us and ways to minimise the chances of it happening.

READ MORE: Hackers could be using your smartphone camera to spy on you

Person on smart phone

How to tell if your smartphone is listening to you

Experts say the best way to check if your phone is spying on you is to set up a trap.

Select a topic that wouldn't normally be associated with you that you can confidently say you have never spoken about.

Don't use your phone or any other device nearby to search for the topic.

Think of a list of keywords that could trigger a search engine.

Now discuss the topic out loud near your phone – try to do this for a few minutes and repeat it over a couple of days.

Now the trap has been set, if you start to see ads pop up on social media, underneath search engines or in your news feeds, this means the phone was listening.

READ MORE: The technology devices spying on your everyday conversations

Young woman holding her smart phone, close-up

Why does this 'invasion of privacy' happen?

When a person uses the virtual assistant on their smartphone, they agree to the terms and conditions of the service provider.

Digital privacy expert Daniel Markuson says you should review the permissions apps on your smartphone have been given on a regular basis.

"Once access is granted, the app can do whatever it wants with that data," Mr Markuson said.

"So, build a routine to review your phone's app permissions and think twice before agreeing to an app's demands."

He said some apps might try to access your microphone without any reason and this could allow agencies to spy on you in the background and collect ad-targeting data even when you don't want them listening.

"Don't share too much information with your phone. The less it knows, the better," he said.

He says you should go through your smartphone's settings and make sure that apps can access only the resources needed to do their job.

Clearing your activities once in a while and turning off the audio recording function can also help as Apple, Google, and other service providers allow the deletion of dictation history.

You may also want to install a virtual private network on your smart phone which will mask your IP address and encrypt traffic, thereby improving your privacy.

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'There is a big hole in our hearts'

The devastated family of a Melbourne teenager killed in a vicious screwdriver attack at a birthday party say their lives have turned into a dreadful "nightmare".

Three men who gatecrashed the event in Tooradin are wanted by police after 17-year-old Jason Langhans was killed in an unprovoked assault described by police as "brutal".

Heartbroken mother Carolyn Langhans struggled to hold back tears as she told reporters her "beautiful" boy had been ripped from their lives too soon.

READ MORE: Siege underway with armed man barricaded inside Sydney house with a woman

"There is a big hole in our hearts," she said.

"I'm devastated, my heart is broken.

"I've lost my son, he's not coming back."

Up to 100 guests attended the 16th birthday party held on Saturday, March 20, at a one-acre Tooradin property on Station Road.

It was Rachel Donaldson's daughter's 16th birthday.

Ms Donaldson tried helping the injured teen by putting a bandaid on his forehead.

"If I had my time I would have called an ambulance immediately and I didn't," she said.

Police said the three men had not been invited to the party, but attended the event with one of the male guests in the early hours of Sunday morning.

A "minor confrontation" occurred out the front of the home between the trio and another guest, who had asked them to leave about 2.30am.

READ MORE: Third party 'clearly' involved in mysterious disappearance of campers

Homicide Squad Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper said Jason had stepped in as a "peacemaker" to calm down the escalating altercation before he was attacked.

"Jason saw this trouble brewing, stepped in as the peacemaker, and tried to de-escalate it … to take the heat out of the situation," he said.

"At that moment, without any provocation, without any warning, what has been described as one of the unknown men has slapped Jason to the head twice.

"We now know that, that the male had a sharp instrument in his hand when he did that.

"The attack was very swift and very quick. We also know that one of the other males has come over the top at the time … and punched or slapped Jason to the head as well."

The men then "took off into the darkness", with about 15 partygoers chasing after them across paddocks and properties.

Multiple people were in the area at the time of the fatal assault.

Tooradin is a semi-rural township on the outskirts of Melbourne, located about 57kms south-east of the CBD.

Police believe another altercation then occurred on the grounds of one of these properties.

Detective Inspector Stamper said the group who chased away the men could assist police in finding the assault weapon involved, imploring anyone with information to come forward.

Homicide squad detectives have been scouring the Tooradin area in search of the weapon, believed to be a screwdriver, as it may have been dumped somewhere locally.

READ MORE: Australia's most expensive capital cities to rent a home revealed

The State Emergency Service also assisted in the search, looking through paddocks for any sign of the screwdriver.

Authorities recovered a number of items of interest including broken bottles.

Locals have also been urged to keep their eyes peeled for an abandoned screwdriver and to contact police if they came across the tool.

"We are trying to find the weapon that was used to kill Jason," Detective Inspector Stamper said.

"We believe it is potentially a screwdriver that may have been discarded anywhere between the property … and the area of Tooradin."

The party was "pretty well supervised" with the names of guests being ticked off at the front gate.

No trouble had arisen until the gatecrashers arrived, Detective Inspector Stamper said.

The injured Cranbourne North teenager was given a bandaid for the cut on his head at the party, before being driven home.

https://twitter.com/NearyTy_9/status/1382505503226351616

Detective Inspector Stamper said Jason looked "bit dazed" after the attack, with his family calling an ambulance within five minutes of him returning home.

His condition quickly deteriorated and he was taken to The Alfred hospital with life-threatening injuries.

He died three weeks later after his family made the "horrendous decision" to turn off his life support.

"Sadly, that's where his life ended at The Alfred, three weeks later," Detective Inspector Stamper said.

READ MORE: Australia 'lagging behind other countries in workplace diversity'

"The wound to his head was of such significance, the bleeding in his brain was of such significance, despite the best efforts of the best people we had, his injuries were unsurvivable.

"We now have a family who are mourning an unimaginable grief."

Detective Inspector Stamper said Jason's father, Mr Langhans, had been "too distraught" to attend the press conference.

"Jason and his dad were best mates, they did everything together," he said.

"He's lost his best mate, lost his son."

Mrs Langhans said she could not believe someone could attack Jason so viciously.

"I don't know how a human being could do something like that to another human being," she said.

"It's horrifying."

Her last words to Jason were asking whether he would be home for dinner the night of the party.

"It's still a dream, a nightmare. It's not real to me at the moment.

"I never got a chance to say goodbye."

Jason has been described as a "beautiful young man who had his whole life ahead of him".

The 17-year-old enjoyed fishing and playing footy for Narre Warren Football Club.

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He was looking forward to completing an apprenticeship and had recently bought a four-wheel drive.

"He planned to get his licence on his 18th birthday," Mrs Langhans said.

"That's all gone now, that's been taken away from him.

"He is a loving, caring, gentle person. He wouldn't hurt a soul."

Police believe the three men of interest drove to the party and were from the other side of town in the city's west.

They have been described as Middle Eastern in appearance and of driving age.

The first man had dark short-cropped hair and the second man had wavy black hair, which was brushed across his face.

The third man had a dark short crew cut. Police also believe he will have "fairly significant facial injuries" to the left side of his face.

They all wore dark-coloured clothing and were approximately 170cm tall.

Detective Inspector Stamper said police would leave no stoned unturned to provide the grieving family with answers.

"I can't even imagine what the Langhans family must be going through, to find out that your son and much-loved brother, who just went out to a party, will no longer be coming home."

Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or log onto www.crimestoppersvic.com.au