Tag Archives: oceania

Youngest daughter of Biloela family discharged from WA hospital

The youngest daughter of the Biloela family fighting to stay in Australia has been released from a Western Australian hospital to live with her family in community detention in Perth.

Tharnicaa Murugappan was discharged from hospital almost two weeks after she was medically evacuated with her mother, Priya, to Australia from Christmas Island.

The four-year-old was treated for sepsis as a result of untreated pneumonia.

Tharnicaa Murugappa and her sister Kopika.

Her father, Nades Murugappan, and sister Kopika, remained in Christmas Island detention until they were reunited late last week at Perth Children's Hospital.

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said the family will be permitted to live in Perth in a community detention placement while Tharnicaa continues to be treated in the city's children's hospital.

"In making this decision I am conscious of the compassionate factors of having children in detention for prolonged periods of time versus ongoing litigation matters, matters before the courts, matters before me as minister that will take some time for us to resolve," Mr Hawke said in a press conference last week.

While the Murugappans are relieved to be reunited on the mainland after more than "three long, painful years" in detention, they remain concerned about their future.

"Priya is anxious and nervous that her family has now been forced into a new form of detention in a Perth suburb, 2300km from her Biloela home," a statement from the campaigning group Home To Bilo, which advocates for the family, said today.

"Immigration Minister Hawke's "residence determination" comes with a series of rules and restrictions, under which neither Nades nor Priya are permitted to work."

Kopika and Tharnicaa were both born in Australia. Sri Lankan Tamils are considered by many to be a persecuted minority in the country.

The family had been living in immigration detention on Christmas Island since 2019, after they were removed from their home in Biloela by Border Force officers in 2018.

Sydney businessman attacked with bat and pepper spray in his driveway

A Sydney businessman is in hospital after allegedly being attacked outside his Northern Beaches home by men armed with pepper spray and a baseball bat.

Police are now investigating whether thieves followed the 46-year-old home.

Carlo Trimboli, the managing director of fruit and vegetable supplier Samson's, was allegedly set upon by two masked men armed with a baseball bat and pepper spray in the driveway of his home about 6pm yesterday.

READ MORE: Sydney shopping complex among new COVID exposure sites as Bondi cluster grows

Carlo Trimboli with one of his children.

"(They) hit him across the leg, so he's got a swollen thigh and bruising. They hit him across the head," Josephine, Mr Trimboli's wife, told 9News.

"He's got fractured cheek bones and a lot of swelling. They sprayed capsicum spray in his eyes."

Mrs Trimboli and the couple's four young children were inside their North Balgowlah home at the time.

Josephine Trimboli says her husband was attacked by two masked men carrying pepper spray and a baseball bat.

"He went to open his boot and they've come from behind and attacked him and took his bag and muttered some words to themselves," she said.

Mrs Trimboli said she heard them say "have you got what you want?"

The two men then fled on foot with a bag of cash.

"For someone to know where we live, he's been followed," she said.

Carlo Trimboli with his wife Josephine.

"It was all premeditated."

As Mr Trimboli recovers in hospital, police are urging anyone who witnessed the attack to come forward.

Doctor at NSW hospital exposed to COVID-19 case

A NSW hospital has undergone a deep clean of some of its birthing suites and tested staff after one of its doctors came into contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case.

In a Sunday night statement from Ramsay Health Care, Wollongong Private Hospital CEO Steven Rajcany said a doctor had been exposed to a confirmed case in their private practice rooms on Friday afternoon.

The doctor was only found out about the exposure after they had visited the birthing suites of the hospital on Saturday morning.

NSW Health contact tracing has linked the confirmed case to the Bondi cluster.

READ MORE: Sydney shopping complex among new COVID exposure sites as Bondi cluster grows

Wollongong Private Hospital.

"The doctor has been tested, and returned a negative result," the statement said.

"The doctor is continuing with their period of self-isolation for 14 days."

In a letter to patients, seen by 9News, the doctor was said to be self-isolating at home at the direction of NSW Health but healthy and symptom-free.

"The rooms are being deep cleaned this weekend overseen by NSW Health," the letter stated.

"We are also working closely with NSW Health to ensure that all patients and staff that were in the rooms on Friday are cared for.

"Patients, support people and staff directly affected have been contacted by NSW Health."

A spokesperson for the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, a division of NSW Health, said contact tracing had identified the doctor had been in contact with COVID-19 cases linked to the Bondi cluster.

NSW authorities on Sunday announced two new locally acquired cases of COVID-19, taking the Sydney outbreak to nine cases.

"Comprehensive contact tracing has taken place," the spokesperson said, on Sunday night.

Two midwives in the hospital were also tested for the virus as close contacts of the doctor. Both have returned negative results.

The statement said one of the midwives was fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine and the second midwife was awaiting their second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

As a precaution, the hospital has undertaken deep cleaning of the identified birth suites and all staff and doctors are now required to wear masks at all times while in the hospital.

All visitors must wear masks at all times whilst in the hospital, with patients now having to wear masks when in public areas of the hospital.

"The safety of our staff, patients and visitors remains our priority," Mr Rajcany said.

"As of tonight, Sunday June 20, there has been no confirmed cases of COVID 19 linked to the hospital."

You can find out more details about how to book your vaccine through the Federal Government health site here.

Brisbane's COVID-19 case not highly infectious Delta variant

A female flight crew member who tested positive to COVID-19 while in Brisbane does not have the highly infectious Delta variant, Queensland Health has confirmed.

In a statement released on Sunday evening, Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said genome sequencing results had confirmed the infection did not come from that particular variant, as had previously been expected.

But although the Delta variant had been ruled out, she said it was still important for those who had attended exposure sites to isolate.

READ MORE: Sydney COVID-19 cluster grows to nine, existing mask restrictions expanded

"Particularly anyone who was at the Airport DFO between 4pm and 4.30pm on Saturday still needs to isolate," Dr Young said.

"It's good news the case isn't the highly transmissible Delta variant, but we do still need to take every precaution."

Queensland Health is continuing investigations into the exact variant, and the source of the case.

The woman initially tested negative to the virus while in hotel quarantine but returned a positive result on Saturday night.

Current restrictions in Queensland are still expected to lift from 1am Friday.

You can find out more details about how to book your vaccine through the Federal Government health site here.

Sydney home with toddler inside targeted in drive-by shooting

A family home with a two-year-old boy inside has been targeted in a drive-by shooting in Sydney's west.

A white hatchback pulled up and peppered the Nottinghill Road property in Regents Park with bullets about 9.30pm yesterday.

There were four people inside the property at the time of the shooting, including the toddler.

READ MORE: Hotspot alert for Sydney shopping complex as Bondi cluster grows

There were four people inside the Sydney property at the time of the shooting, including the toddler.

"My family just got shot at, have some respect," an unidentified man can be heard yelling in video taken after the incident.

"Have some respect man, my baby could have got shot."

The car was found set alight in a neighbouring street.

"The police found several bullet holes in a house and a car that had been parked outside that house," NSW Police acting Superintendent Danielle Emerton told 9News.

READ MORE: Face masks now compulsory indoors in seven local government areas

Emergency services respond to a call of a burnt out car.

"Yes, police believe it is a targeted attack."

The shooting comes just days after Bilal Hamze was shot dead in a gangland execution in Sydney's CBD.

"Evidence is not linking these two at this stage however we are following those lines of inquiry," Superintendent Emerton said.

The frailty of the acting Prime Minister has been exposed

Nine News political editor Chris Uhlmann analyses Michael McCormack's past seven days in politics and why it may be his last week as Nationals leader.

With the Prime Minister absent from Parliament last week the spotlight fell on his deputy.

When Josh Frydenberg was asked how Michael McCormack was handling the role as acting prime minister in the Treasurer replied "well".

Colleagues were worried. Opponents expectant.

READ MORE: Acting PM says mouse plague should be 'rehomed into inner city apartments'

"Well, Michael McCormack is in charge this week, what could possibly go wrong?" Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers was quoted as saying.

The frailty of the acting Prime Minister was exposed.

"I tell you what. I would much sooner live in Australia than anywhere else in the nation," Mr McCormack posed during question time last week.

But so was his passion. Speaker Tony Smith forced him to withdraw comments labelling Greens MP Adam Bandt "treasonous" in question time.

Mr McCormack's real enemies are behind him in his 21-strong National Party, where deep discontent with his leadership has fuelled internal chatter that he might face a challenge tomorrow.

"There is a plague of disloyalty in the National Party," Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said.

READ MORE: World's eyes on Indo-Pacific, PM says as Europe trip wraps

Barnaby Joyce led the last challenge in February 2020 and fell short. A return to his combative style would destabilise the government.

"These are matters for the National Party," Foreign Minister Marise Payne said.

But the chief complaint about Mr McCormack is that he doesn't stand up to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and they cite the Prime Minister's crabwalk to cutting carbon emissions.

"The destination is clear. I've made it very clear that we are moving towards net-zero," Mr Morrison said during his UK visit for the G7 Summit on June 13.

The junior partner in the Coalition Government says that is not yet an official policy.

"We have not committed to net-zero by 2050. That would require the agreement of the Nationals. That agreement has not been reached or sought," Resources Minister Keith Pitt said.

Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton, Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg depart the House of Representatives after the Treasurer handed down the Budget. Picture: Alex Ellinghausen

Private talk about leadership spills often evaporates in public, but in Canberra's killing season you never say never.

In the final sitting week before the long winter break Labor wants to keep the focus on the vaccine rollout and quarantine.

"The Liberal and National Government have failed to deal with the two big tasks they had this year," Mr Albanese said.

While the Government embraces an economy running red hot.

"The Australian economy is roaring back," Mr Frydenberg said.

And Monday will tell if the National Party roars or whimpers.