There is a tiny bit of a lull today, so if you still have questions on the latest coronavirus situation, send them through to me on Twitter, and I will do my best to answer them. Some more stand-downs announced this morning – Aquis Entertainment, the operator of the Canberra casino, stood down 212 people and Redhill Education, which offers vocational and English classes, stood down 235 people. It comes as the shutdown of vast sectors of the economy – hospitality, entertainment and retail – starts to bleed into the finance industry. The second-tier bank Bank of Queensland became the first bank to withdraw its profit guidance because of the coronavirus. Insurance businesses are also taking a heavy hit due to the sharemarket losing about a third of its value over the past month. Challenger, which offers life insurance and annuity products, said it had dumped shares, reducing them from 13% of the assets backing its life products to just 5%. Investors who have pumped $345m into high-interest notes issued by Challenger also got a nasty shock – the company won’t be repurchasing them, as it usually does, and they will instead be converted into ordinary shares. Insurer QBE withdrew its profit forecasts. IAG said it was maintaining its profit forecasts but flagged a $100m loss in its investment portfolio since the end of the year, most of which took place in March. On that enforcement, AAP reports that NSW police have already had to arrest someone for repeatedly ignoring the restrictions: A man who recently returned to Australia from overseas is behind bars after NSW police stopped him from going outside for a third time in two days. The 30-year-old man, who landed at Sydney International Airport after flying home from Jordan on March 18, was ordered to self-quarantine at his Edensor Park home for 14 days in case he had the coronavirus. But he allegedly went out to Pagewood about 1.20am on Saturday March 28, was given a $1000 on-the-spot fine and ordered to return home. Then at 10pm on Saturday night he arrested on Pitt St in the CBD, charged with disobeying a ministerial direction under the Public Health Act and granted bail to appear in court in May. But because of his alleged failure to self-isolate at his Edensor Park home, a public health order was made directing him to do so at a serviced apartment at Camperdown. He was arrested again after he allegedly tried to leave the flat on Sunday. The man was due to face Central Local Court on Monday after being refused bail on charges of not complying with a public health order, not complying with a ministerial direction under the public health act and breaching bail. In these extraordinary times, the Guardian’s editorial independence has never been more important. Because no one sets our agenda, or edits our editor, we can keep delivering quality, trustworthy, fact-checked journalism each and every day. Free from commercial or political bias, we can report fearlessly on world events and challenge those in power. Your support protects the Guardian’s independence. We believe every one of us deserves equal access to accurate news and calm explanation. No matter how unpredictable the future feels, we will remain with you, delivering high quality news so we can all make critical decisions about our lives, health and security – based on fact, not fiction. Support the Guardian from as little as $1 – and it only takes a minute. Thank you. Make a contribution - The Guardian So far New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania have said they will enforce the new restrictions. The NT recommends them, but won’t enforce the smaller gatherings. Queensland will also stick to a limit of 10 (at the moment). Again, just because there still seems to be some confusion, the new restrictions, coming into place at midnight tonight, include: Indoor and Outdoor Public gatherings National Cabinet agreed to limit both indoor and outdoor gatherings to two persons only. Exceptions to this limit include: People of the same household going out together; Funerals – a maximum of 10 people; Wedding – a maximum of 5 people; Family units. Individual states and territories may choose to mandate and/or enforce this requirement. National Cabinet’s strong guidance to all Australians is to stay home unless for: shopping for what you need – food and necessary supplies; medical or health care needs, including compassionate requirements; exercise in compliance with the public gathering requirements; work and study if you can’t work or learn remotely. National Cabinet agreed that playgrounds, skate parks and outside gyms in public places will be closed. Bootcamps will be reduced to two persons, including the trainer. Passengers on Ocean Atlantic send video plea to Scott Morrison Passengers onboard the Ocean Atlantic have begged Scott Morrison to help bring them home via a YouTube video. The passengers, who include about 150 Australians, embarked on what was supposed to be an Antarctic cruise in February/early March. They are now stuck in South America. They say they are healthy but they have no affordable way home. Queensland will also be issuing on-the-spot fines for people who ignore the social distancing rules. As AAP reports: In Queensland thus far, no more than 10 people – other than residents – will be allowed inside a home at any one time, with homeowners and occupants now obliged to ensure they and visitors practice social distancing as much as possible. Queensland Police now have powers to issue infringement notices for breaches of quarantine directions of up to $13,345 for individuals and $66,672 for businesses. All passengers arriving on international flights in Queensland, who are returning home or passing through, will be held in local hotels for 14 days, under new quarantine measures that came into effect at midnight on Saturday. Officers can also issue on-the-spot fines of $1,334 for individuals and $6,672 for businesses that fail to abide by state health directions. The Nationals MP Pat Conaghan says it is time to dock federal MPs’ pay as the coronavirus crisis continues. From AAP: Federal politicians are facing calls from within their own ranks to take a pay cut during the coronavirus-fuelled economic storm. Nationals MP Pat Conaghan has backed Pauline Hanson’s proposal to dock federal representatives’ wages in solidarity with people joining dole queues around the country. “I think it’s inevitable,” Mr Conaghan told Triple M Coffs Coast on Monday. “I’m quite happy to do that.” The base annual salary for federal backbenchers is more than $210,000, while cabinet ministers rake in around $360,000. Mr Conaghan wants pay cuts for all public servants earning more than $120,000 a year. “If you’re a magistrate, if you’re a judge, if you’re a senior bureaucrat, then I think the writing’s on the wall. It would be the right thing to do,” he said. The Morrison government has requested a pay freeze for politicians, judges and senior public servants. Mr Conaghan said well-paid professional athletes were taking a pay cut at a time when he was inundated with constituents losing their jobs. “In my view, it would only be the right thing to do to take that pay cut,” he said. Updated at 1.01am BST FacebookTwitter 1h ago 00:21 Patrick Lum A Sydney startup has announced overnight that it has developed an online diagnosis tool to help physicians scanning for Covid-19. The University of Sydney spinoff DetectED-X, initially aimed at breast cancer screenings, has refocused its efforts on a training platform named CovED which is to be provided for free worldwide to any clinician who wants to sign up. The tool aims to train physicians to accurately diagnose CT (computerised topology or x-rays) lung scans of patients at the early stages of the disease. The task is usually undertaken by radiologists but the amount of cases is likely to overwhelm the limited numbers of specialists, especially in developing countries. “Our platform does not replace expert medical and radiologic training, but CovED provides an effective way to recognise rapidly the appearances of COVID-19, which could be critical in a situation of too many patients and not enough expert radiologists,” said the DetectED-X chief executive, Prof Patrick Brennan of the University of Sydney. Jim Chalmers says Labor supports what it has seen of the temporary foreign investment changes: Labor notes the announcement that the Foreign Investment Review Board will, for the time being, scrutinise all bids by foreign investors looking to take over Australian businesses. This sounds like a sensible step in uncertain times. We support it in principle and look forward to any further details. ABC health expert Norman Swan to be tested for Covid-19 after showing symptoms The ABC is reporting its health expert, Norman Swan, will be tested for Covid-19 after showing symptoms. He is going into self-isolation. Those changes to the income test don’t have to go through parliament. Before parliament broke, the regulations were changed to give the government/minister the power to make the changes. The government has said it is looking at raising the partner income test to about $70,000 but we are still waiting on the confirmation. The government is still looking at changing the partner income test to allow more people to access the Covid-19 Centrelink payments. But Linda Burney says it is not happening quick enough: Through the JobSeeker Payment, Australians are also eligible for the Coronavirus Supplement, Rent Assistance, the Energy Supplement and other support depending on their circumstances. However, if their partner earns an annual income of $48,000, the couple loses access to this social security. Even if one person has lost their job. EXAMPLE A – one person loses job Partner 1: loses job which paid $50,000 per year and has no income Partner 2: keeps job earns $49,000 per year *This couple family will not receive any assistance because of the partner income test. Despite losing most of their income. They will need to rely on the remaining income of $49,000. EXAMPLE B – both people on JobSeeker Payment Partner 1: loses job and has no income Partner 2: loses job and has no income *This couple family will receive an annualised figure of $55,161 in JobSeeker Payment for the next six months. Plus Rent Assistance of $3,380 per year. And Energy Supplement of $410.80 per year. In total, annualised secial security payment of $58,951. Labor has called for the government to urgently adjust the partner income test.