20:55
Novak Djokovic could face a fine or even prison in Serbia after his admission that he broke isolation while he had Covid last month, lawyers have said, as the Serbian prime minister warned his behaviour appeared to be “a clear breach” of the rules.
The 34-year-old Belgrade-born tennis player is chasing a record-breaking 21st grand slam victory at the Australian Open beginning on Monday, but could yet be deported by the government which is unhappy with his medical exemption from inoculation.
Djokovic on Wednesday acknowledged that he knew he had tested positive when he attended a newspaper interview and photoshoot in the Serbian capital on 18 December, saying in a statement on social media he had made an “error of judgment”.
You can read the full report from Jon Henley and Milivoje Pantovic below:
20:44
20:43
NSW minister admits RAT fines ‘almost impossible’ to enforce
New South Wales residents have rushed to post positive results from rapid antigen tests since the start of the year, as the state government admits it will be “almost impossible” to apply fines for non-compliance, reports AAP’s Jack Gramenz.
By Thursday morning, more than 78,000 people had uploaded positive results from tests taken since January 1, customer service and digital minister Victor Dominello said.
This is a jump of about 25,000 from the 53,000 results posted by Wednesday afternoon.
The reporting system for positive RAT results went live on Wednesday morning and while the requirement only became mandatory on the day, NSW residents have been asked to add tests taken since the start of the year.
From January 19, the government will begin imposing a $1000 fine on anyone who does not report their positive RAT result.
Dominello admitted to the Nine Network that will be very difficult to do but the government had to send a message that reporting a positive result was important.
It’s almost going to be impossible in many ways to enforce…
But the majority of the states and territories in the country have gone down the path of issuing a fine or putting a fine in place – Tasmania, South Australia, Northern Territory, ACT – and some have chosen the other path of just saying please do it.
Dominello said registering a test result was mainly about connecting infected people with any health care need they might need or federal government financial assistance.
The number of Covid-19 cases in NSW is expected to spike as the government begins adding RAT results to standard PCR test results.
NSW Health will provide an update on infection numbers at 9am on Thursday.
Updated
20:33
Hash Tayeh has been back behind the counter at the burger chain he founded, Burgertory, for the first time in three years as he struggles to keep the business going in the face of the Omicron wave.
He has been doing night shifts at his outlet on Chapel Street in Melbourne, a fashionable shopping and entertainment strip which local traders say has been overwhelmed by Covid-related staff shortages.
The pandemic taught him to “just never get too comfortable and always be humble,” he said.
“So I was helping them take orders, take out the rubbish, mop the floors, do the dishes – wherever they needed me.”
Two hundred and sixty of Burgertory’s 400 staff have had Covid.
You can read the full report below:
20:25
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