Ease-y does it

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

Victorians will today no longer be required to wear masks in public — as long as physical distancing can be maintained — with chief health officer Brett Sutton announcing he is “confident” the state has no community transmission.

The ABC reports that the visitor caps have been lifted to 15 for homes, 50 for small hospitality venues, and 150 for large venues such as cinemas. The state’s “final step” will begin 11:59pm December 13, when homes will be able to have up to 30 visitors.

South Australia also emerged from its short-lived lockdown yesterday, while The Guardian reports that, considering both states’ experience with hotel quarantine, SA Labor Leader Peter Malinauskas has called for an end for quarantine systems as they stand.

Malinauskas has instead suggested in a Facebook post they could be replaced with purpose-built facilities outside CBDs staffed with non-casual workforces.

PS: The ABC reports that SA police have also seized mobile devices from an infected medi-hotel worker who — after originally telling contact tracers he only ordered a pizza from Woodville Pizza Bar instead of working at the shop as well — helped set in motion the harsh lockdown.

In news that does not exactly invite vulnerable workers coming forward in the future, news.com.au reported on Saturday that the worker’s visa status could also be impacted by the police investigation.

WAR CRIMES FALLOUT

Australia’s Chief of Army Rick Burr has told The Sydney Morning Herald he felt “sick” hearing how senior special forces soldiers pressured juniors to execute prisoners, but maintains he and other high-ranking officials were blind to the alleged war crimes happening under their watch.

The Guardian also notes that the Chief of the Australian Defence Force Angus Campbell says he accepts senior commanders and officers bear some of the responsibility for the handling of the alleged war crimes, after former and service soldiers expressed their frustration about how the Brereton report fails to sanction higher-level officials.

QUIT WHILE YOU'RE BEHIND

According to the ABC, WA Opposition Leader Liza Harvey has stepped down ahead of the March 13 state election for what she describes as an opportunity to reset the party’s election campaign.

Harvey also noted that the pandemic has made it hard for the WA Liberals’ message to cut through — polling suggests WA Premier Mark McGowan is set for a landslide off the back of successful COVID-19 strategies, to the point WA Labor is running a presidential-style election campaign — while both health spokesman Zak Kirkup and shadow treasurer Dean Nalder will nominate for the leadership vacancy.

MOMENT OF TRUTH: CRUCIAL GOP SENATOR QUARANTINING

According to NBC News, Republican Senator for Georgia, Kelly Loeffler, is quarantining after receiving inconclusive COVID-19 test results following multiple campaign appearances with Mike Pence and other officials throughout the week.

Loeffler, who was investigated for insider trading earlier this year by the Senate Ethics Committee after selling stocks linked to private COVID-19 briefings, will contest a run-off election in January that will determine which party controls the US Senate.

The news comes after Donald Trump Jr tested positive over the weekend, and, as The New Daily reports, as millions of American prepare to travel for Thanksgiving despite the country hitting a record daily caseload of 196,815 on Friday.