The head of Australia’s Covid-19 task force has revealed a bold new plan to ensure employees at major private sector companies are vaccinated.

Big banks, mining companies and other private businesses will all be asked to ensure their employees are fully vaccinated against the virus.

Lieutenant General John Frewen told The Age “it’s not about ripping it apart and rebuilding it, it’s about optimising it to make it go faster”.

It comes as a large proportion of Australian’s wake up under tough lockdown restrictions today in the wake of the highly-infectious Delta variant spreading through the community.

Five months into the country’s vaccination rollout program, only 7.5 million residents have received one dose – and only 1.47 million people are fully vaccinated.

The Australian government has been slammed for lagging behind so many other developed nations.

The Lieutenant-General was brought in by the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison three weeks ago to ramp up the vaccine rollout.

He says the private sector will now be brought on board when it comes to administering the Covid jabs.

Millions in lockdown as vaccine debate heats up

Professor Gigi Foster produced a draft cost-benefit analysis for the Victorian Parliament when it comes to lockdowns.

Essentially, the reported analysed the costs of locking down against the projected benefits.

Foster says the argument of trying to balance the economy on one side, and saving lives on the other is all wrong.

She points to the human condition, or happiness, as a cost that should count in the decision-making.

Other costs include long-term impacts to education disruption at all levels, lost businesses, and increased inequality.

So why is the view of an economist so far from where our politicians appear to sit?

Australia makes overnight changes to its COVID-19 vaccination program

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says anyone under the age of 40 can now approach their General Practitioner and request the AstraZeneca vaccine.

It comes after the country’s health authorities suspended the use of AstraZeneca for people under the age of 60.

The Federal Government will also introduce mandatory jabs for aged care workers, and post-quarantine testing.

Australia currently ranks last in the OECD, with under 5 percent of its population fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

It follows the Federal Government’s Intergenerational Report considering the impacts of ongoing lockdowns and closed borders on the nation’s economy.

Australia’s Shadow Treasurer says more needs to be done on the vaccine front, to secure the nation’s future.

Another state in lockdown

Brisbane has become the fourth Australian city ordered into lockdown after two new locally-acquired cases were detected overnight.

South East Queensland, Townsville, Palm Island and Magnetic Island will enter a three day lockdown from 6PM AEST tonight to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Queensland Health are urging all of the 2,500 Magnetic Island residents to get tested, whether they have symptoms or not.

The risk-sensitive Australian dollar

The Australian Dollar is the worst-performing major currency this quarter.

It follows rising COVID-19 cases of the Delta variant, which has sent the nation’s most populous city, Sydney back into lockdown.

But Australia is not alone. In South Africa, tightening of COVID-19 restrictions is reversing the currency’s market-beating gains made in May to the worst emerging-market performance in June.

Market experts believe the new Delta variant remains a severe problem for much of the world and economic forecasts will need to be revisited.

A range of new restrictions and delays to planned re-openings have forced a re-think of the global reflation, hurting the currencies of nations facing outbreaks, and the revival in global trade.