Melbourne fitness facilities have been labelled as ‘high-risk environments” by the Chief Health Officer, with the peak industry body disputing the ‘ludicrous’ claims.
The Australian state of Victoria is emerging from its fourth lockdown, but heavy restrictions still remain for many ‘devastated’ sectors.
The Federal Government will no longer declare the state’s capital as a coronavirus hotspot, however this means an end to COVID-19 disaster payments for most people.
Lockdown restrictions eased in Melbourne at 11.59pm on Thursday 10th June, but heavy restrictions still remain for many businesses in both the metro and regional areas of the state.
“We are not making a sacrifice, we are more a sacrificial lamb”
Gyms in Melbourne will be closed for at least another week, a decision one owner has described as “the laughing stock of Australia”
The government has lifted restrictions for cafes, restaurants and retail to reopen from Thursday but fitness facilities will have their doors shut, for at least another week.
This comes as Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton described these venues as “high-risk environments”.
Professor Sutton said overseas research indicated gyms were places that had “significant opportunity to spread” infections.
“I am asking gyms to make that sacrifice for a further week,” Professor Sutton said.
The CEO of peak fitness industry body, Fitness Australia, disputes the claims made by Sutton.
“Our sector has been making a sacrifice for 18 months. We are not making a sacrifice, we are more a sacrificial lamb,”
CEO of Fitness australia, barrie elvish.
Matt Georgeades owns two Body Fit Training studio’s in Melbourne’s inner west and says Sutton’s claims “are absolutely rubbish”.
In metropolitan Melbourne hospitality, hair, beauty salons and retail are among those permitted to re-open, but gyms, amusement parks, dance studios and nightclubs will remain closed.
Is the government support for closed businesses enough?
A further $8.36 million in funding has been announced to provide an additional $2000 grant to support thousands of businesses that will remain shut.
However, Georgeades says he is wondering “where the funds are going to come from” to continue to support his small business and staff, as well as maintain outgoing expenses with “minimal support from the government”
“Clearly, the Chief Health Officer does not see the importance of people’s mental health.”
Georgeades says he “just wants to know when mental health will be held equally as important as peoples physical health”, as he has seen his members positivity decline as lockdown progressed.
The fitness industry is uniting in a “call to arms”, flooding social media of pictures standing outside empty gyms, in a bid to allow fitness facilities to open as soon as possible.
Trump Tours Palisades Fire Damage, Meets Gov. Newsom to Discuss Recovery Efforts After Criticism of Response.
President Donald Trump arrived at Los Angeles International Airport to assess the damage caused by the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades.
He was welcomed by California Governor Gavin Newsom, and the two exchanged pleasantries before addressing reporters.
Trump expressed appreciation for Newsom’s presence, stating, “We want to get the problem fixed. It’s like you got hit by a bomb.”
Governor Newsom thanked Trump for visiting the affected area and acknowledged the significant impact of the disaster.
He highlighted the need for federal support and emphasized the importance of collaboration for recovery. Newsom recalled Trump’s assistance during the COVID pandemic, expressing his hope for a cooperative effort moving forward.
Both leaders acknowledged the severe situation in Palisades and surrounding areas like Altadena, where residents are in need of help. This meeting aims to foster a partnership to address the aftermath of the wildfires.
Musk’s Air Force One visit highlights Boeing’s struggles with delays and budget issues amid fierce competition from SpaceX.
On December 18, Musk visited Boeing’s military aircraft facility in San Antonio, Texas.
The billionaire, assigned by former US President Donald Trump to reduce government inefficiency, arrived in his Gulfstream G650.
Elon Musk visits the Boeing factory in Texas.
He came to review the new version of Air Force One, which is significantly delayed and facing a budget overrun of $2.7 billion.
This situation has become a significant issue for Boeing’s CEO, Kelly Ortberg.
Musk’s involvement is particularly striking given that his company, SpaceX, competes directly with Boeing in the aerospace sector.
His inspection of the presidential jet highlights the challenges Boeing faces in fulfilling government contracts amidst high expectations and critical scrutiny.
Putin claims Ukraine crisis stems from Trump’s 2020 election loss, expresses readiness for negotiations with the new US president.
Vladimir Putin stated that the Ukraine conflict could have been prevented if Donald Trump had won the 2020 election.
He described the ongoing war as a ‘crisis’ and expressed that the bloodshed in eastern Europe might not have occurred under a Trump presidency. Putin praised Trump as ‘smart and pragmatic’ and indicated his openness to negotiations concerning Ukraine.
Despite this, remarks from Putin’s Foreign Ministry criticized Western arms supply to Ukraine and questioned the legitimacy of the Ukrainian government.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office insisted that any peace talks would require European representation.
Trump had previously claimed he could resolve the war quickly if he had been president. Just after beginning his second presidential term, there have been no signs of an imminent resolution to the conflict.
He recently warned Putin of potential taxes and sanctions if Russia does not agree to peace talks.
Advisers suggested that military aid to Ukraine could be curtailed if Kyiv does not agree to a deal. Trump criticised Zelensky, implying that the Ukrainian leader should have prevented the war.
Political analysts doubt Trump’s ability to end the conflict swiftly, highlighting Russia’s advantageous position in negotiations. However, some in Ukraine remain cautiously optimistic that a Trump presidency could offer a better alternative to the current situation under President Biden.