The Mike Hosking Breakfast

A coronavirus cluster at a southwestern Sydney pub has been genomically linked back to Melbourne cases.

The Crossroads Hotel outbreak in Casula grew to at least 30 cases on Tuesday, and testing by NSW Health revealed a Blue Mountains resident who dined at the venue on July 3 is linked to the Victorian outbreak – five days before the border between the two states closed.
NSW Health confirmed 22 new cases of coronavirus on Tuesday, including nine additional cases in the Crossroads cluster.
More cases are emerging as a Sydney pizza restaurant customer and a Woolworths staff member in Bowral have tested positive.
Mancini’s Original Woodfired Pizza in Belfield will close for three days after the man visited for dinner on July 10, the restaurant wrote on Facebook.
“NSW Health has advised us that we are low risk as the customer was in the restaurant for an hour and stayed within his group,” it said.

"We have given NSW Health our contacts for the night and they have all been notified and told to watch for symptoms including our staff.

“We are choosing to close the doors for 3 days from tomorrow and have the restaurant professionally deep cleaned.”
In a statement provided to news.com.au, a Woolworths spokesman said: “We have been notified that a team member at our Bowral store has tested positive for the coronavirus.
“We’re making contact with our Bowral team members and will provide our full support to those required to self-isolate in line with advice from the health authorities.
“As a food retailer, we already have very high standards of cleaning and hygiene in place. As an extra precautionary measure, the store has been closed overnight for an additional deep clean.”
It comes as Woolworths confirmed a staff member from the Bowral store in the NSW Southern Highlands, 110km southwest of Sydney, tested positive for the virus.

Posts on social media suggest staff were alerted at approximately 7.30pm on Tuesday night and an announcement was made within the store for all customers to leave.

Staff have been notified and Woolworths is offering full support to those required to self isolate.
“While the risk of transmission to customers and team members is low, the safety and wellbeing of the local community is our priority,” the spokesman said.
“Customers and team members should be assured they can continue to safely shop and work at our Bowral supermarket.
“Any customers who shopped in our Bowral store on 12 July and feel unwell in the next two weeks should make contact with NSW Health.”
However, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Tuesday night she was not intending to implement another citywide lockdown.
“Every time we have another outbreak, we can’t afford to lock down, reopen, lock down, reopen,” she told the ABC. “That’s no way to live or to be able to instil confidence to businesses to keep employing people.”

Jeffrey Epstein’s former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, will remain behind bars until trial after she was denied bail Tuesday as a risk to flee rather than face charges she recruited girls for the financier to sexually abuse more than two decades ago.
Two Epstein accusers implored the judge to keep the British socialite detained after she pleaded not guilty to the charges during a video court hearing in Manhattan.
U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan said even the most restrictive form of release would be insufficient to ensure Maxwell would not flee, particularly now that she has seen the strength of the evidence and realizes that she could face up to 35 years in prison if she is convicted.
As the judge explained her reasoning for denying bail, Maxwell dropped her head repeatedly, appearing dejected. At one point, she appeared to wipe a tear from underneath one eye.
Maxwell, 58, has been held without bail since her July 2 arrest at her million-dollar New Hampshire estate, where prosecutors say she refused to open the door for FBI agents, who busted through to find that she had retreated to an interior room. Her lawyer, Mark S. Cohen, told the judge that Maxwell was in her pajamas and had been told that security protocol called for her to retreat to her room if there was any disturbance outside her doors.
The judge rejected Cohen's claim that Maxwell was hiding from the public and the media rather than investigators when she purchased a $1 million mansion late last year.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Moe said Maxwell posed as a journalist, “Jen Marshall" under another name when she bought the New Hampshire estate.
Maxwell was charged with recruiting at least three girls, one as young as 14, for Epstein to abuse between 1994 and 1997.
As part of the government's presentation, Moe read aloud a statement by one female accuser while another, Annie Farmer, gave a very short statement by phone asking the court to detain Maxwell. Farmer said Maxwell was a “sexual predator who groomed and abused me.” She said Maxwell “lied under oath and tormented her survivors.”
An indictment alleged that she helped groom the victims to endure sexual abuse and was sometimes there when Epstein abused them. It also alleged that she lied during a 2016 deposition in a civil case stemming from Epstein’s abuse of girls and women.
Epstein killed himself in August 2019, several weeks after he was also confronted by two accusers at a bail hearing who insisted that he should remain in jail while awaiting sex trafficking charges that alleged he abused girls at his Manhattan and Florida mansions in the early 2000s.
In court papers, Maxwell’s lawyers argued that Epstein’s death left the media “wrongly trying to substitute her for Epstein — even though she’d had no contact with Epstein for more than a decade, had never been charged with a crime or been found liable in any civil litigation, and has always denied any allegations of claimed misconduct.”
Prosecutors said in court that Maxwell was a flight risk because of her “undisclosed wealth” and “extensive international ties” that could put her out of the reach of extradition.
“She has the ability to live off the grid indefinitely,” Moe said, citing Maxwell's access to millions of dollars and the scant information about her finances provided by her lawyers.
Maxwell’s lawyers pushed to have her released on $5 million bail. They said she “vigorously denies the charges, intends to fight them, and is entitled to the presumption of innocence.”
The judge set a trial date for July 2021.
Afterward, some accusers praised the decision to keep Maxwell detained.
In a statement, Virginia Roberts Giuffre said she was “thrilled."
“Without Ghislaine, Jeffrey Epstein would not have been able to fulfill his sick desires," Giuffre said. “Ghislaine preyed on me when I was a child. As with every other of her and Jeffrey Epstein’s victims, I...

The notion of a Labour Greens government fills my heart with fear. For all their mischief and duplicity, I’m grateful that New Zealand First has been in a position to ankle-tap and obliterate some of their more odious polices, whether it be CGT or the EVs rebate.
The dilemma some centre-right voters will have to face, is whether they keep the faith with the National Party given its most uncustomary turmoil – or do they swing their wagons behind Winston, to torpedo the gross excesses of a full-throated left wing agenda. Some may simply choose to reward ACT for remaining focused and creative.
History favours this government not being rolled in September. We haven’t chucked out a one term government since 1975.  
But Judith Collins gives National new hope. She has an established brand. She has steel, she has spark, she has the smirk. But she’s only got ten weeks to make a fist of it.
Is she in it to win it? Of course.  But it’s a formidable challenge. Collins has to galvanise the party base and its factions. The squishy Labour light crowd and the right wing rump. She has to galvanise middle New Zealand and rip apart the warm and fuzzy culture of complacency that has proliferated under Ardern’s silvery spell. Can she cut Jacinda’s lunch?
Well Collins certainly won’t suffer from stage fright. But National now needs to make all the running and grab the election agenda by the scruff of its neck. I wouldn’t write Collins off. It’s been a year of surprise turns and shocks. The inconceivable is the new normal.   
But as election day nears, I see suspect a chunk of centre-right voters will forensically examine the polls, to ensure National is well into the 40s.  If they’re not, and those voters don’t hold confidence that National can viably muster the numbers, will they still vote for the party they believe in, or will they vote tactically for NZ First, simply to blunt the left wing excess?

Former National Party cabinet Minister Chris Finlayson denies it's a case of third time lucky for Judith Collins.
He says she isn't an emergency leader for the National Party.
Finlayson told Mike Yardley she has a lot of experience in Government and in the areas of justice and economics.
"I think people appreciate her feisty spirit and her determination to do the very best for New Zealand.”
Finlayson is confident Judith Collins can lead National back into contention.
"There are some real debates of substance to be had, and Judith is the person who can lead those debates.
"This is an extremely important election for our country."
Finlayson says someone needs to hold this Government to account, particularly on where the money's coming from, and how we're going to deal with this sea of debt post covid-19.
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An MP who competed against Judith Collins for the leadership of the National Party is throwing his support behind his new leader and says it's onward and upward.
Judith Collins has been voted in as National Party leader to replace Todd Muller, who quit unexpectedly yesterday.
National MP Mark Mitchell also put his name in the hat and was grateful for the support he received.
He told Mike Yardley he enjoyed the process and MPs had a robust debate.
Mitchell says the party emerged with Collins as a new leader.
Yesterday was a bruising day for the party, in which Todd Muller quit as leader at 7.30am, MPs made their way to Wellington for an emergency caucus meeting, and Collins emerged victorious as the leader after the contested leadership race against Mark Mitchell.
Mitchell told Newstalk ZB he was "100 per cent" behind Collins. He did not know the voting numbers, but said there was a new voting process. "What happens in caucus stays in caucus."
"Unification now is extremely important and I know Judith understands that clearly and the caucus does as well."
National MPs took two hours late last night to decide Collins should be their new leader, with Gerry Brownlee elected as her deputy. Nikki Kaye, who was Muller's deputy, did not seek re-election for the position.
Listen to the audio above as Mark Mitchell and Stuart Nash speak to Mike Yardley

Gerry Brownlee says his and Judith Collins' experience will come in handy.
He's now the deputy leader of the National Party and Collins is the leader.
Brownlee told Mike Yardley there's something to be said for longevity and for having been there before.
He says nothing is the same, and everything is before them.
Brownlee says New Zealand is facing unprecedented, economically damaging times but experience with the GFC and other financial crises can be drawn on.
National MPs took two hours late last night to decide Collins should be their new leader, with Gerry Brownlee elected as her deputy. Nikki Kaye, who was Muller's deputy, did not seek re-election for the position.
Brownlee says that Muller's resignation had come as a "shock for us".
"The circumstances aren't all that good but getting a bit of stability into the place was absolutely necessary and that's what my colleagues thought this would do."
When asked what he brought to the new leadership team, he said there was a gender balance with he and Collins and representation for the North and South islands.
New Zealand was facing uncertain times and he rejected the suggestion National could not win the election. "No one goes into any election looking to lose well.
"We'll be going for as much party vote as we can possibly get," he said.
Brownlee also dismissed the reliability of polls, drawing on the shock results in recent elections in Australia and the UK.
Muller called it quits in a shock announcement at 7.30am yesterday, just 53 days in the job after rolling Bridges in a coup. Ten weeks out from the election, he cited the toll the job had taken on his health.
Even MPs close to Muller were blindsided by the development, saying they had not realised he was struggling to that extent.
Shell-shocked MPs rushed back to Wellington's corridors of power from far corners of the country for their 7pm meeting to vote on who should be their new leader.
Muller's exit left the caucus to elect its fourth leader in three years - and to try to rebuild yet again.

New National Party leader Judith Collins is already targeting Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern - and ensuring she won't get away with any "nonsense" - but one of her first priorities last night was to take stock after one of the most extraordinary days in New Zealand politics.
"I think it might be time for a drink," said Collins, as she concluded her first press conference as National leader, a few seconds before 10pm on Tuesday.
It ended a bruising day for the party, in which Todd Muller quit as leader at 7.30am, MPs made their way to Wellington for an emergency caucus meeting, and Collins emerged victorious as the leader after the contested leadership race against Mark Mitchell.
National MPs took two hours late last night to decide she should be their new leader, with Gerry Brownlee elected as her deputy.

It was the "third time lucky", said Collins - this was her third run at the leadership.
The National Party hasn't had a female leader for 19 years, with Collins the second woman to have the job after Jenny Shipley.
Collins told Newstalk ZB's Mike Yardley today that she was feeling "very hopeful".
"We will do our very best - we didn't see it coming. I'm still getting over the excitement of it all."
She said she had not spoken to Muller since his announcement but added: "I have heard from one of his close friends that he and his wife were delighted with the results yesterday."
Collins last night said she would unite her caucus after their second leadership change in less than two months.
"I think it's really important we all have a common goal and the common goal is to get rid of the current government and put in place a far better government focused on the people of this country," she said at a press conference and standing in front of her caucus.
About her taking on Ardern as her adversary, Collins said she'd always respected the Prime Minister and thought her party had underestimated her for years.

It was all smiles last night as Gerry Brownlee and Judith Collins became the new National Party leadership team. Photo / Mark Mitchell
"I think it's important to give credit where it's due.
"But at the same time there is no chance at all that I'm going to let Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern get away with any nonsense when it comes to the economy and doing her job.
"We will hold her to account."
Asked what she had over Ardern, she said: "Experience, toughness and the ability to make tough decisions".
When asked if she could shake the nickname "Crusher", she said: "I am hoping that the National Party will collectively crush the other lot, come September 19."
She said she never worried about what happened in the past. "We're just going to have the most fun as we take back the country."
She added: "We're a serious party, with serious policies."
Collins confirmed this morning that Paula Bennett was sticking with her decision to leave politics. She had yet to talk to Amy Adams, who had planned to leave politics but changed her mind when Muller became leader. Collins said she got on well with Adams.
Collins told Newstalk ZB she was not planning a major reshuffle of MPs' portfolios, other than assigning the roles she and Brownlee held. "We don't need a big reshuffle, we just need to accommodate the changes."
Asked if Simon Bridges would continue with the foreign affairs role she said she did not see why not. She expected Bridges would be "more occupied" with the leadership change.
"I don't think there's a great need for any massive change," adding there was no need for any overhaul of policies.
She would be reassessing the upcoming infrastructure speech as she sat down to examine her diary. The gangs were still a focus of the National agenda.
"We have a country that is about to go through very difficult economic times and people need to have a feeling of certainty that things are going to get better...

Amid pervasive backsliding on social distancing, Britain has made masks mandatory in shops and France is weighing whether to require people to wear them in public places.
Scientists say the two countries' governments should have done so ever since they started easing lockdowns — like many other European nations did – instead of exposing their populations to the risk of infections from mass dance parties and summer vacationers who think there’s no longer anything to worry about.
Whether to make masks mandatory isn't just a matter of debate in the United States, where infection rates are still climbing fast.
After weeks of prevarication and days of confused messaging, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government said Monday that masks will be required in stores starting July 24.
Johnson’s office said “growing evidence that wearing a face covering in an enclosed space helps protect individuals and those around them from coronavirus.” Those who flout the law can be fined up to 100 pounds ($125) by the police.
Critics had accused Johnson’s government of failing to provide clarity on mask-wearing in the days since he began backtracking on its previous advice that suggested face covers were not necessary. After the prime minister then was photographed wearing one in a shop, government ministers appeared on TV urging personal choice in the mask issue.
Meanwhile, France’s government said Monday it's considering requiring masks in all indoor public places amid signs of a small rise in confirmed virus cases – and a big drop in public vigilance. French scientists have pushed for such a requirement in recent days as families crisscross the country for summer vacations, but the government has remained cautious.
Local mayors have already started requiring masks, notably in the Mediterranean city of Nice, where images of thousands of people dancing at an outdoor DJ performance this weekend provoked nationwide concern.
Elsewhere in Europe, where the virus curve largely flattened out months ago, most governments made masks mandatory as soon as they started reopening their economies, requiring their use in shops and other indoor public spaces and on public transportation. Some nations have imposed mask requirements as new outbreaks emerged in recent days or weeks.
Britain and France, which have reported some of the world's highest numbers of coronavirus cases and deaths, had taken a more relaxed attitude, recommending masks but not requiring them.
At least until now.
“As the virus comes down in incidence and we have more and more success, I think face coverings are a kind of extra insurance we can all use to stop it coming back and stop it getting out of control again,’’ Johnson said. “To be absolutely clear, I do think that face coverings do have a real value in confined spaces and I do think the public understands that.”
Mask requirements could help the government get the country back on track from the severe downturn — in March and April alone, the U.K. economy shrank 25%. Many economists think unemployment could more than double to over 3 million this year, levels last seen in the 1980s.
Speaking with reporters during a visit to the London Ambulance Service, Johnson said people “should start to think about getting back to work” if their employers have made their workplaces safe against the coronavirus.
In France, restaurants, schools and many businesses reopened weeks ago. While mask use and social distancing were relatively widespread during the country's strict home confinement period and initially after it ended, many French people have since returned to the old normal — forgoing masks, resuming cheek-kissing and gathering in crowded cafes.
While scientists were divided on mask use early in the pandemic, new knowledge about the virus has changed that.
“A number of new studies and systematic reviews have persuaded most researchers and public health...

The World Health Organisation has unveiled its first ever 'digital health worker' using artificial intelligence.
She's been created by Kiwi company Soul Machines, which makes artificially intelligent avatars who can read emotions and answer customer queries.
Florence has been created to interact with people online and dispel myths around covid-19 and tobacco.
Soul Machines cofounder Greg Cross joined Mike Yardley to talk about the business and working on such a high profile project.
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The World Health Organization's chief on Monday slammed some government leaders for eroding public trust by sending mixed messages on the coronavirus and warned that their failures to stop their countries' spiralling outbreaks mean there would be no return to normal "for the foreseeable future."
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus did not call out specific politicians for criticism but said "too many countries are headed in the wrong direction" with the pandemic and some were not taking the proper steps to curb infections.
At the same time, Tedros acknowledged how difficult it was for governments to respond effectively, given the economic, social and cultural consequences of imposing restrictions.
"The virus remains public enemy No. 1, but the actions of many governments and people do not reflect this," he said.
The director-general's remarks to reporters in Geneva came a day after WHO reported yet another worldwide record of more than 230,000 confirmed cases in 24 hours. Ten countries accounted for 80% of the daily tally reported Sunday, and more than half of the new confirmed cases came from the United States and Brazil alone.
The U.N. health agency said government and individual responses should depend on local conditions - namely, whether there is widespread community spread of the virus.
Take schools: Many countries have reopened classrooms as their daily case counts fell, but some nations are playing "political football" by calling for schools to reopen without having broader control measures in place such as keeping shops closed or limiting public gatherings, WHO said.
"Mixed messages from leaders are undermining the most critical ingredient of any response: trust," Tedros said Monday, adding that governments should communicate clearer public health messages and individuals should maintain social distancing, mask-wearing, hand-washing and staying home when they have COVID-19 symptoms.
As the U.K. emerges from a nationwide lockdown, government leaders were chastised in recent days for giving inconsistent statements on the merits of wearing face masks inside public place, among other issues.
The British government decided Monday to require people to wear face coverings in shops, joining a long list of countries that have made masks mandatory under some circumstances. After weeks of prevarication and days of confused messaging, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government said that masks will be required in stores starting July 24.
Without applying basic outbreak-control methods, "there is only one way this pandemic is going to go," WHO chief Tedros cautioned.
"It's going to get worse and worse and worse," he said, continuing with a blunt warning. "There will be no return to the old normal for the foreseeable future."
Still, WHO pointed to a sign of hope in countries that had experienced massive outbreaks and death tolls and managed to get the virus under control.
Leaders in countries like the United States, Brazil and India that are still facing large outbreaks have variously rejected or played down advice or recommendations from scientific experts, advisers in government and their political allies to take tougher action.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has frequently questioned the utility of lockdown measures and largely shunned masks.
Amid a debate in places like the United States about whether schools can reopen, the WHO's emergencies chief said any such decisions require a broader outlook that takes into account how workplaces or long-term care facilities operate, too.
"We can't turn schools into yet another political football in this game. It's not fair on our children," Ryan said. "We have to make decisions that are based on the best interests of our children, be it their educational or their health interests."
U.S. President Donald Trump has pressured school districts in America to reopen this fall, threatening to...