Coronavirus Australia PM Albanese Tests Positive for Covid-19, Delays Energy Price Talks

The national cabinet was expected to meet on Wednesday to forge a consensus between states and Canberra on reducing energy prices, which have risen since the Ukraine war
Albanese has developed Covid for the second time. During a federal election campaign in April, he was compelled to spend a week in home quarantine.

The Australian government on Tuesday delayed a key meeting of federal and state leaders called to discuss measures to contain soaring power prices after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tested positive for Covid-19.

The national cabinet was expected to meet on Wednesday, with Albanese looking to forge consensus between the states and Canberra on reducing energy prices, which have risen sharply due to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

This Friday’s meeting, according to Albanese, will now take place virtually.

“What we’re looking at is trying to act before Christmas, which is what we said we would do … there’s no actual delay in anything,” stated Albanese to ABC Radio.

Albanese has said his government is considering price caps on gas and coal, but some states have pushed back as it could hit the revenue they make from royalty payments from coal producers. The states of Queensland and New South Wales have stated they will ask the federal government for compensation for any lost revenue.

About 79% of voters support any move to impose price caps on energy companies, according to a poll conducted for The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper and published on Tuesday.

Albanese said he would work from home though Australia ended its mandatory home quarantine rule in October.

“I encourage anyone who is unwell to test and to take any extra precautions to keep their families and neighbors well,” Declared Albanese in a statement.

From December 12–13, Albanese will visit Papua New Guinea for two days.

The novel coronavirus has infected Albanese twice. He was forced to quarantine at home for one week in April in the middle of a federal election campaign which his Labor party won.

Australian families are struggling with rising living costs, and the Reserve Bank of Australia is expected to increase rates on Tuesday by 25 basis points to 3.10 percent, marking the third consecutive increase after a string of half-point increases.

The opposition Liberal Party pleaded with Albanese to rethink his decision to call off the meeting.

Reference: https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3202193/coronavirus-australia-pm-albanese-tests-positive-covid-19-delays-energy-price-talks?module=perpetual_scroll_0&pgtype=article&campaign=3202193