6 News (15 August 2021) By SIX News Australia

We're really keen to really um sprint. This is a race we're keen to sprint to get those vaccination rates up tonight. Breaking news new south wales, curved case numbers show no sign of slowing down, even as vaccination and testing rates continue to go up, but authorities have continued to reject any suggestion that they were too slow to lock down it's Sunday. The 15th of august you're, watching six news. Also tonight, even if you're vaccinated wearing a mask, don't even think about talking to each other. The world reacts to how Australia's handling the covered situation, some praising us and others, as you saw there, mocking us as Melbourne and the act continued their lockdowns alongside greater Sydney and more major developments out of the Middle East overnight with the Taliban.

Taking one afghan city after another will speak exclusively to an ex-sis soldier who served in Afghanistan to get his perspective good evening. Everyone it's great to be back on another busy night of headlines and breaking news. We do, as we just mentioned, have the latest developments from the Middle East to get to as well as look at a Serbian cave, hermit who's. Encouraging everyone to get the jab, but first tonight, new south wales covert case numbers are showing no sign of slowing down, even as vaccination and testing rates in the state continue to go up and break new records authorities have now tightened restrictions for many parts of greater Sydney following a crisis cabinet meeting, but are continuing to reject any suggestions that they were too slow to lock down in the first place, let alone for enough regions in the state concerning we're also seeing cases pop up in places like western new south wales, the north coast, the hunter and the New England regions, all of which now, under some form of restrictions, port Lincoln homes, begins our special coverage. It's the first full day of a statewide lockdown for new south wales, but the numbers are still not going down.

We're really keen to really um sprint. This is a race we're keen to sprint to get those vaccination rates up just hours after holding a press conference yesterday, it was confirmed that the last remaining areas in the state not under lockdown would enter a stay-at-home order. On Friday afternoon, the state's health minister said that there were no plans to do that, but just 27 hours later, that decision was reversed. It followed the premier's decision to title restrictions for some residents in greater Sydney. What I'm about to say is the absolute fact.

Yesterday, after the press conference, I went upstairs for a briefing with Dr chant. She provided me with additional advice. I shared that advice with the deputy premier, and we then moved to lock down all royal and regional new south wales. To be frank, by yesterday, most of the state was in lockdown already it was just a few local government areas in rural and regional communities and- and please know that in a pandemic, you have to act on the health advice you receive new south wales, police have now launched operations stay at home, which sees 500 extra defense force officers deployed to patrol streets to make sure that people are following the rules. Fines have now been increased for breaches of a number of rules, including 5 000, for breaching home quarantine, lying to a contact tracer or lying on a permit and three thousand dollar fines for breaching the two-person exercise, rule or breaking restrictions around entering regional areas.

If you thought covet, restrictions in this country were getting out of hand. You ain't seen nothing. Yet the world is continuing to react to how authorities in Australia have been handling the situation. Some have been praising us, others mocking us, even if you run into your next door, neighbor in the shopping center. Don't start up a conversation, even if you're vaccinated wearing a mask, don't even think about talking to each other.

Here at home, criticism of Gettysburg Jaclyn is coming from both sides. Some saying that the new south wales premiere hasn't been following the health advice of Dr Kerry Chan, while others say that the advice she is following is too harsh. This tweet from Cumberland's mayor, comparing the tougher restrictions to World War ii, has sparked outrage with it being labeled as incentive by some social media users. The mayor also spoke on Sky News, claiming the state's MPS have abandoned the Australian people. The state government has lost control and completely mucked this up.

That's the realities. Our people are now paying the price for this Lincoln homes.6 news health officials in the ICT have apologized after reports of chaos amid people trying to get tested for covert 19. , the capital territory was sent into lockdown after one new local case, which turned into four by the end of the day, the first time since the national lockdown way back in march 2020 that they had been under those restrictions over 4 000 people have now been identified. As close all casual contacts by health authorities with that number again expected to grow officials have pleaded with the public to give them a break with Canberra and surrounding regions, obviously not used to these types of rules and amount of cases, while regional Victoria's enjoying ease restrictions, metro areas are still under tough rules and are set to stay that way. For many days there is one Melbourne who's, probably enjoying lockdown a north Melbourne man who has just won 18 million dollars in the power ball, that's Victoria's largest ever lottery winner and Australia's third largest, but for millions of other people, their sixth lockdown is undeniably tough and, as the fears of mental health of young people, especially continue to grow, the question has been raised: can Victorians really continue to go in and out of lockdown senior reporter derby travels? Has the latest from Melbourne? Victoria has recorded 25 new locally acquired KOI 19 cases overnight, one of the highest daily amounts for the state throughout all of 2021, of that 21 are linked to known outbreaks, but only 12 were in isolation throughout their entire infectious period.

The department of health says around 23 000 vaccine doses were administered yesterday and just over 32 000 test results were received. The list of exposure sites has continued to grow with suburbs of broad meadows, Carlton, Leroy, Melton, south and Parkville of particular concern to authorities. This chemist warehouse in Richmond was recently added as an exposure site, with its doors locked until workers get the all clear from authorities. Meanwhile, the act has recorded two new cases, bringing the total amount to nine. It also brings the total amount of vaccinations to just under 170.000 comes, as the prime minister announces. An extra million Pfizer doses are coming to Australia from Poland, half of which for new south wales, for the lockdown to work.

The lockdown must work, and I've always been very clear that that is assisted by vaccines, so to suggest that it's a choice between the two is not the case. Nor have I nor the new south wales premier indicated that we know both are important, but most importantly, is that the lockdown has to work back in Victoria and the herald. Sun are reporting that Melbourne's lockdown will again be extended, and tough restrictions will remain throughout September, leading to fears about the AFL grand final not being played at the mcg for the second year in a row, the prime minister says vaccination is the key to beating what he's described as coverts third wave in Australia. Around 50 percent of eligible people in new south wales have now had their first dose with similar numbers in Tasmania and the ICT as well. Scott Morrison says he would welcome a vaccine mandate for truck drivers who travel between states but also says individual states can protect employees of employers rather, who don't mandate the job for staff.

The nine entertainment company has revealed that they have rejected publication of some, but not all ads for Clive Palmer's, united Australia party. The commercials which go after the labor and liberal parties have been seen in the age of the Sydney morning herald and the financial review recently, as well as in news corps, the Australian, the herald, sun and other papers. An iron spokesperson has told umbrella that they have been vocal in supporting health advice and when ads go against vaccine guidance, they have rejected them. They also say individuals in a free society, have the right to purchase clearly labeled political advertising, which questions lockdowns as a policy response, and those views do not reflect knight's position on these issue. These issues, which we have clearly expressed and have no impact on the work of our journalists on social media.

The ads have received mixed feedback. Nowhere near the level of almost unanimous complaints during the 2019 federal election campaign, where, if you recall Palmer's ads, would air on TV and radio for hours if you've forgotten what they were. Just take a look at this 10-second clip from the archives and uh. We do apologize for that. I know some of you would rather forget that commercial, but we just couldn't leave it out.

Meanwhile, though, YouTube comedian and commentator friendly Georges has suffered a setback in the defamation case brought upon him by john Barbara. Now, according to the guardian friendly Georges, whose real name is Jordan, shanks wanted to argue that the claim the new south wales, deputy premier, committed perjury nine times was substantially true, but Justin Stephen Reyes has rejected that argument. Saying shanks cannot impeach or question what Mr basilar said in his evidence to committee. Adding the question then arises whether it is fair that Mr maxillary can still rely on those two imputations, even though Mr shanks has no defense to them that he can rely on in this court. Barbara is suing friendly Georges for his defamation over a series of videos.

This, of course also led to the arrest of shanks producer Christ Lanka in mid-June, which was described by people on all sides of politics. As a major overreach by new south wales police, the suspected Plymouth shooter, who killed five people before turning the gun on himself, has been named as 22-year-old, Jake, Davison Sky News reports, Davidson first killed his mother 56 51-year-old, Maxine Davis and then killed three-year-old Sophie martin and her 43-year-old father lee martin. He then left the property after shooting a further two people who sustained non-life-threatening injuries, went to a park killing 59-year-old, Stephen Washington and 66-year-old, Kate shepherd his rampage lasted just six minutes, it's the worst mass shooting in Britain in over a decade, but authorities have confirmed it was not terror related. Well, it's been over one year since Australian journalist Chiang lie was detained and arrested by Chinese authorities on charges relating to suspicion of illegally supplying state secrets. There have now been renewed pleas for her release.

In a statement, foreign affairs minister, Maurice Payne, says the Australian government remains quote seriously concerned about missing detention and welfare and has regularly raised these issues at senior levels. We expect basic standards of justice, procedural fairness and humane treatment to be met in accordance with international norms. Her thoughts remain with her and her family. During this difficult period, ms Chang worked as an anchor for state owned CGT and an English language news channel last year also saw the remaining two journalists working for Aussie media companies, the AF, the ABC and the Afr evacuated from Beijing over more fears for their safety. Now to that ongoing situation in the Middle East, the Taliban taking more and more cities in Afghanistan leading to concerns that the fighting could plunge the country into civil war like what happened after the Soviet Union withdrew in 1989.

Fighters have now gotten hold of weapons from the U. S. leading to president Joe Biden being heavily criticized for the decision to remove U. S. troops from the region.

This time magazine cover from december 17, 2001, has also gained detention. As you can see there, they were labeling at the last days of the Taliban which, as we all know, it was not now in a moment I'll, be speaking to ex-essays soldier harry Mitford to get his thoughts. But first, let's go to our U. S. correspondent.

Jackson, gospel who's got the latest developments Leo a lot of happening here in the U. S. The big story is Afghanistan. The Taliban have taken over a key afghan city and President Biden is trying to speed up deployments now. We do know around 20 years.

U. S. troops have been there Biden and trump was the former president wanted them out by the anniversary of 9 11. , the second largest and third-largest cities are now Taliban, controlled and Australia, and the US are sending some troops back. The Taliban is reportedly forcing women to wear things to cover their whole body.

The Taliban is claiming they do that through preaching, and the Taliban is now on the outskirts of afghans, capital, Afghanistan's capital rather naval. So this is a big story, a lot of happening over there in Afghanistan and the US is speeding up deployments to assist we're reporting in the U. S. I'm Jackson gospel back to you right. Nearly I caught up with harry moat, who spent 30 years in the Australian defense force, 20 of which in the SAS serving in Afghanistan and Iraq, and started off by asking him what his reaction was to the latest fighting its disappointing, to say the least, but it's not unexpected.

We have probably in us who have been over there in the recent decade and fighting and on the ground. Uh have been uh, anticipating this for a while um yeah, it's not known as the graveyard of empires for nothing. It's seen off everyone from uh Alexander the Great right through to well the most current empire, which we're part of which is the American empire, and I think uh, it's disappointing, of course, as a soldier and as someone who fought on the ground and um and of course, Australia had many casualties and people killed in that conflict. Um. But again, these you know war.

This these days is potentially it's unwinnable um. So I think I just hope we learn some lessons. Big hope for me is that we can get the people who helped us while we were there, the locals that helped us while we get them out or as many of those as we can, but uh yeah, I'm very pessimistic, Leonardo about the um about the future. For Afghanistan. Now, as of 2019, Afghanistan had a population of around 38 million people.

What are some of your fears for the civilians there and, of course, the people who helped people like you, the coalition forces they're, a ruthless organization, the Taliban or a bunch of factions, I should say, and they will exact revenge, even though they've stated publicly that they won't, and they'll allow something some freedoms to continue. I don't I don't uh trust them or believe that that'll be the case, and we're seeing that already, there's been thousands, probably more tens of thousands of people killed and uh wounded in their uh pace to take out take back the rest of the country. There are unwinnable wars, these conflicts and um. As we saw in Iraq. You know Iraq is a basket case now.

There's uh some pockets of peace and stability, but uh by the by its, the whole uh area is, is in trouble and I think that uh Afghanistan will return to what it's always been and that's under uh. You know Taliban or the equivalent uh for the time under their control. Now you really hear positive developments out of the Middle East these days. Do you think it could have been the wrong move for Australian troops to get involved in Afghanistan in the first place? Yeah? Well, it's a big discussion, probably bigger than us, Leonardo, to talk about what progress looks like in the Middle East. I mean you know again trying to overlay democracy or type of capitalism that we have functions fairly well in our society onto these age-old societies is fraught, and I'm not sure if it's been done to any great success anywhere.

So yeah, that's a larger discussion, but I think in terms of what we can expect in Afghanistan in the coming um months and the lessons that we've learned, uh that we may, or I understand the US are sending back uh troops, uh right now to secure uh, Kabul and um, and the airport and uh the US embassy and other areas. Uh and there'll be a special operation. Commitment too. I should think- and that goes to you your second part of your question, which is your know how how how should we have approached these? What other lessons we can learn right back in 2001 we sent special operations teams over and uh and capability of that that nature and the mission was clear, and we were uh hunting if you like, Osama bin Laden and uh the camps, the training camps in northern Pakistan and northern uh northeastern uh Afghanistan, and then it turned into somehow turned into a conventional um uh conflict. If you like, where we uh occupied Afghanistan- and I think we should know better than that- and that's when the mission uh and the strategy became a little loose.

I think in terms of us who are on the ground, um operating. That's for sure, so I think, there's still an involvement. I think it's still a role for western militaries to play in, as I said, in special operations and technical and um uh intelligence and communication support uh to local forces, but I think we need firstly uh to engage with the locals and um and train and assist, and also you know, get to the table with enemy forces and different factions. Much quicker one of the criticisms that I agree with about the conflict was that we didn't go to the table with Taliban with the Taliban much earlier and build some kind of accord uh. You know we're not going to get a perfect democracy in any of these countries.

It's going to be a hybrid of of of peace and freedom, I think and uh and that's even that's hard to define from your knowledge, have the Taliban actually able to move this fast. Taking all these cities in the space of just a week. Well, they've been there all the time they've lived in the populace uh. You know. If you look at the areas that the larger engagements were, for example, the US and the northeast and down the south of the country uh, the UK, out in helm and province, they've been fighting, and we've been fighting the Taliban for the last 20 years or factions of and other interest groups.

There are criminal elements here involved: they're smuggling people guns, money, information uh. So it's its already. The complex network that makes up the Taliban and these factions, um and criminal elements were always there and a lot of them just go dormant or, and they know that they'll play the long game and that the west has got a track record for not being able to stick the distance, which is not 20 years. It's probably more like 100 years uh in terms of what our intent was so yeah, I'm not surprised at all and in fact uh. You know the other.

The other part to this, of course, is that uh they're well armed uh, well-trained and very good fighters, uh they're very comparable to most forces in the world um. They can move quickly. They know the countryside and uh and because of their networks, their latent networks, very easy for them to move around. There will be. There will be geographic issues for them coming into Kabul.

We know from the 80s and 90s as uh the factions were fighting in and around Kabul. It got very bogged down, and it actually was an area where the Taliban or other factions struggled to get a headway coming into Kabul. So there is some. There is some hope, I suppose, of maintaining a government or some kind of foothold, so that the Taliban could come back to the table, and we can hopefully broker some kind of you know: peace or freedom for those who want to go about their education and health and health support and provision um, but uh yeah, again just very pessimistic and really disappointed right. That was SAF soldier harry moat.

Speaking to me earlier, well changing pace. Now we're excited to announce that six news is now on rumble. If you haven't already heard somehow, we were suspended by YouTube for a week earlier this week after uploading, a video of lap mp, George Christensen that they claimed was cover 19 misinformation, but later reversed. That decision, after admitting we provided sufficient context now rumble, is an alternative platform to YouTube where we hopefully won't have our videos taken down. Now, while we won't be posting there constantly, we might be uploading AIDS that you cannot see anywhere else.

You can follow us by simply heading to rumble. com forward, slash user forward, slash six news, a and now is Ivan and Sarah with look what's coming up later tonight on warn news thanks Leo tonight on WAM news mark McGowan government urged to spend extra billions to wipe out homelessness. Our exclusive report, meanwhile another homeless death on Perth street sparked protests. This week, Wei tightens border restrictions with new categories and vaccination requirements plus Dr Andrew miller's comment join us tonight on the warn news, Facebook page and YouTube channel all right thanks both Evan and Sarah, then Adam rose forecast right across the country, Brisbane partly cloudy at top of 26 21 and more rain in Sydney, 12 degrees in the nation's capital, Canberra 14 in Melbourne, just nine degrees in Hobart, starting today at just 5 15 in Adelaide, sunny 23 in Alice springs 24 in Perth and in Darwin, a warm top of 35. And finally time.

We often talk about how celebrities and media figures are encouraging others to get the cover 19 vaccine, but this next man may not be the most likely pusher of the jab Santa pit Petrovich. I'm pronouncing that terribly wrong. He is a Serbian cave hermit, who, 20 years ago, made the decision to live in a cave on the top of a mountain equipped with a rusty old bathtub that he uses as a toilet some benches and a stack of hay for a bed. Now, on one of his most recent visits to a local town, he actually found out about the cover 19 pandemic, got the jab and is now encouraging everyone else to do the same. Adding he doesn't understand the fuss some specter skeptics of the vaccine make, and that is six news for the Sunday evening, of course, stay updated with the latest headlines by heading to our website, signature.

com and following us on social media, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, tick, took and lid and rumble just search six news. Are you to find us? I'm Leonardo, poles thanks for your company good night, you.

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