• Trivago fined $44.7m over misleading rates
• WA premier COVID-positive
• SA close contact rules under review at snap meeting
• Albanese in isolation during election campaign after testing positive
• Tractor driver arrested over fatal KI crash
• State Government reviewing community centre funding 
• Expert help at hand for SA defence families
• Russia claims Mariupol as US sends more weapons 
• UK PM to face probe over parties

Trivago fined $44.7m over misleading rates

Travel booking company Trivago has been fined $44.7 million for misleading consumers about its hotel room rates.

Trivago was found guilty in 2020 for telling consumers it would show them the cheapest rates, when it actually ranked hotels by factoring in which advertisers paid the highest per-click fee.

The misleading claims were featured in advertising and on its own site more than 400,000 times from late 2013 to mid-2018.

In a Federal Court judgment on Friday, Justice Mark Moshinsky said Trivago’s contravening conduct cost Australian users about $30 million and was intentional, rather than accidental.

“There is no evidence of Trivago paying compensation, or making any other form of reparation, to affected consumers,” Moshinky said.

“Trivago’s contraventions have caused loss or damage to Australian consumers in the order of $30 million, and no remediation has occurred. In my view, this calls for a substantial penalty.”

The judge also said that while the penalty was many multiples of Trivago’s profit from the conduct, the $44.7 million fine was necessary for specific and general deterrence.

“A total penalty of the order proposed by Trivago would not reflect the seriousness of the contraventions and would be seen as an ‘acceptable cost of doing business’,” Moshinky said.

Lawyers for Trivago had previously argued a fine of $15 million would be an adequate penalty, while the ACCC wanted the travel company fined $90 million.

Tim Begbie QC, representing the consumer watchdog, told the court in October last year that Trivago’s conduct was serious and far reaching.

He argued the weighting of search results according to what Trivago got paid was at the heart of its business model, and it offered a service it did not provide.

“What Trivago delivered to consumers was almost the opposite of what it promised,” Begbie said.

There were 213 million searches for hotel rooms on the Trivago site over a period of about 13 months, which was less than half of the period the company had misled people, the court was told.

Trivago changed its website following the court’s initial judgment, a company spokesman said.

“While we are disappointed with the outcome today, we look forward to putting this behind us and continuing to help millions of Australians find great accommodation deals,” the spokesman told AAP.

ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said online businesses had to be held accountable, noting that Trivago had often compared the price of a standard room with a luxury one in the same hotel.

“Consumers were misled into thinking they were getting a great hotel deal when that was not the case,” she said in a statement.

“Trivago’s conduct took advantage of consumers’ desire to find the best deal and the court’s decision to order such a significant penalty reflects the seriousness of Trivago’s conduct.

“This penalty sends a strong message not just to Trivago, but to other comparison websites, that they must not mislead consumers when making recommendations.”

WA premier COVID-positive

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan has tested positive to COVID-19 while isolating at home with his family.

McGowan had initially returned a negative test after a family member contracted the virus, rendering him a close contact.

In a statement, the premier said he had taken another PCR test on Thursday and it had come back positive.

“It is not surprising considering one of my family members is positive,” he said on Friday.

“In accordance with the protocols, this will extend my quarantine period until I am hopefully cleared to leave home next Thursday afternoon, at the earliest.

“I will continue to quarantine and work from home over this period.”

The premier is scheduled to attend federal Labor’s election campaign launch in Perth on May 1.

SA close contact rules under review at snap meeting

South Australia’s mandatory seven day isolation for COVID-19 close contacts will be reviewed and could be scrapped today after Premier Peter Malinauskas fast-tracked a meeting of the state’s Emergency Management Council from Tuesday to this afternoon.

Police commissioner and state coordinator Grant Stevens yesterday urged Malinauskas to bring forward the meeting’s usual schedule to review whether the mandated isolation was still required.

Victoria and New South Wales both opted to scrap close contact isolation this week, prompting calls from industry groups in South Australia for the State Government to follow suit.

“Given the dynamic nature of a global pandemic, I’ve advised the Premier that whilst a regularly scheduled meeting is an appropriate way to go, we need to have the ability to call a meeting at short notice if there are matters that need to be addressed,” Stevens told reporters on Thursday.

“I’m pretty certain there’ll be some announcement on the South Australian position in the coming days.”

A State Government spokesperson confirmed an EMC meeting will be held at 4pm today.

“The Premier has called an Emergency Management Council meeting for [Friday] afternoon to discuss changes to close contact rules in New South Wales and Victoria,” the spokesperson said last night.

“The meeting will also receive an update on the COVID situation in South Australia.

“An objective of the State Government is to bring in national consistency for COVID restrictions when it is safe to do so.”

Malinauskas flagged earlier on Thursday that any move to scrap isolation for close contacts would be accompanied with other “risk mitigation” measures such as regular rapid testing, mask-wearing and bans from attending high-risk settings.

Victoria and New South Wales are requiring close contacts to return five negative rapid tests over seven days. The testing kits are supplied by the government.

“I don’t anticipate we’ll be completely removing close contact requirements without some risk mitigation measures in place,” Malianuskas told reporters on Thursday.

The Premier also said the current close contact rules were “having a massive impact on families, businesses and our economy generally” and reiterated his “very strong appetite and aspiration to achieve national consistency”.

South Australia recorded three COVID-19 deaths and 4079 new cases on Thursday, down from 4256 cases recorded the day before.

The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 also dropped yesterday from 252 to 241, with 11 people in intensive care and three on a ventilator.

“We are looking at what is happening with the trend, and what we … have been hoping to see is what was forecast and that is that case numbers would gradually come down during the course of this wave,” Malinauskas said.

“I stress … we do anticipate there will be future waves at some point into the future, but at the moment we appear to be on a downward schedule.”

-Thomas Kelsall

Albanese in isolation during election campaign after testing positive

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese will be forced to campaign from home after testing positive to COVID-19.

The Labor leader returned a positive result following a routine PCR test on Thursday afternoon, but is not showing symptoms.

Albanese was due to fly out on Friday from Sydney to campaign in Western Australia but will instead isolate at his home in Sydney for seven days.

“While at home I will continue my responsibilities as alternative prime minister and will be fighting for a better future for all Australians,” he said.

“I am grateful to know that I will have access to the world’s best health care if I need it, because of Medicare.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison sent best wishes to his election rival.

“Everyone’s experience with COVID is different and as Labor’s campaign continues, I hope he does not experience any serious symptoms,” Morrison said on Twitter.

Labor campaign heads had prepared for the possibility Albanese might test positive, with opposition frontbenchers set to play an expanded role over the coming days.

Albanese is likely to still conduct press conferences virtually, should he not be experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

ALP national president Wayne Swan said Labor had “war-gamed for this”.

“We’ve got a really talented frontbench team that can be on the job and out in the public,” he said.

“There’s an enormous amount that Albo can do from isolation. So I don’t think it’s surprising. We will continue to hold the government to account on its negligence, particularly in terms of foreign policy and defence, but we’ll also continue to outline our policies for the future.”

Labor’s campaign launch, set down for May 1 in Perth, is expected to go ahead as planned.

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Tractor driver arrested over fatal KI crash

A 49-year-old tractor driver has been arrested following a fatal crash on Kangaroo Island.

The crash claimed the life of a 79-year-old Parndana man who rolled his Mitsubishi van on Wednesday night. Police said he had swerved to avoid a tractor being driven along Bark Hut Road at Penneshaw with its lights off.

Major Crash officers arrested the Kangaroo Island man yesterday following a statewide appeal for information.

The man has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving and aggravated driving without due care.

He is bailed to appear in the Kingscote Magistrates Court on May 16.

State Government reviewing community centre funding

The State Government is reviewing funding for community centres to improve service delivery and social isolation. 

Minister for Human Services Nat Cook says the government won’t recommission the Community and Neighbourhood Program (CND) until a better funding model is developed.

For the past nine years, the Department of Human Services has provided $3.4 million annually for the CND program. This has provided funding for more than 4000 programs used by about 455,000 people. 

Cook said the reforms came off the back of concerns from the sector about the CND funding model.

“Community Centres are the beating heart of communities and the services provided are significant in terms of the needs of many community members with complexities and challenges in their lives,” she said.

“If COVID has taught us anything it’s that many people in our community are one step away from crushing loneliness. Community Centres are vital as we navigate our way out of the pandemic.

“Reform to the CND program’s funding model needs careful and deliberate consideration. We need a more equitable and purposeful model that distributes funds across all regions.”

While the review is underway, Cook said all current service agreements with the CND partners will be extended from October 30 this year to June 2023. 

Expert help at hand for SA defence force families

The state’s Legal Services Commission has urged the families and supporters of veterans to seek its help in preparing submissions to Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicides.

With its reporting deadline recently extended by the federal government, the Legal Services Commission has launched a new service to help veterans and their families take part in the inquiry.

“When veterans and defence members experience challenges arising from their military service, they will often turn to their families and trusted supporters,” chief executive Gabrielle Canny said.

“Those families and supporters are therefore uniquely placed to seek advice and find out about the legal options that are available to their family members who served in the military.

“The family members and supporters of veterans can also engage with the royal commission to share their stories of supporting their loved ones.”

Canny said her organisation often found that veterans or their family members were dealing with a cluster of legal problems.

“They might initially need help with their submission to the royal commission but, at the same time, they can also be grappling with legal problems regarding military compensation, family law matters or veterans’ entitlements,” she said.

“The legal assistance we provide recognises the enormous sacrifices that military personnel make in the service of their country.”

The need for expert assistance was highlighted in recent evidence before the royal commission which was told the Department of Veterans’ Affairs was not fit to meet the needs of past and present defence members.

The agency’s boss Elizabeth Cosson said problems included a backlog of more than 60,000 claims by veterans and serving defence members.

In a written statement, Cosson – whose army service spanned more than three decades – said the DVA was not delivering what former and serving defence members needed.

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Russia claims Mariupol as US sends more weapons

Internally displaced people from Mariupol and nearby towns arrive at a refugee centre after fleeing Russian attacks. Photo: Leo Correa/AP

Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed victory in the biggest battle of the war in Ukraine, declaring the port city of Mariupol “liberated” after nearly two months of siege.

However, hundreds of fighters and civilians in dozens of bunkers were still holed up inside a huge steelworks yesterday.

Putin ordered his troops to blockade the complex “so that not even a fly” could escape.

Ukraine said Putin wanted to avoid a final clash with its forces in the city as he lacked the troops to defeat them.

In Washington DC, US President Joe Biden authorised a further $US800 million ($A1.1 billion) in military aid for Ukraine, including heavy artillery, as it faces a new Russian offensive in the east.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in a video address to the Portuguese parliament, begged other countries to send more weapons and to impose more economic sanctions on Russia.

“This is just the first step (for Russia) to gain control of eastern Europe, to destroy democracy in Ukraine,” he said. 

“Your people, who in a few days will be celebrating the anniversary of the Carnation Revolution that liberated you from dictatorship, know perfectly well what we are feeling.

“We are fighting not only for our independence but for our survival, for our people so that they do not get killed, tortured and raped.”

UK PM to face probe over parties

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has suffered a blow to his authority as MPs triggered an investigation into whether he had misled parliament and an influential former ally called on him to quit.

Johnson has been fighting for his political survival for months after he told parliament that his Downing Street office had followed all lockdown rules during the COVID-19 pandemic, only for an internal report to conclude it had held alcohol-fuelled parties at that time. Police have since fined Johnson. 

He denies deliberately misleading parliament, which is a resigning matter, and says he did not realise he was breaking the rules. 

He has apologised for his conduct.

During a parliamentary debate, politicians from all sides called on Johnson to go and MPs backed an opposition motion that his statements “appear to amount to misleading the House” and should be investigated by its Committee of Privileges. 

Johnson’s Conservatives did not oppose the move and it was approved without a formal vote in the House of Commons.

The episode reignites questions about Johnson’s future, with further revelations and fines over lockdown parties possible and local elections on May 5 expected to reveal that voters’ trust in his leadership has been badly damaged.

“I don’t want this thing to endlessly go on. But I have absolutely nothing, frankly, to hide,” Johnson said when asked about the investigations during a visit to India.

-With AAP and Reuters