Australia news live update: Dylan Alcott is Australian of the Year; Invasion Day protests planned; NSW to record millionth Covid case

Gina Rinehart among record number of women to receive Australia Day honours as the Aboriginal Tent Embassy marks ‘50 years of resistance’. Follow all the day’s news

• Tennis star and Paralympian Dylan Alcott named Australian of the Year
• Aged care provider has ‘no faith’ in federal promise of rapid antigen tests
• Aboriginal Tent Embassy began with an umbrella and became a symbol of sovereignty
• Grace Tame and Scott Morrison’s frosty meeting sparks praise and condemnation
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A leading health expert has warned of the potential spread of the virulent Omicron Covid-19 strain during events today as large crowds gather for protest or celebration, AAP reports.

Jane Halton, chair of the coalition for epidemic preparedness and former health department head, says the closer people pack together the more likely it is the virus will spread.

We know it’s highly infectious and the closer everyone gets together, the more the likelihood you’ll be close to someone whose got Covid and therefore the greater the likelihood you’ll contract it.

People should be careful. What we don’t want to see is a big increase in cases.

I don’t think we should be cancelling things. I just think people should be courteous, thoughtful, and a little bit careful.

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