Australia COVID numbers hit a peak as Omicron outbreak strains domestic politics
Sydney, AustraliaReuters Australia recorded another record surge in COVID-19 infections on Tuesday as an outbreak of the highly infectious Omicron variant disrupted reopening of the economy, while state leaders argued over domestic border controls. The country reported 10,269 new cases of the coronavirus in the previous day, according to a Reuters calculation of state figures, […]
Police arrest hundreds of protesters as Australia reports record COVID-19 cases
Melbourne, AustraliaReuters Australian police arrested hundreds of anti-lockdown protesters in Melbourne and Sydney on Saturday and seven officers were hospitalised as a result of clashes, as the country saw its highest ever single-day rise in COVID-19 cases. Mounted police used pepper spray in Melbourne to break up crowds of more than 4,000 surging toward police […]
Australia’s Victoria requires masks for Melbourne hit by COVID-19
Melbourne, AustraliaReuters People in Melbourne must now wear masks when leaving their homes as Victoria, Australia’s second most-populous state, marked two weeks of triple-digit increases in new coronavirus infections on Sunday. Melbournians not wearing face coverings will be fined $A200, said Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews. Police officers patrol the grounds outside a public housing tower, […]
Updated: Australia closes state border for first time in 100 years to halt coronavirus
Last updated: 5pm AESTSydney, AustraliaReuters The border between Australia’s two most populous states will close from Tuesday for an indefinite period as authorities scramble to contain an outbreak of the coronavirus in the city of Melbourne. The decision announced on Monday marks the first time the border between Victoria and New South Wales has been […]
“Too late to leave”: Bushfires out of control across south-east Australia
Sydney/Melbourne, AustraliaReuters Bushfires burned dangerously out of control on Australia’s east coast on Saturday, fuelled by soaring temperatures and strong winds that had firefighters battling to save lives and property, and authorities said the worst of conditions was yet to come. By late afternoon, Victoria had 17 fires rated at emergency or evacuate warning levels […]
Australian firefighters access badly burnt towns; PM defends climate policies
Sydney, AustraliaReuters Firefighters battling wildfires in Australia made the most of cooler weather on Sunday to access badly burnt towns and contain blazes before the expected return of hotter conditions at the end of the week. The reprieve came as Prime Minister Scott Morrison defended both his government’s climate change policies and his decision to […]
Australian Christian Lobby welcomes defeat of voluntary assisted dying bill in New South Wales
The Australian Christian Lobby has welcomed the New South Wales Parliament’s move to vote down a bill which would have legalised voluntary assisted dying. Under the bill, which was introduced by Nationals MP Trevor Khan, terminally ill people aged 25 and over would have been able to end their lives with the help of doctors. […]