Australia

Australia’s largest states further ease coronavirus curbs

Australia's two largest states will further ease public coronavirus restrictions at libraries, community centres and nightclubs, officials said on Sunday, despite recording increases in new infections. New South Wales (NSW),…

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NSW, Australia, reports first locally transmitted case since late May

New South Wales (Australia) reported its first locally transmitted COVID-19 case since late May, a sign the threat from the pandemic is far from over as social distancing restrictions continue…

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Australia announces it has eliminated COVID-19 in some parts of the country

Australia has effectively eliminated COVID-19 in some parts of the country, its chief medical officer said on Friday. Australia has recorded 38 cases of the novel coronavirus over last week,…

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Virgin Australia to double domestic flight capacity by early July

Airline Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd said on Thursday it would double domestic capacity by early July as state border restrictions ease and demand grows, joining rival Qantas Airways Ltd in…

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China warns students over ‘risks’ of studying in Australia

China has warned students to consider the risks of studying in Australia during the pandemic, aggravating a political row between the nations. Its education ministry has issued the advisory to…

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Australia on track to see coronavirus largely gone by July

Australia is on course to have largely eradicated the coronavirus by July, a public health official said on Wednesday, as the country's most populous state announced the removal of restrictions…

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Autistic boy found alive after being lost for two days on ‘freezing’ mountain in Australia

A 14-year-old boy with non-verbal autism has been found alive after spending two days lost on a mountain in Australia. William Callaghan became separated from his family after running ahead…

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Thousands in Australia defy bans at Black Lives Matter protests

Thousands of Australians gathered in protests on Saturday embracing the cause of U.S. protesters angered by the death of a black man in police custody, defying bans and police warnings…

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Australia shakes up foreign investment laws for national security

Australia announced the biggest shakeup of its foreign investment laws in almost half a century on Friday, including giving the government the power to force the sale of a business…

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Qantas to reactivate plans for Sydney-London flights

Qantas Airways Ltd will reactivate plans to order airplanes capable of the world's longest non-stop commercial flights from Sydney to London when the airline returns to financial strength, its chief…

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Australia’s most populous state takes legal steps to stop Black Lives Matter protest

Australia's most populous state has lodged a legal application to stop a Black Lives Matter protest occurring in Sydney, state Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Friday. Thousands of people have…

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Qantas plans to ‘ramp up’ Australian flights

Australian airline Qantas says it hopes to increase domestic flights to 40% of pre-pandemic levels by August, up from 5% currently. That's contingent on state borders reopening as expected, says…

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Australia’s economy in recession

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has confirmed Australia is now in a recession as the economy reels from the coronavirus pandemic. Mr Frydenberg’s confirmation came after the the Australian Bureau of Statistics…

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Photo Story: Taronga Zoo in Sydney reopens

A giraffe stands in an enclosure at Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia, 01 June 2020. Taronga Zoo Sydney reopened to the public on 091 June 2020, after being temporarily closed…

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NSW Government offers frontline public sector workers $1,000 bonus

In Australia, the Government of New South Wales is offering a $1,000 bonus to frontline public sector workers in the face of opposition to a wage freeze amid the coronavirus…

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Australia eases social distancing restrictions

Several Australian states eased social distancing restrictions further on Monday, allowing restaurants to host more people and public attractions to reopen, as Canberra moves to revive the country’s ailing economy.…

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Zookeeper badly injured after lion attack at Australian zoo

Worksafe New South Wales (NSW) inspectors arrive at the Shoalhaven Zoo in Nowra, south of Sydney, Australia, 29 May 2020. A female staff member was critically injured after being attacked…

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Photo story: Investigation into loss of shipping containers from ship off Australia’s coast

Workers from logistics company QUBE inspect toppled containers on board the Singapore-flagged container ship APL England at the Port of Brisbane, Australia, 29 May 2020. An investigation is underway into…

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Australia eyes New Zealand travel “bubble” as cases fall

Falling numbers of active coronavirus cases in Australia and New Zealand are paving the way for the easing of travel restrictions between the two countries, health officials said on Wednesday,…

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Photo Story: Shipping containers lost overboard in Australia

A shipping container that was lost overboard in extreme weather from the Singapore-flagged container ship APL England. It was among five salvaged from Birdie Beach in Newcastle, on the Central…

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Sydney braces for rat ‘plague’ over Covid-19 lockdown

In Australia, empty offices and restaurants in the city of Sydney are driving hungry rats into homes and suburbs, and the loosening of restrictions could create “a new rat plague”,…

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News Corp to stop printing more than 100 newspapers in Australia

The Australian arm of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp said on Thursday it will stop printing more than 100 regional newspapers after the coronavirus shutdown gutted advertising revenue, accelerating a downturn…

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Australia records youngest coronavirus victim with death of 30-year-old

Australia recorded its youngest victim of COVID-19 after a 30-year-old man with underlying health conditions died in Queensland state, having shown symptoms of the disease for weeks but without getting…

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New Zealand expects plan for safe travel with Australia in June

Reuters reports New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Wednesday a draft blueprint on safely starting travel between New Zealand and Australia will be presented to both governments in…

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Australia calls on younger people to get virus tests as reopening accelerates

Australia's most populous state said on Saturday it recorded just three new cases of the coronavirus the previous day and urged younger people to get tested as it prepares to…

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Australia’s most populous state to relax restrictions on restaurants, cafes

Australia's most populous state said on Friday restrictions imposed to slow the spread of coronavirus will be eased to allow cafes and restaurants to have up to 50 patrons from…

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Australia seeks exemption from UK quarantine as COVID-19 cases slow

Australia, after bringing its coronavirus outbreak largely under control, said on Friday it is seeking an exemption from a requirement that travellers arriving in the UK quarantine for 14 days…

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Photo Story: Adapting to the times during the coronavirus pandemic in Australia

Australian singer Casey Donovan (C-R, back) performs live during a drive-in concert at the Robyn Webster Sports Centre in Sydney, Australia, 21 May 2020. The concert was organized as part…

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Australian government asks universities for help bringing back international students

International students could head back to Australia within months as universities plan for how they can be safely quarantined and cleared of coronavirus. The higher education sector has been hit…

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Economists predict Australia’s hospitality, arts industries may not recover from coronavirus until 2026

Hospitality and the arts, industries that were hit the hardest by the coronavirus pandemic might not fully recover for five or six years according to Deloitte Access Economics' latest employment forecast.…

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‘New’ footage of extinct Tasmanian Tiger found

Footage has been released of what is thought to be the last images of the now-extinct Tasmanian tiger. The 21-second film was released by the National Film And Sound Archive…

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Shortlist of four suitors in the running to take over Virgin Australia

Virgin Australia and its administrator Deloitte have shortlisted "highly credentialed" parties who could end up being the new owners of Australia's second major carrier. ABC News reports that the shortlist…

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Australia announces bid to win back tourists

Australia is reeving up its efforts to attract tourists back to the country. Australia has been largely praised for its ability to "flatten the curve," with attention now turning to…

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International students across Australia rely on free food to survive

International students and other temporary visa holders locked out of federal government support are relying on food banks and restaurants giving away free meals to survive during the coronavirus pandemic.…

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Cafes and bars reopen in parts of Australia after coronavirus lockdown

Restaurants, cafes and bars in Australia's most populous state were reopening on Friday after a two-month shutdown under coronavirus lockdown measures, boosting the federal government's bid to get people back…

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Australians warned worse still to come after job losses hit record high

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned citizens to brace for more bad news as data released on Thursday showed the country’s monthly job losses rose to a record high because…

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Australia saw overseas visitors fall 99% in April amid coronavirus lockdown

Australia saw overseas arrivals collapse to almost nothing in April as it closed its borders to fight the coronavirus pandemic, in a massive blow for the tourist industry. Preliminary data…

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Australians told to ‘maintain vigilance’ as coronavirus curbs eased

Australians need to stay on guard against new outbreaks of novel coronavirus as mobility restrictions are eased across the country this week, authorities said, as the death toll rose to…

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Photo Story: Asylum seekers protest in Brisbane

A refugee supporter holds up a sign as asylum seekers, who are being held in detention, protest at an inner-city motel in Brisbane, Australia, 08 May 2020. The men claim…

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Australia to ease Covid-19 curbs with July targeted for full removal

Australia will ease social distancing restrictions implemented to slow the spread of the coronavirus in a three-step process, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday, with the aim of removing…

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Australia’s biggest states to keep lockdown for Mother’s Day

Australia’s two most populous states on Thursday refused to allow a one-day reprieve from strict limits on personal movement for Mother’s Day this weekend, even as the country’s rate of…

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New Zealand and Australia consider coronavirus “travel bubble”

New Zealand and Australia are discussing the potential creation of a “travel bubble” between the two countries, sources said on Monday, even as Australia reported its highest number of coronavirus…

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The Australian state of Victoria sees biggest jump in new cases in weeks

The Australian state of Victoria has seen its biggest jump in new cases in several weeks while the country's most populous state, New South Wales, is dealing with a cluster…

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Covid-19 vaccine from University of Queensland shows promising results

Early tests of a potential COVID-19 vaccine have shown promising results against the deadly virus, Queensland researchers say. In preclinical tests, the University of Queensland’s COVID-19 vaccine has shown it…

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Australia says international travel will not be resuming ‘anytime soon’

Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, says international travel and mass gatherings will not be resuming ‘anytime soon’. On lifting restrictions, Scott Morrison said "don’t get your hopes up for a…

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2 million Australians download contact tracing app in first 24 hours

Just hours after a contact tracing app was launched by the Australian Government on Monday, more than two million Australians had downloaded it on their mobile phones. The app is…

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Photo Story: Trackwork session at Barwon Heads, Australia

Champion jumps jockey Steven Pateman rides Ivan Grozny during a trackwork session at Barwon Heads, Victoria, Australia, 27 April 2020. Via EPA-EFE/VINCE CALIGIURI

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ANZAC Day services cancelled amid coronavirus pandemic in Turkey

ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) Day Dawn Services are cancelled this year due to ongoing coronavirus social distancing measures. Anzac Day, held annually on 25 April, is a…

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Australia says all WHO members should support a proposed coronavirus inquiry

All member nations of the World Health Organization (WHO) should support a proposed independent review into the coronavirus pandemic, Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday, further threatening strained…

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Ruby Princess cruise ship leaves Australia

The Ruby Princess cruise ship departed from Port Kembla in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia, on Thursday 23 April 2020. Busloads of crew have been taken from the Ruby Princess…

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Virgin Australia Australia’s first big corporate casualty of the coronavirus pandemic

Virgin Australia has confirmed it has entered voluntary administration - making it Australia's first big corporate casualty of the coronavirus pandemic. It is part-owned by a number of entities…

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China rejects Australia’s questions on its handling of coronavirus

China dismissed as groundless on Monday Australia’s questioning of how Beijing handled the coronavirus pandemic, saying it had been open and transparent, despite growing scepticism about the accuracy of its…

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Australians told restrictions must remain

More than 150 Australian economists on Monday warned the government against easing social distancing rules aimed at halting the spread of the new coronavirus even as the rate of infections…

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Australia calls for international investigation on WHO’s and China’s handling of coronavirus

Australia on Sunday called for an independent investigation into the global response to the coronavirus pandemic, including the World Health Organization's handling of the crisis. Foreign Minister Marise Payne won't…

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Australia may keep coronavirus restrictions for a year

Australian public life could be constrained for another year because of the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned on Friday, as the country’s most populous state mulled sending children…

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Photo Story: Teddy bear hunt to entertain children during coronavirus lockdown

A collection of images showing plush toys and teddy bears displayed in the windows of Parkdale homes in Melbourne, Australia. A mass teddy bear hunt has been under way around…

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Coronavirus restrictions in Australia to remain in place for at least four weeks

Australians will have to live with coronavirus restrictions for at least another four weeks, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said, as the Government begins to chart a path out of…

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