CNN — Around 200 whales have died and just 35 remain alive following a mass stranding in Australia this week, rescue teams say. The pilot whales were found Wednesday stranded on an exposed beach along the coast of Tasmania. Rescue efforts are ongoing to save the remaining whales. “We are primarily focused this morning on … Read more
1.54am BST 01:54 Tasmania has recorded one Covid-19 death and 1,212 new cases. It takes the number of Covid-19 deaths in the state since the start of the pandemic to 43. There are 47 patients in hospital, including one person in intensive care. Updated at 1.55am BST 1.32am BST 01:32 The ABC reports about concerns … Read more
3.37am BST 03:37 The ABS, as you might have guessed, are the last people to fall for “gotcha” questions from journalists or anybody else. Given the sensitivity around what the jobless rate is, and whether it would this time be “the lowest since the 1970s” as the Morrison government initially wrongly claimed a month ago … Read more
Can I just say one more thing, there is a website, Albanese.com.au that has been bought by someone associated with the Liberal Party but then, when someone clicks on it, it refers people straight to the Liberal party site. This is a test of integrity for Scott Morrison and for the Liberal party. Are they … Read more
12.47am GMT 00:47 Sarah Martin There is something happening on the ground in the outer suburbs of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. It may just be a ripple, or it could be a roar – another crack in Australia’s political landscape arising from the pandemic. The full impact won’t be known until election night, but the … Read more
It is an incredibly important day for our state and an exciting day … And I want to particularly thank our teachers who have done an amazing job over the course of the last few weeks in getting our schools ready to open day one, term one. I know that many parents are anxious. I … Read more
Today the government has announced its return-to-schools plan. It has announced a number of measures, a number of risk mitigation strategies. We will clearly be monitoring the implementation of those measures and importantly the effectiveness of those measures with a view to seeking urgent adjustments and improvements should they be required in order to offer … Read more
Some more details from that Victorian press conference first: The Victorian government says it hasn’t seen correspondence between the federal government and Tennis Australia that stipulated Novak Djokovic would not be allowed to enter the country if he did not meet Atagi criteria. Since the tennis star landed in Australia on Wednesday night the federal … Read more
NSW records 20,794 new Covid cases and Victoria 8,577, with seven deaths across both states; Queensland reports 4,249 cases, ACT 514 and Tasmania 466; Scott Morrison and Greg Hunt defend decision not to provide free rapid antigen tests; Martin Foley says states support free RATs; double-dose vaccination rate hits 91.5%. Follow all the day’s news … Read more
5.26am GMT 05:26 There may be few or no official restrictions, but word is it feels very much like a “soft lockdown” in Sydney today. james hennessy (@jrhennessy) Currently I Am Legending a frosty schooner in a totally deserted beer garden pic.twitter.com/D8f6uRpB2t January 2, 2022 5.01am GMT 05:01 Residents in Melbourne’s outer south-east are being … Read more