CANBERRA, Australia — The military chief in charge of Australia’s Covid-19 vaccine rollout insists aged care workers remain a priority. Only one in three aged care staff have been vaccinated despite becoming eligible in the first phase of the program, which started in February. Lieutenant General John Frewen acknowledged aged care staff were a critical workforce and said they were being treated as an absolute priority. “We are accelerating efforts to get those aged care workers vaccinated,” he said on July 6. “They are at about 36 percent now, which is actually above the broader national average, so progress is being…
Author: zenger.news
MELBOURNE, Australia — Australia is a long way from a post-Covid economy, according to new research that backs longer lockdowns. Modelers, economists, and public health experts from the Australian National University and the University of Melbourne have crunched the numbers and found longer lockdowns benefit the economy in the long term. The report comes as the Morrison government urges Australians to live with the virus and get vaccinated to have any hope of opening up to the global economy. “If we think we can do away with periods of movement restrictions when uncontrolled outbreaks occur, we need to think again,” University…
CANBERRA, Australia — Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has defended allocating AU$660 million ($500 million) to commuter car parks in Liberal and marginal seats before the last federal election. Joshua Anthony Frydenberg is an Australian politician who has been federal treasurer and deputy leader of the Liberal Party since August 2018. He has been a Member of Parliament for Kooyong since the 2010 election. A damning auditor-general’s report found the scheme was not effective or merit-based, sparking savage criticism from Labor. Not one of the 47 commuter car park sites promised by the coalition at the 2019 election was selected by the…
CANBERRA, Australia — Whacking cheap imported goods with Australian goods and services tax (GST) was meant to give local businesses down-under a fairer crack at online shoppers, and a review will check whether it’s working. The tax office began raking in AU$350 million ($265 million) a year when low-value imported goods lost their GST-free status in 2018, exceeding expectations. More than 1000 vendors and platforms are complying with the regime, including the biggest players Amazon and eBay. But Fady Abi Abdallah, a tax consultant from audit and accounting firm BDO Australia is concerned many suppliers are still unaware of their Australian…
CANBERRA, Australia — People with disabilities will soon discover whether the states and territories back major changes to how their supports are calculated. The federal government wants to introduce independent assessments for all National Disability Insurance Scheme participants and new applicants. Disability Minister Linda Reynolds will seek in-principle support from her state and territory counterparts at a meeting this July 9. The changes are designed to reign in the annual cost of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, which is projected to reach AU$60 billion ($45.47 billion) by the end of the decade. Senator Reynolds argues the cost-cutting measure will also make…
CANBERRA, Australia — Forgotten. Disregarded. Dehumanized. That’s how people living with disabilities feel about Australia’s “debacle” of a vaccine rollout. Sam Connor has muscular dystrophy, heart and lung issues and uses a wheelchair. After much trying, the People With Disabilities Australia president secured her first vaccine on July 3. The federal government on July 5 said 12,521 people living in disability care had received their first dose. But Connor said that — and the number of vaccinated people with disabilities more broadly — was a drop in the ocean. People with Disability Australia Ltd is a national Australian disability right and advocacy…
SYDNEY — A ship that lost dozens of containers overboard off Australia’s east coast had “severely corroded” lashing plates making it unseaworthy, a court has heard. Shipmaster Mohd Zulkhaili Bin Alias is facing two charges after 50 containers toppled off the APL England when the vessel encountered rough seas while traveling to Melbourne from China in May 2020. Containers and other debris washed up on New South Wales beaches, triggering a massive clean-up operation. Alias is charged with one offense relating to the disposal of garbage from a ship into the sea between May 23 and May 28, 2020. Another count…
MUMBAI, India — Actor Dilip Kumar’s wife, Saira Banu Khan, informed fans yesterday that the Bollywood star’s health had improved and requested them to pray for him to get discharged from the hospital. Taking to Kumar’s Twitter handle, Saira shared the news. “We are grateful for God’s infinite mercy on Dilip Sahib that his health is improving,” said Banu in the tweet. “We are still in hospital and request your prayers and duas so that Insha’Allah he is healthy and discharged soon.” Earlier on July 3, speaking about the current health condition of the legendary star, Banu said that although his health is…
CANBERRA, Australia — Economists will be hoping for a clearer interest rate outlook in the coming days after weeks of speculation a hike maybe sooner than Reserve Bank of Australia predictions. The Reserve Bank of Australia holds its monthly board meeting on July 6, where it is widely expected to keep its key cash rate unchanged at a record low of 0.1 percent, and where it has stood since November 2020. The central bank has repeatedly said interest rates will not rise until inflation is sustainably within the two to three percent target, an event it does not expect to occur…
NEW DELHI — Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, on July 5, shared a series of pictures on social media, feeling the romantic vibes in Europe, on the sets of her upcoming film Razneesh Ghai’s “Dhaakad.” Taking to her Instagram, the actress decided to pose aesthetically for a dreamy photoshoot for which she specifically purchased a bouquet of flowers. The actor served major romantic feels and decided to don a new avatar for her recent photoshoot. In the series of pictures uploaded by the 34-year-old actress, Ranaut donned a floral midi dress with a pair of sunglasses while on the sets of “Dhaakad” in…