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Blog posts : "General"

Apocalyptic’ sea foam overwhelms Australian beaches, bringing forth deadly sea snakes, ‘half a cow’

If you’ve ever been to an Oregon beach, you’ve seen sea foam. Not particularly memorable.

But you’ve probably never seen sea foam of the magnitude that has swept over Australia in the past week. One observer called it “something out of an otherworldly apocalyptic movie.” 

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Australia seeks confirmation of reported China coal import ban

The Australian government is seeking clarification from Beijing on reports that China has suspended purchases of Australian coal amid heightened diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

Chinese power stations and steel mills have been verbally told to immediately stop using Australian coal,…

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Australia tensions won't stop young Chinese buyers

Younger Chinese people just want to buy the best brands whether they are Australian or from somewhere else, and aren't influenced by rising geopolitical tensions says the boss of ASX-listed retail group AuMake.

Keong Chan, executive chairman of the group that has been forced to pivot after its li…

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When will Australians be able to fly overseas for holidays again?

Stepping foot off a plane with passport in hand and into an airport overseas feels like a distant memory for most.

While other countries are reopening their borders to international travel, and places like the USA are lifting overseas travel restrictions for residents, Australians remain confined…

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Childcare confusion: jobkeeper loophole may give some educators access

Family daycare educators may continue to be eligible for jobkeeper despite the Australian government’s decision to cut off the childcare sector’s access to the wage subsidy scheme.

The discovery of the loophole for sole traders providing family daycare has sparked calls for the government to …

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Australia has one of the largest number of micronations in the world

George II (or George Cruickshank, if you insist on "mundane" titles) was a bright and articulate young child — qualities his parents had hoped would put him on the path to a promising career in politics.

"What they got instead was me deciding to create my own country in their backyard and raisi…

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Hundreds of types of face masks withdrawn from sale in Australia amid safety fears

Hundreds of different types of face masks have been withdrawn from Australia’s register of therapeutic goods and the regulator has started a mass audit of the equipment amid concerns that some may not adequately prevent infection.

Surgical or examination masks intended to reduce or prevent the …

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What will it take to see wages grow in Australia?

Young Australians have lost a decade of income growth, and as the nation enters a recession that looks perilously similar to a depression, it’s only going to get worse.

A new report by the Productivity Commission revealed that young people’s average incomes declined between 2008 and 2018. In co…

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Etihad to refund all Australian flights cancelled due to COVID-19

Etihad will offer refunds to all consumers who purchased airfares in Australia which were consequently cancelled due to COVID-19.
The airline will contact consumers who booked directly with the airline as well as Australian-based travel agents to inform customers that they can elect to receive a re…

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Who is allowed to enter South Australia under new COVID-19 border restrictions?

South Australians will not be able to return to their home state from Victoria unless they are essential travellers, starting at one minute past midnight tonight.

Key points:
Only essential travellers will be able to enter South Australia from Victoria
Even South Australian residents in Victori…

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Australia's childcare centres struggle to pay up to $9,000 for Covid-19 cleaning

The not-for-profit early childcare education sector is struggling to pay up to $9,000 for deep cleaning each time a Covid-19 case is identified, while federal government transition payments may not be enough to keep the sector afloat as parents pull their children out of the system.

The United Wo…

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Australia's Karoon soars after striking new oil field deal terms

Australian oil and gas explorer Karoon Energy has renegotiated the terms of a deal worth nearly $1 billion to acquire an oil field off the coast of Brazil due to the coronavirus crisis and global oil price crash.

Karoon last year sealed a deal to buy the shallow-water Bauna field for $US665 milli…

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The mystery at the heart of young Australians joining the far-right

When it comes to the dangers of online recruitment into the extreme far-right movement, the narrative is a sadly familiar one.
Young people are exposed online to "ironic", reaction-baiting memes featuring coded anti-Semitism, racism and white supremacy. A piece in The Atlantic earlier this year, fo…

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Australia Is Having a Strategic Revolution, and It’s All About China

At the beginning of July, Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison declared that “our region is in the midst of the most consequential strategic realignment since the Second World War.” He wrote that in the introduction to his government’s “Defence Strategic Update” and “Force Structure Plan,” whic…

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Cat mind-altering parasite widespread in Australia: study

A surprising new study suggests two-thirds of Australians have been exposed to a potentially mind-altering cat parasite.

Toxoplasma gondii is famous for manipulating the brains of infected mice so they run towards cats, instead of away from them – raising questions about what it could be doing to…

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Coronavirus in Australia: Melbourne begins new shutdown

Australia's second-largest city has begun a second lockdown in response to a spike in new coronavirus infections.

Melbourne's five million residents will be barred from leaving home for six weeks, except for essential reasons.

Police say they are setting up a "ring of steel" around the city, w…

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Exclusive: Australia's former top doctor and cancer survivor backs new push to save lives

When Chris Baggoley was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year, he knew exactly the battle he was facing.
Because he used to be Australia's top doctor.
Between 2011 and 2016, Dr Baggoley was the country's Chief Medical Officer, advising the government on major health matters including the Ebol…

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Banks throw lifeline to pandemic-hit borrowers to stop financial 'cliff'

Australian banks have thrown a lifeline to pandemic-hit borrowers, saying mortgage holders who paused payments will be able to extend loan deferrals by up to four months if needed.

In an attempt to avoid what some fear is a looming financial "cliff", the banking industry is unveiling a support pa…

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Coronavirus | Australia's second largest city foils nation's pandemic success

Australia has been among the world’s most successful countries in containing its coronavirus outbreak - with one exception.

The southeastern state of Victoria had some of the nation’s toughest pandemic measures and was among the most reluctant to lift its restrictions when the worst of its outb…

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International flights are still bringing thousands of people into Australia, but coronavirus has made it much harder to travel

More than 250,000 international travellers have touched down in Australia since the borders were closed amid the coronavirus pandemic, new figures obtained by the ABC show.

Key points:
About 500 people a day still arrive at Brisbane International Airport
Daily arrivals to Brisbane have fallen b…

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20 blog posts