The Great Barrier Reef will not be listed as a World Heritage site “in danger” after a UNESCO committee agreed to delay any decision until 2023. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee met both virtually and in the Chinese city of Fuzhou to vote on the draft decision on Friday night. Federal politicians have lobbied against...
Category: <span>National</span>
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Sydney Airport rejects $22bln takeover bid
Sydney Airport has rejected a $22.3 billion takeover offer because it undervalues the business, which runs the nation’s biggest aviation hub. The airport was earlier this month approached by a consortium of infrastructure investors with an offer of $8.25 per stapled security. “The boards have concluded that the indicative proposal undervalues Sydney Airport and is...
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Waiting for vaccine slows virus response
Health experts warn Australia’s vaccine coverage is so low that more lockdowns are inevitable. Many older Australians are waiting for an alternative to AstraZeneca before getting a COVID-19 vaccine, according to a government survey. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported 35 per cent of 50 to 69 year olds and 26 per cent of people...
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Indoor masks back in Victoria as virus spreads
Masks are again compulsory indoors in Victoria, as the state’s number of new COVID-19 infections continues to grow. From Thursday, anyone aged over 12 will be required to wear a mask in all indoor settings, including schools and workplaces, unless an exception applies. Masks must also be worn outdoors when social distancing isn’t possible. AAP...
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Tropical Cyclone Seroja wreaks havoc along WA’s mid north coast, rips apart historic One Mile Jetty
Tropical Cyclone Seroja has now weakened after leaving a trail of destruction and thousands of residents without power as it hit Western Australia’s coast overnight. Seroja made landfall south of Kalbarri at 8pm on Sunday as a category three storm, bringing wind gusts of up to 170 kilometres per hour. The fast-moving storm tore roofs...
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Reverend Fred Nile to quit NSW politics, names Lyle Shelton as successor
Christian Democratic Party founder Reverend Fred Nile will retire from NSW Parliament this year, with former Australian Christian Lobby boss Lyle Shelton slated to replace him. Mr Nile announced on Sunday evening he would retire in November after close to 40 years in politics, having first been elected to Macquarie Street in 1981. He will...
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3 people hospitalised after suspected chemical leak at Sydney pool
An aquatic centre in Sydney will remain closed as it’s ventilated after an evacuation of more than 100 people and hospitalisation of three over a “toxic smell” exposure. A child was among the three people taken to hospital after a suspected gas leak at the Hurstville Aquatic Leisure Centre, which is believed to have been...
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NSW flooding forces 2,000 people to evacuate, schools and work closed
Thousands of people across New South Wales are grappling with flooding as evacuation orders remain in place for large swathes of Sydney and the waters continue to rise in regional areas. The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) is helping 2,000 people to evacuate and warns there will likely be more evacuations in low-lying areas of...
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Pfizer coronavirus vaccine doses arrive in Australia, ahead of first jabs next week
The first doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine have touched down in Australia as preparations continue for the first stage of the national rollout, Health Minister Greg Hunt says. People will begin receiving the vaccine from Monday, February 22, with more than 142,000 doses arriving in Sydney from Europe just after midday today. “They will...
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2021 Australian of the Year awardees named
A woman who survived sexual assault to fight for others, a Kenyan refugee who became a multicultural liaison officer, a young advocate hoping to end period poverty, and a renowned Aboriginal educator are the recipients of the 2021 Australian of the Year awards. After an extraordinary year, the awards are celebrating four equally extraordinary Australians,...