By Rowan Quinn of RNZ Nervous Papatoetoe High School students are lining up in big numbers to get tested, saying they want to do their bit to stop Covid-19 getting into the community.A Year 9 student is among the three cases…

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says allegations from young Liberal staffer that she was raped by a colleague at Parliament House are "deeply distressing".

Brittany Higgins told news.com.au she was just weeks into her dream job when she was allegedly raped in Defence Minister Linda Reynolds' ministerial office.

Ms Higgins was 24 when she was allegedly sexually assaulted by the colleague in the early hours of March 23, 2019.

Later, she would be invited to a meeting about the incident and asked to sit inside the very same ministerial office where she says she was assaulted.

A spokesperson for the government has confirmed that by March 26, 2019, senior staff in Senator Reynolds' office were aware of an incident.

"It was initially treated as a breach of the Statement of Standards for Ministerial Staff," a statement said.

"After further consultation with Ms Higgins over the following days, it became clear to senior staff that there were previously unknown elements of the incident that may be of a more serious nature."

The spokesperson said during the investigation into the incident, "Minister Reynolds and a senior staff member met with Ms Higgins in the Minister's office".

"Given the seriousness of the incident, consideration should have been made to the location of the meeting with Ms Higgins, and in hindsight that oversight is regretted," the spokesperson said.

Senator Reynolds told the Senate this afternoon she is "extremely concerned about the wellbeing of my former staff member".

"Women should be safe, and they should feel safe in the workplace at all times," she said.

Mr Morrison also addressed the allegations during Question Time today.

"My government takes all such matters – all matters of workplace safety – very, very seriously," Mr Morrison said.

"Everyone should feel safe in their workplace, wherever that is.

"Reports today are deeply distressing."

Mr Morrison and the government maintain Ms Higgins was supported throughout the entire process.

"The government has aimed to provide Ms Higgins with her agency, to provide support to make decisions in her interests and to respect her privacy," the prime minister said.

"This offer of support and assistance continues."

Ms Higgins told news.com.au she felt as though she had to choose between reporting the incident or keeping her job.

On the night in question, a group of Liberal Party colleagues attended a work function together and Ms Higgins said she remembers the man allegedly responsible buying rounds of drinks.

At the time, she said, he was considered a "rising star" within the party.

Eventually it was suggested she and the man share a ride home as they lived in a similar direction, however they ended up inside Parliament House.

The government has confirmed this and initially the incident was treated as a security breach in line with standards for ministerial staff given the pair were in Parliament House after hours.

Ms Higgins said she was signed in by a security officer and later in Senator Reynolds' office she felt sick, so she lay down on the couch. She said she woke up during the alleged sexual assault.

Ms Higgins said a parliamentary security guard found her, still in her cocktail dress, later that morning.

The man involved resigned a few days later, but this was in response to the security breach and not the alleged sexual assault.

Ms Higgins went on to work for Senator Michaelia Cash for two years, before resigning in January, saying she would be leaving Canberra.

ACT Policing today confirmed it received a report in April 2019 "in relation to an alleged assault at Parliament House".

"ACT Policing investigators subsequently spoke to the complainant who chose not to proceed with making a formal complaint,'' a police spokeswoman said.

"ACT Policing's investigation remains open but did not progress at that time as a result.

"As part of initial enquiries, ACT Policing also liaised with Department of Parliamentary Services."

If you need help in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For further information about depression contact beyondblue on 1300224636 or talk to your GP, local health professional or someone you trust.

If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.

Dozens of people have spent a cold and rainy Auckland day breaching the latest Covid-19 restrictions outside Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s Mt Albert electorate office. The group, appearing to protest a range of topics from the…

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A group of anti-lockdown protesters have rallied in Melbourne today, with three men arrested.

Dozens of people came together at Eaton Mall in Oakleigh to defy the state's stage four lockdown in place until midnight on Wednesday.

The largely maskless group clashed with police and became vocal towards them, swearing and shouting.

"A 40-year-old Huntingdale man was released pending summons for breaching Chief Health Officer directions and failing to obey police direction," police said in a statement.

"Two men, aged 43 and 65, were issued with an infringement notice for breaching Chief Health Officer directions."

Earlier the Reignite Democracy Australia group posted the gathering to its Facebook page.

"We will not comply," the post read.

"Meet us here at 12pm today (Oakleigh)."

Victoria was placed into stage four lockdown on Friday and is expected to lift midnight Wednesday.

Under the restrictions, Victorians are only allowed to leave their homes for four reasons: shopping for essentials, giving care, essential work and education, and exercise for two hours per day with household members, an intimate partner or one other person only.

As many as five million Australians are set to receive another $250 coronavirus payment from as early as March as the government's economic lifelines complete their final stages.

Known as part two of the "Economic Support Payment" – the first of which was delivered in December 2020 – the payment will go straight into eligible receiver's bank accounts.

For others, you must make sure you're eligible by February 26 to receive it.

Here's everything we know about the latest payment.

READ MORE: JobKeeper figures down ahead of end of supplement

What is the latest coronavirus payment?

The latest coronavirus payment is known as the Economic Support Payment, and is an extra cash injection to support those hurt most by virus restrictions.

How much is it?

The latest payment is $250.

It is part of a $500 per eligible person package, the first $250 of which was delivered to recipients in December 2020.

READ MORE: Coronavirus supplement: How to get the $250 economic support payment this month

When will I receive it?

If you are eligible, you should start to see the payment in your account from March 1, 2021.

Who is eligible to receive it?

The eligibility requirement is actually really simple. You need to say yes to these two questions:

• Are you living in Australia?
• Are you getting an eligible payment or concession card as of February 26, 2021?

Importantly, you won't receive it if you are being paid the coronavirus supplement.

A list of eligibility requirements can be found on the Services Australia page here.

In that second question, what is an 'eligible payment'?

Good question.

Essentially, you'll receive the payment if you also get one of the following:

• Age Pension
• Carer Allowance
• Carer Payment
• Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
• Disability Support Pension
• Double Orphan Pension
• Family Tax Benefit
• Pensioner Concession Card

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What do I need to do to receive the payment?

If you are eligible, you don't need to do anything – the government will pay it directly to your bank account.

This is a good time however – particularly if you hold a Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card – to jump onto Centrelink's website and confirm your bank details are correct.

The information provided on this website is general in nature only and does not constitute personal financial advice. The information has been prepared without taking into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on any information on this website you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.

As Melbourne saw the first working day of its fresh five day lockdown, Auckland in New Zealand has also been shut down for three days after three new mystery cases emerged.

American and Egyptian archaeologists have unearthed what could be the oldest known beer factory at one of the most prominent archaeological sites of ancient Egypt, a top antiquities official said Saturday.

Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the factory was found in Abydos, an ancient burial ground located in the desert west of the Nile River, more than 450 kilometres south of Cairo.

He said the factory apparently dates back to the region of King Narmer, who is widely known for his unification of ancient Egypt at the beginning of the First Dynastic Period (3150 BC to 2613 BC).

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Archaeologists found eight huge units — each is 20 metres long and 2.5 metres wide.

Each unit includes some 40 pottery basins in two rows, which had been used to heat up a mixture of grains and water to produce beer, Mr Waziri said.

READ MORE: 'Gold-tongued' mummy could date back to famed queen's reign

The joint mission is co-chaired by Dr Matthew Adams of the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, and Deborah Vischak, assistant professor of ancient Egyptian art history and archaeology at Princeton University.

Dr Adams said the factory was apparently built in this area to provide royal rituals with beer, given that archaeologists found evidences showing the use of beer in sacrificial rites of ancient Egyptians.

READ MORE: Egypt unveils ancient funerary temple south of Cairo

British archaeologists were the first to mention the existence of that factory early 1900s, but they couldn't determine its location, the antiquities ministry said.

With its vast cemeteries and temples from the earliest times of ancient Egypt, Abydos was known for monuments honoring Osiris, ancient Egypt’s god of underworld and the deity responsible for judging souls in the afterlife.

READ MORE: Great pyramid relic discovered in Scottish cigar box

The necropolis had been used in every period of early Egyptian history, from the prehistoric age to Roman times.

Egypt has announced dozens of ancient discoveries in the past couple of years, in the hope of attracting more tourists.

The tourism industry has been reeling from the political turmoil following the 2011 popular uprising that toppled longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

READ MORE: New x-ray technique reveals clues about ancient 1900-year-old mummy

The sector was also dealt a further blow last year by the coronavirus pandemic.

Meteorologists have predicted showers for most states and territories for the start of the week.

Low pressure troughs in the northern tropics as well as other parts of Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia, are generating showers and storms.

Cool onshore winds around a ridge of high pressure are bringing the odd shower to eastern parts of NSW, Victoria and Tasmania.

Another ridge is bringing settled conditions to South Australia.

Here's your weather forecast for Monday, February 15, 2021.

New South Wales and ACT

Showers, cool-to-mild in the northeast. Clearing shower, cool-to-mild in the southeast.

Sunny, very warm in the southwest. Mostly sunny, warm in the northwest.

A cloudy and windy day is on the way for Sydney, with a high chance of showers, most likely during this afternoon and evening and a minimum of 19C and a maximum of 23C.

A strong wind warning has been issued for Sydney enclosed waters and the Byron, Coffs, Macquarie, Hunter, Sydney and Illawarra coasts.

Canberra will be partly cloudy, with southeasterly winds between 15 to 20km/h increasing to 20 to 30km/h in the morning with a minimum of 11C and a top of 24C.

Victoria

Mostly sunny, cool-to-mild in the south. Isolated showers in the far east. Sunny, very warm-to-hot in the north.

https://twitter.com/BOM_Vic/status/1360693841985216513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

There is a chance of fog early this morning in Melbourne. However a sunny afternoon on the way, with light winds becoming S/SE 20 to 30 km/h in the late afternoon.

Queensland

Mostly sunny, mild-to-warm in the southeast.

Showers, very warm in the northeast. Mostly sunny, very warm in the west.

A partly cloudy day is on the way for Brisbane with a slight chance of a shower.

Western Australia

Mostly sunny, hot in the southwest and south. Mostly sunny, warm in the northwest. Showers/storms, very warm in the northeast.

Perth will be very hot and mostly sunny with a minimum of 21C and a top of 37C.

South Australia

Mostly sunny, warm in the southeast. Sunny, warm in central. Sunny, very warm-to-hot in the west and north.

Adelaide will be sunny with a minimum of 14C and a top of 30C.

Tasmania

Mostly cloudy, warm in the southwest. Clearing shower, warm in the southeast. Mostly sunny, mild-to-warm in the northwest. Showers, cool in the northeast.

https://twitter.com/BOM_Tas/status/1361040107126587396?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Hobart will be cloudy, with a slight chance of drizzle in the morning and daytime maximum temperatures between 16 and 20.

Northern Territory

Showers/storms, warm in the north. Mostly sunny, warm-to-very warm over the interior and south.

Darwin will be partly cloudy, with a high chance of showers, becoming less likely this evening. There is also the chance of a thunderstorm.

– Reported with Weatherzone

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expecting their second child.

"We can confirm that Archie is going to be a big brother," a spokesperson for the couple said in a statement.

"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are overjoyed to be expecting their second child."

The baby will be eighth in line to the British throne.

In a statement from the Queen, Buckingham Palace, said: "Her Majesty, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales and entire family are delighted and wish them well."

Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle married at Windsor Castle in May 2018.

Their son Archie was born a year later.

In early 2020, Meghan and Harry announced they were quitting royal duties and moving to North America, citing what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media.

They recently bought a house in Santa Barbara, California.

In November, Meghan revealed that she had a miscarriage in July 2020, giving a personal account of the traumatic experience in hope of helping others.

A black and white photo of the couple has been released to mark the announcement.

It features the Duchess lying down in a garden showing her bump, with the Duke cradling her head with his hand.

The photo was taken by Meghan's long-time friend Misan Harriman captioned it: "Meg, I was there at your wedding to witness this love story begin, and my friend, I am honoured to capture it grow.

"Congratulations to The Duke and Duchess of Sussex on this joyous news!"