Tag Archives: oceania

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Sixth Omicron case confirmed in NSW, linked to flight

A sixth case of the Omicron variant has been confirmed in New South Wales.

NSW Health said the fully vaccinated traveller who recently visited southern Africa tested positive to the variant.

The man arrived on flight QR908 from Doha to Sydney on November 25 and tested positive to COVID-19 yesterday.

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The man arrived on the same flight as the Central Coast woman who tested positive to Omicron yesterday.

NSW Health has issued an exposure site alert which was visited by the man.

Anyone who attended the Chemist Warehouse, The Grove in Liverpool on Monday November 29 between 8.10pm and 8.15pm is now deemed a close contact.

If you attended the venue at that time you must immediately get tested and isolate until a negative result is received.

The man had spent the last six months in Nigeria, which is not one of the eight African countries subject to the border closure issued on Saturday.

READ MORE: NSW wakes to new travel restrictions amid fears of Omicron

It is not yet known whether he contracted the virus in Nigeria or while on the flight from Doha.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said he believes the man only has mild symptoms.

"We're hoping that stays the case," he said.

"And I thank him for coming forward and being tested."

Further testing today should confirm whether he does have the Omicron strain.

All passengers on the QR908 Qatar Airways flight have been directed to get tested and self-isolate for 14 days.

READ MORE: What we know about all the major COVID-19 variants

So far, only one of the seven Omicron cases in Australia are not in New South Wales.

The seventh is a case in quarantine in Howard Springs in the Northern Territory.

Mr Hazzard said he is "not keen to see a return to lockdowns".

"As one who has delivered that news, bad news to the community on many occasions, I feel like it's time for a change in approach," he said.

"We don't know how many more variants of this virus are going to come."

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Christian Porter to quit politics at next federal election

Federal MP Christian Porter has announced he will quit politics at the next federal election, citing the "harshness of modern politics" as a reason for choosing not to recontest his seat of Pearce.

In a lengthy statement, Mr Porter described himself as an "obsessive compulsive type" who gave more to his work than his family and pledged to spend more time with them following his resignation.

"My little boy was born one day before I first became a Commonwealth Minister," Mr Porter wrote.

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Christian Porter discontinued his defamation case against the ABC last month.

"He and his little sister have never known anything but their father's regular absence and so the next part of my working life will be anchored around being close to them and being there for them."

Mr Porter stood down from his position as attorney general in March following an historical rape allegation.

In today's post he spoke about the harsh nature of political life.

"There are few, if any, constants left in modern politics. Perhaps the only certainty now is that there appears to be no limit to what some will say or allege or do to gain an advantage over a perceived enemy," Mr Porter said.

"This makes the harshness that can accompany the privilege of representing people, harder than ever before.

"But even though I have experienced perhaps more of the harshness of modern politics than most, there are no regrets."

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Christian Porter says he has received offers of donations to cover his legal bills from his constituents.

Mr Porter said he has informed the Prime Minister of his decision.

"Before each election I have always asked myself whether I could absolutely guarantee another three years of total commitment to the electorate because people deserve that commitment, free of any reservations," Mr Porter said.

"After a long time giving everything I could to the people of Pearce it's now time to give more of what is left to those around me whose love has been unconditional."

Mr Porter was elected to the Federal Parliament in 2013, serving in multiple roles including as Leader of the house, Minister for Industrial Relations and as the Attorney-General of Australia.

He resigned from the cabinet in September 2021 over a conflict of interest into the identity of the party who paid for his legal bills in a defamation trial against the ABC.

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Bunnings, Officeworks Flybuys program kicks off

Bunnings and Officeworks have started their in-store Flybuys programs today, offering one point for every $1 spent in-store.

From today, Flybuys points will be able to be collected by members across Wesfarmers and Coles Group retail businesses which also include Kmart, Target, Liquorland and online retailer Catch.

Flybuys is one of the largest loyalty programs in Australia, boasting more than 8 million members.

READ MORE: The once unthinkable mandate that might become the norm

When partnered with a retailer, shoppers earn "points" for every dollar amount spent in-store or online, which can later be redeemed for rewards such as holidays, money off a transaction or specific items.

Flybuys is a free program that encourages customers to shop at specific retailers.

There are no fees to join or to hold a membership.

It is co-owned by Coles itself and retail conglomerate Wesfarmers, the parent company of Bunnings and Officeworks.

READ MORE: Flood record smashed as Queenslanders flee rising waters

Coles and Wesfarmers have hired digital veteran John Markovsky as the new head of their loyalty program Flybuys.

Coles is no longer a subsidiary of Wesfarmers following a demerger in 2018.

Wesfarmers owns just under 5 per cent of the Coles Group.

Bunnings managing director Mike Schneider said customers will also be able to redeem their points for in-store gift cards.

"A trip to Bunnings is set to get even more rewarding with the launch of Flybuys at more than 300 of our stores across Australia," Mr Schneider said.

"From tackling a weekend DIY project to a garden makeover, our customers can collect points on tens of thousands of products available across our store network, all at everyday low prices.

"We're so pleased that the partnership also means Flybuys members can now redeem their points for Bunnings gift cards.

"This will get members one step closer to completing a dream renovation, creating a backyard oasis or setting up a new play area for the kids."

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Flybuys CEO John Merakovsky said the partnership with Bunnings and Officeworks was an easy decision as loyalty club members likely already shop at both retailers.

"We're proud to welcome Bunnings and Officeworks into our coalition of partners," Mr Merakovsky said.

"We know that a vast majority of Flybuys members already shop at both retailers, which is an incredibly exciting opportunity for our eight million-plus members to collect more points where they're already shopping."

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