Tag Archives: oceania

Warning over oysters after spike in gastro cases

A warning has been issued over a popular seafood dish after a dramatic increase in cases of food poisoning.

Food Safety bosses in South Australia say they have seen a spike in cases of a gastro infection linked to shellfish after people ate raw oysters.

SA Health's acting director of Food and Controlled Drugs Branch, Joanne Cammans, said there have been 36 cases of Vibrio parahaemolyticus infections linked to eating raw oysters since September.

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A warning has been issued over eating raw oysters.

That's compared to no cases in 2020 and eight cases in 2019.

Health safety bosses said they are "concerned".

"This increase in cases reported to us in such a short period of time is very concerning, as food-borne illnesses can be quite serious for more vulnerable people in our community, such as older South Australians, pregnant people and people with compromised immune systems," Ms Cammans said.

"The infection can be acquired by eating undercooked shellfish and fish however raw oysters are often the most common cause."

The infection causes gastro symptoms including diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever and headache, usually within 24 hours of eating the contaminated food.

Primary Industries bosses are investigating if anything might have affected the number of cases but said food safety rules were being followed at oyster farms.

"The number of cases can vary substantially from year to year, and it is difficult to pinpoint the potential cause," Nathan Rhodes, executive director of biosecurity at the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA), said.

"Inspections by PIRSA officers have found food safety practices are being appropriately applied on farm."

Mr Rhodes said raw unshucked oysters should be stored at less than 10 degrees Celsius and shucked oysters at less than 5 degrees Celsius to minimise the risk of infection.

Man shot on Gold Coast stumbles into grocery store

A 27-year-old man has been shot on the Gold Coast this afternoon, and is being treated for injuries at Gold Coast University Hospital.

The man stunned bystanders at a supermarket on Lawson Street in Southport when he came into the store with a bullet wound to his leg, calling for help around 12.30pm.

Critical care paramedics tended to the man, treating his leg wound and facial injuries.

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Three men and a woman have been arrested as suspects in relation to the incident.

Police have confirmed the alleged victim, a Holland Park man, had been driving a hired black Mercedes-Benz last night when it was allegedly stolen by two men who he had met with at Budds Beach.   

Around midday today, two other men, one of whom was known to the 27-year-old, lured him to a high-rise unit on Lawson Street to arrange payment for the return of the vehicle.

It's here police believe the alleged shooting took place.

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The three men and a woman associated with the alleged offenders then rode the elevator to the ground floor, where the 27-year-old fled on foot.

Three others allegedly fled in the stolen Mercedes as the man made his way to the grocery store.

Police attended the scene, before subsequent investigations led officers to Acacia Avenue in Surfers Paradise, where they located the stolen Mercedes.

A 29-year-old Southport man, 25-year-old Gold Coast man and two women were inside the vehicle. All four were arrested at the scene.

Three crime scenes have been set up at a Lawson Street unit, the grocery store and Acacia Avenue.

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New tech, customer preferences to get Australia to net zero by 2050

The Federal Government has released its plan for Australia to get to net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The 100-page document details the modelling involved to get Australia to a carbon neutral point in the next 29 years.

"A central role is played by low emissions electricity and electrification of road transport," the plan states.

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Solar power will account for most of the electricity in Australia by 2050, the modelling shows.

"Electricity and transport are projected to substantially decarbonise, even under current trends."

But much of the plan is reliant on predictions of what technology that does not exist yet will do to carbon emissions.

It also carries the assumption that consumers will increasingly opt for low-carbon options as time goes on, without the impact of government intervention.

A large proportion of the "net zero" target uses emissions trading with other countries to offset carbon pollution in Australia.

Energy and Industry Minister Angus Taylor touted the benefits of the plan.

"The modelling shows that a clear focus on driving down technology costs will enable Australia to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 without putting industries, regions or jobs at risk," he said in a statement.

"The modelling shows that Australians will be nearly $2000 better off on average in 2050 under our Plan, relative to no action, with more than 62,000 new regional mining and heavy industry jobs created by 2050."

Wind power is expected to play a much larger role in Australia's energy section by 2050.

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The modelling projects that because of shifts in international demand, coal production will halve by 2050 in Australia.

But an estimated 35,000 to 40,000 new jobs will be created in the energy sector. It also projects electricity bills will be lower by 2050.

Under the plan, solar will account for the bulk of power generation in Australia, with a dramatic increase in wind power as well.

climate change

Coal generation will be at close to zero.

Petrol-powered cars will also be largely obsolete by 2050, with fully-electric cars accounting for nearly every vehicle on the road.