Tag Archives: oceania

New rules for Aussies flying into NSW from overseas

Vaccinated travellers flying into NSW from overseas are banned from visiting hospitals and other health care facilities, aged and disability care and prisons for a week after they arrive home.

Details of the rules have emerged a day after international borders opened for the state.

The rule will affect Aussies returning home, as well as NSW residents, who are now allowed to fly overseas on holidays.

Tourists will also have to follow the rule, with New Zealanders soon to be joined by Singaporeans as the first groups to be allowed to visit.

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A traveller pushes a luggage cart outside the departure hall of the international terminal of Sydney Airport in Sydney.

NSW Health says anyone returning to the state- who already must have returned a negative COVID-19 test less than three days before boarding the plane – must also follow other rules.

They must have a PCR COVID-19 test within 24 hours after arriving, which had already been detailed by officials, and they must have another PCR test after a week.

But until that seven day test is clear, they must not go to "high-risk settings", unless, for example if they need medical help.

Children under the age of 12 who are not fully vaccinated must not attend school or children until they have a negative seven day test, and must not enter the "high-risk settings" for 14 days after arriving in NSW.

READ MORE Everything you need to know about international travel

Family members embrace as they are reunited at the Sydney International Airport on November 1.

However, the rules have changed since the list was initially published on Sunday.

A longer list which told travellers they could not visit pubs and restaurants, schools, sports matches and other events such as concerts and child care for a week, has now been removed from the NSW Health website.

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Ambulances at Sunshine Hospital, Melbourne.

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"NSW Health has updated advice for recently arrived, fully vaccinated international arrivals to no longer restrict entry into large gatherings of hospitality venues for seven days following arrival," NSW Health said in a statement this afternoon.

"Restrictions during the first week following arrival remain on entry to certain high-risk premises including aged care, disability care, healthcare and correctional facilities."

While the travel ban ending means any Aussies or PRs can leave the country, only people from NSW, Victoria and the ACT can easily get back, with hotel quarantine, flight caps and closed domestic borders hampering travel for others.

READ MORE Everything you need to know about international travel

Only those with TGA approved vaccines may enter the country quarantine-free.

TGA approved vaccines are Pfizer (Comirnaty), AstraZeneca, (Vaxzevria), Janssen-Cilag (COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen), Moderna (Spikevax), Coronavac (Sinovac) and Covishield (AstraZeneca/Serum Institute of India).

Covaxin and Sinopharm (BBIBP-CorV) vaccines have also just been added to the list.

Anybody who doesn't have a recognised vaccine must still to hotel quarantine in NSW, with places strictly limited.

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Australia's best-ranked courier services revealed

With more parcels being sent than ever before, new research has revealed which couriers are handling the load the best.

Millions of deliveries are being sent out by Melbourne retailers everyday, but they aren't all being delivered at the same pace.

CouriersPlease's Paul Roper said the number of parcels being sent at the moment was challenging for delivery companies.

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"We've never seen volumes like it in our 38-year history," he said.

"It's absolutely unique in the history of home delivery in Australia."

He says the number of parcels circulating is expected to increase by about 30 per cent in the next eight weeks with Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas and Boxing Day all on the way.

New research by Canstar Blue has revealed which couriers are handling the flood of parcels best, according to small businesses.

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CouriersPlease has topped the latest Canstar Blue rankings, with five stars.

StarTrack and DHL have taken second and third best place, while Australia Post is ranked fourth, failing to achieve five stars in any of the subcategories.

Fastway has come in fifth and while Toll is ranked last.

Darwin gunman pleads guilty to murder at eleventh hour

In a dramatic turn of events, the jury in the trial of Benjamin Hoffmann has been sent home.

Seven weeks into his nine-week trial, the 47-year-old has pleaded guilty to the murders of Hassan Baydoun, Michael Sisois and Robert Courtney.

He has also pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Nigel Hellings who was found shot dead inside his unit.

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Benjamin Hoffmann tasered while being arrested on the Daly Street Bridge.

No explanation was provided for the last-minute decision to change his plea.

Throughout the trial, the jury went on a tour of the gunman's crime scenes and heard evidence from 150 witnesses.

The crown's case was that on June 4, 2019, Benjamin Hoffmann was high on ice when he went on a bloody rampage.

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Benjamin Hoffmann handcuffed to his bed at Royal Darwin Hospital.

Armed with a shotgun and bowie knife, he travelled around Darwin looking for a man named Alex Deligiannis – who he believed had been pimping out his girlfriend, Kelly Collins.

When giving evidence, both Mr Deligiannis and Ms Collins denied the claim.

Hoffmann was taken into custody nearly an hour after he fired his first shot.

Moments before the arrest, the gunman called police and told them he had "killed sexual predators."

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A court sketch of Benjamin Hoffmann.

After the shootings, Mr Hoffmann also claimed to have been poisoned by one of his victims, Michael Sisois.

CCTV played before the jury showed the moment Mr Sisois was murdered in the Buff Club carpark, with a shot to the head.

Psychiatrists who assessed Mr Hoffmann in hospital and prison said they believed he did not suffer from a psychiatric illness.

Mr Hoffmann awaits sentencing.