Tag Archives: oceania

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New rules on overseas travel 'reduce pressure' on backlog: Finance Minister

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham says the government's tightening of overseas travel rules is designed to reduce the pressures on a system trying to process Australians stranded overseas.

"We've seen too many instances where people have left the country only for in relatively short order to put their names on the request list to come back into the country," Senator Birmingham said today.

READ MORE: Overseas-based Aussies' travel exemption stripped in latest crackdown

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said new rules on travel will reduce the backlog on Australians stranded overseas.

"That just puts additional pressure and additional difficulties, in terms of managing the finite number of places that can safely be administered for returning Australians.

"So, it's important that people who are seeking to leave are either doing so because they're returning to another place of residence for a long period of time, or that they have a very strong, credible reason for doing so."

The Federal Government has quietly tightened pandemic border rules, with people who live in other countries now needing approval to return home.

READ MORE: NSW clocks new record of 291 cases

Passengers at Sydney Airport. At present it is difficult to both leave or enter Australia.

Earlier, federal and state governments agreed to halve international arrival caps following growing concerns about the COVID-19 Delta variant.

There's currently more than 38,000 Australians stranded overseas who have registered to come home.

LIVE UPDATES: Queensland records another 10 virus cases

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Former Bandidos sergeant-at-arms arrested, $373k cash seized following Gold Coast raids

A former sergeant-at-arms of the Bandidos bikie gang and two others have been arrested and following multiple police raids across the Gold Coast targeting organised crime.

Detectives from the Organised Crime Gangs Group and Taskforce Maxima this week searched several properties across the region resulting in approximately $373,000 in cash, drugs, drug-related paraphernalia and an air rifle being seized.

Police bodyworn footage revealed the discoveries, with several repackaged medicinal bottles being used with labels reading "Releaf Therapies" being used.

READ MORE: Woman who escaped Gold Coast quarantine still on the run

The former Sergeant of Arms of the Bandidos bikie gang and two others have been arrested and following multiple police raids across the Gold Coast targetting organized crime. Over $370,000, drugs, drug-related paraphernalia and an air rifle also being found in the Gold Coast searches.

A 45-year-old Palm Beach man, a former seargeant-at-arms of the Bandidos, has been charged with one count of trafficking dangerous drugs, two counts of supplying dangerous drugs, possession (major) of dangerous drugs and two counts of possession (minor) of dangerous drugs.

A 45-year-old Tallebudgera man has been charged with one count of trafficking dangerous drugs.

Both men are due to appear at the Southport Magistrates Court on August 6.

Over $370,000, drugs, drug-related paraphernalia and an air rifle also being found in the Gold Coast searches.Police bodyworn footage revealed the discoveries, with several repackaged medicinal bottles being used with label's reading "Releaf Therapies" being used.

A 66-year-old Palm Beach man has been issued a notice to appear for possession of a Category A weapon (air rifle) located at a Tallebudgera property.

He is due to appear at the Southport Magistrates Court on August 20.

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More funding for lockdown-hit Victorian businesses

Additional funding will be provided to Victorian businesses as they struggle through another COVID-19 lockdown.

The new package follows the $400 million package announced last week.

Minister for Industry Support and Recovery Martin Pakula said the latest payments were being funded by the federal and state governments.

READ MORE: Victoria records four new local cases as state wakes to first morning under sixth lockdown

"It means that this package of $400 million for a seven-day lockdown is above and beyond what we have been able to do in the past," Mr Pakula said.

"That is only possible as a consequence of that Commonwealth contribution.

"It adds to the $950 million we have paid to businesses through the May, June, and July restriction periods."

This is the third round of the Business Cost Assistance Program and will provide grants of $2800 to about 95,000 businesses, including gyms, cafes, restrooms, caterers, hairdressers, dance and swim schools, tourism and event businesses.

READ MORE: Officer injured in Melbourne anti-lockdown protests as 15 arrested

Those payments will be made automatically to former recipients of the grants.

There will also be a top-up for the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund and will also be an automatic payment.

Payments of $5000 will be given to eligible venues with a capacity of 0-199, $10,000 for premises with capacity of 200-499, and $20,000 for venues with a capacity of 500-plus.

The Small Business COVID Hardship Fund which was an $85 million fund providing grants of up to $5000 will be augmented with another $54 million to take it up to $139 million.

READ MORE: Economy will bounce back when COVID-19 restrictions ease, RBA boss says

Southgate in Melbourne on the first day of lockdown.

"That will then provide grants of $8000 rather than $5000," Mr Pakula said.

"As I indicated last week, that will be based on demonstration of turnover reduction of 70 per cent."

Alpine businesses will be eligible to receive between $5000 and $20,000 under a $10.6 million extension of the Alpine Business Support Program.