Tag Archives: oceania

'Keep fighting': Daniel Andrews sends message to Victorians

Daniel Andrews has issued a message to Victorians while on sick leave, apologising for being absent and encouraging the millions facing extended restrictions.

The Premier, who is still recovering from severe injuries from a fall in March, told Victorians to "keep fighting" after the announcement on Wednesday that the current coronavirus lockdown would be extended for a second week.

"I won't talk about how hard this is, or why it matters so much. You all know that," Mr Andrews said in a post on Facebook.

READ MORE: Lockdown extended in Melbourne for seven days, restrictions ease in regional Victoria

"But I did want to send a message to Victorians facing another week off work, away from school, or with the kids at home:

"Just because we've had to do this before, doesn't mean it's easy to do again. Some of us will be tired. Some stressed. Some sick to the back teeth of this pandemic. Maybe a mix of all three.

"But please know that every individual effort you made today, and everything you'll do tomorrow and every day after will save lives."

READ MORE: Why is Victoria always falling victim to COVID-19 outbreaks?

Mr Andrews said record testing and vaccinations were helping protect "our communities, our state, and the entire country".

"Be proud of what you've achieved and be proud of our state too.

"Keep fighting, Victoria."

Melbourne's lockdown was extended on Wednesday for a further seven days as the city grapples with another outbreak of COVID-19. Stay-at-home measures will lift in regional Victoria.

Mr Andrews, who suffered broken ribs and spinal damage after falling on wet stairs on March 9, expects to be back at work by the end of June.

Daniel Andrews sitting in a back brace at home.

"I'm sorry I can't be there with everyone right now but I'm so grateful to (Acting Premier) James (Merlino) for his leadership.

"I have more scans and a meeting with my medical team next week. I'll let you know how that goes and exactly when I'll be back on deck later this month.

"See you soon."

Second aged care resident tests positive to COVID-19

A second resident has tested positive to coronavirus at the Arcare aged care home in Melbourne.

The facility confirmed the case at the Maidstone home this afternoon.

"Arcare is saddened to report that we have one additional resident at our Maidstone residence who has tested positive to COVID-19 today," a statement from CEO Colin Singh said.

"The 89-year-old resident is a close contact of the first resident to contract COVID-19 at Arcare Maidstone and is in an adjacent room."

READ MORE: Lockdown extended in Melbourne for seven days

The staffer worked at the Arcare aged care facility in Maidstone while infectious.

They will be transferred to hospital.

Additional team members have been brought in to support one on one activities, Mr Singh said.

"We are COVID swab testing these team members before they start to ensure they are safe to work.

READ MORE: Victorian business' eligible for up to $5000 lockdown support payment

"We have been delivering activity packs to our residents today and team members who are isolating are ringing residents to offer a listening ear and emotional support," the statement read.

Earlier this week a 99-year-old woman and staff member were confirmed to be infected with the virus at Arcare.

Brisbane toddler could be deported after Child Safety tell foster mother she can't adopt him

A two-year-old Brisbane child is facing deportation and being ripped away from the care of his foster mother, despite her being told she would be his long-term guardian.

While 9News can't reveal their real names or show their faces due to legal reasons, the two-year-old's foster carer has told of the potential heartbreak both she and her foster son are facing.

Initially born in Brisbane to a mother on a student visa from India, the little boy was placed into foster care at four days old after his birth parents couldn't care for him. The toddler has lived with his foster mother ever since.

READ MORE: Prime Minister's nephew faces new charges

A two-year-old Brisbane child is facing deportation and being ripped away from the care of his foster mother, despite her being told she would be his long-term guardian.
Correspondence from the state government confirming the toddler would be under care.

However, despite being told as recently as a few months ago that the boy would be in her care until he was 18, the Department of Child Safety has now told the boy's carer he will be taken away and put up for adoption – and she can't apply for him.

"This is a child's life; this is his life we are talking about, taking him from a loving, caring home to an unknown, to strangers," the boy's carer said.

"They said to me in a meeting, in front of about five or six people, and they said to me child safety has stuffed up."

Initially born in Brisbane to a mother on a student visa from India, the little boy was placed into foster care at four days old after his birth parents couldn't care for him.

Additionally, the two-year-old is also facing deportation as he is not considered an Australian resident. When 9News approached Federal Immigration Minister Alex Hawke's office on the matter, it was given this statement:

"A child born in Australia to a visa holder will generally be considered to hold the same visa as their parent held when the child was born."

Due to the toddler's birth mother being on a student visa, he has no rights to permanent residency.

"I have been told it'll be like the death of a baby, it will be the same as the death of a baby," the foster mother said when asked if she was prepared for the day when the boy might be taken away.

Mining to be 'pin-up industry' in drive to cut carbon emissions, PM says

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the mining industry will lead Australia's efforts to combat climate change rather than holding them back.

In a Wednesday night speech to industry leaders, he said the resources sector was a "key part" of the nation's economy bouncing back to and beyond its pre-pandemic size and that it would continue to thrive for years to come.

Highlighting a range of initiatives in emerging areas such as hydrogen production and rare earth and lithium mining, the Prime Minister said he wanted Australia to show the world how to maintain strong resource, manufacturing and heavy industries sectors in a net-zero carbon emissions economy.

READ MORE: Aussie house prices 'at risk' from China shift on iron ore

Prime Minister Scott Morrison

The resources sector would become a "pin-up industry" for how the nation would meet and beat its commitments, he said.

"Australia is going to lead the world in lower emissions production in the resources sector," he told the Australian Minerals Industry Parliamentary Dinner.

"And the very sector, the very sector that many far from here might suggest … is a reason why Australia, they would allege, is not making the commitments that are necessary, quite the reverse will be the proof."

The Morrison government is yet to commit to a net-zero target by 2050, as major emitters such as the United States and the European Union have done.

Australia's current target is to cut emissions by 26 to 28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, a goal that was reportedly criticised by the Biden administration before the President's virtual global climate summit earlier this year.

"It's insufficient to follow the existing trajectory and hope that they will be on a course to deep decarbonisation and getting to net zero emissions by mid-century," Nine newspaper quoted a senior administration official as saying during an anonymous briefing call.

Mr Morrison insisted Australia would forge its own path to net-zero in a way that would suit Australia's national interests and guarantee jobs rather than having it "determined by others".

The Prime Minister also sought on Wednesday night to wedge Labor on support for reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, which would transfer development approval powers to the states.

"If they don't support this bill that actually bring forward investment decisions, that means jobs in the resources sector, that uphold the environmental standards, they don't support, they do not support, the resources sector," he said.

Labor has criticised the proposal for not doing enough to protect the environment.

A 2019 study by University of New South Wales Professor of Political Philosophy Jeremy Moss found while Australia was the world's 16th biggest greenhouse gas emitter, emissions from the coal extracted by Australia's six top producers were greater than the country's entire domestic carbon footprint.

Minerals Council of Australia chairwoman Helen Coonan told the dinner the mining industry paid a record $39.3 billion in taxes and royalties in 2019-20.

Woman arrested after allegedly failing to stop at border checkpoint

A woman has been arrested after driving through a border checkpoint at Yamba, South Australia.

Police will allege patrols on the Sturt Highway checkpoint attempted to stop a red Nissan Pulsar as it approached the checkpoint from Victoria at 4.12pm today.

The driver allegedly refused to stop and was pursued by patrols, with road spikes being used to stop the car on Stanitzki Road close to Bookpurnong Road.

READ MORE: 'Don't touch the ball' plea from South Australian doctor

The driver and sole occupant, a 37-year-old Renmark woman was arrested soon after.

She will face numerous charges including engaging in a police pursuit and other offences relating to failure to stop at the checkpoint.

Baby sea snakes released after incredible tale of survival

Three baby sea snakes have lived to tell an incredible tale of survival after their mother was found on a New South Wales beach clinging to life after giving birth.

Found washed up on a Pottsville Beach over a week ago, the mother and her five newly birthed offspring were rushed across the border to SeaWorld Hospital on the Gold Coast.

Treating the six reptiles in a specially designed tank at the park's Shark Bay, the centre's rehabilitation team were able to nurse three of the snakes back to good health.

READ MORE: 'Don't touch the ball' plea from South Australian doctor

Found washed up on a Pottsville Beach over a week ago, the mother and her five newly birthed offspring were rushed across the border to SeaWorld Hospital on the Gold Coast. Found washed up on a Pottsville Beach over a week ago, the mother and her five newly birthed offspring were rushed across the border to SeaWorld Hospital on the Gold Coast.

Unfortunately, the baby's mother didn't make it.

The three snake siblings were today released back into the wild at the Gold Coast seaway. The two remaining snakes are still recovering.

Bali plans to reopen to international tourists next month

Indonesia, including the Australian holiday hotspot of Bali, expects to welcome international visitors back from next month.

According to a press release from the nation's Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, the nation plans to open to tourists in July 2021.

Australians, who head to Bali more than anywhere else, will be unable to go due to an ongoing travel ban which is expected to be extended past its deadline later this month.

READ MORE 'Women without milk for babies': How shutdown is devastating Bali

Bali

The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy announced the reopening plan at industry event, Arabian Travel Market Dubai 2021.

"By participating in ATM Dubai 2021, outbound tourism's leading global event, we are demonstrating that Indonesia is confident of maintaining its position as a world-class destination," Deputy of Minister for Tourism Marketing Nia Niscaya said.

Bali

"Indonesian president Joko Widodo, announced plans to re-open borders in July 2021, with destinations including Bali, Batam and Bintan serving as 'locomotive' regions to kickstart tourism for the whole country – if the pandemic is handled as well as expected," the release said.

"In preparation, the government has carried out a widespread vaccination program for targeted groups, including the tourism workforce," the release said.

"In addition, the government has also initiated the Cleanliness, Health, Safety, and Environmental Sustainability (CHSE) certification program throughout the tourism sector in Indonesia."

READ MORE: Indonesian submarine crew filmed themselves singing farewell video

Bali

A mass vaccination pledge targeting tourism destinations in Bali was launched earlier this year, however, according to World in Data, only six percent of the country overall have had a vaccination dose.

The nation already opened for some domestic travel last year, but places like Bali have been devastated by a lack of tourism.

The release did not mention if travellers would have to be vaccinated to holiday in Indonesia.