Australia | Common News Update

Apr62021 by adminNo Comments

New Zealand and Australia to open quarantine-free travel bubble

World

April 6 (UPI) -- New Zealand announced Tuesday it will be re-opening its borders with Australia later this month after slamming them shut to travel a year ago in an effort to stymie the spread of the coronavirus. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced during a press conference Tuesday that conditions in both countries to permit quarantine-free travel between them had been met and the trans-Tasman travel bubble will be open starting April 19. Advertisement The announcement came hours after the nation's Cabinet had been informed that travel would be safe and that the director-general of health assessed the risk of transmission between the two countries was low. "One sacrifice that has been particularly hard for many to bear over the past year has been not be able to see friends...

Mar222021 by adminNo Comments

Towns cut off and 18,000 people evacuated as downpours intensify in Australia

World

Hundreds of people have been rescued and around 18,000 evacuated as record rain brought more extreme flooding to Australia's east coast.Emergency services fear up to 54,000 people could be displaced, with rain forecast to continue until Wednesday. Prime Minister Scott Morrison told parliament that 35 communities in northern New South Wales had been isolated and emergency services had conducted more than 700 flood rescues. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Aerial footage shows flooding in New South Wales "We are gr...

Mar52021 by adminNo Comments

Australia asks EU to stop blocking vaccine exports

Health

Australia is seeking assurances from the European Commission that shipments of vaccines are not blocked again after Italy banned a large export of the AstraZeneca coronavirus shotsByThe Associated PressMarch 5, 2021, 9:38 AM• 3 min readShare to FacebookShare to TwitterEmail this articleBRUSSELS -- Australia is seeking assurances from the European Union's executive arm that future shipments of vaccines will not be blocked, after Italy banned a large export of the AstraZeneca coronavirus shots.The shipment to Australia of more than a quarter-million doses was blocked from leaving the 27-nation bloc — the first use of an export control system instituted by the EU to make sure big pharma companies respect their EU contracts.The ban was requested by Italian authorities and approved by the EU in...

Feb232021 by adminNo Comments

Unfriended no more: Facebook to lift Australia news ban

Technology

CANBERRA, Australia -- Facebook announced Tuesday that it would lift a ban on Australians viewing and sharing news on its platform after it struck a deal with the government on proposed legislation that would make digital giants pay for journalism.The social media company caused alarm with its sudden decision last week to block news on its platform across Australia after the House of Representatives passed the draft law. Initially, the blackout also cut access — at least temporarily — to government pandemic, public health and emergency services, fueling outrage.Facebook’s cooperation is a major victory in Australia's efforts to make two major gateways to the internet, Google and Facebook, pay for the journalism that they use — a faceoff that governments and tech companies the world...

Feb162021 by adminNo Comments

Australia to amend laws to make Google and Facebook pay

Technology

Australia’s government says it will amend draft laws that would make Google and Facebook pay for news to clarify that publishers would be paid in lump sums rather than per click on news article linksBy ROD McGUIRK Associated PressFebruary 16, 2021, 8:20 AM• 3 min readShare to FacebookShare to TwitterEmail this articleCANBERRA, Australia -- Australia’s government said on Tuesday it will amend draft laws that would make Google and Facebook pay for news to clarify that publishers would be paid in lump sums rather than per click on news article links.The legislative changes described in a government statement as “clarifications and technical amendments” follow Australian ministers’ weekend discussions with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Sundar Pichai, chief executive of Alphabet Inc. and its...