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Coronavirus update: China's Hubei province lowers emergency response level

The initial epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak will lower its emergency response level from tomorrow. These are the key coronavirus developments from Friday.





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Company buys coal mine for $1 and receives $35 million environmental refund. Here's how

A company linked to Labor figures that bought a mine for just $1 enjoyed multi-million-dollar refunds from its environmental bond after concessions from the Palaszczuk Government, documents show.




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This university student pulls in nearly double his usual earnings thanks to JobKeeper

Thanks to a loophole in the Federal Government's JobKeeper legislation, Lewis Mullins has been earning far more than he did before the coronavirus pandemic. But the same can no longer be said for his younger colleagues.




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Truck driver involved in Grampians crash that killed one cleared of wrongdoing

After clearing one truck driver, police are still to interview another, following a fatal collision on Wednesday involving a man who died when his ute collided with a truck a carrying multiple vehicles.




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Solid demand and favourable weather buoy agribusiness confidence

Solid rainfall has boosted farmer confidence this season and, while uncertainty hangs over the global economy, many remain optimistic that agriculture will weather the storm.





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House prices edge higher as both buyers and sellers leave the market during COVID-19 crisis

Despite coronavirus restrictions sending auctions online and seeing many home sales abandoned, CoreLogic figures for April show prices continued to rise for the few properties that did sell.




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'No going back to everything the way it was': ANZ boss warns of 'slow grind' recovery

ANZ's chief executive warns the Australian and New Zealand economies will be reshaped by the COVID-19 pandemic and take years to recover from the economic fallout.




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Key points from the Prime Minister's latest press conference

The Prime Minister and Chief Medical Officer urge people to download the tracing app to speed easing of restrictions, while another large support package to help keep aged care resident safe is announced.




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Pub owners to pay $380,000 in damages over secret beer tap deals

The directors of a prominent Adelaide hotels syndicate are ordered to pay $383,000 to their former business partners after a court found they concealed deals with major breweries over access to beer taps.




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Coronavirus update: New York City nursing home reports 98 deaths as FDA approves experimental drug

US President Donald Trump seemingly increases his estimate of possible deaths from coronavirus to 100,000, up from 70,000 earlier in the week, as South Africa, Spain and some American states loosen their restrictions. These are the key coronavirus developments from today.




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Tesla shares tumble after Elon Musk tweets they're too expensive

Elon Musk has seen Tesla's share price falling after a series of unusual tweets, including saying he would sell all his possessions.



  • Business
  • Economics and Finance
  • Science and Technology
  • COVID-19
  • Diseases and Disorders

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These waters off South Africa have gone quiet, and 'huge alarm bells' are ringing

Care about sustainable seafood? The waters off South Africa's iconic False Bay have "gone quiet", and experts believe it could be linked to your weekend fish and chips.




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Property values fall slightly in parts of Queensland but steady overall

Property values fell slightly in some parts of Queensland in April but rose in others amid a sharp drop in sales due to the COVID-19 pandemic.




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From hobby cook to burger king with little savings or experience – and dad as the delivery guy

At 14 years of age Zaynn Bird was a sub-par McDonald's employee. At 23 he owns one of his state's most impressive burger joints.




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Flight Centre stops charging cancellation fees for trips affected by coronavirus

The travel agent chain backs down from charging hundreds of dollars in cancellation fees for trips cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, following pressure from customers and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.




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Indonesian zoos facing financial strain could 'feed herbivores to the carnivores' amid pandemic

Some 70,000 animals across Indonesia, including members of critically endangered species, are at risk of starvation as zoos struggle financially due to social distancing restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic.




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Why this former US Congress hopeful is betting on a small country newspaper

Michael Waite ran for office in Washington and worked for Bill Gates' private investment company, but helping establish a community newspaper could be his toughest challenge yet.




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As restrictions are lifted in parts of Australia, some states announce more rules to be eased

Children in SA will soon be able to return to playgrounds and in NSW, real estate watchers could be heading to open homes and auctions as soon as next weekend, as some state governments announce further easing of restrictions. These are the key coronavirus developments from today.




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How an elderly island enclave warded off COVID-19 ... without blowing up the bridge

The community of mainly over-60s on St Huberts Island in NSW manages to stare down the threat of COVID-19 with music, exercise and good wine — and a fresh catch of fish delivered by doting grandsons.




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In what's left of the Australian TV industry after coronavirus, will the next Secret Life be made?

Some are warning Australia's television industry is facing a crisis that could affect how much viewers pay for entertainment in the future, and whether the kinds of shows that have been hits in the past will continue to be made.




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Goodbye Game of Thrones, hello Normal People: Is the era of gratuitous on-screen sex over?

Sex and nudity is strewn across our TV and cinema screens, but for actors and audiences, there can be a cost. That's starting to change, says Normal People's on-set intimacy coordinator.




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In the middle of an economic crisis, one sector is experiencing a surprise 'COVID surge' in jobs

While the economic tsunami of coronavirus shutdowns hammers most sectors, WA's resources industry has jobs created on mine sites where providers of support services like catering, cleaning and maintenance are in high demand to keep mine sites safe.




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Coronavirus update: Italy sends millions back to work after two months at home

After two months in almost total lockdown, 4.5 million Italians are allowed to return to work today as the country with the second-highest coronavirus death toll begins to wind back some restrictions.




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On World Press Freedom Day, Malaysia investigates journalist over 'provocation'

Police in Malaysia confirm they are investigating a journalist over her reporting on mass raids targeting migrants and refugees amid the COVID-19 pandemic.




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In the blink of an eye coronavirus has turned the property market upside down

Within the space of a month, the coronavirus pandemic has upended the property market for buyers, sellers, tenants and landlords.




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Fine-dining restaurants turn to takeaway to keep staff employed during virus lockdown

With dine-in service off the table many restaurants struggle to retain staff who are ineligible for JobKeeper payments.




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COVID-19 losses just the start of Westpac's woes amid escalating money laundering, tax problems

Westpac joins ANZ in deferring its interim dividend as it braces for the financial impact of COVID-19, but mounting issues around money laundering and tax reporting may cost it almost as much.




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Majority of shut-off WA businesses 'confident' they will survive pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic is understandably weighing heavily on the business sector, but there are early signs of green shoots as one state begins to open up.




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Canberra petrol stations to face 'weekly fuel price challenges' as cost drops to $1 per litre

Canberra petrol retailers will need to meet weekly fuel price targets to avoid the ACT Government regulating the market, despite prices dropping to about $1 per litre after the Chief Minister threatened to cap margins.




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Transurban pushes West Gate Tunnel deadline out a year, citing contaminated soil dispute

Transurban reports to shareholders that construction on the West Gate Tunnel has been set back, with the project now expected to be completed by in 2023.




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ASX rises as Afterpay surges on Chinese investment, job ads plunge

The Australian share market closes higher, shaking off initial falls, while Afterpay shares surge after revealing investment by Chinese firm Tencent. Job ads fell by 50 per cent in April as coronavirus hit businesses.




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Trump takes swipe at China, bickers with journalists during virtual town hall meeting

The US President said China tried to cover up the coronavirus outbreak before trying to blame other countries for the ensuing health pandemic.




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WA shut itself off from the country and the world to prevent coronavirus. The impact is hitting home

The fallout from harsh border closures means many WA tourism businesses will struggle to stay afloat for longer than six months given a huge drop in revenue.




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Orange juice the same as diet cola under proposed health star rating

Citrus growers say under a proposed change, the health star rating for 100 per cent orange juice could drop from the current five stars to as low as 2.5 stars.




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Bank regulator asks ME to explain why it took money from customers' redraw accounts

The financial regulator has asked ME Bank to explain why it has taken cash from accounts linked to its customers' home loans to reduce the risk of mortgage default.




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Shutdown costing economy $4 billion a week as Cabinet prepares to assess restrictions

Josh Frydenberg will tell the National Press Club he is happy a discussion about lifting coronavirus restrictions is taking place earlier than first planned as new analysis says the Australian economy is losing $4 billion a week.




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Couple's battle for $10,000 luxury holiday refund as hundreds consider class action

James and Victoria Sylvester were refused a refund when their $10,000 holiday to Dubai was cancelled because of coronavirus. Now hundreds of consumers in similar situations are considering launching a class action.




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Service stations 'on the edge' of collapse despite record petrol profit margins

While oil and wholesale fuel prices have been at two-decade lows, pump prices have not come down so quickly or consistently across the country. But service station owners say they too are struggling to survive the COVID-19 downturn.




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ASX rises as Qantas rallies, Wall Street rebounds on tech gains

Australian shares rise, Qantas secures extra funding to get through the coronavirus crisis and US markets edge higher led by Microsoft, Apple and Amazon.




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RBA expects 1 million Australians to stay unemployed until end of next year

Up to a million Australians may have lost their jobs since social-distancing measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 ramped up, new ABS data suggests, while the Reserve Bank expects the economy to take a 10 per cent hit.




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Take a seat: This tiny Australian territory is allowing diners back in cafes and restaurants

Norfolk Island is the only place in Australia you can dine in a cafe and gather outdoors with 50 people.




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Work begins on the Gold Coast's $1 billion Pacific Motorway upgrade

Work begins on the Gold Coast's $1 billion Pacific Motorway upgrade, with promises it will benefit motorists and the economy.




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Murray Bridge journalist launches online service after ACM suspends newspaper

A journalist left out of work after Australian Community Media shut down his regional printing press starts his own online newspaper in an effort to keep the community informed.




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Hotel industry body calling for pubs to reopen later this month under loosened restrictions

A peak industry body says South Australia's 12-day stretch without any new coronavirus cases has created a "high level of expectation" that pubs will reopen.




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Security worker jailed for stealing $340,000 from Catholic Church to fund 'indulgent' lifestyle

An Adelaide mother is jailed for stealing from the Catholic Church to pay for expensive overseas holidays and indulgent consumer goods, while a former accountant is also sentenced for stealing from his clients.




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'They got us a beauty': Farmers speak up about falling victim to tractor ad scam

One WA couple who fell victim to a tractor ad scam wants others to know about the dangers, as NT Consumer Affairs uncovers more than 20 similar sites.




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COVID-19 checklist released: Here's what NT businesses must do before reopening ahead of May 15

Are you a business that wants to reopen on May 15? The Government has released the COVID-19 Safety Plan checklist you must complete before doing so.




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With the curve flattened, the PM is focused on getting a million people back to work

While tough coronavirus restrictions have saved thousands of lives, Scott Morrison says the country is now in a position to start clawing back some of the $4 billion lost every week that restrictions continue. Here are the key takeaways from his press conference.