Berejiklian pushed on pubs by Perrottet

25/5/2020

(See Translation in Arabic section)

Sydney - M E Times Int'l: New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian was pushed to the decision to reopen pubs and restaurants for 50 people by a group of senior ministers led by Treasurer Dominic Perrottet.

Media sources revealed the group forced the premier’s hand on the issue ahead of Friday’s announcement.

“She was pushed to this result by a group of her senior ministers led by Treasurer Dominic Perrottet,” he said.

“The rationale from pubs’ point of view was there was no point opening for just 10 people, it was uneconomic so they were staying shut with that allowance.”

Mr Clennell said the policy shift will only provide Ms Berejiklian with further amour at Friday’s national cabinet meeting where she is set to ramp up the fight to convince other states to reopen their borders.

NSW students return to the classroom full-time

Sydney: Students across NSW will be back in the classroom full-time from today, 25 May.

The success of the phased return to face to face teaching has demonstrated the education system and community are ready for school to come back full-time.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell thanked school communities and parents for their patience during this difficult time.

Ms Berejiklian said a return to full-time face to face teaching and learning is crucial for the education progress of every child in NSW from Kindergarten to Year 12.

“Since starting a managed return to the classroom, we have seen a strong degree of confidence from our school communities in managing COVID-19 and a clear desire for all students to be back at school,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“We expect schools to stick with the health advice – increased cleaning, access to hygiene supplies and compliance with hygiene practices – and look forward to seeing all students back on campus five days a week.

“The health advice is very clear; a return to full-time face to face teaching is safe.”

Security crackdown for Sydney peak hour commute

Sydney: Sydney’s train stations and public transport hubs will be guarded with an army of security guards making sure commuters follow social distancing guidelines.

 Authorities are expecting a dramatic rise in commuter numbers this week as schools and businesses begin to reopen.

JobKeeper error sparks division over additional $60 billion

Canberra: Workers hardest hit by the coronavirus crisis could be given further government assistance as the Coalition grapples with internal division over what to do with a $60 billion recalculation of the JobKeeper program.

The Morrison Government is fending off calls to extend the wage boost to casual workers who were initially excluded by the program.

Nine Newspapers has reported, however, the government has no plans to extend the scheme to universities, state-owned companies or casuals who have been with a company less than 12 months.

Federal government urges states, territories to reopen borders

Federal: The federal government is encouraging states and territories to consider reopening their borders due to the economic impact, particularly on the country's struggling tourism sector. Finance Minister Matthias Cormann said “there is no medical case” for state and territory borders to remain closed and should promptly reopen.

Western Australia, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania are remaining firm on their decision to keep their borders closed despite increasingly low virus cases being reported each day.

Outsiders weather and ice age watch: Australia to be hit with record snow falls

Despite the global warming propaganda, Australia is on track to receive a bumper snow fall this season according to Sky News host Rowan Dean.

Police investigate the crush in Greenacre

Sydney: Police are working to determine whether the driver of a car that crashed into a Hijab House shopfront in Sydney's south-west, acted deliberately or not.

The 51-year-old man - known to police for prior traffic offences - allegedly crashed his vehicle into another car stopped at a traffic light, before ploughing into the Hijab House storefront at the intersection of Boronia and Waterloo Road in Greenacre.

 The driver was taken to Liverpool hospital for assessment, where he underwent mandatory blood and urine testing before being discharged.

He was then transported to Bankstown Police Station for questioning after which he was released pending further inquiries.

Paramedics have treated 14 people for injuries suffered in the crash; many with fractures. Police are urging anyone with any information to come forward.

Scott Morrison’s secret plan to save Australia from economic ruin

Canberra: A leaked draft of the National COVID-19 Commission manufacturing report has detailed the key industries Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been advised to target “immediately” to unlock billions of dollars save Australia from economic ruin.

 The interim taskforce report – obtained by media sources - reveals the gas and manufacturing industries will be the Coalition’s major focus.

“We need to be decisive and begin immediately to create an Australian gas market that delivers globally competitive results,” the report said.

NSW premier unveils plan for foreign students to return to study

Sydney: NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has unveiled a plan to save universities that are struggling without the annual influx of foreign students.

The plan would allow overseas students to travel to Australia where they would be required to enter a mandatory 14-day quarantine period in hotels before returning to the classroom. International students contribute $13.9 billion to the state’s economy.

Construction and jobs boom for Western Sydney

Sydney: Western Sydney is set for a further construction boom, with two more projects getting the green light through the NSW Government’s Planning System Acceleration Program.  

Planning approval has been given to a new recycling facility in Penrith and a major upgrade to a brick production facility in Horsley Park that, combined, will inject an additional $27.8 million into the economy and support more than 130 local jobs. 

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said Western Sydney has been a big winner in the first tranche of projects that have had their assessments fast-tracked to create jobs and investment in response to COVID-19. 

Fears China could further cripple Aust exports

Canberra: There are fears of major trade reprisals from China, which has reportedly written up a list of other Australian goods in the firing line.

With a third of Australia’s exports sold to China, Australia’s National Farmers Federation CEO Tony Mahar said he was “acutely aware” of speculation China could impose economic taxes on other Australian industries.

 “We’re always conscious of any disruptions to trade in an export dominated industry like agriculture where we export two thirds of what we produce, and a third of that goes to China,” he said.

After a historic vote at the World Health Assembly overnight, world leaders agreed to establish an inquiry into the COVID-19 response – vindicating Australia’s push for a probe into the COVID-19 outbreak.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said Australia was committed to the global inquiry but wanted it to be as independent as possible from the World Health Organisation.

 Labor leader Anthony Albanese told reporters his party supported the government and its unwavering push for an independent inquiry, saying “the Coalition and Labor have been at one, we have had the same position on this matter”.

Labor MP: Australia should 'take Chinese officials at their word'

Canberra: Shadow Trade Minister Madeleine King says Australia should "take Chinese officials at their word" rather than focus on "conspiracy theories" surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. When probed about escalating trade tensions, Ms King stated she did not support suggestions it was the beginning of a trade war between Australia and China.

 “Through this whole pandemic situation there’s a lot of conspiracy theories on all sorts of things, so I think it’s important we do take Chinese officials at their word just like we would hope Chinese authorities take our officials at their word,” she said.

Ms King said her party was supportive of the coronavirus investigation, but insisted it was integral the international community respected the process.

China needs to 'cop a bit back' from Australia: Pauline Hanson

Canberra: One Nation leader Pauline Hanson says China should "cop a bit back" after Beijing imposed an 80 per cent tariff on Australian barley.

 The One Nation leader said in the wake of the tariff crackdown, which barley growers say will threaten the industry, Australia should do more to stop the illegal export of baby formula.

"The people in China would be irate over that," she said. The communist nation accused Australian barley producers of dumping barley into its market below value - an accusation Australia denies.

A woman was caught trying to ship 300 thousand dollars-worth of Australian Baby formula, prompting Ms Hanson to call for a "stop the export" of the milk supplement to China.

Ms Hanson said the communist nation has "spread their tentacles throughout the world" and it deserves to be held to account.

Housing industry stands to lose half a million jobs

Sydney: Australia’s housing industry stands to lose half a million jobs by the end of the year as projects dry up due to the coronavirus.

Housing Industry Australia Graham Wolfe said up to 100,000 front end jobs, such as designers and estimates, have already been lost and the situation has only been made worse by a key flaw in the JobKeeper scheme.

 “There are some in our industry who have been about to access JobKeeper but there are many, because of our nature of the contract legislation that exists for consumer protection laws around the country, builders have been continuing to do the work that has been in the pipeline and as they continue to do that work they continue to get revenue,” he said.

“That revenue hasn’t dropped to 30 per cent.

But we’re not getting new orders in the front door and that six to nine-month pipeline has stopped.”

Mr Wolfe said the industry risked a massive hit towards the latter half of the year unless the government intervened.

Is Parramatta the last place in Australia to get the NBN?

Sydney: NBN Co has recently admitted Parramatta CBD and parts of Rosehill and Harris Park will not be connected to the NBN until 2022.

Parramatta CBD was slated to be hooked up originally by 2016, then by December 2018 and then 2020.

Julie Owens, Federal Member for Parramatta, says she is deeply concerned by the delay.

“Parramatta is the second CBD yet we still don’t have the NBN,” Ms Owens said.

“Access to a reliable high speed internet connection is even more important during the Coronavirus crisis when so many people are working or schooling from home, and businesses are reliant on the online side of their business more than ever.