US slashes interest rates
The US Federal Reserve has slashed interest rates by a full percentage point to nearly zero to help the economy withstand the impact of coronavirus.
The Federal reserve says it will restart quantitative easing, in a bid to get money flowing again in markets and the broader economy.
The moves are similar to those taken to stimulate the economy after the 2008 financial crisis.
National self-isolation to be imposed for UK senior citizens
People over 70 years old in the UK will soon be asked to self-isolate to protect themselves from the risk of contracting coronavirus, the UK Health Secretary, Matt Hancock says.
The country's elderly population will need to remain isolated at home for up to four months to protect themselves.
Leading Scottish officials are stressing elderly people will not be asked to avoid all contact with other people.
Royal Commission Tasmania community forums postponed
The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability have postponed scheduled community forums in northern Tasmania due to concerns about the coronavirus outbreak.
At this stage, the Royal Commission’s public hearing on education in Brisbane will go ahead, but organisers say they will follow the advice of medical experts.
Royal Commission Chair, Ronald Sackville AO QC is advising, people can still make their voices heard.
ACT follows Victoria, calls State of Emergency
The ACT joins Victoria in declaring a State of Emergency this morning.
The announcement allows the government to implement for the first time measures under the Health and Wellbeing Act to enforce 14 day isolation periods for ALL travellers entering the territory.
The second case of coronavirus in the ACT was confirmed yesterday by the ACT’s Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerryn Coleman.
Swimming in coronavirus concerns, Yeronga pool keeps head above water
Yeronga Park Swimming Complex has reopened this morning as normal, after closing yesterday when a patron tested positive for coronavirus.
General areas of the complex have been disinfected and cleaned and management is assuring patrons the pool is safe to visit.
The patron was diagnosed with coronavirus after they swam in the 50m pool on Friday and has been isolated in hospital.
$35million upgrade for water treatment plant
Mount Crosby East Bank Water Treatment Plant in Brisbane’s West will receive a $35 million upgrade.
The project is expected to take up to two and a half years and create one hundred jobs.
Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, The Honourable Dr Anthony Lynham hopes the upgrade will improve the plant’s ability to maintain water supply during extreme rain events and flooding.
9am Zedlines
Image courtesy of Creative Commons.
state-wide single-use plastic ban consultaions start today.
Consultation opens today on a state-wide single-use plastic ban, initially to focus on straws, drink stirrers, cutlery and plates.
The ban is set to be introduced in July 2021 and will focus on eliminating single-use items like plastic straws, cutlery and stirrers, taking into account the needs of people with disability.
Tropical cyclone causes water tempretures to drop on the great Barrier Reef.
A tropical cyclone which passed through the Coral Sea over the weekend is easing coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef.
The weather system has caused water temperatures to drop dramatically, slowing down the bleaching process.
The change comes after the hottest February on record for the reef since 1900.
The Federal Government issues payments to locals in bushfire-affected communities.
The Federal Government has issued more payments to locals in bushfire-affected communities this past week.
Emergency Management Minister David Littleproud says the Commonwealth granted another eight-thousand-and-eighty-one Disaster Recovery Allowance and Disaster Recovery Payment claims.
Minister Littleproud said, “getting these payments out fast is our absolute priority, and we’re rolling them out at the rate of more than 1000 a day.”