Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham says the Australian borders are likely to stay closed till next year.

The Tourism Minister said shutting the borders is one of the main reasons Australia has had success in flattening the curve and the government continues to keep putting health first in their decisions. 

The government is still considering the trans-Tasman travel bubble with New Zealand but no time frame has been disclosed.

New Zealand has reported two new COVID-19 cases after two women entered the country after travelling from the UK.

These are New Zealand’s first cases in 24 days according to the NZ Ministry of Health.

The women were placed in isolation upon entering the country but were permitted to leave on compassionate grounds to attend a funeral.

Contact tracing measures are underway for people who came into contact with the two women.

Farmers say the impact of the 80 per cent tariff China placed on Australian barley has been grossly underestimated by the government.

While trade agreements are being arranged with the UK, farmers voice their concern that it won’t be enough to offset the loss of trade with China.

The Australian Government has introduced a bill that will improve market access for medicinal cannabis and hemp industries.

The Export Control Amendment (Certificate of Narcotics Exports) Bill 2020 will legitimize the export of narcotic goods.

Minister for Agriculture, David Littleproud said “The Australian Government is committed to assisting our agricultural producers and exporters to create and maintain new international export opportunities, while providing assurance to our trading partners through certification.’

Queensland theme parks are set to reopen with additional COVID-19 safety precautions to ensure the protection of guests and staff.

Sea World is preparing to open next Friday and Movie World and Wet ‘n’ Wild are hoping to open on July 15.

Over $1.2 million in construction projects will upgrade regional TAFE facilities across the state. 

These upgrades are part of the state’s post COVID-19 plans to ensure the Queensland workforce has access to world class training facilities.

The campuses to be upgraded are located in Bohle, Burdekin, Bowen and Cannonvale. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the “recovery plan for Queensland is all about creating jobs and investing in future proofing infrastructure so we have the skills for more jobs in more industries.”

British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson has announced the two-meter social distancing rule will be reviewed amid falling cases of COVID-19 in the UK. 

The review will allegedly take evidence from both scientists and economists. 
    
The country’s two-meter distancing rule is further than the World Health Organisation’s recommendation of at least one meter.