$1,000,000,000 has been allocated to small and medium businesses in a New South Wales (NSW) state run Jobkeeper type welfare scheme.

Last Sunday, NSW premier Dominic Perrottet provided some detail on the scheme, which will provide payroll support to businesses with turnovers of between $75,000 and $50m that had a decline of at least 40% in turnover in January.

The leader and founder of the Hillsong Church vacated his position as head of the church.

Brian Houston announced yesterday he would be stepping down as he defends criminal charges of alleged covering up of child sexual abuse.

His decision has been made based on legal advice provided to the church.

A shark bite resistant wetsuit is about to become commercially available in Australia.

The wetsuit was the idea of a northern New South Wales resident who, after testing by scientists from Flinders University, designed it to be made of a cut and stab proof polymer fabric.

The wetsuits will be available after the company’s funding campaign is finished in February.

Yesterday, residents of Northern Ireland commemorated the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday.

Commemorators remembered the 14 marchers shot dead by British soldiers at a protest organised by Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association against the internment without trial of Catholic nationalists.

Victims of the shootings and their relatives continue to demand justice.

Brisbane is partly cloudy today with a medium chance of rain, a forecast high of 32 degrees and an anticipated extreme level of UV.

Warnings have been issued for Townsville as North Queensland has seen almost 280 mm of rain overnight, taking the local council by surprise.

SES volunteers worked throughout the night responding to sand-bagging and roof tarping requests, with two people needing to be rescued from a car that became stranded in fast-moving floodwaters.