Australian Churches Pocket Millions in JobKeeper Payments

Dozens of Australian Churches and other religious institutions pocketed millions of dollars in JobKeeper payments while remaining in black during 2020.

Recent figures from the Australian Tax Office show 35,000 religious entities received over $6 million in JobKeeper payments despite seeing little financial impact from the COVID-19 economic shock. 

Obama Postpones Birthday Bash

Former President Barack Obama has scaled back his planned 60th birthday party due to growing concerns over the highly transmissible Delta Variant.

More than 400 guests, including celebrities and the former Obama administration officials were expected to attend the birthday bash with 200 hired staff working the party.

Call for AstraZeneca to be sent straight to Pharmacies

Calls for AstraZeneca doses to be delivered directly to pharmacies are being urged by Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath to help speed up their delivery into residents’ arms.

Ms D’Ath made a request to Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt asking for the doses to be delivered directly to 224 community pharmacies approved this week.  

EKKA Public Holiday Rescheduled For Brisbane, Scenic Rim and Moreton Bay

Some Queensland councils that were set to have their Ekka public holiday next week have seen the date rescheduled, after the show was cancelled and the state government postponed Brisbane's public holiday next Wednesday.

The Ekka public holiday is being postponed by Brisbane, Scenic Rim and Moreton Bay Region with other local councils elected to keep their August 9 holiday in place. 

Stolen Generation Survivors Eligible For $75,000

Northern Territory and ACT Stolen Generations survivors are set for a redress payment under a new three hundred and seventy nine million dollar reparations scheme.

The reparation package included a one-off 75,000 dollar payment to acknowledge the harm caused by forced removal policies, with the opportunity for survivors to meet face-to-face with a senior government official and receive a formal apology for their sufferings.

Labor Recommends Cash Incentive For Vaccine

The Grattan Institute has called for a weekly lottery worth tens of millions of dollars and Labor wants to pay every vaccinated Australian three hundred dollars but the Morrison government has called it an "insult to Australians".

But yesterday, COVID-19 Taskforce Commander Lieutenant-General John Frewen said "an incentive is something we will consider."