The New South Wales Government will pay half of the quarantine costs for international fruit pickers under a new scheme to address labour shortages.

The nation's crop losses have exceeded 52 million dollars since December and farming businesses are hoping this help will mean less crops are left to rot.

Agriculture Minister, Adam Marshall says the Agricultural sector will be the only sector to receive this subsidy.

New research has found a 60 percent decline in the number of greater gliders in parts of the Blue Mountains and Central Tablelands.

Ecologist, Peter Smith, says that this decline is due to the Bushfires that burnt 85 percent of the region last year. 

The Greater Glider is already listed as a vulnerable species nationally. 

The Biden administration is considering a joint boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

US State Department spokesperson, Ned Price, Says the boycott is in response to China’s egregious human rights violations including the genocide of Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang province.

The US would expect to be joined by its allies if it were to boycott the games, which are scheduled to be held next February.

Even though 10 major dams in south-east Queensland are overflowing thanks to the recent rain, Wivenhoe dam just northwest of Brisbane has missed out.

Wivenhoe Dam hit its lowest levels in over a decade last month and now sits at only 37% full.

Residents are being asked to conserve water by authorities until dams are replenished.

The Queensland government is proposing an increase to the minimum wage.

In their submission to The Fair Work Commission, the Palaszczuk government argued that an increase could help close the gender pay gap as many female-dominated industries relied on the award wage. 

The Federal government, however, is against the proposal, arguing that an increase in labour costs will have a negative impact on local businesses recovering from the COVID pandemic.

Former Papua New Guinea Eastern Highlands governor Malcolm Smith has died in a Queensland hospital from COVID-19 complications.

The 77 year old dual Papua New Guinea and UK national, was medically evacuated to Australia for treatment in March, as his condition was worsening.

He died in the intensive care unit at Redcliffe Hospital north of Brisbane on Monday.

The European Union is denying claims that it is blocking 3.1 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from shipping to Australia.

Yesterday Prime minister Scott Morrison accused the EU of blocking the shipments while he was being questioned about the vaccine rollout.

The chief spokesman for the European Commission, Eric Mamer said that the only  vaccine shipment denied to Australia was the Italian shipment last month.

A Chinese tourist who was missing in the Northern Territory for two days has been found alive and well.

The 38 year-old man had gotten bogged with his partner close to the Northern Territory/South Australian border on Easter Sunday and the man had decided to leave the car and go for help.

NT Police Superintendent, Brett Prowse, says that if you are lost or stranded in the outback that you should remain with your vehicle.