Fragments of COVID-19 detected in wastewater have caused an urgent alert for three suburbs in Melbourne’s West. People who have been or live in Tarneit, Werribee and Hoppers Crossing are being urged to get tested if any symptoms arise. The urgent alert was released on Monday by the health department although there are no known people in the area who have recently tested positive.

The new Sconi nickel and cobalt mine is set to place Mt Isa at the centre of Australia’s COVID-19 economic recovery amidst a global transition to clean energy. The mine is expected to produce over two hundred thousand tons of cobalt sulphate, a key component in electric vehicles, during its initial thirty year lifespan. With the world’s second largest reserves of the valuable trace element, Australia’s cobalt mining industry is set to more than double by 2030.

9AM Tomorrow morning marks the beginning of the public hearing of the 2019-2020 bushfire recovery scheme. During the hearing, local people and businesses will be allowed to speak about their recovery experiences over the last 14 months. Specifically in relation to housing, sanitation and access to and affordability of insurance. Christine Walters of Cobargo Bushfire Relief Centre claims in her opening statement that there was not enough help for those during and after the fires leaving some homeless to this day.

Following a lengthy parliamentary process, Camooweal National Park in north west Queensland has been renamed to Wiliyan-ngurru National Park. The change sees the national park return to its former Indigenous name and came as a result of a lobbying effort from Colin Saltmere, a traditional Indjalandji-Dhidhanu custodian.The nearly 14,000 hectare national park contains bushland, caves and a vast underground river system, and gets its name from a native species of goanna.

A proposed entertainment arena is set for construction above the new Cross River Rail station at Roma Street. The arena would have an Olympic-sized pool and eighteen thousand seats for spectators. The plan is part of Brisbane’s bid to host the 2032 Olympic Games, a plan endorsed by the International Olympic Committee.

The Burmese military has laid new charges on deposed Prime Minister Aung San Suu Kyi in yet another escalation of political tensions in Myanmar. Suu Kyi is charged with publishing information that may cause fear or alarm and breaking telecommunications equipment licensing laws. Her appearance before a Nay Pyi Taw court was the first time she has been seen since her arrest in the military coup on February first.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says he is open to the idea of a snap election following months of political tension over his handling of the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis. Pashinyan’s popularity has failed to recover from what many Armenians see as a humiliating ceasefire agreement with Azerbaijan in November last year, which saw Armenia cede control of Nagorno-Karabakh to the Azeris. The move is the latest in a chaotic week in Armenian politics, beginning with what Pashinyan labels an ‘attempted military coup’ and ending with protestors storming a government building and demanding his r

Australian Red Cross Lifeblood has issued an immediate appeal for an additional twenty two thousand blood and plasma donors within the next fortnight. Executive Director of Lifeblood Cath Stone says elective surgery is behind the increased need for donors as the Hospital demand is up 7 per cent compared to this time last year. All blood and plasma types are needed as hospitals are still affected by COVID-19, it’s essential donations continue.

Queensland’s mineral and petroleum exploration sector continues to grow with six hundred and seventy five million dollars invested in 2020. Resources minister Scott Stewart says the latest figures show the resources sector is bouncing back stronger in the wake of COVID-19. Today’s ABS statistics on Mineral and Petroleum Exploration reasserted the positive outlook.