NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller says the state’s tough social distancing and isolation laws will remain in place for at least 90 days, taking the restrictions to June 29. On Monday, the NSW government increased restrictions on freedom of movement in a bid to reduce the further spread of COVID-19, also ramping up the penalties… Read more »
Australian banks are expanding their program of six-month loan deferrals to larger companies, offering relief on up to $250 billion in business borrowing. The major banks are backing the Australian Banking Association’s (ABA) extended Business Support Package to 98% of all businesses with a loan from an Australian bank, increasing the existing $3 million small… Read more »
Victoria is moving to “stage three” shutdown restrictions as the state’s coronavirus infection rate climbs past 800 cases. Premier Daniel Andrews is moving to give the state the legal framework to implement the national measures announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday night, including a limit of no more than two people gathered together out… Read more »
The Morrison government will pay up to $1,500 a fortnight for full-time employees to businesses to keep their staff in jobs as part of a massive third stimulus package to be announced today. The ‘JobKeeper’ wage subsidy is expected to be backdated and last for up to six months to help businesses in danger of… Read more »
The latest battlefronts in Australia’s fight against coronavirus are mental health, domestic violence support and emergency food relief, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison announcing a $1.1 billion package on Sunday morning.
The Australian government has scrapped a decision to limit hairdresser appointments to just 30 minutes, just 24 hours after the new rules were announced, despite the industry saying it would rather be shut down. On Tuesday night, the National Cabinet, made up of the Prime Minister and state and territory leaders announced the new rule… Read more »
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has warned that stricter lockdown measures will be coming to his state, less that 12 hours after Prime Minister Scott Morrison banned international travel, property auctions, food courts and limited weddings to five people, among a range of increased isolation measures. While the federal government has begun incrementally increasing restrictions every… Read more »
Victoria is forming a 500-strong police task force to enforce social distancing and new laws aimed at stopping the spread of coronavirus. The police will be able to conduct spot checks on travellers and can fine and detain people defying the increasingly strict laws being introduced by the federal and state governments. On Sunday night… Read more »
Pubs, gyms, restaurants, clubs, casinos and even churches will be forced to close from midday on March 23 under increased social distancing rules being implemented by the federal government. Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the national closure of a range of indoor venues following a meeting with state and territory leaders on Sunday evening. Earlier… Read more »
Small and medium-sized businesses will get up to $100,000 each over the next few months from the Australian government in a bid to save millions of workers from losing their jobs.
The Australian Banking Association announced a range of measures by the nation’s leading financial institutions on Friday as part of the response to the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19. The measures follow an $80 billion pledge by the RBA to buy government bonds to support the banks in lending to small and medium business. The government has also… Read more »
Small businesses in Canberra will get a $750 rebate on their power bill, payroll tax waivers and deferments and a $622 credit on their commercial rates bill under a $137 million stimulus package announced by the ACT government. Chief Minister Andrew Barr said it was just the initial response by the territory government to a… Read more »
Weekly business news and insights, delivered to your inbox.
