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An update on the most crucial developments related to the pandemic.
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COVID-19 CRISIS
Exclusive
Coronavirus pandemic
Quarantine manager fired after 51 reports in four weeks
Manager and head of infection control at a Melbourne quarantine hotel both fired after reports of dozens of incidents were lodged in the first four weeks of its operation.
Victorians from NSW exposure sites ordered to quarantine as more cases expected
Victorian Health authorities are contacting anyone who has travelled from Sydney since last Friday, as NSW awaits genomic sequencing results which will explain how a man became infected with COVID-19 in the community this week.
Scammers prey on renters amid scramble for homes
As fierce competition drives up rents across regional areas, scammers lurking in Facebook groups are advertising fraudulent rentals and demanding money to secure a lease.
Breaking
Victorian Parliament
‘His doctors are happy’: Premier on track for June return to work
Premier Daniel Andrews is doing well in his recovery and walking for longer distances. He is, according to James Merlino, ‘on track’ to return to work in June.
Explainer
Emissions
Blue carbon stores pollution 30x faster than forest. What is it?
Shy dugongs, sea turtles, ancient, rocky microbes are all found among our seagrasses and mangroves. Why are politicians interested in these ocean meadows now?
How do I know if a chicken is hormone free?
In this week’s Brain Food: a question about hormones in meat, and can you put tomato sauce on a scallop pie?
Qld farmers get creative to lure workers as berry prices soar
The cost of blueberries has soared to up to $12 in Brisbane as the seasons change amid fears of a worker shortage coming into winter.
Miss Popularity: Lisa McCune’s journey from gold Logies to blue skies
Australia’s golden girl embraces her ‘decade of doing what I want’.
Opinion
Political leadership
A revealing and uneasy peek at Morrison’s altar ego
We need to remember that respecting the right to freedom of religion is not the same as respecting religion.
Julie Szego
Author and freelance journalist
Opinion
Gender
How gender quotas can help kill both ‘queen bees’ and ‘tokens’
Quotas should be a central part of our current debate about improving economic outcomes for women and for society at large.
Jessica Irvine
Senior economics writer
On the chopping block: Liberals to move against four bad boys
Once again, the Liberal Party of Victoria’s powerful state assembly makes its regular pilgrimage to Scots’ Church. And high on the agenda is a quartet of bad boys up for expulsion.
Updated
Big four
NAB to pay 60c dividend as earnings jump
NAB has become the latest big four bank to pay shareholders a healthy dividend as it winds back provisions for bad loans causing profits to swing back.
MyGov to get $200m upgrade in digital services overhaul
Digital services will get a $1.2b boost in next week’s budget, which will include improvements to myGov and the My Health Record systems.
Breaking
Aviation
Qantas keeps Jetstar in Melbourne, head office in Sydney after cash handouts
Qantas will keep its head office in Sydney and its budget arm Jetstar based in Melbourne after extracting tax waivers and other subsidies from governments to keep jobs in their states.
‘A big test’: Fogarty knows what Blues must do to upset Bulldogs
Carlton’s Lachie Fogarty, one of the best value-for-money recruits in the off-season, says the Blues need to tighten up defensively to beat the best.
Kiwis show gymnasts way over uneven bars
Aggrieved gymnasts say what they need most is a safe place to land. A New Zealand outfit thinks it has an answer.
coronavirus crisis
Hussey to remain in India as exit routes confirmed for Aussie players
The cricket great’s symptoms are mild, but there is anxiety among cricket figures that his condition could deteriorate in a country where the medical system has been swamped.
Sydney COVID-19 case may disrupt weekend AFL fixture
There are doubts over at least two games and Geelong players are being tested after playing in Sydney.
Local
School closes, smoke warnings after South Melbourne factory fire
By the time crews had arrived the fire had already consumed half of the factory and was threatening nearby properties including a primary school.
Kids’ asthma risk from gas cooking ‘like living with smoker’
The health risk for children from cooking with gas may be responsible for as many as 12% of childhood asthma cases.
No ‘backstory’: Police say MacGill did not owe alleged kidnappers
How the former cricketer came to be allegedly kidnapped by four men including the brother of his girlfriend, has left those who know him stunned.
‘Completely helpless’: Sam Newman reveals trauma over wife’s death
The football and media figure has described finding his wife dead in their Docklands apartment and attempting CPR as he waited for an ambulance to arrive.
Exclusive
ALP
MP says Merlino ‘needs to make it very clear that everyone is safe’
Labor MPs want acting Premier to ensure vulnerable members do not face preselection challenges as the party bickers over a new power-sharing arrangement.
Politics
ABC board member’s run-in with a cow exposes a board ‘in strife’
Ita Buttrose says the ABC board is constantly at risk of not making quorum for its meetings while the government leaves three vacancies unfilled.
Business
Award-winning journalist to lead Washington Post’s Australian set-up
The Washington Post is establishing an Australian bureau in a sign of increasing reader interest in the Asia-Pacific region.
![ASIC commissioner Cathie Armour: “One of the challenges for us is how well [the Corporations Act] changes with the times when we have new products, particularly crypto assets.”](http://web.archive.org./web/20210506000058im_/https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.1394%2C$multiply_0.5079%2C$ratio_1%2C$width_378%2C$x_15%2C$y_0/t_crop_custom/q_62%2Cf_auto/9b40cc8f24cbb43ed26a1eccfc8f2cc9ebd2d758)
World
American tourists given life terms in Italy for murdering policeman
The US pair say they had acted in self defence because they thought the two police officers were thugs out to get them after a botched attempt to buy drugs.
Opinion
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Property bydomain
Where moving one train stop could save you hundreds of thousands
Melbourne home buyers can save up to 40 per cent on a house by looking one stop further along the train line. Here's where to look.
Shh: The quiet top-end deals that are pushing prestige property prices up
Prestige property prices are rising faster as well-heeled buyers, banned from holidaying overseas, search for homes with every possible amenity.
Life & Culture
‘You have to fight for it’: the power that Nancy Pelosi wields like a knife
Susan Page’s examination of the force that is Nancy Pelosi reveals she was immersed in politics at an early age.
Sport
‘A big test’: Fogarty knows what Blues must do to upset Bulldogs
Carlton’s Lachie Fogarty, one of the best value for money recruits in the off-season, says the Blues need to tighten up defensively to beat the best.
North, Brisbane eye Bulldog speedster
North Melbourne and the Brisbane Lions are among the clubs who are eyeing talented Western Bulldog Ed Richards, who is coming out of contract this year.
Kerr fires Chelsea top, men win Champions League semi
Sam Kerr scored a goal in each half to move Chelsea to the top of the WSL and the good news continued when Chelsea’s men’s team won through to Champions League final.
COVID-19 case may disrupt this weekend’s AFL fixture
There are doubts over at least two games and Geelong players are being tested after playing in Sydney.
Cats try to crack Tiger code ahead of grand final rematch
Coach Chris Scott has promised to try some different things against Richmond as they attempt to topple the reigning premiers for just the second time since 2017.
MacGill did not owe alleged kidnappers a debt, say police
How the 50-year-old former cricketer came to be a kidnapping victim, allegedly taken by four men including the brother of his girlfriend, has left those who know him stunned.
Kiwis show gymnasts the way over uneven bars
Aggrieved gymnasts say what they need most is a safe place to land. A New Zealand outfit thinks it has an answer.
Have Your Say
IPL shambles a result of putting greed above sense
India’s passion for cricket is a blessing that provides colour, excitement and wealth to the game, but downside is the demigods this creates and the power they wield.
