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Testing taken to ‘a new level’ in Sydney’s fight against variant
Many outlets at Birkenhead Point have been added to the list of venues exposed to COVID-19 as an outbreak of the Delta strain has prompted an unprecedented testing regime.
What are the new COVID-19 restrictions for Sydney and NSW?
NSW has introduced a number of new COVID-19 restrictions in response to the latest eastern suburbs outbreak and other states have introduced restrictions for travel to and from NSW.
Waiting for Pfizer: ‘It’s easy for people to say don’t worry... but I was scared’
Hairdresser Sofia Basile, 53, did not want the AstraZeneca vaccine. Now she says she is “very comfortable” making an appointment for Pfizer.
‘We’ve missed Australians’: Bali’s tourist ‘green zones’
Indonesia is experiencing its biggest surge of the coronavirus since February, but Bali’s deputy governor says they are ready to welcome tourists in July.
Joyce circles McCormack as Nationals’ MPs consider switch
The Nationals leader has vowed to fight off any potential challenge when the 21-member junior Coalition partner returns to Canberra.
Payne declines to confirm rumoured China defection
Vice-minister of State Security reportedly defected to the US and given information about the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
Taiwanese staff leave Hong Kong over ‘one China’ demand
Officials said the Hong Kong government has demanded staff sign a letter supporting Beijing’s claim to Taiwan.
Exclusive
Emerald City
The heir to the cross revealed: John Ibrahim’s secret baby news
Sydney identity John Ibrahim and his model girlfriend Sarah Budge have been keeping details of the child they are expecting a secret for months.
Pixar film is about friendship, not gay romance, director says
The director of a new animation has dashed the gay community’s hope that the film Luca is the company’s first major homosexual production.
Why Manu Feildel is giving up on restaurants
With My Kitchen Rules axed, his contract with Seven set to expire and another failed restaurant, the celebrity chef has a plan for the future.
Opinion
Social media
A tale of two cancellations: are young people intolerant and sanctimonious?
The insidiousness of social media means the abuse is in your pocket, on your bedside, in your sanctum, in a way unprecedented in history.
Jacqueline Maley
Columnist and senior journalist
NRL 2021
Titans 24 Sea Eagles 56
Trbojevic-inspired second-half blitz erases 16-point half-time deficit
The Sea Eagles trailed by 16 points at the half-time break. The second half had to be seen to be believed.
Eels 36 Bulldogs 10
‘I will be asking questions’: Barrett fumes as Eels chase down Dogs
For the first 45 minutes, Parramatta were in danger of providing one of the upsets of the season. Then they turned on a second-half blitz to polish off the wooden spoon contenders.
Sydney
‘Irrigation hunger games’: Battle over Australia’s food bowl soon to heat up
In the heartland of the Riverina, where farmers burned copies of the government plan to cut their water allocations a decade ago, scepticism is mounting that the $13b effort has been worth it as the clock ticks down towards a major review.
Analysis
Electric cars
Industry and environment groups endorse NSW electric car plan
The Electric Vehicle Council reckons the policy to encourage electric uptake is as good as any other government on Earth has come up with.
Exclusive
Babies
Experts feared birth numbers would fall after COVID. Instead, they surged
It is the most number of births for a first quarter and the second highest for any quarter since reporting began in 2010.
Exclusive
NSW budget
Last year NSW had Centrelink queues. Now there is a skills shortage
NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet says the unemployment threat facing the state has been turned on its head.
Exclusive
Education
Up to 5000 students are convicted of a crime every year. Schools are never told
The NSW Department of Education keeps no records about which students are facing criminal charges.
Politics
Cockroach or policy wonk: Will the push to replace Senator Carr succeed?
Policy hardhead, factional warlord, past his prime. Much is said about Australia’s longest-serving senator. But he’s not finished yet.
Business
Claims that power generators are behind electricity price spikes
A small electricity retail firm Enova claims that major power generators are withholding supply during peak demand in order to drive up wholesale electricity prices.
World
Israel raises nuclear concerns about Iran’s ‘most extreme president yet’
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said Ebrahim Raisi’s election as president should “prompt grave concern among the international community”.
Opinion
Financial regrets: the 40 things I wish I knew about money before turning 40
Jessica Irvine
Senior economics writer
It haunts me still. I had helped our family’s real estate man to fib
David Astle
Crossword compiler, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age
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Property bydomain
Revealed: These are the biggest housing bubbles in the world
Ultra-low interest rates, buyers saving cash during lockdowns, government stimulus and strong competition for few homes. Sound familiar?
'Unbelievable': The coastal town where Sydneysiders are paying top dollar
By the beach, one house listed two years ago that couldn't fetch $1.05m recently traded for $1.585m, and house prices are up 23 per cent in a year.
Life & Culture
‘A really good human being’: Marta Dusseldorp on Guy Pearce and the men who influenced her
“I’ve always been attracted to men with drive, purpose, intelligence and kindness; bad boys are full of heartache.”
Opinion
Private Sydney
When it comes to tucks, sucks and plucks, let’s all be more like Dolly
Andrew Hornery
Private Sydney Columnist
Sport
Updated
State of Origin
Finucane back in Blues squad as Maroons gamble on Walsh
Brad Fittler has turned to one of the most dependable forwards in the game as part of his extended squad following Jake Trbojevic’s injury.
Titans 24 Sea Eagles 56
Match report
‘That’s just the way he plays’: Trbojevic stars again as Manly raise bat
The Sea Eagles trailed by 16 points at the half-time break. The second half had to be seen to be believed.
Sensational City set up A-League grand final fight after blowing Bulls away
A two-goal burst from young guns Stefan Colakovski and Marco Tilio have set up what should be a home grand final for the A-League premiers - but COVID restrictions could see it played elsewhere.
Eels 36 Bulldogs 10
Match report
‘I will be asking questions’: Barrett fumes as Eels chase down Dogs
For the first 45 minutes, Parramatta were in danger of providing one of the upsets of the season. Then they turned on a second-half blitz to polish off the wooden spoon contenders.
Raiders face sanction for 18th man bungle as Ravalawa faces another ban
The NRL has asked for a variety of reports on how a Canberra rookie was accidentally allowed to make his debut as the Dragons were also dragged into another post-match drama.
Analysis
Super Rugby
Hunger pain: Kiwis gave Aussie rivals a lesson in desire in Super Rugby
The gap between New Zealand and Australian rugby was highlighted in one clear way during the Super Rugby Trans Tasman final.
‘It might put a target on my head’: Luai roars defiance as THAT Origin photo riles Maroons
The Blues star is not bothered if Queensland target him in Origin II after taking offence to an image of him standing over Felise Kaufusi in Townsville.
Have Your Say
High crimes and low misdemeanours: Why NRL’s crackdown misses target
The NRL’s drive to stamp out high contact fails to acknowledge that the tackler is nearly twice as likely to undergo a HIA than the ball-carrier. If the game is serious about player safety, it needs to realise this.
