‘Failure to lead’:Albanese plans new approach for national cabinet
Exclusive
Political leadership

‘Failure to lead’:Albanese plans new approach for national cabinet

Labor leader Anthony Albanese has vowed to overhaul national cabinet to offer a more “cohesive” approach to the pandemic if he wins power,accusing Prime Minister Scott Morrison of showing favouritism between states when the country need unity.

  • byDavid Crowe

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‘Special rules’:Vaccinated Australians to avoid lockdown restrictions once 70% target hit
Coronavirus pandemic

‘Special rules’:Vaccinated Australians to avoid lockdown restrictions once 70% target hit

Vaccinated Australians will be able to avoid some lockdown restrictions and international border rules will be loosened once enough people get both doses of a vaccine.

  • byDavid Crowe andKatina Curtis
Vaccine push to pave the way for country to reopen
Exclusive
Coronavirus pandemic

Vaccine push to pave the way for country to reopen

While the uptake of AstraZeneca has increased since the Sydney outbreak,especially among under 40s,the rate of vaccination would not see the majority of the state’s population inoculated against COVID-19 until the end of the year.

  • byLucy Cormack,Rachel Clun,Alexandra Smith andLucy Carroll
National cabinet to plot path out of lockdown,payments return to original JobKeeper levels
Coronavirus pandemic

National cabinet to plot path out of lockdown,payments return to original JobKeeper levels

The country’s leaders on Friday will look at how many Australians must be vaccinated in order to end lockdowns,while income support has returned to the level of the original JobKeeper scheme.

  • byRachel Clun andKatina Curtis
Federation fractures once more over coronavirus outbreak
Analysis
Coronavirus pandemic

Federation fractures once more over coronavirus outbreak

After Gladys Berejiklian blindsided Canberra and Daniel Andrews launched metaphorical grenades,the PM did his best to put out spot fires on a “messy” day in politics.

  • byRob Harris
Morrison regrets ‘not a race’ remark,promises to make up lost ground
Coronavirus pandemic

Morrison regrets ‘not a race’ remark,promises to make up lost ground

The PM has admitted to “regrettable” delays in the vaccine rollout and revealed he has repeatedly asked medical experts to review their advice on the AstraZeneca vaccine.

  • byDavid Crowe
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Unvaccinated aged care workers remain at frontline of stricken Sydney facility
Coronavirus pandemic

Unvaccinated aged care workers remain at frontline of stricken Sydney facility

The government’s efforts to inoculate the country’s aged care workforce have come under scrutiny as low-paid casual aged care workers face being scapegoated for a growing COVID outbreak.

  • byCarrie Fellner,Natassia Chrysanthos andRachel Clun
Pfizer is key to Australia’s path out of the pandemic,but most doses still months away
Coronavirus pandemic

Pfizer is key to Australia’s path out of the pandemic,but most doses still months away

Those injured by vaccines will also be able to claim compensation without going through the courts in a significant update to the planned vaccine indemnity scheme.

  • byRachel Clun
Lockdowns here to stay despite national agreement they should be a ‘last resort’
Analysis
Life after Lockdown

Lockdowns here to stay despite national agreement they should be a ‘last resort’

WA Premier Mark McGowan said he already considered lockdowns a ‘last resort’,dashing any chance the agreed-to plan would reduce their likelihood in the future.

  • byHamish Hastie andPeter de Kruijff
Australians promised path out of lockdowns under four-stage recovery plan
Coronavirus pandemic

Australians promised path out of lockdowns under four-stage recovery plan

National cabinet backed the proposal to use lockdowns and border checks as required until at least the start of 2022,when the vaccination rollout could reach a key threshold to ease the controls.

  • byDavid Crowe andRachel Clun
COVID transition plan looks concrete but there’s good reason to be sceptical
Analysis
Coronavirus pandemic

COVID transition plan looks concrete but there’s good reason to be sceptical

The new four-stage plan to reopen from the pandemic looks solid,but it’s largely about optics. Old targets are still the ones that matter most.

  • byDavid Crowe