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| Australia live news update: Morrison confirms international borders to reopen this week; $1bn defence deal signed with South Korea | Australia live news update: Morrison confirms international borders to reopen this week; $1bn defence deal signed with South Korea |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Follow all the day’s developments | Follow all the day’s developments |
| Australians in major cities look set to be mostly spared La Niña rains on what is likely to be a mild Christmas Day, according to weather forecasters. | |
| AccuWeather forecasts clear skies for Melbourne and Hobart on 25 December, while clouds are expected to linger across the rest of the country into the evening. | |
| Ahead of the release on Saturday of the Bureau of Meteorology’s official forecast for the week of Christmas, AccuWeather has predicted possible showers in Queensland and the Northern Territory on Christmas Day, with temperatures hitting the high 20s in most major cities. | |
| Here is the run down for every capital city: | |
| We’re expecting Mark McGowan to outline Western Australia’s border reopening date at 2pm WA time/5pm eastern daylight time. | |
| We’ll bring you that update here as it happens. | |
| Meanwhile in Victoria, the Australian Workers Union has raised concerns about the preselection process for the 2022 election amid ongoing factional turmoil in the state arising from the exit of party powerbroker Adem Somyurek. | Meanwhile in Victoria, the Australian Workers Union has raised concerns about the preselection process for the 2022 election amid ongoing factional turmoil in the state arising from the exit of party powerbroker Adem Somyurek. |
| AWU branch secretary Ben Davis has written to state secretary Chris Ford calling for a halt to the preselection process that is being run by the national executive, alleging irregularities that are “potentially fraudulent”. | AWU branch secretary Ben Davis has written to state secretary Chris Ford calling for a halt to the preselection process that is being run by the national executive, alleging irregularities that are “potentially fraudulent”. |
| Davis says that a number of party members have alleged that nomination forms have been filled out before a candidate has been selected, which he says is “potentially creating a false document pursuant to the Crimes Act. | Davis says that a number of party members have alleged that nomination forms have been filled out before a candidate has been selected, which he says is “potentially creating a false document pursuant to the Crimes Act. |
| “As a member of the Interim Governance Committee (IGC) I hereby request that nomination forms for all contested ballots be provided to me, and if you see fit to the other members of the IGC also, before any ballots of national Executive are held,” the letter says. | “As a member of the Interim Governance Committee (IGC) I hereby request that nomination forms for all contested ballots be provided to me, and if you see fit to the other members of the IGC also, before any ballots of national Executive are held,” the letter says. |
| “Delaying the ballots in the contested seats should also occur until the party can conduct an appropriate investigation.” | “Delaying the ballots in the contested seats should also occur until the party can conduct an appropriate investigation.” |
| So far, seven sitting Labor MPs have been targeted as a result of the factional in-fighting, with one of these, upper house MP Cesar Melhem, describing the situation as “total bloodletting”. | So far, seven sitting Labor MPs have been targeted as a result of the factional in-fighting, with one of these, upper house MP Cesar Melhem, describing the situation as “total bloodletting”. |
| Millions of tourism dollars are expected to be injected into the Queensland economy after the state reopened its borders to fully vaccinated visitors, reports AAP. | Millions of tourism dollars are expected to be injected into the Queensland economy after the state reopened its borders to fully vaccinated visitors, reports AAP. |
| Tens of thousands of people began flooding into Queensland on Monday following the decision to drop entry and quarantine restrictions at 1am for fully jabbed travellers after hitting the 80% double vaccination target. | Tens of thousands of people began flooding into Queensland on Monday following the decision to drop entry and quarantine restrictions at 1am for fully jabbed travellers after hitting the 80% double vaccination target. |
| The arrival of interstate travellers in time for the festive season is a much-needed boost for tourism, particularly in the state’s far north. | The arrival of interstate travellers in time for the festive season is a much-needed boost for tourism, particularly in the state’s far north. |
| Tourism Tropical North Queensland chief executive Mark Olsen said the region had been losing millions of dollars a day since early 2020. He told Nine: | Tourism Tropical North Queensland chief executive Mark Olsen said the region had been losing millions of dollars a day since early 2020. He told Nine: |
| Olsen said more than 9,000 tourism jobs in the far north had been lost since early 2020 but was confident it could bounce back after Monday’s reopening. | Olsen said more than 9,000 tourism jobs in the far north had been lost since early 2020 but was confident it could bounce back after Monday’s reopening. |
| You can read more about Queensland’s border rules easing from today in this article, filed by Jennifer King in Tweed Heads. | You can read more about Queensland’s border rules easing from today in this article, filed by Jennifer King in Tweed Heads. |
| There are 16 new cases of Covid-19 in the Northern Territory, with the government considering ramping up Covid rules for some communities. | There are 16 new cases of Covid-19 in the Northern Territory, with the government considering ramping up Covid rules for some communities. |
| Of the new cases announced on Monday, 14 are from East Katherine, where authorities had been doing a testing “blitz”. | Of the new cases announced on Monday, 14 are from East Katherine, where authorities had been doing a testing “blitz”. |
| A chief health officer directive will be issued from today requiring anyone in the NT who has been in Katherine recently to get tested. | A chief health officer directive will be issued from today requiring anyone in the NT who has been in Katherine recently to get tested. |
| Nicole Manison, deputy chief minister of the NT, has also revealed there were only five Covid tests conducted in Tennant Creek – a town of about 5,000 – on Sunday despite positive wastewater detections of Covid. | Nicole Manison, deputy chief minister of the NT, has also revealed there were only five Covid tests conducted in Tennant Creek – a town of about 5,000 – on Sunday despite positive wastewater detections of Covid. |
| She said “frankly, that is not good enough”. | She said “frankly, that is not good enough”. |
| Manison said it was “likely” the government would escalate Covid rules and introduce “lockouts” – where unvaccinated people are placed in lockdown – in some regional communities in the territory in coming days. | Manison said it was “likely” the government would escalate Covid rules and introduce “lockouts” – where unvaccinated people are placed in lockdown – in some regional communities in the territory in coming days. |
| South Australian premier Steven Marshall has said there are 13 new Covid-19 cases in his state for the reporting period announced on Monday. | South Australian premier Steven Marshall has said there are 13 new Covid-19 cases in his state for the reporting period announced on Monday. |
| He said the majority of the cases are believed to be the Delta variant. | He said the majority of the cases are believed to be the Delta variant. |
| There have so far been two confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in SA. | There have so far been two confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in SA. |
| There has been a bit more sun across New South Wales in recent days, prompting concern for people swimming in hazardous conditions at beaches in the state. | There has been a bit more sun across New South Wales in recent days, prompting concern for people swimming in hazardous conditions at beaches in the state. |
| Over the weekend, Surf Life Saving NSW volunteers performed more than 60 rescues, with two people requiring resuscitation. | Over the weekend, Surf Life Saving NSW volunteers performed more than 60 rescues, with two people requiring resuscitation. |
| Sadly, a middle-aged man was unable to be revived at Coffs Harbour on Saturday. He was pulled from the water about 300m north of the patrol flags, semi-conscious and still breathing. | Sadly, a middle-aged man was unable to be revived at Coffs Harbour on Saturday. He was pulled from the water about 300m north of the patrol flags, semi-conscious and still breathing. |
| NSW Ambulance inspector Charnan Kurth said “drownings can occur in seconds – we have to be constantly looking out for each other”. | NSW Ambulance inspector Charnan Kurth said “drownings can occur in seconds – we have to be constantly looking out for each other”. |
| In the UK, Boris Johnson is gambling on an unprecedented ramping up of vaccinations, rolling out 1m booster jabs a day to stem an incoming “tidal wave of Omicron” and avoid imposing further restrictions. | In the UK, Boris Johnson is gambling on an unprecedented ramping up of vaccinations, rolling out 1m booster jabs a day to stem an incoming “tidal wave of Omicron” and avoid imposing further restrictions. |
| The army will be deployed across the country to help rapidly accelerate the vaccine program and GPs will be told to cancel appointments to dedicate resources to offering vaccines to every UK adult by the end of December. | The army will be deployed across the country to help rapidly accelerate the vaccine program and GPs will be told to cancel appointments to dedicate resources to offering vaccines to every UK adult by the end of December. |
| In a televised address to the nation on Sunday night, the prime minister said he was “afraid we are now facing an emergency in our battle with the new variant, Omicron, and we must urgently reinforce our wall of vaccine protection to keep our friends and loved ones safe”. | In a televised address to the nation on Sunday night, the prime minister said he was “afraid we are now facing an emergency in our battle with the new variant, Omicron, and we must urgently reinforce our wall of vaccine protection to keep our friends and loved ones safe”. |
| Read more: | Read more: |
| The RSPCA has teamed up with two other leading animal welfare organisations to lobby both clothing brands and sheep farmers to move away from mulesing sheep. | The RSPCA has teamed up with two other leading animal welfare organisations to lobby both clothing brands and sheep farmers to move away from mulesing sheep. |
| RSPCA Australia, Four Paws and Humane Society International say they will work with the wool industry to encourage the breeding of sheep that do not require mulesing. | RSPCA Australia, Four Paws and Humane Society International say they will work with the wool industry to encourage the breeding of sheep that do not require mulesing. |
| Mulesing is the process of removing folds of skin from the tail area of a sheep. It’s done to reduce flystrike and is mainly practised on sheep that have folds of skin, like merinos. | Mulesing is the process of removing folds of skin from the tail area of a sheep. It’s done to reduce flystrike and is mainly practised on sheep that have folds of skin, like merinos. |
| It used to be the industry standard in Australia, where flystrike can be a deadly problem, but over the past two decades many wool producers have focused on breeding sheep that do not require mulesing. | It used to be the industry standard in Australia, where flystrike can be a deadly problem, but over the past two decades many wool producers have focused on breeding sheep that do not require mulesing. |
| Some farming organisations are also changing their standards to discourage mulesing. The Victorian Farmers Federation lobbied for regulations requiring the mandatory use of pain relief when mulesing sheep, which came into effect last year. | Some farming organisations are also changing their standards to discourage mulesing. The Victorian Farmers Federation lobbied for regulations requiring the mandatory use of pain relief when mulesing sheep, which came into effect last year. |
| But the Australian Superfine Wool Growers Association remains in support of the practice. Four Paws’s wool expert, Rebecca Picallo Gil, said more than 3,000 Australian woolgrowers had already switched to no-mules flocks. | But the Australian Superfine Wool Growers Association remains in support of the practice. Four Paws’s wool expert, Rebecca Picallo Gil, said more than 3,000 Australian woolgrowers had already switched to no-mules flocks. |
| Humane Society international’s Georgie Dolphin said: | Humane Society international’s Georgie Dolphin said: |
| One of the most tangible announcements from the joint presser was Scott Morrison confirming the international borders would reopen as planned this Wednesday. | One of the most tangible announcements from the joint presser was Scott Morrison confirming the international borders would reopen as planned this Wednesday. |
| We reported last week this was likely, but a bunch of international students and other travellers have been anxiously messaging Guardian Australia over the weekend hoping for some certainty. This should come as a relief to them. | We reported last week this was likely, but a bunch of international students and other travellers have been anxiously messaging Guardian Australia over the weekend hoping for some certainty. This should come as a relief to them. |
| First, a quick recap: the government announced in late November it was delaying the plan to reopen Australia to international skilled and student cohorts, as well as humanitarian, working, holidaymaker and provisional family visa holders, from 1 December until 15 December. | First, a quick recap: the government announced in late November it was delaying the plan to reopen Australia to international skilled and student cohorts, as well as humanitarian, working, holidaymaker and provisional family visa holders, from 1 December until 15 December. |
| That “pause” also included reopening to travellers from Japan and South Korea. It was to gather more information about the Omicron variant. As it stood, the Australian border was “already closed to travellers except fully vaccinated Australian citizens, permanent residents and immediate family, as well as fully vaccinated green lane travellers from New Zealand and Singapore and limited exemptions”, per the government release at the time. | That “pause” also included reopening to travellers from Japan and South Korea. It was to gather more information about the Omicron variant. As it stood, the Australian border was “already closed to travellers except fully vaccinated Australian citizens, permanent residents and immediate family, as well as fully vaccinated green lane travellers from New Zealand and Singapore and limited exemptions”, per the government release at the time. |
| All arrivals to Australia also require a negative PCR test and to complete Australian traveller declaration forms detailing their vaccination status and confirming requirements to comply with state and territory public health requirements. | All arrivals to Australia also require a negative PCR test and to complete Australian traveller declaration forms detailing their vaccination status and confirming requirements to comply with state and territory public health requirements. |
| While the government has been signalling it wanted to get on with reopening, these things are always subject to change, based on latest advice about Omicron – so many travellers were worried about whether their plans would be disrupted once again. But Morrison, standing next to South Korean president Moon Jae-in, told reporters: | While the government has been signalling it wanted to get on with reopening, these things are always subject to change, based on latest advice about Omicron – so many travellers were worried about whether their plans would be disrupted once again. But Morrison, standing next to South Korean president Moon Jae-in, told reporters: |
| Morrison praised the high level of vaccination in both countries, adding: | Morrison praised the high level of vaccination in both countries, adding: |