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Australia Covid news live update: airport chaos as Christmas flights cancelled; WA to change border rules for SA and Queensland Australia Covid news live update: airport chaos as Christmas flights cancelled; WA to change border rules for SA and Queensland
(32 minutes later)
Follow all the day’s newsFollow all the day’s news
A Philippine family set to be deported from New Zealand on Christmas Day after the father used a false address to claim food vouchers out of desperation has been granted a last-minute reprieve in what they described as the “best present”.
Jeffrey Santos had used a false address to claim $1,600 in vouchers because he lost his job when the Covid lockdown struck in March 2020 and was ineligible for New Zealand’s income relief payment, which wasn’t available to migrant workers. As a result, Jeffrey, his wife, Marjorie, and 8-year-old son James were to be deported back to the Philippines on Christmas Day.
“I couldn’t pay rent for two weeks, I had to do something,” Santos told Stuff on Thursday. “I wish I hadn’t done this, but it is too late.”
From AAP:
A Sydney man who police allege was preparing to commit a terrorist act will face court on Christmas Day.
Police arrested a 34-year-old man on Friday morning in Caringbah.
NSW police detective superintendent Michael Sheehy says the man will be charged with offences relating to membership of a terrorist group and collecting and making documents likely to facilitate a terrorist attack.
Following an investigation by the NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team, police will allege the Caringbah man “made numerous threats to commit acts of violence against law enforcement officers and other community leaders”.
JCTT investigators seized two knives along with documentation and electronic storage devices when they searched the man’s home following his arrest.
The man was charged with using a social media platform to distribute material which may offend, harass or menace in December 2020.
He was in custody for six months before being released in July.
Sheehy said police and government officials had engaged with the man to “attempt to deradicalise him” but he refused to engage in a program and continued to promote Islamic State material online.
The man has been refused bail and will appear in a Parramatta court on Saturday.
Australian man Carl Stanojevic might be the world’s most considerate neighbour after he was asked to “take the bins out” and dutifully followed the request – to the letter.Australian man Carl Stanojevic might be the world’s most considerate neighbour after he was asked to “take the bins out” and dutifully followed the request – to the letter.
The practical joke began when the 54-year-old photographer from Mackay, in Queensland, received a late-night text message from his neighbour, Nick Doherty – who works remotely – asking if Stanojevic “would be able to take my bins out please”.The practical joke began when the 54-year-old photographer from Mackay, in Queensland, received a late-night text message from his neighbour, Nick Doherty – who works remotely – asking if Stanojevic “would be able to take my bins out please”.
We’ve got a video of the Christmas messages from Morrison and Albanese here:We’ve got a video of the Christmas messages from Morrison and Albanese here:
The opposition leader, Anthony Albanese, has said that “after such a tough couple of years, we all deserve a happy Christmas”.The opposition leader, Anthony Albanese, has said that “after such a tough couple of years, we all deserve a happy Christmas”.
Both major party leaders have recorded Christmas messages to the Australian people. I’ve taken a few lines from each.Both major party leaders have recorded Christmas messages to the Australian people. I’ve taken a few lines from each.
Scott Morrison:Scott Morrison:
The prime minister, Scott Morrison, has thanked the “many selfless Australians” who are “caring for others this Christmas”.The prime minister, Scott Morrison, has thanked the “many selfless Australians” who are “caring for others this Christmas”.
“At the end of this year, of course, we can think of the many difficult times we’ve had and the losses that people have incurred. But Christmas, you know, is a time of hope and we are an optimistic people,” Morrison said.“At the end of this year, of course, we can think of the many difficult times we’ve had and the losses that people have incurred. But Christmas, you know, is a time of hope and we are an optimistic people,” Morrison said.
He extended his support to the six families in Devonport in northern Tasmania that lost their children in the recent Hillcrest Primary School tragedy.He extended his support to the six families in Devonport in northern Tasmania that lost their children in the recent Hillcrest Primary School tragedy.
“And this Christmas we’ll shed a tear and raise up prayers for them, I believe right across the country, for them that they might find some measure of comfort in this hour of their terrible grief.”“And this Christmas we’ll shed a tear and raise up prayers for them, I believe right across the country, for them that they might find some measure of comfort in this hour of their terrible grief.”
He made a special thanks to the members of the defence force in the Solomon Islands and recognised it had been a hard year.He made a special thanks to the members of the defence force in the Solomon Islands and recognised it had been a hard year.
“May all those who need a refreshing after what has been a difficult year, by just having a good long laugh out loud, round that Christmas table with friends and family, may you find it. May those who have been alone this year experience the warmth of companionship this Christmas.“May all those who need a refreshing after what has been a difficult year, by just having a good long laugh out loud, round that Christmas table with friends and family, may you find it. May those who have been alone this year experience the warmth of companionship this Christmas.
“May those of us who have faith find great encouragement as we reflect on God’s great gift to us and his son, Jesus Christ. And may all of us experience something of the joy and the wonder of Christmas, especially our children.”“May those of us who have faith find great encouragement as we reflect on God’s great gift to us and his son, Jesus Christ. And may all of us experience something of the joy and the wonder of Christmas, especially our children.”
My colleague Lisa Favazzo got some of you to share your favourite Christmas traditions, and they are a wonderful mix of weird and cute.
I like Little Drummer Boy as much as the rest of us but at 6 am on full volume it is a solid no from me.
Hello everyone, this is Cait Kelly – I am back from my break and ready to roll through the last few hours with you.
This is a cool calculator that tells you when and where you can get your booster.
Whenever it’s quiet on the news front, you can usually rely on the Top End to come through. Today is no exception.
AAP reports that thousands of dollars worth of Christmas hams are missing, after a learner driver allegedly stole a refrigerated truck in the Northern Territory.
Police say about $10,000 worth of hams and the vehicle were stolen from a Darwin shopping centre car park on Thursday.
The vehicle was later found abandoned, but there were no hams in the refrigerator and they remain missing, a spokeswoman said.
Detective senior sergeant Mark Bland said:
Police identified a 17-year-old boy and a man, 21, using CCTV footage, and they have been arrested and charged.
The teenager was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a motor vehicle, stealing, damage to property, driving as a learner driver unaccompanied and failing to display L-plates.
The man was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a motor vehicle, stealing and damage to property.
Good afternoon.
We’ve just launched our updated story on the thousands of Australians who have had their domestic flights cancelled in the hours leading up to Christmas, as frontline staff were ordered to test and isolate amid a rise in Covid cases.
There were 117 domestic services cancelled on Friday between Sydney and Melbourne.
I’m just going to hand you over to Michael McGowan quickly, who’ll keep you company while I eat some lunch.
From AAP:
The Top End is bracing for a wet and windy Christmas with residents warned a tropical cyclone could form near Darwin on Boxing Day.
A monsoon trough and a tropical low are brewing north of the Tiwi Islands in the Arafura Sea, the Bureau of Meteorology says.
It is expected to head south towards the Northern Territory by Saturday and extend across the Top End during Sunday as the monsoon sets in.
“The best guidance is that the system will cross the coast south-west of Darwin as a category one system on Monday,” senior meteorologist Shaenagh Gamble said on Friday.
“We’re fairly certain of where it’s going.”
Darwin could be lashed by up to 100mm of rain per day with flash flooding and wind gusts of 150km/h possible.
Communities from Point Stuart east of Darwin to Kalumburu in Western Australia have been told to remain alert and make preparations.
If Braithwaite can’t reactivate the CBD no one can!
The full list of WA exposure sites can be found here.
The Northern Territory has recorded one new local case of Covid-19, taking the outbreak to 132.
The case is a close contact of a previous case from Tennant Creek and Barrow Creek who was already in quarantine.
A mask mandate that is currently in place in Alice Springs and Amoonguna will lift as planned at 5pm local time.