Home office australia

SYDNEY: Christmas travel plans for thousands of Australians were thrown into chaos on Friday (Dec 18) when states and territories imposed border restrictions after 28 COVID-19 cases were detected in Sydney, with fears infections could spread citywide. About a quarter of a million people in Sydney's northern beaches, where the cases have been found, have been told to stay home and wear masks if in other venues. Restaurants in the area, which expected a lucrative Christmas trade, reported hundreds of cancellations, knocking prospects of an economic recovery from earlier virus waves. "Everyone in greater Sydney needs to be on high alert," New South Wales (NSW) state Premier Gladys Berejiklian told a news conference on Friday in announcing 10 new cases. READ: Australia's New South Wales state says work from home is over, but employees still shun office NSW health authorities issued an "urgent call" to all state residents to monitor for COVID-19 symptoms, saying confirmed … [Read more...] about Australian Christmas travel in chaos due to border curbs, as Sydney COVID-19 cluster grows

OBITUARY: Alfred James Wakefield, known as Jim, was an extremely motivated and entrepreneurial man who never shied away from giving back to his community. Former Harness Racing New Zealand chief executive Edward Rennell worked with Wakefield when he was chairman of the industry body, and said the Christchurch man’s contribution to harness racing and his community was immense. “His contribution was not only as an administrator but as a breeder and owner and he was always very professional and had very high standards of integrity particularly within racing.” Wakefield was someone he admired, respected, and learnt a lot from, Rennell said. READ MORE: New $16m art museum for central Christchurch to open in April New Christchurch art museum under way with bigger budget Ravenscar House: When a home becomes a museum “Just the way he conducted himself – he was certainly very conscious of doing things right. He was a guy who respected tradition but also acknowledged there … [Read more...] about Life story: Jim Wakefield was a harness racing legend and philanthropist

Thousands of New Zealanders were sexually abused as children in state care and faith-based institutions, but will never get the justice they need to move forward. MARINÉ LOURENS reports. He was 12 years old when the abuse started. The principal at his elite Christchurch Catholic school would call the boys to his office to check their lunch boxes. When J arrived, the principal would take him into his office and tell him his parents had sent him to the school “to help him become a man”. It started with the principal giving him a pornographic magazine to look at, and asking him how it made him feel. Over the next two years, J was raped weekly, mostly in the principal’s office, but sometimes in the cathedral behind the school or the changing rooms of the local community swimming pool. “When he raped me, I couldn’t ride my bike home.” READ MORE: Abuse survivors retraumatised, 'frequently disbelieved' by Government focused on protecting public funds Pasifika survivor still … [Read more...] about Child sexual abuse victims retraumatised in their fight for justice

Yes, 2020 may seem like a complete fail with all the constant bad news and tragic moments. It’s been filled with gloom and doom(scrolling), but some celebrities and those inspired by them have tried to brighten a bleak year. Some like singer Dolly Parton donated money to fight the coronavirus, John Krasinski put a spotlight on good news at a crucial time and DJ D-Nice played music to dance away your anxiousness about the unfolding pandemic. Here are a few examples of those efforts to make 2020 a little better for others. DOLLY’S VACCINE DONATION In April, shortly after the coronavirus was declared a pandemic, country music icon Dolly Parton donated US$1 million toward researching the virus at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. The singer's donation was used to help fund the development of Moderna’s vaccine , the second experimental COVID-19 drug to yield extraordinarily strong early results during trials. Parton didn't stop there. She … [Read more...] about Despite a challenging 2020, celebrities make effort to brighten the year