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Australia ‘return to normal life’

27 July 2020 In: Health, Family, General

Around one in six people in Australia (16 per cent) believe their lives have returned to normal since the start of COVID-19 or that they did not change at all while 9 per cent do not believe their pre-pandemic lives will ever return, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The eighth Household Impacts of COVID-19 Survey was conducted in early July, at a time when the resurgence of coronavirus cases across parts of Victoria…

Record Export Growth

24 July 2020 In: Economy, General

The total value of exports and imports of goods both increased in June 2020 following declines in May and April 2020, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The value of exports increased by $2.35 billion or 8 per cent driven by strong exports of iron ore. From May to June 2020, exports of iron ore (lumps and fines) increased by $757 million or 8 per cent to $9.92 billion, the highest export value on…

Australia Retail Sales Rise

22 July 2020 In: Economy, General

Australia retail turnover rose 2.4 per cent in June 2020 according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Turnover rose 8.2 per cent compared to June 2019. Rises in June 2020 were led by cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services and clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing. While some restrictions on trade remained in June, many businesses in these industries saw a full month of trade, having been closed for the first week of May 2020….

Australia Property: how to get what you want

21 July 2020 In: Property, Finance, General

Australia Property can often be bought for a lower price – if you include an extra sentence in your offer. Including an extra sentence that compares your offer to the seller’s minimum price in a negotiation increases the likelihood of you getting what you want, finds research from ESMT Berlin. Most people assume that you can either be friendly in a negotiation and satisfy your counterpart or get exactly what you want, but these two…

Study visas to resume

20 July 2020 In: Study, Family, General

Study in Australia can resume after the government this week began issuing new study visas. Overseas students will be allowed to learn remotely and keep graduate work rights. The government has acted after plans to allow overseas students to study in Australia through quarantine hotels were put on hold due to a resurgence of COVID-19 in Victoria. International students help to contribute $40 billion a year to the economy. The government will resume issuing student…

Australia Movie Industry Gets $400m Boost

18 July 2020 In: Jobs, Economy, Entertainment, General

Australia movie industry has received a $400 cash boost thanks to a new scheme that aims to attract Hollywood producers to make moves down under. The federal government has announced a new $400 million cash grants scheme to lure overseas film and television productions to Australia. Hollywood producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Ron Howard have already expressed an interest Prime Minister Scott Morrison said. The cash incentive is aimed at protecting more than 8,000 jobs in…

Jobs in Australia Increase

17 July 2020 In: Jobs, Economy, General

Jobs in Australia: Employment increased by 210,800 people between May and June according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. “The easing of COVID-19 restrictions in June saw an extra 280,000 people in the labour force, with more people in employment, and more actively looking and available for work,” said Bjorn Jarvis, head of labour statistics at the ABS The 210,800 rise in employment was underpinned by a large increase in part-time employment (249,000 people) and…

Jobs in Australia Recover

16 July 2020 In: Jobs, Economy, General

Jobs in Australia have seen a boost with a high proportion of lost jobs being regained. “By the end of June, around 35 per cent of payroll jobs initially lost had been regained,” said Bjorn Jarvis, head of labour statistics at the ABS Since the low in mid-April, total payroll jobs have increased by 3.3 per cent. Payroll jobs worked by females recovered through June (recording a 0.8 per cent increase compared to a 0.1…

COVID-19 Aussie Vaccine

14 July 2020 In: Health, General

COVID-19 could be beaten by scientists down under. Australian scientists could be first in the world to develop a workable vaccine to beat COVID-19. Scientists in Queensland and Melbourne say their vaccine could be available by the end of the year. The scientists have experimented with 250 different formulations and have launched human trials this week. The Queensland government says that human trials of the University of Queensland’s COVID-19 vaccine will assess the immune reaction…

Student Path to Residency

13 July 2020 In: Study, Migration, General

The Australian government will offer Hong Kong international students a five-year post-study graduate visa after which they will be able to apply for permanent residency. An estimated 10,000 Hong Kong folk in Australia – including temporary skilled workers – will be eligible for residency programs, as well as 2,500 that are overseas and 1,250 in the process of applying for visas. Those already in the country on temporary graduate visas will be offered a five-year…

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