Prime Minister Scott Morrison has gone on the defensive over his government’s handling of vaccine negotiations with Pfizer, dismissing critics as “heroes of hindsight”. Labor has accused the Morrison government of bungling an opportunity to secure millions of Pfizer doses in 2020, after emails emerged on Wednesday showing the pharma giant was keen to ink a deal with Australia as …

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has denied ignoring health advice by unveiling plans to reopen her state for the fully vaccinated at 70 per cent double-dose coverage, but acknowledged her need to “weigh up health advice with public policy”. The unvaccinated in NSW have a little over a month to get double-jabbed if they want to visit friends, dine out, travel …

Labor senator and former NSW premier Kristina Keneally has confirmed she will nominate for pre-selection to run in a western Sydney lower house seat. Senator Keneally will aim to replace retiring MP Chris Hayes in Fowler at the next federal election. “Since Chris announced his retirement, I have been approached by ALP branch members urging me to consider nomination for …

From the “population crash” of the swift parrot to shrinking habitat for koalas and quokkas: It’s hoped a comprehensive database of threats to endangered species can help halt Australia’s terrible record of extinctions. Researchers across Australia have spent 18 months forming the database of threats forcing species to the brink of extinction. The list of more than 1,700 species was done to help wildlife …

Three children with COVID-19 are in intensive care, a Sydney Children’s Hospital Network (SCHN) spokeswoman has confirmed. The children have underlying health conditions but the spokeswoman said they were being cared for due to COVID. “SCHN is currently supporting more than 2,000 children with COVID-19, including the three children who are currently receiving intensive care, through the delivery of a range …

Australia has secured another 4 million doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in a deal with the UK. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said shipments would arrive in Australia in the coming days and weeks. “The plane is on the tarmac now. It will be leaving tomorrow,” Mr Morrison said. “Those doses will be coming over the course of the next few weeks, which will see …

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says COVID-19 infections are expected to peak in the next two weeks after the state recorded 1,431 new cases and 12 deaths. Friday’s numbers were the highest daily infection figures ever recorded by an Australian jurisdiction. The 12 deaths represented the highest number recorded in NSW in a day. “The next fortnight is likely to be our worst in terms of …

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews will reveal tomorrow what restrictions would be eased in Victoria when case numbers reach particular thresholds over the coming weeks. Victoria recorded 76 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases overnight. Contact tracers have linked 45 of the new cases to existing outbreaks, and 36 of the new cases were in isolation for the whole of their infectious period. Mr Andrews …

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says the whole nation needs to move forward together so families can reunite for Christmas as the state records 1,164 locally new COVID-19 cases. In the latest reporting period three more people died of COVID, bringing the number of fatalities connected with the current outbreak to 96. A woman in her 50s and a man in …

A Sydney man has allegedly been caught after twice trying to cross the Queensland border with 145kg of cannabis worth $1.2 million. The 48-year-old was trying to drive his van through through a border checkpoint on Griffith St, Coolangatta, about 8.50pm on Thursday when police realised he had already tried to cross over earlier in the day. He told them …