Australia

SYDNEY, Apr 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Passengers of a cruise ship, hit by the COVID-19 outbreak, were allowed to disembark at Australia’s harbour city, despite informing authorities there were 13 people sick on board.

The vessel, Ovation of the Seas, told federal authorities about its ill passengers, including three suffering high temperatures, before docking at Sydney’s Circular Quay, on Mar 18, the Seven News channel reported.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia’s central bank kept rates at record lows on Tuesday and pledged to keep three-year government bond yields at its 0.25% target as it predicted the coronavirus pandemic would trigger a massive economic decline.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) on March 19 announced an out-of-cycle rate cut to 0.25% together with an unprecedented stimulus package, which included an unlimited quantitative easing programme.

SYDNEY, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Australian authorities launched a criminal investigation Sunday into a COVID-19 infected cruise ship which was allowed to dock in Sydney before releasing thousands of passengers directly into the community.

Since the Ruby Princess berthed at Circular Quay on March 19, more than 600 confirmed cases of the virus have been linked to the ship, and 11 of them have subsequently died -- accounting for roughly 30 percent of Australia's national death toll.

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Cardinal George Pell welcomed Australia’s highest court clearing him of child sex crimes Tuesday and said his trial had not been a referendum on the Catholic Church’s handling of the clergy abuse crisis.

Pope Francis’ former finance minister Pell had been the most senior Catholic found guilty of sexually abusing children and has spent 13 months in high-security prisons before seven High Court judges unanimously dismissed his convictions.

5 April 2020; AFP: Australian police on Sunday launched a criminal investigation after thousands of passengers were allowed to disembark a coronavirus-stricken cruise ship in Sydney and 10 later died of the illness.

The government last month allowed 2,700 passengers to walk off the Carnival Australia-owned Ruby Princess and travel to their homes around the country -- despite a ban on cruise ships docking in Australia being announced just days earlier.

3 April 2020; AFP: Australia insisted Friday it would not let the crew of multiple virus-stricken cruise ships into the country, slapping aside suggestions it was falling short on legal and moral obligations.

More than a dozen ships are believed to be off Australia's coast, carrying around 15,000 crew and some experiencing outbreaks of coronavirus.

"We have issued notices to all of these ships to leave Australian waters," Australian Border Force Commissioner Michael Outram told local media Friday.

VIENNA, Apr 2 (NNN-XINHUA) – The COVID-19 pandemic caused unemployment in Austria to hit a historic high since 1946, according to a leading provider of labour-market related services in the country.

Canberra; 30 March 2020 (UMM): Eight days since the second stimulus package was announced, Australian PM Scott Morrison announced a third stimulus package to the tune of $130 billion to save “hibernating” businesses forced to close their doors during lockdown, and their employees.

Package includes a $1,500 per fortnight payment to employers, so that they can maintain their employees during this hibernation period.

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australians were asked on Sunday to further isolate themselves from the public to keep the coronavirus from spreading even as authorities said the rate of daily infections has halved in recent days.

Government officials said that public gatherings must be restricted to two people and Australians should stay inside unless shopping for essentials, exercising, going to work or medical care. Those over 70 should self-isolate themselves.

28 March 2020; AFP: People in the Australian state of Queensland were urged to vote in local elections on Saturday or face a fine of Aus$133 ($80), as polls went ahead despite most citizens being encouraged to stay home to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

The state's top health official said it was safe to vote in person as long as people followed social distancing guidelines.

"There's no risk here, we've got to remember the risk of people going to the shops is far, far higher," Jeannette Young told reporters.