The Update

Subdued New Years Eve celebrations across Australia Price rises kick in from today for services such as toll roads and passports Legendary actress Betty White has passed away aged 99 The ATP cup begins in Sydney See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's been an alarming spike in covid case numbers across New South Wales - Despite high case numbers, New Year's eve preparations are in full swing. Parts of southeast Australia are expected to swelter, as people prepare to ring in the New Year. French oyster farmers have been emptying shells and placing notes inside, in a bid to catch thieves. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...

Sweeping new rules will change the way we respond to positive covid cases. A one-year-old South Australian baby girl has died after contracting Covid-19. A step towards justice - that’s how one of Ghislaine Maxwell’s victims has described her guilty verdict. New South Wales and Queensland are forging ahead with New Year's Eve celebrations, despite soaring Covid infections. See omnystud...

The Prime Minister says Australia will move to a single definition of what defines a Covid-19 close contact. states are desperately trying to secure more rapid antigen tests to help ease pressure on P-C-R testing capabilities. Police have taken a man into custody in relation to the sexual assault of a child in Perth's East. A new study has found children are being bombarded by ads for alcohol, jun...

Black Jack has taken out the line honours in this year's Sydney to Hobart yacht race. Hospitality sector representatives in New South Wales and Queensland are calling for close contact rules to be relaxed. WA Police are hunting for the person who sexually assaulted a young girl in her home in Perth's north-east. A 33 year old woman has been arrested over an alcohol fuelled crash in Vicotira's Morn...

Victoria's testing crisis could be alleviated with a shift to rapid antigen testing. NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has slammed Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s decision to hold off on removing “tourism testing” requirements. An explosion at a suburban shopping strip in Canberra on Monday night has destroyed several stores and sent a man to hospital. A man has been ar...

Officials are warning of the dangers of waterways after two tragic drownings - including a 3 year old boy in NSW  A whopping 21 billion dollars is tipped to be spent on post Christmas sales in Australia Covid infections continue to surge around the country The Boxing Day test and the Sydney to Hobart yacht race See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The wait between a third covid shot and the booster will be reduced from 5 to 3 months early next year Christmas travel plans in disarray after a Covid staff shortage at Melbourne and Sydney airports England flag changes to its side for the Boxing Day test  A fourth woman comes forward accusing Chris Noth of sexual assault See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Victoria, New South Wales, and Western Australia reintroduce mask mandates. Rapid Antigen Tests go on sale in South Australia. The first batch of Pfizer's vaccines for kids has touched down in Sydney. In sport, former World number 1 and five-time Australian Open runner-up Andy Murray will return to Melbourne Park next month. And in entertainment, Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" has become the first so...

As Covid infections surge both New South Wales and Victoria have re-introduced compulsory mask wearing Two million Australians have received the Covid booster shot The first of the six children killed in Tasmania's jumping castle tragedy has been laid to rest The N-B-L game between the Illawarra Hawks and South East Melbourne Phoenix has been postponed - due to a Covid scare   See omnystudio....

At-home COVID-19 tests could soon be delivered to NSW homes free of charge. The police investigation into a COVID-positive teenager who partied at an Adelaide nightclub instead of isolating at home has intensified. The Victorian government is expected to confirm today if there will be any changes to mask-wearing. In sport, a crowd of 70-thousand is expected at the MCG for day one of the Boxing Day...

Third Booster Shot To Stay At 5-Months After The 2nd Despite Case Surge Just One Omicron Patient In ICU Aussies Urged To Brush Up On Their Consumer Rights Ahead Of Xmas And.. Novak Djokovic Still Yet To Reveal His Vaccination Status Ahead Of  Aus Open See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pressure is mounting on state and territory governments to bring back COVID restrictions, to control the spread of the OMICRON variant. Health authorities in South Australia have confirmed the Adelaide Oval is a casual exposure site following the second Ashes test. Millionaire Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest is taking legal action against Facebook. In sport, Australia could be without Josh Hazelwood for t...

Some States Ramp Up Calls For Boosters To Be Shortened To Four Months Consumer Confidence High Despite Omicron Outbreak Harmful Apps To Be Removed From Aussie Search Engines Police Investigating Theft Of One-Million Dollars Worth Of Silver See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Victorian health officials are pushing for tougher COVID restrictions to return while South Australia plans to make rapid antigen tests available to the general public. Rex Airlines has entered the domestic market with flights connecting Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. New research has found environmental factors play a larger role than genetics when it comes to Alzheimer's Disease. In sport, Aust...

Three new COVID testing sites have been set up across Melbourne and another 20 will open an hour earlier as people race in to get tested before Christmas. A popular Adelaide nightclub says it will be seeking justice after a teenager continued partying at the venue for hours, despite being told he had COVID. Two adults and two children have died when a light plane crashed into waters near Brisbane....

Health experts are urging the New South Wales Government to reintroduce a mask mandate The mayor of London has declared a major incident, as Covid cases surge across the U-K Football legend Ron Barassi has successfully fought off Covid19  Australia remains in the box seat in the second Ashes test See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than 1 million dollars has been raised from a GoFundme page in the wake of the Jumping Castle tragedy  Mass vaccination hubs across the country will remain open into the new year to help deliver boosters England makes a shaky start to its first innings at the Adelaide Ashes test Brynne Edelsten reveals she's pregnant See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New South Wales and Victoria To Scrap 72hr Iso For International Arrivals Australia's Covid Booster Roll-Out To Stay The Same Major Investigation Into Tasmania's Jumping Castle Tragedy And Snake And Spider Numbers Soaring Thanks To Hot And Wet Weather See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A  fifth child has died after a jumping castle tragedy at a primary school in Tasmania. More than 600 people have been forced into isolation after attending an event at Sydney's Metro Theatre last week. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is isolating after a Covid scare.  Melbourne United has taken out its first win of the season, beating the Sydney Kings  89 to 47.  See omnystud...

Four Children Killed In Freak Jumping Castle Accident In Tasmania Newcastle's Covid "Patient Zero" Fined $10k For Allegedly Breaching Iso Orders Australian Economy Bouncing Back  Aussie Skipper Pat Cummins Ruled Out Of Second Ashes Test See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Victorians are waking to new freedoms, with restrictions easing overnight Unvaccinated customers are allowed back into non-essential retail settings. Vaccine certificates are no longer needed for real estate inspections, auctions, weddings and funerals. The mask mandate has been scrapped for weddings and funerals, they still need to worn in retail settings. The new pandemic orders came into effect...

NSW Cases Doubling Every TWO Days -- But Hospitalisations Remain Steady A Fourth Covid Booster Likely To Fend Off Omicron Former Aussie Cricketer Michael Slater Back In Court And Aussie Customers Spent 90 Million Hours On Hold To Call Centres in 18 Months See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the first time in nearly two years, Australia's border reopens to eligible visa holders today. Fully vaccinated visa holders, including international students and skilled migrants, no longer need an exemption to enter the country.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia will become one of the biggest producers of M-R-N-A vaccines, as part of a high-tech deal with Moderna. A case of OMICRON is one of four new infections in quarantine in Queensland. Urgent contact tracing is underway in W-A after several interstate truck drivers who recently spent time in the state returned positive COVID tests. In sport, David Warner will undergo a fitness test on Friday...