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Qantas boss Alan Joyce expects the group will have domestic flight capacity back at pre-pandemic levels by late January as more states and territories allow visitors.
Mr Joyce on Thursday was optimistic about providing more flights as Australia better controls the coronavirus with a vaccinated population.
"It looks like by Christmas we will have every state open except for Western Australia," he told a Flight Centre Travel Group conference.
"Western Australia will open up domestically hopefully early in the new year, we assume around February."
The carrier does not need the western state to re-open to reach pre-pandemic domestic capacity.
It is likely to return to that level by the end of January after adding more planes and routes this year to meet steady domestic demand. The airline continues flying within Western Australia.
"So we're starting to plan to get back to 100 per cent of our pre-COVID schedule domestically and by January be above that," Mr Joyce said.
"That's great news for domestic tourism."
Another boost for domestic holiday-makers came with this week's news that by December 17 at the latest fully vaccinated visitors will be able to enter Queensland without undergoing quarantine.
Elsewhere in the country, one of the routes which is traditionally among Qantas' busiest is about to welcome more travellers.
The current single daily flight from Sydney to Melbourne will increase to almost 15 per day in the first week of November.
Melburnians are enduring their last day of lockdown and Mr Joyce estimated there would be 30 to 40 Sydney to Melbourne flights daily by Christmas. There were 55 each day before the pandemic.
The airline boss expected the route would be close to its pre-COVID schedule by February, helped by the return of business travel.
For overseas travel, the carrier has brought forward available flights to London and Los Angeles after NSW announced it would quarantine-free international travel from November 1.
Flights to Canada, Singapore and Tokyo would be available for Christmas, Mr Joyce said.
About 10,000 Qantas employees remain stood down from work due to low travel demand.
© AAP 2021
Photo: Qantas CEO Alan Joyce (AAP Image/Supplied by Qantas, Brent Winstone)
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WA social innovator Cara Peek takes out top honour as the 2020 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award National Winner with dairy industry trailblazer Cressida Cains announced as National Runner Up.
Broome-based lawyer, social innovator and co-founder of Saltwater Country, Cara Peek has been named the 2020 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award National Winner for her work in driving employment opportunities for First Nations people in remote Australia. Cressida Cains, artisan cheesemaker and a passionate dairy industry advocate from New South Wales was announced as the Award’s National Runner Up.
Due to COVID-19, the national Rural Women’s Award ceremony was postponed last year. Instead, the 2020 National Winner was announced today at a special ceremony offering live coverage of the proceedings via video links with over 600 viewers tuning in across the country.
Ms Peek, a proud Yawuru/Bunuba woman was recognised for her dedication to fostering access and opportunity for rural and remote communities and accepted the award at a State-based ceremony at The University Club of Western Australia in Perth.
Adding to the $10,000 already awarded to each state and territory finalist from Platinum Sponsor Westpac, Ms Peek will receive an additional $10,000 from the bank to further progress Saltwater Country, an Indigenous-led not-for-profit that uses rodeo sports and country music events to re-engage at-risk Indigenous youth with their rich pastoral history.
Saltwater Country currently develops and oversees a number of evidence-based programs delivered with cultural integrity, allowing students to train in the safety of their own communities across the disciplines of horsemanship, equine therapy, agribusiness, marketing and event management.
“The collective success of our people in delivering events and programs is empowering in the social, emotional and economic development and advancement of Indigenous people in the north. It provides real time experience and solutions - it's a place for our people to shine. It’s also an opportunity for training and development with transferable skills”, she said.
“Winning the Award is great recognition of the work that we've undertaken and I hope that it will generate the network and support that we need to achieve all the things we aim to achieve. If I can create opportunities for others out of that, and play a part in the collective strength of our people, that’s what I’m going to do every day”.
“I am extremely thankful to AgriFutures and Westpac, not only for the award but for the opportunity to showcase the resilience and ingenuity of our indigenous communities in the Kimberleys. It's been great to be in a cohort of such strong, high achieving women and the support that also comes with that”, she said.
John Harvey, AgriFutures Australia Managing Director, congratulated Cara on winning the Award and said she demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities and a passion for bettering the lives of others.
“Cara’s work is a clear conduit to a future, built sustainably for rural and remote Indigenous people, by Indigenous people. She has continued to operate in the toughest of times, whilst having real impact, and has been central to driving hope and lasting change within the Kimberley. I am confident this bursary will go some way to supporting Saltwater Country in realising its full promise”.
Stephen Hannan, National General Manager, Westpac Agribusiness also congratulated Cara for her project and winning the coveted National Award.
“Cara’s recognition as this year’s winner is a celebratory tribute to women in rural and regional Australia, whose drive and dedication can sometimes go unnoticed. We know there are thousands of women committed to making a positive contribution to their industry, and for the prosperity of their local communities, who would benefit from having additional industry support. Across Australia, it’s something we see firsthand from our customer relationships, and it is why Westpac continues to sponsor these awards,” he said.
Cressida Cains, National Runner Up, took home a further $5,000 Westpac bursary for Dairy Cocoon, a non-for-profit digital platform designed to assist small-scale farmers.
“The AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award has given me an incredible opportunity to make lasting, long-term, sustainable change. I strongly believe in the Australian dairy industry, and I’m excited about its future.”
Mr Harvey congratulated Cressida for her desire to give back to the dairy industry and her passion for supporting farmers to adapt and grow their businesses.
In addition to praising all the 2020 National Finalists, Mr Hannan also commended Cressida on her achievements and said the bank looked forward to seeing how she uses the bursary to pursue further success.
“The AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award helps to elevate the accomplishments of women such as Cara and Cressida by offering them access to influential industry advocates and a credible platform.”
Cara and Cressida were joined by their fellow national finalists, who were recognised for their outstanding contribution to rural communities and industries during Wednesday’s ceremony. The 2020 cohort includes:
Rural mental health advocate, Kelly Barnes (Dunkeld, VIC)
Horticultural expert, Karen Brocks (Winkleigh, TAS)
Business woman and livestock marketer, Elisha Parker (Clermont, QLD)
Rural psychologist, Stephanie Schmidt (Burra, SA)
Marine biologist and sustainable aquaculture advocate, Amy Kirke (Darwin, NT)
Established in 1999, The AgriFutures Rural Women's Award celebrates and inspires the next generation of female leaders in rural and regional industries, businesses and communities. With the support of long term Platinum Sponsor Westpac, the prestigious Award recognises the essential role women play across regional Australia.
Applications for the 2022 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award program closed on Friday, 8 October 2021. Submissions for all Northern Territory applications will close on Friday, 28 January 2022.
State and territory finalists will be announced in March 2022.
Full details can be found at: www.agrifutures.com.au/people-leadership/rural-womens award
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South Australia's plan to ease border restrictions and local COVID-19 measures when vaccine targets are reached is close to being finalised, Police Commissioner Grant Stevens says.
The state's transition committee met on Tuesday and made no changes to SA's current restrictions, including mask-wearing in venues such as shopping centres and on public transport.
Hard border closures with NSW, Victoria and the ACT also remain.
Mr Stevens said the release of the plan was "days away", but the dates for any changes taking place would still be dependent on SA reaching its 80 per cent double vaccination target.
SA is expected to reach that level in early December, despite only 59.4 per cent of those aged 16 and over having had their two doses so far.
The plan is also dependent on the latest modelling of projected case numbers when border rules are relaxed.
"It is imminent. I can't be specific about when it will be available," the commissioner said.
"It is days away. (But) when I say days it doesn't mean within seven days.
"I'm confident we'll have something locked away soon, but I'm not putting a timeframe on it.
"It's sooner than later and I know people want to see what that looks like so we're keen to get it out."
As part of the plan, the isolation of people with COVID-19 will continue along with their close contacts.
However, the double vaccinated are likely to have more latitude when it comes to quarantine requirements.
Mr Stevens said the transition committee also continued to work on preparedness for when virus cases emerged in SA, to ensure it could accommodate those people who would need hospital care.
"It would be foolish of us to simply lift the borders and have no regard for those people who are still going to be adversely affected by COVID-19," he said.
"We've got to look after everybody in South Australia."
SA Health reported one new virus case on Tuesday in a returned overseas traveller.
The state currently has eight active infections, all being managed in hotel quarantine.
© AAP 2021
Photo: The SA border 5kms east of Pinnaroo, South Australia in 2020. (AAP Image/Kelly Barnes)
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NSW has recorded 301 cases of covid19 up to eight o'clock last night.
Sadly there have been 10 deaths.
A total of 91.9% of people aged 16 and over have received had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 80 per cent of people aged 16 and over have had two doses.
Meantime there have been 26 new cases in the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District
Of the 26 new cases:
* 13 are from the Wollongong Local Government Area (LGA) - four are linked to known cases
Postcodes – 2500 (3), 2502 (2) 2506 (2), 2518 (4), 2519 (1), 2530 (1)
* 11 are from the Shellharbour LGA – five are linked to a known case
Postcodes – 2527 (9), 2528 (1), 2529 (1)
• 2 are from the Shoalhaven LGA – 0 are linked to a known case
Postcodes – 2541 (2)
• There are no new cases from the Kiama LGA
The Illawarra Shoalhaven Health District has also listed a couple more venues of concern:
Albion Park
Peak Sports and Learning Albion Park, 175 Ashburton Drive
Thursday 14 October, 7:30am to 9am
Wednesday 13 October, 3pm to 4pm
Wednesday 13 October, 7:30am to 9am
Tuesday 12 October, 3pm to 4pm
Tuesday 12 October, 7:30am to 9am
Fairy Meadow
Leisure Coast Fruit Market & Deli, 75 Princes Highway
Tuesday 12 October, 1:50pm to 2pm
Fairy Meadow
Pharmacy Express Fairy Meadow, 43 Princes Highway
Wednesday 13 October, 4:47pm to 4:57pm
Tuesday 5 October, 1:55pm to 2pm
North Wollongong
Delano Specialty Coffee, 85 Montague Street
Monday 11 October, 9:21am to 9:31am
The Southern NSW Local Health District has been notified of four new COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8.00pm last night.
This brings the total cases in SNSWLHD to 404 since the start of the current outbreak in June.
Of the four new cases:
* One new case is in the Queanbeyan Palerang region. The case is in Queanbeyan and is under investigation.
* One new case is in the Eurobodalla region. The case is in Surfside and is under investigation.
* One new case is in the Goulburn Mulwaree region. The case is in Goulburn and is under investigation.
* One new case is in the Yass Valley region. The case is in Yass and is under investigation.
In the Hunter New England Local Health District, cases numbers are yet to come through, but there has been a new venues of concern listed:
*Hunter Valley Motor Sports, New England Highway, Rutherford
Wednesday 13 October from 9.45am-10.10am
Southern Highlands ( No figures updated )
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