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An investigation is underway after a fatal stabbing in the Hunter Region overnight.
Emergency services were called to a home on Parbury Road, Swansea, at about 8.20 pm, following reports of a stabbing.
Officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District attended and found two teenage boys with stab wounds to the chest.
Witnesses rendered assistance to a 16-year-old boy before he was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics, but he died at the scene.
A second 16-year-old boy was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics, before being taken to John Hunter Hospital in a serious condition, where he underwent surgery.
A crime scene was established and an investigation began into the circumstances.
Following a search of the area, police located a 16-year-old boy in the backyard of a home on Parbury Road, Swansea, about an hour later.
He was arrested and taken to Belmont Police Station.
Investigations are continuing.
Anyone with information about the incident, or dashcam or CCTV from the area is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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The first shipment of Moderna vaccines has arrived in Australia, with one million doses expected to be in the country from this weekend.
Moderna is the third type of COVID-19 vaccine to be used, with national first dose figures for the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs now cracking the 70 percent milestone.
The Moderna shipment arrived in the country on Friday night, with a second expected soon after.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said the Moderna doses meant more GP clinics would be able to administer the vaccine to the public.
"These are very important because they simply provide not only more vaccines, but more points of access for Australians everywhere," the minister said.
"My hope is that everybody who has not yet taken the vaccine will come forward over the coming days and weeks and there is sufficient vaccine for every Australian before the end of October, if not slightly earlier."
Epidemiologist Mary-Louise McLaws said the new vaccine would be crucial to lifting the vaccination rate of young Australians.
"The young who have been placed at the back of the queue can actually get Moderna into themselves very fast, and they can be doing it for Pfizer as well," she said.
"I'm really pleased for Australians to get Moderna because it doesn't need ultra-cold storage, which basically means that GPs can roll it out easily, pharmacies can roll it out."
The vaccine rollout was a major talking point at the latest national cabinet meeting, which was held on Friday afternoon.
The national plan to transition away from lockdowns once vaccination targets are reached was also discussed, along with updated Doherty Institute modeling and the situation in virus-affected jurisdictions.
The most recent federal figures showed Australia is now at 70.5 percent of over 16s having received their first vaccine dose, while more than 45 percent are fully immunised.
However, the figures for young age groups remain significantly lower, with just 22 per cent of 25 to 29-year-olds and 19 per cent of 20 to 24-year-olds being fully vaccinated.
It comes as home quarantine trials are set to begin for fully vaccinated returning Australians.
The four-week trial will see 175 people who have received two vaccine doses spend seven days in quarantine at home, rather than two weeks in a hotel.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said he wanted to see home quarantine as soon as possible to allow more fully vaccinated people to return to Australia from overseas.
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The NSW government has prepared a "draft" reopening roadmap for when the state reaches 80 per cent double-dose vaccination in its eligible population, the deputy premier says.
John Barilaro on Thursday promised the government's risk appetite would increase proportionate to the state's first and second-dose coronavirus jab coverage.
However, two regional NSW council areas - Lismore and Albury - have been sent back into lockdown after new cases were uncovered.
NSW reported 1351 new local cases of COVID-19 and 12 deaths in the 24 hours to 8pm on Wednesday, taking the toll for the three month virus outbreak to 210.
The deaths included a man in his 40s, a man in his 50s, four people in their 60s, two in their 70s, three in their 80s and a man in his 90s.
Ten of the 12 had not received a single vaccine dose.
Having already unveiled plans to restore some freedoms to the fully vaccinated at 70 per cent double-dose vaccination coverage, the government on Thursday said further plans were in the works.
A plan for 80 per cent coverage - entailing further freedoms including international travel, larger gatherings at Christmas and larger audiences at major events - was in "draft form".
"That work was in parallel with the 70 per cent roadmap ... if we reach those targets earlier, we can be bold," Mr Barilaro told reporters.
"That'll give us other opportunities."
There are 1231 COVID-19 patients in NSW hospitals, with 231 people in intensive care units and 108 on ventilators.
The government also said it would move as quickly as possible to remove its classification of 12 western Sydney council "areas of concern", which has meant harsher restrictions for people living in those LGAs.
Residents in those coronavirus hotspots were again urged to come out in high numbers for vaccination as local curfews lift.
Vaccination numbers in the 12 local government areas have been surging but authorities hope they will push beyond 90 per cent.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard noted it was 100 days until Christmas.
"The best present you can give yourself, your family, your friends and the state is to get vaccinated ... go and do it," he said.
The unvaccinated will be shut out when NSW begins to reopen at the 70 per cent double-dose threshold in mid-October.
This "lockout" of unvaccinated people will be mandated in the public health order and not subject to business discretion. Mr Barilaro said more clarity would soon be provided to business.
Elsewhere, 12 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 across three social housing buildings in inner Sydney Redfern.
Mr Hazzard said it was another example of the virus "effectively identifying and moving in on the socially disadvantaged."
A mobile vaccination team is visiting each tower building to provide vaccinations to residents. Almost two-thirds have been jabbed.
Lismore and Albury council areas will also be forced back into lockdown, just days after restrictions in those areas lifted.
One case was uncovered in Lismore and two in Albury, with stay-at-home orders to resume in both towns for at least seven days.
A new case was also identified in Glen Innes, not yet locked down.
The Lismore case has prompted concern the renewed "border bubble" arrangements with Queensland could again burst.
However, 12 regional NSW council areas - Bega, Blayney, Bogan, Cabonne, Dungog, Forbes, Muswellbrook, Narrabri, Parkes, Singleton, Snowy Monaro and Upper Hunter - will on Thursday exit lockdown.
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The Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) match between the Hobart Hurricanes and the Sydney Thunder in Burnie, Tasmania, 2019 (AAP Image/Grant Wells)
Cricket Australia will shift the opening fortnight of the Women's Big Bash to Tasmania as it continues to tinker with the summer's schedule amid COVID-19 outbreaks.
A year after establishing bio-secure hubs in Sydney, WBBL organisers confirmed on Thursday the tournament would return to a similar set up in Hobart and Launceston.
The first 20 matches of the tournament will be played in the two cities, with three others scheduled for the opening fortnight pushed back to later in the competition.
Crucially, no cricket will be played on Blundstone Arena after November 20, leaving the door open for the in-doubt one-off men's Test between Australia and Afghanistan to go ahead.
Given the current virus outbreaks in Sydney and Melbourne, where half of the WBBL teams are based, it appears inevitable that most players will spend the majority of the season on the road.
The move to Hobart does at least offer flexibility for the latter stages of the tournament, given all states still have their borders open with Tasmania.
"Following on from us hosting the first of the KFC BBL hubs last year, we know this is something we can do, and do well," Cricket Tasmania CEO Dominic Baker said.
Under the revised schedule, the tournament will still begin on October 14, with the opening match between the Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Stars to now be staged at Blundstone Arena.
Players based in Melbourne, Sydney and the ACT will also be forced to head south early in a bid to complete two weeks' quarantine.
It comes after CA last week pushed back the start of the WNCL to after the WBBL, while the start of the men's Sheffield Shield and one-day cup has also been altered.
Victoria and NSW are still yet to learn how they will start their seasons in those competitions, while South Australia and Western Australia commence the domestic season with a one-day match next Wednesday.
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