News

‘Unacceptable public health risk’: Australia extends ban on outbound int’l travel till March 17, 2021

Published

5 years ago

2020/12/11

News.com.au Dec 9:

Aussies will have to push back their overseas holidays another few months after the government moved to extend the travel ban.

International travel bans will remain in place until at least March 17 as the federal government sets out to extend its biosecurity emergency period by another three months.

The move followed advice from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) that COVID-19 was an ongoing threat and still posed significant public health risk despite the emergence of the Pfizer vaccine.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the coronavirus situation was still escalating in many other countries.

“The disease is spreading as quickly as ever,” he said.

“The international world remains a challenging and dangerous environment and Australia won‘t be fully safe until the international community is safe.”

The biosecurity emergency period was set to end on December 17, but the three month extension meant limits would remain on outbound international travel and on international cruise ship arrivals.

Australians can only leave the country with specific exemptions, with Mr Hunt revealing 95,325 exemptions had been granted since the emergency period was first put in place on March 18.

The advice to extend the declaration was accepted by the National Security Committee and will be put to the Governor-General for final approval on Thursday.

Acting Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly said it was a difficult, but necessary decision.

“We weighed up all of the issues, as the Minister has pointed out, but particularly the ongoing situation internationally and the sort of risks that could come to Australia if we relaxed at this point,” he said.

All News Advertisement

News

Cabinet nod to accept Japanese government grant of 08 used low floorboard buses

Published

5 hours ago

2026/03/4

Priyan

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development to accept 08 used low floorboard buses offered as a grant by the Government of Japan.

News

Payment of the financial subsidy for fertilizer to farmers cultivating paddy lands for the Yala season 2026.

Published

5 hours ago

2026/03/4

Priyan

While approval has been granted at the Cabinet meeting held on 18.08.2025 to pay the financial subsidy for fertilizer to farmers cultivating paddy lands for the Maha season 2025/26, the programme is planned to be continued for the Yala season 2026 as well.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to pay a financial subsidy of Rupees 25,000/- per hectare and for a maximum of 02 hectares per farmer for paddy cultivation and to pay Rupees 15,000/- per hectare for field crops cultivated in paddy lands[maximum of 02 hectares per farmer]

News

Ministerial Committee appointed to submit recommendations on proposed program to mitigate loss of crops to wild animals

Published

5 hours ago

2026/03/4

Priyan

The rural agricultural livelihood and food security have been severely impacted due to the damage caused by wild animals such as elephants, wild boars, monkeys, toque macaque, squirrels, and peacocks roaming around human habitats and cultivated lands.

Animal-human conflicts and property destruction have mostly been reported around these areas, and serious social and economic issues have also arisen.

Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation has prepared a comprehensive program based on the opinions of all stakeholders, including the public, university community, farmers’ organizations, environmentalists, non-governmental organizations which work for environmental issues, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Agrarian Development, and other relevant organizations.

Taking into consideration the report submitted by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation, the Cabinet of Ministers has decided to appoint a ministerial committee with the participation of other relevant ministers, chaired by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation, to submit appropriate recommendations on how the aforementioned program should be implemented by further reviewing the proposals included in the said program and incorporating new proposals.