Analysis: A new Covid variant, tougher lockdowns, record redundancies and clogged ports have arrived as Brexit turmoil looms
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Britain’s economy is suffering increasing damage from the rapid growth in Covid infections, renewed lockdown measures, and turmoil over Brexit at the end of the worst year for growth in three centuries, according to a Guardian analysis.
With negotiations going down to the wire amid vast tailbacks at Dover before the Brexit transition expires on New Year’s Eve, the latest figures from the UK economy show stalling growth, falling retail sales, and redundancies rising at the fastest rate since records began.
Sydney to keep 10-visitor rule but from 24-26 December children under 12 not counted; lockdown continues in half of northern beaches, but small Christmas gatherings allowed. Follow all the latest news and updates, live
NSW Covid hotspots – list of venues and case locations
Border restrictions: rules for NSW travellers
Covid restrictions and lockdown rules – state by state
Labor calls for Australia’s vaccine rollout to be accelerated
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And in Queensland now, the state has registered one new positive case, acquired overseas and currently in hotel quarantine.
Coronavirus (#COVID19) case update 23/12.
New case acquired overseas and detected in hotel quarantine.
Detailed information about COVID-19 cases in Queensland can be found here: https://t.co/kapyXpSIAP pic.twitter.com/yC04lhUqZT
South Australia’s Parafield cluster has been declared “closed” by health authorities after the state marked four weeks since the last coronavirus case linked to the outbreak went into quarantine.
The cluster initially forced the state into a short lockdown, after health authorities linked positive cases to a cleaner and a security guard at the Peppers medi-hotel, as well as the Woodville Pizza Bar.
The hard work of every South Australian, getting tested, keeping washing your hand, following all instructions, and a big thank you to my team in CDCB for doing all the fantastic contact tracing and SAPOL for their ongoing work with enforcement during this pandemic.
City waits anxiously as NSW premier due to announce whether northern beaches can come out of lockdown; Labor calls for January vaccine rollout. Follow all the latest news and updates, live
Double-demerit points will come into force in NSW from midnight tonight, lasting until 3 January.
The extra demerits apply to speeding, seatbelt, mobile phone and motorcycle helmet offences, and police are targeting speeding as well as drink, drug, dangerous and distracted driving, AAP report.
Watch this recap of 2020 in video, prepared by my colleague Becca Leaver.
Investors and Labor criticise report amid warning that undermining class actions could damage Australia’s ability to attract investment
Investor groups and class action lawyers have denounced a Liberal-dominated parliamentary inquiry’s recommendation to permanently water down laws requiring listed companies to keep the market fully informed.
The Keep Corporations Honest group, an alliance of class action lawyers and litigation funders, said the inquiry’s recommendations were “an early Christmas present for corporate criminals”. One of Australia’s leading proxy advisers, Dean Paatsch of Ownership Matters, warned that undermining private lawsuits could damage the country’s ability to attract investment.
Sydney accountant Vanda Gould, only last week sentenced to three years in prison, is suing tax commissioner Chris Jordan
Among Australia’s monied elites, it is one of the most eagerly awaited defamation cases for years, a showdown that involves a range of allegations, from offshore cash being used to buy multi-million-dollar houses to possible insider trading, money laundering and rorting of the legal system.
These are just some of the many extraordinary allegations that Australia’s tax commissioner, Chris Jordan, has made in defending himself against a suit brought by one of his most stalwart opponents, Sydney accountant Vanda Gould.
France and Denmark thought to be most cautious about budging from current demands on fish caught in British waters
EU member states with the largest fishing fleets are being asked by Ursula von der Leyen’s senior team to rethink their “final offer” after Downing Street made a significant move to break the Brexit deadlock.
France and Denmark are understood to be the most cautious about making a counter-proposal, budging from their current demand that their vessels lose only 25% by value of the fish they catch in British waters.
Priti Patel says British and French officials discussing options as 1,500 lorries remain stuck in Kent
Coronavirus – latest updates
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The UK government is drawing up plans to have all lorry drivers taking goods across the Channel tested for Covid to try to end the disruption at British ports, the home secretary has said.
Priti Patel said the government was talking to the French authorities about testing all hauliers leaving Britain, as she confirmed more than 1,500 lorries were stuck in Kent on Tuesday morning.
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