Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced that South-East Queensland will enter a three-day lockdown from 4pm today, Saturday 31 July. This follows the detection of six new locally acquired cases connected to the confirmed case announced yesterday. This includes immediate family members, a UQ medical student and teacher at Ironside State School. The Premier said strong measures announced today go further than previous lockdowns because the Delta strain is more dangerous. “We’ve seen the evidence, both in Queensland and interstate,” the Premier said. "We must go hard and go fast. "I know this will impact on many families but there is no alternative. "We will support affected businesses with details of a support package to be announced by the treasurer in coming days.” Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Yvette D’Ath urged Queenslanders to abide by the lockdown and continue to wear their masks. “Masks are a vitally important line of defence,” the Minister said. “I...
Centrelink Payments pittance Increase for pensioners, JobSeekers in a cost of living crisis
Pensioner struggling to buy food in Supermarket Photo by Gemini AI Centrelink Payments Are Increasing in 2025: What You Need to Know In a move to provide financial relief amid rising living costs, the Australian Government is increasing Centrelink payments through its regular indexation process . This will provide a welcome boost to millions of Australians, including pensioners , students , and job seekers . Payment Overview A number of key Centrelink payments are set to increase in 2025. These increases are part of the government's commitment to ensuring social security payments keep pace with the cost of living. The increases are being implemented in two stages: on March 20, 2025, and again on July 1, 2025. The payment increases are not a one-off "cash boost" but rather an ongoing adjustment to fortnightly payment rates. This aims to provide sustained support for those who rely on these payments to cover essential expenses. Who is Eligible? The payment increases will ...