Mark McGowan says regional WA travel restrictions will soon be announced, foreshadows beach closures. Optus Stadium converted to emergency headquarters for WA police. WA's confirmed COVID-19 cases grew by 35 to 175.
Woodside Petroleum has cut the number of people working at its Karratha gas plant, with the decision flowing through to hundreds of contractors at companies such as Monadelphous and UGL.
People already waiting at the Western Australian border will be allowed into the state after the closure deadline, as the premier flagged banning regional travel and shutting down beaches.
Mining companies are scaling back their operations, with Newmont Corporation and Kirkland Lake Gold cutting exploration in Australia and others including Rio Tinto shelving some of their international mines.
Private schools across Western Australian have announced they will move to online teaching as the nation remains divided over whether schools should remain open during a pandemic.
Retailer Michael Hill International will close all 14 stores in Western Australia as part of its move to suspend operations nationwide, and in New Zealand and Canada, amidst growing COVID-19 concerns.
Woolworths has stood down 8,000 workers following the government ban on pubs, clubs and hotels while it has also postponed the separation and spin-off of its Endeavour division until 2021.
Volume restrictions on alcohol sales will be required to ensure staff safety and avoid public panic buying, according to Australian Hotels Association WA chief executive Bradley Woods.
Santos is confident a suite of financial measures introduced today will help it withstand the impacts of COVID-19, while MMA Offshore has withdrawn its guidance as the virus crisis hits the energy sector.
BHP has announced it is establishing a $50 million Vital Resources Fund to help support regional Australian communities in areas of its operations, including the Pilbara and Goldfields regions, fac
Lynas Corporation and Galaxy Resources have suspended operations in response to tighter overseas government controls, while explorer Whitebark Energy has also felt the impacts of COVID-19.
Virgin Australia is likely to cut more domestic flights and regional airline Rex will only operate passenger services in Queensland as a virus-spooked nation bunkers down amid new travel and tradin
Talks are under way to convert the Western Australian holiday hotspot Rottnest Island into a COVID-19 quarantine zone as the state's border closure approaches and the number of confirmed cases continue to rise.
A $20 billion loan guarantee for small businesses, $31.9 billion of grants to encourage small businesses to keep workers and $18 billion of support for welfare recipients and people who lose their jobs are the key elements in the federal government’s second round COVID-19 economic response.
PM Scott Morrison announces further restrictions on indoor gatherings. He also announced a delay to the federal budget. Australia has recorded its seventh COVID-19 death. WA has 12 new cases.
The federal government will pour an extra $444.6 million into aged care facilities, including money to help them hold onto staff amid the coronavirus crisis.
BHP will hire 1,500 temporary workers across the country on six month contracts, with at least 400 to be at Western Australian iron ore operations, Business News understands, while Woodside has pledged to cut payment times for contractors.
Curtin and Murdoch universities have introduced early semester breaks to prepare students and staff for a transition to online learning, in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Wesfarmers has disclosed that nearly every part of its business has been affected by COVID-19, with Bunnings and Officeworks doing better while Target is suffering.
Small businesses impacted by the coronavirus crisis will be able to defer their loan repayments for six months under a plan put forward by the banking industry.
Telstra has frozen its job cutting program for six months, suspended late payment fees and disconnections, and has invited stood-down Qantas employees to apply for 1,000 temporary jobs to help virus-proof the economy.
BHP will start paying invoices from small business suppliers after just seven days and has created a $6 million fund to support labour hire companies affected by COVID-19.
The performing arts sector is coming up with new ways to ensure people are entertained, in light of government restrictions on indoor events attended by 100 people or more as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Roger Cook confirms community transmission in WA. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has imposed a travel ban on all non-residents. Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Australia has reached 514.
Two new facilities to support lending worth a combined $105 billion are key elements of the Reserve Bank and federal government’s plans to support the economy in response to COVID-19, while the RBA cut rates to 0.25 per cent and promised an unprecedented target on government bond yields.
Support for businesses to hold on to workers should be prioritised over cash handouts for households, according to Deutsche Bank, which forecasts Australia’s economy will fare better than most with a contraction of only 0.1 per cent in 2020.
Qantas is suspending all international flights, will delay its $201 million interim payout, and is standing down two-thirds of its 30,000-member workforce until the end of May in the face of the escalating COVID-19 pandemic.
Nine Entertainment, BlueScope Steel and more companies have joined the flood of listed firms cancelling their earnings forecasts as coronavirus chaos spreads.
