SYDNEY, May 21 — Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison conceded defeat in an election on Saturday and the opposition Labor Party was set to end almost a decade of conservative rule, possibly with the support of independents who campaigned for greener policies.

SYDNEY, Feb 23 — Australia on Monday fully reopened its international borders to travellers vaccinated against the coronavirus after nearly two years of pandemic-related closings as tourists returned and hundreds of people were reunited with family and friends.

CANBERRA, Jan 19 — Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday said the government would rebate visa fees for international students and backpackers to support the workforce challenge amid surging Covid-19 cases nationwide, reported Xinhua.

CANBERRA, Jan 3 — Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has ruled out the government funding free rapid coronavirus tests.

SYDNEY, Dec 15 — Australia on Wednesday reopened borders to vaccinated skilled migrants and foreign students after a near two-year ban on their entry, in a bid to boost an economy hit by stop-start Covid-19 lockdowns and restart international travel.

SYDNEY/BEIJING, Dec 8 — Australia will join the United States in a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday, as other allies weighed similar moves to protest China's human rights record.

SYDNEY, Nov 30 — Australian authorities on Tuesday confirmed a person with Covid-19 had the new Omicron variant after disclosing that the person had been active in the community, but urged calm as they weighed up the severity of the strain.

CANBERRA, Nov 11 — Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison has flagged travel bubble arrangements with Japan and South Korea as the country gradually reopens to the world, reported Xinhua.

SYDNEY, Nov 13 — Australia will not allow foreign students to return as Canberra prioritises the return of locals stuck overseas, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday.

SYDNEY, June 29 — Australia's second most populous state said on Monday it is considering reimposing social distancing restrictions after the country reported its biggest one-day rise in new coronavirus infections in more than two months.

SYDNEY, June 25 — Australia's second most populous state is deploying ambulances and mobile test centres in a coronavirus testing blitz, and will use the military in quarantine operations, as the country recorded the biggest daily rise in cases in two months.