News briefs: July 23, 2021

News briefs: July 23, 2021.

Win for Aussie wine

Australia‘s national association of wine producers has been awarded almost $1 million to explore new markets in Japan and South Korea.

This assistance comes as the wine industry struggles to survive amid tariffs of up to 212 per cent on Aussie wine exports to China.

“This is the critical first step in a broader market diversification program that will provide Australian grape and wine businesses a sustainable future,” Australian Grape and Wine chief executive Tony Battaglene said.

The federal government will spend $998,000 on a marketing and promotion pilot for Australian wine in Japan and South Korea.

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Exercise push stalls

The push to increase physical activity worldwide has stalled since the 2016 Rio Olympics, a new study has revealed.

The research, led by the University of Sydney, reveals that since the 2016 Olympics worldwide progress to improve physical activity has stalled, with deaths associated with inactivity still at more than five million per year.

The study found 80 per cent of school-going adolescents failed to meet the recommended guideline of 60 minutes of activity per day, while 40 per cent never walk to school.

About 25 per cent also sit for more than three hours a day.

Inactivity was exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic due to lockdowns.

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Eye health plea

Australians caught up in the lockdown of three capital cities are being urged not to delay essential eye health appointments.

Macular Disease Foundation Australia chief executive Dee Hopkins said there was a worrying increase in the number of essential appointments being cancelled, in particular eye injection appointments, at the start of 2020.

She urged Australians to seek advice from their optometrist or ophthalmologist before cancelling appointments.

One in seven Australians over the age of 50 have signs of wet age-related macular degeneration, and the incidence increases with age.

Originally published as News briefs: July 23, 2021