RUSH HOUR: Woolworths rolls out 20,000 new jobs

Woolworths has announced it has 20,000 new jobs on offer and will be looking to hire people who lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Phoebe Loomes

@dollyybird

less than 2 min read

March 27, 2020 - 5:25AM

Coronavirus: When will supermarkets go back to normal?

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Updates

Transport services cut in Queensland over virus

Long-haul train and bus services will be cut or cancelled entirely as Queensland fights to slow the spread of coronavirus.

From Monday, there will be far fewer trains and coaches crisscrossing the state, but rural and regional centres have been told they will still have access for essential travel on key corridors.

“Right now, people should not be travelling on coaches or trains across Queensland unless they have an essential reason to,” Transport Minister Mark Bailey said on Friday.

Anyone who does board a train or a coach for work or medical travel will be carefully managed to make sure they don’t sit too close to others. Passenger services on the North Coast rail line between Brisbane and Cairns will be halved.

Services that will be suspended entirely include the Spirit of the Outback from Brisbane to Longreach, the Westlander from Brisbane to Charleville, and the Inlander from Townsville to Mount Isa. The Savannahlander, Gulflander and Kuranda Scenic Railway services will also cease operation.

Long-distance buses will also be reduced. And buses will be used to service communities that will lose their rail services.

“These are temporary measures, but they are critical to curbing the spread of COVID-19 into our rural and regional communities,” Mr Bailey said. The state’s coronavirus tally stands at 493, and the border with NSW is closed to non-essential travel. NSW trains are also being stopped at the border.

–Tracey Ferrier for AAP

Gladys: Virus is 'starting to spread in the community'

The NSW Premier has said the number of community transmissions of coronavirus with "no source" has concerned the government.

NSW Chief Health minister Dr Kerry Chant said there are now 145 cases of transmission with no known source.

“We are at a critical stage in the disease," premier Gladys Berejiklian said.

"The number of cases are increasing in NSW. The one figure that we are most worried about is the number of people that are getting it within the community.

“The community to community transmission is what we are concerned with. When you have cases that come from overseas, you can monitor them and you have a source.

“But when it is community to community transmission and you don't have a source, that means the virus is starting to spread in the community without us knowing where, and that's a concern.

That's why it is so important that all of us, all of us, maintain social distancing if we have to be out and about.

"All of us don't do anything unless we have to outside of our homes and make sure those most vulnerable don't leave their homes."

The Premier urged members of the community who may feel vulnerable to reach out the government services, and said they can call 137788, or contact government websites.

Local virus death toll reaches 13

The number of people killed by the coronavirus in Australia has now reached 13.

Seven people have died from the virus in NSW, three in Victoria, two in Western Australia and one in Queensland.

The number of people diagnosed with COVID-19 across the country has now reached 2811.

-The far greatest number of cases is in NSW, with 1219.

-In Queensland 494 people have been diagnosed.

-In Victoria 520 people have been diagnosed.

-In South Australia 235 people have been diagnosed.

-In Western Australia 231 people have been diagnosed.

-In Tasmania 47 people have been diagnosed.

-In the ACT 53 people have been diagnosed.

-In the Northern Territory 12 people have been diagnosed.

Follow our full Coronavirus Australia live updates here.

Dozens potentially exposed to coronavirus at Sunshine Coast venues

Patrons at the Sunshine Beach Surf Club were potentially exposed to coronavirus. Picture: Google Maps

A man who visited three different bars and restaurants earlier this month on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast has tested positive for COVID-19.

Queensland Health authorities are now contact tracing people who visited a three different venues on the Sunshine coast between March 13 and 15 to monitor their health.

The venues include The Noosa Beer Company at Noosaville, Sum Yung Guys Restaurant at Sunshine Beach and the Sunshine Beach Surf Life Saving Club the Cairns Post reports. The man didn't know he'd contracted the virus and its feared he could have infected dozens of other diners.

The report claims he spent eight hours at the Surf Club.

Bondi Council has become a coronavirus hotspot

Bondi Beach was closed last week after beachgoers flouted social distancing measures. Picture: John Grainger

Waverley in Sydney’s eastern suburbs has recorded the most confirmed coronavirus cases in NSW.

The council, which includes Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach, has with 105 cases of the virus, out of the state’s total of 1219.

Waverley also has two different clusters of local transmission. These are clusters of 16 and 19, respectively, with transmissions both occurring on March 17.

The beach came into the national spotlight last week, after thousands of beachgoers flouted government warnings about social distancing and crowded onto the sand and water on Friday. The beach was closed by police and Waverley Council the following day.

Woolworths rolls out 20,000 new jobs

Millions of Australians are facing the the heartbreaking reality of sudden job loss in the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, but some businesses are still hiring.

Woolworths are looking to hire tens of thousands of new employees. And the supermarket giant says it will be specifically looking to hire people hit by the recent mass layoffs, including people from the hospitality sector, the travel sector and retail sector who have lost out due to harsh measures imposed by federal and state governments to stop the spread of the coronavirus, according to a report from The West.

The 20,000 jobs on offers will be for shorter term contracted roles at Woolworths supermarkets in e-commerce, drinks businesses and their supply chain. The work will include stacking shelves, working the checkout and working at their distribution centres.

Woolworths has announced it has 20,000 new jobs on offer. Picture: Dallas Kilponen/PPR

Brad Banducci, Woolworths CEO said they were working hard to cope with the unprecedented demand for groceries and other items in the current climate.

“We will have more hours for existing team members and additional roles to fill as we focus on meeting the needs of our customers and communities,” Mr Banducci said.

“Our immediate hiring focus is the redeployment of our ALH team members impacted by this week’s mandatory hotel closures.

“We’re also preparing to offer up to 5000 short-term roles to Qantas Group employees taking leave without pay including more than 1500 to our distribution centres.”

The Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg praised Woolworths for throwing a lifeline to the Australian workforce, saying all Australians "have a role to play as we make our way through".

“We welcome Woolworths playing its role by offering a life line to around 20,000 Australians.”

Woman charged after coughing on $58k worth of groceries

A woman destroyed almost $58,000 worth of food inside a supermarket by intentionally coughing on their displays.

The supermarket described the incident as a "very twisted prank", however local police have now charged the woman with terrorism offences and other criminal charges over the coughing stunt. The Pennsylvania woman visited the small Gerrity’s Supermarket in the Hanover Township, in the US, on Wednesday afternoon. According to a post by the store's owner, the woman, "came in to the store and proceeded to purposely cough on our fresh produce, and a small section of our bakery, meat case and grocery".

The store's store’s co-owner Joe Fasula said the woman is known by police to be a problem throughout their local community, according to the NY Post.

Gerrity's Supermarket via Facebook

Gerrity's Supermarket via Facebook

Authorities do not believe the woman is infected with COVID-19, but will “make every effort” to get her tested, Mr Fasula said.

“While there is little doubt this woman was doing it as a very twisted prank, we will not take any chances with the health and well-being of our customers. We had no choice but to throw out all product she came in contact with,” Fasula wrote.

The Hanover police department announced in a press release the woman, 35, has now been charged with felony counts of terrorist threats, threats to use a"biological agent", and criminal mischief. In addition to misdemeanour counts of criminal attempt to commit retail theft and disorderly conduct.

Her bail has been set at US $50,000 and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 8.

—with NY Post

Read related topics:Woolworths

RUSH HOUR: Woolworths rolls out 20,000 new jobs

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