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Rhiannon Down is a political reporter in The Australian’s Canberra bureau. She began her career at the paper in the Sydney bureau, where she covered mostly courts and crime, after joining the newspaper as a cadet.

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos FEBRUARY, 10, 2021:NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard watches on as NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian speaks to media at Parliament House in Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

NSW backflips on five-day lockdown order

In an extraordinary about-face, NSW Health has retracted a previous lockdown directive for those who arrived in NSW from Victoria since January 29.

Rhiannon Down, Rachel Baxendale and Adeshola Ore

RetailRetail

Shopping in Ringwood for lockdown. Natalie Hughes does her weekly shop at Coles. Ph 0412361133 Wednesday, July 5, 2020. Picture: David Crosling

Buying limits return in Victoria

Coles has announced buying limits for 26 different product lines in response to Victoria’s snap decision to go back into lockdown.

Eli Greenblat and Rhiannon Down

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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos FEBRUARY 8, 2021: VictoriaÃs COVID reponse commander Jeroen Weimar speaking at a press conference on Monday morning. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Geraghty

‘Early days’ as Holiday Inn cluster hits 11

Authorities concede three new Melbourne cases, suspected to be the virulent UK strain, pose a ‘challenge’ to the community.

Ellie Dudley, Rachel Baxendale and Rhiannon Down

CoronavirusNation

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA- NewsWire Photos FEBRUARY 10, 2021: The Holiday in at Tullamarine Airport which is being used as a COVID quarantine hotel, is being closed down and evacuated. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ David Crosling

Two new cases in Melbourne hotel cluster

The number of cases linked to the Holiday Inn quarantine hotel has risen to eight; SA has closed its border to Melbourne.

Rachel Baxendale, Ellie Dudley and Rhiannon Down

LIVE: coronavirusNation

A female authorised officer was working at the Holiday Inn at Melbourne Airport and tested positive for COVID-19 late on Sunday. Monday FEBRUARY 8, 2021. Picture: David Crosling

Three cases linked to Melbourne hotel

Another virus case has been linked to Melbourne’s Holiday Inn just hours after the infection of a returned traveller was announced.

Rachel Baxendale and Rhiannon Down

COVID-19Politics

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos JANUARY 19, 2021.Recently returned travellers arrive at the Sofitel hotel in Sydney for their mandatory quarantine period. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Hotel link to positive probed

An investigation is under way to establish whether a traveller who returned from South America to Wollongong in NSW contracted COVID-19 while in hotel quarantine in Sydney.

Rhiannon Down

LIVE: CoronavirusNation

NEWCASTLE, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos - February 8, 2020. Apprentices at HVTC crafted Prime Minister Scott Morrison a Cronulla Sharks trophy out of metal. Prime Minister Scott Morrison visits HVTC Training Company at Rutherford in the Hunter Valley. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Peter Lorimer.

PM accused of dodging Kelly row

Scott Morrison has been accused of avoiding concerns over Craig Kelly after saying his treatment of the controversial Liberal MP ‘got enough oxygen last week’.

Rhiannon Down and Rachel Baxendale

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