Street Talks Melbourne

As a working mother of two small children, you can imagine how little time I have to clean the house. Even with my husband and I splitting chores, we still have to manage to keep our home tidy. So I understand when someone tells me that they would like to clean if they could do it without investing too much time. Therefore today I am sharing time-saving cleaning tips I learnt from an expert end of lease cleaners in Prahran. She had come to my home for spring cleaning the bathroom and kitchen after I had booked a job with this reputed bond cleaning company  https://www.bondcleaninginmelbourne.com.au/end-of-lease-cleaning-prahran/ . Here are the fantastic tips. Have a day & night cleaning routine It is important to maintain a daily cleaning routine for the night and day. These routine don’t have to more than 15 minutes long. For example, load the dishwasher in the night and unload it in the morning while cooking. Declutter the house in the night and make the bed ...

As cases of human-to-human transmission of coronavirus rise outside of China health experts in Australia argue a global coronavirus pandemic “is very likely, if not inevitable”. Some say the world is already in the early stages of a pandemic, which is defined by the World Health Organisation as a disease spreading across two continents. Read more:  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/25/how-will-australia-respond-if-the-coronavirus-outbreak-becomes-a-pandemic

Having cruised through the past 12 months in T20 cricket, Australia find themselves under the pump with a series-decider in South Africa to provide an early taste of the pressure that will come with hosting the World Cup. The Australians were left bruised after a middle-order collapse in Port Elizabeth cost them the chance to take out the series. But there’s also a view that a do-or-die game three in Cape Town on Wednesday night (Thursday, 3am EDT) will provide valuable exposure for the tourists. Read more:  https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/australia/cricket-australia-vs-south-africa-third-t20-cape-town-return-best-preparation-for-world-cup/news-story/321ba0ab649c666db7a59bfc33fc7fab

Stuart Khan, water systems researcher and professor of civil and environmental engineering. This map from Digital Earth Australia shows a significant increase in water stored in Lake Burragorang. Lake Burragorang is the name of water body maintained behind the Warragamba Dam wall and the images show mainly the southern source to the lake, which is the Wollondilly River. A short section of the Coxs River source is also visible at the top of the images. Read more:  http://theconversation.com/it-is-quite-startling-4-photos-from-space-that-show-australia-before-and-after-the-recent-rain-132343

Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions have dipped slightly on the back of new clean energy and a sharp fall from agriculture due to the drought, but the decline was almost entirely wiped out by surging industrial pollution. Official data released on Monday revealed national emissions were down 0.3% in the year to September. Emissions from electricity generation fell 2% (3.6m tonnes of carbon dioxide) as the now-filled renewable energy target boosted invested in solar and wind power. Pollution from agriculture fell even further – 4.1m tonnes, or 5.8% – due to the impact on livestock of the historic eastern seaboard drought and north Queensland floods. Read more:  https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/24/australia-carbon-emissions-fall-industrial-pollution-surges-electricity-agriculture-lng

Hi All, It has been a few months since I started my own law firm. Besides taking care of my clients and cases, I am bogged down by the accounting work. Also, I have hired a few staff members to help out on the increasing workload which leaves me with no time to keep track of the accounting. So I hired an amateur bookkeeper to take care of the work. After looking at the first reports and books, I realised that I had no clue about bookkeeping. So I sat down with him to understand the stuff and got a hang of it. If you too want to know about a few bookkeeping basics, then take a look at the article shared below.         https://www.agibookkeeping.com.au/small-business-bookkeeping-essentials-basics-cant-ignore/

Tony Abbott was asked to consider registering as an agent of foreign influence for speaking at a conference organised by the Hungarian government, at which he gave a controversial speech on migration and praised the country’s far-right prime minister, Viktor Orbán. The revelation is contained in documents released under freedom of information laws after the Institute of Public Affairs investigated why Abbott was also asked to register under the foreign influence transparency scheme for an address to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). The documents reveal Abbott’s office was in discussion about the possible need to register for months and missed a self-imposed deadline to sign up to the register for foreign entities and their agents to declare when they are seeking to influence Australian politics. Read more:  https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/feb/20/tony-abbott-was-asked-to-register-as-agent-of-foreign-influence-after-migration-speech-in-hunga...

Please use the sharing tools found via the share button at the top or side of articles. Copying articles to share with others is a breach of FT.com T&Cs and Copyright Policy. Email licensing@ft.com to buy additional rights. Subscribers may share up to 10 or 20 articles per month using the gift article service. More information can be found at https://www.ft.com/tour. https://www.ft.com/content/bbc26eb6-52e6-11ea-8841-482eed0038b1 Boris Johnson promised an “Australian-style” points-based system to better control immigration but the UK’s proposed system promises to be much tougher, with several significant differences. The main disparity is that the UK’s proposed points-based system only applies to overseas workers who have already received a job offer from an approved employer. It does not offer an alternative points-based visa scheme to independent skilled migrants — workers who want to relocate to the UK without a job and seek employment when they arrive. Read more...

As an Australian working abroad, Cate Blanchett never found it easy talking about her home government – in particular, the trauma it has inflicted on asylum seekers in need. “They knew nothing about the Tamils on the roof, nothing about children sewing their lips together [in detention centres],” Blanchett says of her American friends. “They would actually start with nervous laughter because they thought I was exaggerating.” Read more:  https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/feb/20/cate-blanchett-on-australias-dislocated-politics-youre-living-in-a-system-thats-gone-mad

Australia is mourning the deaths of a woman and her three children who were "senselessly murdered" in a car fire, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said. Police are yet to confirm reports the father, ex-rugby player Rowan Baxter, set the car alight in Brisbane before stabbing himself to death. However, they confirmed a history of family violence. Hannah Baxter, 31, and her children were killed on Wednesday. The case has sparked national outcry over domestic violence. "Australians all over the country are just shocked, saddened and devastated about what has happened in a suburban street," Mr Morrison told reporters on Thursday. "Hannah and her three children [were] so senselessly and maddeningly murdered in what has occurred in a terrible act of violence," he said. Read more:  https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-51565803

When my best friend Kathy decided to move to Melbourne to be with her boyfriend, she and I did everything to make the move less stressful. Therefore, we ensured to book removalists to safely transport all her belongings to Kathy’s and Matt’s new apartment. Also, we consulted an expert removalist that is a relative of hers to know anything before booking removalists in Melbourne. His advice was great as he illustrated a list of things to do before hiring a moving company. Even though I was not moving, I noted all his points and have shared them below. So, if you plan to relocate and hire professionals, please read the article. https://www.betterremovalistsmelbourne.com.au/things-must-hiring-moving-company/

The New South Wales government has given the green light to irrigation farmers in the north-west of the state to harvest the recent rainfall, pleasing some but causing anger in towns such as Menindee and Wilcannia and on the lower Darling where the river has not flowed for a year. The lifting of the embargo for three days will be welcomed particularly by cotton farmers who have lobbied the NSW water minister, Melinda Pavey, warning that unless they are able to harvest the water their infrastructure will be damaged. Read more:  https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/feb/12/nsw-green-light-to-irrigators-to-harvest-rainfall-angers-downstream-residents

Organisers for the Hundred are sweating on Australia’s selection for a one‑day international series against Zimbabwe which could lead to Steve Smith, David Warner and Mitchell Starc missing the second half of English cricket’s new tournament. All three players – as well as the Australia ODI captain, Aaron Finch – were picked up by teams in last year’s draft system for top-level £125,000 deals on the basis they would be available for the entire inaugural season that begins on 17 July. Read more:  https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/feb/11/hundred-australia-clash-odi-series-zimbabwe-cricket

OFF HAY POINT, Australia — The traffic is thick out here on a calm Coral Sea and, very soon, it may get worse. Much worse. The horizon is marked by two dozen ship hulls, the high-riding freighters that wait for days to pick up coal at the looming Hay Point terminal. Just beyond are the invisible southern limits of the Great Barrier Reef marine preserve, among the seven natural wonders of the world. As much of a warming world considers alternatives to coal, Australia embarked last year on one of the largest expansions of the industry in a generation. The Indian conglomerate Adani received approval to tap one of the world’s largest reserves of thermal coal, the kind that when burned in power plants releases carbon dioxide linked to climate change. Read more:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/in-australia-plans-to-tap-a-massive-coal-reserve-collide-with-concerns-about-climate/2020/02/10/1c2797f4-438d-11ea-b5fc-eefa848cde99_story.html

Industrial greenhouse gas emissions in Australia have risen 60% in the past 15 years, putting the country on a path that, if it continues, will lead to it missing the target set at the Paris climate conference. That is the conclusion of an analysis by energy and carbon consultants RepuTex, which examined the rise in industrial carbon pollution – including from oil and gas extraction, mining and large-scale transport – in the period covered by Australia’s 2030 emissions target, starting in 2005. The resulting report highlights the failure of the Coalition government’s “safeguard mechanism” policy, which was promised to limit carbon pollution rises so cuts paid for by taxpayers through the emissions reduction fund, the main national climate policy, were not just wiped out by increases elsewhere. Read more:  https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/feb/12/a-60-rise-in-industrial-emissions-points-to-failure-of-coalitions-safeguard-mechanism

Hello Everyone, It goes with saying that waxing and shaving are both equally tedious and taxing. The fact that you have to keep doing it after every week makes it worse. The pain and the mess are not worth it. So I decided to undergo laser hair removal and wanted to know more about the procedure. A friend who had got it done for underarms showed me the way. She informed me all about it and prepared me for the treatment. While you will find a lot of articles about the procedure, there are very few about the things to be done before the treatment. So I am sharing one with all of you right here.   https://www.freshskincanvas.com.au/7-things-to-do-before-your-laser-hair-removal-treatments/

Some of the world’s most ancient rainforests lie in the north of the Australian state of New South Wales. Continually wet since the time of the dinosaurs, these forests once covered the supercontinent Gondwana. Today, vestiges harbor many endemic and evolutionarily unique plants and animals. “Normally vibrant, green and lustrous,” these forests “feed your soul,” says Mark Graham, an ecologist with the Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales, who is based in the region. “You step into them and breathe deeply, and you are at peace.” Read more:  https://www.sciencenews.org/article/australia-forest-ecosystem-bounce-back-after-devastating-fires

Australia’s rivers are being hit by a “triple whammy” of impacts that will have serious and long-term effects on species and could push some to extinction, according to experts. Drought, bushfires in river catchments and now widespread heavy rain in the east of the country have created a cascade of impacts on fish, invertebrates and platypus. Prof Ross Thompson, a freshwater ecologist at the University of Canberra’s Institute for Applied Ecology, said: “There’s a real risk of losing species that we have not even gotten around to describing yet.” Read more:  https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/12/triple-whammy-hits-push-australian-rivers-crisis

Australia's chief medical officer is bracing for more cases of coronavirus across the country, saying authorities are prepared for "all eventualities". Ten Australians are being treated for the virus, and another five have already recovered. A further 540 are still in quarantine in Darwin and on Christmas Island. "It's very likely we will see some more cases in Australia," Brendan Murphy told ABC radio on Wednesday. Read more:  https://www.sbs.com.au/news/authorities-prepared-for-all-eventualities-as-australia-braces-for-more-coronavirus-cases

Australia has identified 113 animal species which will need "urgent help" after their numbers and habitats were devastated by recent bushfires. In a welcome finding, there appeared to be no extinctions, said the government. But almost all species on the list had lost at least 30% of their habitat due to the mammoth blazes in the south and east over Australia's summer. Koalas and wallabies, as well as bird, fish and frog species are among those needing the most help, said experts. Researchers had previously estimated that more than 1 billion animals may have perished in the fires, which scorched large swathes of temperate forest and grassland. Read more:  https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-51469688

Hi guys, I’m glad to be writing another useful cleaning blog for you. Today, I am sharing some of the best spring cleaning tips by the expert end of lease cleaners in Brighton for a neat home.  For high traffic areas in your home, get carpet tiles that are easy to vacuum and wash. They don’t look dirty and can be spot cleaned to remove stains and spillage. Every two-three days make your kitchen smell fresh by tossing cubes of frozen vinegar with lemon rinds & rock salt inside the garbage disposal. Easy way to clean microwave is to fill a bowl with water, lemon halves, and white vinegar. Run a heating cycle of 1-2 minutes with this bowl. Let the bowl steam the insides of the microwave for 2-3 minutes before removing it and wiping away the loosened residues with a microfiber cloth or paper towel.  Use salt or baking soda to remove oil stains from countertops, stove range, cabinet doors, etc. Just sprinkle en...

A group of about 300 serving and retired firefighters are heading to Australia to help rebuild communities hit by bushfires. The team, including former chief fire officers, will work with the charity BlazeAid to rebuild structures and fences destroyed by the fires. Organiser Steve James said the group would help wherever they could. "We need to do some good for them, it would give them a second wind knowing we've come so far," he said. Former London firefighter Mr James runs Tunnel to Towers UK (T2T), a charity event inspired by an American firefighter who died in the 9/11 attacks in New York in 2001. Read more:  https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-51191679

The coronavirus outbreak may further hurt an economy already suffering from bushfires and drought, the governor of the Reserve Bank says. In a speech to the National Press Club in Sydney, Philip Lowe said the RBA was closely monitoring the economic effect of the epidemic, which has killed more than 490 people. He said the effect of the coronavirus outbreak on the Australian economy could be worse than that of the 2003 Sars epidemic because “China is a larger part of the global economy and it is more closely integrated, including with Australia”. Read more:  https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/feb/05/coronavirus-threatens-australian-economy-reeling-from-drought-and-fires

More than half the Chinese students enrolled in Australian universities have found themselves stranded in their home country with a new academic year looming after the Australian government imposed a travel ban in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The new term begins in late February at most tertiary institutions and while many new students were expected to arrive in the next couple of weeks for orientation, existing students had returned home for the Lunar New Year. Read more:  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/china-students-stuck-australia-closes-border-200205012909404.html

One of the latest wildfires to ravage Australia was accidentally sparked by a careless beekeeper, according to new reports. The blaze was kicked up in the Pialligo Redwood Forest in Australia’s Capital Territory on Jan. 22 when a beekeeper’s “smoker” — a device used to keep bees calm — ignited the dry brush, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. The fire has since shut down the local airport and threatened to engulf homes and businesses in nearby suburbs in the Canberra region. A government spokesman told the Canberra Times that beekeepers “self-reported that they were involved in the ignition of the fire whilst undertaking bee surveillance activities around Canberra Airport.” Read more:  https://nypost.com/2020/02/04/beekeeper-blamed-for-sparking-massive-australian-fire/