The Informer: Australia's domestic tourism records mixed results

While overnight-stay rates anywhere within driving distance of a capital city are hurtling towards pre-Covid levels, holidaymakers are reluctant to venture any further. That's despite international borders being shut.

It means a mixed recovery for a sector poleaxed when the pandemic hit despite ongoing government assistance.

Australian Regional Tourism chairwoman Coralie Bell said anywhere within 3-4 hours drive of a major population centre is "coming back pretty well".

"We're seeing a bounce back and an increase in domestic tourism there, and that's super exciting, but anywhere further afield, and particularly in state border towns, continues to really suffer," she said.

The recently released Tourism Research Australia and Austrade's National Visitor Survey Monthly Snapshot for March 2021 also shows that numbers were generally up on 2020 but down on pre-Covid levels.

In police news, a Sydney man has been charged for his alleged support in online posts for the Islamic State group.

The 24-year-old was arrested on Friday after search warrants were executed in Chester Hill and Sefton in Sydney's west.

He has been charged with membership of a terrorist organisation, Australian Federal Police and NSW Police said on Saturday.

He is also accused of possessing several improvised explosive recipes and pledging allegiance to Islamic State.

In property and housing, an extra 30,000 places are to be released to eligible applicants under the federal government's housing support programs.

Housing Minister Michael Sukkar said the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme, New Home Guarantee program and Family Home Guarantee will be expanded from July 1.

While home ownership is beyond the reach of an increasing number of Australians, Mr Sukkar said 30,000 buyers have already been helped into the market via government initiatives.

In Covid news, NSW has recorded two new locally acquired cases while Victoria has recorded one.

Staying with Covid, Australia is responding to a request from the Fijian government for a medical assistance team to fight a current outbreak.

A multidisciplinary team from Australia and New Zealand will deploy to Fiji, initially for a month, to provide immediate support with health system management, infection prevention and assessment of the country's priority health needs.

In other political news, Australia will take China to the World Trade Organisation over China's imposition of tariffs on the country's wine.

China's anti-dumping duties on Australian wine have seen local industry exports plummet from about $1.1 billion to just $20 million.

"We believe that actions taken by the Chinese government have caused serious harm to the Australian wine industry," Trade Minister Dan Tehan said.

The duties slapped on wines produced in Australia range 116-220 per cent, with China confirming in March that the tariffs would remain for five years.

Meanwhile a new trading app is targeting Australians as young as 22 to help them buy into US-listed companies.

The Goodments by Douugh app promises commission-free fractional trading in US securities and exchange-traded funds, making money through foreign exchange fees rather than charging a commission to its 13,000 customers.

In state politics, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is now dating the lawyer who represented her at a corruption hearing into former boyfriend and government colleague Daryl Maguire.

Her new date is high-profile barrister Arthur Moses, SC, with their relationship revealed in an Instagram post on Friday by the premier's younger sister Mary.

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*This edition of The Informer was written by Canberra Times reporter Toby Vue. If you'd like to show your support for the team behind The Informer, why not forward us to a friend?

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