Good morning. Nurses in New South Wales are expected to strike today, calling for stricter nurse-to-patient ratios and a 2.5% pay increase, despite orders from the Industrial Relations Commission to call off the action. Budget estimates hearings will continue. And there are fears Russian-Ukraine tensions could spill over.
New Zealanders and Australians separated from loved ones for years are now counting down the days until they can reunite after the two countries announced they will relax the border rules for vaccinated travellers later this month. Vaccinated citizens and visa holders travelling to New Zealand from Australia will be able to fly there from 27 February and do 10 days of home quarantine, and those in other countries can return on 13 March, despite record Covid cases in NZ. We spoke to four people who have been affected by the countries’ strict border restrictions about how it will feel to be reunited with family and friends.
