3 Feb 2021

China spat, WA Covid outbreak, cricket cancelled

From Nine To Noon, 9:49 am on 3 February 2021

Australia correspondent Karen Middleton joins Kathryn with the latest on Australia's spat with China, and how PM Scott Morrison took a gentle swipe at NZ's Trade Minister Damien O'Connor for weighing in.

Western Australia's Covid outbreak has come as a reality check for the whole country, but there's been some good news on the economic front with the Reserve Bank estimating Australia's economy will return to its pre-pandemic size by mid-year. Bad news on the sport front though, Australia's cricket tour of South Africa has been post-poned due to the new Covid strain there.

A man shields himself from the sun as he waits in line to be tested for Covid-19 at Royal Perth Hospital in Perth.

A man shelters from the sun as he waits for a Covid test in Perth after an outbreak that's forced the city into a five-day lockdown. Photo: AFP