Person takes money out of ATM
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The government’s early release superannuation scheme has been embraced a little too eagerly, presenting problems for the sector, while tourism may be back — but only if you’re happy to travel from NSW or Victoria to New Zealand. Crikey takes a look at the latest virus news from around the country. 

Super trouble

The Morrison government’s scheme to allow people to withdraw up to $20,000 from their superannuation account has presented a new set of challenges, with some running their accounts dry to stay afloat during the COVID-19 crisis.

One-third of people accessing their nest eggs early were nearly half a million under-30s. The single largest group was between 30 and 36. 

Men are withdrawing 40% more than women, making up 57% of requests.  But women are likely to be hardest-hit because they typically retire with 47% less super than men. 

Retirees have called for tax and income reform, and some organisations want a part-pension plan because many retirees have lost income while their assets — which determine pension income — remain the same.

Travel bubble bursts over Queensland

New Zealand is set to open its borders to New South Wales and Victoria faster than Queensland plans to, and federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham says the tourism industry needs to bounce back. 

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has warned Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk that the state would not be able to interfere with flights coming to and from New Zealand. 

Palaszczuk has said Queensland’s border would stay closed until September, disappointing news for the 53% of Tourism and Transport Forum survey respondents who planned to visit the Gold Coast in the next six months. 

Wuhan lab theory alive and well

The theory that COVID-19 emerged from a lab in Wuhan is still alive and well — scientists who support it say the virus’s ability to adapt to humans raises questions about its origin. 

Professor Nikolai Petrovsky at Adelaide’s Flinders University says the lab theory has been too quickly dismissed. 

Petrovsky, who founded the Adelaide company Vaxine, hopes to be the first to come up with a successful  COVID-19 vaccine, with plans to run the first human trial in Australia. 

App appeals to other countries

Several countries have approached the federal government about the troubled COVIDSafe app, which has had only six million downloads in Australia. 

New Zealand, Canada, the UK, Peru and some US states are looking into a similar tech solution, which shares information about who comes into close contact with who to map the spread of the virus and warn users about the need to get tested and self-isolate.