1. Bunnings to the rescue!

Business groups have been complaining about the poor vaccination programme and now want to ride to the country’s rescue. Treasurer Frydenberg hosted some of Australia’s biggest business leaders from Bunnings to Officeworks to Woolworths, who have promised to be vaccination centres when the Pfizer vaccine shows up. And plans were hatched for CBD office towers and other big workplaces to have onsite vaccination teams.

2. Morrison government praised overseas!

The country might be disappointed about our vaccination programme but the Morrison Government has won high praise from a global think tank. ScoMo & Josh’s emergency income support to workers and businesses last year has been praised by the Paris-based OECD, which says Australia’s rapid employment recovery now leads its fellow rich country rivals by several years. Australia and Japan regained their pre-pandemic employment rates in the June quarter, but the OECD predicts the US and UK won’t restore their pre-virus job levels until the end of 2023.

3. Sydney CBD business under such pressure

With another week added to the Sydney lockdown, a $1.4 billion rescue plan is on the way. The three-week lockdown is tipped to cost the NSW economy $2.5 billion, so the State Government will spend $1.4 billion trying to help small businesses gutted by the extended Coronavirus lockdown. However, Wes Lambert, the CEO of Restaurant and Catering Australia, said the support measures could be too late for many businesses, many of which can’t pay their big rents in CBD locations.

4. World's tallest sandcastle constructed in Denmark

A 21.16-metre sandcastle built using 4,860 tons of sand has been unveiled in the town of Blokhus in northwest Denmark, beating out the previous record set in Germany in 2019 by more than three metres. It's expected to remain in place until the winter.

5. Dow and S&P 500 up 0.3% overnight

On Wednesday in the US, the Dow Jones rose by 104.42 points or 0.30% to 34,681.79 and the S&P 500 gained 0.34% to 4,358.13, an all-time high for the index. The Nasdaq reached a new intraday high at the open of the session, but ended the day flat with a rise of just 1.42 points or 0.01% to 14,665.06.