ABC新闻:澳大利亚新州新增3例新冠肺炎病例

New South Wales health authorities say contact-tracing and urgent genome sequencing is underway to identify the source of three new coronavirus cases in Sydney. The latest cases involve a man and a woman from the Northern Beaches who are close contacts of each other. The other case is a 45-year-old man who works as a van driver shuttling airline crew between Sydney airport and their accommodation. Those new coronavirus cases are causing uncertainty over Western Australia's border just a week out from Christmas. In an overnight statement, WA premier Mark McGowan says the border will remain open but he won't hesitate to bring back the hard border if it's recommended by health advice.
Israel's justice minister has signed the extradition order to send former school principal Malka Leifer back to Melbourne to face 74 sexual abuse charges. Lawyers for Leifer say they will not lodge an objection to his decision which means the former principal of Melbourne's Adass Israel School will be returning to Australia within two months.

Today's budget update will reveal the Jobkeeper payments will be $11 billion lower than expected as a result of a stronger economy. The wage scheme was introduced in March to support businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. In October, the budget estimated the program would cost $101 billion, that's now been revised down to $90 billion.