Living cost in australia

A multi-million dollar Australian app used to track Covid contacts has been decommissioned and branded “a failure” after identifying only two unique infections.

Health Minister Mark Butler urged people to delete the app, calling it a “colossal waste” of taxpayer’s money.

COVIDsafe was previously touted “as essential as putting on sunscreen” by former Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

But experts had questioned the efficacy of the Bluetooth-based tracking method.

The app, which was first launched in April 2020 and cost $14m (£11.42m), was designed to help manual contract tracers identify positive Covid infections.

Mr Butler, who has previously called for the app to be scrapped, revealed that just 17 close contacts not found manually had been identified since then.

“It is clear this app failed as a public health measure and that’s why we’ve acted to delete it,” he said.

COVIDsafe was designed under the country’s previous government which refused help from tech giants Apple and Google, whose contact-tracing system was adopted by more than 50 jurisdictions globally.

It was considered a critical part of the government’s strategy to return to normality. However, it was beset with technical difficulties from the start.

Bluetooth technology required an iPhone to be unlocked for the app to work properly and users also had to actively consent to their data being added and used.

The app will formally be decommissioned on 16 August. Mr Butler confirmed no users’ data would be retained.

Mr Morrison previously called the app a ticket to a Covid-safe Australia , saying: “It gives us protection as a nation.”

A charity that helps families said people had been coming to staff worried about how they would cope this winter with rising prices.

Peterborough-based Family Voice said many would be at “crisis point” and it said it was also concerned about its own finances.

Chief executive Louise Ravenscroft said she was “dreading” winter.

Treasury officials said decisions on major fiscal issues would be addressed after the new PM takes office.

Many families are already facing soaring costs, with UK inflation – the rate at which prices are rising – at the highest in 40 years .

People have also been warned of sharp rises in energy prices, with average bills forecast to reach £4,200 in 2023.

Ms Ravenscroft said: “I don’t know how we’re going to cope when we have to have the centre open in the winter – the bills are going to go through the roof.”

She said the charity’s energy bills had already increased by 200% since April and other bills had also risen.

“We’re going to see far more families reach crisis point,” she said.

“It’s going to be very scary, we’re already seeing families struggling.”

Kelly Hodgson, a mother and teacher who only has electricity in her home, told the BBC her energy bill had gone up from £90 to £250 a month.

“We’re not going to be able to afford holidays, days out. We’re not going to be able to afford extra treats, clothes, things like that,” she said.

Richard Murphy, from Ely, who is a professor of accounting practice at Sheffield University, said: “There is nothing about what is coming our way that is sustainable.”

He said everyone, whatever they earned, would notice a £3,000 increase in their fuel bills.

“Everything is going up, people will literally reach the point where they cannot pay their bills,” he said.

Conservative leadership candidate Rishi Sunak said he would provide more money to help people with their energy bills, if he became prime minister.

His rival for the leadership, Liz Truss, has pledged tax cuts to help people hit by the cost of living increases.

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A 78-year-old man will return to working full-time to cope with the cost of living crisis.

Maurice Taylor, from Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, retired back in 2012 but has secured a job working 40 hours per week at a call centre.

“I wanted to future-proof my existence against the backdrop of enormously increasing prices,” he said.

“One of the upsides is during the winter I’ll be kept warm by their heating bill and not mine.”

Mr Taylor said as well as the financial benefits, he was also looking forward to the “social aspect” of returning to work.

Mr Taylor previously worked in sales and project management for a company that provided equipment and furniture to schools.

He praised his new employer, Addison Lee, for taking him on as a customer service advisor.

“Not one time have they asked me my age,” Mr Taylor said.

“I think it’s to the enormous credit of this company that they’ve taken me on.”

Sanj Gherra, head of customer support at Addison Lee, said it was “all about inclusiveness and diversity”.

“The great thing about Maurice, he’s got extensive experience of working with customers so coming to work for us here was a no brainer.”

The spokesman said people were coming back to the work place for “mental stimulation” and to “top up their income”.

Mr Taylor said he would “urge any pensioner who feels that they have an issue with the cost of living to go out there and find a job”.

“If I can do it, anybody can,” he said.

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