With towns facing "zero day" water crises National Party MPs are frustrated not enough dams are being built, but states are spending billions to fix a system ill-prepared for crisis.

As Australians start to set up their home offices and practice social distancing, we've assembled 10 simple steps every Australian can take to keep safe amid the COVID-19 panic.

Australia won't run out of things to eat and drink, and shoppers have no reason to panic about any shortages as a result of coronavirus, food growers and manufacturers say.

The number of people who have tested positive for coronavirus in Tasmania jumps to 16, with five cases being diagnosed on Saturday, the director of public health says.

If you're spending more time at home lately, Gardening Australia's Tino Carnevale suggests you get planting. Here, he gives the drop on what grows best at this time of year, inside and out.

Enjoying the sunrise or sunset is a simple pleasure you can do from your home. Tasmanian landscape photographer Nick Monk shares his tips on how to catch the light.

Small businesses are struggling across Australia as the coronavirus outbreak unfolds. But there are ways you can help keep them going — and stick to social isolation guidelines.

Health authorities say a person in their 20s is among the latest positive cases of coronavirus detected in Tasmania taking the state tally to 42.

Authorities say two children are confirmed amongst the latest coronavirus cases in Tasmania, as the Government confirms it will refund public school levies, freeze water prices and cap electricity prices as part of the COVID-19 pandemic response.

Tasmania's Premier has warned the public they face fines of up to $16,800 if they gather in groups larger than 10 people in public or private, from 6:00pm tonight.

Australia's smallest regional airlines say their financial survival can be counted in days rather than weeks, as the coronavirus emergency creates heavy turbulence for the industry.

Public health officials are investigating the recent movements of a worker at Latrobe's Mersey Community Hospital, in the state's north, who has caught coronavirus.

With many Australians facing the prospect of long-term unemployment, many have found themselves in a situation they never thought they would be in — applying for Centrelink.

Once a destination for grey nomads and bus tours, Australia's island state has built its brand into something clean, green and edgy. With 10 per cent of its economy hinging on tourism, Tasmania has a lot to lose.

A continuing investigation into an infectious health worker at the Mersey Hospital in Tasmania's north-west reveals the person was only at work for 30 minutes before they felt unwell and went home.

As Tasmanian health authorities say they are yet to learn how two people in the state's north-west contracted coronavirus, four new cases are confirmed.

No new cases are identified on the day Tasmania records its second coronavirus death, an elderly man in southern Tasmania who was a passenger on the Ruby Princess cruise ship.

The Australian Government will launch hundreds of flights to deliver fresh produce to key international markets as part of a big-spending boost for exports.

State borders are closed, but has the time come to cordon off the shires from visitors too? Some rural and country leaders think so.

A new coronavirus case diagnosed overnight takes Tasmania's tally to 72, as authorities release a list of destinations visited by two interstate travellers who later tested positive for COVID-19.

If an animal is declared extinct more than 80 years ago, most people would assume it no longer exists — but Neil Waters is not one of those people. Now, documentary filmmakers are interested in his quest.

Because Niall Harden and Sarah Wyllie are not permanent residents, they are not entitled to the Government's new JobKeeper payment, which also excludes casuals who have not been with an employer for more than 12 months.

Aged care facilities in all Australian states have recorded infections of COVID-19, with four new nursing homes recording cases in the last two days.

The likes of Zoom, Skype and Hangouts have brought an added layer of awkward delays and pixelated faces to our meetings, staff briefings and catch-ups. But there are ways to make the experience less painful and more productive.

Six new cases of coronavirus confirmed in the last 24 hours has pushed Tasmania's COVID-19 tally to 80, as police warn the public they will on patrol to ensure strict measures are followed.

Data suggests Australia's strict physical-distancing measures are beginning to work — but the risks are huge if we relax too quickly.

A teenager pleads guilty to manslaughter, saying he is "honestly sorry for what I have put everyone through" and admitting he fatally punched a university academic at a Hobart nightclub in 2019.

Four new cases of coronavirus are confirmed in Tasmania, taking the state's total to 86, after Burnie's hospital shuts two wards to new admissions following staff becoming infected.

Three more cases of coronavirus in Tasmania are confirmed with two of those from the north-west, as investigations into an outbreak at the North West Regional Hospital continue.

Year 12 students are assured they will receive an ATAR university entrance rank and will not have to repeat the school year.

Authorities reveal eight of the nine new cases of coronavirus confirmed in Tasmania are linked to the North West Regional Hospital, as the state records its third death.

A report of a cat testing positive to COVID-19 in Hong Kong prompts the Australian Veterinary Association to advise members to wear personal protective equipment when handling cats.

On the day Tasmanian's north-west coast residents are warned their behaviour will be monitored in the midst of a local coronavirus outbreak, the state's confirmed cases rise by nine to 107.

Tasmania records another four cases of coronavirus, all in the state's north-west hotspot, after Premier Peter Gutwein warned of a statewide Easter police "blitz" and an "effective lockdown" in the north-west.

With helicopters in the air, police patrols of holiday destinations and numberplate scanning, leaders around the country warn there will be no tolerance for breaches of the strict self-isolation measures.

Churches and synagogues across Australia are offering their services online and many are live streaming. Here's a list of the major services around the country this weekend.

A fourth person dies of coronavirus in Tasmania on a day when 11 more cases are confirmed, bringing the state's total to 122, health authorities say.

Automated crosswalks, the rebirth of suburbia, electric scooters — there are many quirky and nuanced ways that the coronavirus outbreak could impact on urban life.

Tasmania's coronavirus tally reaches 133, with the director of Public Health confirming 11 new cases have been diagnosed in the state's north-west today.

Hospitals across Tasmania have banned visitors, but one Hobart doctor is helping patients stay in touch with their loved ones during coronavirus pandemic by asking people to "donate" their iPads.

A Tasmanian woman in her 70s has died of coronavirus, taking the state's death toll to five, as 11 more cases are diagnosed in the north-west.

With the global death toll now at more than 100,000, there is an urgent need for a coronavirus vaccine. But will pharmaceutical companies be tempted to put profits before patients?

Six new cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours are found in Tasmania, all of the them in the disease hotspot of the state's north-west, bringing the tally to 150.

Brendan Murphy was rebuked by Tasmania's Premier after saying most of the people involved in a cluster of COVID-19 cases around the town of Burnie broke social-distancing laws.

Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy warns New Zealand to pay attention to Tasmania's experience

A 91-year-old woman becomes the sixth Tasmanian to die from coronavirus, as the state's overall tally jumps to 165 cases — with all of the new cases known to be from the disease hotspot of the north-west.

More cases of coronavirus are confirmed as being from Tasmania's north-west, on the day Premier Peter Gutwein urges residents with flu-like symptoms to get tested for the deadly disease.

With little else to do and undeniably glorious weather in some parts of the country, Australians are heading outdoors in notably large numbers. But will our healthy new habits stick once COVID-19 is gone?

A clampdown on foreign investment into Australia could cut-off vital funding for cash-strapped farmers and businesses during the COVID-19 crisis, industry figures say.