Government establishes new measures at airports to stop FMD; 63 Covid deaths – as it happened

• Foot-and-mouth disease: biosecurity response zones' could be set up at airports in Australian first
• Get our free news app, morning email briefing and daily news podcast
• This blog is now closed

US ambassador arrives in Australia

The new US ambassador to Australia, Caroline Kennedy, has arrived this morning and told the media she feels lucky ... to serve here and to live here."

There's a big agenda and I can't wait to get started. Personally this means a great deal to me. My my husband is here with me. We first came to Australia on our honeymoon 36 years ago, almost exactly, because three days ago was our anniversary. Then we are were fortunate to come back with our children when we were in Japan. So we met so many wonderful people and I can't believe that I'm lucky enough to get a chance to serve here and to live here and get to know even more people.

The weather and staff shortages were all worse than expected.

We are doing the best we can - the show will go on rain, hail or shine.