The Informer: Foot and mouth disease added to interest rate and coronavirus concerns

The fragments were found in pork products at a retailer in the CBD and were believed to have been imported from China, a first for a retail setting.

While Australia remains free of foot and mouth disease, the country is on high alert after an outbreak of the virus in Indonesia.

Australia's international airports will be fitted with sanitation mats in response, following concerns holidaymakers returning from Bali will unknowingly transport the disease, which could cost the economy billions.

The potential economic threat came at the same time Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced a major review of the Reserve Bank's monetary policy, the first in several decades.

The central bank has come under scrutiny following accusations of economic mismanagement, prompting the Treasurer to throw his support behind the review.

Mr Chalmers said the government sought to build confidence in the institution.

"We want to make sure that when difficult decisions are taken by the independent Reserve Bank they're based on the best possible processes and the best possible arrangements," he said.

Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe has warned further interest rate rises will be needed in the short term, with inflation set to continue.

"We will see some moderation inflation pressures because of what's going on in the supply side now in the global economy," Dr Lowe told a business forum in Melbourne.

The period of economic turbulence has been underpinned by increasing cases of coronavirus in Australia, affecting business confidence across a range of industries.

Despite rising case numbers, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has so far declined to give a direct work-from-home order.

Mr Albanese has left the decision to individual businesses, claiming he had not heard comments from chief medical officer Paul Kelly urging companies to review their health and safety plans.

"Businesses will continue to make those decisions," he said.

"They need to make them on the basis of safety but also for some people we need to recognise that they can't work from home."

It follows warnings from the Australian Medical Association that doctors have been left "bewildered, frustrated, and angry" by mixed messaging from the government.

And if that wasn't enough, a solar storm will hit the Earth this week, leading to potential disruptions of satellite and radio operations.

Experts predict it could also result in minor geomagnetic storms, and it comes following a "sun burp" that occurred on Friday.

While initial predictions were for impact on yesterday, Australian astrophysicist Dr Brad Tucker said the storm is slow moving and impact is now expected tomorrow or Friday.

"A solar storm is essentially a sun burp. The sun goes through little eruptions all the time and when it does it releases plasma," he said.

"It's a stream of particles from the sun, it's essentially energy."

Stay safe.

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