Woolworths announces all stores will ban single-use plastic bags within 12 months

澳洲超市巨头Woolworths 一年内逐步取消免费塑料袋供应

Single-use plastic bags will be a thing of the past at the checkouts of Woolworths and Coles in the next 12 months.

In a shock announcement on 14 July afternoon, Woolworths revealed it would shortly begin phasing out the bags in supermarkets, Big W and BWS stores, with a total ban in place by June 30 next year.

澳大利亚超市巨头Woolworths在上週五宣布，旗下所有超市将于未来十二个月停止供应免费一次性的塑料袋。同时，该决议的实行范围还将扩展至公司旗下的Big W超市和BWS酒品超市中，預計在明年六月三十一號會完成整個“禁塑令”。

Instead of single-use plastic bags, the stores will now sell "a range of alternative shopping bag options, which includes “thicker reusable versions" at the checkout. Big W stores may provide reusable bags at no extra cost.

在停止供应免费塑料袋后，超市将提供有偿环保袋。Woolworths方面表示，消费者可以在未来自行选择不同种类和价格的购物袋，包括一种可以重复使用的塑料袋。另一方面，Big W超市或考虑提供免费可以循环使用的购物袋。

Less than two hours later, Coles announced it, too, would be phasing out single-use plastic bags over the next 12 months.

In a statement, Coles said the announcement followed several months of consultation with a number of non-government organisations and environmental groups.

Coles will continue to provide a range of reusable bags at different prices.

在Woolworths 公布新措施的两小时后，它的竞争对手， Coles 也宣布经过多个月跟非政府组织和环保组织咨询后，旗下的超市也会在未来一年内取消免费塑料袋的供应。取而代之的是，超市会提供不同价格的环保袋给消费者选择。

Latest Report: Home ownership in Australia in decline for three decades

最新研究显示：在過去三十年，澳洲国民房屋所有权比例下滑

Independent think tank the Grattan Institute analysed census data and found home ownership was declining among people aged under 55.

Terry Burke, a professor of housing studies at Swinburne University, said the drop in home ownership would have far-reaching consequences. It has prompted warnings many young Australians are destined to be "permanent renters".

Grattan Institute 的报告从人口普查看住房拥有权，最新研究发现五十五岁以下国民的住房拥有率不断下降。澳洲斯威本科技大学房屋政策的教授Terry Burke表示，在未来，年轻的澳洲国民有机会只能永远租房子，打破年轻时租房，然后买房并还清房贷的常规。

Australia's housing boom is no secret, and has been going for 20 years, Mr Brendan Coates, a fellow at the Grattan Institute said. It has been more acute in recent years, with house prices across the country rising 40 per cent in the past five years.

"What these numbers show is that there's clearly a problem linked to housing affordability. It shows we have a really big problem in ensuring the younger generations can afford to purchase a home," he said.

澳洲的房价在过去二十年不断上涨，在近五年的涨幅更是非常强势，录得40%的增长，想要拥有一套房产比过去更为挑战。Grattan Institute的研究者Brendan Coates表示，随着房价的逐步上升，年轻人能否积攒到拥有房产是未来最大的挑战。

Australian dollar surges to two-year high on weak US economic data

澳元兑美元7月第2周大幅升值，达到两年的最高点

The Australian dollar has leapt more than 1.3 per cent, topping US78¢ for the first time since May 2015, as weak American economic data dimmed prospects for a third US interest rate hike later this year.

因为美国经济数据集体走弱，澳元对美元价格在上周五海外市场交易时段创2015年5月以来的最高价格0.78美元，升幅高达1.3 %。

That's positive for the Aussie as it keeps the gap between Australian and US rates from widening further faster. The currency rose 1.3 per cent to US78.32¢ at 4.57pm on last Friday in New York (Saturday AEST), reaching as high as US78.34¢ a little earlier in the session. It's now 8.6 per cent higher against the greenback this year.

在过去一周货币市场，澳元在周一（7月10日）早上5点（澳洲东部标准时间）以0.7602美元价格开始交易，然后在澳洲时间周六（7月15日）早上6时57（纽约时间周五4点57分）以0.7832美元结束一周交易，最高点达到0.7834美元。