Australian politics news and info
When Anna Baker’s flood insurance premium jumped $13,000 in one year, she questioned if she should still be in business. Key points: Outback councils say residents have experienced up to 300 per cent increases on their insurance premiums A south-west business owner says their insurance went from $12,000 to $25,000 in one year Insurance Council of … Read more
Wednesday May 31, 2023 Advertisement Advertisement ‘Fateful note’ shifted police probe into fatal family crash KFC asks workers: Would you like $10,000 in shares with that? CopperString sparks renewables interest at Julia Creek Crisafulli’s ‘no’ to Indigenous voice to parliament ‘We’re serious about this’: RBA boss gets real as inflation spikes again House of Representatives … Read more
Two-thirds of all Queensland children charged with breaching their bail conditions under controversial new laws are Indigenous, despite First Nations people accounting for only 7.8% of the state’s youth population. Queensland police data shows 169 children have already been charged with the new offence, with the youngest aged 11. Of those 169 people charged, 112 … Read more
Council McConnell re-appointed Deputy Mayor May 31 2023 Updated May 31, 2023 COUNCILLOR Jeff McConnell has been re-appointed Deputy Mayor for the second year after the only other contender for the job declined to accept the nomination. Subscribe to Fassifern Guardian to read the full story.
If cats have nine lives, Hugo the purebred ragdoll has helped add a tenth to a fellow feline’s; all by way of a blood donation. Key points: Feline blood donations help save ailing cats in need of transfusions A register exists for pet owners who want to nominate their cats as donors There are far fewer cat … Read more
Electric vehicle charging stations could be installed along one of Australia’s most isolated outback roads, under a plan pushed by the road’s governing council. Key points: The Outback Way stretches 2,719km from Laverton in WA’s northern Goldfields to Winton in Queensland Since 1997, more than $1.2 billion in state and federal funding has been committed … Read more
Outback Queensland is home to one of the largest potential wind zones in the country, but a lack of infrastructure and a shortage of skilled workers are major roadblocks in reaching national renewable energy targets. In places like Hughenden, about 400 kilometres south west of Townsville, the sun shines for 320 days of the year. The … Read more
A robotic vacuum cleaner, holidays, cash, gift cards, perfume, jewellery, $1,500 yoga classes and Air Jordan sneakers. It’s just a sample of the tens of thousands of dollars worth of gifts Queensland state schoolteachers have declared they received from parents in the past 18 months. Education Queensland managers say the gifts, which have all been approved by … Read more
More than 100 Australian weather stations have just registered their coldest May minimum temperatures on record. The frigid month brought frequent frost, extending as far north as tropical Queensland and the Northern Territory, along with several snowfalls on the south-east ranges. Rainfall was well below average across nearly the entire country. The surprisingly chilly end to … Read more
A daring treetop mission has seen the years-long home of a pair of eastern ospreys rebuilt on the Sunshine Coast after a storm badly damaged it two years ago. Key points: The old, damaged nesting box was removed by a specialist climber A wildlife specialist coordinated the design, construction and installation of an aluminium replacement Much of the work … Read more
The cost of incarcerating a child in Queensland has risen to more than $2,000 a day, a figure described in a new report as “an incredible investment in a system that’s failing”. The report by the Justice Reform Initiative – a coalition of judges, experts and former politicians – said the overreliance on incarceration in … Read more
The meteor that captivated Queensland earlier this month was the largest space rock recorded over Australia in at least 30 years, NASA data has confirmed. Key points: US government Sensors have picked up the meteor which shot across Queensland on May 20 The caravan-sized meteor likely exploded over the Outback crossing of Blackbull in north-west … Read more
Riverside parkland would have to be delivered on the sites of the glass, milk, and concrete factories in South Brisbane if the land is redeveloped for residential use, under a new proposal from Brisbane City Council. Key points: Brisbane City Council has unveiled a new plan for South Brisbane’s Kurilpa precinct The plan will allow for … Read more
Wholesale power prices are expected to rise because of a delay in bringing two central Queensland coal-fired generators back online, the state’s deputy premier said. Key points: The two units were expected to come online progressively from September That has now been pushed back to next year Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the delay was “frustrating” … Read more
Tuesday May 30, 2023 Advertisement Advertisement Oops, we did it again: Defence signed contracts with tainted consultancy after scandal broke Consumer confidence at 33-year low but bank says we just think times are tough Stalled: Troublesome power plant’s return delayed amid surging energy prices Nine injured in latest mass shooting in US Bruce Lehrmann settles … Read more
In the depths of South America’s Amazon Basin, the achachairú, a highly prized tropical fruit, has been cultivated for generations. But it’s on the other side of the world — in Australia — that the Bolivian fruit, also known as achacha, is grown on the greatest scale. Bruce and Helen Hill’s achacha plantation in Giru, south … Read more
Almost two million families around the world experience the tragedy of stillbirth each year, yet research shows almost a third of those baby deaths are preventable, and up to 40 per cent are unexplained. In Australia, about 2,000 families endure this heartache each year. Warning: This story contains an image some readers may find distressing. The grief … Read more
Australia’s first plastic credits scheme has been launched to target banana industry waste, but the recycling industry is calling for scrutiny. Key points: The banana industry has welcomed a scheme which sees farmers earn credits for responsible waste disposal Companies can buy the credits to encourage sustainable waste management The recycling industry says all environmental claims … Read more
If Dr Michael Mbaogu closed his medical centre, about 20,000 people would lose access to one of the only healthcare services in town. Key points: A new report reveals the medical industry has the biggest worker shortage in Australia Big wages and free perks are not attracting doctors out to the regions Solutions must be … Read more
If you thought the Brisbane horizon had looked a little hazy the past few days, you don’t necessarily need a trip to the optometrist. Key points: The hazard reduction burns have been timed to take place before the weather deteriorates The back-burning is designed to prevent dangerous bushfires The smoke can be dangerous for people … Read more