The Double Happiness: Surfgazing

<p><span><span>- After a number of outrageously catchy singles, Brisbane’s surf rock swooners The Double Happiness have finally unleashed their debut album. Its title, <em>Surfgazing</em>, could be interpreted as both a rough description of the music found within as well as a knowing, tongue-in-cheek nod to the ever expanding world of micro-genres. </span></span></p>

Eilish Gilligan: Hospital

<p><span><span>- In her debut EP <em>Hospital</em>, Melbourne based singer-songwriter Eilish Gilligan has traded in the often carefree indie-pop of her earlier singles for a more nuanced and emotionally mature release. Her songs have always been personal, but here, she really inhabits her own skin, they finally sound like her; a songwriter with her emotions unbound. <em>Hospital </em>is not a move to a new sound, it's a journey to the centre of herself.</span></span></p>

Wasps behind Brisbane airport infestations

The Brisbane airport has commissioned research into wasps, which have been infesting planes and other aircraft instruments at the airport. 

Airport wildlife manager Jackson Ring has stated that although the number of incidents caused by wasps is tiny, the wasps were being dealt with seriously due to the risks posed to aircrafts and safety probes by their nests.

The wasp species has been identified as arriving from Brazil in 2010, yet science consultant Dr Alan House says that a state or federal biosecurity response has been lacking so far.
 

Tourist boom expected for Queensland, despite reduced venue capacity

Following the opening of the Queensland borders to Victoria and New South Wales, a spike in domestic tourism is expected across the state, despite other ongoing COVID-19 restrictions and impact.

Due to redundancies caused by lack of work, many hospitality venues are now understaffed and seeking new employees to prepare for an influx of interstate travelers. 

Australian businesses fail to address gender pay gap

Despite data indicating that Australian businesses are continuing to conduct gender pay gap analysis, there has been little action to reduce pay inequality beyond this.

The data, which was acquired between April 2019 and March 2020, showed an increase of women in organisational leadership, yet with men still earning almost $25 000 more on average. 

Libby Lyons, director of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, expects that due to the impact of COVID-19, this pay gap will continue to not be substantially addressed, with the risk of growing wider again over time. 
 

NSW urges for federal paid domestic violence leave

Mark Speakman, NSW minister for the prevention of domestic violence, has expressed his support for federal government to adopt NSW’s 10 day paid domestic violence leave as a workplace right.

The leave, which was made a workplace right in NSW in 2019, provides financial stability for people experiencing domestic or family violence, allowing them the opportunity to seek alternative housing and medical assistance.