Queensland government data has shown the birth rate has been declining over the past decade by almost 7 percent.

Predictions say, 56,000 fewer babies will be born every year from 2019 to 2024.

Demographer Mark McCrindle said, sharp drops in birth rate are usually linked to periods of depressions or recessions, so it’s no surprise we’re experiencing similar events as a result of COVID-19.

Clive Palmer donated $5.9m to his United Australia Party, leading the list of donors increasing their influence in federal politics last year.

University of Melbourne professor Joo-Cheng Tham says the annual figures highlight a handful of donors dominating the funding of political parties, after the annual disclosure figures were released by the Australian Electoral Commission today. 

The Greens want to cap donations at $1,000, lower the disclosure threshold and stop donations from mining, banking and other industries

Queensland’s borders have finally opened to all states but WA as of 1am this morning. 

The Queensland-New South Wales border barricades are finally being taken down by authorities today and the Palaszczuk Government has confirmed that border declarations will no longer be needed to enter the State. 

Plans to open the Queensland border to all states and territories this morning were hampered by the recent case of COVID-19 found in Perth.

UberEats drivers are feeling exploited as updated worker contracts have been sent out to each driver this week.

The contract requires drivers to have individual ABNs and take out their own injury or death insurance or face losing their jobs, amongst other requirements.

Slater and Gordon Principal Lawyer Andrew Rich says the move appears to be aimed at stopping claims that drivers should be treated as employees and making it more difficult for them to advocate for their own industrial rights publicly

Fire insurance premiums in the north of Western Australia have more than doubled, forcing Indigenous ranger groups to stop their bushfire control work.

Land and sea manager of the Kimberley Land Council, Will Durack stated the service is not only essential for local people in Kimberley, but for the WA community and for the entire nation.

Aboriginal rangers manage fire across hundreds of thousands of northern Australia, in the Kimberly area working across a region almost twice the size of the state of Victoria

Significant measures have been announced by the Queensland Government this week to improve the natural environment of the State.

The Queensland Government has allocated $2.3 million to recover priority areas in Australia's largest ancient Antarctic beech rainforests running south from Mount Barney National Park across the NSW border.

Some breeding programs and weed-clearing work have also been announced to boost numbers of endangered species in the local areas. 

Singapore is paying citizens and their families affected by the COVID-19 vaccine $225,000 after a rare event of serious side effects.

Most vaccine side effects have been reported and limited to headaches, soreness and fatigue.

The prime minister of Singapore revealed he has received all three doses of the vaccine and mentioned that the monetary precautionary measures are in place to ensure that vaccinations are carried out safely, even though he expected very few would need it.

Queensland’s acting premier has this morning labeled Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenburg’s rejection of further assistance for the struggling tourism industry as “heartless” and “cruel”.

The comments made by Steven Miles on Channel 7’s Sunrise program come after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk called for an extension of the JobKeeper program last week.

The current JobKeeper program is set to expire on 28 March and is currently assisting more than 3,600 Cairns, 400 Brisbane and 600 Surfers paradise businesses.

The new construction of a 46 storey tower on Mary Street in Brisbane’s CBD will back on to the Brisbane Synagogue. 

According to an assessment report by Urbis planners “the development presents a unique opportunity to redevelop a currently underutilised site in the ‘quieter end’ of the city centre”

The development would not alter the 1880s era worship site, instead the Brisbane Hebrew Community would gain a new secondary hall, cafe, kosher kitchen, indoor kids recreation space, roof deck and residential apartments