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. 

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. 
 

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. 

Outgoing US President Donald Trump has pardoned former top security adviser Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about contacts with Russia.

This is the first in a series of pardons Trump is expected to offer to key aides of his administration before Joe Biden is inaugurated in January, with debate that he will also try to pardon himself. 

Although the presidential pardon implies Flynn is guilty, he has previously tried to withdraw his guilty plea, gaining Trump’s support during the ongoing legal battle that ensued following this decision. 
 

A mass stranding of whales and dolphins on New Zealand’s Chatham Islands has left 97 pilot whales and 3 dolphins dead.  

Although strandings are not uncommon in the region, conservation officers were unable to respond quickly enough to save many of the whales, choosing to humanely euthanise many due to unsafe water conditions. 

The whales will be left to decompose on the beach, with local Moriori and Maori groups performing a ceremony to honour them. 
 

Brisbane City Council has opened public consultation on several options for the locations of two new pedestrian bridges linking West End to Toowong and St Lucia.

Two options would resume a number of private properties while the third may impact established trees and park infrastructure, according to the Brisbane City Council.

Consultation is open until the end of January.
 

A bushfire on Fraser Island continues to burn six weeks after it was sparked by an illegal campfire.

Firefighters have relentlessly worked to contain the blaze that has now scorched a third of the World Heritage Area of Queensland.

Fraser Island environmentalists have voiced their concern regarding the fire’s potential impact on the local ecosystem and wildlife.

Tasmania’s Premier has announced that the state will be relaxing its border restrictions for Victorian residents from this Friday the 27th of November.

Victorians will be able to travel to Tasmania for the first time in eight months, however health screenings will be mandatory on arrival. 

Tasmania is currently open to all other states, except for South Australia.
 

It has recently been revealed that overseas student fees provided $10 billion to Australian universities last year.

The data released by the Federal Government compiled financial statements of Australian universities for the duration of 2019. 

Both the Federal Government and recently Gladys Berejiklian have called for plans to allow international students to return to study in Australia, in an effort to boost the economy.