Amidst the state’s ongoing bushfire crisis, the State Government has announced a financial support system to be made available for affected residents in the Scenic Rim.

Affected residents can apply for financial grants over the phone by ringing the Community Recovery Hotline, via the online Community Recovery Portal, and via the Self Recovery app.

A Community Recovery Hub will be open at the Boonah Cultural Centre from 9am-4pm today.

Twenty-eight people are in quarantine in China’s northern inner Mongolia region, after a hunter who caught and ate a rabbit in Huaded country was diagnosed with bubonic plague on Tuesday.

Bubonic plague is a common fatal disease and can be transmitted by infected fleas or by handing an infected animal’s tissue.

There is no evidence showing that the disease is spreading further in Beijing as this is the second time the disease has been detected in the region.

The last group of protestors in Hong Kong are still surrounded by police and trapped and in the Hong Kong Polytechnic University after more than two days of clashes in which have left more than 200 people injured

Hong Kong executive Carrie Lam said on Tuesday only 100 people were trapped inside but one of the escaped protestors has said revealed there are actually 200 protestors still in the university.

While the protestors are running out of food and have no way to leave, some of their parents are sitting near the university to voice out for them.

South Australian Senator Cory Bernardi, who broke away from the Liberals to form his own conservative party, has announced that his 13-year career in politics will come to a close at the end of the year. 

Senator Bernardi attracted controversy during his political career over his calls to ban burqas, condemnation of gay marriage, climate scepticism and support for a nuclear industry.

More than 100 schools have been closed in South Australia today, as much of the state braces for catastrophic fire danger conditions.

Seven regions of the state have been given catastrophic fire danger ratings by the Bureau of Meteorology, while the rest of the state has an extreme or severe rating, resulting in a total fire ban across South Australia for the rest of the day. 

Queensland Police have revealed that more than half of the 18 people arrested for deliberately lighting fires amidst the state’s bushfire crisis are children.

The announcement has split the state’s two major parties; LNP leader Deb Frecklington says the juvenile offenders should be prosecuted, while State Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath says that youth detention is not the answer.

Ms D’Ath says that despite the jump in arson-related offences, the state’s reintroduced Fight Fire Fascination project had already seen young offenders meet their victims face to face.

The State Government has announced plans for Australia’s first commercial drone-testing facility in North-West Queensland next year.

The $14.5 million facilities is set to be built at Cloncurry Airport and is scheduled to open in mid-2020.

State Development Minister Cameron Dick says that the facility, which will be first used by the Boeing Company, will make North-West Queensland Australia’s drone technology capital.

Volunteer firefighters and landowners are criticising the red tape involved in backburning approval, saying that it impedes their ability to fight the fires currently burning across Queensland.

They say the length of time it takes to get back burning approved leaves properties vulnerable to fast-moving fires.