Clive Palmer settles $200 million Queensland Nickel Lawsuit

Mining businessman Clive Palmer yesterday settled a large chunk of the $200 million lawsuit over the collapse of Queensland Nickel.

 

The deal announced in the Brisbane Supreme Court is understood to be around $110 million, including a $66 million repayment of the taxpayer funds used for workers entitlements when the Townsville refinery collapsed in 2016.

 

Special-purpose liquidator Stephen Parbery says the settlement also secures payment for the majority of unsecured creditors in full, plus all other outstanding entitlements.

Jackie Tradd will stand down if CCC launched an investigation

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad will stand down if the Crime and Corruption Commission decides to launch a formal investigation into the controversial purchase of a Woollongabba house.

 

Ms Trad has been under fire over the purchase of a property near a proposed Cross River Rail station development, a project for which she had ministerial responsibility, and failing to declare it on her register of members interests within the required time frame.

 

SA Police Officer officer gift card incentive for officer who hands out the most fines

A formal review in the actions of a senior South Australian Police officer has launched after the officer offered a gift card as a prize for whichever officer handed out the most fines and cautions during a road safety blitz.

 

Police revealed the incident occurred ahead of a road safety blitz traffic campaign that runs from Monday until Friday.

 

The incentive offered was a gift card purchased by the manager from their own funds, such practice is not South Australlian Police policy and is not permitted.

Proposed Visa character test changes

A government proposal to tighten the character test will make it easier to deport up to tens of thousands of migrants who have been living in Australia long term.

 

Under the planned changes, visa-holders who have committed a crime that carries a maximum sentence of at least two years, such as common assault, will automatically fail the character test, even if they are not sentenced to jail. 

 

Top climate scientists quits USDA and accuses Trump administration of trying to bury research

Lewis Ziska, one of the top climate scientists in the US has quit the US Department of  Agriculture and says he’s protesting the Trump administration’s attempts to bury one of his studies.

 

The study was about how rice loses nutrients due to the increasing amounts of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere which has implications for the 600 million people who depend on rice for most of their caloric intake.

 

Mexico plans legal action against US after 6 citizens killed in El Paso shooting

After six mexican citizens were killed in El Paso by a gunman, who authorities believe is the author of a racist and anti-government manifesto, the Mexican government says its planning to take legal action against the United States. 

 

Mexican foreign minister Marcelo Ebrard said in a statement that the shooting was an act of terrorism against the Mexican-American community. 

 

Climate change activists protest in the CBD continues

Extinction rebellion are continuing their protests to immobilise the heart of Brisbane today highlighting Climate Change as a major issue.

At about 8am this morning at least six Extinction Rebellion activists were detained by police as traffic grounded to a halt for around 20 minutes on the intersection Margaret and William Streets.

Funding to turn Bruce Highway into 'smart' freeway

The federal government has made a 13 million dollar commitment to turn the Bruce highway into a ‘smart’ freeway.

The funding will create electronic freeway management technology to improve traffic flow and motorist safety particularly during peak periods.

The Technology will be rolled out between the Gateway Motorway and Caloundra Interchange, the smart tech will help reduce travel times and is set to be installed from early-2020.

Australian telcos fined for not revealing how slow their internet speeds are on NBN

Seven Australian telcos have been fined for not being up-front about how slow their internet speeds might be on the National Broadband Network.

Under rules introduced by the Australian Communications and Media Authority last year, telcos are required to publish a fact sheet with information about their NBN services, including how slow it might be during peak times, and they are ordered to ‘line test’ new services.