Drivers on the Chinese ridesharing DiDi,  can now choose to identify as verified Communist Party members.

Drivers who have passed the passed "Red Flag Steering Wheel" project certification will post a ‘party member driver’ sticker on the dashboard and can also choose to disclose their red background in the app voluntarily.

The ‘love the party, love the country training’ is also now available on DiDi’s online classroom.

Two Indigenous children have been refused permission to catch a bus without any money in Adelaide, sparking accusations of racial discrimination.

Adelaide resident, Mark Vorwerk, was catching the bus at the time and offered to pay the children’s fares but was told not to get involved by the bus driver.

Pelicans and other waterbirds are in peril in Australia’s outback, as the effects of the drought compound an already concerning long-term decline in populations.

Dead pelicans and water birds are being found across Australia by locals, who are concerned about the wetlands and river systems which are currently declining in quality. 

Brisbane residents are the happiest in the country, according to research commissioned by Brisbane City Council.

Brisbane residents reported a 93 per cent quality-of-life rating on the study, compared with Melbourne and Perth residents, who reported an 89 per cent rating, and Sydney residents, who reported a 76 per cent rating.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner says that the survey, conducted by Kantar Public Australia, will be part of a new annual Better Brisbane Index, which will assess the happiness of the city’s residents.

Queensland Premier Annastascia Palasczuk has called upon the Prime Minister to immediately release funding for drought-affected communities in Queensland.

Premier Palasczuk said she had written to the Prime Minister urging him to let the money from the $5 billion Future Drought Fund to be made accessible to farming communities, in light of the state’s drought crisis.

With two-thirds of Queensland drought-declared, and below-average rain again expected this summer, the Premier says that the time for consultation on the issue had passed.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for countries to do more to reduce emissions, but Prime Minister Scott Morrison is sticking to the target Tony Abbott made for Australia.

Guterres spoke at a UN climate meeting on Monday and said the climate emergency “is a race we are losing”.

“This is not a climate negotiation summit. You don’t negotiate with nature. This is a climate action summit,” he said.

The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) has ordered an auditor to examine Paypal Australia’s compliance with money laundering and counter-terror laws.

The investigation specifically relates to Paypal’s obligation to report the transfer of funds or property to or from Australia.

AUSTRAC Chief Executive Officer, Nicole Rose said “PayPal is an important partner in the fight against crime. However, when we suspect non-compliance AUSTRAC will take action to protect the Australian community”.

Despite concerns over the appropriateness of the Riverfire fireworks after fires burned throughout Queensland, Brisbane Festival has confirmed they will go ahead.

Since the beginning of September, 1,200 fires have burned homes, businesses and land.

A petition was formed during the worst of the bushfires, calling for cancellation of the “pyrotechnic extravaganza” and has gained more than 17,000 signatories.

Young Indigenous Queenslanders have been given the opportunity to chase their dreams with the Young, Black and Proud scholarships awarded today.

60 successful recipients from across the state received scholarships, sponsored by the Queensland Family and Child Commission.

The scholarships were established by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service Brisbane, for young Indigenous people who require financial assistance for education, the arts or sporting activities.