Queensland’s first female top cop sworn in
Katarina Carroll has been sworn in as Queensland’s police commissioner making her the first woman to hold the top job.
Ms Carroll began her policing career 26 years ago before taking the role of Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner in December of 2014.
She states she wants to work closely with her frontline, looking at their health, well being and in particular their mental health, and she also warned that bad behaviour from officers will not be tolerated.
Minister sets out strategy for Indigenous voice in parliament
Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Ken Wyatt, has revealed his plan for a referendum to create an Indigenous voice in parliament.
In light of Naidoc week and its theme this year of “voice, treaty and truth”, Mr Wyatt said he needs to be pragmatic as the first Indigenous Australian to hold the ministerial position.
The landmark ‘Uluru Statement from the Heart’ called for a “First Nations Voice” in the Australian constitution in 2017, a process the minister said people would need to be patient for, in order to get it right.
Australia on track to become one of the ‘world’s worst’ climate damagers
Science and policy institute, Climate Analytics, says Australia and its fuel exports may be responsible for up to 17% of global emissions by twenty-thirty.
The report by the Berlin-based science institute found planned coal and gas expansions could push Australia’s share of emissions higher over the next decade.
The Australian Conservation Foundation’s, Gaven McFadzean, says coal and gas are the cause of the ‘climate crisis’ with Australia the number one exporter of both.
UK ambassador criticises Trump in leaked email
The UK Government has begun an inquiry into the leaked emails from UK ambassador, Sir Kim Darroch, which called the Trump administration ‘inept’ and ‘uniquely dysfunctional’.
The Foreign Office says the leak on Sunday was ‘mischievous’ but did not deny the accuracy of the memos, and a formal investigation into the leak will be launched.
Conservative MP Tom Tugenhadt says whoever was responsible for the leak must be prosecuted, as diplomats must be able to communicate securely with their governments.
Iran makes new nuclear threats ramp up enrichment
Iran has threatened to ramp up uranium enrichment to 20 per cent purity, with the UN's nuclear watchdog confirming it has already passed a limit agreed to in a 2015 nuclear deal.
The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed on Monday Iran had broken the 3.67 per cent threshold, passing to 4.5 per cent.
Despite Iran’s threats, the US says its “maximum pressure campaign” against Tehran is working.
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[Image: CDC/Dr Matthew J. Arduino]
Queensland GP’s warn pharmacy trial will increase risk of superbug
GP’s are urging Queensland Health not to go through with a trial which will allow pharmacists to dispense antibiotics without a prescription, saying it will increase the risk of antibiotic resistant superbugs.
The trial was proposed after a state government review of how pharmacists operate, and will allow them to provide some medicines without a prescription, such as the contraceptive pill.
Warning as Dengue fever outbreak spreads
Public health authorities are attempting to contain the first outbreak of Dengue fever in a Queensland city since the 1950s, with 13 cases confirmed so far.
All the current cases have connections to the North Rockhampton areas of Park Avenue and Kawana.
Over 1000 properties in the region have been inspected as part of ongoing Dengue control measures, with 100 of those found to have Dengue mosquitoes.
AFP requests personal travel information
Labor leader Anthony Albanese has called for Scott Morrison’s government to explain why the Australian Federal Police were able to access a journalist’s private travel records from Qantas.
The call comes after reports yesterday revealed the travel records of ABC reporter Dan Oakes were requested as part of the AFP’s recent investigation.
Albanese says the attorney general, Christian Porter, needs to explain these actions given he previously stated journalists were not likely to face legal prosecution.
Drought sees wool production hit 100 year low
As widespread drought continues for the woo production industry and sheep numbers proceed to decline.
National sheep flock numbers hit 100 year low and are predicted to fall to 65.8 million head this year, according to meat and livestock Australia.
The drought is making it harder for farmers to feed stock as prices are unsustainably high, with a lot of sheep now being reluctantly offloaded.