The ACT has become the first Australian jurisdiction to legalise the personal use, possession, and cultivation of cannabis. 

The laws passed yesterday afternoon allow possession of up to 50 grams per person and 4 plants per household. 

The legislation will come into effect on January 31st, 2020. 

Backpackers are sharing their stories of working in ‘slave-like’ conditions on Australian produce farms under a working holiday program that the government is hailing a success. 

Despite a 20% spike in uptake in the program last year, backpackers are using the hashtag ‘88daysaslave’ on Instagram to share stories and images of exploitation. 

Over 5000 posts revealed that backpackers were being paid as little as $4 per hour, working in unsafe conditions, and sexual abuse.

The Australian Taxation Office will be visiting 400 inner-north Brisbane businesses following a number of tip-offs from the community about engaging in black economy activities.

Assistant Commissioner Peter Holt said, “It’s been a few decades since wool was traded here but we’re aware that some dishonest businesses are still in the business of fleecing money from the community.”

Logan residents have been warned of a new drone service ‘Wing’ that is set to launch this week. 

The company was forced to delay its Queensland launch after the Civil Aviation Safety Authority grounded drones in the south-east as the state dealt with bushfires this month. 

Bonython Against Drones convener Nev Sheather warned Logan residents to be prepared for the drones’ high-pitched noise, the possibility of privacy breaches and a loss of local land-based delivery jobs.

The Trump administration has released the transcript of a phone call which reveals the US President asked the Ukrainian President to investigate former vice-president Joe Biden.

The release of the transcript follows House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s announcement that the Democrats would proceed with an official impeachment inquiry. 

Many Democrats have accused Mr Trump of soliciting Ukraine’s help to smear Mr Biden before the 2020 election, which they believe is an impeachable offence. 

Mr Trump says the inquiry would be a ‘favour’. 

The multibillion-dollar Daxing International Airport has opened in Beijing in the lead up to China’s National Day on October 1st.

The airport spent around 450bn yuan in the last five years and was formally opened by Chinese President Xi Jinping yesterday.

The airport is said to be the world’s largest single-building airport terminal and is expected to be able to handle 72 million passengers a year by 2025. 

The NSW upper house passed a bill to decriminalise abortion overnight. 

This debate lasted around 40 hours, which is the third-longest debate in the NSW upper house, and resulted in 26 votes to 14 in support of the bill. 

Independent MP Alex Greenwich presented the bill to parliament in August. 

“With the passage of this bill abortion will be decriminalised in NSW – I am sorry that has taken us so long,” Mr Greenwich said. 

The bill also allows late-term abortion up to 22 weeks if two doctors agree.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has attacked critics of his government’s climate change policies in his address to the UN overnight. 

Mr Morrison claimed internal and global critics were willing to ignore the work Australia has done to curb emissions. 

Mr Morrison says the media is to blame for spreading false and misinformation and giving critics a prejudiced view. 

"Australia is doing our bit on climate change and we reject any suggestion to the contrary,” Mr Morrison said. 

Westside shoppers have collectively diverted more than nine tonnes of soft plastic last year from landfill through recycling at Coles supermarkets.

Customers of Coles Kenmore are the top recyclers in the state after diverting more than 2,500 kilograms of plastics bags, wrappings, and packets.

Coles chief property and export officer Thinus Keeve is proud of the community’s efforts. 

“Customers should be commended for remembering to bring their soft plastics back to the store,” Mr Keeve said.