New figures show the number of silicosis cases in Queensland have more than tripled since November, and those affected are calling for action.

People who have developed the disease while working with engineered stone products claim this surge is due to trying to meet consumers’ demand for stone in their kitchens and bathrooms.

There are now 260 cases of the lung disease across Australia, and 66 cases in South Australia where workers require specialist follow-up.

Anti-abortion Liberal MPs have called off a proposed spill motion against NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian this morning over the handling of the abortion decriminalisation bill.

The MPs released a statement last night after the key amendments they wanted made to the bill were “rejected in full or in part”.

Mulgoa MP Tanya Davies is among those critiquing the controversial bill, and she said her and her colleagues want to “hold the Premier to account for presiding over this shameful process”.

The Royal Flying Doctors’ Service (RFDS) has recently launched an aviation mentoring program to bring in recruits.

Mount Isa senior base pilot Dave Keavy says that a combination of a global pilot shortage and the large amount of flight hours required have made it hard to find pilots.

This program hopes to address that issue by giving young pilots the chance to gain the 4,000 flight hours required for them to become aeromedical pilots.

In giving back to the aviation sector, the RFDS hopes to attract quality pilots to their organisation.

A new mine located in the Bowen Basin has been approved and is expected to provide a boost for the Central Queensland economy.

Given the nod by the Queensland Government and the miner’s union, the mine is predicted to provide over 1,000 jobs. 

The Red Hill mine, situated near Moranbah, will be partly staffed by fly-in, fly-out workers but will also employ locally, giving the local community a boost. 

Image: Australia's Mining Monthly

Brisbane lord mayor Adrian Schrinner has proposed expanding the Brisbane Metro project to Brisbane Airport, despite the first stage of the $944 million dollar project not yet having broken ground.

The exact design of the metro vehicles has not yet been finalised nor a successful tenderer announced, but Counsellor Schrinner on Sunday said he wanted them to run all the way to the airport.

Queensland Police officers can now carry bottles of nail polish remover to deal with environmental protesters following a recent surge in demonstrators gluing themselves to roads.

Last Friday, Connor James Brooks, 18, received a stern warning in a Brisbane Court after he was arrested for supergluing himself and a friend to the Victoria Bridge and disrupting CBD traffic as part of an "Extinction Rebellion" demonstration.

Victoria Police have arrested 36 people after they refused to end their blockade of a bridge in central Melbourne.

Dozens of climate protesters on a mission to shut down a bridge in Melbourne's CBD have been arrested while the rest have since packed up and left.

"A number of protestors complied but police had to arrest 36 protestors who refused to leave the roadway," said a spokesperson from Victoria Police.