Aboriginal children held 9 hours longer than non-indigenous children in maximum security facilities
Brisbane Times has obtained police documents detailing how Aboriginal children were held in maximum security facilities, on average, for nine hours longer than non-Indigenous children in 2018.
Although only comprising 5 per cent of Queensland’s total child population, nearly double the amount of Indigenous children were held in watchhouses compared to non-Indigenous children in the same period.
Palaszczuk government replaces twice the public servants sacked by Campbell Newman
The Palaszczuk Labor government has replaced the number of public servants sacked under former premier Campbell Newman more than twice over.
The latest workforce figures show there are over 30,000 more full-time equivalent employees in the Queensland public sector than the Newman government had in December 2014.
Premier Annastasia Palaszczuk says she is restoring “frontline services”, adding the new “frontline staff” will be making differences every day by keeping communities safe and ensuring Queenslanders can access health services quickly.
10AM ZEDLINES
Good morning this is Cris and Jack with your 10am Zedlines.
[Photo credit: Pexels]
Mining royalties subsiding thermal coal
A new report by the Australia Institute reveals Queensland’s mining royalties regime is essentially giving subsidies to exporters of low-quality thermal coal.
The new report details how the staggered system in Queensland has low-value coal taxed at a lower rate, which acts to incentivise thermal coal mines such as Adani’s Carmichael project.
Qld government spends $155k for legal advice on sacked councils
The Queensland government has spent more than $155,000 on legal experts over the sacking of the Ipswich and Logan councils.
Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchcliffe says they were obtaining legal advice over the sacking of 15 people from the Ipswich City Council who were charged with a combined total of 86 criminal offences.
A further $10,000 was spent on advice relating to Logan City Council, where Logan mayor Luke Smith and seven councillors were charged over the dismissal of the council's chief executive officer Sharon Kelsey.
Adelaide circus closed after performers injured
A circus in Adelaide has been shut down following two performers suffering serious injuries in separate incidents within a week.
Stunt bike rider Bentang Sejarah broke his back in three places and suffered serious facial injuries performing a jump, while earlier in the week aerial performer Gabby Souza fell 8.5m from a hoop to break her wrist and dislocate both elbows.
BHP CEO pledges $500m for climate action
Australian mining giant BHP will spend $571 million to reduce carbon emissions in its own and their customer’s operations in plans announced on Tuesday.
BHP CEO Andrew Mackenzie says the need for climate action is indisputable and carbon pricing is not enough, with a ‘coordinated global response’ required.
Customers of BHP’s products produced 580 million tonnes of carbon between 2017 and 2018, with the company maintaining long-term goal of achieving net-zero emissions by mid-century.
Kenya's finance minister charged with corruption
Kenya’s Finance Minister Henry Rotich has pleaded not guilty to 10 charges of corruption over the awarding of $640 million worth of contracts to an Italian company for the construction of two dams in the country.
Mr Rotich is among 28 officials charged by the country’s chief prosecutor over the scandal, with more than $300 million spent on two dams that are yet to begin construction.
Resistant malaria spreads in SE Asia
A study has found malaria parasites resistant to key drugs are spreading rapidly in South East Asia, with half of patients in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam not responding to first-choice treatment.
Professor Olivo Miotto, from the University of Oxford, says the “resistant parasite strain is capable of invading new territories and acquiring new genetic properties.
A similar resistance to a long-time front-line malaria drug, chloroquine, contributed to millions of deaths across Africa in the 1980s.
9AM ZEDLINES
Good morning this is Cris and Coen with your 9am Zedlines.
[Photo Credit: Pxhere]