The world’s largest cruise line company, Carnival, has agreed to pay a $28 million penalty in the US over criminal charges stemming from pollution caused by its ships.

The company acknowledged its ships have knowingly discharged ‘grey water’ and plastic waste in prohibited areas, as well as falsifying compliance documents prior to inspections.

Carnival was originally fined $40 million in 2016 for discharging oily waste from its cruise ships and placed on probation for five years.

An estimated 180,000 people have gathered in Hong Kong to mark 30 years since China’s crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square.

The annual candlelight vigil, organised by a group of veteran pro-democracy activists, demands justice for victims of the crackdown and calls for China to embrace democracy.

Brisbane Airport Corporation released the draft of its multi-billion dollar master plan this week.

It includes large developments such as three new terminals, retail upgrades and sustainability initiatives as the airport prepares to double its passenger intake after the completion of its new runway in 2020.
 

The plan is available for community comment until the 21st of August.

Queensland government biosecurity workers were exposed to a carcinogenic, gene-altering chemical for an extended period of 6 months after its use was banned.

The exposure to the highly toxic fumigant, named EDB occured in the mid 1990s causing debilitating and serious illnesses over the past 2 decades.

One chronically ill former employee says the use of chemicals were in defiance of long-known risks and warnings from health authorities at the time, calling is ‘state-sanctioned poisoning’.

Future Energy Artists or FEAT., a platform that will allow musicians to build and invest in their own solar farms is due to launch on Wednesday.

Brainchild of Cloud Control’s Hiedi Leffner, the platform has already garnered support from Leffner’s own band as well as Midnight Oil, Vance Joy, Regurgitator, Big Scary, Peking Duk and Jack River.

The platform’s first farm Brigalow, an 80 hectare project, is under construction near Pittsworth on Queensland’s Darling Downs.

The climate council is calling on the federal government to release its greenhouse gas emissions data after it failed to share the information with the Australian public last Friday.

Climate Council’s CEO Amanda McKenzie said the coalition government has a history of burying bad news on climate change and therefore concludes emissions are continuing to rise.

The tax office is planning to crackdown on Australians who are making false claims on laundry and clothing.

In 2018 a quarter of these claims were the minimum amount needed to claim without a receipt, costing the system $1.5 billion in tax return.

The assistant commissioner of the ATO said they use sophisticated tools to study each return and catch out of pattern claims compared to their industry and income.