Queensland Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch says she is devastated after the approval of the Adani coal mine.

The comments were made by the minister at an indigenous festival at Yarrabah, near Cairns, over the weekend, after an activist asked for her opinion.

The Minister is the first indigenous woman to be elected to the Queensland parliament.

A proposed $2 billion Indigenous-led coal-fired power station in Collinsville North Queensland, developed by Brisbane-based Indigenous company Shine Energy, shall revive one of the countries oldest mining towns.

If the project is given the go-ahead, around 2,000 jobs would be created during the construction phase and 600 once operations begin, with a focus on Indigenous employment.

A Chinese father from Sydney has stopped taking medication that controls his Hepatitis B in a last bid to keep him and his family in Australia.

The Sydney resident was told he failed Australia’s visa health requirement despite his Hepatitis B medication costing just a dollar a day.

According to the government's immigration health criteria an applicant for Australian residency must be free from disease and health conditions.

Elderly Torres Strait Islanders are having to rely on family members to bring them freshly caught fish prepared from home due to bureaucratic red tape preventing traditional Indigenous foods from being served in nursing homes.

The aged care royal commission travelled to Broome this week to hear evidence about the barriers and challenges to providing services for Indigenous Australians.

Hong Kong’s medical sector lawmaker, Pierre Chan, says he has proof that police can access the Hospital Authority’s system to check details of injured protesters who were admitted into the hospital system.

After the violent clash on Wednesday over the extradition bill, police admitted they arrested protesters at public hospitals as they were being treated.

Acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan has announced the deployment of 1000 more US troops to the Middle East for ‘defensive purposes to address air, naval and ground-based threats’.

Mr Shanahan says the US does not seek conflict with Iran and deployment aims to ensure the safety and welfare of their military personnel working throughout the region as well as national interests.

Noosa ratepayers stand to see a $1.5 million return to council through its sale of recycled materials and lead acid batteries.
 

Councillors are expected to award a three- year contract to Sims Group Australian Holdings Limited for the collection and sale of these materials next Thursday.

About 2500 tonnes of recycled materials are collected and sold annually by the council, providing a significant revenue stream.