Elizabeth Willing artwork in the UQ Art Museum

The University of Queensland Art museum unveiled an artwork on Friday by Elizabeth Willing that adds large flower lights to the roofs of the museum.  

UQ Art Museum Director Dr Campbell Gray said Willing’s images of drying plants and flowers on the buildings will encourage visitors to think differently about the building.

Ms Willing’s artwork is a precursor to her solo exhibition, ‘Through the Mother’, which will be opened at the museum in September.

 

Construction of new men's prison in Gatton

The State Government has announced plans to build a new men’s prison in Gatton that has improved mental health, drug and alcohol rehab schemes.

Minister for Corrective Services Mark Ryan said the project will create 400 construction jobs over three years, and 500 permanent jobs afterwards.

The Gatton prison will be the first prison to be built after the opening of the Southern Queensland Correctional Centre in 2012.

 

Threat of Australia's economy

Australia’s unemployment rate has risen to 5.2% to match what it was in August last year, to the threat of Australia’s economy.

The rise in unemployment comes despite the creation of more than 28,000 jobs.  

But Josh Frydenberg said the strong labour market is one of the reasons why the Australian economy remains sound.

 

Unexpected animals in the Great Sandy Desert

Park rangers are celebrating after the recent but unexpected discovery of quolls, bilbies and wallabies in the Great Sandy Desert region.

Operations officer Bruce Greatwich said the threatened species have never been found in the Great Sandy region before.

The park rangers detected the species using motion-triggered cameras that had been placed on the remote rock-islands in the desert.

 

Venezuela-Colombia borders reopened

The Venezuela-Colombia borders were reopened yesterday, after being closed four months ago in the wake of political turmoil in Venezuela.

Nearby towns have faced shortages of essential supplies, which had caused criminals to smuggle people across the border.

President Nicolás Maduro announced the reopening on Twitter and says that Venuzuelans are a people of peace.

 

Transforming sun exposure to solar energy

Climate-activist Al Gore is calling on Australia to harness their high amount of sun exposure and transform it into solar energy.

The former US Vice President said that by pursuing fossil fuels, Australia risks missing out on opportunities that would make energy renewable.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she will balance creating jobs and investing in renewable energy.

 

Free public transport for seniors during off-peak season

Seniors will be able to use public transport for free when it is not rush-hour, during this year’s off-peak season.

Brisbane lord mayor Adrian Schrinner said the subsidies will allow seniors to get out and about more, with positive community benefits.

The state government will set aside $3.1 million to fund the free off-peak travel.

 

Victoria Park Golf course closing to develop a park

The Brisbane City Council has announced plans to close the Victoria Park Golf Course to develop Brisbane’s largest public park in half a century.

Brisbane lord mayor Adrian Schrinner says the golf course has seen a decline in its use and revenue over recent years.

Whether to fund or repurpose golf courses in Brisbane has divided the major parties, with Labor councillor Kara Cook saying that services other than golf courses would benefit more people.