Gold Coast Marine Animal Release Teams have rescued a humpback whale after it was caught in a sharknet off the Gold Coast. 

Queensland's shark control program manager Jeff Krause said successfully releasing whales is dangerous work and today's release was complicated by choppy sea conditions.

Animal conservation groups are calling for shark nets to be removed during whale migration season.

Caloundra MP Mark McArdle announced he will not contest his seat in the 2020 state election.

In a statement released last night, Mr McArdle said “the time has come to move on and provide for younger ‘blood’ to step up to the mark and take Caloundra into the forward years.”

Mr McArdle has been the member for Caloundra for over 16 years.

Scott Morrison will today deliver a plea to Donald Trump to put an end to the trade war between China and the US. 

Mr Morrison and the Reserve Bank of Australia governor are growing anxious over the suppressive effects of current and threatened trade tariffs the Trump administration has slapped on Chinese imports to America. 

Mr Morrison talked about the trade war between the US and China and said the collateral damage is spreading.

Nicaraguan Police officers  have arrested four men who are suspected to have links with ISIS.

The four men, two from Egypt and two from Iraq where planning to head to Northern Mexican border Nicaraguan officials said. 

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador confirmed on Tuesday that Mexico was on alert over the situation after Mexican officials were warned by U.S. officials.

Australian anti-money laundering experts have warned the country is lagging behind when it comes to combating the flow of illegal money entering the housing market.

Professor of law at Latrobe University in Melbourne, Louis de Koker said money from international drug trafficking and other crimes is flowing into the Australian housing market and potentially distorting prices for everyday Australians looking to buy a house.

A nationwide truck driver shortage is having serious implications for Australia’s economy and could raise the cost of transport.

Australian Trucking Association board member Julie Russell said reasons for the shortage include an ageing workforce and young people not being able to get licensing permits straight out of school.

 She said the industry is trying to work on ways to improve training, pathways from school, and the licensing system to create the next wave of skilled truck drivers.

The four climate change protesters in a canoe blocked traffic in the heart of Brisbane this morning have been taken to Brisbane watch house.

At about 8.30am this morning, an hour after the protest began, police officers dragged the canoe, with protesters still inside, off the side of Stanley Street and onto the footpath.

Firefighters began cutting the activists free with grinders about 30 minutes later and the activists eventually released themselves just before 10am.

Key Brisbane City Council wards are being eyed up by the Green, who are keen to unbalance the LNP’s seat of power in the next years upcoming election. 

After the federal election results, which saw swings towards the environmental and social issues party in several inner-city Brisbane seats, the 2020 council election is the Greens' next target.

Councilor Johnathan Sri talked about the election by saying the swings they need in those wards are smaller than the swing that's needed to win The Gabba.