A new study finds half of all adults and a third of children who are asthma patients are skipping or decreasing doses of preventative medication due to out of pocket costs. 

Co-author of the study, Professor Helen Reddel, says although there is a Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, there is still patient contribution which means about 40 percent of asthma patients can pay up to $40 a month for treatment. 

Queensland Health director-general Michael Walsh has announced his resignation over ongoing issues with the department’s $1.5 billion rollout of an integrated electronic medical record system.

The ieMR system is a single state-wide database for patient records, but the project has faced cost blowouts, delays and caused concern among clinicians over the software’s safety.

Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles thanked Mr Walsh for his work, and says a search for his replacement is currently underway. 

An extra 250 electric scooters will soon be operating on Brisbane streets after the council awarded tenders to Lime and Singaporean company Neuron Mobility. 

Neuron Mobility will operate 600 generation-two scooters in the city, with improved safety features and ‘geo-fencing,’ which prevents them being ridden in areas such as South Bank. 

Lime spokesman Nelson Savanh says the company recorded more than 1 million rides on its scooters in their first six months in Brisbane, with 46 per cent of trips replacing a private car, taxi or ride-share.

Construction of a new park at South Bank has begun with figures in the state budget revealing it will cost $18.5 million, almost 3 million more than initially planned. 

The park was expected to be completed by the end of 2017, but a spokeswoman for South Bank Corporation told the ABC a redesign of the project meant it will now be completed by the end of 2020. 

Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington says she doesn’t understand why the project is taking so long and called on the state government to deliver on its promises. 

The Cancer Council estimates around 90,000 patients miss appointments each year in New South Wales because they do not have access to transport. 

The Cancer Council is trialling a new digital booking system called TRIPS on the Mid North Coast to assist volunteer drivers to support patients in partnership with Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation.  

Cancer Council’s Brenna Smith, says existing patients and volunteer drivers hope it will help grow the vital service to other regions and provide transport to more patients.

Six satellites set to improve Australia’s weather forecasting were launched into space last night, with the help of a team of experts in the Northern Territory. 

Space X and the US Department of Defence, launched two dozen satellites from Florida’s Cape Canaveral to improve global weather monitoring accuracy. 

The chief data officer of Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology, Dr Anthony Rea, says data from the satellites will flow into real-time operational systems and will be used in Australian weather models.

Five Chinese nationals are among seven people charged with involuntary manslaughter following the collapse of a building under construction in Cambodia which caused the death of 28 sleeping workers. 

The building owner and construction supervisor are among the Chinese nationals charged after the building was used as accommodation for the workers while it was under construction in the country's Preah Sihanouk province.

Papua New Guinea’s newly appointed prime minister James Marape wants Australia to cancel its controversial contract with Paladin to deliver services on Manus Island. 

The $423 million Paladin contract, which costs at least $1600 per day for each refugee and asylum seeker, is the subject of an auditor-general review in Australia and is due to expire next week.