Brisbane vegetation overhaul awaits approval from state government

Brisbane City Council has delivered a major overhaul of Brisbane’s biodiversity mapping to the state government for approval.

The biodiversity overlay includes citywide maps of vegetation that is either endangered or needed for other wildlife like koalas and will affect property development.

The overhaul began in 2016 and Brisbane City Council accepted public consultation on key issues in 2017, with around 300 submissions received.

Social factors influence public transport use, research shows

A report has shown that the amount of people taking public transport is largely reliant on social stigma.

University of Queensland researcher Dr Dorina Pojani said that cultural barriers are some of the most difficult to overcome when trying to increase public transport use and that urban planners should to take into account social factors when planning transport options.

My Dog pet food recalled over plastic contamination

Popular pet food product My Dog pet food has been recalled by its manufacturer because the product may have been contaminated with plastic during production.

Mars Petcare Australia’s recall is for 100g My Dog Beef and Liver packets sold in a 12 pack tray, with a best before date of 6 December 2020 and batch code 84901WOD51.

NDIS to be blamed as Victorian families forced to give up their severely disabled children to state care

Victorian children with high-needs disabilities are increasingly living in child protection because their parents can no longer look after them, with some advocates blaming the National Disability Scheme (NDIS) for its lack of support.

Government officials, advocates and care workers say it is “absolutely horrendous” that children with high-needs disabilities are forced to live in the already strained residential care system, sometimes with no NDIS support.

Trump blocks release of full Mueller report

Donald Trump has used executive privilege to block the release of the un-redacted Mueller report.

The full and un-redacted report was subpoenaed by the Democrats but The Attorney-General, Mr Barr, a Trump appointee, refused to comply with the order.

Committee chairman Jerrold Nadler of New York says the refusal to comply with the subpoena proves the President’s “blanket of defiance” to congress’ constitutional rights.

 

High Court decides whether Indigenous men are to be deported

A High Court case will commence today to decide whether two men with indigenous heritage born overseas will be deported after both served a sentence over 12 months in Australia.

One man, Brendan Thoms, has lived in Australia since he was an infant and was born to an Indigenous Australian mother, the other moved to Australia at the age of five.

Lawyers for the two men write in submissions to the High Court saying Aboriginal people cannot be alien to Australia, regardless of citizenship.