UQ using 3D printed models in Vet school

Technology is yet again changing the way we learn. 3D printed models of dog skulls are helping University of Queensland vets to save animals and educate tomorrow’s veterinary students.

UQ Veterinarian and Associate Professor Rachel Allavena says the skulls show how dogs with short noses, like French Bulldogs and Pugs, can suffer from the condition brachycephalia which prevents them from breathing correctly.

40 year old plastic bags found in Brisbane River

40 year old plastic bags have been found in mangroves near the Brisbane River, sparking conservationists to demand the government to impose a nationwide ban on single use plastics .

The Queensland Government imposed a partial plastic bag ban on July 1st last year, reducing in an 80% reduction in the number of plastic bags taken from retailers.

But conservationists are pushing for an all-out ban similar to that imposed by the European Parliament, which plans to phase out almost all single-use plastics by 2021.  

Sydney man gets into tiff at A-League soccer match

A Sydney father claims he was threatened by police and security at an A-League soccer match, but authorities have conflicting views.

The father claims checking the bathroom facilities were in a “clean state” for his disabled daughter, when he was threatened and stopped by security officials.

However, New South Wales Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Walton says the trouble started when the father tried to push his way into another grandstand without his daughter and without the required ticket.

Flu outbreak sweeps SA

17 people have died in this year’s flu outbreak in South Australia, forcing 18 nursing homes into lock down.

Chief medical officer Professor Paddy Phillips says the surge in cases this year is unprecedented, with 12,339 people infected so far compared to only 1348 this time last year.

13 of the 17 deaths have been in aged care facilities, likely due to a delayed roll out of the early flu vaccine.

Swedish investigation into Julian Assange reopened

More bad news for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange as Swedish prosecutors announce they are reopening the investigation into a nine year-old rape case.

Assange was accused in 2010 of the rape of a Swedish woman, but denied the allegations and avoided extradition to Sweden by living in London’s Ecuadorean embassy for seven years.

The case against Assange was originally closed in 2017, but his recent incarceration in the UK has allowed the investigation to re-open.  

Spanish slide closed after only 24 hours

A slide built to connect two streets in a Spanish resort town has been closed after multiple reports of injuries.

The 38m slide has a 32-34 degree gradient that shoots users out into the street, leading to cuts and grazes.

Spanish authorities insist the slide was tested by more than a thousand people before it was opened to the public, and that when used appropriately there is no risk of injury.

Council Approves Land Resumptions

A new sports facility is on the cards for Windsor with Brisbane City Council planning to buy and demolish four houses located beside council-owned land.

The properties, which are deemed as flood-prone, will be purchased using dividends from the City of Brisbane Investment Corporation to create a 16,000-square-metre parcel of land.

Councillor Schrinner justifies the decision by stating that there is a massive demand for more parkland in this area of Brisbane, so creating a new, larger park will be enjoyable for residents.

Queen Street Mall Loses Pig and Whistle

Queen Street Mall is set to lose its ever-popular Pig 'n' Whistle pub, after Brisbane City Council approved a decision to evict the popular resident and install a new tenant.

After its original 15-year lease expired in 2014, the lease was extended temporarily during the G20 Summit on a month-to-month contract.

At Tuesday’s council meeting, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner told councillors the decision had been made to change the tenant as part of the mall’s ongoing refurbishment.