The latest round of redundancies at The West Australian newspaper is said to have a detrimental impact on its ability to cover state issues and hold power to account, according to a veteran editor.

Government ministers and media academics have joined the managing editor and owner of Post Newspapers Bret Christian in expressing worry at the loss of around 30 journalists from WA’s major newspaper.

Queensland’s Health minister Steven Miles has announced that a residential disability centre for people with profound and complex disabilities will remain open, overturning a decision to close the facility made by his department.

Staff told relatives of residents in January that due to NDIS requirements, the facility would close at the end of the year.

The Halwyn Centre in the inner north-west of Brisbane has been operated by the State since 1979 and houses over 30 high-needs residents.

The Brisbane City Council has rejected an application for a townhouse development to be built next to a childcare centre in Holland Park after concerns from the local community.

A development application was submitted last year to build 25 double-storey townhouses built on four amalgamated blocks on Eric Road, but residents expressed concern about the impact on the narrow streets and koala feed trees in the area.

Figures revealed on Wednesday at a roundtable convening of the Queensland Parliament with educators, bus drivers, police and transport groups, has revealed that fare evasion rates on school bus routes has hit 99.3 per cent.

Teenagers have allegedly been misusing the state's "no child left behind" policy, causing a $25 million loss in revenue.

School bus drivers have recorded over 1.53 million fare evasions in the last financial year, which is an increase from 875,000 the previous year.

Brisbane's federal Liberal MP Trevor Evans and his Labor opponent Paul Newbury did not attend a public climate forum in Brisbane on Wednesday night, inciting criticism from Greens candidate Andrew Bartlett calling the move “disappointing”.

The #ClimateElection forum, hosted by Australian Parents for Climate Action at St Andrew's Uniting Church, originally had a commitment from Dr Newbury, Greens candidate Andrew Bartlett and other minor parties.

Queensland Nationals MP George Christensen has referred his travel expense claims to the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority for personal trips to the Philippines but said he is confident his travel was within the rules.

The MP for the seat of Dawson near Mackay funded his own trips but still billed taxpayers around 3000 dollars for connecting domestic flights.

News Corp reported Mr Christensen made 28 trips to the Philippines spanning 294 days across the last 4 years, with some colleagues now calling him the ‘member for Manila’.

Patients at New South Wales Hospitals are saying their complaints about substandard care are being dismissed.

Patients approached the ABC about problems with the complaints process to the Health Care Complaints commission, as they wait for up to six months for a response to their concerns.

A spokeswoman for New South Wales Health said they will work with the complaints commission to determine whether improvements need to be made to improve the way complaints are handled.

Military rulers in Sudan have transferred deposed president Omar al-Bashir to prison.

Bashir’s thirty-year rule ended last week as the military took over and was moved to prison late Tuesday.

Amnesty International has called for Bashir to be handed over to the International Criminal Court immediately, facing charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris will close for up to six years following a fire on Monday that brought down its spire.

Bishop Patrick Chauvet said a section of the church had been “very weakened” and that it was unclear what the 67 employees of the church would do in the future.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced a competition for rebuilding of the cathedral’s spire, emphasising that rebuilding the cathedral is a “huge responsibility.”

Authorities have not yet got an estimate for the cost of the renovation work.