Families of DFAT staff offered flights out of Sri Lanka amidst warning of further attacks
The Department of Foreign Affairs has offered families of its staff at its High Commission in Colombo flights to return to Australia, with the Australian government encouraging Australians to strongly consider its travel advice warning that further terrorist attacks are likely in Sri Lanka.
The department’s offer extends to dependants of embassy staff and volunteers working under the Australian Volunteers International program.
Rural parts of Darwin could run out of water following driest wet season in decades
Rural residents in Darwin could run out of water completely after the driest wet season in 27 years failed to replenish groundwater levels.
Director of Water assessment for the Northern Territory, Des Yin Foo, said the situation is serious and that if water consumption continues at the current rate, bores in Darwin’s rural area could run empty before the end of the dry season.
Mr Yin Foo said producers should expect a possibly reduced harvest this year and urged residents to reduce their water usage.
Fire in South Brisbane
Smoke is covering Brisbane city this morning as a fire engulfs a heritage listed boarding house and adjoining property in South Brisbane.
About 36 firefighters are working to extinguish the fire, with neighbouring properties being evacuated.
Queensland Ambulance paramedics have taken one person to hospital.
Wedding outfits of Queensland's first same-sex wedding to be displayed in museum
The outfits worn by the first same-sex couple from Queensland to get married after the passing of the marriage equality bill are set to be preserved and displayed in a museum.
Craig and Luke Burns donated their suits, photos and other memorabilia from their wedding day to the Queensland Museum, all of which are set to be displayed next year after going through preservation processes.
The couple were married in an intimate ceremony in January last year and said it was an honour to be a part of history.
8am Zedlines
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons/Figaro
The Damned Things: High Crimes
- More is more with The Damned Things, although that's tinged with irony since they've slimmed down from three to two guitarists in their extended sabbatical since Iconoclast. Back then it blew me out of the water and it has remained a longtime companion. High Crimes is a genuine return to that form as the band continues a long but almost forgotten lineage of groove laden, riff heavy rock.
11AM ZEDLINES
Good morning, this is Laura and Jack with your 11am Zedlines.
French courts handing out 447 fines for harassment of women under new law
A new law in French courts punishing harassment of women has handed out 447 fines in just eight months.
The law bans sexual or sexist comments that are “degrading, humiliating, intimidating, hostile or offensive,” and offenders can be fined on the spot from $100 AUD to $900 AUD.
A spokesperson for France’s equality minister Marlène Schiappa says the minister feels the legislation will make a long-term difference for French women.
Naked man spotted north of Brisbane causes school lockdown
A high school north of Brisbane went into lockdown this morning after police received multiple calls about a naked man in the area.
Just before 9am police received the first call where the person reported they had seen the man on Lavarack Road in Bray Park near Bray Park State High School and the Anam Cara Aged Care Community.
As a safety precaution, the school was locked down, police searched the school grounds before telling the school there was no trace of the man at about 9:40 this morning.
Brisbane youth detention centre to be built for $150 million
A $150 million youth detention centre will be constructed on the site of Wacol’s correctional centre.
It will introduce 32 more beds alongside the 16 to be added to the existing youth detention centre.
Youth minister Di Farmer says the state government’s focus remains on reducing offending rates and preventing young people ever needing to be placed in detention.