Papua New Guinea will provide a limited extension to the 423 million dollar contract for refugee services on manus island to the Australian government.

Both governments said  they would review current contract arrangements to ensure they were fit for purpose. 

A statement from the PNG government explained, To allow the Papua New Guinea Immigration and Citizenship Authority time to undertake its open and transparent procurement processes and to ensure services are maintained.

An appeal against the planned 36-storey replacement for Suncorp Plaza in Brisbane’s CBD had the design altered to improve views of the Uniting Church on Albert Street.

The Uniting Church launched the appeal after Brisbane City Council approved the demolition of Suncorp Plaza and the construction of a new glass-plated tower on the site, between Albert and Turbot streets.

Negotiations between Turbit Nominees and the church continued through the court process until the design of the tower was adjusted to not overshadow the church.

Ferry services cancelled last week in Brisbane have returned to the normal services.

Public and active transport committee chairwoman Krista Adams said the cancellations were due to two ferries having mechanical issues.

Peak-hour SpeedyCat services were introduced by the council last year as express services up and down the river.

Japan’s commercial whaling industry is set to resume on the 1st of July after a 30 year break, despite low demand for the meat and criticism from conservationists. 

Japan’s government says it will confine its hunts to Japanese territorial waters as well as ending its controversial annual expeditions to the Southern Ocean, following its withdrawal from the international whaling treaty last December. 

British Prime Ministerial candidate Boris Johnson says he would need EU cooperation to avoid a hard Irish border or “crippling” tariffs on trade in the event of a no-deal Brexit. 

The “backstop” is an insurance policy Ireland wants to implement to ensure its border remains open to trade, people and services in the event of a no deal. 

Mr Johnson says he could persuade Brussels to resolve the Irish border issue, and added he will open discussion regarding a free trade agreement as soon as he is elected. 

More than 150 religious leaders have issued an open letter urging Prime Minister Scott Morrison to show moral leadership on the issue of climate change and address it as his top priority. 

The letter, which also called on the government to achieve 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030, was signed by the heads of the National Council of Churches, the Federation of Australian Buddhist Councils, senior rabbis and the Sunni muslim Grand Mufti of Australia. 

The construction industry is facing a crisis across Queensland, Victoria and NSW with building surveyors unable to access professional indemnity insurance as a result of flammable cladding.

The Master Builders Association says up to 30 per cent of surveyors are required to renew their insurance by the end of June and if the insurance offered is not sufficient it may cause building projects to be halted.

Secular activists are renewing calls for the Queensland Labor government to remove volunteer-run religious classes in state schools after discovering a scathing 1972 state government report on the issue. 

Queensland Parents for Secular State Schools spokeswoman Alison Courtice says the report was buried at the time by the Bjelke-Peterson government and recommended discontinuing Christian-run religion classes in favour of historical instruction on all major religions.