New research by Monash University, RMIT and Intel Corporation shows smart home technology continues to be associated with expressions of masculinity and may pose unexpected security threats for women and victims of domestic violence.

The study revealed concerns that smart home technologies could be used for privacy invasion or as a form of intimidation by locking people in or out of their properties and allow for the monitoring of their movements and activities.

Research published this week has found that the Great Barrier Reef is migrating south.

Warming ocean temperatures are reportedly causing the shift of the reef away from the equator and to cooler waters.

Scientists have said it is unlikely we will see the reef off the coast of Brisbane as other factors such as the impacts of ocean acidification will halt the move.

The biggest darknet drug marketplace ‘Dream Market’ is going offline following a string of large drug busts in relation to darknet drug sales.

A two-year investigation involving multiple authorities uncovered the multi-million-dollar drug empire was being run by three men out of a New Jersey property.

No replacement for Dream Market has yet emerged, fuelling rumours of a law enforcement online takeover of the darknet drug market.

A Connecticut judge has found a man not guilty after he was accused of using his mobile phone while driving.

Jason Stiber was pulled over last year by a Westport police officer who claimed to have seen Stiber using his phone however Stiber claimed it was a McDonald’s hash brown.

Stiber said his willingness to take on the legal fees which exceeded the cost of the $300 ticket was a matter of principle.

The Queensland University of Technology has updated how they allocate prize money for female runners in the QUT Classic after being accused of sexism.

Brisbane runner, Alexandra Blake, was the first female across the line in the women’s five kilometre race category over the weekend and was angered when she did not receive any prize money unlike the winner of the men’s race.

QUT said it was an “oversight” and they will now award to the top three male and female runners.

The University of Queensland community is helping to create 60 paintings to be included in a large-scale art installation opening later this year.

Artist Lara Merrett is working over the next 10 days in an outdoor studio at UQ and hopes to empower passing audiences to feel part of the creative process.

Art Museum Senior Curator Peta Rake said the exhibition aims to break down the barriers between artists, artwork and audience by actively engaging them in the process.

The ABC’s vote compass survey rating has revealed over 301,000 Australians do not believe the major political party leaders are trustworthy or competent.

On average, the respondents gave Pauline Hanson, Scott Morrison, Richard Di Natale, and Bill Shorten a competence and trustworthiness score of less than five out of ten.

ABC election analyst Antony Green said the data suggests none of the major political party leaders are standing out ahead of the federal election on May 18.

Employees from a Melbourne factory involved in a blaze earlier this month have revealed they worked under shocking conditions.

Workers at the Bradbury factory say in the lead up to the fire, chemical drums were stored incorrectly and workers wore inadequate safety equipment while they were frequently being covered in chemicals, resulting physical and respiratory problems.

272 election staff have died following the world’s biggest single-day elections in Indonesia.

It is thought that most have died of overwork-related illnesses.

The election was the first time the presidential vote was combined with national and regional parliamentary polls, drawing 193 million voters to more than 800,000 polling stations with all ballots having to be counted by hand.