Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei has told the BBC there is “no way the US can crush” his company, after US officials warned the tech giant’s equipment could be used for espionage.

The US, New Zealand and Australian governments have banned the use of Huawei equipment in the rollout of next generation 5G mobile networks, following pressure from the Trump administration.

The publisher of a New South Wales year 10 history textbook has rejected complaints from federal Liberal backbencher Craig Kelly that it misrepresents facts about climate change.

Kelly says the book’s description of Tony Abbott as a climate change denier is an offensive slur equal to holocaust deniers, adding natural disasters are nothing out of the ordinary.

A spokesperson for the publisher, Pearson, says they build textbooks to support the Australian curriculum, and stand by the book and its author.

Residents have demanded a stay of execution for a local Moreton Bay Fig Tree in Teneriffe, which is expected to be cut down by the council on Thursday.

Members of the Teneriffe Progress Association will stage a ‘tree sit’ in protest, and are urging local member Vicki Howard to reconsider the decision.

Councillor Howard maintains in this case it cannot be avoided and says, “the removal of trees is an issue Brisbane City Council takes very seriously.”

In international news, up to 90,000 bottles of Russian vodka have been confiscated en route to North Korea by Dutch authorities who found the haul aboard a Chinese ship.

Authorities suspect the container was heading for North Korea, where international sanctions are in place against the Kim Jong-un government.

International Trade Minister Sigrid Kaag says the sanctions include the import of luxury goods, so it’s entirely justified that this container was taken off the ship.

Looking across the nation, the Labor party has announced a $3.2 million plan that will entail mentoring rural and regional students to encourage more of them to receive tertiary education.

Tanya Plibersek, Labour’s deputy leader and education spokeswoman, will commit to the plan at the Universities Australia conference in Canberra on Thursday where it is also expected she will promise a new commissioner to aide in the increase of rural students in tertiary education.

Looking across the nation, Paladin staff have walked off the job at immigration centres on Manus Island, claiming they are overworked and underpaid.

A petition has been circulated demanding pay rises for all local staff, overtime for long shifts, and the provision of three meals a day.

Scott Morrison has continued to defend his decision to award Paladin the $423 million contract, while Paladin declined to comment on the petition.

A senior Queensland surgeon has been accused of sexual harassment, bullying and incompetence in a series of complaints by numerous whistleblowers.

LNP health spokeswoman Ros Bates detailed the allegations in Parliament on Tuesday and said she was contacted by several medical professionals about the surgeons conduct, who currently operates at public and private hospitals in Brisbane’s north.

Booted Queensland MP Jason Costigan has hit back at what he calls a “disgraceful attack” on him by former LNP colleagues.

This follows recent allegations of “disgusting behaviour” by the dumped LNP member towards an eighteen-year-old, which he has continuously denied.

Costigan said he will be taking the strongest possible action against the persons involved, in what can only be described as a malicious attempt at destroying someone’s career and gleefully accepted by the LNP hierarchy.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called for support from states and territories to introduce a royal commission into disability abuse.

Three states have already backed the inquiry, but the PM is waiting to hear back from other leaders before making an official announcement.

Morrison said, he “takes the issue of abuse and the neglect of people with a disability very seriously and so does the Government he leads.”