Liberal senator Ian Macdonald to apologise for linking Penny Wong to Chinese billionaire Huang Xiangmo

Liberal senator Ian Macdonald has been asked to apologise for linking Labor Senator Penny Wong to Chinese billionaire Huang Xiangmo during Senate Estimates on Tuesday.

Senator Macdonald mixed up the names Wong and Huang and asked if the Labor senator was related.

Labor leader Bill Shorten sent out a statement to Chinese media following the exchange calling Senator Macdonald’s comment as an, “Asian slur”.

Australia’s tyre waste and fuel security problems could soon be behind us

Australia’s tyre waste and fuel security problems could soon be behind us with a Gladstone oil refinery saying they have found a solution.

Southern Oil Refineries has successfully conducted large scale pilot tests on its biodiesel made from old tyres says manager Ben Tabulo.

"[We've proven] renewable diesel can work in Australia's engines and does have the same efficiency on the road," he says.

"The renewable diesel … has been refined from post-consumer waste, mainly mixed tyre crude oil and refined into 100 per cent drop-in diesel.

Each year more people die from domestic violence related suicide than homicide

New figures from the Domestic and Family Violence Death Review and Advisory Board have found 120 suicides related to domestic violence in the last three years, compared to 71 homicides in the same period.

The suicide figure includes five children aged between 10 and 17 years old, and two women, who were in women’s shelters.

SE QLD to see temperatures five degrees higher than April average

South-East Queensland temperatures are set to be more than five degrees above the April average on Tuesday, as hot Autumn weather approaches.

Brisbane was predicted to reach 31 on Tuesday, significantly higher than its average of 27.1.

Weatherzone meteorologist, Graeme Brittain, says, Tuesday would be the peak of the warm spell.

Tunnel puts future of Stonehenge on shaky ground

The Stonehenge World Heritage Site, which houses well-known prehistoric monuments, is under threat with the British Government wanting to plunge a two kilometre, $3 billion tunnel underneath it.

The monoliths are right next to the A303 Highway, which connects London with south-west England, and the proposal by Highways England to replace the iconic monuments with a tunnel puts archaeologists in a position that goes against the Stonehenge’s current custodians, English Heritage.

No parking permits for Westenders in new digs

In local news, owners of new developments in inner south suburbs will not be able to obtain a residential parking permit under new laws.

West End, Highgate Hill, and Taringa are now included in the laws, which affect owners of apartments in properties which lodged development applications on or after the 18th of March this year.

As a result, the laws will take some time to take effect, as Greens councillor Jonathan Sri says he has been pushing to have the ban introduced for three years.

Public won't join Mayor on a $100 zipline ride

Brisbane’s new lord mayor, Adrian Schrinner, is at the receiving end of public criticism regarding the Mt
Coot-tha zipline project, after saying he would happily pay $100 to ride it.

The community group, Mt Coot-tha Protection Alliance, launched a court appeal for Councillor Schrinner to review the project, that began under former lord mayor Graham Quirk and stirred controversy over the use of public land for private enterprise, as well as its ecological impact.

Inquest into Victorian 18 year old's death in seizure

In national news, an inquest is being launched into the death of Sommer Warren, an 18-year-old who died during labour at a regional Victorian hospital.

Ms Warren died when she suffered severe hypertension from a seizure, after being induced at Shepparton’s Goulburn Valley Health in 2014.

The inquest was told how the woman had gone to the hospital six times in two weeks due to health concerns, and that the hospital failed to induce Ms Warren in the days before her death, despite a local doctor urging immediate action.

Labour wants to plug Australia back into electric car industry

The Labor Party has plans to contribute tens of millions of dollars to resurrect the Australian car industry, by manufacturing electric and hydrogen-powered cars.

High-ranking executives from the United States have been travelling to Australia to discuss investment options.

Labor plans to offer major carmakers research and development grants from a $1 billion fund.

Labor leader, Bill Shorten, has hinted at his plan for the car industry earlier saying, he wants Australia to be a “manufacturing nation”.