Scientists fear the white lemuroid possum, found in the cloud forests of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area in far north Queensland, could soon become extinct due to climate change.

The white possum was nearly wiped out by a heatwave in 2005, and can die in temperatures above 29 degrees as it has not evolved mechanisms to cool its body down.

The Wet Tropics World Heritage region covers only a tenth of one per cent of Australia’s land mass, yet contains 50 per cent of the nation’s species.

The nomination of former Brisbane councillor, Margaret de Wit, to the South Bank Corporation Board has been rejected by Labor councillors.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk nominated the now retired councillor, who served for 19 years, but opposition leader Peter Cumming refused to support this, saying it was a job for a former councillor, rather than merit-based.

The South Bank corporation manages the key stretch of river frontage in South Brisbane for public use.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has ruled out calling out a snap election if his government loses a vote against a bill which would enable refugees from Manus Island and Nauru to come to Australia for medical treatment, should two doctors recommend it.

If the bill passes it would be the first time since 1929 that a sitting government has lost a vote on legislation, however it is not clear if this would trigger a constitutional crisis.

The price of Tasmanian honey is set to soar after fires across the state resulted in the industry’s worst season in 35 years.

Large amounts of valuable leatherwood trees have been wiped out and are expected to take more than 100 years to recover, which is problematic in that they produce more than 70 per cent of the state’s honey.

Tasmanian Beekeepers Association vice president Peter Norris said production would be down 75 per cent, and the loss of leatherwood would impact generations of honey producers.

Hawaiian Democratic representative Richard Creagan has proposed a bill that would make it illegal to sell cigarettes to anyone under the age of 100.

The law would effectively amount to a cigarette ban by 2024, and according to Creagan, is structured to withstand any legal challenge.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States, accounting for nearly half a million deaths every year

Experts are calling for greater preparation from Australian authorities amid concerns the massive release of water from the Townsville Ross River dam has contributed to this week’s extensive flooding.

Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the floodgates had to be opened “to make sure the water had somewhere to go” just before the dam level peaked at 42.97m, in line with a current management plan.

Residents have expressed anger that water was allowed to build for so long rather than be released steadily during the previous week of heavy rain.

A new report has found if you lined up all the trucks coming into Queensland to dump rubbish in 2018, they would stretch from Brisbane to Mackay.

This is an increase of 37% from 2017, mostly driven from construction and demolition waste, while Queensland’s own waste increased by 11%, despite the population only increasing by 1.6%.

Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch says the report demonstrates the urgency to improve Queensland’s waste management, but blamed the problem on the former LNP government’s action to scrap a waste levy, seven years ago.  

A British football fan has been arrested and detained in the United Arab Emirates after he wore a Qatar football shirt to a match.

The fan, Ali Issa Ahmad is said to have been unaware of a law in the UAE against “showing sympathy” for Qatar, which was brought in following a diplomatic dispute after they accused the state of supporting radical and Islamist groups.