Buttrose vows to get ABC ‘functioning again
Incoming ABC chair Ita Buttrose has said her top priority is to restore stability to the public broadcaster.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has also officially announced he will recommend Ms Buttrose to the Governor-General as the new leader of the ABC.
Ms Buttrose said after the recent period of unrest, it is time to get the ABC “functioning again” and said a close relationship between the chair and the managing director is important.
Townsville Boys’ Family launches appeal to move bodies
Relatives of the two boys found dead in a Townsville river have launched a GoFundMe page to bring the boys’ bodies back to their hometown in Darwin for a cultural smoking ceremony in their honour.
As of this morning, the appeal has reached just over $6,700 of their $9,000 goal.
Advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights and family spokeswoman Gracelyn Smallwood thanked the local community for their search efforts and outpouring of support from Australia and globally.
Farming groups and MP slam Great Barrier Reef protection plans
Farming groups and a crossbench MP have slammed moves to protect the Great Barrier Reef from agricultural run-off.
Queensland Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch has introduced laws to reduce run-off from agriculture and direct pollution sources from intensive land uses like sewage treatment plants and mining.
Nick Dametto from Katter's Australian Party says he fears farmers would suffer from bureaucratic green tape if the bill was passed and that it is a complete assault on farming.
Farming groups and MP slam Great Barrier Reef protection plans
Image Source: Wise Hok Wai Lum
Brexit Discussions Continue
The UK parliament has backed Prime Minister Theresa May’s promise on allowing members of parliament to vote on whether Brexit should be delayed.
Some pro-Brexit politicians abstained from voting to support the decision as they fear a delay may be used to avoid Brexit entirely.
If May does not receive backing for her withdrawal deal by March 12, members of parliament will vote on whether to leave the EU with no deal or seek to postpone the current Brexit day of March 29.
Gun control bill passes US lower house
The US House of Representatives has passed a bill requiring background checks for all firearms sales and transfers.
The bill passed the Democratic-controlled Lower House with 240 votes to 190 votes opposed but still faces tough opposition from Republicans in the Senate.
President Donald Trump, who is threatening to veto the bill, said it would impose unreasonable requirements on gun owners, while House Speaker Nancy Pelosi described the vote as long-overdue and a historic victory.
Government reveals names of institutions not signed up to child sexual abuse redress scheme
The Australian Federal Government has published a list of more than 100 institutions yet to sign up to the National Redress Scheme for victims of child sexual abuse.
The extensive list includes several religious institutions, as well as sporting and community groups, and provides timeframes for institutions that indicated they would sign up but have not done so yet.
Social Services Minister Paul Fletcher has urged institutions to sign up as soon as possible.
Qld’s first semi-identical twins make history
Two Queensland twins are making history for becoming the first pair of semi-identical twins in the world to be identified during pregnancy.
Twins of their kind do not usually survive as embryos, which makes the four-year-old siblings only the second set of known semi-identical twins in the world.
Queensland University of Technology clinical geneticist Michael Gabbett has done extensive tests on the twins, and said the pair, despite being a girl and a boy, could easily pass for identical in appearance.
Woman guilty of animal neglect had been asking for donations
A woman who left a dozen dogs in a state of neglect used social media to plead for donations for her animal welfare group.
Danielle Lamprecht let the dogs live among their own excrement, some confined to small cages and without water.
RSPCA Queensland spokesman Michael Beatty said the dogs were kept in appalling conditions in what is a distressing case of animal neglect.
The woman founded Couch Surfers Animal Rescue in Deception Bay and was convicted of animal neglect in Caboolture Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
Ferry driver strike ends in agreement
Brisbane ferry drivers will return to work on Thursday after their third strike in three months was cut short.
The 72-hour strike ended earlier than expected as agreement was reached with Maritime Union of Australia Members.
The Maritime Union of Australia’s Queensland Branch Secretary Jason Miners said the agreement was made possible by workers rallying together and will provide roster certainty and a pay rise.