$3.7 million upgrade to the Brisbane Valley Highway
The Queensland Government has announced a $3.7 million upgrade to the Brisbane Valley Highway.
Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said that work would start from mid-February, with crews set to resurface a 26 km stretch of the Highway between Esk and Fernvale.
Traffic controllers, reduced speed limits and road signage will be in place to ensure the safety of road workers and motorists.
Queensland Health and Royal Flying Doctors Service to fly in mental health staff in flood ridden regions
Queensland Health has teamed up with the Royal Flying Doctors Service to urgently fly-in mental health staff to flood affected areas in North and Western Queensland.
Health Minister Steven Miles says this will ensure Queenslanders affected by the floods are supported, especially farmers, many of whom have lost livestock.
A total of 14 mental health staff have been deployed in Townsville, with more planning to travel shortly.
If you are struggling with mental health please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Tin Star: A Better Way To Do Things
- If you follow the folky circuit you may be quite familiar with Tin Star, who’ve been working it hard over the last eighteen months. I have to admit that I used to follow it a lot more closely than I do now which is why Tin Star’s very polished debut full-length blindsided me completely. It’s so polished it’s a little bit shocking: as if I were gabbing with someone about music at the pub and they had to tell me, a little patronisingly, that there’s this classic Australiana band, beloved by all, only I have no idea who they are.
Big Bad Echo: Pop Godz
- Brisbane five-piece Big Bad Echo formed some six years ago and have built up a following via their post-punk infused songs, which veer from twitchy to tranquil while always maintaining an atmospheric core. A further distinctive feature is frontman Mick Reddy, whose naturally nervous vocal style can evoke everyone from Ian McCullogh to Ed Kuepper.
Relatives of detained Uighurs demand 'proof of life' in social media campaign
A video released by the Chinese government aimed at appeasing Uighur activists has done the opposite, sparking a global social media campaign demanding proof of the well-being of detained Uighur's.
The campaign was started by Uighur activist Halmurat Harri who lives in Finland.
He says the world needs to realise that the issue of Uighurs’ detained in Chinese camps is not an ethnic or racial issue but a tragedy for all humans.
Manus Island refugee to accept major human rights award in Switzerland
A Sudanese refugee detained on Manus Island has won a major human rights award.
Abdul Aziz Muhamat, who has been on the island since 2013, was allowed to travel to Geneva where he was honoured for demonstrating outstanding commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, while often working under threat, imprisonment, torture or worse.
Mr Muhamat speaks to international media outlets regularly from Manus Island, shedding light on and condemning the quality of life in offshore detention.
Adelaide health officials unite in a bid to stop ambulance ramping
Doctors, nurses, paramedics, GPs and health leaders are meeting in Adelaide in a bid to stop ambulance ramping at the city’s public hospitals.
The Ambulance Employees Association says the situation has been so bad that the availability of ambulances across the metropolitan area has been severely restricted.
Senator-staff fight under investigation
Senate President Scott Ryan has launched an investigation into a physical altercation between former United Australia Party leader Brian Burston and Pauline Hanson’s chief of staff outside Parliament House on Wednesday.
The altercation follows recent events in which Hanson accused Burston of sexual assault, to which he responded that she made sexual advances to him instead.
Senator Ryan says the matter will be regarded with grave importance and urgency.
Disability access fails Paralympian at Event Cinema, saying 'It takes away your human right’
A paralympian has had to slide down two flights of stairs on her bottom to exit a Queensland Event Cinemas when the lift broke down, and is calling on businesses to make disability access a priority.
Amanda Fraser, who has won multiple medals at paralympic events, says she had two experiences at the venue which left her feeling humiliated and discriminated against for her disability.
Giant dinosaur tracks found in central-west Qld
A series of well-preserved dinosaur tracks have been found on a property near Winton in central-west Queensland.
The discovery has been hailed as one of the best-preserved dinosaur tracks in Australia and covers an area equal to the size of two basketball courts.
Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones says the find will play a key role in boosting visitor numbers to the Queensland outback.