Maverick LNP backbencher Jason Costigan has been suspended from the party, after a complaint alleging he harassed a woman.

A woman complained to the LNP that Mr Costigan allegedly harassed her 18 year old daughter after she returned to her grandparents home, where he was staying temporarily, and found him shirtless.

Mr Costigan will be suspended until the LNP state executive meets on Friday, February 1, when he could be expelled. If expelled, Mr Costigan would join the crossbench at the first sitting of the Queensland Parliament for 2019 in less than two weeks.

European Union leaders have collectively declined Britain’s bid to negotiate changes to the Brexit divorce deal.

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, whose economy stands to suffer most from a 'no-deal' Brexit, told British Prime Minister May he would not accept her plans to renegotiate a post-Brexit arrangement for the Irish border.

Other European Union governments backed that stance, leaving little room for Ms May to realistically secure any changes to the Brexit deal.
 

The United Nations migration agency has reported that the death toll after two migrant boats sank in heavy seas off the coast of Djibouti has risen to 52, with scores still feared missing.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) say the boats capsized half an hour into their voyage on the Horn of Africa nation’s northeast coast on Tuesday.

Migrations continue even to Yemen even though it is facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

News analysts predict Australian universities will continue to enjoy “booming” demand from international students despite a predicted drop of Chinese students.

Australia is estimated to overtake Britain this year, second to the United States, for the most popular destination for international students.

Analysts say the increase of international student numbers at Australian universities has led to concerns over foreign students being treated as “cash cows” and negatively impacting education standards.

Former Liberal MP turned independent Julia Banks will challenge her former colleague, Greg Hunt, for the seat of Flinders at the next election.

Ms Banks will campaign on climate change and energy – issues she has accused Mr Hunt, who has a margin of 7 per cent, of failing to address.

The former lawyer joins a growing list of progressive independent women contesting 'traditionally safe’ Liberal seats in the wake of last year’s leadership spill.   

Millionaire philanthropists, Judith and Trevor St Baker, have vowed to avoid funding the Queensland Children's Hospital in the future over its name change.

Health Minister Steven Miles announced South Brisbane’s Lady Cilento Children's Hospital would be renamed in September last year, following a campaign that argued there was confusion about whether it was a private or public hospital.

A high-profile Australian psychologist has been extradited from Queensland to New South Wales to face charges of historical sex offences against young boys while he was a scout leader.

The psychologist, who once treated contestants on a reality television show and profiled notorious criminals, faced Southport Magistrates court on Wednesday.

The 75-year-old, who cannot be named, was extradited to appear in Tweed Heads Local Court on Thursday to face charges dating back to the 1960s including indecent assault and buggery against three 12-year-old boys.

Gold Coast city councillors have voted to keep the controversial artwork on the motorway, despite being told that 100 per cent of people in the city do not like the installation.

The lights spell out Gold Coast in the middle of the busy M1 motorway at Yatala [Yah-TAA-lah]; however, most motorists have complained the sign is pointless at it is impossible to read the words when driving by.