Tasmania’s lower house has passed reforms making it easier for transgender people to change their sex on their birth certificate.

The changes will require parents to “opt-in” to having their newborns sex recorded on their birth certificates, and allow those as young as 16 to change their sex by filling out a statutory declaration.

It's unclear if the reforms will pass the state’s upper house but the vote is being touted as a major win for transgender rights nationally.

A surge in cyber attacks on Australian businesses over the past year has been orchestrated by China’s peak security company.

The attacks which were intended to steal intellectual property are in direct breach of an intelligence sharing alliance between Premier Li Keqiang, former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and other nations.

The cyber theft places significant pressure on the Morrisson government to respond either through law enforcement or diplomatic channels to uphold this agreement.

Drought affected farmers who are unable to afford school fees are having to decide which of their children to remove from boarding schools, the Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association says.

Wendy Hick, president of the ICPA, said parents are often forced to choose the most viable child to continue with their education while others are brought home to help out on the farm, which often means the end of their secondary schooling.

A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Queensland found tobacco smokers are at an increased risk of psychotic disorders.

The findings of the study suggest that those who smoke tobacco have a two-fold increased risk of developing schizophrenia or psychosis.

Associate Professor James Scott said the findings have raised serious concerns about the rising popularity of e-cigarettes among young people, but more research is needed to properly investigate its relation to mental health.

The Governor of Manus Island, Charlie Benjamin, has slammed Australia over plans to redevelop a joint naval base on the island in Papua New Guinea, labeling the plan unnecessary and not in the best interest of locals.

Benjamin said that he does not trust Australia to work on Lombrum naval base, as Australian workers would be paid high wages while local PNG workers would only be paid minimum wage.

The Queensland government has been accused by Brisbane City Council of stripping 30% of funding over four years from the First 5 Forever literacy program.

Peter Matic, Brisbane City Councillor said as the Queensland government looks to change the funding model, concerns have been raised.

The motion for consistent funding for literacy programs has gained the support of all Brisbane councillors.

A Herald investigation has revealed over 30 Federal MPs have failed to declare free gifts and trips, as well as the donors behind them, for close to two years.

The failure of the MPs to update their register of interests in spite of parliamentary requirements has raised concerns about transparency and potential conflicts of interest, with 7 MPs having added nothing since September 2016.

MPs are required to register gifts valued at more than $750 if received from official sources, or more than $300 if received from others.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has been accused of hate speech in India after posing with a sign saying “Smash Brahminical patriarchy, criticising the country’s caste system.

The sign was given to Dorsey by a member of the Dalit, the lowest caste, and has angered Brahmins, the highest class, as well as Hindi nationalists who seek to downplay the religion's fissures and unite the country under a single cultural and political umbrella.

The company has since apologised, saying neither Twitter or Dorsey support the signs message to dismantle the Hindu caste system.

New figures obtained by the ABC indicate that taxpayers are paying hundreds of thousands of dollars yearly for the decontamination of drug laboratories found in government housing.

It was found that over the last two financial years alone, taxpayers paid more than $550,000 to decontaminate about 140 houses in Queensland, but the offending tenants are not being banned from reapplying for a house.

Although tenants are evicted for this misconduct, reapplying for housing is not prohibited under public housing policy.