An independent inquiry into the procurement of the $4.4 billion New Generation Rollingstock, led by retired judge Michael Forde, found the design of the trains was flawed from “day one”

The trains had disability access issues, including the toilets and pathways being too small for wheelchairs, but they were rolled out in December 2017 as the NGR were needed for the Commonwealth Games timetable.

Decisions to allow non-compliant trains were made on the basis of incomplete information as those issues were not escalated to senior decision-makers.

Aussie farm produce remains above average. Australian farmers are expected to produce $58 billion worth of goods in the current financial year, marking a decline from earlier forecasts.

Due to lower production as a result of poor seasonal conditions, export earnings for 2018-2019 are tipped to decline by seven percent to $45 billion.

Increases in farmgate prices and strong production in Western Australia are tipped to contribute to the solid result, offsetting the impact of a drought.

The first two of Australia’s state-of-the-art fighter jets have arrived at Williamtown RAAF Base near Newcastle.

These are the first in a $17 billion dollar order from the US that will leave Australia with a total of 72 F-35 fighter jets

The project has been widely criticised and is cited as the most expensive in history, with the total projected cost - once research, development, and sustainment is factored in - estimated to be over $1 trillion dollars.

A European Union study showed more than one in three European Jews have considered moving over the past five years because they no longer feel safe amid a surge in anti-Semitism.

The survey in 12 countries that are home to 96 percent of European Jews showed widespread concern at a rise in hate crimes which Jewish communities blame in part on anti-Semitic comments by politicians.

An Infrastructure Australia report to be released Tuesday, will show public transport, roads, hospitals and schools are failing to keep pace with new housing developments in Brisbane.

Infrastructure Australia policy and research executive director Peter Colacino said “it is not affordable or sustainable for Brisbane to accommodate the projected population growth in new areas. Brisbane needs to focus on growing up, not out, through a delivery of higher quality and higher density established areas.”

Queensland will brace for more wild weather with ex-Tropical Cyclone Owen set to return for another round of destruction.

Owen is currently a tropical low, but it is expected to reform in the Gulf Carpentaria over the next 48 hours before swinging back east towards Townsville, then possibly tracking down the coast through the weekend.

The Bureau of Meteorology has given it a 20-50 percent chance of redeveloping into a category one cyclone by Wednesday evening.

The government spent $78 million transporting asylum seekers last year. These figures highlight the cost of moving and deporting asylum seekers to and from Australia.

The figures from the Department of Home Affairs obtained under Freedom of Information laws shows this significant cost has declined from $97 million to $78 million  in the previous financial year.

Last financial year’s federal central budget set aside $17 million for natural disaster relief and $52 million to support the dairy industry.

An announcement is expected from the government today to aid the country's 2 million casual workers

In the new year, the government will attempt to implement laws to give all casual workers the right to request a move to full-time or part-time work after being in their role for 12 months continuously.

Employers would still be able to say no under this new law, but risk opening themselves up to legal action if they fail to provide reasonable business grounds for doing so.

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a 100-euro per month increase in the minimum wage as of next year in response to the yellow vest riots.

Macron addressed the nation after three weeks of anti-government demonstrations by low-income workers which resulted in violence, looting as well as decline to France’s economy.