Refugee footballer in Thailand refused flight back to Australia

Pasco Vale refugee footballer Hakeem Alaraibi is being detained in Thailand at the request of the Bahrain government.

Mr Alaraibi was granted refugee travel documents from the Australian government to holiday in Bangkok with his wife.

As he was preparing to return to Australia, the Bahraini courts issued an extradition order for vandalising a police station - a crime Mr Alaraibi says he was tortured at length over.

Human rights watch says it will be a test of Thailand’s commitment to respect human rights, as Mr Alaraibi has recognised asylum seeker status.

Brisbane outpaced by Toowoomba and Gladstone for growth

New research by SGS Economics and Planning reveals regional centres such as Toowoomba and Gladstone are outpacing Brisbane in terms of economic growth.

Despite Brisbane's gross domestic product growth in 2017-18 being the highest since 2011-12, Cairns, Townsville, Toowoomba, Mackay, Rockhampton, and Gladstone are all powering ahead at a faster rate.

Brisbane motorists now can shop around for the cheapest petrol on their smartphone

From midday today, Brisbane motorists will be able to shop around for the cheapest petrol from their smartphone, thanks to a new two-year fuel price-monitoring trial from the Queensland Government.

Over one thousand of Queensland's servos will be required to lodge their fuel prices via an online portal within half an hour of them changing and otherwise facing fines of up to $13,000.

RACQ public policy head Rebecca Michael says the initiative will help put the power back into the hands of drivers and allow them to reward retailers that offer the best deal.

Review: Love/Hate Actually Wonderland Festival 2018

Love/Hate Actually was an absolute nostalgic ball of fun as part of the 2018 Wonderland Festival. And I say that knowing that the material that they reference is also referred to in a nostalgic spirit, but looking back on the show so is the ACT/REACT performance expertly performed by Amy and Natalie. Nostalgia in the sense that you get the warm and fuzzy feelings thinking back on it and wish you could have dragged more people along to see it.

 

Doughnut Time reopens with new management

Across South East Queensland, Doughnut Time has reopened and is offering free doughnuts in selected stores. 

The disgraced business, has opened up under new management after the doughnut chain collapsed earlier this year, owing $3 million in unpaid wages 

The new owner, Peter Andros, has promised that any future expansions will be measured to avoid the business running in to the same financial trouble. 
 

Queensland to remove unsafe Christmas toys

Queensland’s Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath says ‘ho, ho...NO’ to unsafe Christmas toys, with the The Office of Fair Trading releasing the results of its proactive Christmas toy safety campaign.

Of the 4,968 toy lines inspected statewide, only six had to be removed from the shelves for safety reasons.

The Attorney General says she is pleased with the level of compliance and understanding of product safety laws shown by the vast majority of stores.