US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new opioid tablet Dsuvia 1,000 times more potent than morphine and 10 times stronger than fentanyl.

It will be restricted to limited use only in health care settings, such as hospitals, surgery centers, and emergency rooms, but critics worry the opioid will fuel an already grim opioid epidemic.

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb says there will be a tight restriction on Dsuvia.

A development application has been lodged to transform a mine in Brisbane’s south into a business park and green space once operations end in 2021.

The 15 year plan has been proposed to replace the Austral Bricks company mine in Rochedale, which has been operating since 1975.

Several industries have been included in the plan for the area, with the design to be sensitive to the regional ecosystem surrounding the site.

A Queensland government report has revealed there will be a health and education job boom in the state over the next four years.

While there will be a 8 per cent statewide rise in Queensland employment, more than 50 per cent of all new workers are predicted to be working in the healthcare, science and education industries.

Despite the boom, those with education degrees are also expected to fall over the next five years.

68 000 parents have been placed on “Parent Next” - a government scheme that jeopardises their Centrelink payments if they fail to fulfill requirements of a “participation plan”.

Some single mothers in the program say they have been forced to attend “story time” or swimming lessons at their own expense, or apply for education courses despite prior qualifications.

A new survey reveals one in five Australian workers experience insomnia and other mental health conditions.

This survey in SuperFriend’s annual report reveals an increase of workers with mental health issues, up from one in six in last year's survey.

SuperFriend CEO Margot Lydon says the majority of survey respondents believe investment in workplace mental health and well being would improve productivity and reduce sickness and absences.

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has responded to US sanctions on the country’s oil sales with air defence drills, saying the nation faces a “war situation”.

Oil is a crucial source of income for Iran, and sanctions are expected to further wound the country’s weak economy, which has seen it’s currency plummet and cost of living rise.

Eight countries will be temporarily exempt from the sanctions, aimed at curbing Iran support for regional militant groups and development of long-range missiles.

Suicides by Japanese youth have reached a 30-year-high despite overall suicide numbers across Japan steadily declining over the past 15 years.

A total of 250 children in elementary, middle and high school have taken their lives since March, the highest since 1986.

Of the 250 cases, concerns for the future, family problems, and bullying were the main reasons for the deaths, surveys showed.

Listeners seeking support and info regarding mental health call Lifeline Australia @ 13 11 14

Only two of 180 tagged koalas relocated by the State Government for Gold Coast development between 2008 and 2014 have been rediscovered.

Saunder Havill Consultants say 632 hectares of bushland had disappeared around Coomera since 2006, and this forced relocation could be the reason for the decline of koala populations.

Queensland's koala translocation policy has been under review since August 2018.