From next week onwards, the speed limit on Ann Street will be permanently slowed down from 60 to 40 km/h .

The reduced speed limit between Creek St and Riverside expressway is in response to interim findings from the Brisbane City Council’s pedestrian safety review.

There have been 10 serious pedestrian crashes in the last 5 years involving the street, including the death of Anne-Marie Stent.

A redevelopment plan for cinemas replacing the old Red Hill Skate arena has been re-lodged by two Brisbane brothers following opposition from a global cinema chain.

Despite Brisbane City Council’s approval of the project, the proposal was challenged by Reading Cinemas, who are located just three kilometres away.

Brothers Peter and Stephen Sourris are known for re-purposing and developing cinemas across Brisbane, owning New Farm Cinemas, the Elizabeth Picture Theatre, and the Yatala Drive-In.

Huawei and ZTE’s ban from Australia’s 5G network in August has been “supported by technical advice”, according to a spy agency.

Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) chief, Mike Burgess, says the Chinese companies were excluded as they were classified “high-risk vendors” that could compromise the security of the network.

Mr Burgess says the decision was “not taken lightly” as “getting security right for critical infrastructure is paramount”.

The Australian Taxation Office’s annual report revealed collectable debt had a record rise last year to just under $24 billion.

The outstanding debt is mostly owned by small businesses, up to half of which the ATO says is subject to appeal, or uneconomical or impossible to recover.

The ATO still met their revenue target by collecting more company tax from high-profit corporations, and by targeting multinationals and wealthy individuals through the Tax Avoidance Taskforce.

Locals were evacuated from Venice yesterday with the highest recorded flood levels since 2012.

Tourists were cleared out from St Marks Square as water levels reached 1.5 m.

In the rest of the country, heavy winds and flooding toppled trees and buildings killing six people.  

Nine people have been wounded in a suicide bombing near a busy shopping centre in Tunisia’s capital, Tunis.

The suicide bomber, a 30-year-old woman was the only fatality.

There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing.

Queensland is set to see an improvement in Centrelink operations with more than 2000 call centre workers set to be phased in across the nation.

Over 800 of these new jobs are in Brisbane, with the remaining positions based in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

Minister for Human Services and Digital Transformation Michael Keenan believes those relying on Centrelink’s services will notice a big difference in operations.  

The Brisbane Council has announced the ANZAC square renovations won’t be ready by Remembrance Day as previously estimated.

According to the council website, poor weather delayed the opening and renovations are now not set to be completed until December 2018.

RSL Queensland president Tony Ferris said he is ‘dismayed’ by the events, but affirmed the RSL will continue to ‘pull out all stops’ to properly commemorate the day.