According to fresh data commissioned by CommSec, Australian homes build in the past financial year were the smallest in more than two decades.

The figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that the average floor size of newly built houses and apartments was 186.3 square metres in 2017-18, meaning new homes were 1.6% smaller than the previous year, and the smallest they’ve been since 1996.

CommSec chief economist Craig James says the shrinking house size is due to the rise in number of apartment developments.

An analysis by Brisbane Times shows the Brisbane River has made an estimated $70 billion worth of contributions to Brisbane.

If the city had no river, it would mean 5.4 million more car trips, bus rides and train journeys for Brisbane commuters, pushing the city’s transport infrastructure to the limit.

More than $1 billion has been invested into new infrastructure such as moorings, tour-boat stops, fishing platforms, over-water bikeways and the ferry network.

The Queensland Government has commenced work to place sandstone blocks under the Kurilpa Bridge on the South Bank side, halting it from being used as a place for homeless people to sleep.

Fences were set up around the site in recent weeks, prompting protests from Brisbane City Council Greens councillor Jonathan Sri, who called the works cruel and disgusting.

Nine leading pro-democracy campaigners go on trial today in Hong Kong.

Members of the Umbrella Movement occupied Hong Kong’s central business district in 2013, demanding a democratic vote for the city’s leader.

Beijing’s appointment of Hong Kong officials is contrary to the one-country, two system plan negotiated by Margaret Thatcher.

Protesters face seven years jail time if convicted.

The UK faces another two years of Brexit negotiations, in a proposal by the EU that could cost billions of dollars.

Europe’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, raised the idea during a special meeting with ambassadors from the EU’s 27 member states.

The plan would mean the UK follows EU rules and pays into its budget for six and a half years post-Brexit vote.

Both sides hope to finalise extension negotiations during the summit on November 25.

US vice president Mike Pence has announced America will partner with Australia and Papua New Guinea to develop the Lombrum naval base on Manus Island, amid rising anxiety about China's power in the region.

A draft policy platform signed off by the ALP national executive and circulated to conference delegates last month suggests both policy commitments and a national environment commission will be adopted by the party at their national conference in December.

New data reveals the Queensland Government poll to change the name of the Lady Cilento hospital was rigged.

The survey reported 62% of 38,000 respondents favoured the name change.

Managing director of independent polling company Galaxy found the results unreliable, as more than 18,000 of the votes came from the same IP address.

He says because they don’t know who or how many people responded, there won’t be any action taken based on the findings.

Last  Friday morning, hundreds of Lime scooters appeared in the Brisbane CBD, South Bank, West End and Fortitude Valley after transport authorities issued a temporary permit.

The Lime scooters can travel at the speed up to 27km/h and can be found and hired by the app.

Locals were divided by the introduction, with some supporting the increase in accessibility.