Brisbane City Council joined the ranks of public agencies requesting consumers’ metadata from telecoms companies, prompting calls of ‘Big Brother’ from the council’s Labor opposition.

According to the telecoms industry, the request includes details of numbers called by phone users, their location, the length of calls, email addresses and other information they are obliged to keep for two years under 2015 national security laws.

Brisbane City Council is the only Queensland council requesting this information.

Under new legislation passed in State Parliament, Queensland resource companies will be required to financially contribute to rehabilitate abandoned mines in Queensland.

Deputy Premier, Jackie Trad described the new laws as ground-breaking, saying the reforms ensure mine rehabilitation will happen in Queensland.

The legislation will not be retrospective, a decision welcomed by the Head of Queensland Resources Council Ian Macfarlane.

The United Nations (UN) has lifted its sanctions on Eritrea in Africa, nine years after they were imposed by the international organisation.

In 2009, the UN imposed a nationwide arms embargo, travel ban and asset freeze on certain people and entities after accusing Eritrea of supporting armed groups in Somalia. Eritrea denied the accusations.

The decision to lift the sanctions were made during a meeting of the UN Security Council and follow a rapprochement between Eritrea and neighbouring Ethiopia in recent months.

British Prime Minister, Theresa May, has won the backing of her senior ministers for a draft European Union Brexit deal, said the draft agreement is in the UK's national interest.

Ms May said the choice is between a deal taking back control for the UK, or for one of more division and uncertainty.

The Prime Minister also faces growing opposition from pro-European Union politicians who said the public should get a new vote on whether to leave or stay.

The deadline to opt out of the My Health Record system has been extended to January 31, 2019, meaning millions of Australians will no longer be automatically signed to the scheme by the end of the year.

The decision came after changes were proposed to the scheme to include tougher penalties for people who misuse the system.

The opt-out period was due to end on Thursday night.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has launched a 12-month parliamentary inquiry into the delivery of aged care, end of life and palliative care in Queensland.

This has come after campaigns on voluntary euthanasia urging the Labour government to introduce legislation on this term.

The Health, Communities, Disability Services and Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Committee will run the inquiry and is due to report by November 30, 2019.  

A Queensland police officer has been dismissed after claims of misconduct involving untruthfulness, destroying evidence, making false statements and failing to treat others with respect and dignity.

The officer was a 56-year-old senior constable from the northern region.

In a commitment to transparency and accountability, Queensland Police said they have undertaken to inform the public when an officer has been dismissed for misconduct.

The Northern Territory Government has a ten year plan to empower Aboriginal communities in Groote Eylandt, as the first steps toward a treaty for the region.

Complete control over local education, justice, health and governance has been handed over by the NT government to the remote Aboriginal island community.

The deal was an acknowledgement that successive governments both territory and federal had failed to provide services in remote indigenous communities.