Both sides of state politics are calling for a ban on offensive Wicked Camper vans to be passed nationwide. 

The push comes after the ABC published a story on a particularly profane van spotted near Cairns.

So far only Tasmania has passed similar laws preventing registering vehicles with offensive slogans.  
 

The Gold Coast Star Casino is set to undergo an $850 million dollar expansion, opening 4 new accomodation towers. 

The development was announced by the Premier this morning, with the expansion estimated to be worth more than $2 billion dollars. 

The news comes as work continues on the Star’s $3.6 billion Queens Wharf casino development in Brisbane. 

Freedom of information documents have revealed Question Time files used by the Home Affairs Minister served as empty props, stirring questions on Mr Dutton’s behaviour in Parliament. 

The props - two folders with Tony Burke and Chris Bowen’s names on them - were claimed to be files on all ministerial interventions in visa cases made by the former Immigration Ministers. 

A statement released by the shadow treasurer, Mr Bowen reaffirmed his thoughts at the time - that the folders were full of pages from the phone book. 
 

The Federal Government is defending a push by Labor to refer Coalition MP Chris Crewther to the High Court under section 44. 

The Victorian MP for Dunkley is accused by the opposition to be ineligible due to his $25,000 investment in a biotechnology company which has received Commonwealth grants and funding. 

Following the Government’s loss of their parliamentary majority, if the referral of Mr Crewther is supported by the crossbench and he loses the court bid, a by-election would be triggered in his seat, with polls indicating Labor could win it. 
 

The most up-to-date global satellite images of the world’s coral reefs are now online, as part of joint project by the University of Queensland and Microsoft’s late co-founder, Paul G. Allen.

The images will contribute to the mapping and monitoring project, the Allen Coastal Atlas, to be completed in 2020. 

With high-resolution satellite imagery and advanced analytics allowing for the mapping and monitoring ofthe world’s coral reefs in unprecedented detail, researchers are calling the development a game changer in strengthening conservation efforts.

And in the US, at least 339 openly LGBTIQ+ candidates are running for the midterm election - a record number of people putting their hands up from the rainbow community. 

California has the highest number of LGBTIQ+ candidates at 57, however they’re closely followed by the traditionally conservative Texas, who has 37 candidates. 

Polls will open in just five days, and the Republican party’s narrow hold in some seats such as Vermont could see the first ever transgender governor of a US state in the Democratic candidate Christine Hallquist.