Thousands of emergency services personnel will be door-knocking across the State this weekend, aiming to connect Queenslanders with people who don’t usually call until the worst happens.

During Operation Knock Knock, residents will be able to ask professionals about their local risks, how to prepare for disaster, and who to contact within the neighbourhood in case of an emergency.

Fire and Emergency Services Minister Craig Crawford said the initiative will provide an opportunity to ‘check in’ with the community before disaster strikes.

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud has introduced legislation to heavily penalise substandard live exports.

In response to widespread live export deaths this year, Littleproud has called upon Labor to pass this bill without amendments.

If passed, company directors and individuals could face up to 10 years in prison, accompanied with fines ranging between $420,000 dollars for individuals and $4.2 million dollars for companies.

Australia’s oldest swimming pool could soon be closed due to the effects of climate change.

Sydney’s Dawn Fraser Baths could face closure if the government doesn’t fund an estimated $6.7 million worth of repairs on the pavilion caused by rising sea levels.

Greens councillor Rochelle Porteous said the job is beyond the capacity of local councils, with the state government needing to step up to save the heritage site.

China has announced it will retaliate if U.S. President Donald Trump continues to increase tariffs on Chinese imports.

Foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, said China will definitely take countermeasures to safeguard its rights and interests if necessary.

Despite rising tariffs, China’s exports to the United States have increased in July and August fuelling Washington’s incentive to restrict imports.

California has passed a law pledging commitment to carbon-free energy by 2045.

This is the latest legislation against US President Donald Trump’s administration policies.

Governor Jerry Brown said this law will transition the Californian economy to zero carbon emissions, honouring the terms of the 2015 Paris agreement.

Thousands of residents have submitted a petition to stop a proposed development at Nundah.

The eight-storey building, which would demolish a section of a heritage listed building, has been opposed by local residents who believe the development will ruin a local treasure.

The property application submitted in January is still under assessment by the Brisbane City Council.

The rate of Queensland Prep students suspended or expelled for schoolyard bullying has doubled since 2013.

In 2017, over 1000 prep students and 2000 grade one students were sent home due to bad behaviour, including physical violence.

Queensland Teacher’s Union President Kevin Bates says this increase in bad behaviour has developed “as a consequence of increasing violence in our community…[which is] spilling into our schools.”

One in 25 Australian babies are now born from IVF, with one in four embryo transfers resulting in a live birth.

A UNSW study found the complications associated with the procedure continue to decrease, while the age of mothers able to have children through IVF is slowly rising.

Michael Chapman, President of the Fertility Society of Australia, says IVF was just an experiment 35 years ago, but has evolved into a standard medical treatment.

Compulsory reporting of life-saving drug shortages will be introduced after legislation was passed in the Senate on Monday.

Health Minister Greg Hunt believes this mandatory scheme will aid in patient welfare and reduce risk created by events like the Epipen shortage in April this year.

This replaces the voluntary scheme put into place in 2014, which Hunt believes was ineffective.