The Australian high court is hearing appeals from activists who say that laws banning protests outside abortion clinics infringe on their rights to free speech.

Currently, Victoria has active legislation that establishes a 150 metre zone around abortion clinics where protesters are barred from protesting which is designed to reduce harassment and intimidation of potential patients when entering clinics.

Australians experiencing severe mental health issues will be better catered to, as a result of changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

NDIS social services minister, Paul Fletcher, says among the changes will be better linking of mental health services and the authority who runs the NDIS; this is aimed to benefit around 64,000 Australians with psycho-social disabilities.

Mr. Fletcher says we need to make sure those who are eligible for coverage within the scheme are given the support they need.

Brisbane’s first high-rise childcare centre has opened in the city, where lawyers and children can co-exist alongside each other.

The Little Scholars School of Early Learning occupies the second floor of a 34-floor building; it offers preschooler activities from yoga and dance classes to visits from hairdressers and dentists.

Urban planning academic, Tony Matthews, says high-rise daycare centres and schools are on the rise due to a shortage of available urban land.

One of Brisbane's most popular markets, for almost a decade, has decided to shut down on the 28th of October this month.

The Market, which began in 2010 became a sunday tradition for the people of Ascot—providing the area with fresh fruit, vegetables, live music and exposure for charity and community groups.

With the last market being on the 28th of this month, this marks the end of ‘the Eagle Farm Era’.

Pupua New Guinea authorities are trying to work out whether a earthquake which hit New Britain caused a Tsunami in the region.

Cities within the region are still questioning whether damage has been caused, however many cities have reported no significant damage or casualties.

Seismic (Sizemic) Activity such as this is not uncommon in the region, as it sits above active tectonic plates which are the cause of earthquakes worldwide.

Wind turbines can cause health issues if someone is exposed to their excessive noise levels, according to new guidelines for Europe that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has published.

These guidelines suggest exposure to wind turbines should not exceed 45 decibels during the day. For a comparison, soft music has 50 decibels.

WHO Europe chief, Zsuzsanna Jakab, says more than being a nuisance, excessive noise is a health risk that can contribute to cardiovascular diseases for example.

The South Australian Abortion Action Coalition is pushing to repeal South Australia’s abortion laws, lobbying for state parliaments to remove abortion from the state’s crime act.

The coalition wrote to politicians last month, after securing support from over 20 professional and community organisations. The group wants abortion to be covered under the state's health laws and to introduce laws mandating a safety zone around abortion clinics.

More than 90 percent of women who are in Sydney’s city centre after dark feel unsafe. This is a key finding of the Unsafe in the City report, which was commissioned by humanitarian organisation Plan International, and released today as part of International Day of the Girl Child.

Queensland’s $261 million water quality program is failing to protect the Great Barrier Reef from Fertiliser runoff.

The reason for this risk, to the world's great wonder, is the excessive use of chemicals (particularly nitrogen and phosphorous) on their properties, which has been banned by the QLD government, however no one has ever been prosecuted for doing so.

Adani has been granted permission to increase its North Queensland coal exports by 20 percent, which means approximately 60 million tonnes of the resource could be transferred through its Abbot Point terminal every year.

This approval comes one month after the State Government announced it will take the mining company to court for the alleged illegal release of coal-laden water near the Great Barrier Reef.