The Prime Minister has ruled out raising Newstart payments, following news Labor plans to increase the support.

When asked about the unemployment benefit, Scott Morrison said he would raise the pension first, although the Government says it can not afford to increase either.  

Pensioners presently receive $834 a fortnight, compared to the $538 those on Newstart receive.  

Hatchling turtles are at risk of being trapped in their nests, following predictions of no rainfall across the east coast.

On Wednesday, the first turtle came ashore on Bundaberg's Mon Repos beach for the start of nesting season.

In a recent issue of the Australian Journal of Zoology, scientists warned that a lack of rain could mean the sand atop nests can harden, preventing hatchlings from digging their way out.

Queensland’s Container Refund Scheme has officially launched this week, with residents able to swap their plastic drink containers, aluminum cans and beer bottles for 10¢ each.

The long-awaited scheme was first announced by the Queensland government in July 2016.

There are currently 232 collection points across Queensland, with an additional 70 sites expected to open within the next year.

The Queensland Police Service has launched a 3-month operation targeting fake license plates and unregistered vehicles after it was revealed that such actions are costing the QLD government $19 million in settlement payments in the past five years.

A rise in fake plates has triggered the operation, which will see officers looking out for drivers running red lights, using their mobile phone, and not wearing a seat belt.

The re-emergence of the “choking game” on social media has sparked concerns amongst teachers at Kelvin Grove State College, who are urging parents to caution their children on participating in it.

In an email sent to parents, the school’s principal noted there are over 36 million YouTube results for how to play the self-asphyxiation game linked to the death of a Queensland teenager two years ago.

Dreamworld is opening a $17 million virtual reality attraction in time for the summer holidays.

The ‘Sky Voyager’, a simulator that will mimic a flight through Surfers Paradise and Sydney Harbour, is built upon a motion platform and guests will wear VR headsets to experience the ride.

The new investment marks the first major spending project from Dreamworld since the 2016 Thunder River Rapids tragedy.

In an open letter with 1,000 signatures, students from 34 schools in greater Sydney have asked principals to forfeit the right to discriminate against LGBT teachers.

The letter comes amidst the request by the 34 schools to be exempt from the Government’s plan to remove the right to expel gay students, while retaining the right to sack LGBT teachers.

The letter, organised by former St Luke’s Grammar Student Max Loomes, includes signatures from students at Trinity Grammar and the Kings School.

Melbourne students have posted on the social media page of Calmer Cafe after reading a negative review in a year 12 exam on a fictional cafe with a similar name.

Over 40,000 New South Wales students were required to examine a fictional review on a non-existent hipster cafe called Calmer Coffee as part of their VCE English exam, with some posting negative reviews on the real cafe’s Facebook page.

Thousands of Google employees across the world have staged walkouts in protest over the tech company’s handling of sexual harassment cases.

The protests come a week after the New York Times published a story detailing allegations against former Google executive Andy Rubin, who is reported to have received a $90 million US dollar settlement package.

Mr Rubin denied the allegations, and Google boss Sundar Pichai has apologised on behalf of the company.

Almost a year and half since the Grenfell Tower fire in London that claimed the lives of 72, and 151 former residents are still without a place to live.

While 130 households have been moved into permanent housing since the blaze, 39 remain in emergency, and another 25 in temporary accommodation.

A Government spokesperson conceded it is “not acceptable” that people are still without permanent housing, after the Government promised to rehouse those affected within 12 months.