The Australian Productivity Commission has planned to review mental health spending, analysing where the current $9 billion is spent across the state and federal level.

BeyondBlue Chief Georgie Harman outlines that the inquiry has ‘the potential to drive real change’.

This review comes in response to the 3128 deaths by suicide across the nation last year, as well as numerous psychiatrists saying mental health is being ‘short changed’ after Australia spending only $9 billion out of its total health budget of $170 billion.

Environmental activists over the weekend embarked on a door knocking campaign around the country.

Anti-Adani groups have gone door to door trying to garner support against the proposed Carmichael mine, telling residents about the environmental impact of the mine.

60 groups around the country were planning to spread the word, 18 of which were in Queensland.

It has been revealed that $1.2 billion in benefits has been paid out to Queenslanders through Workcover, with a reported 94% percent of the injured employees returning to work.

The most common payment to workers was in the Construction Industry, with $210 million paid out in 2018 so far, followed by manufacturing at 167 (million) and health care at 143 (million).  

This is seen alongside musculoskeletal injuries being by far the highest injury type at $608 million.

The plan to convert one lane of Victoria Bridge into a two-way pedestrian and bike lane was a "massive win" for Brisbane cyclists according to interest groups.

The new design reduces the number of metro and bus lanes from four to three, allocating space for a "green" bridge to improve cyclist access into the city from South Bank.

Bicycle Queensland's Anne Savage said that the new plan would quickly boost the number of people cycling across the bridge each day.

Indonesia's disaster agency has provided updated figures on the number of people missing and the official death toll.

As many as 5,000 people are believed missing from the quake and tsunami that struck Indonesia's Palu city and Indonesia's disaster agency say they have recovered 1,763 bodies so far.   

Hopes of finding survivors have all but faded, as authorities move closer to calling off the search for the dead and declare the devastated areas as mass graves.

Brett Kavanaugh has been officially sworn into his position as the US Supreme Court justice, with the senate confirmed the federal appeals court judge from the vote of 50 to 48.

This comes after the court saw Kavanaugh testify against public allegations of sexual assault in high school and university from three women.

The final vote was briefly delayed by noises from outside protesters, as well as yelling from the public gallery.

The Nauruan government has moved to scrap a mental health service for refugees on the island.  

Medecins Sans Frontieres says it was told that its free psychological services were no longer required, and were given 24 hours to cease operation in Nauru.

The charity fears the mental health of refugees will worsen as a result, but the Australian government says the dismissal was a matter for Nauruan authorities. A statement from MSF urge the government to allow the group to continue its work.  

Both New South Wales Premier and Prime Minister Scott Morrison have outlined support for Sydney’s Everest Cup advertisements on the sides of the Opera House.

Right-wing commentator Alan Jones, promoter of the event, has been given support by the Premier, following a veto from Opera House Chief Executive Louise Herron after reports of harassment on-air.

The Housing and Public Works Department have announced statistics which show the average staff member is taking more than two weeks off a year in sick days.

“Unplanned absenteeism” is currently at 11 and half days by each employee, according to the June data.

Michael Hart, Liberal National Party spokesman says that this has a ‘massive productivity impact.’ Absenteeism has reportedly costed the public sector $579 million in 2014-15.