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Workers at the Gold Coast Airport extension have claimed they were not sufficiently warned about PFAS chemical contamination.
Plumber Craig Anderson, who worked for 18 months on the site, said he was told to wash his hands after working in contaminated groundwater, but was not given further information about the contamination.
While Airservices Australia had been given a report from the University of Queensland on avoiding contamination, the workers were employed by construction company Fulton Hugon, not Airservices, during the project.
Gold Coast bait supplier fined for raw prawns
A Gold Coast bait supplier has been found guilty and fined $10,000 for the transport of raw prawns outside the white spot disease zone.
All bait prawns tested positive for white spot syndrome were traced and removed from sale, preventing the spread of white spot disease to new waterways.
There are white spot syndrome movement restrictions from Caloundra to the NSW border and west to Ipswich.
ACT introduce free childcare
The ACT government is introducing free childcare for three year olds as part of a new strategy on early childcare education.
The state government has planned to offer 15 hours per week or 600 hours per year, of free childcare to parents.
These changes come from recommendations from a national review released in February.
Calls for new road user tax
The Federal Government is being pushed to review the way they pay for road infrastructure, with a push for a new tax where drivers pay for every kilometre they drive.
With the growing use of electric vehicles, the government's revenue coming from fuel is declining as drivers are exiting the pool leaving petrol users with the increasing road costs.
Infrastructure Partnerships Australia chief executive Adrian Dwyer, is amongst those supporting introducing a new road pricing system claiming it to be ‘fairer’ for road users.
Myanmar monsoons kill 10, displace thousands
Monsoon rains in Myanmar have caused floods across the country, killing at least ten people and displacing around 50,000 others.
Director of the department of disaster management, Phyu Lai Lai Htun, says they have provided boats and lifejackets for people and arranged temporary shelter.
The water is now stable in two of the affected states and receding in the Mon and Bago states.
Tourists killed in Tajikistan
A suspected terrorist attack in Tajikistan has killed four cyclists and injured three others, all foreign tourists.
The tourists were cycling through a rural area near the capital Dushanbe when they were hit by a car, which allegedly made a U-turn and hit them again.
Tajik President Imomali Rakhmon expressed condolences to the US, Swiss and Dutch authorities on Monday.
Lady Cilento proposed name change
Brisbane’s Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital could be renamed, in hopes to prevent confusion for parents as to whether the hospital offers public or private care.
The Queensland Children’s Hospital is potentially going to be the new title, with Queenslanders provided a month to have their say.
Health Minister Steven Miles was presented with a petition from hospital staff last week, currently signed by almost 900 medical practitioners asking for the name change.
Brisbane man's homosexuality convictions ineligible for removal
Alan Raabe, aged 64 is currently the face of the Queensland Government’s move to remove homosexuality convictions, yet he may be unsuccessful in clearing his name under new laws.
Raabe stood before the Queensland Premier and Attorney-General in May 2017, where they apologised to people convicted of being homosexual.
Yet due to the laws passed Parliament only approved for public morality offence and male homosexual offences to be removed, not other offences such as assault.
Elective surgery in Victoria at record low
The number of Victorians waiting for elective surgery has dropped to its lowest level record last month.
The state government has claimed this is attributed to the dedication of the health services staff, with the elective surgery waiting sitting at 36,096 patients.
The lowest number on record and that number dropping 28% on 5 years ago.
Health Minister Jim Hennessy stated the government multibillion-dollar investment towards hospital systems was evidently paying off.
Adelaide archbishop resigns amid child-sex scandal
Adelaide Archbishop Phillip Wilson resignation has been accepted by Pope Francis.
Archbishop Phillip Wilson has been the most senior Catholic in the world to be convicted of concealing child sex abuse.
In May, the archbishop was found guilty of hiding abuse of children at the hands of paedophile priest Jim Fletcher in the 1970’s.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and numerous other political leaders were amongst those suggesting his resignation, in which he has officially chosen to step down from the role.