New Laws Look to Curb Murray-Darling Water-Stealing
Legislation to prevent water theft from the Murray-Darling river has been criticised by environmental lawyers while being welcomed by state irrigators.
The bill will look to crack down on illegal pumping, having corporations face fines of up to $5 million and individuals of up to $500,000.
The new laws come after an inquiry from former water bureaucrat Ken Matthews and accusations airing on ABC’s Four Corners into water-stealing.
Labour Hire Company Accused of Ripping Off Workers at QLD Abattoir
A labour hire company is under investigation for being accused of ripping off customers at a QLD abattoir.
Taiwanese workers were supplied to the Greenmountain Food Processing plant at Coominya, west of Brisbane, by labour hire company GOYX Pty Ltd, while they were in Australia on working holiday visas.
Two workers have formally complained to have been underpaid in wages and superannuation, as well as being asked to register an ABN, which could technically make them a contractor.
Elevated Bikeway Could Solve Choke Point at Queen's Wharf Development
An elevated bikeway could solve the future choke point at the Queen’s Wharf development in Brisbane’s CBD.
A new design was proposed to include a separated and shared cycling and pedestrian path, which cyclists and the Brisbane City Council said could be dangerous and lead to conflict between bike users and pedestrians.
The investigation will consider whether an elevated section of the bikeway could be included in the upgrade.
Gang Gang Dance: Kazuashita
- Gang Gang Dance have been favourites among art rock circles ever since they first emerged from New York City in 2001. Liberally splashing their experimental sound collages with elements of funk, psychedelia, Asian and Middle Eastern music, they morphed all of these elements into a particularly progressive brand of electronic pop/rock, most vividly illustrated on their most successful (to date) album Eye Contact, from 2011.
Transllusion: A Moment Of Insanity
- Clone has just served up another posthumous release from techno legend James Stinson under his moniker Transllusion. Being one half of Drexciya, he also released timeless projects under the names Clarence G, Lab Rat XL and The Other People Place. He was also a member of the influential Detroit collective Underground Resistance.
Algeria vs Cheating and Other Zedlines
Much like the most recent Star Wars film, Simon is Solo, and bringing you the 11am Zedlines!
Image: ccarlstead
Algeria to turn of national internet in a bid to stop exam cheating
Algeria will turn off its internet nationwide during high school exams in a bid to tackle student cheating.
Internet service, both mobile and fixed line, will go off for an hour after the start of each high school diploma exam to stop any leaks.
The move follows widespread cheating in 2016, with questions leaked online before and during tests.
Panama Papers: Mossack Fonseca unable to identify company owners
Fall out from the Panama Papers release continues, as the BBC reveals that Mossack Fonseca were unable to identify 70% of the owners it administered.
Mossack Fonseca had tried to close gaps in its record keeping to alert beneficiaries of 70% of the companies it administered in the British Virgin Islands, and 75% of the companies in Panama.
Emails obtained show the clients of the firm were using offshore structures to maintain confidentiality.
Parents' income tax could decide private school funding
Parent’s income tax returns could be used to decide the funding levels of the private schools their children attend, under a proposal being brought forward by the National School Resourcing Board.
Currently the funding is decided by Socio-economic scores based on the income, education, and occupation of areas where the students live.
Primary school teacher to fight students' claims of assault
A primary school teacher from Sydney’s south-west will fight allegations she punched, slapped and spat at young students.
The 57-year-old woman has been banned from her full-time teaching role at Bass Hill Primary School pending the outcome of court proceedings.
Facing six charges of common assault against four pupils of the school - all aged under 10 - she refused to answer questions after earlier entering not guilty pleas to the alleged offences.