Queensland's agriculture lobby groups have criticised the state budget as lacking vision, despite an overall rise in the amount of money spent on agriculture.

The Queensland Agriculture and Fisheries budget is $481.7 million for 2018-19, up $57 million compared to last year, and will focus on biosecurity and drought relief.

Mango farmer Malcolm Green says the current spell of dry weather may severely affect his mango crop later this year.

"If we don't get rain before the flowers bloom next month the trees won't produce as much fruit," he said.

"On the bright side, we've still got plenty of frozen mangos from last year."

Brisbane residents will have to put up with the roadworks on Kingsford Smith Drive for another 18 months, and some suburbs will be slugged with a six per cent rate rise, the council budget has revealed.

The timeline was included as part of Brisbane City Council's 2018-19 budget of $3.1 billion with another $200 million left to spend on the project.

Upgrades to Kingsford Smith Drive have caused rolling lane closures, a slowed speed limit and significant congestion.

A pair of Australian army veterans are helping returned soldiers transition back into civilian life one wave at a time.

The Association of Veteran Surfers is a surfing club founded by two 29 year old men, following their discharges from the defence force.

Both men said they found solace in the ocean as they struggled to re-adapt after their military careers.

More than 4000 people remain homeless in Guatemala after last week’s eruption of Mount Fuego. 

Most of the victims are now living in temporary shelters.

The Guatemalan government has said it will provide housing for those impacted, but there may be a long wait.

Australia’s treatment of refugees has been one of the inspirations for Matthew Salvini, the Italian minister for the interior, who has introduced a tough immigration policy since coming to the government this month.

A public admirer of Australia's hardline "stop the boats" policy, says he wants to save Italy from being "overrun by migrants”, hence his closure of Italian ports.

Care Goondiwindi wants to help some of the most disadvantaged people in the local community, and they need all residents to jump on board. 

The organisation wants to provide a home that offers the options a caring community should have.

“This would be a high quality service, closely monitored and managed, where disability clients can feel independent with the support of a care,” a committee member said. 

The state government has given a parliamentary inquiry into Queensland's toll roads approval less than three weeks after the opposition called for an investigation.

At the end of last month, the LNP said the Sunshine State had submitted more complaints than the rest of the country combined.

The inquiry will look at a variety of things including toll pricing and ways to improve customer service.

Queensland homeowners may end up paying the trash tax the state government is reintroducing to help decrease the state's growing debt.

The charge will apply from New Year's Day and is expected to raise $1.3 billion dollars over four years.

Treasurer Jackie Trad announced that councils would be compensated in advance to cover the costs of disposing of the trash, to spare ratepayers being hit with the charges.