Bureau of Meteorology staff have hijacked the weather bureau’s website and media appearances to step up their campaign in protracted pay negotiations after a five-year pay freeze.

In online weather forecasts across Australia this week, staff wrote the message, “Bureau staff have been fighting for years to hold on to the conditions we have, but they are under attack.”

While the Committee for Brisbane’s Liveability Survey indicated trams were a highly requested transport method by residents, it’s unlikely trams will return to Brisbane.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk acknowledged the “romance” surrounding trams, but said that it wasn’t a realistic transport method for Brisbane streets.

Standard trams require a width of 7.5 metres for the tracks, and 14 metres for the stations, a distance which would close many of Brisbane’s narrow streets, including Anne Street.

A new report shows although Brisbane may be one of the cheaper cities in Australia to buy a house, first-home buyers are still likely to spend at least five years saving for a 20 per cent deposit.

However, the good news is those wanting to buy a unit will only need to save for about 4 years.

Place New Farm agent, Steve Yates, says it’s crucial first time buyers keep on track of rising house prices to keep up with changing market prices.

Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has threatened to block a joint EU statement on migration, potentially sinking a summit.

Conte, the anti-immigration and populist leader of Italy, is looking to demand more support for Italy’s handling of migrants before signing onto the statement.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is trying to rally EU delegates around the issue, saying migration could end up defining Europe’s destiny.

More than 20 Australian flights to Indonesia have been cancelled following another eruption from Bali’s Mount Agung.

Altogether, 22 flights from airlines Jetstar, Qantas, Virgin and Air Asia have been affected, over Thursday night and this Friday morning.

The mountain has been feared to fully erupt since September of last year; travellers are encouraged to check with their airline for updates.

British defence company, B.A.E Systems, has won the $35 billion contract to build Australia's fleet of new navy frigates.[FRIG-ITS]

The federal government announced the company's Type 26 Global Combat ship will be the design for the naval program.

The nine new ships, which will be built in Adelaide, will be officially known as the Hunter class and will begin entering service in the late 2020s.

Australia has won a victory at the World Trade Organisation over its plain packaging tobacco law.

In it’s ruling, the WTO panel said Australia’s ‘plain packaging’ law contributed to improving public health by reducing use of and exposure of tobacco products.

WTO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic says, “Tobacco plain packaging is an evidence-based measure that the World Health Organisation recommends as part of a comprehensive approach to tobacco control.”

The Queensland Law Commission is expected to give the state government their highly anticipated abortion reform report tomorrow.

The report will address Queensland’s restrictive laws from 1899, which place abortion in the criminal code.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has said she would like the laws changed, after suggesting the state Government’s 50 percent female cabinet would be in a prime position to amend the existing laws.

Brisbane suffers transport delays, as a thick fog covered inner city suburbs earlier this morning.

Translink advised CityCat users to expect delays of up to 30 minutes for all ferry services.

Planes have also been delayed, and are expected to impact arrivals and departures up to mid-morning.

The Bureau of Meteorology said the fog put Brisbane visibility at 20 metres.