The controversial high rise residential development that neighbours the heritage-listed Customs house is now sixty per cent sold while still two years from completion.

The University of Queensland, which owns the heritage icon, appealed the development proposal initially but reached an agreement with developers Cbus that would preserve Customs House.

Of the properties sold, about 70 per cent were purchased by owner-occupiers and the remaining 30 per cent to investors.

The popular Valley Fiesta will return to Brisbane in 2018, but will now span five days and welcomes QMusic as its new producer.

Lord mayor Graham Quirk said QMusic would deliver even more to see and do at the festival.

The event would include a range of free and ticketed events across local venues, laneways and shops, as well as outdoor performances, theatre and art installations.

Infrastructure Australia has renewed its calls for governments to consider charging motorists based on how far they travel in the Prioritising Reform report.

The report addressed the seventy-eight recommendations to address the nation’s infrastructure gaps and challenges outlined in their 2016 report.

While the Prioritising Reform report found improvements had been made to infrastructure, it supported a transition into a fairer, user-pays approach.   

An inquiry that examined the risks with fracking has found that a gas boom in the Northern Territory would contribute as much as 6.6 per cent to Australia’s annual emissions.

The inquiry found a single onshore shale gas field in the Northern Territory would produce double the amount of emissions as the entire Australian waste sector and increase overall emissions by 4.5 per cent.

Experts said increased emissions would jeopardise the commitment Australia made to the landmark 2015 Paris climate change agreement.

Recep Yayyip Erdogan has claimed victory in the turkish presidential election while ballot counting is still underway.

The official agency reports that 95.5% of votes have been counted with Erdogan winning a 50.72% share of the national vote.

The results will be a disappointment for the opposition that had hoped to push control of the legislature from the AKP party who have governed unopposed for 16 years.

Ethiopian prime minister, Abiy Ahmed has voweed to continue with his reforms despite an explosion at a rally on saturday.

A grenade is thought to have been thrown on stage after the Prime Minister finished speaking, injuring over 100 people and one person confirmed dead.

The attack is seen to be in opposition of progressive reforms undertaken by Ahmed such as opening state owned companies to private investment and dramatically loosening restrictions on media.

An experienced Brisbane uber driver has called for a cap on ride sharing licenses as number increased to triple the taxi licenses.

The anonymous driver claimed the oversaturation resulted in a drop of income and a cap should be considered if the trend continues.

Shadow transport Minister Steve Minnikin said the issue should be considered by the Palaszczuk government through the post-implementation review period currently underway.

Local Brisbane charity, Knitting for Brisbane’s Needy, has been trying to keep up with highest demand seen for blankets, jumpers and beanies to warm the city’s homeless.

Charity founder Karen Croke said this year alone they’ve seen a huge rise in demand due to more homelessness, an increase in domestic violence and more people struggling.

The charity has asked for community support to help get a new set of wheels to continue its work.