Country town under threat from Mining Giant

A small township of 132 people in Western Australia is struggling to save itself from being undermined by Australian mining giant KCGM.

 

Williamstown residents say that regular controlled explosions only a few meters beneath the town is growing and causing damage to properties.

 

Local resident, Fay Henderson said “I think that it eventually has to pass that we just won’t be here, that the mine will engulf us eventually.”

No Australians have been born with HIV since 2013

No Australian babies have been born with HIV transmitted from their mothers since 2013, according to new research.

 

Researchers published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology say this highlights the importance of ongoing research and monitoring of HIV-exposed pregnancies to work towards completely eliminating HIV transmission for newborns.

 

It also discovered migrant women have an increased risk of exposure to HIV during pregnancy.

 

New Brisbane riverfront brewery given the green light

A $30 million dollar riverfront brewery has been given the tick of approval to build in East Brisbane.

 

The brewery, BrewDog, is famous in Scotland and will be a first for Australia, producing an estimated of 10 million litres of Beer a year.

 

Lord mayor Graham Quirk said the development would generate 150 jobs in the Brisbane area over the next five years, as well as approximately 60 jobs during construction.

The stories behind Brisbane Suburb names

ABC series, Curious Brisbane, has revealed the stories behind how Brisbane suburbs got their names.

 

Some suburbs are said to take their names from Indigenous or Torres Strait Islander languages or significant historical events that took place there.

It is interesting anyone was attracted to Indooroopilly which translates to “gully of leeches” in the Yugara language -   while Woolloongabba, meaning whirling water, refers to the waterholes that could once be found in the South Brisbane suburb.

Another refugee died on Manus Island

A Rohingya refugee has died after jumping from a moving bus on Manus Island.

 

It is reported that the refugee suffered with a mental health problem and had been sent to Australia for treatment, but was later returned to the camp.

 

Spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition, Ian Rintoul said the refugee’s death is one more reason to evacuate Manus Island and bring all refugees and asylum seekers to Australia.

Mother welcomes new mental health services after son died by suicide

A Canberra mother who lost her son to suicide in 2010 is welcoming the new mental health services boost being introduced in the ACT.

 

Ben Williams who had chronic schizophrenia was forced to change doctors which was found to hinder his treatment.

 

Ben’s mother says "At times we felt really very alone and we were crying out for help at different times and there didn't seem to be any services that could help our needs."

22,000 sheep killed in Pakistan

Former live sheep exporter, Garry Robinson, has avoided jail despite his company’s role in the death of 22,000 sheep in Pakistan.

 

Robinson was charged in Western Australia after falsifying Commonwealth documents allowing the sheep to be imported into Pakistan.

 

Inspectors believed the sheep were diseased and the animals were then slaughtered and some buried alive.

 

Low-income earners still struggling in the rental market

Low-income earners are still struggling in the rental market, despite Brisbane being branded as one of Australia’s more affordable cities for rental properties.

 

Reports found that a single person on an income of $15,000 a year, including benefits, would find the majority of Brisbane out of their price range.

 

Housing and homelessness peak body Q Shelter executive director Leone Crayden said that working families with children, students, young people and low-income households continue to be stuck in rental stress.