Commonwealth Bank under fire for manipulating children's bank accounts

Commonwealth Bank once again has found themselves in hot water as reports reveal they manipulated children accounts.

 

The ‘Dollamite’ accounts were activated by the bank’s own staff to increase sales and targets to reach bonus goals.

 

Commbank’s new chief executive, Matt Comyn said he deeply regrets what’s happened and sworn to take action against any employee caught doing the wrong thing.

 

World First Technology could save Great Barrier Reef Tourists

A world first technology which scans tourists handprints to identify and track them is being tested in the Great Barrier Reef.

 

Currently, tour operators use manual headcounts, although the Tourist Onboard Management System using palm vein scanning technology created by Fujitsu to identify tourists.

 

The technology on trial has so far proven successful and could save lives by ensuring drivers are not left behind.

Brisbane residents prioritise green space

Brisbane residents want to prioritise lifestyles and green space, according to responses in Brisbane City Council’s urban design game Plan Your Brisbane.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the results indicate a high level of agreement around planning Brisbane’s future, while also emphasising the council’s move to a more open style of consultation.

The Lord Mayor said the council will review all ideas put forward during the consultation on Brisbane’s future to develop a charter for guiding future planning decisions.

Former Malaysian PM fears for his safety

Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Najib Razak fears for his safety and has asked for police protection a day after he complained about police searches on his properties for evidence of corruption.

 

The new Government led by Mahathir Mohamad is looking into how billions of dollars disappeared from a state fund, Mr Razak has denied any wrongdoing.

 

Mr Razak who led Malaysia for 10 years has been banned from leaving the country after a surprise election loss on May 9.

US-China Trade War “On Hold”

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says the US trade war with China is on hold after the two countries agreed to drop their tariff threats, whilst both countries work on a larger trade agreement.

 

Both countries have announced they have discussed terms where  China would commit to purchasing more energy and agricultural resources from the US to narrow a trade deficit against the US valued at nearly 450 billion dollars.

 

Banking royal commission to investigate small business lending

The treatment of small business by financial institutions will be investigated by the banking royal commission today, as fees, improper lending practices and asset fire sales come under scrutiny.

Nationals senator John Williams expects Commonwealth Bank subsidiary Bankwest to be focused upon in the hearings, as he said many farms and small businesses have their seized assets sold for far below their market value.

Calls to ban live sheep export gaining ground in parliament

Politicians are moving to ban live sheep exports, as Sussan Ley MP will today introduce a private member’s bill to end the practice entirely within five years.

Labor is expected to be in favour of a ban, as shadow agriculture minister Joel Fitzgibbon says he will recommend the party supports the bill.

However, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is supporting the recommendations set down by the McCarthy review, which does not advocate for ending sheep exports.

 

Council Bans anti-Adani stall at sustainability festival

Local community group 'Stop Adani Brisbane' has called on the council to lift their ban on the groups stall at a sustainability festival.

 

The ban of the green heart fan stall is in place because the group is a political organisation.

 

The group works to raise community awareness of the environmental and economic impacts of the Adani Carmichael coal mine.

 

The group has a change.org petition active which has attracted over 550 signatures.