An environmental organisation has called on the government to do more about deforestation in Queensland in light of the new Great Barrier Reef rescue package.

The Wilderness Society say deforestation is a threat to the Great Barrier Reef with 40% of land clearing in Queensland happening in reef catchment areas.

Wilderness Society Climate Campaign Manager Glenn Walker says deforestation is Australia’s hidden environmental crisis and the rates of deforestation in Queensland are particularly disturbing.

Thirty years ago today World Expo 88 was celebrated in Brisbane bringing an important legacy to the city which re-positioned Brisbane as a world capital.

Considered a success with a festive atmosphere, the expo ran for six months, with the celebration attracting more than 15 million visitors to South Bank to represent more than 40 countries.

Opened by Queen Elizabeth II, World Expo 88 hosted pop stars, politicians and monarchs who helped change Brisbane culturally and physically and remains a memorable celebration for Australians.

The Federal Government has announced $500 million worth of funding for the Great Barrier Reef to help with tackling problems facing the reef.

The funding will be focused on restoring water quality and protecting it from crowns-of-thorns starfish, which have been eating corals, and destroying large areas of the reef.

Last year, UNESCO considered putting the reef on the “in danger” list of world heritage sites due to the unprecedented damage that has been caused by coral bleaching in recent years.

A former employee has disclosed that Bob Dudley, a highly ranked BP executive, was allegedly poisoned in a Russian plot.

Dudley fled Russia when his blood results confirmed that he was being poisoned slowly.

BP declined to comment regarding the allegations. Russia is yet to respond.

More than 1,000 people have gathered in the city of Chiang Mai in Thailand, protesting a luxury building development in a forested area.

Considered one of the country’s biggest demonstrations protests, the group rallied against a proposed housing development for judges and officials in the foothills of a sacred mountain.

The mountain accommodates a religious temple, and is considered sacred to many of the locals. 

Authorities have defended the building, having already spent $32 million on the project.

A quiet street in Melbourne was shaken up on Sunday morning as a water pipe burst on Ervin Road, in the Melbourne suburb of Kilsyth.  

Melbourne Water representative Craig Dixon quickly arrived and assessed the damage. Dixon stated that muddy water had damaged several properties.

Some families were forced to evacuated due to the damage.  

An animal welfare adviser to the Tasmanian government is quitting over what he perceives as a lack of progress and deep-seated issues with the way investigations are handled.

Dr Malcolm Caulfield, the principal solicitor for the Melbourne-based Animal Law Institute, says the Department of Primary Industries has been keeping his committee in the dark about animal welfare cases.

This comes after a lack of information about the cause of death of 16 polo ponies in the back of a truck while crossing the Bass Strait on a ship in January.

Rankin’s on the Mall owner Ross Petersen isn’t going down without a fight in his bid to save his landmark news agency with council redevelopment looming.

On March 29 Brisbane City Council officially notified the Queen Street Mall news agency, which has been operating for 35 years, they would be evicted.

Online and paper petitions calling on the council to allow the news agency to stay on Queen Street have so far received more than 5000 signatures.