Prawns in full supply following white spot disease
Moreton Bay Seafood Industry Association vice president, Michael Wood said there is no shortage of prawns this Easter, despite a white spot break out which began in November 2016 causing several Queensland prawn farms to shut down.
It is estimated the affected prawn farmers’ financial loss is $22.3 million, and commercial fishing impacts are estimated at $20 million.
Fisheries Minister Mark Furner said there will be a two-year review conducted in May to assess the potential reopening of the prawn farms that were affected.
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Canadian’s first scratchie has her set for life
A teenager in Canada has won $1,000 per week tax-free for the rest of her life from her first ever scratchie, bought on the occasion of her 18th birthday.
Quebec’s Charlie Lagarde plans to use the money to travel and one day wants to work for National Geographic.
If she lives to the Canadian life expectancy for females of 81, she will have won more than $4 million from her $4 scratchie.
Prabowo likely to run for Indonesian Presidency in 2019
Prabowo Subianto is expected to formally confirm he will contest the 2019 Indonesian presidential election against President Joko Widodo after failing in his bid in 2014.
Prabowo, sometimes likened to US President Donald Trump in his political approach, will ensure that the role of Islam in the world’s largest Muslim democracy, nationalism and race will feature heavily in the campaign as Indonesia continues to move further to the right.
Investigations into Pell before accusations made
The committal hearing of Cardinal George Pell has been told Victoria Police were investigating Mr Pell before ever receiving a complaint about him.
Mr Pell’s defence barrister Robert Richter QC said that Victoria Police’s Operation Tethering was initially an “operation looking for a crime because no crime had been reported.”
Mr Pell’s hearing is expected to end today, when Magistrate Belinda Wallington retires for an expected several weeks to consider whether there's enough evidence to commit Cardinal Pell to stand trial.
Treasurer Scott Morrison defends tax reform process
Treasurer Scott Morrison insists the government is rolling out an improved tax system, as key crossbench Senators Derryn Hinch and Tim Storer made broad tax reform a condition for their support for corporate tax cuts.
This week the government shelved laws to reduce corporate tax rates by 25 percent for all businesses over the next decade.
Mr Morrison said the government has made substantial progress in tax reform, and this enterprise tax plan is another part of a broad set of initiatives to grow Australia’s economy.
South Bank Parklands Extension Revealed
Plans to extend South Bank Parklands were submitted on Monday to Brisbane City Council, after flood-damage from the 2011 floods destroyed some popular riverside restaurants in the area.
The plan, instead of repairing these damaged blocks, is focused on delivering more green space for the prime inner-city land, with the already 4666 square metres of parkland being upgraded.
Criminal councillors should step down
Crime and Corruption Commission chairman Alan MacSporran believes if a serving councillor is charged with a criminal offence the local government minister should be able to stand them down while an investigation occurs.
This comes a day after Logan mayor Luke Smith refused to stand down following charges of official corruption and perjury in the wake of the CCC’s Operation Belcarra investigation last year into property developer donations.
Vancouver Sleep Clinic: Therapy Phase 01
- Therapy Phase 01 is the comeback EP from Brisbane’s Vancouver Sleep Clinic, aka. Tim Bettinson, following his 2017 debut album Revival. As it’s title suggests, Therapy Phase 01 represents a new time of healing for the young producer after a tumultuous few years navigating the perils of an ever-competitive music industry.
Roza Terenzi: Mwah EP
- Roza Terenzi is about to put out a new EP titled Mwah through Amsterdam-based label Kalahari Oyster Cult. Terenzi, real name Katie Campbell, released her debut The Right Zone on Perth’s excellent Good Company Records in late 2017. After making music as Catlips in her hometown of Perth, Campbell relocated to Melbourne and has been busy as a producer and DJ ever since. Mwah is yet another stride in her step.