Australia’s alcohol and drug problem has been revealed in a report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare showing they are responsible for one in 20 deaths nationwide every year.

In an analysis of the Australian Burden of Disease Study, it was found that that alcohol and illicit drugs combined, were responsible for 6.7 percent of life lost from early death, as well as years of healthy life lost due to living with disease or injuries  

The Prince of Wales will tour the Bundaberg Rum Distillery and mingle with locals when he visits the city on April 6 as part of his regional QLD tour following his official duties at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

He will also meet with locals involved in disaster recovery in the Wide Bay region and conservationists securing the health and security of local Loggerhead Turtle populations, as well as the community event at the distillery, which has been dubbed the ‘Big Bundy BBQ.’

The Commonwealth Games Federation has left Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk off the speaking schedule for the opening ceremony of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, leading to reports Ms Palaszczuk is outraged no Queensland representative will be part of the ceremony.

The Commonwealth Games Federation said “it is critical that these games remain unpoliticised.”

Tiger conservation project manager at the Indonesian office of the Zoological Society of London, Yoan Dinata said shrinking habitat in Sumatra is leading to more human-tiger conflicts.

In 2016, only 23 pockets of Sumatran tiger populations existed on the island, down from 29 in 2010.

Only 600 Sumatran tigers are estimated to still exist in the wild, as they have been impacted by the massive expansion of palm oil plantations in Sumatra.

Ireland will hold a referendum on May 25 to decide whether to change its strict abortion law.

Voters will be asked if they wish to repeal an amendment to the constitution inserted following a 1983 referendum which enshrined the equal right to life of the mother and her unborn child.

The most recent poll measured support for a 'Yes' vote at 56 per cent with 26 per cent opposed and 18 per cent undecided.

A parliamentary committee has concluded the sale of electronic cigarettes containing nicotine in Australia should remain banned after their year-long inquiry.

Liberal Party members of the committee dissented, saying these types of e-cigarettes can be used as quitting aids for smokers who are struggling.

Liberal MP Andrew Laming’s dissenting report simply read, “Life is short and shorter for smokers. Just legalise vaping.”

Researchers in Australia say they have traced our indigenous languages back to a single common tongue known as Proto-Australian that was spoken about 10,000 years ago.

Associate Professor Mark Harvey from the University of Newcastle said until now, it was speculated that Australia was significantly more linguistically diverse than somewhere like Europe, because it had not been proven that all Australian languages actually stemmed from the same lineage.

Motorists are driving at excessive speeds in Brisbane, with the latest Brisbane City Council speed sign data revealing that certain roads have up to 44 per cent of passing motorists speeding on them.

The top five speeding hotspots in Brisbane are School Rd in the Gap; Windermere Ave, Sinnamon Park; Chandos St, Wynnum West; Gowan Rd, Calamvale; and Algester Rd, Algester.

Almost a dozen Brisbane souvenir shops are set to be investigated following an Office of Fair Trading operation targeting fake indigenous art.

Spot-checks conducted in February and March this year resulted in 11 stores across Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast requiring further investigation following questions on the fidelity of their Indigenous art.

The crackdown comes after The Arts Law Centre of Australia estimated 80 percent of Indigenous art is fake in souvenir shops, with the imitation industry worth $200 million a year.