Scattered Order

Given the Scattered Order’s long and varied history it is a testament to their resilience that none of the current band members particularly feel like they are part of a scene or genre. Originating from Sydney’s M Squared label their roots are in the DIY/post punk/art noise of the late 1970’s. They exist outside the zeitgeist and legacy mode of their contemporaries from that era.

US Tech Firm Renews Hunt for Missing Malaysian Airlines Flight, MH370

The Malaysian government has said it may renew the hunt for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. A US technology firm proposed a fresh search in the southern Indian Ocean where the plane is theorised to have crashed 10 years ago. 

The Texas-based Ocean Infinity has proposed another “no find, no fee” basis to scour the seabeds, expanding from the site where it first searched in 2018. 

Bureau of Meteorology Reports Tsunami Close Call For Macquarie Island Region

Bureau of Meteorology reports tsunami close call for Macquarie Island Region, 3am this morning.

With a magnitude of 6.8, the BOM recorded an undersea earthquake. However, they reassure there is no imminent threat of a tsunami for Macquarie Island or the Australian Mainland.

The Australian Automobile Association: Transport Costs Have Risen By 13%

The Australian Automobile Association has released its latest transport affordability index. The typical household transport costs have risen by 13%, outpacing the year’s inflation rate of 4.1%. 

In 2023, transport costs rose by 12.4% for the typical capital city household and 13.7% for the typical regional household.

Higher up-front costs for purchasing new vehicles, higher interest rates on car loans, and increasing insurance premiums were attributed to the overall rise in transport costs.

Queensland Health Minister Denies Giving A Directive That Prevents Vaccine-Reluctant Workers From Finding Employment Elsewhere

Queensland Health Minister denies giving a directive that prevents vaccine-reluctant workers from finding employment elsewhere.

Since its implementation, the mandate for COVID-19 jabs has seen a loss of 1200 workers for non-compliance. Despite being lifted since September last year, some former workers have been denied job applications because of their vaccination status, something Queensland Health Minister, Shannon Fentiman, denies.

She is now calling for all health service hiring teams to be on the same page.

Government to Publicly Fund Queensland Women and Girls’ Fertility Journeys

Over $42 million will be invested in Queensland women and girls’ fertility journeys. 

In an effort to make fertility treatments more affordable and accessible, public funding will be provided for reproductive treatments, such as IVF, for individuals undergoing complex medical conditions like cancer.

Queensland Health Minister, Shannon Fentiman, states this package is meant to give assurance for Queenslanders when significant health issues arise, as affording access to fertility services should be the last thing to worry about.

 

Thousands of Doctors in South Korea Protest The Government’s Plans To Increase Medical School Admissions On The Streets of Seoul

Thousands of doctors in South Korea protested the government’s plans to increase medical school admissions on the streets of Seoul on Sunday.

The doctors say that there are more problems that need to be addressed in the healthcare system by the government rather than the total number of doctors trained per year. 

These concerns include staffing in specific fields and the price the government pays for essential medical treatments, as well as establishing a proper infrastructure for educating large numbers of new medical students. 

The Labour Party Currently Leads In The Dunkley By-Election Held Over The Weekend

Labor Party leads at 41.1% while Liberal Party trails behind at 39.1%.

The labor party has stayed safe this by-election, but the 3.6% swing to the liberal party does not come as a surprise with government electoral support declining since Aston. 

This comes after the government’s change in stage three tax cuts, citing the need for low and middle income earners to receive cost of living relief.

Australians Lose Nearly A Billion Dollars A Year In Card Surcharges Based On RBA Data

As long as they are not making a profit, Australian retailers are allowed to recover their payment costs through surcharges on card payments. Larger business do not usually surcharge as they are able to absorb the payment costs but smaller businesses require the surcharge to keep up with high inflation and rising costs. 

The Reserve Bank has introduced an initiative called least-cost-routing (LCR) to help cut card processing costs for businesses. LCR means terminals in businesses will automatically default to the lowest-cost card network to process their debit transactions.