Deputy Premier Cameron Dick announced on Sunday that $2.75 billion will be put towards building a 19km dual track from Beerwah to Caloundra, the first stage of the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail project. 

The first stage is planned to be completed by the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and is estimated to make the commute from Caloundra to Brisbane 45 minutes faster than driving during peak hours. 

Construction will not begin until 2026.

These easy access, nurse-led clinics will be for vulnerable communities as a part of the Queensland Women and Girls’ Health Strategy 2032.

Premier Steven Miles hears our women and girls “loud and clear,” making note of their “unique” need for medical attention. 

Minister for Health, Shannon Fentiman, adds they will be bridging the gaps [for] culturally safe, trauma informed and gender responsive care.”

No bookings or referrals will be needed.

Israel boycotts Gaza ceasefire talks in Cairo after Hamas rejected its demand for a complete list naming hostages that are still alive. 

The Israeli delegation did not arrive in Cairo for negotiations with the Hamas delegation. These negotiations were deemed as the possible final step before an agreement that would halt the fighting for six weeks.

From 20 March, the single, without child rate of JobSeeker Payment and ABSTUDY will see a fortnightly increase of $13.50, while each couple on JobSeeker Payment, ABSTUDY or Parenting Payment Partnered will benefit from an additional $12.30 per fortnight, per person. 

Recipients of the Parenting Payment Single will receive an additional $17.50 a fortnight. The Government has also expanded eligibility for Parenting Payment Single to single parents with a youngest child aged under 14.

The highly invasive species of fire ants comes of huge concern to south-east Queensland farmers.

AgForce Senior Policy Advisor Dr Annie Ruttledge reveals how high the “control costs” are, fearing there is a now a “high[er] risk of infestation”.

She concludes, were the program absent, fire ant spread rate would be much higher for Queensland.

Information acquired by the LNP opposition suggests some issues in construction projects in Queensland health. 

The documents, released to the LNP opposition under the Right to Information (also known as RTI), suggests that some hospital projects under the government are experiencing risks in time and costs.

The shadow health minister, Ros Bates, claims questions must be answered about why hospital upgrades have been blocked during this health crisis.

The Australian Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines calls on President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr to be accountable for the human rights violations committed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines. He will join the ASEAN Special Summit in Melbourne from 4-6 March. 

The Australian National University’s (ANU) “hard data” shows majority of teens have not vaped. 

ANU PhD researcher, Amelia Yazidjoglou, drops a staggering figure: Despite the “common culture” of study participants, 68 percent of 14-to 17-year-olds do not  vape. 

Feeling a little under the weather lately? 

A survey by Australian Council of Social Service (also known as ACOSS) found individuals from financial and social disadvantaged backgrounds are experiencing serious health issues under these high temperatures. 

80% of participants expressed symptoms ranging from headaches to nausea, and increased anxiety and depression. 

With more than half of them unable to afford energy bills, these individuals have been left with rising costs and potential debt.