MCG Bans Parking During Major Events

The Melbourne Cricket Ground will no longer allow parking at the venue during major events, in a move to prevent vehicular attacks on attendees.

In January 2017 six people were killed and dozens were injured when a car was driven into a crowd in Melbourne’s City Centre - a similar incident occurred in Flinders Street in December.

In the wake of these incidents the MCG’s administrators feel that it is prudent to limit interactions between vehicles and pedestrians at highly attended events at the venue.

Fears parking permit changes will clog Brisbane streets near trains, hospitals

Residents fear inner south streets close to train stations, hospitals and other key infrastructure will become a parking nightmare after an overhaul of permit rules.

Street parking permits will be issued to the suburb of Annerley, with residents needing to nominate a specific street or streets. The changes arose from the Parking Taskforce 2014 citywide audit of on street parking to balance kerbside space.

State should fit the bill for school aircon not P & C’s

Queensland Council of Parents and Citizens' Association is calling on the State Government to ensure all new schools are built with air conditioning even if they don’t fall within a Cooler School Zone.

Rising temperatures across Brisbane’s Southwest suburbs have sparked the call and QCPCA Chief Executive Officer Kevan Goodworth said that Parents and Citizens associations should not be solely responsible for providing air conditioning to schools.

Brexit Jump in Citizenship Applications

The United Kingdom’s Home Office is reporting a sharp increase in the number of European Union citizens applying for British citizenship in the wake of the Brexit referendum.

Just less than 30,000 applications from the EU were received between June 2016 and June 2017, more than double the previous year.

The data also seems to suggest the looming Brexit divorce has warmed some cold feet, with citizenship through marriage applications almost trebling in the same period.

 

Toys R US Closes in USA

Toy retailer Toys R Us will cease trading in all 800 of its American stores, after an announcement earlier in the week it would also close its 100 United Kingdom stores.

The chain, which employs up to 33,000 employees in the USA, filed for bankruptcy in America and Canada in October 2017.

The Australian arm, which comprises 39 stores, said after the bankruptcy filing last year it was “”business as usual” for local operations, although it’s unclear what effect the latest development will have.

Liberals on track to take government in South Australian election

The South Australian election remains a genuine three horse race rarely seen in Australian politics.

ABC election analyst Antony Green believes the Liberals are on track to win the 24 seats required to form government following an electoral redistribution in the state; Labor would need a uniform swing of 3% to retain government.

South Australia Best leader Nick Xenophon is in a tight battle for the seat of Hartley with the very real prospect of losing out to Liberal incumbent Vincent Tarzia as the pressure of leading a campaign for government has become apparent.

Northern Territory experiences coral bleaching

The Northern Territory marine ecosystems may be under threat after rising sea temperatures lead to coral bleaching in waters near the Co-bourg Peninsula.

Rangers at the Garig Gunak Barlu National Park have documented large patches of bleached coral from the air in January this year, in the same area where coral grew healthily in 2015.

Vice Admiral Commemorates 75th Anniversary

Today marks the 75th anniversary since the American Seventh Fleet was created out of General Douglas MacArthur’s Brisbane headquarters in the old AMP building on Queen St during World War II.

Current commander of the Seventh Fleet, Vice admiral Philip Sawyers, laid a wreath yesterday on the New Farm Submarine Heritage Walk, the site of an Allied submarine base during World War II.

The Seventh Fleet operates out of the Pacific, and comprises up to 40,000 sailors and more than 60 ships and 300 airplanes.

Medicinal cannabis being administered illegally at Lady Cilento Children’s hospital

Doctors at Lady Cilento children’s hospital are allegedly ‘turning a blind eye’ to parents illegally administering medicinal cannabis to their seriously ill children.

In a recording obtained by the ABC, Brisbane father Steve Peek told a doctor he would be administering the drug while his daughter is in Hospital, to which he was told as long as staff didn't know about it, it was ‘completely fine’.