An Ipswich City councillor has been criticised for her lack of flood disaster management plans.

In a Facebook post Councillor Kate Kunzelmann warned locals to keep their own personal supply of sandbags.

She says “Ipswich City Council and the State Emergency Service will not routinely provide sandbags. Residents are advised to ensure their own supply of sandbags or look at alternate measures.”

Locals took to the comments section, unhappy with the council’s view, with one man saying, “This has to be a bad joke surely”

GPs on the Gold Coast say they “are not surprised” another Covid variant is in the community.

They are urging Australians to remain calm and asking for a measured response from authorities. 

The previous head of the Gold Coast Medical Association Dr Sonu Haikerwal says, “This is not unusual, it's not a surprise that the Omicron variant has been discovered, because that's what viruses do, mutate.”

Eleven of Australia’s largest companies including Coles have expressed interest in participating in the Government’s new Corporate Emissions Reduction Transparency report (CERT).

Launching today, the CERT report is a framework for companies to publicly present their emissions reductions efforts. 

Chair of the Clean Energy Regulator David Parker says “There are growing expectations by investors, regulators, supply chains and customers for greater accountability and transparency around how companies are addressing climate-related risks.”

In a speech over the weekend Xiomara Castro declared herself the winner. This comes after she received a 20 point lead within the first half of votes having been counted.

Supporters took to the streets all over the country to celebrate early. 

One supporter, Dr Oliver Pindel says, “we are celebrating because the corrupt are no longer going to govern Honduras.”

The country’s current leader comes from the conservative national party and has been involved in a string of corruption and drug trafficking allegations. 

An unlikely species of north Queensland bird has been discovered in Toowoomba’s Redwood Park. 

The discovery by Toowoomba birdwatcher Roger Jaensch has reignited calls for new bike tracks in the park to be axed. 

Darling Downs Environment Council community organiser Paul King says although there was no evidence the species had migrated permanently, it shows how essential the parks ‘pristine’ dry rainforest conditions were for migrating animals. 

The local council has employed an environmental group to survey the area ahead of the upgrades.

The Banana Shire Council are once again endorsing the idea, however locals are concerned about the use of taxpayer money to fund the project.

The director of corporate and community services Venkata Peteti says the council would help source funds externally. He says, "is a project that is instigated through community”

The “Big Cockatoo” would be 7 metres tall and visible when people enter the town from Rockhampton, and the North Burnett.

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan warns the vaccine mandate will stay in place for years. 

Vaccinations will be made compulsory for the majority of WA workers from 1st January.

Mr McGowan says, “This will be a situation that exists for a long period of time, so people need to go and get vaccinated”

This comes as an unvaccinated WA police officer launched a supreme court challenge against the state, on the basis the chief health officer has ‘exceeded their powers under the public health act.’

Sweden’s first female Prime Minister returns to office days after resigning.

Magdalena Andersson resigned a mere seven hours after being elected after the Swedish Greens Party left her government's coalition over budget matters. 

Ms Andersson will now form a one-party minority government and will have to govern with a budget formulated by three opposition parties.