An annual report tabled by the Hospital and Health Service across Queensland has confirmed the state’s health system has been in decline this year.
 

It was revealed that along with emergency departments becoming overcrowded, that nearly 1 in 10 people will not have their surgery in a clinically recommended time.
 

It was also found that half of all ambulances arriving at Queensland hospitals will wait longer than 30 minutes to offload their patients. 

Queensland has hit a new vaccination record with over 62,000 jabs in one day, beating the previous record by more than 3,000.

At this stage, 81.3 per cent of Queenslanders are fully vaccinated, with vaccination rates in border communities such as the Gold Coast doubling in the past 24 hours.

Chief Health officer John Gerrard has commended the achievement, however he also warns Queenslanders against becoming complacent as borders reopen to interstate hotspots.

Research undertaken by the Salvation army has revealed that this year more than 10 and a half million Australians are feeling financial and emotional pressure this Christmas. 

It was revealed from those who sought support from the Salvation army that  83 per cent of households with children are worried they cannot afford presents for their children, and 56 per cent are worried about not being able to afford a special Christmas day meal. 

This follows the COVID-19 pandemic which saw increased numbers turning to the salvos for emergency food or support to pay their bills.

The World Trade Organisation has ruled in favour of Australian canegrowers in a long running legal battle against Indian Sugar Subsidies.

Several other nations have lodged complaints against the now illegal subsidies on Indian exports, however the new restrictions means Australian canegrowers can now trade more successfully. 

A tsunami alert has been lifted by Indonesian authorities following a magnitude 7.3 earthquake that struck off Flores island yesterday afternoon. 

The quake has been reported to cause only minor damage, injuring one person but with the tsunami warning has sent residents fleeing from their homes. 

Indonesia experiences frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions this time of the year due to its position on the pacific ‘ring of fire’.

The husband of Belarus’ opposition leader has been jailed for 18 years for inciting social hatred against President Alexander Lukashenko.

43 year old blogger Sergei Tikhanovsky was found guilty launching the unprecedented protest movement ahead of the August 2020 election, and was subsequently handed one of the longest sentences in country’s history.

Opposition leader and Sergei’s wife Svetlana Tikhanovskaya slammed the decision, labeling it an act of political revenge as he was made a personal enemy of President Lukashenko.

Six environmental activists have faced court over a recent protest against Adani’s new controversial Carmichael Mine.

The activists operating as part of Frontline Action on Coal pled guilty to the charges, with penalties ranging from 18 month good behaviour bonds to $2,000 fines. 

While Adani has demanded harsher penalties for protestors, spokesperson for the group Andy Paine has defended their actions, and claims Adani is out of touch with reality.

Queensland has recorded one new community case of COVID-19, a person who took two flights in the state. 

All passengers who bordered these two Virgin Australia flights from Newcastle to Brisbane and Brisbane to Townsville the day Queensland’s border reopened, has been directed to quarantine over the Christmas period.

This news comes after contact tracers have declared three flights in Queensland last week as COVID-19 exposure sites, with some passengers deemed close contacts. 

A shortage of urea has led to a potential crisis as Australia struggles to produce a crucial diesel anti-pollutant. 

Known as AdBlue, the diesel exhaust fluid is added to most modern diesel engines to help them run smoothly, however prices have increased drastically in the past year due to China limiting urea exports.

The Chief Executive of Australia’s largest AdBlue Manufacture Simon Henry says his company is pulling out all the stops to ensure stocks do not run out, despite the added costs of international importation.