The Greens have revealed a plan to make gender-affirming healthcare free under medicare.

The plan proposed yesterday involved investing $15 million annually to cover the out-of-pocket costs experienced by trans and gender diverse people in assessing gender-affirming healthcare. 

This new policy comes as the Green’s tabled a petition signed by 150,000 Australians in the House of Representatives yesterday evening. 

Greens Senator Janet Rice has said that Australia does not have a universal health care system until there is equal access to essential services.

A series of explosions have torn through a munitions factory in Belgrade overnight, killing at least two workers and injuring at least 16.

The warehouse containing 500 rockets and 30 kilograms of explosives was completely destroyed by the explosion,  leaving a crater in the ground. 

Police have said the blasts damaged nearby housing and was heard in the centre of the Serbian capital 15 kilometres away. 

Meteorologist Jonathan How says parts of Brisbane saw rainfall exceed100 millimetres yesterday. 

The wet weather is set to worsen from tomorrow with the worst to be seen at the end of the week. 

Authorities are urging Queenslanders to avoid flooded areas.

Brisbane activists will rally outside the CBD watchhouse at 4pm tomorrow in solidarity with a New South Wales climate activist sentenced to 12 months in prison.

Eric Herbert was sentenced at the Newcastle local court this morning for his role in disrupting a coal project in the Hunter region.

Mr. Herbert was arrested last week after disrupting a coal train for 5 hours by climbing on top of it and was convicted of charges including causing obstruction to a railway locomotive or rolling stock, and attempting to hinder working of mining equipment.

Tasmanian Independent senator Jacqui Lambie has criticised Pauline Hansen’s bill to scrap vaccine mandates in an impassioned speech. 

During the debate yesterday, Senator Lambie spoke against ending the vaccine mandates saying it was not discriminatory to have separate rules for the vaccinated and unvaccinated. 

She described the bill as, “playing Russian roulette with people’s lives.” 

Canada is ending their covid-19 policy of turning away asylum seekers.

Since march, Canada has turned away 544 would-be refugees as a result of increased Covid measures. 

Refugee lawyer Maureen Silcoff said it didn't make sense to allow entry to tourists while denying entry to people seeking protection. 

She says, “It's a relief to see the measure for refugees align more with our international obligations and I think it's been clear… public health and refugee protection could coexist.” 

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has sent a letter to QLD health minister Yvette D’Ath to “raise concerns” about Queensland's testing policy, with the federal health department describing the testing as “not clinically relevant”. 

This comes after Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk defended the rules which require interstate travellers to get a Covid-19 test at least 72 hours before arrival.

The covid-19 PCR test thus far has cost the tax pay $1.75 billion.

The Northern Peninsula Area estimates 80,000 visitors passed through since April, putting extreme pressure on the region's resources. 

Mayor Patricia Yusia says, “we need more influx of dollars coming into the northern peninsula area communities, to try and look at how we can address those issues.