Travellers may be required to pay $150 before crossing the border

The Queensland Government is yet to announce whether day trips across the border will require a $150 Covid test.

Current regulations state travellers must not only be fully vaccinated but also undergo a Covid test 72 hours prior to their arrival in Queensland. 

Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, the Covid-19 PCR travel test provider, claims the tests start at $145.

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce expressed his frustration stating, "Hopefully, these conditions – particularly PCR testing at every turn – is dispensed as Australia becomes more confident living with Covid.”

100 Queensland police officers have been stood down after refusing to get the Covid vaccine

Queensland Police Commissioner, Katarina Carroll, announced in September all Queensland police will be required to be fully vaccinated by January 23. 

Police Minister Mark Ryan said “almost all” of the state's police officers had been vaccinated. He said, “I am informed by the Queensland Police Service that as of 4pm on November 11th, 92 police officers… have been suspended on vaccine-related matters.” 66 other QPS staff memebers have also been stood down. 

 

Mackay local draws his Line in the Sand to stop sand mine

Mackay grandfather, Greg Trembath, is launching a campaign to stop a Mackay Harbour Sand quarry.

He says he is fighting to shut down a sand mine off Mackay beach to protect the environment for future generations.

He has launched his Line in the Sand campaign to bring the area under conservation status as the land falls under Mackay strategic Port Land territory.

The North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation’s Land Use Plan states fauna surveys recorded 26 species of “special conservation status” on port lands.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has been forced to make changes to the recently proposed ‘Pandemic Bill’

During negotiations with crossbench MPs last night, the Andrews Government were asked to wind back some aspects of the suggested laws. 

The news laws, which would give the Premier the power to declare a pandemic alongside the advice of the chief health officer, has received wide-spread backlash from the community. 

The bill is set to be debated in parliament today.

Australia has seen its first successful launch of its own powered rocket

The locally made Black Sky Aerospace rocket launched from a site on the NSW Queensland border on Monday and lasted about four minutes, reaching 30,000 feet prior to parachuting successfully back down to earth.

It is said to be the first time that a locally made rocket has been launched since 1971.

Black Sky CEO Blake Nikolic said, “We set out to get the mission completed and we hit the milestones.”

 

Greta Thunberg has slammed climate talks in Glasgow

Environmentalist Greta Thunberg has described the COP26 summit as “very vague”. 

She said the “small progress” made in the talks highlights a “losing” fight against climate change. 

She says, “I have to say unfortunately it turned out just the way I and many others had expected and there is still no guarantee that we will reach the Paris Agreement.”

 

Victorian Man Charged as Tasmania Goes Into 3 Day Lockdown

A Victorian man has been charged after travelling to Hobart from Brisbane while positive with COVID19 causing a three day lockdown.

Tim Gunn, who escaped hotel quarantine, was found by police after being within the community for 24 hours and been charged with two counts of failing to comply with the lawful direction of an emergency management worker, two counts of knowingly providing false or misleading information, 16 counts of breaching a nationally recognised domestic violence order and one count of "possessing thing used for the administration of a controlled drug"

QLD Borders To Open To Fully Vaccinated

In further COVID news The Queensland government has brought forward the opening of the broader to fully vaccinated travellers, with people able to apply for border passes from 5pm today.  

Anyone seeking to enter from COVID19 hotspots will need to be fully vaccinated, spend 14 days in quarantine, travel by air and have proof of a negative COVID  test within 72 hours of travelling across the border. 

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says “the gold coast is not ready at this stage” and “time is running out for Queenslander to get vaccinated”.