Milton Man Gogh: The Great Reset

<p><span><span>- Milton Man Gogh have their roots sown deep in Brisbane. A progressive jazz power-trio of local virtuosos whose conceptual satire serves as foil for cutthroat compositional chops. Following up 2019's <em>How to Be Big and Small (At the Same Time), </em>new EP <em>The Great Reset </em>gives a knowing nod to the years passed and the upending effect of a global pandemic on career artists.</span></span></p>

Bitumen: Cleareye Shining

<p><span><span>- Bitumen is the coalescence of four absolute music obsessives, based in Naarm/Melbourne by way of Nipaluna/Hobart, whose singular style of industrial post-punk (to put it loosely) first cut like a jagged knife though the landscape of the antipodean punk scene back in 2016. With an EP, split &amp; one phenomenal LP behind them, <em>Cleareye Shining</em> is their highly anticipated savage sophomore album, out today via Heavy Machinery Records &amp; Flash Forward.</span></span></p>

Watermelon and Chilli Prices Set to Rise Due to Weather

Watermelon and chilli prices are set to rise after torrential rain destroyed up to 85% of summer crops across Queensland last fortnight.

The wet weather has saturated growers properties, making operating heavy machinery impossible, and ruining fruit due to overhydration.

The shortage and subsequent price rise are projected to occur sometime after Christmas.

ATAGI Recommends no Change to Aus Vaccine Booster Program

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation has recommended there be no widespread change to Australia's vaccine booster program in response to the emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

The ATAGI reports there is no evidence to suggest that an earlier booster dose of the current COVID-19 vaccines will augment the protection against the Omicron variant.

Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly says both Moderna and Pfizer had announced they were looking at tweaking their booster shots to respond to the Omicron variant.

Developers Face Legal Challenges from Traditional Owners

Developments in Hawks Nest are set to face legal challenges from traditional owners in the area. 

Shai Richardson, the interim chief executive of the Karuah Local Aboriginal Land Council says her community wants to regain ownership of two beachside plots that were sold in 2018 for $1.5 million.

Ms Richardson says her community believed at the time that the land was being sold to the neighbouring Hawks Nest Golf Club rather than developers who are planning to build 140 apartments on the site.

Germany Imposes Restrictions on Unvaccinated People

Germany is imposing restrictions on the unvaccinated in a response to the latest COVID-19 outbreak.

The mandates require that unvaccinated people be barred from all non-essential venues including hospitality venues and cultural and recreational venues.

These restrictions come after the country recorded over 70,000 cases in 24 hours.

Elective Surgery Patients May Require COVID Tests

In a bid to reduce hospital transmission, Queensland elective surgery patients may be required to undergo COVID tests prior to surgery.

The proposal is one of many aimed to prepare Queensland for the ‘living with the virus’ phase as cases are expected to mount.

Acting Queensland Chief Health Officer Peter Aitken stresses the proposal is not a directive and there is no timeline as to when this may be implemented in the future.