Australia and the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) have agreed to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership, as competition between China and the United States ramps up in the Asia-Pacific region.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison also announced a $154 million funding package in South East Asia for projects in health, security, crime, Covid and education.

Queensland could hit its 90 per cent vaccination target by early 2022 according to Acting Deputy Commissioner Shane Chelepy. 

The top cop believes if Queenslanders vaccinate now, then the state will reach 80 per cent vaccination rate by December 17. 

A Brisbane-based Afghan man, along with an overseas business partner created an app originally designed for Afghan artisans selling homemade wares.

After the Fall of Kabul, the partners transformed the business app into a humanitarian platform. The app known as Aseel, allow users worldwide to order food and basic necessities and have them delivered directly to Afghans in need. 

LOGiT Australia, an Indigenous Australian software company based in New Farm has developed a solution to help companies manage, track and report on their Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs).

Over 1000 organisations Australia-wide have implemented RAPs, including NGOs, government agencies and private sector companies, has led to over $2 billion worth of goods and services being procured from Indigenous businesses.  

NSW has recorded 293 Covid cases and 2 deaths in the last 24 hours, with mobile apps being used to notify people if they have visited a Covid exposure site.

The World Bank has halted operations in Sudan following the military coup led by armed forces chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

State oil company workers, doctors and pilots have joined civilian groups opposing the takeover. 

The United States is calling for Taiwan to have greater involvement in the United Nations, citing its success as a democracy and for its handling of the Covid pandemic. 

China responded saying Taiwan has no right to join the UN and considers the island a part of the country.

A Queensland nurse and 24 police staff are set to launch their legal cases against vaccine mandates enforced by their employers to the Supreme Court. 

Queensland Police were ordered to have their first dose of Covid vaccine by October 4 and the second by January 23, 2022. QLD Health staff had a deadline for September 30 for the first dose and a late October deadline for both doses.