Queensland today has eased COVID-19 restrictions with six northern New South Wales local government areas. 

This means from 1am, residents from communities such as Broken Hill, Lismore and Bourke Shire are permitted to cross the border for essential reasons including work and schooling. 

The NSW residents must have at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccination.

The Australia Institute’s Climate of the Nation report has revealed that 69% of Australians support a net zero emissions target, with seventy five per cent of Australians polled concerned about climate change. 

Richie Merzian from the Australia Institute says the results of the report are promising, particularly the change in attitudes towards coal power stations, which are currently the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions when burned.

 Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he is now likely to attend the U.N. C-O-P-26 climate summit in Glasgow after he received global criticism for failing to commit earlier.

Morrison’s decision was off the back of quarantine requirements planning to end within weeks and further negotiations with the junior partner in his coalition government to strengthen Australia’s climate targets. 

Morrison said Australia wants to achieve net zero as soon as possible and preferably by 2050.

Lego has announced they are pledging to make products free from gender bias and harmful stereotypes.

This decision follows the Lego company commissioning new research from the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media into the impact of gendered products and marketing on children. 

 The company’s choice to change societal perceptions of what gender can achieve has been received positively by those campaigning for gender neutral marketing.

The Star Entertainment Group is being investigated by the Queensland gaming regulator amidst allegations of money laundering. 

Queensland’s Attorney General Shannon Fentiman says the regulator will work with the Queensland Police Service and Australia’s Anti-Money Laundering Agency Austrac, to consider the effectiveness of Star’s due diligence and processes in relation to Anti-Money Laundering.

The inquiry adds to several other Australian Casinos already being investigated for similar allegations, including the Star Casino in Sydney.

Hundreds of workers have walked off Brisbane’s Queen’s Wharf $3.6 billion dollar redevelopment site due to asbestos concerns.

Plasterboard supplier company USG Boral sent a letter to customers, including Queens Wharf developers, warning of “very low asbestos contamination” found in the company’s Sydney plant.

 Multiplex, the construction company managing the site, says testing has found no traces of asbestos yet at the Brisbane redevelopment.

Frontline workers protesting against the COVID-19 vaccination mandate have been granted an extension of stay in a ruling from the Supreme Court.

The group comprised of Queensland Health and Police Service employees challenged the mandate last month, which required all frontline workers to be fully vaccinated on the grounds of breaching human rights and anti-discrimination laws.

The stay extends for another week ahead of a two day Supreme Court Proceeding to decide the outcome. 

The Australian space agency has signed a deal with NASA to launch an Australian made rover as part of a NASA space mission this decade. 

NASA intends to fly the small rover to the moon’s surface to collect lunar soil that contains oxygen atoms. 

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the government has invested more than $700 million in the civil space sector since July 2018

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced the 50 state schools in Queensland which will host GPs as part of a state pilot program.

The program aims to make healthcare more accessible for students across the state, including in remote and regional areas. 

The schools selected includes Brisbane, Ipswich and Benowa state high schools.