Former Supreme Court Judge Angelo Vasta has passed away at the age of 80.

Vasta was known as a source of controversy in 1987 when allegations of corruption arose following evidence linking him to Police Commissioner Terry Lewis.

Federal Member for Bonner and Vasta’s son Ross remembered his father in a touching Facebook post, describing him as the ‘perfect example of what a father should be.’

Infectious Diseases Expert Lara Herrero warns that Queensland is at a ‘very critical moment’ in its fight against COVID-19.

With cases beginning to rise once again, spanning as far as Townsville and the Gold Coast, Miss Herrero and other health officials strongly advise Queenslanders to be cautious and get vaccinated before another large outbreak occurs.

To quote, “...execute those flexible working arrangements...just in this period where we’re very uncertain…”

The Australian Catholic Church’s first Plenary Council since 1937 will take place this weekend, allowing for the possibility for major changes within the Church. 

The Plenary Council’s first assembly will focus on such topics as Healing the wounds of abuse, what can be learnt from First Nations Australians, the role of women in the Church and other issues of governance.

Mohib Ullah, a prominent civilian leader for Rohingya Muslims in Bangladesh has been shot dead in the resort district of Cox’s Bazar.

Mr. Ullah formed the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights shortly after 740,000 Rohingya took refuge in Bangladesh.

Police have ramped up protections at the country’s 34 Rohingya camps, with no group yet claiming responsibility for the crime.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service has announced plans to declare 23 species of flora and fauna extinct. 

The list includes 1 bat, 2 fish, 1 plant, 8 types of mussel, and 11 birds, including the Ivory billed Woodpecker, which was last sighted in 1944.

US Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland cited climate change and area loss as the main reasons for these extinctions, saying now is the time to lift up proactive, collaborative, and innovative efforts to save America's wildlife.

The Daintree rainforest in far north Queensland has been returned to its traditional custodians during a handback ceremony today.

The Eastern Kuku Yalanji people now have formal ownership of over 160,000 hectares of the rainforest, and will jointly manage the land with the Queensland Government.

State Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said the agreement will help “right the wrongs of the past”.

A lawyer representing almost 50 Queensland Police Service employees has described the service’s vaccine mandate as discriminatory, and criticises it for breaching their workplace award.

Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll has demanded that all civilian staff and police must have received at least one vaccination dose before the 4th of October, and their second dose by the 24th of January 2022. 

Eight members of the Argentinian rugby squad have been denied re-entry into Queensland after taking a day trip in the New South Wales border bubble.

They attended a health retreat in Byron Bay ahead of their game against the Wallabies on the Gold Coast, however due to not being residents they were not permitted to travel within the bubble. 

The team is now talking with Queensland Health to resolve the issue.