Agencies, carers and representatives from the Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs participated in a forum yesterday to discuss the Queensland Government’s latest push for kinship care.

The forum discussed ways to best move to kinship care which allows for friends and extended family members to care for the child.

The final design of the Brisbane Metro vehicle has been revealed with the design including several changes to improve accessibility and commuter comfort.

Among the 35 changes are increased priority seating from two to ten, improved window tinting to address the high UV rays in Brisbane, and on-board wifi.

The Tasmanian Government said it will close the Ashley Youth Detention Centre within the next 3 years amid allegations of abuse.

Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said the closure will allow for ‘major systemic change’.

Australia joins other nations, including the United States and New Zealand, to support a waiver that would allow exemptions in the intellectual property protections for COVID-19 vaccines.

India and South Africa say new rules would make it easier for low and middle-income countries to manufacture generic versions of the vaccines that currently have a 20 year patent on them.

Two Afghan journalists who were covering a women’s rights protest in Kabul were detained and beaten by the Taliban this week.

Etilaat Roz newspaper released two photos on social media of the journalists’ injuries across their backs, legs, arms, and shoulders, and Reuters have since verified the photographs. 

Caboolture residents have shared concerning stories at a Health Crisis Town Hall held by Queensland opposition leader David Crisafulli about malpractice and botched surgeries at the Caboolture Hospital.

The Swell Sculpture Festival on Currumbin Beach has seen the installation of a new kind of border barricade.

Artists, Blair Garland and Russell Solomon, are responsible for installing an ‘us and them’ sign at the site of the border barricade.

Founder of Pristine Peninsula Les Barkla has handed a report to State Member for Redcliffe Yvette D’Ath and other local members in a bid to take action against littering across Queensland.

Pristine Peninsula recently ran a 100-day campaign where volunteers collected 15,706 items, an average of 157 litter items dropped every day across the 12 sites.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s latest report reveals how the ongoing restrictions and lockdowns during the pandemic have indirectly impacted our habits. 

Data reveals 1 in 5 alcohol consumers drank more than before the pandemic, with a similar proportion of smokers also increasing their consumption, and 58% of people spending more time on screens.