Savannah in the Round offers Pfizer Vaccine

North-Queensland music festival Savannah in the Round is teaming up with the Cairns and Hinterland hospital to offer festival-goers a Pfizer vaccine before entering the grounds.

Festival director James Dien says the music industry has been a strong supporter of vaccination, and believes this Australian first initiative is a worthy addition to the cause.

Festival-goers must bring their Medicare card to be eligible for the jab.

 

Prickly Acacia Technology Yet to be Announced

Member for Traeger Robbie Katter will address the media today to announce game-changing technology in an effort to rid Queensland of the Prickly Acacia plant. 

23 million hectares of grazing country are currently infested with acacia nationwide, which could cost the Australian cattle industry billions.

Katter believes the new technology could also help reduce international carbon emissions, as failing to free up grazing land will lead to a demand for increased beef imports.

 

Calls for Better Emissions Pledge

Calls for the Queensland government to lift their 2030 emissions reduction target have been made following the New South Wales’ premier’s plans to lift their emissions reduction target from 35% to 50%.

Queensland Conservation Council Energy Strategist Clare Silcock says the Queensland government needs to match or beat this pledge. 

Otherwise, Queensland risks losing investment in renewable energy that can power regional communities and long term clean energy jobs. B   

Pink Diamonds Sold at Auction

The last of Australia’s signature gem are set to be sold in an exclusive silent auction by Rio Tinto. 

The Argyle diamond mine in Western Australia’s Kimberley region closed last November, with of the remaining iconic pink diamonds to go under the hammer.

Argyle pink diamonds currently sell at over 35 times the cost of white diamonds, and with prices increasing over 600% since the year 2000, this historic auction is sure to see the cost and rarity increase even further.

 

11-Year-Old Creates Women's Sport Magazine

An 11-year-old girl has created women’s sporting e-magazine ‘Her Way’ in response to the lack of media celebrating sportswomen.

Abbie Dare has already sold 270 copies of her first issue, attracting the support of high-profile athletes, including cricketer Elyse Villani and golfer Karrie Webb.

Miss Dare hopes that publishing ‘Her Way’ will introduce more young girls to the world of sport and help correct the imbalance in women’s media coverage.

 

Youtube Bans Anti-Vax Content

Social media platform Youtube is now blocking all anti-vaccine content from its services. 

Examples of this content include claiming the flu shot can cause infertility, and the MMR shot causing autism. Prominent anti-vaccine activists such as Joseph Mercole will also be blocked from the platform.

The change comes after Youtube and its parent company Google were criticised for not doing enough to deter dangerous and harmful misinformation.

 

New Contact Tracing Locations for Brisbane

Fears of a potential Lockdown for South-East Queensland loom as the state government has listed several new exposure sites for Tuesday amidst the latest COVID-19 outbreak.

These include locations in the CBD, Cannon Hill, and Spring Hill.

Chief Health Officer Jeanette Young says she is monitoring the situation very closely, after the state recorded 1 new case yesterday. 

For the full list of exposure sites, head to the Queensland health website.

 

Storms for South-East Queensland

South-East Queensland storms are set to begin this afternoon and continue till Friday Evening.

Longreach and the Warrego Region have already experienced heavy rain, hail and winds of up to 125km/hr.

Senior Bureau of Meteorology Forecaster Felim Hanniffy advises South-East Queenslanders to prepare for hail and remain updated as the storm progresses.