The National Retail Association is urging NSW to ensure there are more undercover police to assist retail workers following the rollout of vaccine certificates.

New data released by the NRA shows violence towards shop staff has already significantly increased in NSW. 

The National Retail Association’s executive officer Dominique Lamb says he is concerned about the safety of workers when this new system is in place. 

Victoria has recorded 705 new locally acquired covid cases and 0 cases acquired overseas. 

The cases were detected from 51,252 test results processed on Sunday and there were 29,657 vaccines administered over the weekend.

The Taliban has today issued a new rule which prohibits men shaving their beards in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand.

The Taliban's director of information and culture, Hafiz Rashed Helmand says the decision was made by the Taliban's religious police during a meeting with barbershop owners in the province. 

A letter which was issued by Taliban authorities provides a warning for barbershops of dire consequences if it is proven they have shaved someone's beard.

Amid growing unrest from local Brisbane residents affected by flight noise, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce will hold a community forum to provide feedback to Airservices Australia.

The Brisbane Flight Path Community Alliance, run by local residents affected by the noise, says the original environmental impact study into the newly designed runway is flawed, with little community consultation prior to building.

Mr Joyce says the community forum will “be advisory only and will meet monthly and report directly to Mr Joyce”.

Federal ministers are calling out the Queensland Premier in a bid to continue the national plan to reunite Australia by Christmas. 

Minister for Agriculture David Littleproud says Annastacia Palaszczuk’s lack of commitment on the national plan is not only casting doubt on holiday plans, but is also continuing to cost the state’s tourism industry “billions”. 

Mr Littleproud’s comments come off the back of Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles who says that Queensland’s borders could remain closed for Christmas.

Two former patients of a Queensland hospital have claimed they were discharged without health staff removing their cannulas. 

A patient says when she was discharged from Caboolture Hospital, staff forgot to remove her cannula. 

The 17-year-old received a call from the hospital asking her to take out the cannula herself without any medical supervision.. 

Kyla Eccles also says Caboolture Hospital left a cannula in her arm after she was discharged following a day surgery. 

The hospital is now the subject of a state government inquiry.

Bribie Island residents are urgently calling for a raft of measures in a bid to protect native animals from becoming roadkill as tourism and development grows. 

Resident Ken Salisbury has launched an online petition which is pushing for the council to take measures to protect the native flora and fauna on the island. 

Mr Salisbury says the wildlife is an integral feature of the island and is what influences many people to move to the island or travel for day trips

The NSW government is set to bring in over 500 science and maths teachers from interstate and overseas.

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell says the government will spend more than 13 million dollars to recruit qualified STEM teachers.

Mrs Mitchell says the plan to recruit outstanding teachers is part of a broader strategy to boost the workforce. 

The state government has also announced extra funding to increase teacher numbers in regional and rural areas.

The Ontario government is planning to spend 1 million dollars to assist Indigenous Tourism Ontario by developing a travelling exhibit to promote Indigenous culture and innovation across northern Ontario.

The Indigenous Ingenuity exhibit, which is a collaboration between Indigenous Tourism Ontario and Science North, will highlight historical and modern aspects of Indigenous culture and innovation. 

Through interactive and educational displays, the influence of traditional Indigenous knowledge and techniques will be demonstrated.