According to Urban Utilities, large sewer-clogging wet wipe blockages cost south-east Queensland sewerage providers around $1 million per year. They say though many products are marked ‘flushable’, it does not mean they should be flushed down the toilet. 

There has been no nationally agreed standard between makers, retailers and utilities to what equates flushability...until now.

COVID-inspired interstate migration to the Gold Coast is being estimated to reach 25,000 people in the next year as those in NSW and Victoria continue to relocate to the sunshine state. 

Premier Anastasia Palaszczuk has put a two week pause on new immigration in order for the hotel quarantine system to cope with the influx into QLD from ACT, NSW and VIC.

Commenting on the more than 18,000 new arrivals, Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate says quote "We're happy to brain-drain Melbourne and Sydney and make the Gold Coast an even smarter place with the new people coming in”.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young announces the state’s blood stocks are running low, and wants to remind Queenslanders of the importance of donating blood, plasma and platelets (plate-lets). 

Dr Young further states that donors who have been recently vaccinated are also still able to give blood after one week of receiving their dose. Eligible donors are encouraged to head to donateblood.com.au to book an appointment.

 WA's Health Department has confirmed that elective surgeries at public hospitals in Perth, Bunbury and Geraldton will be postponed for a month to cope with increasing pressure on the system, despite the lack of COVID-19 in the community.

No metropolitan public hospital will take further bookings for multi-day non-urgent category two and three elective surgeries from Wednesday.

Hurricane Ida claims a life and has shut down power across the US states of Louisiana and Mississippi. Many water systems are out and emergency services in New Orleans have not been available.

The death toll is likely to increase, with around 1,600 search and rescue personnel deployed. 

The storm arrived sixteen years to the day Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast back in 2005.

China will ban children from playing video games for more than three hours a week amidst a crackdown on tech giants such as Tencent Holdings and Alibaba Group.

People under the age of eighteen will only be allowed to play games between 8pm and 9pm on Fridays, weekends and public holidays starting this Thursday.

The new rules come in response to concerns over gaming addiction among youths.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed Monday that the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill will be debated in two weeks time in Queensland Parliament.

MPs from both major parties will have a conscience vote during the debates starting in the third week of September.

Under the proposed laws, Queenslanders with advanced terminal conditions may be able to access assisted dying in the coming year.

The Princess Alexandra Hospital’s Research Foundation is bringing back its ‘We’re all 4 the Heroes PA Giving Day’ - an initiative to raise $500,000. 

The funds will be collected Thursday 2nd of September, will go to staff education, medical research and purchasing state of the art equipment. All donations will be quadrupled on the day. 

Last year, the campaign raised a total of $654,000 funding projects such as kidney disease, genetic testing of melanoma patients and profiling of lung tissues of COVID-19 patients.