Pop-up Vaccination Hubs Announced at Football Events

Queenslanders will now be able to get their COVID-19 jab at the football from this weekend with the government trialing a stadium pop-up vaccination hub.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said, “The pop-up vaccination centre will open at the elimination final in Rockhampton this weekend so people can get their vaccine and also go to the footy.”

The announcement comes as the Queensland government steps up its attacks on the federal government's rhetoric about vaccine distribution.

 

Brisbane Start-up Strikes Big with Microsoft Acquisition

Microsoft has recently made its first Australian deal in over 10 years, scooping up Brisbane-based video editing startup Clipchamp. 

Climpchamp, first established in 2013, is an easy-to-use editing software. Its' team of 90-strong Brisbane employee’s will now move across to Microsoft in what has been described as a very good outcome for the business. 

Disability Advocates Condemn State Government Covid Notices as Clumsy

Disability advocates and health policy experts have condemned premiers and health officials for the reference to underlying health conditions when announcing COVID-19 fatalities.

It has become common practice for authorities to state in their daily press conferences whether someone had an underlying health condition when giving details of COVID-19 related deaths.

Disability advocates say disclosing an underlying health condition is tantamount to "victim-blaming", saying the clumsy use of language appears to diminish the importance of certain deaths.

 

Indigenous Australian's File Complaint to UN

A group of Indigenous Australians has filed a complaint to the United Nations over Western Australia’s draft heritage protection laws.

This comes more than a year after mining company Rio Tinto legally destroyed historically and culturally significant rock shelters to expand a mine.

The group is making a formal request for a UN Committee to review the state’s cultural heritage bill, calling it incompatible with Australia’s international obligations.

Taliban Announces Woman Sports Ban

The Taliban have released a statement that women of Afghanistan will no longer be able to play sport on the grounds that  such activities will expose their bodies or expose them to the media.

Twenty-five female cricketers were awarded contracts by Afghanistan's Cricket Board in November last year and it's understood it has continued to pay the players. However, the news has thrown into doubt November's women's cricket Test between Australia and Afghanistan held in Hobart at the end of the year.

Interruptions to swimming lessons during COVID-19 have resulted in more deaths

Drowning deaths in Australia have alarmingly spiked in the past year, with interruptions to regular swimming during COVID-19 lockdowns flagged as one of the key reasons behind the increase.

A report found that the pandemic had seen people seeking out remote waterways to escape crowds, swimming outside patrolling hours and venturing to isolated beaches, rivers or lakes.

Lockdowns have also seen children miss out on swimming lessons and caused a reduction in pool access for others, triggering a lack of confidence in the water.

 

New South Wales sets for target of zero extinction of native wildlife

The New South Wales government has set a target of zero extinctions of native wildlife in the state’s national parks estate, the first time an Australian government has set the goal.

Environment Minister Matt Kean says the target is a response to the spiralling decline of threatened plants and animals and Australia's status as the country with the highest rate of mammal extinction 

Mr Kean states, “Just as we have a net zero emissions target, we now also have a target of zero extinctions for our national parks”