Brisbane is running out of land for new homes according to documents released during the Queensland state budget hearings.

Under current state government rules, all local government areas should have 4 years’ worth of approved lots.

However, Brisbane has less than three years and Noosa has less than 1 year.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles says the reason for the housing crisis is due to, quote, “the interstate migration which has put pressure on land supply across the state [during the pandemic]”.

Three new magistrates Mr Shane Elliott, Ms Stephanie Gallagher and Ms Megan Power have as of Thursday been appointed to courts in Brisbane, Charleville and Innisfail with one also to undertake the role of Brisbane Coroner.

A welcome sight is the fact that these 3 newly appointed magistrates have a collective 100 years of legal aid experience behind them with Magistrate Power having “20 years’ legal experience primarily in areas of appeals, serious crime practice, environmental law, Childrens Court cases and Mental Health Court matters.”

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has stated whether the Australian economy can avoid a second recession in as many years will depend on the success of the lengthy NSW lockdown.

NSW, which has been experiencing a failed easy lockdown in order to avoid extreme damage to the economy is now experiencing the worst resurgence of Covid in recent months. New cases soared to a record 239 on Thursday and the death toll in the current outbreak is 13.

Experts have said although international trade is strong and holding it all depends on what happens with the December quarter.

NSW police will be cracking down even harder on those who choose to break COVID-19 rules as the state struggles with a record high number of infections.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller on Thursday said police were clamping down to "get us out of lockdown sooner" and made a formal request to the Federal Government for assistance from the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

Last week astronomers caught a glimpse of light being reflected by a black hole 800 million light years from Earth. 

This first time sighting confirms Albert Einstein’s prediction that black holes can bend light around them if their gravitational pull is strong enough.

New figures show apprentice shortages in Queensland are worsening at an alarming rate. 

The state government has failed to deliver its promised thirteen thousand apprentices and the major shortfall is hurting a wide variety of industries including food, beauty and construction.

Shadow Minister for Employment and Training Brent Mickelberg says, “This chronic shortfall in apprenticeships shows the State Government is losing control of skills programs and preventing people the opportunity of learning a trade”

Brisbane City Hall’s Night Cafe has been a safe sanctuary that homeless youth have relied on for 20 years.

The Thursday Night Cafe provides young people aged 12 to 25 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness a safe space to come and get a hot meal, clothing, hygiene products or have a shower.

Located in the City Hall's basement, it is led by a team of youth workers, doctors, nurses, and other volunteers and serves as a salvation for those in need.

Images of Queensland school children in the local region of Gayndah holding guns and rocket launchers have received swift backlash from social media users.

Mayor Rachel Chambers defended the online photographs saying they had been misconstrued and blown out of proportion by critics on social media.

In regard to the event where the school kids were allowed to take photos with the weapons, Councilor Chambers went on to said, "They demonstrate bridge-building and allow the kids to hold unloaded weapons for them to experience their sheer weight."