Heatwave hits Canada

Canada’s temperature has set an all-time high record with the mercury reaching a top of 46.6 degrees Celsius in parts of the country. 

This occurrence is significant as temperatures are cooler in June which reach an average of 24C. 

The heatwave is also affecting the Pacific northwest region of the United States, and is believed to stem from a dome of atmospheric high pressure.

 

Environmental protection and investments to be actioned

Environmental protection and investments will be actioned this financial year in Moreton bay’s Division 9 electorate, these will include the installment of fauna crossings and park upgrades.

The action comes after local residents called for more action to prevent wildlife being hit by vehicles and more tree planting to offset the losses from housing development.

Councillor Cath Tonks said she is delighted to deliver practical and positive initiatives in response to her residents’ suggestions.

 

A call for better Auslan interpreter access in QLD hospitals

Brisbane local, Carol Kleech, spoken out about the lack of Auslan interpreters available in Queensland hospitals after she was left without one after an emergency surgery.

Mrs Kleech said she was left completely in the dark and called for better services for deaf people in hospitals, saying interpreters need to be present 24 hours a day.

The women helping other women find employment

A new training organisation on the Sunshine Coast called Skills Generation has been created by 14 women recently displaced from the workforce. The initiative is catered for mature age female job seekers and childcare employers. 

Women aged 45 and over represent the highest unemployed demographic in the Sunshine Coast, while the childcare sector struggles to meet labour needs with qualified employees. 

Lockdown for WA

Perth and Peel regions will go into lockdown from midnight tonight.

The state will go into a 4 day lockdown from midnight after WA premier Mark McGowan revealed another case in the state.

Mr McGowan said the ‘circuit-breaker’ lockdown will be in place for 4 days at a minimum and hopefully give testers and contact tracers enough time to nail down a picture of how far this latest outbreak has spread.

 

‘Cheer’ cheese reaches the shelves

Just a warning for this next story, it does contain a derogatory term.

The new packaging of Cheer cheese started appearing on Australian Supermarket shelves after Saputo retired the Coon name.

The name change campaigner Steve Hagan said it has taken 22 years for the change to happen and it is a victory for the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Island peoples.

Previous manufacturer of the Cheese, KRAFT, defends the controversial name, claiming it was named after American cheesemaker Edward William Coon, a claim Mr Hagan refutes.

 

Singapore abandons aim for zero Covid transmissions

Singapore has announced it will soon fundamentally change how it manages the pandemic. 

The country will no longer aim for zero transmissions, no announcement of daily case numbers, close contact of cases won’t have to isolate and travellers won’t have to quarantine.

With vaccination as a key factor in their road map out of the current restrictions, Singapore is set to have given two-thirds of its residents at least one jab within weeks and have two-thirds fully vaccinated by early August.

Dag - 'Pedestrian Life'

An ambitious double-album that was recorded over various geographies around the continent, from an attic studio in Collingwood to an outback dunny on a stormy afternoon in Queensland, Pedestrian Life is nothing short of an emotional journey, a deeply personal and intense look into songwriter Dusty Anastassiou’s trials and tribulations over the years since releasing his much loved debut album, Benefits of Solitude. Originally formed as the songwriting project of guitarist/vocalist Dusty Anastassiou, Dag began as a trio in 2012, with Bridie McQueenie and Heidi Cutlack joining on drums and bass. The band released a cassette EP, Dogwood, via fellow Mianjin/Brisbane-based label Tenth Court in 2014. Here they found a small but dedicated following amongst fans of bright, weather-worn pop songs, in the style of Bill Callahan and The Cannanes. Defined by a rotating line-up of friends and contributors, the Dag band has changed with each subsequent release. Their debut album, Benefits of Solitude (released in 2017 by Bedroom Suck) saw the final incarnation of Dag's tenure in Brisbane – with Josh Watson (bass/keys/violin), Skye McNicol (violin), and Matthew Ford (drums). Mixed and largely recorded by multi-instrumentalist Watson, Benefits found the band's palette and instrumentation expand – with lush arrangements filtered down to a bone dry snap, like the Wakka Wakka country from which it was inspired.