A predicted population surge in South East Queensland is expected to put pressure on the Gold Coast’s sewerage network.

The population of the Gold Coast is expected to rise from around 640,000 to over 1,000,000 within the next two decades.

Chair of the council’s Waste, Water and Energy Committee, Gail O'Neill, says the necessary upgrades to the sewerage require a lot of funding.

Land for the developments is also restricted.

ACT Health has confirmed a positive COVID-19 case entered the territory on Monday the 14th of June.

The man in his 40s visited the National Gallery of Australia and Via Dolce Pasticceria. 

Authorities have asked anybody who visited these areas to isolate and get tested for COVID-19.

Japan has begun lowering their state of emergency restrictions.

The state of emergency came after the country failed to slow the spread of COVID-19 back in March, where the country saw more than seven thousand new cases each day.

Some parts of Japan are still experiencing high numbers of COVID-19.

Where hospitals are overwhelmed, areas will remain in a state of emergency until they can contain the spread.

Dr Olaf Meynecke from Griffith University’s Coastal and Marine Research Centre led the study of a world first trial of tracking migrating humpback whales using a suction tracker, paving the way for a less invasive mechanism for future tracking studies. 

Using a customised animal tracking solution suction cup tag, which temporarily adheres to the whale's skin, Dr Meynecke was able to deploy tags in the Gold Coast bay regions and track the whales in real time using a GPS tracker. 

The Queensland Government has reintroduced travel declarations for travellers entering the state from 1am on Saturday the 19th of June.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the rules are necessary given the outbreaks in Victoria and a new case overnight in New South Wales, and that border communities will be exempt.

A travel declaration requires travellers who have been to interstate hotspots to declare this and may limit their travel abilities depending on their situation.

The Labor government is claiming a victory with the return of Kerbside collection following a year long campaign against Adrian Schrinner and the LNP’s decision to slash the vital community service.

Fighting alongside Brisbane residents, over six thousand petition signatures and public rallies have secured the reinstatement of kerbside collection by July.

The Lord Mayor announced the return of the service yesterday.

The federal government has been accused of thriving on secrecy after they blocked a bill that would establish an inquiry into Christian Porter’s fitness to remain cabinet minister, being introduced to Parliament. 

Greens senator Larissa Waters, who was blocked from introducing the bill, said the decision prevents a key transparency measure to ensure a functioning democracy. 

Prime Minister Scott Morrison had previously rejected the prospect of an independent inquiry, describing Mr. Porter as an “innocent man under our law”.

Coles will spend $2.5 billion dollars over the next two years to improve self-serve checkouts, online shopping and data systems.

Coles’ market share has decreased as it has fewer stores in suburban areas, which often were the only stores residents could attend due to travel restrictions.

Coles is working with two international tech companies to build automated warehouses and fulfilment centres.

The top court in US state South Carolina has blocked two executions by electric chair set for this month under the state’s recently revised capital punishment law, as the US state scrambles to find alternatives to lethal injections amidst a drug shortage.  

South Carolina had planned to execute two convicted murderers by electric chair on Friday, the first use of capital punishment in the state in a decade.

Queensland Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen, Mick de Brenni is welcoming the return of unit B1 at Callide Power Station earlier today.

Following an effort involving more than 300 employees and contractors, unit B1 was turned back on and is now flowing reliable and firmed energy into the grid.

The explosion of one of its turbines cut electricity to over 400,000 Queenslanders late last month.