Noosa Council avoided a $3 million fine after being found guilty of improperly disposing toxic waste material at its Pomona Depot.

The Department of Environment of Sciences (DES) has issued council a formal warning for not obtaining a permit for the safe disposal of copper chrome arsenate treated timber which can be unsafe if ingested or burnt.

Noosa locals are angry at tourist’s disregard for Queensland’s mask-wearing mandate.

Local Noosa legend Bill Watson claimed only 10% of people he sees are complying with the mask-wearing rule.

Mr Watson said locals are doing the right thing, but it’s mainly visitors who don’t, leaving the community at risk.

Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski says police handed out 235 masks on Sunday and infringement has risen up to $206 for every person that fails to comply.

For the first time, rTMS short for Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, is being added to the Medicare Benefits Schedule at a cost of $288.5 million. 

rTMS is a successful last resort depression treatment that involves an electromagnetic coil being placed on a patient’s scalp where a magnetic pulse stimulates nerve cells in the area of the brain involving mood control and depression.

Currently the treatment costs between $3,500 to $5,000 and while doctors warn it is not a cure, they say it has strong efficacy and low side effects. 

Australia’s Foreign Minister Marise Payne has announced a promises to financially support overseas Australians trying to return home amid a decreased travel cap.

The number of international arrivals has decreased to a little over 3 thousand flights across the country, while 20 repatriation flights are scheduled between now and September.

Ms Payne said the new cap reflects the ‘very challenging environment’ and encourages those overseas to contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Consular Emergency Centre, especially for those in need of financial assistance.

A chemical factory explosion has rocked the city outskirts of Bangkok, with the blast being heard kilometers away in the Samut Prakan province. The blast has damaged homes and thousands of evacuations have been ordered. 

It is currently unknown what caused the explosion at the expandable polystyrene producing factory. Firefighters have brought most of the inferno under control while a chemical styrene monomer tank still burns.

One rescue worker died, while 29 are injured.

The Southern Moreton Bay Islands Coast Care received a federal government grant of over eight thousand dollars to aid the continuation of drone monitoring on Russell Island.

The drone trial which monitored the island’s mangroves ended successfully and this latest grant meant the remaining twelve missions can be completed.

Project coordinator Al Priestwood said the drones are a great improvement on handheld cameras and are excited to continue the project once weather conditions improve.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk refused to take down a tweet regarding the AstraZeneca vaccine. The tweet incorrectly stated the British government disallowed their population under 40 to take the vaccine. 

Her Twitter followers were quick to point out the misinformation, despite her reiterating the claim in a television interview last night. The Premier defended her statement by linking a BBC article on Twitter, with her office saying ‘clarifies’ her tweet. 

Thousands of close contacts caught up in Queensland’s latest Covid outbreak left devastated and confused.

Over 4,000 people have been directed to quarantine at home during a 14-day incubation period, with a minority placed into hotel accommodation at the state’s expense, after visiting a growing list of exposure sites across south-east Queensland and Townsville 

Anna Morton was ordered to enter the hotel quarantine after being identified as close contact, although fully vaccinated, having isolated for several days and testing negative.

Tech company Philips issued a recall of all its sleep apnoea machines and respirators as a result of defective foam insulation. 

The company explained the issue in a quarterly report, the foam is degradable and could potentially blow off particles and gas into the patient’s lungs causing damage.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration is aware of the issue and the recall may affect over 200,000 devices, while Australasian Sleep Association president Alan Young said the general risk is low and out of 10,000 machines only 3 could have the defective issue.