NSW Police said people from regional areas of the state are taking initiative by dobbing in Sydney travellers fleeing lockdowns. 

Officers have handed numerous infringement notices to Sydney tourists caught breaking Covid restrictions in towns such as Dunedoo, Oberon and Lithgow.

The NSW Police further state local businesses are enforcing check-in procedures which pinpoint those who are not able to provide an address outside the Sydney metro area.

More than 1,000 Afghan soldiers have been forced to flee into neighbouring Tajikistan to save their own lives against Taliban militants. 

In recent weeks the Taliban has been gaining significant control over the country, causing concern for the welfare of the country amidst fears the Afghan military will collapse.

This comes only days after the last Australian troops left the war-torn country with the US and UK following the same September withdrawal deadline.

Henry Pike will contest the Queensland seat of Bowman for the LNP to replace Federal incumbent MP, Andrew Laming.

Mr Pike, the Property Council director of media and communications, won a five-way LNP preselection battle on Sunday.

Dr Laming will quit politics at the next election after allegations that he harassed two women online.

The LNP’s culture towards women is being criticised, after a complaint was made about Mr Pike sending fat-shaming texts about women during his time with the Young LNP more than a decade ago.

In a recent Queensland COVID update, four new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 have been recorded today. 

Premier Annastacia Palaszcuk says all are low risk and linked to existing clusters. 

All four cases are the Alpha strain, rather than the more contagious Delta variant, which the Premier says is excellent news. 

The Premier urges everyone to wear masks, check in to all public places and get tested even if they have the mildest symptoms.

The Queensland Government will supply free support for homeowners and builders amidst the impacts of rising prices and material shortages.

The Accelerated Builder - Consumer Dispute service will give frustrated people access to professional mediators in an effort to help them complete their homes.

This service comes as the COVID-19 pandemic has meant global supply chains are struggling, but the state’s housing demand has increased.

Australian researchers are calling on Facebook to better regulate hate speech in the Asia Pacific region.

A study funded by Facebook found the platform does not have adequate mechanisms to combat discrimination from proliferating on its service.

Professor Katharine Gelber from the University of Queensland, co-author of the study, says Facebook “does not have enough local contextual knowledge or input, and secondly relies on a single definition globally to flag hate content.”

Visa applicants with permanent medical conditions or disabilities will no longer have their applications assessed in terms of their lifetime care cost.

The migration requirement, resulting in rejection of Australian visa applications of more than 15 people with disabilities or illnesses, has been relaxed by the government.

Prior to July 1st, the policy underpinning the requirement set the threshold for significant cost at $40,000.

This has now been increased to $49,000.

Oxygen shortages have resulted in the death of 33 patients at Dr Sardjito General Hospital in Yogyakarta city in Indonesia. 

Public hospitals in Indonesia's main Island of Java are being pushed to the brink as the highly infectious Delta Variant causes a dramatic spike in cases and strained medical resources.

Health authorities are blaming distribution problems but Sulung Mulia Putra, an official at Jakarta's health agency, says the shortages were temporary and due to distribution issues that were being resolved.