An Australian-born two-year-old child faces deportation, after the Department of Child Safety told the child’s foster mother she can’t apply to care for him.

The child’s biological mother was on a student visa at the time and despite being born in Australia, the child has no right to Australian residency.

Federal Immigration Minister Alex Hawke says the child can be sponsored by the Queensland government in these cases, and that he as a minister would, quote, “give it my full and compassionate consideration."

Brisbane’s Lifeline Bookfest hopes to raise 1.5 million dollars this year, after being cancelled twice in 2020 due to Covid-19.

Lifeline offers 24-hour crisis support via the phone number 13 11 14 and they say there’s been a 40% increase in calls over the past year.

Lifeline has over 1000 crates of books they hope to sell with the help of 2000 volunteers.

The Bookfest will take place at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre from 26th June to July 4th.

Head to the Lifeline website if you want to volunteer.

An Australian clinical trial made a breakthrough in Cancer research, with a drug trial for melanoma patients proving successful.

Findings show the drug stopped the progression of tumours in approximately half of the trial patients and is the first in the world to have such high success rates.

Andrew Bennett, a patient in the trial called the drug a ‘miracle’ after doctors told him his melanoma was a death sentence.

Victoria is introducing new laws which will make it mandatory to sign in with QR codes when visiting venues.

Businesses now face fines for up to one thousand and six hundred dollars for not complying with enforcing QR sign ins.

There’s concern for older Australians and Australians from migrant backgrounds regarding this new law, as Victorians need a smartphone to use the Service Victoria app to sign in and may be unaware how to.

Hong Kong Citizens are seeking alternative ways to pay tribute to the Tiananmen Square anniversary, after the Chinese government has banned this years’ vigil.

China cited Covid-19 as the reason for the ban, despite Hong Kong reporting zero cases of locally-transmitted Covid-19 for over a month.

This came after China’s increasing pressure on Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, with human rights group Amnesty International claiming that China has used Covid-19 to ‘muzzle’ the freedom of citizens.

The chairman of the Crime and Corruption Commission that sacked the Logan City Council two years ago is now battling to keep his job.

Chairman Alan MacSporran has been faced with a targeted probe into his commission, which saw the former Logan City Council mayor, Luke Smith and seven fellow councillors charged with fraud.

Whilst still pursuing criminal charges against Mr. Smith, prosecutors dropped the fraud charges against the seven former Logan councillors, who threatened legal action. 

A Gold Coast father, Sean Hardman, has launched a petition on the Queensland Parliament website to change the bylaws of smoking in strata schemes, after receiving second hand smoke from neighbours and causing health threats to his family.

The Body Corporate and Community Management Act stated people living in strata schemes must not cause a nuisance or hazard, but smoking was not listed.

After being voted down by body corporate, Mr Hardman took the concern to the Queensland Government.

Transport sector groups have said that Brisbane’s infrastructure is not ready for the incoming wave of electric scooters and bikes. 

The Brisbane City Council signed contracts to bring an additional 1800 electric vehicles to Brisbane’s streets in coming weeks.

The transport sector has once again called for the state government to review the laws that bar e-scooters from roads and bike lanes.

NDIS chief Martin Hoffman has acknowledged fear and concern around proposed changes to the disability insurance scheme. 

People with disability have raised concerns they will be left without the support they need under the proposed reforms.

These reforms shift NDIS assessments from medical experts to bureaucrats.

In a recently released consultation paper Mr Hoffman said he regretted the reforms had not met community expectations.