The Queensland Greens’ newest candidate for the federal senate will run against Pauline Hanson in 2022. 

Penny Allman-Payne, a teacher, lawyer, and former Convenor of Queensland Greens says she will prioritise increasing jobkeeper to $80/day if elected.

“The Morrison LNP government loves to pit the cities against the regions, but as someone who grew up in regional Queensland, and still lives there, I can tell you that we all share common interests and goals,” said Ms Allman-Payne.

Dr Jeanette Young will be Queensland’s new governor, from November 1st.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced this earlier this morning, praising Dr Young for her service to the state, particularly in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Dr Young will take over the role from His Excellency The Honourable Paul de Jersey, as he moves into retirement.

A couple are driving roughly 26-hours per week to Cairns to receive dialysis treatment because of the shortage of chairs in Mt Isa.

This problem adds to the growing wave of criticism against Queensland Health by the LNP, for the mismanagement of public health facilities.

Member for Traeger, the Katter’s Australian Party‘s Robbie Katter, says it’s an example of regional Queensland missing out on government funding for public health services.

Two Indigenous men from Arnhem Land have lodged a voter suppression complaint against Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).

Mayor of West Arnhem Regional Council, Matthew Ryan, and Chairman of Yalu Aboriginal Corporation in Galiwinku, Ross Mandi, allege the requirement for people to have a street number and postal address to be listed on the electoral roll is discriminatory.

They allege the AEC’s strict rules about how people enrol to vote indirectly suppress Indigenous communities voices. 

A content warning for the next story, which mentions self-harm.

Two refugees hunger striking in the Melbourne Immigration and Transport Accommodation Centre have been hospitalised this morning in Melbourne.

They’re amongst fourteen refugees who have been hunger striking since Thursday night, in protest of their indefinite detention. 

No refugees have been released since February this year, even after the government had announced it was starting a quote “progressive release” policy.

Chile President Sebastian Pinera has announced Chile will get a new constitution to replace its current conservative, dictatorship-era charter.

The assembly drafting the new constitution will hold its first session on July 4.

The rewriting of the constitution is the result of a broad political consensus agreed to after the widespread social protests that broke out at the end of 2019 against inequality.

The Royal Brisbane Hospital has cancelled non-urgent elective surgeries for the next fortnight in an effort to counter the state’s growing emergency health crisis.

This period will allow the Metro North Health group to implement strategies to address the bed-shortage issues.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has addressed the issue as a failure of the government to be honest about what indeed classifies as a bed, and how many are actually available at any one time.

Victoria has developed and will make Australia's first local mRNA COVID-19 vaccine to be ready for clinical trials by the end of the year.

Acting Premier James Merlino says the government is investing $5 million in support for the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS) to manufacture doses of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine for trials, which are due to start in the coming months.

Mr Merlino also says the vaccines received from the federal government would not meet demand in Victoria over the coming months.

Construction for the world’s largest medicinal cannabis facility is due to begin in Toowoomba in August.

Built 250 metres from the Wellcamp International Airport, it will cost $400 million, producing 500 tonnes of cannabis per year and employing about 1000 people.

Demand for medicinal cannabis is set to soar, with prescriptions tripling in Australia over the last year and low-dose CBD oil soon to be sold at pharmacies without prescription.

Toowoomba Mayor Paul Antonio says the economic boost to the region will be tremendous.