The state budget released yesterday forecasts revenue from fines is expected to rise by 39.3%, following the implementation of mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras In the second half of this year.

Motorists caught by the covert cameras will be first given a warning, in an initial grace period, before being slapped with a one thousand dollar fine for all breaches. 

The Queensland budget focuses on investment in hospitals, education, environment, job seeker and more.

The Brisbane City Council’s Ethics Committee under pressure after its three Labor members resigned yesterday.

They resigned in protest of what they alleged is a political tool,  used against independent and non-administrative councillors.

Brisbane Greens councillor Jonathan Sri spoke out last year after being reprimanded by the ethics committee for comments made to his Facebook Page on police conduct. 

Councillor Sri welcomes the resignation of the Labor members from the ethics committee.

Following the abrupt shutdown of the Sunshine Coast venue Nightquarter over the weekend, San Sisco called for compensation from the Queensland government.

The venue shutdown due to complaints about Covid-19 safety protocols leaving the music group with inadequate time to reschedule their shows or accommodation and travel.

Another artist who played that night, Jaguar Jonze, said the Queensland government needs to make fairer assessments of the risks associated with live events and offer the same consideration to music industries as they have others.

Overnight palliative care returned to the Julia Creek Multi-Purpose Health Service after being cut in November last year.

The town had its healthcare downgraded to level one, removing guaranteed overnight emergency services and on-site doctors.
Chief executive, Karen Murphy says the town hasn’t been upgraded back to level two but the health service is in “contract with a general practitioners' organisation that will provide regular GPs at least two days per week”, with efforts to bring back an on-site doctor in the future.

Clive Palmer asked the Australia High Court to overturn a new law preventing him from suing the Western Australian government.

The WA government introduced a legislation which aims to stop Mr Palmer from claiming $30 billion in damages from a previous Liberal government which disallowed assessment of the billionaire’s Balmoral iron ore project in Pilbara.

Mr Palmer said the law discriminated against him since he lives in Queensland, and the state government prevented him from selling the Balmoral project to a Chinese company. 

Wage theft and exploitation inflicted by farm managers forces migrant workers to go dumpster diving just to survive.

Kate Hsu, a Taiwanese foreign worker, said she was paid $4 an hour for picking oranges on a farm in South Australia, leaving her no choice but to eat from public rubbish bins just to survive.

Unions NSW secretary Mark Morey said the horrific treatment goes beyond underpayment, but leaves many overseas workers vulnerable as employees have the power to influence their visa status.

Scott Morrison and Boris Johnson agreed to a trade deal between Australia and the United Kingdom in principle over dinner.

The deal envisioned to give food producers and businesses from both nations easier access to each other’s markets and away from the volatile Chinese market.

Additionally, a substantial revamp of visa requirements for professionals and travellers desire to live and work in each other’s countries is expected to be included.

This trade deal is considered a major step in Britain joining a wider Asia Pacific free-trade agreement.

Avocados sold for $1 each in supermarkets after farmers upped production for this season.

Although this is welcomed news for consumers, growers are at a disadvantage. Chief Executive of Avocados Australia John Tyas said demand for avocados has not matched up with the sheer volume of product available this year, leaving growers doing it tough with the marginal prices.

However, these low prices increased the number of avocados being exported offshore, so it isn’t all bad news for the industry as a whole.