Biak Islanders in the West Papuan region of Indonesia are angry at the Indonesian Government for granting the use of their Island to Elon Musk’s SpaceX project

The West Papuan island would see land cleared, increased military presence, and a launch pad constructed.

The Palaszczuk government will launch an inquiry reviewing sex education classes in Queensland schools. 

The inquiry, led by Minister for Education, Grace Grace, will seek the opinions of young people as to whether issues around consent and sexual assault are being properly addressed. 

550 Australian university academics are calling on the government to immediately release the remaining medevac refugees in hotel detention.

Some refugees were released from hotel detention last week, however many remain, including refugees still held at the kangaroo point detention facility.

Local residents are intending to appeal a Brisbane City Council decision in Court about an approved Commercial development application in the public green space between Boggo Road Gaol and the Ecosciences Building at Dutton Park.

Community group Boggo Road Futures say the development  is not appropriate for the site and places too much weight on car parking, and will increase traffic congestion.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison will meet the leaders of the US, Japan, and India at an online meeting on Saturday, to discuss China’s growing military and economic power in the Indo-Pacific region.

Four countries form an informal strategic forum called QUAD and it’s been discussed at the ministerial level, but it is the first time all leaders face each other.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions are calling on the Australian Government to help developing countries access vital COVID-19 vaccines by waiving some provisions of intellectual property laws.

More than 85 developing nations may not have widespread access to COVID-19 vaccines until 2023, because of intellectual property laws that prevent the production of cheaper versions of new medicines.

A 4.6 billion year old meteorite was discovered in the Sahara desert, the volcanic rock dates from just 2 million years after the formation of the solar system.

Research published in the U.S. based ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences’ believes the meteorite was probably part of the crust of an ancient protoplanet that broke up early in the solar system’s past.

Wivenhoe dam is at its lowest water levels in over a decade and water restrictions could be put in place for south-east Queensland

Mike Foster, from water authority Seqwater is “encouraging the community to look at ways they can conserve and reduce their water use.”

Reports have leaked of an asbestos contamination cover-up at Sunnybank State High School.

In October last year a contractor penetrated walls known to contain asbestos and teachers reported being able to write their names in dust.

An Aboriginal cultural knowledge centre is being planned to be built in far north Queensland, on Olkola Country. 

The Centre will be designed in collaboration with The Olkola Aboriginal Corporation, The University of Melbourne, Monash University and Arup Engineering.