The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response has found the majority of countries did not respond appropriately to the World Health Organization’s early COVID-19 alert.

A Public Health Emergency of International Concern, known as a PHEIC, is the highest global alert the WHO can issue, which was announced 30 January 2020.

The Panel found that despite the warning, most countries' plans for an outbreak were underfunded and underprepared, meaning there was a missed opportunity to better contain the outbreak. 

Adani asked the federal government to finance the construction of its Carmichael mine and rail link, after one of its biggest contractors pulled out due to an inability to acquire insurance.

BMD Constructions, one of Australia’s largest construction companies, is hardly the first to face this issue. Big insurers around the globe are dropping support for coal, saying it is too risky for the companies. Climate activists have been pressuring insurers, after lobbying the government proved ineffectual in stopping the development. 

New data from the New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research has revealed that the number of indigenous youth in custody in New South Wales has dropped by 25%.

Executive director of the Bureau, Jackie Fitzgerald, says while the data allows for cautious optimism about the downward trend of over-representation of indigenous youth in custody, there is a long way still to go.

The Corrective Services Department confirmed that COVID-19 vaccinations are being rolled out to prisoners in Queensland jails. 

Corrective Services Minister Mark Ryan said the program is overseen by Queensland Health but faced some complications due to differing ages and health of prisoners, meaning some are eligible for the AstraZeneca vaccine and some are not. 

Together Queensland, which represents prison wardens, said wardens should be included in the vaccination programs as they are more likely to be the vector from prisons to the community.

A Brisbane architectural historian has captured rare photos of a decommissioned textile factory which has been left abandoned in Salisbury since the 90’s.

The photos revealed a building stuck in time, with fabric still fed through the machines.

The building’s caretaker, Scott Thompson, says the factory, which dates back to World War II, is at risk of vandalism and scrap hunters, who have removed panelling to enter the building, exposing deadly asbestos in the process.

Bundaberg Mayor Jack Dempsey has called on the federal government to support a flood resilience project that would protect six hundred structures and reduce insurance premiums in the town.

The state government has committed $42.5million dollars towards the project but needs the federal government to match the funding for the work to begin.

Federal Emergency Management Minister David Littleproud says the Queensland government needs to take responsibility for the management of money for the project rather than rely on the Australian government.

Health researchers around the world are calling for better Indigenous perinatal care, using indigenous and community led and based solutions.

50 health researches from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US were part of a recently published paper in Women and Birth, the official journal of the Australian College of Midwives.

The paper revealed current health practices are failing indigenous women, with indigenous women more likely to have pre-term births, and more likely to die during childbirth.

Instagram is being applauded for its inclusion of gender expression on its platform, with users now able to display their pronouns in their page bio.

Users are now able to add up to 4 gender pronouns to their profile which can be edited or removed any time.

Currently the feature is only available in Australia, the UK and the US  with plans to make the feature more widely available in the future.