In a private letter to a Toowong’s residents’ group, the Queensland Environment and Heritage Protection Minister has agreed legislative changes are needed to better protect the state’s historic character homes.

Minister Meaghan Scanlon was responding to community complaints surrounding the demolition of a Tudor style home in Toowong last month, which was once home to the Webster family: founders of the Shingle Inn tea house and Webster’s biscuits.

Near 600 non Indigenous organisations and corporations are being given millions of taxpayers money under the Indigenous Advancement Strategy. 

Crown resorts is one of many corporations being funded, receiving 2.29 million from the National Indigenous Australians Agency. 

Greens senator Lidia Thorpe criticised the agency’s funding choices, asking why non-indigenous organisations are taking billions of money needed to advance indigenous Australians.

Queensland banana growers will receive an additional 50 thousand dollars in grants after 1,200 hectares of crops were affected by Tropical Cyclone Niran in March. 

Initially, only 10% of primary produce farmers were originally offered 25 thousand dollars in emergency grants, but they were adamant that was inadequate. 

The growers said there has been a lack of engagement from the Queensland government over the last six weeks after the storm, with the matter passing through three different ministers' hands.

European Union members have agreed to use digital COVID-19 certificates, in order to facilitate travel in the bloc by the summer. 

The certificate will show whether or not someone is vaccinated, or has tested negative for the virus. 

Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa says it will enable the free movement that is so important for citizens, societies and economic recovery.

Scott Morrison now said Australian’s could have their first COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the year. 

The prime minister abandoned his opposition on Wednesday stating, the fourth quarter will see a surge of 20 million Pfizer doses. 

Morrison said he will meet with state and territory leaders twice a week to get the rollout back on track.

Farmers and academics are calling for changes to land evaluation following a spike in Queensland agricultural land value. 

New land values released by the Queensland-valuer-general will see some shires increase by 100 per cent. 

University professor John Rolfe said the current system does not reward producers who use less of the infrastructure they are paying for.

Queensland’s oldest standing theatre, The Princess Theatre, will be refreshed and reopened as a music and arts venue late this year.

Heritage enthusiast Steve Wilson will partner with Tivoli owners Steve and Dave Sleswick to restore the 133-year-old building in Woolloongabba. 

Dave Sleswick said they hope to restore the heritage building to its prominent place in Brisbane’s cultural landscape.

Queensland Health has been ordered to conduct a statewide audit into personal protective equipment. 

The audit follows after the Queensland Nurses and Midwives Union took Queensland Health to the Industrial Relations Commission yesterday. 

The state's high priority hospitals including metro north and metro south must be audited by April 19.