An Australian led initiative has published a document called the Declaration on the Rights of the Moon. The Declaration calls for the Moon to be regarded as "a sovereign natural entity in its own right” by giving it legal personhood, following real life examples like the Whanganui river in New Zealand, or the Atrato River basin in Colombia. 

This follows the socio-legal ‘rights of nature’ movement, which argues that nature has a right to exist and flourish, rather than be treated as property to be exploited by mankind.

The Mackay Hospital and Health Service opened a new free testing clinic for STIs. 

This initiative has been developed because the central Queensland region recorded its highest ever yearly numbers of gonorrhea and chlamydia in 2021, despite the ongoing pandemic. 

These STIs carry the unique challenge of often being largely symptomless, which can result in unknowing transmission. 

The testing clinic will be open every two weeks, and available to anyone over the age of fourteen.

The old ABC site in Toowong has been sold to Consolidated Property Group for $43 million dollars.

Maiwar state MP Michael Berkman has been urging council and state government to buy back the land since the federal government sold it to a developer in 2006. 

Berkman says this would be a good opportunity to convert the 1.5 hectare area into public parkland. The new developers assure they will do plenty of community consultation, and include green space in their plans. 

Townsville-based charity LiteHaus International has built 20 computer labs made from electronic trash for 20 Papua New Guinea schools in the Western Highlands Province. 

Now, 300 fully-recycled electronic devices are being sent to Papua New Guinea from Queensland. They will give 18,000 students access to e-learning for the first time.

LiteHaus International co-founder Josh Growden says LiteHaus hopes to ensure every single student in Papua New Guinea has access to digital learning tools.

A new report from the Coalition MPs called for places in hotel quarantine being reserved for incoming skilled migrant workers.  

Liberal MP Julian Leeser said Australians wanting to return home will still have priority, but skilled migrants should be next in line.

Labor Senator Ciccone said that while Australia should be celebrated as a migration nation, it is important that migrants do not displace Australians from local workplaces.

Chief executive of the Discover English college, Joanna Kelly, says the English language intensive course industry is suffering under COVID-19 border closures. Five English language colleges in Sydney, Melbourne, Byron Bay, and Cairns have permanently closed their doors.

The industry plays a critical role in allowing international students to improve their skills so they can start university and secure work.

Brett Blacker from English Australia says there will be widespread pain if JobKeeper and state-based rent moratoriums cease.

Queensland Treasury has said it will most likely be unable to release the government’s yearly financial statement before the election, in election years. 

This is despite the auditor-general’s recommendation that in election years, the statement should be tabled in Parliament well before the election so the public can use the information to inform their vote. 

However, the Treasurer says this is unlikely as financial statements are generally finalised between October and January, while election date is usually around 31 October.

Brisbane locals are fighting against a new proposal for a second Story Bridge climb. 

The existing climb starts on the southern end of the bridge. The proposed one would start from Howard Smith Wharves.

Residents of apartments on Bowen Terrace are opposed on the basis the climb would result in an invasion of their privacy. The climb begins twenty meters from their apartment block.

Since the commencement of the southern climb 16 years ago, there have been no noise or privacy complaints from residents there.