University of Queensland Vice-Chancellor Deborah Terry yesterday insisted higher education is on a clear path after weathering the pandemic. 

She mentioned the University’s responsibility to be an active part of the community, as well as providing a pipeline for research translation to industry.

The offshore, online learning like many other universities providing to students would be a model to consider in post-pandemic life, she said. 

Content Warning: This story mentions the death of Indigenous people. 

In another shocking week, three Indigenous people died while in custody across Australia in a period of just six days. 

Federal Greens Senator and proud Aboriginal woman Lidia Thorpe has written on Twitter, “The system is broken. Thirty years on since the Royal Commission, how is it possible that our people are still dying in custody and not a single person or institution has been held to account?”

A report commissioned by the Australian Conservation Foundation has reported that Australian cities are at risk of being ‘unliveable’ after a significant decline in green spaces across  all major cities. 

The report, titled Temperature Check: Greening Australia’s Warming Cities published on 11 March, warns that most major cities will be far hotter than forecasted as a lack of vegetation creates “heat islands”.

Police in the Philippines have officially discouraged holding hands or hugging and kissing in public in an attempt to control a spike in coronavirus cases.

Infectious disease specialist Dr. Anna Ong-Lim said the police order could help curb the transmission of the virus simply by discouraging close contact outside of homes.

The Brisbane Queer Film Festival is entering it’s second week after opening on 11 March, running until 21 March.

Brisbane’s New Farm Cinema is hosting the Festival with around 20 separate films set to hit the big screens.

Information on films and tickets can be found at BQFF.com.au

A Brisbane quarantine hotel remains in lockdown after a doctor at the Princess Alexandra Hospital contracted COVID-19 after treating two returned travellers who were confirmed cases.

Over 300 tests of close contacts of the doctor have since been conducted and results are expected to be returned today. 

The doctor is understood to have been out in the community on Thursday while infectious, however, there have been no confirmed cases of transmissions as yet.

An Australian alternative rock festival, Spring Loaded, is set to kick off in Sydney in May before moving to Cairns and Brisbane in what could be one of Australia’s first large-scale touring festivals since the pandemic hit Australian shores.

Bands such as Grinspoon, You Am I, Regurgitator, Jebediah, and Frenzal Rhomb will grace the stages in Queensland before moving on to South Australia, the NT, New South Wales, WA and Victoria.

Tickets will go on sale on 24 March.