Beaches from Rainbow Bay to Tallebudgera were patrolled by all-female teams on Sunday, 7 March, in Surf Lifesaving Queensland’s effort to raise awareness on International Women’s Day. 

Each member of the team, from First Aid Officers to Inflatable Rescue Boat Drivers to Operation Support Roles, were women. 

The initiative was led by Claudia Fien, an entrant in Surf Life Saving Queensland’s 2021 Surf Woman of the Year program.

International Women’s Day has seen the Australian Council of Trade Unions release a report detailing increasing job insecurity and pay gaps for women, today.

The report finds women in Australia face a gender pay gap of 13.4 per cent and shows that 21 per cent of the female workforce lost work or are experiencing pressure on their capacity to retain paid work due to the pandemic, amongst other key findings.

Australia currently has the 44th highest gender pay disparity of any country.

Australia will suspend its limited bilateral Defence Cooperation Program with Myanmar's military, due to  its exercising violence against protesters. 

Australia is one of a small number of nations that maintained cooperation with Myanmar's armed forces in the wake of a brutal 2017 campaign of ethnic cleansing waged against the Rohingya minority.

In Switzerland today, voters have approved a proposal to ban face coverings, both the niqabs and burqas worn by Muslim women in the country and ski masks worn by protesters. 

The proposal foresees exceptions at religious sites and for security or health reasons, such as face masks, as well as for traditional carnival celebrations.

In the end, 51.2 per cent of voters supported the plan.

Standardised wheelie-bin waste collection systems will be implemented from April.

The system will aim to reduce confusion for people on what can and can’t be placed in the kerbside bin, according to Queensland Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon.

Negotiations are still underway on the proposed $191 million federal/state recycling modernisation scheme to update Queensland recycling facilities.

Disaster assistance has been made available to cyclone-affected communities in North Queensland after Tropical Cyclone Niran caused significant damage last week.

David Littleproud, Federal Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management, and Mark Ryan, Queensland Minister for Fire and Emergency Services, made the announcement on Friday of last week.

Widespread rain in north-western Queensland has failed to make grass grow, causing concern among graziers.

Cloncurry and Julia Creek grazier Peter Hall is concerned about the situation as opposed to similar events which would have grown grass. It is unusual for the paddocks to fail to grow after flood and heavy rains. 

Peter said the problem could relate to properties spread amongst Western Australia and he is observing before putting resources to improve the situation.

An Australian health charity has produced a video aimed at raising awareness of the high rate and impacts of musculoskeletal conditions suffered by Aboriginal Peoples.

The video was produced by Dragon Claw with funding support from the Federal Government and was developed in conjunction with the Dubbo and Coonamble Aboriginal Health Services.

The video focuses on raising awareness in communities of the support and treatment available for the impacts of musculoskeletal conditions in Aboriginal communities across Western NSW.

The Swim Sisters program, established to work with women apprehensive about ocean swimming, is helping to build confidence in the water.

The ocean safety program was launched in 2016, by Yusra Metwally, after women in France were banned from wearing burkinis on the beach.

The focus is not just about surviving, but about thriving, and how you can make the most of the opportunities in Sydney, according to Metwally.