A new survey by Vox Pop Labs for the ABC found 19% of those who identify with the right side of politics are ‘very unlikely’ to take the COVID-19 vaccine, compared to 4% of those on the left.

Professor Julie Leask, an advisor for the World Health Organisation, warns of the potential of Australia following the US and parts of Europe in a trend of political polarisation around vaccination.

Professor Leask cites a need for leaders and influencers on the right in Australia to demonstrate their commitment to vaccination.

Israel’s environmental protection minister Gila Gamliel has accused Iran as the perpetrator of a disastrous oil spill off Israel’s coastline, calling the incident an act of environmental terrorism. 

The conclusion came as a surprise to many government, navy, and intelligence officers, who said that they had not been briefed on the investigator’s claim before it went through the media. 

The environmental protection ministry has backtracked on the minister’s claim, saying it was a “high probability” that it was not a terrorist incident.

In local news, Maiwar Greens MP Michael Berkman says the Education Department is considering alternative proposals to a new primary school at Indooroopilly State High School.

Locals and surrounding schools have criticised the proposal to build the new inner-west primary school in Indooroopilly, citing increasing traffic and safety concerns in the area.

Mr Berkman has criticised the Education Departments consultation process, describing it as, 

Construction has started on Queensland’s new mega-prison in the Lockyer Valley, which Corrections Minister Mark Ryan has called “Queensland’s second biggest infrastructure project after Cross River Rail”, and which is set to economically revitalise the region.

The project was commissioned as a response to overcrowding issues in state prisons, which have precipitated a rise in assaults. The new prison will be purpose-built to deal with drug offences, with rehabilitative and mental health specialist services onsite.

The City of Gold Coast and the State Government have formed a climate adaptation partnership that aims to review how current infrastructure and environmental management practises on the coast need to be adjusted to better address the impacts of climate change.

The Gold Coast has been criticised by environmental groups for not updating its climate change strategy after it expired in 2014. 

Australian Indigenous health services Danila Dilba is launching a legal challenge against the decision to approve the Northern Territory’s first Dan Murphy’s store.

The case was filed in the Northern Territory supreme court on Thursday against both the NT Liquor licensing director Philip Timney and the Woolworths group.  

Danila Dilba is arguing Mr Timney’s decision was filled with legal errors and that the potential community impacts were not properly considered.    

A tsunami warning was issued for Norfolk Island after a magnitude 7.9 undersea earthquake occurred near the Kermadec Islands in New Zealand at 5:28 AM AEST this morning. 

The Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre (JATWC) advised people in areas with a threat of flooding to seek higher ground, and those in Marine Threat areas to stay away from the water's edge.

JATWC advised strong rips, dangerous currents and localised flooding were expected to persist for several hours.

The Northern Territory Law Reform Committee released a report last month which calls for an overhaul of Commonwealth legislation. 

Certain sections of the federal Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) prohibit Northern Territory courts from considering local Aboriginal customary laws when deciding bail and sentencing for indigenous offenders of federal offences.