Deadline for assisted dying legislation may be further postponed

Queensland voluntary assisted dying legislation may not be complete by its May deadline.

This is the second deadline that would be missed by the Queensland Law Reform Commission, after the government extended the original February deadline.

"The commission will complete this complex review as soon as it reasonably can,” said Queensland Law Reform Commission Chair, Justice Peter Applegarth. 

"It hopes that it will be able to report and provide well-drafted legislation by its reporting date of 10 May 2021.”

Coral farm developing reef restoring technology

A coral farm in Bundaberg is set to boost production, with the ultimate aim of rehabilitating the Great Barrier Reef. 

A $300,000 federal government grant will help Monsoon Aquatics expand, with the ultimate aim of helping restore the Great Barrier Reef.

"Spawning is the next level," said Director Daniel Kimberly.

"So rather than producing 10, 20 or 50 corals from one piece, we might be able to produce 10,000, 20,000 or more."

Mining Giant apologises after clearing land on a sacred Aboriginal site

Fortescue Metals Group has apologised for clearing land on a sacred Aboriginal site.

Western Australia's Weelumurrah Creek area had government permission to clear the land on the condition that elders were present to perform salvage and cultural rites. 

Wintawari Guroomah Aboriginal Corporation Chairman Glen Camille requested the state government prosecute the mining giant.

New Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers to help protect Queensland's natural and cultural landscapes

Fifty new Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers will be employed this year to help protect Queensland’s natural and cultural landscapes.

Ranger activities include cultural burns, feral animal and pest plant control, soil conservation and cultural heritage site protection.

Current locations range from Minjirribah Moorgumpin, all the way to Mapoon in the northernmost peninsula.

Calls for the buy now, pay later industry to face Federal Government regulation

Consumer advocate groups are calling for the Federal Government to regulate the buy now, pay later industry.

Companies such as Afterpay, Zip and Humm are among the fastest-growing in finance, but recent inquiries have found there are serious shortcomings for some customers.

Government corporate watchdog, ASIC, found one in five customers had missed a payment, had gone without essentials because they’d overspent and had missed other major bills including household payments.

International Cochlear Implant Day celebrates 40 years since first device implanted

Today is International Cochlear Implant Day, celebrating more than 40 years since the advent of the 'bionic ear’ by Australia’s Professor Graeme Clark.

The small device provides a person with moderate to profound hearing loss and a modified sense of sound.

Professor Clark's invention is used by over 600,000 people worldwide.

"It's wonderful to see the young children who are having the implants, even before the age of one, growing up with normal speech and language," Professor Clark says. 

Eagle Street Pier redevelopment dispute

Neighbours say an approved redevelopment of Eagle Street Pier would have an "unacceptable impact" on the area.

A neighbouring building owner says the 2.1 billion dollar proposal was not properly assessed by the Brisbane City Council.

Their court appeal says the redevelopment does not comply with the council’s planning legislation, including the city’s neighbourhood plan and a host of other codes. 

Michael Berkman pushes for harm minimisation approach towards illicit drugs in Queensland

Maiwar Queensland Greens MP Michael Berkman is calling upon the Queensland Government to stop the 'war on drugs' following International Family Drug Support Day yesterday. 

Mr Berkman says the government is failing to reduce harm or support people affected by drug misuse, addiction and overdose.

"People struggling with addiction, and their families, don’t need things to be any tougher. It’s tough enough already," says Mr Berkman

He is consequently advocating for a harm minimisation approach towards drugs to be utilised.

Black Bats released after statewide rescue mission

A statewide rescue mission has seen 70 black bats released back into the wild after carer groups from across Queensland united in their rescue.

Hundreds of bats died of starvation in Rockhampton back in December following a random mass abandonment. 

Carers have successfully hand-raised the infants and they are now being released into wild colonies.