Protesters clash at Southbank Max Brenner store

Protesters clashed outside chocolate cafe Max Brenner yesterday, when those in support of a boycott on the Israeli-owned business were verbally attacked by counter-protesters. About 40 members of the groups Justice for Palestine, Socialist Alliance and the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions on Israel movement, marched on the Southbank store in dismal weather conditions. Indignant and vitriolic shouts of protest from about 100 counter-demonstrators drowned out the usually... Read More

AMA calls for warning labels on alcohol

The Australian Medical Association has called on the federal government to make it compulsory for alcohol products to carry warning labels such as those found on cigarette packets. The AMA said warning labels were needed to keep consumers aware of the dangers. Federal president of the AMA Dr Steve Hambleton told Newsbytes other countries used labels and if Australia failed to act it risked being left behind. He said cigarette warning labels worked in Australia and would be effective... Read More

Transferring public servants to Carseldine tipped to cause traffic chaos

Huge traffic problems have been predicted with the state government’s plan to move public servants to the former QUT Carseldine campus. Bracken Ridge councillor Amanda Cooper said nothing was being done to address the traffic impacts of up to 1000 new workers in the area and residents had wanted the campus to stay. “I know that my residents wanted the campus to stay as a educational facility,” she said. “Their view is it gave students the opportunity not to... Read More

Train trip from suburbs to city ‘to cost $15 in 2014’

A one-way train trip from Richlands to the CBD will cost almost $15 in 2014* according to a leaked state government strategy document. The shock figure was revealed at yesterday’s Brisbane City Council meeting by public transport chairman Julian Simmonds, who quoted an internal Translink document projecting big increases in all public transport fares in the next few years. The current fare from Richlands to the city is $4.14. “Translink has announced a five-year fare... Read More

Bus drivers’ DNA kits a bizarre waste of money – experts

Forensic and legal experts have labelled the Brisbane City Council’s bus DNA testing trial “useless” and “bizarre”. Queensland University of Technology senior lecturer in forensic DNA Dr Bill Lott said the kits were a waste of money. “I am somewhat astounded that the BCC would waste money this way, and even more astounded that the police would cooperate by analysing and producing what is essentially useless information,” he said. “If there were a fight on the... Read More

Libs attacked over tobacco policy

Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon says she is  disappointed Opposition Leader Tony Abbott won’t support all the measures that would deliver the world’s first plain packaging for tobacco products. The  Australian Medical Association has backed the plain packaging reforms and awarded the Australian Government their annual tobacco award for the policy. “You have to wonder whether the 97 percent of donations coming through to the Liberal and National parties... Read More

Hotel group says smokers will drift to edge of Queen St Mall

Smoking bans to come into force in Queen Street Mall from September 1 will merely shift smokers and their litter to areas nearby, according to the the Queensland Hotels Association. QHA occupational health and safety manager Ross Tims said this week licensed premises would also suffer the full brunt of the laws because tourists and drinkers also smoke cigarettes. He said the current laws would concentrate smokers and the mess of cigarette butts to the edges of the mall. “We... Read More

Seven months on, kids still suffering flood anxiety

Queensland children could still be concerned about the floods seven months after the deluge that affected Brisbane, according to a leading child development expert. Queensland University of Technology early childhood Professor Susan Danby (pictured) said the January floods had increased the risk of anxiety in children. “The floods raised real issues of uncertainty and unpredictability for them,” she said. “Things that were comfortable and predictable are now uncomfortable... Read More

Queensland Health accused of failing school kids

The Queensland Health Department has been accused of letting down children by not having nurses in primary schools to detect health problems. Children affected included those with learning-related problems and children in remote regions, according to critics of the state department. School health programs were failing to diagnose children with health problems that affected their ability to learn, according to Queensland Nurses’ Union secretary Beth Mohle. Ms Mohle said... Read More

Travellers’ tales evoke a world of images

Jenni Kelly was one of six award-winning artists who took part in the “Travellers’ Tales” exhibition funded by the Moreton Bay Regional Council. The event was held this month at the Pine Rivers Art Gallery in Strathpine. The theme “Travellers’ Tales” embraced memoirs of the artists’ intrepid travels derived from photographs translated into art pieces across the globe, including America, Europe, Asia and their homeland Australia. Works varied from... Read More

Council angry over State ban on river development

Deputy premier Paul Lucas came under fire at this week’s Brisbane City Council meeting as he was accused of being anti-development for the city. Cr Amanda Cooper said Paul Lucas’s decision to reject the development at the Howard Smith Wharves was inconsistent and against city development. The chair of council’s neighbourhood planning and development assessment committee told the meeting of a number of other development decisions, past and present, that were... Read More

Ekka race day at Eagle Farm draws happy crowd

Clouds built and the breeze freshened but that wasn’t going to stop the thousands who came out for the annual Ekka races at Eagle Farm racecourse on Wednesday. The fake tan had been applied, suits ironed and hair curled. Most of the spectators, mainly aged in their 20s, had been preened to perfection – and not only the ladies. The Ekka races held on the Brisbane public holiday are a popular day for many to come out and enjoy the horse races which run all afternoon. Hot... Read More

‘No funds’ to fix flood-damaged sports fields

A senior Brisbane councillor claims flood-damaged sporting facilities owned by the council have been refused funding from the national disaster relief fund. Brisbane Lifestyle committee chair Geraldine Knapp said yesterday the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) did not consider that sporting facilities were an “essential public asset”. The Council has estimated $10 million dollars of repairs have already been completed on sporting and recreational... Read More

Council accused of a lousy deal over bike helmets

The number of Brisbane cyclists with itchy heads may increase dramatically in the next three months, the Brisbane City Council trialling a shared helmet system for Citycycle. From next Monday a third of the bike fleet will have a helmet provided free of charge, one of the council’s seven improvements to increase the struggling scheme’s popularity. Lord Mayor Graham Quirk was upbeat as he discussed the plan for helmets, reminding council that Australia is a free country. “If... Read More

Thousands call on Parliament to ban live animal exports

Thousands of people joined protests in capital cities over the weekend to urge the Australian Parliament to ban live export in Australia. The rallies follow a lift on a temporary ban put in place after footage of the mistreatment of cattle in Indonesian abattoirs was aired on ABC’s Four Corners program. Animals Australia advocate and RSPCA cruelty investigator Lyn White has called on the Prime Minister to let MPs have a conscience vote when the two bills which oppose... Read More

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