Review: Iron Sky

If Iron Sky were to be summarised in two words it would have to be “Moon Nazis”. As a fun idea for a B-movie it’s up there with Snakes on a Plane and Lesbian Vampire Killers. But much like those two movies, a single clever idea isn’t quite enough to sustain Iron Sky through its running time. A Finish-German-Australian co-production, Iron Sky was funded not by a major studio but by small online investors and film enthusiasts. Despite its unconventional funding model Iron... Read More

Photo exhibition tells of the horrors of war

A mother comforts her injured son. The scene echoes the Christian iconography of the Pietà – Mary holding a crucified Jesus. Except this mother and son are inside a mosque. On display at the Brisbane Powerhouse as part of the 55th annual World Press Photo exhibition is the Photo of the Year for 2011, taken by Spanish photojournalist Samuel Aranda last October in Yemen. The 18-year old son turns towards his mother in agony, his skin marble-like against the black cloth of her... Read More

Teachers angry at government pay deal

Teachers protested outside Parliament House today over a pay and conditions offer from the Queensland Government. Waving placards they chanted: “Teachers make our classrooms great, Langbroek must negotiate.” Queensland Teachers Union representatives said the government’s offer of a 2.7 percent pay increase was in exchange for removing conditions from the current agreement and replacing them with “policy”. The QTU’s 44,000 members are currently being balloted by the... Read More

Bosses brave the cold to raise funds for homeless

More than 150 business executives and politicians will be battling the winter temperatures in Brisbane on Thursday night to raise awareness of homelessness. Some high profile CEOs taking part include lord mayor Graham Quirk, former prime minister Kevin Rudd, Queensland treasurer Tim Nicholls and Kenlynn Properties Australia joint managing director Anthony Flynn who has raised $56,000. It is the third nationally-run St Vincent’s de Paul Society’s CEO Sleep out. The CEOs will... Read More

Editors coy over response to media council

An Australian magazine editor has declared he will break the law if recommended media reforms are introduced – but most leading editors around the country are unwilling to say whether they will take the same action. Editor of Quadrant magazine Keith Windschuttle said he would not cooperate with the statutory News Media Council recommended by the Finkelstein Inquiry. The government-funded council would replace the voluntary Australian Press Council and would require newspapers... Read More

Electric cars generating more interest

Electric cars on Australian roads lead the charge to a zero-emission future, but how soon will they become popular? Newsbytes asked a range of people, including car experts and members of the public, to find a mixture of views. Mitsubishi released the first mass-produced electric car to Australia’s fleet and government market in late 2010, and to the general public in January 2012 at a cost of $48,800. Mitsubishi’s i-Miev, a four-seater light car, was more expensive than the... Read More

Commuters to get free travel after nine trips a week

Brisbane commuters will get free travel after nine journeys from next week. Premier Campbell Newman says commuters would feel real hip pocket relief, but a critic of travel costs says more help is needed. “The fact remains that there will be a 7.5 per cent increase in fares next year and the following year which would roughly twice CPI,” head of lobby group Back On Track, Robert Dow, said. Mr Dow said regular travellers faced rising costs. “Reducing flag fall... Read More

Aussies’ cushy lifestyles may make them tougher on refugees – sociologist

Australians’ comfortable lifestyle may make them less sympathetic to refugees, a refugees advocate said yesterday. Sociologist and mental health nurse Jane Hasler said many people were driven by the “I’m all right Jack” philosophy. There was a prevailing attitude of “don’t come and play in my back yard”. Dr Hasler spoke to Newsbytes before the World Refugee Day rally in Brisbane. “We are not taking appropriate action to support and... Read More

Hundreds explore northside bus tunnel

People of Brisbane had a glimpse at the city’s latest piece of public transport infrastructure on Saturday. Brisbane’s northern busway tunnel between Lutwyche and Kedron was opened to the public, with families and friends exploring the project. The $444 million northern busway took three years to build – Thiess John Holland handed it over to the state government and TransLink earlier this year. The project includes busway stations in a high quality urban design... Read More

Rally told public service cuts will hurt kids

Angry public sector workers marched through city streets waving dolls to represent children they said would suffer from public service job cuts. Community Service Department members said the children would not receive the same attention when the workers were gone. Secretary of the union Together, Alex Scott, said the loss of temporary jobs in these vital areas was a very real concern for members, particularly those working the front line at child safety counters and in disability... Read More

Blues down Maroons 16-12 in second Origin contest

New South Wales levelled the 2012 State of Origin rugby league series with a close win over Queensland last night in Sydney. The Blues beat the Maroons 16-12 at a sell-out ANZ Stadium. Not even a late charge from Queensland and several errors from both sides could break through what NSW call the “blue wall”. Queensland had a golden opportunity to put the first points on the board when NSW dropped the ball in their own goal but Queensland prop David Taylor failed to... Read More

Australia draws with Japan 1-1 in thrilling World Cup qualifier

A 10-man Australian side managed to draw with Japan in a controversial and exciting game of football in Brisbane last night. Defeat was on the table after the Socceroos suffered a blow when referee Khalil Al Ghamdi sent off substitute Mark Milligan in the 57th minute after he kicked a Japanese player from mis-timing a volley kick. Keisuke Honda capitalised on Australia’s misfortune with a beautiful cross to Yuzo Kurihara who managed to get the ball past 39-year-old veteran... Read More

Review: Prometheus

From the opening shot of an oval, pebble shaped ship rumbling away before a sickly white human-looking individual you know you are watching a film which is unabashedly science fiction. The plot centers on an expedition to uncover the meaning behind a cryptograph depicting a constellation placed in a 25,000-year-old cave on earth. The mission: to discover the proposed birthplace of mankind. Films are built for escapism, and those that deliver the most believably crafted spaces... Read More

Mixed reception for speed cameras as 0.7 million booked

With almost 700,000 Queenslanders booked for speeding last year, the government denies speed cameras are used mainly for revenue-raising. Speed cameras brought in $69 million in revenue last year, while more than 110,000 people have been booked in the first two months of this year. A Newsbytes street poll has found people divided about traffic cameras’ purpose. One woman we interviewed said: “I think it’s all about revenue, it’s about making more money for the government.” But... Read More

Facebook users asked to pay for highlighted posts

Facebook has raised the ire of many of its Australian users by quietly rolling out a feature that charges users to highlight their posts. Although Facebook has always said it would remain free, the feature enables users to pay to ensure their posts are seen by more of their friends. The controversial feature was introduced in New Zealand last month, with Kiwis given the option to pay $2 to highlight their posts. The feature was quietly introduced for Australian Facebook users... Read More