Aniela Hedditch



Opponent of $900 handouts seeks Senate seat

The man who challenged the Rudd Government in the High Court over the constitutional legality of the $900 economic stimulus bonus will continue his campaign to “fix the federation” by standing as a Senate candidate in next month’s federal election. Law lecturer and former barrister Bryan Pape (pictured) told Newsbytes today he would file his […]


Blood flows as bikies roar into town

Brisbane blood donation levels were given a welcomed boost over the weekend when motorcycle enthusiasts united to give blood in the fifth annual Merlo Coffee Red Ride for Life campaign. More than 115 riders from across south-east Queensland roared into the Springwood Red Cross Blood Donor Centre on Saturday to help resuscitate much-needed blood supplies […]


RACQ welcomes drink ban on new drivers

The introduction of zero-alcohol limits for novice drivers of any age has been welcomed by Queensland’s motoring body, the RACQ. The tough new laws, which came into effect last month, prohibit all learner and provisional licence holders, and all restricted (RE) motorcycle licence holders in their first year of riding, from driving after consuming any […]


Patel jailed for seven years [video]

Disgraced former Bundaberg surgeon Jayant Patel was today sentenced to seven years’ jail for the manslaughter of three patients. Patel was convicted of three counts of manslaughter and one of grievous bodily harm. He was sentenced to seven years on each manslaughter count and three years for grievous bodily harm, the sentences to be served […]


Council treats community as ‘the enemy’ – academic

Proposed laws to exempt Brisbane City Council’s civic cabinet from the Right to Information Act will treat the community as the enemy, a local government expert has warned. Dr Doug Tucker says democratic principles are threatened by the move. The City of Brisbane Bill 2010, to be debated in Parliament in a fortnight, will amend […]


West End parents win fight for school crossing

Half a million dollars will be allocated in the upcoming budget to improve pedestrian safety on West End’s busy Montague Road, Lord Mayor Campbell Newman promised today. The decision comes after local parent Linda Hogendoorn urged councillors to install a pedestrian crossing so residents and students of West End State School could safely cross the […]


Johnston denies acting violently towards fellow councillor

Suspended LNP councillor Nicole Johnston tonight strongly denied allegations she acted violently towards Cr Ian McKenzie, who sits beside her at Tuesday meetings in the council chamber. She said such claims were “unsubstantiated”. Cr Johnston, who was suspended from the LNP in March for alleged gross disloyalty to her party, said she only learned late […]


Move to ban sales of pets from shops

The Pet Industry Association of Australia said a petition calling for the sale of cats and dogs to be banned in pet shops was poorly researched and unfairly targeted retailers. An e-petition before the Queensland Parliament is calling on the government to prohibit the sale of household pets in stores on the grounds it is […]


Gateway popularity causes computer crash

The popularity of yesterday’s second Gateway Bridge opening extended into cyberspace, causing the official website to crash more than 12 hours before the event. Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace confirmed the system crashed on Saturday night. The site went into meltdown when last-minute visitors tried to register for the event to assist the government public […]


Thumbs down for Gateway name change

Most people who walked over Brisbane’s newest cross-river span prefer the old name despite yesterday’s official renaming of the iconic bridge and its duplicate after public servant Sir Leo Hielscher. A NewsBytes poll at yesterday’s community day for the second Gateway Bridge found more than three-quarters of walkers favoured the original name. In February this […]


Emerson says loss of two MPs makes election win harder

The resignation of two MPs will make it more difficult for the LNP to win the next Queensland election, Member for Indooroopilly Scott Emerson said today. Last week MPs Aidan McLindon and Rob Messenger quit the party to become independent members of Parliament, saying they believed party politics was corrupting the political process. Mr Emerson […]


Lawyer says cemetery vandalism claims a ‘ beat up’

Lawyer Jann Taylor, who successfully represented two of four people accused of vandalising graves at Toowong Cemetery last year, said calls for changes to be made to state laws was nothing but a ‘beat up’. Her comments come after an E-petition was submitted to parliament claiming a legal loophole allowed the dismissal of charges be […]


Flegg bullies government over school abuse

More Government action was needed to stop school bullying, shadow education minister Bruce Flegg said yesterday. Education Minister Geoff Wilson announced last week the federal government had agreed to support Queensland’s proposal of a National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence to be held on the third Friday in March each year. Dr Flegg […]


Russian church tries to stop Kangaroo Pt tower

Brisbane church member Constantine Drozdovskii chose public participation over prayer yesterday in an attempt to stop a development proposal casting a shadow over his local church. At yesterday’s Brisbane City Council’s meeting, Mr Drozdovskii urged council members to reject a development application that would see a 20-storey apartment block tower over St Nicholas’s Russian Orthodox […]


News by Email