Jim Alouat



Springborg calls for more federal health funding

A lack of long-term federal government funding could threaten Queensland’s health system, according to the state health minister. Lawrence Springborg said the federal Ggovernment needed to do more than just fund the initial start-up costs for health programs. “What we are seeing with regard to a range of projects which have been developed in Queensland […]


Review: The Cabin in the Woods

What do you get when you take a bit of Truman Show, mix in a little Evil Dead and of course the secret ingredient: a whole lot of love? You get: The Cabin in the Woods. The film is the brainchild of geek-god Joss Whedon (Buffy, Avengers) and Drew Goddard (Angel, Lost, Cloverfield), with Goddard […]


Government drops house sharing plan

Public housing tenants will not have to share their homes with other people. Housing Minister Dr Bruce Flegg said today a survey of tenants showed overwhelming opposition to the scheme, which had been proposed in the face of an accommodation crisis. Dr Flegg said 10,500 tenants responded to the survey and were unanimous in their […]


Review: Take this Waltz

I loved Sarah Polley’s impressive 2006 directorial debut film Away From Her. She showed a subtle hand in depicting an elderly couple dealing with the onset of Alzheimer’s without sinking into midday movie territory. In this her second feature film, the young Canadian actress, writer and director takes on the topic of marital infidelity. The […]


Maroon supporters meet Origin team

Origin fever reached the heart of the city today as hundreds of loyal maroon supporters lined up in the Myer Centre to meet the Queensland State of Origin team. Queensland Origin coach Mal Meninga has called in Corey Parker as 18th man in the only change made for next Wednesday night’s rugby league blockbuster. Parker […]


White wreath day recalls suicide victims

Families and friends of suicide victims gathered in a moving memorial service at Post Office Square to mark White Wreath Day. White Wreath Association founder Fanita Clark fought back tears as she delivered her speech to onlookers. “What you see here today takes 12 months to organise. But what we are here for is to […]


Street poll: Drones OK for crime control

A Newsbytes street poll has found people are not concerned about the idea of high-tech surveillance drones as long as they are used only for crime control. Queensland Police could trial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the near future. Queensland Council for Civil Liberties president Michael Cope said he didn’t want to ban UAVs but […]


100 Aboriginal languages face extinction

Two out of three remaining Aboriginal languages are likely to disappear in the next 30 years. About 100 Aboriginal languages face extinction according to a senior linguist. There are now 150 languages, a drop from 250 in the pre-colonial era, Australian Human Rights Commission figures show. But only a dozen widely-spoken languages survive. University of […]


Review: The Avengers

The superhero movie to end all superhero movies, The Avengers has finally hit cinema screens across Australia but does the film live up to the hype? The Avengers is the culmination of a plan by Marvel Entertainment to create a multi-film universe with each film contributing to the marvel tapestry. Just as Nick Fury is […]


Refugee activists call for 90-day detention limit

The release of a federal parliament report last week has sparked calls for urgent government action to make things easier for refugees. Refugee Action Collective spokesperson Paul Mckinnon said he endorsed the recent report that recommended asylum seekers be given a 90-day maximum time limit in detention. “It would be a tremendous step forward in […]


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