Michael Strickland



Angry fire fighters and ambos march on Parliament

Boots were thrown at Parliament House during a lunchtime demonstration on Tuesday by hundreds of fire fighters and ambulance officers protesting against altered work conditions. Frontline emergency workers challenged Premier Campbell Newman to walk in their boots before his government implemented any changes. The protesters gathered at Southbank before heading to Parliament House to protest […]


Review: The Dark Knight Rises

As the most highly anticipated film event of the year, the most obvious question is whether The Dark Knight Rises lives up to the hype. Director Christopher Nolan found great success when he re-introduced the world to the beloved Batman. There are many elements which make this film great – the portrayal of iconic Batman […]


Labor demands answers on public service cuts

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman has blamed the previous Labor government for public sector job cuts but refused Opposition requests to release figures on how many workers had been axed. Opposition leader Annastacia Palaszczuk asked in Parliament yesterday for full details. “Will the Premier finally be honest with Queenslanders and today give them the figures of […]


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 […]


Newman accused of twisting election promise on jobs

A union has accused Premier Campbell Newman of distorting an election promise by getting rid of thousands of public servants. Up to 40,000 public sector workers will be out of a job by the end of June. Secretary of key public sector union Together Queensland, Alex Scott, said the Government had twisted its pre-election stance […]


Queensland Speaker stresses importance of educated media

It is important that an educated media cover state and national politics, Queensland Parliament’s new speaker, Fiona Simpson, said this week. In a talk to Jschool Journalism College students at Parliament House, Ms Simpson (pictured) stressed the importance of a well-educated media presence in politics. “It is absolutely critical that we have an educated media,” […]


Review: Battleship

Hasbro, the company, which brought us Transformers and G.I Joe, has provided the world another film derivative of a popular toy from yesteryear. Battleship is sure to entice younger moviegoers, as the film’s formula is no different from other Hasbro films. You have goodies and baddies, the girl, loud explosions, great one-liners and Michael Bay-like […]


Review: Drive

Director Nicolas Winding Refn delivers a vicious combination of imagery and violence which draws much of its cinematic appeal from the electronic pop score composed by Cliff Martinez. Ryan Gosling stars as the unnamed protagonist, whom we can call the driver. The driver moonlights as a getaway driver and is a stunt driver by day […]


Photojournalist’s life changed forever by 15 months as a hostage

It was a life-changing experience to be a hostage without knowing whether he’d live or die or ever be released, Australian photojournalist Nigel Brennan said in Brisbane this week. Brennan and Canadian journalist Amanda Lindhout were kidnapped in 2008 just outside the Somalian capital Mogadishu. He told his story to a group of aspiring journalists, […]


Thousands gather for city dawn service

An estimated 8000 people gathered in Brisbane’s ANZAC Square for today’s dawn service. The service began at 4:28am at the Shrine of Remembrance for a memorable 97th anniversary of the Anzac Cove landings at Gallipoli in Turkey. Queensland Governor Penelope Wensley referred to the changing light of dawn and shifting shadows as a poignant reminder […]


Hysterical fans surge in One Direction

Shrieking fans greeted a brief appearance of touring band One Direction outside the Sofitel Hotel in Brisbane this week. Girls camped out overnight to catch a glimpse of the British-Irish boy band before they set off for their Brisbane debut at the Convention Centre. Hordes of hysterical young women were barricaded from the hotel this […]


Review: The Laramie Project

Great team work by Nash Theatre has resulted in a powerful and effective production of The Laramie Project. The play begins with eight actors standing among eight chairs on a dimly-lit stage. Together they proceed to tell the shocking story of the 1998 fatal beating of gay university student Matthew Shepard in Laramie, in the […]


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