Earth Hour organisers focus on daily energy cut-backs

Organisers of last month’s Earth Hour campaign to turn off lights plan to focus on reducing energy use every day. This year was the biggest ever Earth Hour where people in a record 150 countries and territories took part in the symbolic action of turning off power for an hour. According to WWF-Australia an initiative which began in 2007 in Sydney had grown to become the world’s largest voluntary action for the environment. Prime Minister Julia Gillard said a simple idea... Read More

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 the right direction but of course we wouldn’t rest there, we would want to see an end to mandatory detention completely,”... Read More

Teenage candidate wants fewer Gold Coast nightclubs

It’s not what you’d expect — a young man campaigning for fewer nightclubs in the glitter strip of Surfers Paradise — but teenager Alex O’Donnell wants to close some of them down. Mr O’Donnell (pictured left) says nightclubs cause too much anti-social behaviour. He is standing for election to the Gold Coast City Council with a plan to reduce the number of nightclubs to help curb late night hooliganism – usually committed by males of his age... Read More

Yachts set sail in Brisbane to Gladstone race

Fine weather and a 15 knot south-easterly breeze saw a fleet of 45 monohulls set sail this morning from Bramble Bay in the 64th running of the Brisbane to Gladstone yacht race. Nearing the halfway point in the 570km race, the leading yachts were Lahana, Black Jack and Wild Thing. All three were expected to arrive at Gladstone before 6 am on Saturday, well ahead of the race record of 20 hours, 40 minutes and 50 seconds set by Skandia in 2004. Shogun in fourth place was leading... Read More

Review: Dickens’ Women

Playhouse Theatre, Qld Performing Arts Centre Charles Dickens used his gift of the gab as journalist, author and actor to climb the social ladder. Miriam Margolyes, character actor extraordinaire, accompanied by pianist John Martin, gives us a whirlwind social tour of Dickens’ life. They settle comfortably into the Victorian drawing room featuring a gilt-edged portrait of Dickens, several chairs, and a copy of the lectern which Dickens designed for his lucrative dramatic... Read More

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