The Federal Government will not introduce a law for a human rights charter, Attorney-General Robert McClelland said yesterday.

Former NSW premier Bob Carr has called for a drastic reduction in the size of state governments.

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 […]

The Queensland Government yesterday stepped up its attack on the Queensland Teachers’ Union for their proposed moratorium on the upcoming national literacy and numeracy tests (NAPLAN). Education and Training Minister Geoff Wilson said he had lodged a dispute notice with the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission over the union’s decision to place a ban on its […]

The Constitution should be amended so the Federal Government can give money directly to local councils, Australian Local Government Association president Councillor Geoff Lake said today. “Local government believes that a referendum should be held during the next parliamentary term to consider whether a new financial power should be inserted in the Constitution to expressly […]

Lord Mayor Campbell Newman today lashed out at the Courier-Mail for downplaying the opening of the Clem7 tunnel. “The largest infrastructure project in this city’s history did not actually have a photo on the front page — it had a photo of a paddock,” he said. The tunnel opening story was relegated to an inside […]

Brisbane City Council today approved $1 million funding for the development of Howard Smith Wharves despite Opposition questioning of the stabilisation method of its cliffs. Opposition leader Councillor Sutton said the proposed plan to cement the rock face would be ugly, “a quick, cheap fix — one that is not in the interest of the […]

Chaotic scenes in Brisbane City Council chambers today followed the Lord Mayor breaking his long silence on suspended Liberal National Party Councillor Nicole Johnston. Nicole Johnston, Councillor for Tennyson since 2008, was last week suspended from the LNP until the end of the year on accusations including disloyalty and bringing the party into disrepute, an […]

Highly accomplished teachers would be paid more under the Education Revolution, Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard has promised. Ms Gillard said higher pay had already started under the reforms, which would see some teachers paid more than their longer-serving colleagues. “The best teachers are being paid more to go to the schools that need them […]