Disaster relief and toxic waste were among issues fielded by Australian ministers at yesterday’s community cabinet meeting in Ipswich. Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the establishment of a natural disaster fund was debated at the time of the Queensland floods -“in economic terms, the most costly natural disaster we had ever seen”. At the time, […]

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 […]

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 […]

An Australian magazine editor has declared he will break the law if recommended media reforms are introduced – but most leading editors around the country are unwilling to say whether they will take the same action. Editor of Quadrant magazine Keith Windschuttle said he would not cooperate with the statutory News Media Council recommended by […]

Brisbane commuters will get free travel after nine journeys from next week. Premier Campbell Newman says commuters would feel real hip pocket relief, but a critic of travel costs says more help is needed. “The fact remains that there will be a 7.5 per cent increase in fares next year and the following year which […]

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 […]

With almost 700,000 Queenslanders booked for speeding last year, the government denies speed cameras are used mainly for revenue-raising. Speed cameras brought in $69 million in revenue last year, while more than 110,000 people have been booked in the first two months of this year. A Newsbytes street poll has found people divided about traffic […]

Commuters in south-east Queensland are angry at shoulder-to-shoulder crowding on trains and soaring ticket prices across the public transport network, according to a Newsbytes street poll. One Brisbane commuter said trains were “packed to the rafters” in peak hours. “I think they need more trains to allow people to get in and out,” he said. […]

The State Government will restrict rail services to new and existing coal mines in the Galilee and Bowen Basins to only two corridors. Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney told Parliament the plan would replace the eight railways proposed by the previous government. There would be an extension for the east to west corridor on the existing […]

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 […]

Flood prevention backflow valves to be rolled out across Brisbane over the next four years will have to be individually designed. Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said this week the prevention devices would be implemented in 80 percent of the flood prone areas. The valves for each of the 39 outlets would all have different design. […]

People are having to wait too long for overgrown trees on footpaths to be trimmed by council workers, according to independent councillor Nicole Johnston. Cr Johnston told last week’s Brisbane Council meeting it was taking more than 12 months for trees to be trimmed. She said the chairman of the Environment, Parks & Sustainability Committee, […]

A leading Queensland hairdresser and members of the public have expressed concern over hygiene risks of shared bike helmets, although a scientist says the danger of head lice is low. The hairdresser criticised Brisbane City Council for providing helmets as part of the city cycle scheme, claiming the helmets are a violation of the council’s […]

While controversy raged over government plans for the top end of George Street, plans for the lower section nearer Roma Street station received a better reception. The construction union and the Property Council have welcomed the State Government’s reconstruction plan to introduce new work spaces for public sector workers in Brisbane. Premier Campbell Newman told […]

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has refused to rule out funding cuts to Brisbane’s flood buy-back scheme. Cr Quirk told today’s Brisbane City Council meeting his administration was committed to the scheme, but when asked whether funds would be cut he would not comment. “I’m not going to speculate what might or might not be in […]