For today’s news updates as they happen in Brisbane and beyond, follow us here.
For today’s news updates as they happen in Brisbane and beyond, follow us here.
The Queensland government has begun community consultation – the first step of a review process – for the long-planned Gold Coast light rail expansion.
The stage four expansion would extend the tramline by 13km, running down to Coolangatta and connecting the Gold Coast Airport.
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said the state government was concerned about the required resumption of over 200 homes and 1000 car parks, adding the former Labor government had shown “disdain” for residents by hiding information.
“Through this consultation process, we will ensure locals are informed of the proposed impacts on their community so they can have an informed say about the future of this project,” Bleijie said.
“I urge southern Gold Coasters to have their say.”
The state government had previously thrown both the Gold Coast light rail expansion and Sunshine Coast heavy rail build into doubt, after the federal government declined to increase commonwealth funding of the mass transit projects.
Community consultation closes on May 2.
Queensland Health believes another person has contracted Japanese encephalitis in the state.
“The recent probable Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) case reported was locally acquired in Queensland,” a departmental spokeswoman said.
“The possible exposure location is currently under investigation.”
The first person to be diagnosed with JEV, in January this year, was likely infected in the Darling Downs region.
Amid recent wet weather, Queensland Health warned that mosquitos carrying JEV had also been detected in Brisbane’s eastern suburbs.
“We continue to review and enhance mosquito-based surveillance activities for JEV, particularly in locations where JEV has not been previously recorded,” the spokeswoman said.
“This includes areas of south-east Queensland.”
The virus had previously been detected in mosquitos further west, as well as in several piggeries.
Australia’s biggest supermarkets insist the grocery sector is highly competitive and that customers benefit from a more diverse landscape.
In a statement, Coles said it continued to “fiercely compete” with thousands of specialty and independent retailers including Amazon, Bunnings, Chemist Warehouse, and Priceline.
After a report from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission noted the big supermarket chains were among the most profitable in the world, Coles argued its net profit after tax had remained at 2.6 per cent as a percentage of sales over the last five years.
“Coles welcomes any recommendations that improve transparency for suppliers and customers but cautions against measures that will increase red tape and drive up costs.”
Woolworths chief executive Amanda Bardwell also claimed the sector was “very competitive,” and, like Coles, warned against any unnecessary market intervention.
“Having fully co-operated with this inquiry, we will review the report and its recommendations to identify any insights to make us a better business for our customers, suppliers and communities in which we operate,” she said.
A fundraising appeal towards research and care for ill babies in Queensland has been launched, with the state government committing $1.5 million towards the cause.
This year the Nine Telethon is raising funds for Mater Little Miracle, and will be broadcast on April 26 on Channel 9 and 9Now.
The program will tell the stories of struggling newborns supported by the foundation, and feature performances by Australian musicians Tones & I and Mark Seymour.
Nine says it’s aiming to raise $9 million this year.
“Queensland babies need and deserve the best possible care,” health minister Tim Nicholls said in a statement.
“I’m encouraging Queenslanders everywhere to support this cause and the dedicated frontline teams who care for our little miracles.”
After nearly four years of captain’s calls, debate and indecision, Queenslanders are about to finally discover what shape Brisbane 2032 will take.
By the time Premier David Crisafulli takes the stage at a Brisbane business lunch on Tuesday, 1343 days will have passed since Brisbane was officially awarded the Games.
Finally, instead of constant debate and talk, ground will be broken, and our Games will start to physically take shape.
The Queensland government has begun community consultation – the first step of a review process – for the long-planned Gold Coast light rail expansion.
The stage four expansion would extend the tramline by 13km, running down to Coolangatta and connecting the Gold Coast Airport.
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said the state government was concerned about the required resumption of over 200 homes and 1000 car parks, adding the former Labor government had shown “disdain” for residents by hiding information.
“Through this consultation process, we will ensure locals are informed of the proposed impacts on their community so they can have an informed say about the future of this project,” Bleijie said.
“I urge southern Gold Coasters to have their say.”
The state government had previously thrown both the Gold Coast light rail expansion and Sunshine Coast heavy rail build into doubt, after the federal government declined to increase commonwealth funding of the mass transit projects.
Community consultation closes on May 2.
One of Brisbane’s long-standing botanical parks has turned 100.
The Sherwood Arboretum – a type of botanical garden specifically for trees – was founded on March 21, 1925, with the planting of 72 Queensland Kauri Pines.
The pines remain on the 15-hectare site today, among another 1350 trees from about 250 native species.
The Brisbane City Council said Sherwood Arboretum was also home to gliders, bats and about 124 species of birds.
“I want to thank those who had the incredible vision for this destination and everyone who’s had a vital hand in preserving and enhancing it for the past 100 years,” Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said.
The arboretum is still about 100 years younger than the County Botanic Gardens, which were established in the early 19th century.
The World Science Festival kicks off today with talks, screenings, hands-on workshops and performances. Opening weekend highlights include ABC presenters on their most awe-inspiring experiences, an Indigenous approach to space travel, and a screening of Miyazaki’s adorable film Ponyo.
It won’t be as much fun as seeing him at a Melbourne chip shop but Fatboy Slim plays Sirromet Winery on Sunday.
On Saturday, Arnhem Land rockers King Stingray are teasing their new album For the Dreams at the Fortitude Music Hall.
The peace-loving Ahmadiyya Muslim Association Queensland is inviting people of all faiths to hear speakers from the Islamic, Jewish, Christian, and Hindu communities and feast at an interfaith Logan Iftar at the Masjid Bait-ul-Masroor mosque in Stockleigh from 4pm on Sunday (registration required).
Its season was truncated by the cyclone, so tickets to La Boite’s highly recommended Macbeth, which ends on Saturday, are greatly sought after.
Meanwhile, stirring Shakespearean ballet Kenneth Macmillan’s Romeo and Juliet plays tonight and tomorrow at QPAC.
And the State Library has a new exhibition opening tomorrow titled The Unbroken Spirit of the Kalkadoons.
Artist Colleen Sam tells her family’s story of survival during the frontier massacres in north-west Queensland.
US President Donald Trump is being urged to target Australia over its federal laws on social media and the digital economy in a powerful campaign by American tech giants including Elon Musk to block measures that hurt their profits.
The move is in response to the federal government putting in place laws to ban children under 16 from accessing social media, as well as measures to force tech companies to pay media organisations in Australia for content on their platforms.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the reaction from the US companies was predictable.
“It’s not surprising that the tech giants would have that view,” he told Sky News this morning.
“Our job is to make decisions in Australia’s national interest, to protect kids online, for example, or to make sure that there’s a level playing field in our media with our media organisations.”
Chalmers added that it was “self-evident” that tech billionaire are very close to the Trump administration.
“Our focus and our job is to make our case in the US, as we have been doing,” he said, concluding that tech giants “won’t always like” the online protections governments legislate.
The proposed $2.5 billion inner-city covered Olympic venue, the Brisbane Arena, has been cast into doubt over its price tag.
The 17,000-seat covered arena is proposed for Roma Street Parkland, and has been earmarked to host swimming and aquatic events with a drop-in pool.
Nine News reported the state government was reconsidering the venues looking to potentially redistribute funds across other projects for the Games.
The state government first raised doubts over the Brisbane Arena when it revealed that a Roma Street station upgrade might also be needed, costing an additional $500 million.
Australian Olympic Committee CEO Matt Carroll said to Nine this morning that the committee was looking forward to “getting on with the show” but could not reveal details on the Brisbane Arena’s future.
“Hopefully we may get a briefing before Tuesday, but at this point in time, we’re waiting to see the announcement on Tuesday morning in Brisbane,” Carroll said.
The Coalition has accused the government of siding with big business in its “flaccid” response to the ACCC’s report that found Australia’s supermarkets are among the most profitable in the world.
In a Sky News interview, Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie claimed Labor had failed for three years to address rising prices for consumers and the “poor deal” that primary producers were getting because of the duopoly.
“This is a very flaccid response from Jim Chalmers, we put a very comprehensive proposal on the table to address the lack of competition in our supermarket sector that the government failed to pick up,” she said.
The Nationals’ Senate leader added that there was a lack of penalties and “tough measures” in the government’s response, countering that the Coalition supports fines of up to $2 million and giving the ACCC divestiture powers as a “serious disincentive” for mistreating customers and suppliers.
“I think this, once again, is the Labor Party backing their mates at the big end of town, rather than everyday Australians who are being crippled by, you know, the price rises at the checkout.”
McKenzie said the US and UK had divestiture powers, and the move was supported by former ACCC chairs.
“We need it here as a measure to really say to these supermarkets, you are unable to treat people egregiously any more.”