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.
People living in the Brisbane City and Scenic Rim council areas are now eligible to apply for Personal Hardship Assistance after the federal government found those regions met the criteria for disaster payments.
There are now seven council areas in south-east Queensland where residents can apply for payments of $180 for individuals, or up to $900 for a family of five or more to cover essential items.
Queensland Disaster Recovery Minister Ann Leahy said three levels of government were working together to support communities.
“Personal Hardship Assistance provides immediate financial aid to get people back on their feet following a disaster,” she said.
“This funding covers emergency essentials like food, clothing and medicine, and grants for more severe impacts such as destroyed household goods and extended loss of services.”
Eligible residents can apply at www.qld.gov.au/disasterhelp or by phoning the 24/7 Queensland Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349.
Ten people including three brothers have been found guilty of murder after a teenager was stabbed to death in a group attack in a public park in Zillmere in Brisbane’s north.
A total of 12 defendants faced the Queensland Supreme Court today for their verdicts, each charged with murdering 19-year-old Girum Mekonnen, following a judge-only trial in November 2024.
Justice Crowley heard the motive for the attack was retaliation for the bashing of John Wal Wal at an Ipswich shopping centre five days before Mekonnen was stabbed.
John Wal Wal is the brother of four of the defendants. Three of them – Kresto Wal Wal, 29, Gabreal Wal Wal, 31, and Santo Wal, 36 – were today found guilty of murder and other charges including causing grievous bodily harm.
Majok Riel Majok, 23, Alex Edward Deng, 22, Chan Kuchmol Kon, 28, Joseph Lokolong, 28, Abraham Ajang Yaak, 30, Ben Abio, 23, Juma Makuol Deng Makuol, 28, were also found guilty of murder.
Yohana Wal Wal and Malat Akoi Makuach were found not guilty of murder and other charges related to assaults and wounding.
Justice Crowley said he intended to sentence the defendants on March 31.
Newstead Brewing Co in Milton has closed permanently. The craft brewpub announced the closure in a lengthy social media post on Tuesday.
Newstead Brewing was one of the early movers in Brisbane’s craft beer scene, having originally opened on Doggett Street in Newstead in 2013, a few blocks over from fellow local brewer Green Beacon. Green Beacon still trades, but is fully owned by Japanese-based major Asahi.
“Being an OG of an industry, you aren’t immune to being taken advantage of nor making mistakes,” the post from Newstead Brewing read, before apportioning much of the reasoning behind the closure to the pandemic and, in particular, the 2022 floods.
“It’s heartbreaking for us all, that in these times of industry crisis, we just couldn’t weather this final storm. From Doggett St to Milton, it has been an honour serving you all.”
Labor frontbencher Shannon Fentiman has used question time to ask why the Queensland government briefed the federal opposition about the unfolding disaster before it briefed the state opposition.
Fentiman asked Premier David Crisafulli whether that was appropriate given the federal Coalition leader, Queensland MP Peter Dutton, had “fled to Sydney to fill moneybags rather than sandbags”.
Crisafulli did not comment on Dutton’s attendance at a political fundraiser, nor did he answer the specific question about the timing of the briefings, but said Dutton “has called me every day, every day”.
Reiterating all levels of government had worked together during the crisis, Crisafulli said Labor’s line of questioning was “pretty poor form”.
“We haven’t seen a single bit of decency today,” he told parliament.
Attorney-General Deb Frecklington has been accused of using the cyclone as cover while she “secretly” sacked a ministerial advisory council established by the former Labor government to consult on youth crime policies.
Opposition Leader Steven Miles levelled the accusation at Frecklington in his first question of the day, sparking an outcry from the government benches.
“What a shameful display,” Frecklington replied.
“I know the opposition are struggling, but seriously? For your first question?”
Frecklington said the LNP had appointed a victims minister, and consultative forums, and while the Labor-appointed council was no longer needed, its members could still be involved.
Labor followed a similar theme in its questions to other ministers, with Housing Minister Sam O’Connor at one point accusing the opposition of using a natural disaster to scare Queenslanders.
Now is the perfect time to scrap the “inconsistent, out of date trouble-riddled NAPLAN” test, the Queensland Teachers’ Union has argued.
In a statement, the union said that since 2018, NAPLAN was subject to state and federal reviews, switched from paper to online, abandoned during COVID, moved earlier in the year, and changed to a four-point scale.
Some Queensland students will begin sitting NAPLAN tests today, while others in cyclone-affected areas of the south-east will have their tests delayed until next week.
“The QTU maintains the testing is stressful for students, not fit for purpose, and an out-of-date burden on a system that is chronically short of teachers already drowning in workload and red tape,” the QTU statement reads.
“Added to this is the psychological and physical impact on students and school communities affected by recent natural disasters.”
Queensland tops the nation for pulling kids out of NAPLAN tests.
People living in the Brisbane City and Scenic Rim council areas are now eligible to apply for Personal Hardship Assistance after the federal government found those regions met the criteria for disaster payments.
There are now seven council areas in south-east Queensland where residents can apply for payments of $180 for individuals, or up to $900 for a family of five or more to cover essential items.
Queensland Disaster Recovery Minister Ann Leahy said three levels of government were working together to support communities.
“Personal Hardship Assistance provides immediate financial aid to get people back on their feet following a disaster,” she said.
“This funding covers emergency essentials like food, clothing and medicine, and grants for more severe impacts such as destroyed household goods and extended loss of services.”
Eligible residents can apply at www.qld.gov.au/disasterhelp or by phoning the 24/7 Queensland Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349.
Premier David Crisafulli has told parliament flooded rivers are receding, all major roads are open, public transport is resuming and most schools are open.
Reflecting on the recent cyclone and flood disaster, Crisafulli said the SES received a record number of calls and the government would appoint a disaster coordinator to oversee the ongoing effort.
Crisafulli said power companies had reconnected 390,000 homes and businesses, or 90 per cent of those hit by outages, but conceded tens of thousands more remained in the dark.
“We sincerely acknowledge the ongoing strain on those who remain without power, the stress and the impact on their daily life, and we also acknowledge the around-the-clock efforts of Energex and Ergon workers to get the lights back on,” he said.
All properties are expected to be reconnected by Sunday night.
Suspicious packages have washed up on Bundaberg beaches, about four hours north of Brisbane, in the wake of Cyclone Alfred.
“Police were advised around 6am yesterday that a suspicious package had washed up,” police said in a statement this morning.
“Following extensive patrols on the water and shoreline, further packages containing a suspicious substance were located yesterday. Extensive patrols will be conducted again today.”
Police are advising the public not to open the packages “as the substance could be hazardous”.
The investigation into the contents and the source of the packages in continuing and Bundaberg Chief Inspector Grant Marcus is due to address the media later today.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is addressing the media as he faces criticism over his decision not to travel to Washington DC to meet with Donald Trump.
The woman whose body was found in the Brisbane River weeks ago has been identified by police as Crystal Beale, was last seen in West End on the night of February 21.
Her body was found the next morning in the river at Yeronga.
A CCTV image of Beale was released by police from the night, wearing a long, white dress, and a brown leather satchel. She had been at a restaurant in Sunnybank, police said.
At the time, Queensland Ambulance Service reported it as a drowning incident at the Brisbane Corso about 5.45am, with police also saying there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding her death.
However, they have since launched a homicide investigation, and are set to address reporters this morning.
Officers urged anyone who might have been in the Orleigh Park area between 9.30pm on February 21 and 1am the following morning, or who might have seen Beale, or any suspicious behaviour, to come forward.
Read the full report here.
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