The Gold Coast’s Planning and Regulation Committee has rejected a proposal for a major affordable housing development intended to provide transitional and temporary accommodation. The development, which included more than 100 affordable living opportunities, was defeated by the committee in a five-votes-to-two decision, primarily due to concerns regarding building height and car parking provisions. The project is now scheduled for discussion again at the council’s next full meeting. Details of the Proposed Development The proposed project sought to establish a 9-storey Rooming accommodation development located at Kiers Road, Miami, Gold Coast. It included a ground-floor Food and drink outlet component. The development was designed to support short to medium term affordable living opportunities for a diverse market. Target occupants included, but were not limited to: Transitional or emergency accommodation seekers. Low socioeconomic people. Students and workers. Individuals seeking co-living opportunities. The design featured 109 rooms, including one room designated for an on-site manager. Each unit was planned to include sleeping facilities, a kitchenette, a bathroom, and a small wardrobe. Shared amenities included a laundry, a recreational area with open space and barbeque facilities, and a gym and work-from-home space located at the rooftop level. The site is situated in a central and well-serviced area of the city. Key infrastructure nearby includes the Gold Coast Highway (approximately 55 metres to the east), Miami State High School (200 metres to the south), and the Nobbys Neighbourhood centre (300 metres to the north). The site is also within 400 metres of the future Nobby Beach Light Rail Station and Miami North Light Rail Station. Council Support vs. Committee Rejection Despite the rejection by the planning committee, Gold Coast City Council officers were supportive of the development, though with conditions. The committee’s rejection was mirrored by significant public opposition. The council received 192 public submissions, consisting of 190 objections and only two in support. The key planning matters raised by the public included land use, character, amenity impacts, car parking, building height, lack of community consultation, and the hours of operation of the food and drink outlet. Councillor Concerns: Height and Parking The two key considerations driving the rejection were building height and car parking. Councillors voting against the project voiced strong opinions on both points, particularly how they affected the local neighbourhood context. Councillor Nick Marshall, who voted against the proposal, stated that the development “fails in terms of height,” noting its “direct impact on the neighbourhood”. Marshall also highlighted that the amenity was “not in context with the local area” and criticized the failure to provide “enough car parks for the use and for the people who are going to use this facility”. Marshall challenged the assumption that those seeking affordable housing would not own vehicles, noting the existing lack of available street parking in the area. He emphasized that the residents might be people who have a full-time job but are currently living in their car. Marshall concluded that decisions should aim to “reduce the dependency on a private vehicle,” but noted the proposal currently presented an undersupply of car parks. Councillor J Martin echoed concerns about the structure’s scale, noting that “Height is a key concern, and always is, especially when you talk about community, character and impact on character.” Martin stated the view that the development would “present as a high rise” and disagreed with the council officer assessment. The future of the 109-unit project now rests with the full council, where the matter is set to be discussed again.

Palm Island, QLD – Australia’s largest discrete Indigenous community, Palm Island, is set to receive $14,620,000 in Commonwealth funding for the construction of a major disaster prevention facility. Announced today (17) by Hon Kristy McBain MP, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, and Minister for Emergency Management, this funding will deliver the Palm Island Cyclone Shelter, an 800-person capacity evacuation centre designed to aid response efforts during extreme weather events. This significant investment directly addresses the unique challenges faced by Indigenous communities, who are disproportionately affected by the impacts of disasters due to existing structural and financial inequalities. For the Palm Island community, a reliable, robust, and permanent shelter facility is crucial in mitigating risk factors commonly compounded during disasters, such as a lack of appropriate infrastructure, overcrowded and multigenerational households, poor quality housing, and issues accessing transport or adequate roads for evacuation. The new 800-person cyclone shelter will serve as a gathering place and point of connection during emergencies, allowing the community to mobilize its inherent resources, including extensive familial and cultural networks. Disaster resilience experts emphasize that Indigenous communities possess intrinsic strengths that are often overlooked in mainstream recovery efforts. Focus on Cultural Safety and Local Control As the new facility is developed and integrated into local emergency planning, it highlights the need for a culturally informed approach to recovery and disaster response. Historically, mainstream services and evacuation centres have sometimes worsened trauma for Indigenous peoples through racist encounters and culturally unsafe processes. To ensure the new cyclone shelter effectively serves the community, local and regional planners must work alongside the community to plan for unique needs in evacuation and recovery. Creating culturally safe spaces within evacuation centers is critical and can include important practical considerations such as: Publicly acknowledging the local Traditional Owners. Creating a separate and safe space specifically for Elders. Having adequate facilities for families with children and babies. Inviting local Indigenous community-controlled organisations to be present. Indigenous community-controlled and representative organisations play a vital role in disaster planning and response. These organizations are important assets in recovery efforts because they are governed by their communities and possess critical, trusting relationships and local knowledge about population distribution, family structures, the health of local people, and mobility access. Healing People, Healing Country For First Nations peoples, the harm caused by disasters is particularly profound when Country is damaged, given the deep connections between land, culture, history, and identity. As recovery experts note, the recovery of the environment and the recovery of the community are intrinsically linked. Therefore, this new infrastructure provides not only physical protection but also potentially lays the groundwork for planning that fully incorporates the deep connections Indigenous peoples have with their Country. Effective planning requires including Indigenous leaders and organizations in the planning process and trusting their advice on what the community needs. The allocation of $14.62 million for this essential infrastructure provides an opportunity to embed self-determination in preparation efforts, ensuring that Palm Island is better supported in times of extreme weather.

The 2025 Telstra AFL Draft is set to be held over two nights, offering dozens of young footballers the opportunity to realize their dreams and allowing clubs to secure talent for a brighter future. The draft begins tonight, Wednesday, November 19, and concludes on Thursday, November 20. The first round of selections will be completed tonight, with a selection of players present at Docklands Stadium for the event. The rest of the draft will follow on the second night. In total, it is anticipated that 50 to 60 players will be drafted this year. Key Prospects and Draft Night Action Expert coverage of the 2025 Telstra AFL Draft begins LIVE at 7pm AEDT. Both nights of the draft will start at 7pm AEDT. Corresponding start times for other regions include 6:30pm ACDT (South Australia), 6pm AEST (Queensland), 5:30pm ACST (Northern Territory), and 4pm AWST (Western Australia). For fans looking to follow the event, the draft will be broadcast live on Fox Footy and Kayo Sports, and ABC Sport will provide live blogs throughout both nights. Leading the excitement is the widely expected number one selection, Willem Duursma. Duursma is projected to be taken by the West Coast Eagles with the first pick. Notably, he would become the fourth Duursma sibling to join the AFL/AFLW system. The competitive top-five mix also includes several academy and father-son prospects, adding complexity to the early selections: Zeke Uwland and Dylan Patterson, both members of the Gold Coast’s academy. Daniel Annable, a member of Brisbane’s academy. Harry Dean, a Carlton father-son prospect. From the open pool of players available to all clubs, strong candidates for the top-10 selections include Sullivan Robey, Cooper Duff-Tytler, Xavier Taylor, Dyson Sharp, and Sam Cumming. Additionally, best mates Lachy Dovaston and Xavier Taylor are hoping for a possible dual landing at Essendon. The Draft Order and Club Picks The draft order shows the West Coast Eagles holding the first two picks in Round One: Pick 1 and Pick 2 (the latter received as compensation for Oscar Allen). The Eagles have a strong hand early, holding picks 1, 2, 13, 34, and 41 overall. Other significant early picks include: Richmond holding picks 3 and 4. Essendon holding picks 5 and 6, forming part of a “big haul” for the club. Essendon’s total picks are 5, 6, 21, 27, and 30. Melbourne holding picks 7 and 8. Carlton holding picks 9 and 11. The Gold Coast SUNS are set for a busy draft night, holding a league-leading number of selections:  15, 18, 24, 28, 29, 36, and 52.  Draft Mechanics:  Bidding, Trading, and Father-Son Rules  The complexity of the AFL draft stems largely from the bidding system for academy and father-son selections, and the ability for teams to trade picks. Draft Value Index and Bidding The AFL assigns a points value to each draft pick. The first pick is the most valuable, worth 3,000 points. This value decreases consistently until Pick 54—the final selection of Round Three—which is worth 14 points. Any picks following Pick 54 have no points value. This points system is crucial because it requires clubs to “pay” when matching bids on their father-son or academy prospects who are tipped to be selected highly. When a team successfully matches a bid, they receive a 20 per cent discount on the points required. Teams are not required to match bids, which allows the player to be drafted by the bidding club. For example, Brisbane is anticipated to swiftly match any bid placed on academy prospect Daniel Annable. Trading Flexibility Since its introduction in 2018, the ability for teams to trade during the draft has added an extra layer to the process. Teams can swap their current draft picks, as well as future selections from the 2026 or 2027 drafts. Several major future selections have already been traded, including Carlton receiving a 2026 first-round pick and a 2027 first-round pick from Sydney. The Father-Son Rule The father-son rule is a unique aspect of the AFL that upholds family traditions across generations. If a player made 100 or more appearances for a single club, that club holds the right to draft the player’s son. However, clubs are not obligated to select the player under this rule. The draft, with its complex web of trades, compensation picks, and bidding wars, functions much like a high-stakes auction where clubs strategically use their points and selections—both current and future—to acquire the specific assets they believe will lead to long-term success.

The landscape of aged care in Australia shifted dramatically following the Royal Commission into Aged Care, which identified systemic failures and delivered 148 recommendations for change. In response, the new Aged Care Act was introduced, though its start date is recorded differently in various reports—some noting the Aged Care Act 2024 came into effect on November 1, while others state the New Aged Care Act started on 1 November 2025. Regardless of the precise commencement date, the goal of this comprehensive legislation was clear: to address systemic issues facing older people, aged care providers, workers, and the broader sector. The Act centers the rights of older people in the aged care system. A critical component of this new legal structure is the mandate that aged care service providers must respect an individual’s preferences, needs, and rights, including their cultural identity. This explicit requirement aims to rectify a historical oversight: the tradition that aged care services were designed primarily “for the average Australian” rather than being tailored for specific community needs. However, the sector remains skeptical about the practical operationalization of this requirement. The concern is palpable because, historically, the lack of tailored design has meant that multicultural clients may not receive proper treatment based on their cultural needs. Therefore, some in the sector question whether the Act will meaningfully address existing gaps in culturally appropriate aged care services. To truly gauge the success of this monumental legislative shift, there is a recognized need to understand how the new Act is affecting the lives of the elderly multicultural community. Insights into this complex intersection of policy and personal experience are being sought, including gathering perspectives from key demographic groups, such as the Indian and Chinese communities in Australia. These community perspectives could potentially be sourced through social media platforms like Facebook groups. Adding academic rigor to this crucial inquiry is Professor Lee-Fay Low from the University of Sydney, who has studied the health and aged care of multicultural communities. Her research offers a necessary framework for evaluating whether the Act’s legislative promise of respect translates into tangible improvements for diverse older Australians. The story of the new Aged Care Act is therefore not just one of rights codified in law, but a continuing narrative of overcoming entrenched design failures to ensure that cultural identity, finally, becomes a foundation, not an afterthought, in the care provided to every older Australian. The situation mirrors a massive container ship attempting a sharp turn: the Aged Care Act is the powerful new rudder intended to change the direction of the sector, but the sheer momentum and historical weight of services designed for only the “average Australian” make the swift operationalization of culturally appropriate care a slow and challenging maneuver.

A staggering almost a quarter of a million children have been plunged into poverty in just four years, marking a 33 per cent increase. This alarming trend, highlighted in the new Child Poverty in Australia 2025 report, has prompted advocates across Australia to call for urgent legislation defining and measuring the impacts of poverty on childhood wellbeing. The report, released by the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC) and the Valuing Children Initiative (VCI) for the End Child Poverty campaign, paints a grim picture of escalating financial distress impacting children. Key Findings and Causes The Child Poverty in Australia 2025 report projects that 950,100 children will be living in poverty in 2025. This number is up from 868,350 in 2023, representing a rise of 81,750 children in just two years. Key statistical findings include: Child poverty has increased by 236,350 children over four years, a 33 per cent increase. The overall rate has risen by 3.2 percentage points since 2021. A projected 15.6 per cent of children will be living in poverty in 2025, up from 15 per cent in 2023. There is a serious risk of Australia surpassing 1 million children in poverty this year. Single-parent households are the most affected demographic, with 36.6 per cent living in poverty. The underlying causes for this steep rise are multifaceted, driven by rising housing costs, widening inequality, and a failure of income support mechanisms to keep pace with inflation. According to the report, more than 950,000 Australian children are currently experiencing food insecurity, poor housing conditions, and limited access to education and healthcare. Professor Alan Duncan, Director of the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre, emphasized that using older data alone would significantly understate current poverty levels due to rapid economic changes. “Rents have risen by around a quarter nationally over the past three years, and by nearly a half in some states,” Professor Duncan noted. He further asserted that the rise in child poverty is “not a statistical anomaly; it’s the predictable result of housing stress, inadequate income support, and policy drift”. Professor Duncan warned that without meaningful intervention, the nation risks crossing the one-million-child threshold within months. The Human Impact of Poverty Poverty deeply shapes a child’s life, often leading to isolation. Sarah Quinton, Lead of the End Child Poverty Campaign and the Valuing Children Initiative, shared that children in low-income families adjust their behaviors to reduce stress. “Some tell us they’re punished for wearing torn uniforms they can’t afford to replace, or sleep on mattresses on the floor,” Ms. Quinton stated, noting these experiences make children feel isolated from friends at a time when they should be building confidence and connections. Calls for Legislative Change Backed by 180 organizations, the End Child Poverty campaign is demanding that the Federal Government take decisive action. The campaign calls for the government to legislate a child-centreddefinition of poverty, commit to specific measures to impact children, and systematically reduce child poverty. This would involve aligning policy, funding, and accountability mechanisms with evidence. The proposed legislation would assess poverty not solely through income, but also through access to housing, education, health, and social inclusion for children. Ms. Quinton highlighted the core problem with the current system: “Australia doesn’t have a child-centred definition of poverty or any way of measuring the wellbeing of children living in income poverty, if we don’t define or measure child poverty, how can we reduce it?”. Methodology The Child Poverty in Australia 2025 report projects poverty under current economic conditions, factoring in the steep increases in rents and living costs since 2023. The core dataset used is the HILDA Survey (Waves 19 to 23, covering 2019 to 2023), which tracks household income, employment, housing, wellbeing, and demographic data. Poverty is assessed using relative income poverty thresholds (50% of median equivalised household income). Crucially, disposable household income is calculated after housing costs (including rent and mortgage payments) to accurately reflect real financial stress. The data is uprated to 2025 using Centre for Population forecasts, ABS wage and price indices, and CoreLogic rental data for housing cost growth. Source: Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC) and Valuing Children Initiative (VCI)

The air in the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) office buzzed with anticipation. This was a monumental year: the Australian Government was poised to issue the millionth permanent refugee visa since the post-war resettlement program began back in 1947. This extraordinary milestone prompted a national reflection on the immense contribution of refugees to Australia’s shared national story. To properly honor this moment in history, the RCOA initiated a special project: a series of short films titled One Million Untold Stories. The project brought together the talents of award-winning filmmakers Mark Gould and Andrew Arestides. Their mission was to capture the essence of a million journeys, focusing on individuals from a wide range of backgrounds that reflected the rich diversity of Australia’s humanitarian program. The films were designed to illuminate the moving, personal stories of those whose lives in Australia began not necessarily by choice, but by necessity as refugees. Among the many voices they sought were individuals like Farkhunda and Parisa, former refugees from Afghanistan. Through their accounts, and the stories of others, the filmmakers aimed to underscore a vital truth: that every statistic represents a unique journey of struggle, hope, resilience and contribution. Since 1947, when Australia first partnered with the International Refugee Organisation to welcome displaced people from Europe, these refugee communities have worked to help shape the cultural, economic and social fabric of the nation. Today, millions of Australians have a personal connection to that journey, whether through their own lived experience or that of their parents or grandparents. The team worked diligently, recording narratives that reminded them how important it was to build on Australia’s proud humanitarian legacy. The film series was eagerly awaited and was scheduled to be launched at the RCOA’s Annual General Meeting in November. By November 10, 2025, the RCOA had successfully launched the oral history series, celebrating the milestone of welcoming one million refugees. The One Million Untold Stories became more than just a celebration; it served as a powerful call to remember the human element behind the policy, ensuring Australia’s commitment to refugee protection remained strong, generous, and inclusive amidst record global displacement.

CANBERRA — Australia’s opposition Coalition has begun outlining one of the most ambitious immigration reductions in three decades, with senior figures confirming on 18 November that a future government would “significantly” slash both skilled migration and international student visa allocations. Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley and shadow home affairs minister Jonno Duniam told party colleagues and media that any Coalition administration would tie migration levels directly to state capacity to deliver housing, hospital beds and school places—a framework that could push net overseas migration well below Treasury’s 260,000 projection for 2025–26. Howard-Era Numbers Back on the Table While the opposition will not release headline targets until closer to the 2028 federal election, backbench MPs are already advocating for a return to Howard-era permanent intake levels of approximately 100,000 per year. The push reflects growing concern within conservative ranks that demand-driven migration is exacerbating housing unaffordability and overwhelming infrastructure in major cities. Moderates inside the party have urged caution, warning that messaging must avoid stigmatising multicultural communities and that any reduction must be accompanied by robust workforce planning to ensure critical skills gaps—particularly in construction and healthcare—can still be filled. Business and Education Sector Push Back The announcement has triggered immediate pushback from industry and tertiary-education leaders. Commonwealth Bank chief executive Matt Comyn told a recent parliamentary committee hearing that Australia’s ageing demographics require a minimum annual intake of 180,000 migrants to sustain workforce growth and tax receipts. Universities Australia has raised alarm over potential impacts on the sector, noting that international students now represent one in four enrolments and generate billions in export revenue. A sharp contraction in student visas could trigger campus job losses and hit regional economies heavily reliant on student spending, the peak body warned. Pressure Mounts on Albanese Government Policy analysts say the Coalition’s move intensifies political pressure on the Albanese government, which held the 2025–26 permanent migration program steady at 185,000 places while tightening temporary visa pathways for students and workers. If the Coalition wins office, it will inherit recently implemented reforms including the three-stream Skills in Demand visa and elevated financial and English-language thresholds for student applicants. Unwinding those measures would require fresh legislation, while enacting deep cuts without parallel investment in housing construction could deepen labour shortages and drag on GDP growth, according to Deloitte Access Economics modelling. Uncertainty Ahead for Sponsors and Providers For employers and education providers, the immediate reality is uncertainty: visa settings may swing again within a three-year horizon. Migration practitioners are advising sponsoring employers to accelerate nominations under current rules, while universities may need to diversify source markets beyond high-risk jurisdictions already facing heightened scrutiny. Mobility teams should begin scenario planning for a smaller skilled migration stream, extended processing times for employer sponsorship, and possible new levies on student visas if the Coalition seeks to offset revenue losses from program reductions. The debate over Australia’s migration settings is set to remain a dominant theme through the 2028 election cycle, with major implications for workforce supply, university finances and regional development strategies across the country.

The National Gallery of Art (NGA) in Washington, D.C., and the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne, Australia, have announced a major cultural partnership intended to facilitate the global exchange of key works from both leading institutions’ permanent collections. This collaboration aims to create new opportunities for worldwide audiences to experience defining works of art that reflect these respective cultures The ambitious partnership will launch with The Stars We Do Not See: Australian Indigenous Art, the largest-ever international exhibition of Indigenous Australian art. The exhibition will premiere at the National Gallery of Art on November 15, 2025, and is scheduled to tour North America from 2025 through 2027. Unprecedented Showcase of Indigenous Masterpieces The exhibition, drawn exclusively from the NGV’s world-leading collection, features nearly 200 works by more than 130 artists. It charts the evolution and breadth of Indigenous art, spanning from the late 19th century to the present, and includes iconic masterpieces, many of which have never before left Australia. Kaywin Feldman, director of the National Gallery of Art, expressed enthusiasm for the exchange, noting the upcoming opportunity to share the NGA’s “storied American art collection” with audiences across the world in 2027. She added, “We are very pleased to be able to bring these important Indigenous Australian artworks to US audiences, many for the very first time”. Tony Ellwood AM, director of the National Gallery of Victoria, emphasized the importance of the exhibition, stating that many of the traveling works are “globally recognized as undisputed masterpieces”. He noted that this volume of nationally significant works has never before toured internationally, making it a “truly rare opportunity for North American audiences”. The Hon. Jacinta Allan, Premier of the Australian State of Victoria, praised the exhibition for celebrating the “rich histories and cultures of Victoria’s First Peoples” and sharing the stories of the oldest living culture in history. Exhibition Highlights and Themes The Stars We Do Not See introduces visitors to a wide range of customary forms and styles, including ochre bark paintings, sculpture, jewelry, experimental weavings, and the conceptual map paintings of the Central and Western Deserts (sometimes referred to as “dot paintings”). It also incorporates contemporary work from new-media artists, featuring groundbreaking pieces in neon, sound, video, and photography. A major highlight is Emily Kam Kngwarray’s magnum opus, Anwerlarr Anganenty (Big Yam Dreaming) (1995). This icon of the NGV Collection is Kngwarray’s largest painting, measuring over nine by twenty-six feet, and represents the underground network of roots and yams. This immense canvas, which is drawn in a single, continuous line, has never before been seen in North America. The exhibition title itself is inspired by the late senior Yolŋu artist Gulumbu Yunupiŋu (1943–2012), known as “Star Lady”. Her intricate works, a selection of which will be featured, use crosses to represent visible stars and a dense network of dots to symbolize the stars that are unseen. The exhibition features works spanning the Australian continent, reflecting the distinct visual iconographies of the more than 250 Indigenous nations. Urban-based contemporary artists are alsorepresented, including influential figures like Brook Andrew, Richard Bell, Maree Clarke, and Reko Rennie. Curated by Myles Russell-Cook, Artistic Director and CEO of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA) and former Senior Curator at the NGV, the collection was assembled specifically for North American audiences. Russell-Cook noted that while no exhibition can fully capture the complexity of Australian Indigenous art, these works represent 65,000 years of culture and aim to foster “greater connection and understanding of First Peoples culture and art”. North American Tour Schedule The exhibition is organized by the National Gallery of Art and the National Gallery of Victoria, in association with its three tour partners. Bank of America is the North America Tour Sponsor. Following its premiere in Washington, D.C., the exhibition is scheduled to visit three other locations: National Gallery of Art, Washington: November 15, 2025–March 1, 2026 Denver Art Museum, Colorado: April 19–July 26, 2026 Portland Art Museum, Oregon: September 5, 2026–January 3, 2027 Peabody Essex Museum, Massachusetts: February 28–June 13, 2027 In reciprocity for this cultural collaboration, the National Gallery of Art will send an exhibition of major works from its renowned collection of modern and contemporary American art to the NGV in 2027.

Queensland state school teachers and school leaders are set to walk off the job for 24 hours on Tuesday, November 25, resulting in significant impacts across schools statewide. This unprecedented action comes after the Crisafulli government reportedly refused once again to enter into dialogue with the Queensland Teachers’ Union (QTU). The decision to strike follows a period where QTU members rallied before and after school across the state, urgently calling on the Crisafulli government to reopen communications and deliver a salary and conditions package deemed acceptable by the members. QTU President Cresta Richardson expressed profound disappointment, stating that the Premier chose to ignore the Union and “ran away from his promises,” leaving state educators and school communities with no recourse but to strike. A Failure to Negotiate The QTU asserts that the strike is a direct result of government failure. The deals that have been offered were “roundly and soundly rejected,” and the government has ignored the “serious issues facing state education,” according to Ms. Richardson. QTU Vice-President Leah Olsson stressed that members do not want to strike, but that the action is necessary to send the government a clear message, emphasizing that the community deserves sufficient teachers in schools, and students require safe classrooms and necessary resources. The current impasse is deeply rooted in the government’s persistence with its rejected wages policy, even after more than 20 meetings with Union representatives and a period of conciliation within the industrial commission. The QTU notes a disparity in how different sectors have been treated; while nurses successfully secured extra financial benefits through negotiation and police obtained extra payments and incentives, educators have been “shortchanged” by David Crisafulli, a situation Ms. Olsson believes should be concerning to all Queenslanders. Deepening Education Crises Beyond salary concerns, the core reasons driving the walkout involve profound systemic problems that the QTU accuses the government of ignoring: Worsening Teacher Shortage Crisis: The QTU warns that Queensland is running out of teachers and that state education will not function as expected unless these key issues are addressed urgently. The Crisafulli government, the QTU argues, “can’t attract new teachers to work in unsafe classrooms with crippling workload”. Unmanageable Workload: Workload is cited as one of the critical issues affecting education that has an impact on society. Increasing Violence and Aggression: This is also listed among the ignored issues that contribute to an inability to retain valued educators who have been “abused and burnt out”. The QTU is demanding clarity on several governmental claims and plans. They have called on the government to clarify its claim that all classroom teachers would be earning in excess of $100,000 by the end of the proposed package. Furthermore, the QTU wants Minister John-Paul Langbroek to “tell the truth about the deal he offered” and for the government to reveal its strategy for attracting new people to the profession, particularly in rural and remote centers. Arbitration and Political Consequences The Union characterizes the government’s failure to act as evidence that Premier David Crisafulli and Minister John-Paul Langbroek “don’t have a plan or an appetite for fixing education”. The current industrial dispute is poised for a lengthy process. Without the QTU’s consent, the earliest arbitration can begin is December 30. QTU leaders accuse the government of being “more interested in delaying its responsibilities and hurting teachers, school leaders, and students through two years of arbitration than in genuinely resolving this dispute”. President Richardson labeled the government’s approach as a “scare tactic” intended to cause fear and harm, suggesting that the government intends to strip pay and conditions, increase class sizes, and rewrite every single piece of the current agreement. Despite the challenges, the QTU is assuring the community that it appreciates the “overwhelming support” it has received. They stress that the strike could have been avoided entirely, noting that the government is the “only party unwilling to communicate and negotiate,” offering nothing but “indifference and disrespect” while members rally and strike without pay. The QTU has reminded the Premier that there is still time to prevent the strike by delivering on his commitment to teachers and school leaders and intervening, urging him to make an offer that can be recommended to members. However, QTU President Richardson’s prediction is grim: “My bet is the Premier won’t reach out, the Minister will not stand up for his portfolio, and the Director-General won’t advocate for her employees, and every Queenslander will bear witness.” In the end, the QTU warns, the students of Queensland who “can’t vote will wear the consequences”.

The Brisbane City Council has commenced an aerial mosquito treatment program today, Tuesday, November 18. The operation, which utilizes helicopters, is scheduled to start at 10 am and could potentially continue into Wednesday, November 19. This widespread treatment plan is considered important for the city and will cover several suburbs across Brisbane. The Council has specified numerous areas included in the flight path, though the treatment is strictly weather permitting. Targeted Suburbs and Locations The areas slated for aerial treatment include: Tinchi Tamba Wetlands Bald Hills Brighton Boondall Wetlands Brisbane Airport Port of Brisbane Pinkenba Tingalpa Hemmant Areas along Bulimba Creek Public Protection Measures While the Council conducts the aerial treatment, residents are advised to take proactive steps to protect themselves from mosquitoes. Recommended preventative measures include: Limiting time outdoors during high-activity periods, particularly around dawn and dusk. Applying mosquito repellents regularly. Wearing loose-fitting, light-coloured protective clothing when spending time outdoors. Utilizing screening on doors and windows, or employing mosquito nets or air-conditioning indoors. Using mosquito coils and lanterns. While the Council conducts the aerial treatment, residents are advised to take proactive steps to protect themselves from mosquitoes. Recommended preventative measures include: