Month: January 2024

The Miles/Palaszczuk Labor government has been focusing on divisive vanity projects instead of prioritising escalating crime in Queensland, with offenses up 31% since 2019.

While Labor is pursuing the Olympic Games in 2032 and continuing the divisive path to treaty process despite the overwhelming Queensland no vote at the referendum, crime is getting out of control.

The Courier-Mail has revealed more than 600,000 offences were reported in Queensland in 2023, a 7.3% increase on last year. That’s more than 50,000 offences per month.

Crime is escalating under Labor and they don’t have a plan to address it. Police recruitment is not meeting its targets, and officers from Yeppoon and Rockhampton are leaving the force to work in other industries like train driving—trains aren’t spitting at you, trying to assault you, or ram you in a stolen vehicle.

Labor is prioritising vanity projects like the 2032 Olympics, already committing billions of dollars it initially said it would not spend, and pursuing the controversial path to treaty process despite the withdrawal of necessary bipartisan support and Queensland’s overwhelming rejection of racial divisions at last year’s voice to Parliament referendum.

The first priority of any government should be community safety.

Labor needs to acknowledge that 95% of Queenslanders want tougher penalties for repeat offenders and act accordingly. They also need to acknowledge the great success of intervention and redirection programmes for at-risk young people like Operation Hard Yakka in Maryborough, and interstate programs like Operation Flinders in South Australia.

One Nation will work to integrate such programmes into Queensland’s youth justice system.

Labor should not be afraid to adopt One Nation’s policies that will ensure repeat offenders are held accountable for their crimes, and which will also address the causes of repeat offences. Queenslanders have had enough of beinag afraid in their own homes as crime spirals out of control under Labor.

The latest “Rental Pain Index” from Suburbtrends, as of January 2024, paints a dire picture of the Australian rental market. The updated report, continuing the company’s detailed analysis of rental market conditions, indicates a deepening crisis, with a significant percentage of suburbs in extreme rental pain.

Kent Lardner, founder of Suburbtrends, highlights the alarming findings: “Our January report shows an unprecedented level of rental stress. In states like Queensland and South Australia, over 58% of suburb groups are experiencing extreme rental hardship. This situation is putting immense financial pressure on Australian renters.”

The analysis reveals that in the top 25 worst-affected suburb groups, the Rental Pain Index reaches 100, signifying the highest level of rental distress. “Suburbs such as Durack in QLD and Christie Downs in SA are among the hardest hit, where average rental increases are combined with extremely low vacancy rates, exacerbating the situation,” Lardner explains.

The report also notes that rental affordability across these suburb groups often exceeds 35% of income, far beyond the threshold typically associated with financial strain. “This is not an isolated issue; it’s a nationwide problem that requires immediate and comprehensive policy action,” Lardner stresses.

Lardner urges policymakers to respond: “As we begin 2024, the Rental Pain Index serves as a crucial indicator of the hardships faced by renters across Australia. The data calls for urgent, multifaceted policy solutions to address the soaring rental costs and limited housing availability. It’s time to turn these insights into action.”

The complete Rental Pain Index and dataset for January 2024, including an interactive map feature, are now available for download. For more detailed local reports and data interpretation

About Suburbtrends

As a frontrunner in property market analysis, Suburbtrends remains committed to providing in-depth insights into Australia’s complex rental landscape. The Rental Pain Index is a critical tool in understanding and addressing the multifaceted challenges facing the Australian rental market.

NSW map : https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/16463492/

VIC map : https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/16463499/

QLD map: https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/16463504/

SA map : https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/16463512/

WA map : https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/16463521/

TAS map : https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/16463539/

Today’s news that two of the four adult Maugean skates in the species’ new captive breeding program have died is devastating. This tragedy reinforces the scientific evidence – industrial fish farming in Macquarie Harbour must end for the skate to have the best chance of survival.

Greens spokesperson for healthy oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said: 

“Hats off to the recovery team for all their efforts to save the skate, but we can’t rely on such an uncertain, high risk program as our only effort to save this species from extinction.
 
“We have to do so much better to protect the skate in its only natural home: Macquarie Harbour.
 
“The federal government’s own updated scientific advice clearly states the key threat to the skate’s survival is poor water quality in the Harbour, and that the primary cause of this is Atlantic salmon farming. The fastest and simplest way to give the Maugean skate a fighting chance of survival is to remove toxic industrial salmon farming from the skate’s natural environment – it’s that simple.
 
“We can’t allow the farming of an introduced species – Atlantic salmon – to cause the extinction of an iconic native species. The skate belongs in Macquarie Harbour on Tasmania’s west coast, and Atlantic salmon belong in the Atlantic.
 
“Resorting to a captive breeding program will clearly be a case of too little too late unless Tanya Plibersek upholds her own ‘Zero Extinction’ pledge and protects the Maugean skate’s last remaining natural habitat.”

This week I will travel to Jordan, Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the United Arab Emirates, to support international diplomatic efforts towards a durable peace in the Middle East.

One hundred days since the October 7 terror attacks, I will use Australia’s voice to advocate for a pathway out of the current conflict, an increase in vital humanitarian assistance, upholding of international law and greater protection for civilians, preventing regional escalation, and working toward a lasting peace.

As a bridge-builder, with a historic leadership position in the region, Jordan plays an important stabilising role in the current conflict. My visit to Amman is an opportunity to enhance coordination to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to discuss international efforts to re-start a political process that leads to a future Palestinian state.

In my engagement with officials in Israel, I will convey Australia’s support for Israel’s security and its right to defend itself in the face of terrorism, while stressing that the way it does so matters. I will reaffirm Australia’s call for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages and meet with the families of hostages and survivors of the terror attacks on October 7.

I will be joined by Australia’s Humanitarian Coordinator and will discuss practical ways to support an increased and more effective flow of humanitarian assistance.

I will make clear Australia’s support for Palestinians’ right to self-determination and commitment to meeting humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank with officials in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. I will meet with representatives of communities affected by settler violence and reaffirm our view that settlements are illegal under international law.

I will also emphasise Australia’s opposition to the forcible displacement of Palestinians and our view that Gaza must no longer be used as a platform for terrorism.

My visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will reaffirm our close friendship and welcome the commencement of negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. The UAE is an important partner that plays a key role in regional security. My meetings with counterparts will be focused on preventing the conflict from spreading, and the conditions needed to support a lasting peace and stability in the Middle East.

I will also visit Australian defence personnel based in the UAE, who have played a key role in the return of Australians caught up in this conflict, and in recent unrest in Sudan.

Australia is committed to working with partners toward a just and enduring peace in the form of a two-state solution, where Israelis and Palestinians can live securely within internationally recognised borders.

Australia will provide an additional $21.5 million in humanitarian assistance to the Middle East, including in response to the urgent and ongoing humanitarian needs resulting from the Hamas-Israel conflict.

This funding will be directed to conflict affected populations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and to address the ongoing regional refugee crisis, with a focus on women and children.

As part of this package, Australia will provide –

• $4 million to the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to continue delivering urgent and emergency services and supplies.
• $6 million through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), to provide urgent lifesaving assistance including food, shelter and emergency health care.
• $11.5 million to refugee programs in Lebanon and Jordan, at this time of increasing regional instability.

This package reinforces Australia’s longstanding commitment to the region and builds on Australia’s total humanitarian commitment since the Hamas terror attacks on 7 October to more than $46 million.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong said:

“Australia is gravely concerned by the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza.”

“Australia continues to call for safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to affected populations, and further humanitarian pauses to enable the scaled-up delivery of aid, safe passage for civilians and the release of hostages.”

“We are working with our international partners to ensure desperately needed food and other humanitarian assistance reaches those who need it most.”

Minister for International Development and The Pacific, the Hon Pat Conroy MP said:

“International humanitarian law must be adhered to and there must be safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to affected populations.”

“Australia’s additional support prioritises the immediate needs of women and children, as well as distributing essential supplies and services.”