The Multicultural Affairs Minister Grace Grace explained award winners were appreciated for their valuable contributions to advocate and promote a united, harmonious and all-encompassing Queensland community.
The Awards have been celebrated since 1990, and this year’s theme centred around Creating Welcome, Building Opportunity and Celebrating Diversity.
Winners included Mesh & Knots MASSI MASTI Women’s Group, Dalby Welcoming Community Inc., AFL Queensland, SBS Dinka Radio and SBS News, including individual winners such as Tamara Richardson and Michael Hornby for their commitment and contributions.
Passport for Queensland kids
A new campaign known as “Passport to Play” has been launched over the weekend, in a bid to inspire children to spend more time outdoors.
Minister for Education and the Commonwealth Games Kate Jones unveiled the Nature Play QLD Embracing 2018 Passport at the Gold Coast Botanic Gardens.
The Commonwealth Games- themed passport is designed to help bring the excitement of the Games into the backyards of children and hopes to encourage a lasting legacy of an active, healthier Queensland.
Harsher sentences for bankers
Senator Nick Xenophon is calling for harsher sentences for bankers who are involved in money laundering or fraud.
South Australian Senator and Nick Xenophon Team leader Nick Xenophon says that financial penalties aren’t enough to change the culture of disregard of the law that exists within many financial institution, and that jailing chief executives and members board of directors is the only way to fix it.
It comes after the Australian Transactions Reports and Analysis Centre alleged the Commonwealth Bank of Australia 53,000 times by enabling criminal syndicates to move money overseas via deposit machines - a crime they could pay up to a trillion dollars for under current circumstances.
Tax payer money to be redirected
Northern Australians are in sight to see their tax payments redirected from Adani’s rail link into supporting infrastructure for the agriculture sector.
A new report conducted by Economics professor at the University of Queensland, John Quiggin, found that spending the money on transport for agriculture, critical water infrastructure projects and disaster preparedness will create more jobs.
This new plan will create fewer than 350 direct jobs per year, costing tax payers $2.7million per year.
Farmers for Climate Action chief executive Verity Morgan-Schmidt says “Politicians continue to insist loaning tax-payer funds to Adani is the only way to create jobs for North Queensland.
Israel shutting down Al Jazeera’s Office
Israel’s communication minister announces plans to revoke the media credentials of journalists from Al Jazeera, and close the network’s office in Jerusalem.
At a press conference on Sunday, communication minister Ayoub Kara said the said the decision was based on the move by Sunni Arab states to close the Al Jazeera offices, and claimed the news outlet is being used by groups to incite violence.The Qatar-based media network is denouncing the action, saying they will take necessary legal action depending on the developments going forward.
In the meantime, Al Jazeera will continue to cover the events of the occupied Palestinian territories.
French President under fire over plans for First Lady
The French President is coming under fire for his plans to give his wife an official “First-Lady” role in Parliament.
More than 150,000 people have signed a petition against the move that would deliver an office, staff, and a tax-payer funded allowance to Emmanuel Macron’s wife, Brigitte Macron.
The author of the petition says there is no reason why the wife of the head of state should be given a budget out of public funds.
Currently, Brigitte Macron has two or three assistants, as well as two secretaries and two security staff, and that’s enough, he says.