This Month
Queensland tears up transition targets and will keep coal for longer
Queensland’s five-month-old LNP government will unveil its broad energy platform today with a plan to extend the life of the state-owned coal-fired generators.
BoM said the sky was clear. Rain and floods told a different story
A huge meat-producing region of the outback, where livelihoods hinge on the weather, is stuck in an enormous Bureau of Meteorology blind spot.
March
Builders line up for $7.1b Brisbane Olympic spree
The runway to develop infrastructure for the world’s biggest sporting tournament has shrunk to just seven years, so work has to begin soon.
New $3.7b stadium confirmed for Brisbane Games
After three premiers, two reviews and 3½ years of bickering, the main venue for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games has finally been decided.
After months of resistance, Qld signs on to $2.8b schools package
Australia’s schools will benefit from a $30 billion boost to funding over the next decade after Queensland was the final state to sign up to a national plan.
Details of Albanese’s pre-cyclone fundraiser revealed
The prime minister dined with donors as millions on the eastern seaboard braced for Cyclone Alfred.
‘Superhuman’: Sea World staff slept at work to keep dolphins safe
As Tropical Cyclone Alfred crept towards south-east Queensland, Sea World set in motion a massive operation to ensure the park’s dolphins were safe.
This cafe owner took a gamble on flood insurance. She lost
The Insurance Council of Australia says nearly a quarter of homes in flood-prone areas don’t have appropriate insurance. Brisbane cafe owner Jacquie Tapsall says she could not afford it.
Feds clash with Queensland on ‘priority’ renewables projects
The list of projects includes the CopperString transmission line that is being reviewed by the state’s Crisafulli government after a huge cost blowout.
Iconic beaches stripped of sand could stay that way for months
Shorelines in tourism hotspots such as the Gold Coast and Byron Bay have been denuded by giant waves caused by the cyclone, and could take months to recover.
Alfred costing the economy $1b a day as Brisbane pummelled
Power remains cut to hundreds of thousands of residents as torrential rain causes flooding across Queensland’s capital.
Army truck flips in storm zone as storm kills one
The body of a man swept away in floodwaters was found Saturday afternoon as Queensland and NSW authorities fear the looming flood threat of ex-tropical cyclone Alfred.
Blackouts, flooding begin in cyclone disaster zone
Destruction has already begun from Cyclone Alfred, though the full force is not expected until Saturday.
Cyclone stops flights; PM mulls non-budget election options
Millions of residents across south-east Queensland and northern NSW are in a holding pattern as the destructive arrival of the tropical cyclone is pushed back.
AFL postponed, cruises diverted as cyclone bears down
An ultra-rare tropical cyclone is zeroing in on heavily populated regions of Queensland and NSW, with threats of destructive winds and major flooding.
February
Qld urged to flip giant power line project to save money
The state-owned company in charge of delivering an enormous transmission line in Queensland has asked the government to approve a change in direction for a project blasted by APA Group as economically “horrendous”.
January
Debt blowout shows budget honesty is ‘crooked’ in Queensland
The shocking budget blowout after the state’s election last year shows a massive institutional failure that has lessons for governments across the country.
Qld hits pause on wind farms, and big miners are among those worried
Resource-rich Queensland had become a poster child for the energy transition, but early signs from the new LNP government have created confusion about the state’s energy plans.
Brisbane should learn lessons of Australian Open’s success
It’s always tough for governments to justify spending money on sporting venues. Yet, long-term thinking and the best option for leaving a legacy should be factored into the plans for Brisbane’s Olympic stadium.
‘The numbers are breathtaking’: Qld’s interest bill worth 11 new hospitals
The states’ debt-servicing costs will probably continue to skyrocket as investors demand compensation for their fiscally reckless ways.