As it happened: Brisbane on November 14

Rental affordability in Greater Brisbane has reached its lowest-ever level according to the annual Rental Affordability Index from SGS Economics and peak body National Shelter.

Rental affordability in Brisbane.Credit: SGS Economics, National Shelter

The index, which compares median rents with average incomes, found Greater Brisbane’s affordability had dropped 9 per cent in the past year, hitting people on low incomes the hardest.

Brisbane’s median rent was now at $553 a week, which costs 28 per cent of the average renting household’s income.

The report also found regional Queensland to be the most unaffordable of all regions and capital cities, with median rents (also $553) costing 30 per cent of average incomes.

National Shelter chief executive Emma Greenhalgh said affordability was already dire in Brisbane and now things were going “from bad to worse”.

“Almost nowhere is safe from declining affordability, with most suburbs falling either one to two affordability categories.

“Governments must urgently address this worsening affordability crisis, including by building more social and affordable homes and better regulating renting.”

That’s where we’ll leave our live updates for today. We’ll be back with you tomorrow morning. In case you’ve missed them, here’s a look back at today’s top stories:

• Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has called on her federal Labor government counterparts to “do what’s right” when overhauling major infrastructure funding
• Seven of the 27 sites identified in a Queensland government land audit as potentially suitable for development have already been taken off the list

Deputy Premier Steven Miles announced 27 parcels of government-owned land were being considered for housing but only 20 remain on the list.Credit: Nine News

• Rental affordability has gone from bad to worse over the past year, deteriorating in nearly every capital city – including Brisbane
• The war in Gaza is also unfolding on Instagram

• And when two NASA astronauts completed their first spacewalk around the ISS for routine maintenance, they left a tool bag behind

And in entertainment and sport:

• Mudgeeraba’s Gareth Morgan has made news across the cricketing globe after an incredible match-winning feat for his team at the weekend
• Twinkling lights, intricate holograms and dazzling lasers are returning to Roma Street Parkland for The Enchanted Garden light show

The Enchanted Garden

• Chief sports writer Andrew Webster asks why Papua New Guinea should – and shouldn’t – have a team in the NRL

• And a fancy cabinet of tiny and incredibly detailed surprises has star billing at Amsterdam’s famous museum.

Bushfire season has already claimed four lives, destroyed dozens of homes, damaged vital rural infrastructure and burnt out more than one million hectares of land in Queensland.

On Tuesday, firefighters were dealing with 50 blazes across the state, as thetally rose to around 1000 fires since October 21.

“We really want to emphasise that the season is not over yet,” Rural Fire Service Queensland Superintendent James Haig said.

“We’re still seeing some new fires and that means that we need our communities to maintain that awareness, not to think that because we had a little bit of good weather in some parts of the state for a week or so that everything’s great.”

A severe heatwave warning has been issued for large swathes of Queensland this week.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued the alert on Tuesday afternoon, warning of heatwave conditions on the south-east coast districts, and across much of the state.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued the alert on Tuesday afternoon.Credit: Bureau of Meteorology

Brisbane was set to hit 31 on Wednesday and 33 on Thursday, while the bureau warned southern and central parts of Queensland would experience maximum temperatures in the high 30s to low 40s.

Severe heatwave conditions were expected to ease over southern Queensland by mid to late-week.

Hardware chain Bunnings will stop selling engineered stone at the end of the year, in a major victory for unions and health experts campaigning for a ban on the silicosis-causing material.

Bunnings director of merchandise Jen Tucker said the decision to withdraw its limited range of engineered stone benchtops from December 31 was made following the recent release of Safe Work Australia’s landmark report and consultation with suppliers.

Hardware chain Bunnings will stop selling engineered stone by the end of the year.

“While there has been clear indication from NSW and other state governments that they will legislate a ban on the product, we are proactively making this decision to allow suppliers and customers time to prepare for a transition,” she said in a statement.

Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union federal secretary Zach Smith congratulated the retailer on the move, which comes after his members staged protests at stores urging Bunnings to stop its sale.

“This is the end of the line for engineered stone,” Smith said.

Read the full story.

Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan says the timelines laid out in recommendations of last year’s landmark report into police responses to domestic violence, yet to be fully accepted by the government, were only “arbitrarily” set by the inquiry.

Cultural change takes years, said Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan this morning.Credit: Matt Dennien

The report, handed to the government one year ago today, exposed racism, sexism and misogyny within the Queensland police ranks and was described by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk as a “roadmap to reform”.

“If you think you can change culture in one week, two weeks, three months, you’re kidding yourself,” Ryan told journalists.

“Cultural change takes years. So to say that there’s an arbitrary timeline, doesn’t appreciate the work that is required for cultural change.”

Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll, responding to calls in an open letter for action on the inflammatory comments from police union president Ian Leavers, said she did not think “he purposely meant to hurt a lot of people” and “was trying to get the balance right”.

Human remains have been recovered more than two weeks after a plane crashed into a north Queensland mountain.

Two people were killed when the aircraft went down at Pioneer Valley near Mackay on October 28.

A 73-year-old man and his 75-year-old wife were believed to be in the aircraft.

A recovery effort was launched within days, with crews expected to be winched into the crash site.

“The examination was done on foot, that’s why it took some time. They had to go through some pretty rough, dangerous terrain,” police said.

The remains are yet to be formally identified.

The Brisbane Roar have parted ways with A-League Women’s head coach Garrath McPherson, citing an urgent need for the club’s “program to be rejuvenated”.

The orange-and-black outfit finished sixth and ninth in his first two full seasons in charge.

Roar CEO Kaz Patafta said the time for change was now.Credit: Melissa Adams MLA

However, the Brisbane side - spearheaded by Matildas star Tameka Yallop - has had a solid start to the 2023-24 campaign, winning their first two clashes against Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC, before then losing to Wellington Phoenix 2-1 and closing out a 1-1 draw with Central Coast Mariners.

They sit fourth after the opening four rounds.

Alex Smith has been appointed as McPherson’s replacement, having previously been the Roar’s assistant coach in the 2018/19 season, before taking up senior roles with Melbourne City FC and Peninsula Power FC.

“Garrath’s contribution to the club has been outstanding. However, we believe it is time for the Liberty A-Leagues Women’s program to be rejuvenated,” Roar CEO Kaz Patafta said.

Rental affordability in Greater Brisbane has reached its lowest-ever level according to the annual Rental Affordability Index from SGS Economics and peak body National Shelter.

Rental affordability in Brisbane.Credit: SGS Economics, National Shelter

The index, which compares median rents with average incomes, found Greater Brisbane’s affordability had dropped 9 per cent in the past year, hitting people on low incomes the hardest.

Brisbane’s median rent was now at $553 a week, which costs 28 per cent of the average renting household’s income.

The report also found regional Queensland to be the most unaffordable of all regions and capital cities, with median rents (also $553) costing 30 per cent of average incomes.

National Shelter chief executive Emma Greenhalgh said affordability was already dire in Brisbane and now things were going “from bad to worse”.

“Almost nowhere is safe from declining affordability, with most suburbs falling either one to two affordability categories.

“Governments must urgently address this worsening affordability crisis, including by building more social and affordable homes and better regulating renting.”

After overgrown vegetation got their goat, Queensland Rail has decided to grab the solution by the horns.

QR on Monday said they were “not kidding around” after hiring 15 goats to remove tall grass and weeds on their regional rail network.

QR have hired a crack team of hungry goats to take on overgrown vegetation.

In a Queensland first trial, the organisation’s new four-legged friends are grazing near Tully railway station in the state’s far north.

If successful, goats will be used at other regional locations throughout the state with Townsville already earmarked.

“Goats are a safe and environmentally friendly way to clear overgrown vegetation without the use of heavy machinery or herbicides,” QR regional head Scott Cornish said.

“In addition to their extensive chomping experience, they are able to manoeuvre around the most hard-to-reach places, climbing steep and rocky terrain with ease – spots that our heavy machinery simply can’t access.”

Queensland Parliament will resume today for its second-last three-day sitting week of the year.

Bills to be introduced by the government are expected to include one seeking to streamline approval process for major projects, and another featuring a crackdown on dangerous dogs.

After telling local radio on Monday he would not be recontesting next October’s state election, Rockhampton Labor MP Barry O’Rourke is expected to also inform parliament.

O’Rourke is the third Labor government member to announce his looking retirement, after Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe and Ipswich West MP Jim Madden.

At least two LNP opposition members have so far announced they will also not seek re-election in 2024.