Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk insists the state’s Electoral Commission will remain independent despite fears that proposed new laws could provide ministers with “intrusive powers” to access sensitive and confidential information about political rivals.

Wayne Bennett has paid tribute to Liam Hampson as the Queensland rugby league fraternity on Monday honoured an aspiring NRL star who “lived the best life he could”.

Suncorp has seen almost half its total natural catastrophe budget eroded by disasters, which have carved up to $530m from the listed insurers’ allowances for the year.

A shortage of skilled Defence workers is putting Australia at “greater risk of harm and threatening our way of life”, universities say, calling for more study support for training in critical areas of national security.