As it happened: Brisbane on Friday, February 21

The Commonwealth ombudsman has delivered a rebuke to several agencies for their response to, and communication with, people complaining about aircraft noise from Brisbane Airport’s new parallel runway.

The Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman revealed today it had received 800 complaints in December 2023 about the increased aircraft noise.

“The complaints appeared to be part of a well-organised campaign,” it noted in a statement released today.

The ombudsman, which did not investigate the noise issue itself, found the agencies involved – Airservices Australia, the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure and Transport – needed to better engage with each other, and those who made complaints about aircraft noise.

“In our view the agencies involved can all improve the way they engage with complaints and each other about the issues raised in complaints,” Ombudsman Iain Anderson said.

“The entities responsible should work more closely and more effectively with one another regarding aircraft noise complaints to ensure that such matters are appropriately considered and responded to, that complainants feel heard and that communities are well informed about aircraft noise.

“Having the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman established as a fully independent entity and able to provide fully independent oversight of aviation noise complaints should also assist these agencies to improve their approaches to complaint handling.”

Thanks for joining us for live coverage of today’s news. We’ll be back Monday morning. In the meantime, here are some of the stories making headlines today:

Plans for “more disruptive” bus strikes in Brisbane have been revealed after pay negotiations for drivers fell through.

A man who allegedly punched a policeman in the face, knocking his glasses off, was arrested, taken to the Brisbane city watch house, then bailed, before he was re-arrested hours later.

Receiving at least $5000 in cash from parents can quadruple a person’s chances of buying a home, a study has found.

AustralianSuper has been fined $27 million after the Federal Court ruled the country’s largest superannuation fund breached the law when it did not merge members’ duplicate accounts.

Trump’s tariffs have prompted Canadians into taking matters into their own hands, with a newfound resolve to buy local, which will hurt American producers.

And in sport, Deine Mariner might have been touted as the long-term attacking weapon to inspire the Broncos’ backline raids, but another player has cast a shadow over his future.

NRL Immortal Wally Lewis’ fight against the impacts of head trauma has received a telling boost, with the federal government announcing a $12.5 million investment in Brisbane to tackle chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

Lewis, who rose to stardom as one of the greatest Queensland State of Origin stars of all time, has spoken openly about his battles with dementia – impacts he believes have occurred from his time playing rugby league.

He took his fight to Parliament late last year, and told this masthead in November he received a call from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese shortly afterwards to confirm changes were about to occur.

Upon Minister for Aged Care and Sport Anika Wells’ announcement, Dementia Australia CEO Professor Tanya Buchanan confirmed the funding would go towards developing and delivering a national pilot program of support services for people impacted by CTE, and a national awareness and education program in schools.

“On behalf of all people impacted by CTE, I say thank you,” said Lewis, a Dementia Australia and Connecters Australia ambassador.

“We need to be talking to the whole community about protecting our brains and brain health and continuing to support people who are impacted by the effects of repeated head injury and are at risk of CTE.”

As the unofficial federal election campaign heats up, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has taken a page out of the US election book, appearing on the popular podcast of outspoken reality star Abbie Chatfield.

In the spirit of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, who famously appeared on the US’ two most popular podcasts, The Joe Rogan Experience and Call Her Daddy respectively, during the presidential campaign, Albanese joined Chatfield’s It’s A Lot for a 90-minute appeal to young voters.

Albanese told Chatfield that Opposition Leader Peter Dutton fashions himself as a “hard man” but is, in fact, a “great divider”.

“Apart from three policies – the $600 billion nuclear plan, cuts to services and the $20,000 free lunches – that he’s promised, all the other stuff is aimed at dividing, pressing buttons, culture wars,” Albanese said.

The PM also criticised Dutton’s transparency with the media, reminding listeners that he hasn’t fronted the National Press Club since he took up the Liberal leadership.

“I do tough interviews,” Albanese said. “I do everything across the board. I speak to all media outlets – right wing, left wing. I talk to everyone and engage. Peter Dutton, he does not.”

Chatfield said that while she wanted to see Labor re-elected, most of her listeners supported the Greens and leader Adam Bandt was scheduled for a future episode.

RBA governor Michele Bullock has doubled down on her view that cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin will not play an important role in the payments system.

Asked about her previous comments downplaying the potential role of cryptocurrencies in the economy, Bullock said there were a range of issues.

“I don’t understand why people think that somehow Bitcoin is going to have this increasingly important role to the payments system, I just don’t see it,” she said.

“It doesn’t serve the purpose of money. It doesn’t have a solid value. You can’t be guaranteed that what it’s worth today it will be worth the same thing tomorrow.”

She also said cryptocurrencies were extremely slow relative to other payment systems and lacked the infrastructure to be a method of payment.

“I personally don’t think that it’s going to play a role in when you go to your local pizza shop or go buy groceries,” she said.

Bullock said these views were personal, and that the RBA did not have a view on what to do with cryptocurrencies.

“Some people are finding something interesting to do with them, but they’re not core to the payment system,” she said. “They’re not something that we regulate.”

Margarita Week has taken over Howard Smith Wharves for the next two weekends.

Award-winning chef Louis Tikaram is running a pop-up food stall on the Main Lawn that will transport you straight to Mexico.

The menu draws on Tikaram’s culture, featuring street corn, tacos, churros and even tequila-compressed watermelon.

For drinks, there’s a selection of both classic and more experimental margaritas to sip on while you enjoy the live music and entertainment.

Venues across the Wharves will also serve up their own signature interpretations of the margarita.

The event is on from 2pm today until Sunday, February 23 and again from Thursday, February 27 to Sunday, March 2.

Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf has confirmed Tom Gilbert will make his return from a ruptured ACL on Saturday, but will be limited to 30 minutes of action.

The Queensland Maroons enforcer had barely been sighted since suffering a dislocated shoulder in the first State of Origin clash in 2023, making his comeback in last year’s preseason trials before his knee setback ended his campaign.

Tom Gilbert will play his first game since suffering a ruptured ACL in last year’s preseason trials.Credit: Shane Wenzlick/Getty

But Woolf said the star lock should have no fear at Kayo Stadium in the final Preseason Challenge clash against the Titans.

“I just want to see him get out on the field and enjoy 30 minutes of footy. He’s been a long time out, it’s been over 18 months I think since he’s played a game of footy,” Woolf said.

“He’s had a great preseason, he’s done all the work he can do, he’s done all the contact, and he’s ready to go. He should be able to do that with some real confidence, and he’s been one of the outstanding trainers throughout the preseason, as you’d expect from Tommy.

“He’s going to have some nerves, but I just want to see him go out and enjoy 30 minutes of footy and we’ll all be happy. He plays with emotion and his heart on his sleeve, and that’s what we want him to do.”

A student remains in hospital in a critical condition after being injured while on a school excursion to the governor-general’s Canberra home.

Students from Central Coast Grammar School were visiting Government House on Wednesday as part of a year 6 camp when a large tree branch fell on some of the children.

A child was critically injured by a falling tree branch at government house in Canberra.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Three students were hurt, including a girl whose injuries were so serious she was rushed to hospital.

“Our staff remain in contact with all year 6 families, offering the care and assistance of our counselling and wellbeing teams, and we extend our support to any other student requiring additional help,” school principal Phil O’Regan told parents.

“As a close community with strong values, I ask that you keep [the student] and their family in your hearts. Also, that you keep a watchful eye on your child and ask for help if they are struggling to cope with what has occurred.”

The school is based in Erina, 350 kilometres from Canberra.

Plans for “more disruptive” bus strikes in Brisbane have been revealed after pay negotiations for drivers fell through.

Services would be stopped on Wednesday, February 26, between 4pm and 6pm – the busiest commuter day of the week.

As with the previous industrial action, which was scheduled before the morning peak, school routes would not be affected.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union has turned down a Brisbane City Council offer to increase wages 7 per cent over two years.

“Yesterday’s negotiations can only be described as Groundhog Day. Same old council, same old BS,” Union representative Tom Brown said.

“They haven’t heeded the warning. Unless there’s a breakthrough [on Friday], it will go ahead and it will be more disruptive.”

The council accused the union of acting in “bad faith”, and told residents to make alternative travel arrangements for next Wednesday.

“The RTBU is either tone-deaf or intentionally trying to make commuters pay,” council transport chair Ryan Murphy said.

The Commonwealth ombudsman has delivered a rebuke to several agencies for their response to, and communication with, people complaining about aircraft noise from Brisbane Airport’s new parallel runway.

The Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman revealed today it had received 800 complaints in December 2023 about the increased aircraft noise.

“The complaints appeared to be part of a well-organised campaign,” it noted in a statement released today.

The ombudsman, which did not investigate the noise issue itself, found the agencies involved – Airservices Australia, the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure and Transport – needed to better engage with each other, and those who made complaints about aircraft noise.

“In our view the agencies involved can all improve the way they engage with complaints and each other about the issues raised in complaints,” Ombudsman Iain Anderson said.

“The entities responsible should work more closely and more effectively with one another regarding aircraft noise complaints to ensure that such matters are appropriately considered and responded to, that complainants feel heard and that communities are well informed about aircraft noise.

“Having the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman established as a fully independent entity and able to provide fully independent oversight of aviation noise complaints should also assist these agencies to improve their approaches to complaint handling.”

After days of parliamentary debate over the appointment of Treasury chiefs under Labor and the LNP, the Crisafulli government has sought to clarify how it settled on banker Paul Williams for the role.

Williams, whose appointment as under treasurer was announced last week, worked at Heritage Bank in Toowoomba during the period Treasurer David Janetzki worked there as legal counsel.

That, and the fact the vacancy was not advertised, prompted Labor to raise probity questions in parliament – as the LNP was highlighting much bigger concerns over former treasurer Jackie Trad’s influence over the appointment of her under treasurer in 2019.

The government has today shed more light on the process, acknowledging for the first time that Williams was “targeted” for the role.

“It is common practice for heads of central agencies to be appointed through targeted approaches,” the government said in a statement.

“The under treasurer appointment was determined through an executive search undertaken by Queensland Treasury Corporation, where an exemplary, high calibre individual was identified.

“Following an interview process with the director-general (of the) Department of the Premier and Cabinet and Public Sector Commissioner, a recommendation was made to the premier that the candidate possessed the required experience and capabilities to make him suitable for appointment to the role.”