As it happened: Brisbane on Monday, April 7

Insurance claim data has revealed who is at fault in an increasing number of collisions involving scooters and bicycles across the state.

RACQ says claims for collisions involving scooters and bicycles have jumped 20 per cent in the past year, but it says drivers are at fault in about half of all claims.

The insurer received 186 motor claims for crashes involving bikes and scooters over the past 12 months, an average of one every second day across Queensland, with the Gold and Sunshine coasts among the hotspots.

“We’re seeing a fairly even split between motorists and riders being at fault,” says Joshua Cooney, RACQ general manager of advocacy.

According to the claims data, most collisions occur between 3pm and 5pm.

“The data highlights a real danger period in the busy afternoon commute with road users generally more tired and the sun setting which can impact visibility,” Cooney says.

“As we enter the holiday period with more families, children, and tourists out and about, we urge everyone to slow down ... and exercise an extra level of caution to prevent crashes on shared roads and pathways.”

Thanks for joining us for our live coverage of news this Monday. We’ll be back tomorrow morning. If you’re just catching up, here are some of the stories making headlines today.

More than $85 billion has been wiped off the value of Australian shares in a dramatic market plunge, with share prices of corporate giants collapsing in response to the escalating trade war between the United States and China.

Public servants would not be forced back into the office or sacked to make savings under a Coalition government after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton sought to stem the worsening political damage from his controversial vow to end flexible work rules and get rid of tens of thousands of bureaucrats.

A Queensland mother who went missing far west of Brisbane has been remembered by her family as beautiful and incredibly loved, days after police found her vehicle and human remains nearby.

A young man has repeatedly broken down in tears after seeing family members in court during his first appearance after allegedly stabbing another man to death at a Bowen Hills apartment.

A glamorous Tarragindi property with no reserve, no safety net – and no shortage of bidders – sold for $2.45 million at auction on Saturday, with every dollar going to charity.

And culture reporter Nick Dent introduces us to Joanna Horton, a Brisbane author who is balancing activism and motherhood with writing powerful novels about human connection.

A crash that left two women dead and a baby with serious injuries is under police investigation.

About 6.30pm on Sunday, a truck and a Hyundai i20 collided at the intersection of Bellmere Road and King Street in Caboolture.

Two female passengers of the hatchback died at the scene. A baby boy was taken to hospital in a serious condition, and the female driver suffered minor injuries.

The truck driver, a 42-year-old man, was not injured, but was taken to hospital as a precaution.

Anyone who witnessed the crash or has CCTV is urged to contact police.

A young man has repeatedly broken down in tears after seeing family members in court during his first appearance after allegedly stabbing another man to death at an inner-city apartment.

Jonah Francois Charpentier, 22, of Bowen Hills, fronted Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday dressed in a green prison jumpsuit and brown jumper.

Charpentier had originally not been required to appear but the police prosecutor told magistrate Julian Noud that he had family members present who wished to see him.

The accused man spoke briefly to three family members in court from behind the glass screens of the dock before breaking down in tears and holding his face in his hands.

Read the full story.

A glamorous Tarragindi property with no reserve, no safety net – and no shortage of bidders – sold for $2.45 million at auction on Saturday, with every dollar going to charity.

Dubbed a once-in-a-lifetime sale, the new home drew 16 registered bidders, with a local family snapping it up minutes after first walking through the door.

The four-bedroom home, at 43 Amulree Street, is perched on a 607-square-metre block.Credit: Domain

Selling agent Solomon Michael, of Coronis, said the atmosphere was electric as eight active bidders sent the price soaring.

“I’m just over the moon. When the hammer went down, the whole crowd erupted. It worked exactly as anticipated,” he said.

Read the full story.

More than $140 billion has been wiped off the value of Australian shares in a dramatic market plunge, with share prices of corporate giants collapsing in response to the escalating trade war between the United States and China.

The ASX 200 was 6 per cent lower at 10.39 am, after a dramatic plunge on Wall Street over the weekend, with all sectors of the market deep in the red, and the Australian dollar falling under US60¢.

Banks, miners and energy companies were hit the hardest, as all sectors opened sharply lower, with the biggest stock on the ASX, Commonwealth Bank, tanking 8.7 per cent. Other banks also plunged, with Westpac down 7.3 per cent, NAB down 7 per cent and ANZ 5.8 per cent.

Mining giants BHP plunged 8.6 per cent and Rio Tinto dropped 5.3 per cent, while oil and gas business Woodside fell 8.2 per cent after more declines in the global oil price.

Off-contract Brisbane captain Adam Reynolds is still mulling over whether to play on in 2026, but his form suggests he is more than capable of doing so.

A hamstring injury sustained in the 46-24 win over Wests Tigers on Saturday night may rule him out of next week’s home clash with Sydney Roosters.

The 34-year-old Broncos halfback is set for a scan after he left the field in the 45th minute at Suncorp Stadium.

That was a minute after he had scored to give his side a 26-12 lead and put them on the road to victory. He landed four goals from as many attempts and a 42m two-point field goal on the cusp of halftime.

Asked again about his future beyond the 2025 season – currently his last contracted season at the Broncos – he said he would look after this year first.

“I’ve still got a job to do here, so that will sort itself out in the future,” Reynolds said. “I’m enjoying myself. I still feel like I have a lot to give and I still have a big job to do this year.”

The Crisafulli government has today opened the first stage of its $2 billion housing and infrastructure grant program.

Developers and local councils with projects ready to go can now start reviewing the criteria and preparing their applications for the Residential Activation Fund, which the LNP government says is designed to fast-track the development of essential infrastructure including roads, water, and sewerage and “break down the barriers to building more homes”.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli.Credit: William Davis

“We didn’t want to wait for the budget to then call for applications,” Premier David Crisafulli said yesterday.

“Applications will begin in earnest now and that gives the opportunity for that assessment to be done, so money can flow out the door from the moment the budget is handed down.”

“We want to see more homes on the ground, and we’ll do everything we can to unlock the roadblocks.”

The state government also established a new 890-hectare priority development area in the Redlands on Saturday, where it expects 8000 new homes to be built.

The Australian sharemarket is set to lose more than $100 billion today, as US President Donald Trump’s trade war rattles markets and economies across the globe.

The Australian dollar crumbled over the weekend, losing more than 5 per cent. It was fetching 59.56 US cents at 8.10am this morning, its lowest level since COVID.

The falls have sparked fears of a global recession.

Read more here.

In today’s flashback, here is a photo of Adelaide Street, looking towards Edward Street in Brisbane’s CBD, in 1978.

View along Adelaide Street towards Edward Street in 1978.Credit: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland

The photo was taken by Peter Fischmann.

In our top story this morning, we reveal that Brisbane City Council operates about 30 covert cameras across the city to catch litterers.

The small cameras are often camouflaged or tied to trees, and they are catching more than just careless litterers.

Covert cameras are recording hundreds of south-east Queensland drivers breaking the law, in sometimes bizarre scenes.Credit: Nine News

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