As it happened: Brisbane on Friday, December 13

As the Kangaroo Point footbridge opens on Sunday, the Brisbane City Council has warned locals roads near the bridge’s landing points will close for several hours.

The council said closures would occur along Edward and Alice streets in the CBD, and Scott Street in Kangaroo Point between 6am and 12pm Sunday.

Police and traffic controllers, as well as signage, were expected on-site to assist pedestrians and motorists.

The Kangaroo Point Green Bridge opening would be the second bridge of an initial set of five promised in 2019, and designed to ease walkability and active transport accessibility in the city.

Thanks for joining us for live coverage of the news in Brisbane today. We’ll be back on Monday.

If you’re just catching up, here are some of the stories making headlines today:

With an ‘immovable deadline’ looming, there is currently no consolidated sum for the cost of the Brisbane 2032 Games. A key watchdog says there should be.

New information has raised suspicions about the deaths of twin baby boys at a far north Queensland home three years ago.

The Brisbane City Council has struck almost 1000 properties off its list of flood-prone properties, and changed the status of several thousand more, in an update to mapping for its City Plan.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has declared his $331 billion nuclear power plan will deliver massive savings over Labor’s renewables policy, based on an assumption that Australians’ power use won’t surge rapidly despite growing electric vehicle sales.

President-elect Donald Trump has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping and other world leaders to his inauguration next month – an unorthodox move that would fold US allies and adversaries into a very American political tradition.

An 11-year-old girl from Sierra Leone was found floating in the Mediterranean Sea off Italy’s southernmost island, Lampedusa, believed to be the only survivor of a shipwrecked migrant boat that departed from the port of Sfax in Tunisia, a humanitarian group said.

And French has got a buzzy update at Brisbane’s hottest new dining precinct. Pompette suits everything from occasion dinners to those wanting to drop by for oysters and caviar. Plus, it has a killer wine list with more than 40 champagnes.

As the Kangaroo Point footbridge opens on Sunday, the Brisbane City Council has warned locals roads near the bridge’s landing points will close for several hours.

The council said closures would occur along Edward and Alice streets in the CBD, and Scott Street in Kangaroo Point between 6am and 12pm Sunday.

Police and traffic controllers, as well as signage, were expected on-site to assist pedestrians and motorists.

The Kangaroo Point Green Bridge opening would be the second bridge of an initial set of five promised in 2019, and designed to ease walkability and active transport accessibility in the city.

Brisbane locals may have noticed something a little different about a number of the River City’s buses lately, as a handful of vehicles transport riders directly into a condensed bubble of Christmas cheer – and bucketloads of tinsel.

The Brisbane City Council congratulated all winners in this year’s Christmas bus decorating competition.Credit: Brisbane City Council

For around 30 years the Brisbane City Council has held its Christmas bus decorating competition, with the Willawong depot taking out first prize this year.

Commuters and holidaymakers can expect to see these themed buses until the end of December.

However, with each competing depot having just one horse (bus) in the race, the council advised those wishing to ride one of the festive four-wheelers to keep an eye out, as Brisbane boasts over 1200 buses in its fleet.

The council also congratulated runner-up Carina depot, and Toowong and Sherwood depots for tying at third place.

New information has raised suspicions about the deaths of twin baby boys at a Queensland home three years ago.

Officers were called to a unit at Joan Street in Bungalow, Cairns about 11.10am on December 13, 2021 following reports the young boys were unresponsive.

The three-month-old twins – who were subject to significant special needs care – were declared dead in a bedroom.

Queensland Police Far North Detective Inspector Kevin Goan briefs press about the deaths.

On the three-year anniversary of the deaths Queensland Police revealed they have been provided new information, and urged anyone with further information to come forward.

Read the full story.

As state schools wrap up their fourth semester this afternoon, commuters can expect little reprieve to potential carpark-like conditions in Brisbane’s CBD, but they might expect some decent tunes along with the expected delays.

From 5.15 this evening, several of Brisbane’s cycling and active transport advocacy groups have organised a “driveway disco disruption” at the Star Casino driveway, along William Street in the CBD.

Concert-goers can also be expected travelling into the Botanic Gardens around peak hour, from a 6pm show at Riverstage featuring international band and “indie-dance darlings” Two Door Cinema Club alongside singer-songwriter Declan McKenna.

The William Street protests were slated to have several dozen attendees, and follow disruptions to the Bicentennial Bikeway from December 4 to 15 as the Sono Lumo event takes place across the active transport route.

Active transport advocacy groups widely criticised the move, and called for a second dedicated bikeway along George Street to reroute commuters during such events.

Josh Hazlewood has pushed out Scott Boland for the crucial Gabba Test against India after missing just one game with a side strain, as Australian captain Pat Cummins plots a possible bumper barrage for Rishabh Pant and India’s tail.

Short bowling in Adelaide allowed the Australians to knock over India’s lower order cheaply in both innings, and tellingly provided the first signs of vulnerability in Rishabh’s otherwise irrepressible and aggressive batting method.

Josh Hazlewood has proven his fitness to the selectors and will play at the Gabba.Credit: Getty Images

It was here at the Gabba in 2021 where Rishabh humbled Cummins, Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc in a virtuoso performance to deliver India both the match and the series.

But his first innings dismissal in Adelaide, to a snorting short ball from Cummins, created a previously unseen element of doubt in the left-hander’s mind – he was then a little hesitant coming forward to Starc in the second innings and edged one to Steve Smith in the slips.

“It is always in the back of your mind as a bit of a plan B or, if its looking really uncomfortable and likely to take wickets, it becomes a plan A to some of the batters,” Cummins said.

“It worked in Adelaide, so I’m sure we’ll give it a shot at some stage. For the tailenders it looked like a wicket was very likely, so yeah.”

Read the full story.

Recent large-scale aerial and ground searches of K’gari have revealed no evidence of feral horses, with rangers believing the population to have now been completely removed.

Rangers from the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service conducted routine searches across the island, assisted by drones, in 2022 and 2024.

Senior ranger Linda Behrendorff said it had been five years since the last confirmed sighting of a feral horse on the state-protected island.

A feral horse captured on camera on K’gari in December 2016.Credit: Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation

“Rangers haven’t found any evidence of feral horses … and we believe the last horse died naturally, which is great news for K’gari’s unique environment,” she said.

“Visitors and residents may recall some habituated horses became assertive, approaching and kicking vehicles and biting people.”

Behrendorff added wild horses caused erosion on K’gari – which is the largest sand island in the world – competed with native animals for food, and helped spread weeds.

“Adult healthy feral horses were too big to be hunted by dingoes,” she added.

Horses were introduced to K’gari in the late 19th century, where they were bred for use in the English Army in India and later to haul timber for loggers. Feral horses descended from stock left behind on the island.

K’gari’s wild horse population was estimated at 30 horses in 2000, although efforts to capture and relocate the horses from 2003 removed most of the population by 2005.

Behrendorff said rangers would continue to monitor for invasive species on K’gari, encouraging people to report horses, as well as other threats “such as pigs, cats or foxes”.

A man in his 40s is recovering in Princess Alexandra Hospital after being struck by a forklift at a worksite in Manly about 7am today.

He suffered significant leg and pelvic injuries with first responders noting he appeared to have been “struck by a forklift”.

Paramedics took the man from the Stretton Terrace worksite to Princess Alexandra Hospital in a potentially life-threatening condition.

The hospital confirmed his condition had since stabilised, and he remained at the hospital “at this stage”.

Queensland is on track for its deadliest road toll in years.

More than 300 fatalities are expected for the first time since 2009.

So far this year, 287 people have died – 20 more than at the same time in 2023.

At least 6000 people have also been injured in crashes.

“These are families that have had losses that will stay with them forever,” commissioner Steve Gollschewski said this morning.

More than 100 additional covert and market police motorbikes will be deployed until January 27, 2025.

While Queensland-based federal Coalition leader Peter Dutton was unveiling some figures around his proposed nuclear energy plan in Brisbane this morning, the LNP’s state leader, Premier David Crisafulli, was in Townsville talking youth crime.

Flanked by new government MPs, Crisafulli was touting the passage of his flagship youth justice changes through parliament during yesterday’s last sitting day of the year.

Crisafulli has previously said he would not support nuclear energy until there was federal bipartisanship – leaning on the line that it’s “not part of our plan” – even as his treasurer nudged the door open wider last week.

Asked if he had spoken to Dutton about nuclear power since the election, and if there was any merit to the costing details released today, Crisafulli said his focus was driving down power prices and that “Canberra will have a debate on energy”.

Then asked to confirm if he had spoken to Dutton about nuclear energy leading up to today’s announcement, Crisafulli said: “no”. On whether his position would change if Dutton were to win the federal election due within months?

“My position hasn’t changed. It remains consistent … I’ll let you have the debate, and Canberra can have the debate, but my commitment is to doing what I said I was going to do for the people of Queensland,” he said.