Queensland

Australian authorities identified the likely source of six mysterious 'space balls' found on a Queensland beach. The Australian Space Agency stated the spherical objects appear to be 'pressure vessels' from a space launch vehicle that fell back to Earth.

Queensland officials warn residents may face costs for cleaning up abandoned mines if environmental regulations are weakened. The state government announced a review of a scheme requiring mining companies to provide surety for rehabilitation costs, led by Treasurer David Janetzki and Mining Minister Dale Last.

Australian officials are investigating the origins of six pieces of space debris, referred to as 'mystery space balls,' discovered on Forrest Beach in Queensland.

Six pieces of suspected space debris found on north Queensland beaches may be 'space balls' from rocket launches. The Australian Space Agency is investigating their origin and nature, as police warn they could contain hazardous chemicals.

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef has avoided a UNESCO 'in danger' listing despite concerns over coral bleaching and climate change. UNESCO’s draft decision maintains the reef’s World Heritage status, which Australia welcomed.

Bruce Lehrmann lost a legal bid to obtain footage from a documentary featuring Brittany Higgins. A judge ruled there was no legitimate forensic purpose for his subpoena requesting the footage from the documentary 'Silenced.'

Mallorie Jane Roberts, 23, was found with gunshot wounds in a Gold Coast home, leading to her partner's arrest. She was described as a young mother with a two-year-old son.

Queensland’s economy faces a potential ratings downgrade despite a coal royalty windfall of $6.9bn for the financial year. The state is running a $6.2bn operating deficit, with spending projected to rise from $100.8bn to $111.6bn by 2029-30, while the treasurer aims for a surplus by 2029-30 through spending cuts and infrastructure investments.

Australian police discovered 2.7 metric tons of cocaine buried in underground bunkers on a property in Sydney's outskirts, marking the country's largest-ever cocaine seizure. Two men were arrested and face life imprisonment, while the drug's street value is estimated at 816 million Australian dollars. The shipment is linked to a Belize-flagged cargo ship suspected of smuggling drugs to Queensland.

A cyberattack on Australia’s second-largest sugar producer, Mackay Sugar, has disrupted operations, forcing farmers to delay harvesting crops and risking income losses. The company has restored some systems but advises growers not to harvest immediately to avoid quality degradation, as processing delays could reduce sugar content and yields.

A diphtheria outbreak in Yuendumu, a remote Northern Territory community, is causing concern due to a lack of hand sanitiser at the health clinic and a three-week delay for test results. Over 240 cases have been reported in remote Indigenous communities across the Northern Territory, South Australia, Queensland, and Western Australia since October.

Severe weather warnings have been issued for Queensland, New South Wales, and Tasmania as heavy rains and flash flooding threaten multiple regions. A low-pressure trough drawing tropical moisture is driving the wet weather, according to meteorologist Ilana Cherny of the Bureau of Meteorology.

A 36-year-old man from Bundaberg, Queensland, was charged with murder and attempted murder after allegedly beating a 78-year-old pedestrian to death with a metal pole during a violent rampage that injured two others. The incident occurred in Childers and North Isis, with the suspect driving into and assaulting multiple people.

Australia has confirmed its first diphtheria death in what is being called the worst outbreak in decades. Most cases are concentrated in the Northern Territory, with additional cases reported in Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland.

Australia has confirmed its first diphtheria death amid the worst outbreak in decades, with most cases concentrated in the Northern Territory and additional cases in Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland.

Australia has confirmed its first diphtheria death amid the worst outbreak in decades, with most cases reported in the Northern Territory and additional cases in Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland.

A 39-year-old man was killed in a shark attack while spearfishing at a shoal off the Cassowary Coast in Queensland, Australia. The incident occurred in the north-east coastal area.

A man died after being bitten by a shark at Kennedy Shoal in Queensland, Australia, marking the second shark attack in the country this month.

A 39-year-old man was killed in a shark attack while swimming near a shoal off the Cassowary Coast in Queensland, Australia. The incident occurred in the north-eastern part of the country.

A 39-year-old man died after a shark attack while fishing at Kennedy Shoal on the Great Barrier Reef, located between Cairns and Townsville in Queensland. Emergency services were alerted around midday.

Flash flooding hits Queensland roads and more than $57bn of Victoria's infrastructure is at risk from climate hazards by 2030. The value at risk could increase to over $71bn by 2070. Infrastructure Victoria assessed risks to $318bn in government-owned assets.

Pauline Hanson claimed almost $16,000 in taxpayer-funded private charter flights for a Queensland flood-affected communities tour, contradicting her earlier assertion that the trip would cost taxpayers nothing. Hanson and Barnaby Joyce initially flew on billionaire Gina Rinehart's luxury Gulfstream G700 from the Sunshine Coast to Mount Isa before taking charter flights to visit flood-affected areas.

Queensland's ministerial affair drama has become a distraction in parliament, with question time featuring sordid allegations and unlikable cast. The drama is being compared to reality TV shows like Love Island. The Queensland parliament's question time is not typically a highly watched event.

Nationals MP Colin Boyce considers moving to One Nation after a devastating Coalition result in the Farrer byelection, where the Coalition's vote dropped to about 20%. The result is seen as a wake-up call for the party. Boyce represents the central Queensland seat of Flynn.

The Albanese government has scaled back the inland rail project, abandoning plans to connect NSW and Queensland by rail due to a blown-out price tag of over $45bn. The project will now only connect Beveridge in Victoria to Parkes in NSW, covering about half the original distance. The government will reallocate $1.75bn of the funding to other national rail upgrades.

The Queensland government is facing an integrity crisis over an alleged undisclosed affair between two ministers, Tim Mander and Amanda Camm. The opposition has accused the government of failing to address potential conflicts of interest. The ministers deny being in a relationship when they were sworn in.

Queensland has rejected key recommendations from the Bondi royal commission's interim report on a national gun buyback plan, arguing it fails to address keeping firearms out of criminals' hands. The report criticized delays in establishing a national gun register after the 2022 Wieambella police killings, urging faster action from federal and state governments.

NSW Premier Chris Minns may abandon plans to ban the slogan 'globalise the intifada' following a legal challenge in Queensland. Initially determined to prohibit the phrase after the Bondi terror attack, Minns now ties the ban's fate to the outcome of the Queensland case, signaling a potential retreat from the policy.

Australia's southeast, including Queensland and New South Wales, is expected to experience drier and hotter conditions during May, June, and July due to a potential El Niño weather phenomenon. Most of the country is likely to see higher-than-average temperatures, with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting these trends.

Ben Roberts-Smith, a Victoria Cross recipient and former SAS soldier, will attend an Anzac Day service in Queensland, his first since facing five murder charges related to his service in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012. He has been living in Queensland since being released on bail.

Anglo American Plc is advancing the sale of its coal business following a setback with Peabody. The company's Moranbah North coal mine in Queensland, Australia, is a key asset in this effort.

Queensland police have retested all service-issued Glock 40-calibre handguns after a fault was discovered that could cause the weapons to fire multiple shots. The malfunction was identified during routine testing of the firearm, which has been the standard-issue sidearm for Queensland police officers since the 1990s.

The Australian government plans to tighten eligibility rules for children under 18 in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and implement mandatory character checks for service providers to curb spending. Health Minister Mark Butler faces backlash from states, particularly Queensland, which accuses federal Labor of abandoning families reliant on long-term care.

Stephen Heydt, a 73-year-old Jewish clinical psychologist, was arrested in Brisbane for wearing a pro-Palestinian slogan T-shirt and chanting at a rally. He was charged under new Queensland laws targeting antisemitic hate speech, marking one of the first such cases under the legislation.

Queensland's proposed ebike laws, including age restrictions, driver's license requirements, and speed limits, could negatively impact food delivery services like Uber Eats and DoorDash, as well as shared e-vehicle schemes. Industry stakeholders warn the regulations may render these services uninsurable or unsustainable.

Jimmy Sullivan, a 44-year-old independent Queensland state MP for the Stafford electorate, was found dead at his home. He was disendorsed by the Labor party in 2025 after being elected in 2020.