Ace News Desk – Here’s a roundup of the News and Views for this week from Aussie QLD to Enjoy
Fire ants: Authorities are working to determine the genetic origin of fire ants detected at Borneo Barracks at Cabarlah. Downer Defence, which manages the barracks, told the National Fire Ant Eradication Program about the discovery on October 15, when suspect fire ant nests were discovered at the site and have since been destroyed. Invasive Species Advocacy director Reece Pianta says this isn’t the first time fire ants have been detected in the Cabarlah area.
Flu warning: Doctors are warning Queenslanders not to become complacent with a surge in later than the usual influenza cases. While case numbers remain below last year’s record levels, Darling Downs Health has recorded 155 confirmed influenza cases in the past week. Mater Hospital’s director of infectious diseases Professor Paul Griffin says lower vaccination rates this year may be one factor behind the late-season increase.
Power prices: Queensland’s Treasurer says the state government’s Energy Roadmap has caused a drop in power prices for households and businesses across regional Queensland. The government says electricity bills have fallen by about seven per cent for households and eight per cent for small businesses since the start of the financial year. Member for Toowoomba South and Treasurer David Janetzki says committing to coal for longer, more gas and leaving renewables investment to the private sector has contributed to the the drop.
Bio-refinery plans: An award-winning engineer who helped develop Australia’s first grain-to-ethanol bio-refinery in Dalby says the mothballed facility could re-opened if the government adopted a biofuel mandate requiring fuel suppliers to blend a minimum percentage of biofuels into fossil fuels. Keith Sharp says bio-refineries could play an important role in Australia’s fuel security, but says the government needed to adopt a mandate to support the production of biofuel and bolster local production. It comes as the Dalby bio-refinery was shut indefinitely about five years ago due to market pressures.
Data centres: An academic is raising concerns about the rushed planning of the proposed $32 billion data centre in Dalby. The Western Downs Digital Park was proposed by Singaporean developer Zerra DC this August and if approved will be the largest of its kind in Australia. Action group Western Downs Says Pause is holding a community forum in Dalby and Toowomba this week to hear from locals and academics. University of Queensland Professor Masoud Kamgarpour says he is concerned by how quickly this project has advanced and how rapidly AI is evolving.
At Sterling Publishing & Media Service Agency, we prioritise transparency and accountability in all our operations. We wish to clarify that we are not responsible for any external content, hyperlinks, or costs associated with our services. Nevertheless, we remain committed to delivering outstanding services and greatly value your continued support. Thank you for your trust in us.
