Alexandra Blucher
Alexandra Blucher is a journalist in the ABC’s Brisbane newsroom. She joined the ABC in 2013 as rural reporter in New South Wales and Tasmania, and also in the newsroom in Hobart. Alexandra has previously worked as a reporter at China Radio International in Beijing. Follow Alexandra @alexblucher.
'Pain ranking' used to help Newman government decide on budget cuts
Posted | Updated
Massive cuts to Queensland's public service and government programs under the LNP administration of Campbell Newman were given a "pain" ranking, confidential documents reveal.
Topics: federal---state-issues, government-and-politics, liberal-national-party-queensland, budget, environmental-policy, qld
Agency assessing $1b Adani loan blocks FOI request for board meeting times
Posted | Updated
The Federal Government agency considering a $1 billion loan to mining giant Adani rejects an FOI request from Greenpeace for information about its upcoming board meetings, saying it could encourage protesters and media interest.
Topics: mining-industry, industry, business-economics-and-finance, mining-environmental-issues, environment, australia, qld
Gina Rinehart launches wagyu brand bound for China
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Hot on the heels of their Kidman cattle empire purchase, Gina Rinehart and her Chinese business partner are forging new beef pathways into China launching a wagyu beef brand.
Topics: beef-cattle, livestock, rural, business-economics-and-finance, warwick-4370, qld, australia, china
Joyce insists graziers won't be forced to sell to ADF
Posted | Updated
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce says there is no intention to force Queensland graziers to sell their land as part of Australian Defence Force training area expansions, however the Prime Minister does not rule it out.
Topics: rural, livestock, government-and-politics, activism-and-lobbying, federal---state-issues, defence-forces, shoalwater-4702, qld, rockhampton-4700
Graziers call on Joyce to veto Defence land grab
Posted | Updated
Queensland graziers will today ask Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce to commit to stopping any forced land grab by the Australian Defence Force for training Singaporean troops.
Topics: rural, livestock, government-and-politics, activism-and-lobbying, federal---state-issues, defence-forces, shoalwater-4702, rockhampton-4700, australia, qld
Crime rate manipulated to mask rise, police sources allege
Posted | Updated
The Queensland Police Minister is briefed about allegations from within the police service that reports have been manipulated in an effort to keep a lid on crime rates.
Topics: crime, law-crime-and-justice, police, public-sector, qld
Norfolk mutiny brewing against island's Australian administrator
Posted | Updated
It may be a lonely speck in the South Pacific, but the Australian takeover of Norfolk Island is sparking criticism from the other side of the world and exposing deep divisions within the small community.
Topics: federal-parliament, state-parliament, parliament, government-and-politics, norfolk-island, australia
Multi-million-dollar fox hunt 'likely based on hoax'
Posted | Updated
A $50 million government program to eradicate foxes in Tasmania is quite likely based on faked evidence, according to a leaked report, with sceptics suggesting evidence could have been planted.
Topics: government-and-politics, rural, federal---state-issues, state-parliament, states-and-territories, environmental-management, environment, tas, australia
Hendra virus vaccine for horses 'shouldn't be compulsory in Queensland'
Posted | Updated
Vaccinating horses against Hendra virus should not be made compulsory, despite the deaths of 77 horses and four people since 1994, a Queensland parliamentary committee finds.
Topics: hendra-virus-infection, diseases-and-disorders, health, veterinary-medicine, state-parliament, activism-and-lobbying, qld, brisbane-4000, bundaberg-4670, cairns-4870, gladstone-4680, longreach-4730, mackay-4740, maroochydore-4558, mount-isa-4825, rockhampton-4700, southport-4215, toowoomba-4350, townsville-4810
Tostee juror's Instagram posts a sign Jury Act needs review, experts say
Posted | Updated
Legal experts say the Queensland Jury Act may need to be reviewed after a juror in the Gable Tostee murder trial almost caused a mistrial by her multiple posts on social media during deliberations.
Topics: courts-and-trials, judges-and-legal-profession, state-parliament, brisbane-4000
Barnaby Joyce 'failed to deliver on inquiry promise' ahead of ABCC bill
Posted
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce is accused of breaking a promise to ensure a Senate inquiry into workplace deaths ahead of reintroducing Australian Building and Construction Commission legislation.
Topics: federal-parliament, joyce-barnaby, building-and-construction, workplace, occupational-health-and-safety, brisbane-4000, act
Workers walked off job days before men fatally crushed: union
Posted | Updated
Two workers walked off the job over safety concerns, with one fearing "someone was going to die", days before two men were crushed to death by 9-tonne concrete slabs at a construction site in Brisbane's Eagle Farm, the CFMEU reveals.
Topics: emergency-incidents, law-crime-and-justice, work, activism-and-lobbying, workplace, unions, eagle-farm-4009, qld, australia, brisbane-4000
Queensland tow truck company accused of facilitating illegal sale of impounded car
Posted | Updated
A tow truck company with a major contract with the Queensland Police Service is being accused of facilitating the illegal sale of a car impounded under anti-hooning laws.
Topics: crime, police, laws, brisbane-4000
Clive Palmer's Brisbane HQ sale expected to attract $20 million
Posted | Updated
In the wake of the collapse of Clive Palmer's Queensland Nickel refinery, the billionaire businessman puts Mineralogy House up for sale.
Topics: building-and-construction, industry, business-economics-and-finance, mining-industry, clive-palmer, brisbane-4000, qld
Humpback frees itself after beaching in shallow water
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A 12-metre humpback whale swims free after being beached and tangled in netting in shallow water north of Brisbane.
Topics: animals, shorncliffe-4017, qld, brisbane-4000
Girls compete for best app to enter tech jobs
Posted | Updated
A not-for-profit organisation is seeing huge success in boosting the numbers of girls entering an Australian competition to develop smartphone applications.
Topics: information-technology, internet-technology, computers-and-technology, science-and-technology, women, community-and-society, schools, education, brisbane-4000, qld
Tow truck firm says Queensland police not paying debts on forfeited cars
Posted | Updated
A towing company is threatening to take legal action against the Queensland Police Service for debts allegedly accrued for storing vehicles forfeited under the state's anti-hooning laws.
Topics: laws, road-transport, police, state-parliament, brisbane-4000
Queensland Government refuses to confirm details of Gold Coast Spit casino
Posted | Updated
The State Government is refusing to confirm details of a Chinese-backed company's plans for a $3 billion casino and residential development at the Spit on the Gold Coast.
Topics: government-and-politics, community-and-society, urban-development-and-planning, the-spit-4217
Brisbane apartment building slowdown 'too late' to stop price falls
Posted | Updated
Brisbane developers are winding back plans for new apartments, but some property experts argue there is already a glut and prices must fall.
Topics: building-and-construction, urban-development-and-planning, housing-industry, brisbane-4000
Planned superannuation changes a 'smash and grab'
Posted | Updated
Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt is accused of trying to sneak through superannuation changes that could see a cut in public servants' payouts.
Topics: state-parliament, public-sector, parliament, laws, brisbane-4000, qld, australia
Queensland youth detention abuse concerns 'taken to government in April'
Posted | Updated
A former youth detention worker says the state's justice department failed to act on concerns about abuse at Townsville's Cleveland Youth Detention Centre she took to them earlier this year.
Topics: public-sector, activism-and-lobbying, youth, law-crime-and-justice, townsville-4810, qld, australia
Alleged killer of Brisbane chef was at house with victim, court hears
Posted
The man accused of murdering a Brisbane chef was with him at a house on the afternoon he was killed, a court hears.
Topics: courts-and-trials, law-crime-and-justice, brisbane-4000
Walter Sofronoff to review Queensland's parole system
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The Queensland Government appoints former solicitor-general Walter Sofronoff to conduct a "thorough examination" of the state's parole system in the wake of the death of Elizabeth Kippen.
Topics: prisons-and-punishment, law-crime-and-justice, murder-and-manslaughter, crime, crime-prevention, government-and-politics, townsville-4810, qld
Woodchopping toddler 'has the makings of future Ekka champion'
Posted | Updated
Most toddlers are easily entertained playing in a sandpit or with teddy bears, but 15-month-old Darcy Head loves nothing more than honing his woodchopping skills alongside his father.
Topics: community-and-society, community-and-multicultural-festivals, agricultural-shows, rural, brisbane-4000
Driver dies after slamming into tyre wall at Queensland Raceway
Posted | Updated
A driver dies after crashing his friend's car into a tyre wall at Queensland Raceway at Willowbank, west of Brisbane.
Topics: willowbank-4306
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