Isabella Higgins
Isabella is an ABC journalist based in Queensland. She joined the ABC in 2014 working for News Online. She files stories for TV, radio and online. Follow Isabella on Twitter @isabellahiggins.
Entrepreneur shares top tips on how to run a start-up business
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The majority of new businesses in Queensland are based in the state's south-east, but there is a push to encourage entrepreneurs in regional towns to try to tackle the high unemployment rates.
Topics: small-business, business-economics-and-finance, regional, regional-development, activism-and-lobbying, rockhampton-4700, qld, australia
Infant boy who died known to Child Safety staff
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Police are investigating what happened to an infant boy who died in Yeppoon in central Queensland on Monday, weeks after concerns were raised with the Queensland Department of Child Safety.
Topics: crime, law-crime-and-justice, state-parliament, government-and-politics, yeppoon-4703, rockhampton-4700, qld
Palmer's plans for new mine outrage Queensland Nickel workers
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Clive Palmer is looking to build a new open-cut coal mine on his central Queensland cattle station, despite his collapsed Queensland Nickel refinery still owing more than $300 million.
Topics: clive-palmer, person, mining-industry, business-economics-and-finance, rockhampton-4700, qld
Engine failure possible cause of plane crash
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Early investigations indicate engine failure may have caused a fatal plane crash on a remote central Queensland beach.
Topics: disasters-and-accidents, emergency-incidents, eurimbula-4677, qld, bundaberg-4670, gladstone-4680, rockhampton-4700
ADF wants more land for war games but local graziers are fighting back
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Angry residents of a small central Queensland town are warning the Federal Government they will not walk away from their land, despite plans to remove them and expand a nearby military training facility.
Topics: defence-and-national-security, defence-forces, government-and-politics, shoalwater-4702
Masses cancelled in regional areas as priest numbers dwindle
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Catholic parishes in country dioceses are forced to slash popular masses due to a shortage of priests as the Church struggles to find its next generation of priests.
Topics: religion-and-beliefs, community-and-society, catholic, regional, biloela-4715, qld, banyo-4014, brisbane-4000, australia
Swim on inn: 'Fish hotels' to protect species in Queensland waterways
Posted
Scientists are building nearly a dozen "fish hotels" in central Queensland to try to protect the diversity of aquaculture in the region.
Topics: fishing-aquaculture, fish, biological-diversity, water, rockhampton-4700
Council considers home repossession to recoup unpaid rates
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Bowen Basin councils are struggling with millions of dollars' worth of unpaid rates amid the mining downturn, forcing one to consider repossessing homes.
Topics: mining-industry, business-economics-and-finance, local-government, government-and-politics, emerald-4720, moranbah-4744, rockhampton-4700
Domestic violence awareness and support growing in regional communities
Posted
Communities in regional areas are trying to break down barriers around domestic violence and create change, according to a central Queensland support service.
Topics: domestic-violence, community-and-society, emerald-4720
Stolen bikes to help disadvantaged youth find jobs
Posted
Police say a new pilot program, where disengaged youth will re-fashion unused, stolen bicycles, will help participants build skills and find employment.
Topics: community-and-society, youth, police, rockhampton-4700
New carbon farming technology to drive up grazier's profits
Posted
A new technology that measures the precise level of carbon in soil could drive a national boom in carbon farming.
Topics: sustainable-and-alternative-farming, rural, rockhampton-4700, qld
Backpacker tax deterring holiday workers, experts warns
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Experts in Queensland's tourism and agriculture sectors say uncertainty around the proposed backpacker tax is scaring off the working holiday-makers they need to survive.
Topics: tax, travel-and-tourism, federal-parliament, budget, rockhampton-4700
Rockhampton family turns to Facebook after robbery
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A Rockhampton family turned to social media for help tracking down burglars who they allege broke into their home and stole sentimental jewellery and electronics.
Topics: crime, social-media, family, community-and-society, rockhampton-4700
Farmers fear effects of new coal seam gas facility
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Landholders in Central Queensland say their livelihoods could be destroyed by a new coal seam gas facility being built on land adjacent to their properties.
Topics: mining-rural, mining-environmental-issues, environment, tourism, rolleston-4702, qld
Rockhampton hospital yet to implement all recommendations after baby's death
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Two months after a damning review into the death of a baby and the serious injury of three others at a Central Queensland hospital, less than half of the recommendations have been implemented.
Topics: health, health-policy, health-administration, death, infant-health, rockhampton-4700, qld
Cattle prices highest in years
Posted
After years of tough conditions, luck has turned for Queensland graziers who are winning at the saleyards with some of the highest prices seen in years.
Topics: livestock, beef-cattle, industry, rockhampton-4700
Cattle for sale image
image
Posted
Topics: livestock, rural, beef-cattle
ABC computer declares LNP Flynn win, candidate still unsure
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The Coalition has won the central Queensland seat of Flynn, according to the ABC election computer, but LNP incumbent Ken O'Dowd says he is not yet ready to claim victory.
Topics: government-and-politics, elections, federal-elections, gladstone-4680, rockhampton-4700
Central Queensland group granted native title
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The Federal Court of Australia has formally recognised the Indigenous people of central Queensland as the traditional owners of the land.
Topics: indigenous-culture, indigenous-policy, north-rockhampton-4701
Rockhampton hospital apologises after review into baby death, injuries
Posted
Health officials apologise for not recognising issues earlier at the Rockhampton Base Hospital maternity ward that contributed to the death of a baby and the serious injury of three others last year.
Topics: health, infant-health, death, rockhampton-4700
Indigenous council acts to ease 'tensions' between residents, police
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The mayor of a central Queensland Indigenous community says there is growing tension between residents and local police.
Topics: indigenous-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander, community-and-society, police, woorabinda-4713
Police deny any unrest after Woorabinda arrests
Posted
Police have denied there has been any unrest in a central Queensland Indigenous community after a police incident involving an officer and locals.
Topics: indigenous-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander, community-and-society, police, woorabinda-4713
Moranbah police tackle grog-fuelled violence
Posted
Police in a central Queensland town will increase their presence in licensed venues to curb alcohol-fuelled violence.
Topics: crime-prevention, antisocial-behaviour, crime, moranbah-4744, mackay-4740, rockhampton-4700
Rookwood Weir would be profitable says Gladstone water board
Posted
A state-owned statutory water board says it is confident the Federal Government will see the business case for investing in the Rookwood Weir in central Queensland.
Topics: dams-and-reservoirs, federal-government, water, programs-and-initiatives, water-management, rockhampton-4700, gladstone-4680
Man charged over campground death faces court
Posted
A man charged with the death of a women in central western Queensland has had his case adjourned in a Rockhampton court.
Topics: courts-and-trials, crime, winton-4735, rockhampton-4700, longreach-4730, mount-isa-4825
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