22 August 2025
Australia’s new child safety laws have fuelled a $799 “child-safe” smartphone boom. The HMD Fuse promises protection, but experts warn parents are being sold fear and false security while kids may end up less safe online.
20 August 2025
South Burnett Regional Council ignores vital wildlife corridor destruction. Queensland cleared a record 320,000 hectares statewide as local ecosystems collapse through unregulated clearing.
16 June 2025
In South Burnett, the wide-open spaces we love can sometimes come with a quiet cost: isolation. For many residents — especially older adults, caregivers, and those living on remote properties — the distance between neighbours can feel more emotional than physical. And when mental health challenges arise, the support can feel just out of reach.
8 September 2025
Labor's Freedom of Information Amendment Bill betrays Albanese's transparency promises, introducing a 40-hour processing threshold, banning anonymous requests that protect whistleblowers, reintroducing fees, and expanding Cabinet secrecy—all while claiming to improve efficiency. Democracy advocates are outraged.
Age discrimination in Australian workplaces is sidelining older workers, despite decades of skills, resilience, and adaptability. This op-ed challenges stereotypes, exposes hidden costs, and argues why experience remains one of Australia’s most undervalued assets.
3 September 2025
When Dezi Freeman was named as the suspect in the Porepunkah tragedy, it wasn’t his first headline. Years of selective coverage and sensational framing reveal how media mythmaking — the process of creating simplified, often misleading public stories — can elevate volatile figures into an avatar of anti-authoritarian dysfunction.
29 August 2025
BlueCare's mass nursing cuts set a dangerous precedent that threatens aged care quality across South Burnett. Families must act now before similar cuts hit their regional facilities. Picture the quiet corridors, longer waits for medication, and familiar faces disappearing—our loved ones deserve better.
27 August 2025
Queensland's zero-tolerance housing policies are evicting families based on accusations alone. Three strikes and you're banned for 12 months. The most vulnerable disappear from waiting lists, making homelessness invisible while the crisis deepens.
24 August 2025
From dust clouds to drainage disasters, Whitaker Road exemplifies the South Burnett's silent infrastructure crisis. When councils fear "precedent" over public safety, democracy itself begins to crumble on our unsealed roads.