Month: May 2017

Muslims and Christians praying for peace

Muslims and Christians praying for peace

Posted by | May 26, 2017 | , , |

In the face of ongoing conflict, it’s time for Christians and Muslims to come together and pray for grace and peace. And Ramadan, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, a time for self-examination, devotion and reading the scriptures, which starts Saturday, gives us a perfect opportunity to come together. In my latest book of Christian-Muslim reflections, entitled ‘Ramadan’, I show how through fasting and reflecting we can focus on the priorities of loving God and loving neighbour, and bring our Christian and Muslim friends together for mutually encouraging interfaith conversations. I have written three sets of Christian-Muslim reflections...

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Drug prohibition doesn’t work.

Drug prohibition doesn’t work.

Posted by | May 25, 2017 | , , |

The prohibition of illicit drugs is killing and criminalising our children, according to the organisers of a community forum to be held in Brisbane on June 14. They say the counter-productive nature of our current drugs policy is illustrated by the current methamphetamine flood. While the number of methamphetamine offences prosecuted in Australia tripled between 2009/10 and 2014/15, ice usage has doubled. Massive seizures after massive seizure has had no effect because the Australian price for methamphetamine, created by our War on Ice, is now the highest in the world: a kilo of ice wholesales for $US 50,000 in...

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Caring comes naturally to Indigenous Australians

Caring comes naturally to Indigenous Australians

Posted by | May 25, 2017 | , |

During National Reconciliation Week, 28 May to 3 June, Mr Jim Toohey, President of Carers Queensland, is calling on the media to acknowledge the enormous contribution made by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians who care for another person with disability, a long-term physical or mental illness. “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are more likely to be carers than people of the broader Australian community, and there has been an increase in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples identifying as carers – from 32,581 in 2006 to 45,328 in 2011,” said Mr Toohey. Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait...

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Solar power reaches new milestone in Queensland

Solar power reaches new milestone in Queensland

Posted by | May 25, 2017 | , , |

Queensland has officially become the Solar State with new figures confirming that combined solar rooftops are now Queensland’s largest power station – surpassing the 1,680 megawatt Gladstone Power Station. Energy Minister Mark Bailey announced this exciting milestone at the Energy Users Association of Australia (EUAA) – annual Energy Conference this morning and said the continued uptake of solar again confirms the Palaszczuk Government has got it right on renewable energy policy. “Latest Energy Queensland figures show that as of 1 May, there are now more than 438,000 residential rooftops with solar connections and 1,706 megawatts of solar in Queensland,”...

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Living showrooms changing the way we shop

Living showrooms changing the way we shop

Posted by | May 25, 2017 | |

When Brisbane husband and wife team Jason Tan and Christina Agustina launched their designer furniture brand, North Hem, their vision promised to change the face of online shopping forever. Their unique proposition saw them locate ‘living showrooms’ across Brisbane’s cafes and galleries, where buyers can road-test their designer furnishings. Allowing them to house statement pieces within settings that match the design aspirations of their buyers, Jason said that “furniture showrooms are the antithesis of what drives our brand”. “The experience you have in a gallery or coffee shop is a world apart from labouring through a warehouse packed with...

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