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As it happened: Brisbane on Thursday, November 13

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Teachers will protest outside Parliament today

By Felicity Caldwell

Queensland state school teachers will descend on the Brisbane city this afternoon to highlight their ongoing negotiations with the government over pay and conditions.

Queensland Teachers’ Union members have rejected the state government’s latest EBA offer, and union executives told members to continue their industrial campaign before arbitration automatically begins on December 31.

Today’s rally will be held from 4.30pm outside the Speakers’ Corner at Parliament House on George Street.

The union is also planning a second strike after year 12 exams end on November 18, and before the last day of classes on December 12.

In August, 50,000 school teachers walked off the job for the first time in 16 years.

Pinned post from 8.32am on Nov 13, 2025
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Teenage girl missing almost two weeks

By Dominique Tassell

A teenage girl has been missing from the Moreton Bay area since the start of the month.

The 14-year-old was last seen at a home in Kippa-Ring on November 1.

The 14-year-old has been missing since November 1.QPS

“[There are] concerns for her welfare due to her young age and medical conditions,” police said.

She is 160cm tall, with a slim build, fair complexion, long straight blonde hair and white blotches on her skin.

Anyone with information should contact police.

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Today’s headlines

By Felicity Caldwell

Thanks for joining us for our live coverage of news in Brisbane today. We’ll be back tomorrow morning with more live news updates.

Catch up on some of the big stories we’ve been reporting on today:

Fraud rumours addressed in Townsville byelection

By Felicity Caldwell

Fraud rumours and other issues affecting the Townsville postal vote byelection this Saturday have been addressed by the Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ).

In a statement, the ECQ said the returning officer had received, scrutinised and accepted 57,000 postal ballot envelopes, which was about 40 per cent of the electorate.

About 3000 ballot papers, or about 2 per cent, were reissued, which was consistent with other full postal byelections, the ECQ said.

Former Townsville mayor Troy Thompson.

Most requests for reissued ballot papers were due to an outdated postal address on the electoral roll or misplaced papers.

16-year-old who fatally stabbed Vyleen White sentenced to 16 years’ jail

By Cloe Read

A teenager who fatally stabbed an elderly Queensland woman in front of a young girl has been sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment.

Vyleen White, 70, was killed by the 16-year-old, who stabbed her and did not hesitate in the car park of a Redbank Plains shopping centre in February last year, the Supreme Court has heard.

Vyleen White was remembered by her husband for being forgiving, open and warm.Nine News

White’s family, including her husband, Victor, and her daughters, told the court on Wednesday morning how her death had haunted them, and they had struggled with the devastation of losing her.

Read more in the full story here.

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Amex canned from public transport

By Felicity Caldwell

People catching public transport in south-east Queensland will no longer be able to pay for their 50¢ trip using an American Express credit or debit card from mid-December.

Translink explains the move is due to “changes to the Queensland government’s whole-of-government banking arrangements”.

From mid-December, people will only be able to tap on with a Visa, Mastercard or Go Card, and Amex will be banned.Cubic

Smart ticketing rolled out on trains in mid-2022, CityCats in April 2024, and finally on Brisbane buses in March 2025, meaning passengers could pay with a bank card or smartphone, in addition to Go Cards.

This included Visa, Mastercard and American Express, but Amex will not be accepted on public transport from Monday, December 15.

Pinned post from 10.33am on Nov 13, 2025

Teachers will protest outside Parliament today

By Felicity Caldwell

Queensland state school teachers will descend on the Brisbane city this afternoon to highlight their ongoing negotiations with the government over pay and conditions.

Queensland Teachers’ Union members have rejected the state government’s latest EBA offer, and union executives told members to continue their industrial campaign before arbitration automatically begins on December 31.

Today’s rally will be held from 4.30pm outside the Speakers’ Corner at Parliament House on George Street.

The union is also planning a second strike after year 12 exams end on November 18, and before the last day of classes on December 12.

In August, 50,000 school teachers walked off the job for the first time in 16 years.

Second Story Bridge footpath reopens

By Felicity Caldwell

Both Story Bridge footpaths are now open, more than eight months after they were suddenly closed ahead of Cyclone Alfred.

The western city-side footpath was reopened on October 3, and the eastern footpath reopened overnight for Thursday morning.

The eastern Story Bridge footpath reopened on Thursday morning.Kathryn Good

About 4000 daily walkers, bike and scooter riders were forced into an awkward and lengthy detour after the Story Bridge footpaths were suddenly closed on March 5, with a report later revealing they be shut for safety reasons.

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First tram on tracks for stage 3

By Felicity Caldwell

The first tram travelled on the new tracks in the northern section of the Gold Coast light rail stage three project last night.

The trial run was done ahead of controlled nighttime testing scheduled for the end of November, with the tram travelling between the Broadbeach South and Miami North stations.

An artist’s impression of one leg of the Gold Coast light rail.

It marked the next step towards delivering the stage three line between Broadbeach South and Burleigh Heads.

During the next testing phase, tram drivers will drive along the tracks between 8pm and 4am from November 26 to December 18, while work continues to finish intersections and pedestrian crossings, footpaths, landscaping and park upgrades.

In September, the state government scrapped stage four, which would have provided trams from Burleigh Heads to Coolangatta, via the Gold Coast Airport.

Doctor recognised for his heart trucks

By Julius Dennis

A doctor who founded a program that brings vital cardiac treatment to under-serviced rural communities has been announced as Queensland’s Australian of the Year.

Dr Rolf Gomes noticed the lack of facilities in rural areas before founding Heart Trucks, which regularly visit clinics in 30 towns around the country.

The program has treated more than 20,000 patients.

Dr Rolf Gomes has been named Queensland’s Australian of the Year.Salty Dingo

Kooma man and youth worker Jarib Branfield-Bradshaw, who opened a neighbourhood youth centre in Cunnamulla, is the Sunshine State’s Young Australian of the Year.

Former Volunteering Sunshine Coast CEO Cheryl Harris OAM is the Queensland Senior Australian of the Year thanks to her work championing volunteers in the region.

Disabled surfing advocate Ian Gay got the nod in the Local Hero category.

Man dies in Brisbane River at golf course

By Dominique Tassell

A man has died after being pulled from the Brisbane River at Goodna.

The 35-year-old Redbank Plains man went underwater and failed to resurface about 11am on Wednesday.

The Goodna boat ramp.Google Street View

Police and paramedics were called to Goodna boat ramp on Noel Kelly Drive, next to the Wolston Park Golf Club.

He was declared dead by paramedics at the scene.

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Rubbish fire emitting black smoke

By Dominique Tassell

A tent and rubbish fire in Musgrave Park at South Brisbane is emitting a significant amount of black smoke.

The fire was reported about 7.25am, and was quickly extinguished.

Fire is seen rising from Musgrave Park early on Thursday, in this photo posted by John Souza to the Facebook page Keep West End Weird.Facebook/Keep West End Weird

Fire crews, police, and paramedics were called to the park. No patients have been reported at this stage.

Fire investigators are also currently at the burnt out remains of a home in Indooroopilly, after it was gutted in a fire yesterday.

Ten fire crews were called to the home on Coonan Street about 2.20pm on Wednesday, located next to the historic Eldorado cinema.

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