Latest news with #Queenslanders'
Herald Sun
30-07-2025
- Automotive
- Herald Sun
‘Inappropriate': QLD mum left reeling as her name is banned from Aussie number plates
A young Queensland mum was blown away after the state knocked back her request for personalised number plates featuring her own name. Indica Bradford had dreamt of having her own custom plates since the day she got her licence. 'Everyone has personalised plates and I could get my full name because it's so unique,' she told A Current Affair. 'I was really excited about that for ages.' After years of checking online to see if her name was still available, she finally placed her order. 'I bought my new car, and I thought, I'll finally get them, so I put them on lay-by.' But the excitement was short-lived. A few weeks later, her deposit was refunded. The Department of Transport and Main Roads ruled her chosen plates inappropriate. 'Personalised Plates Queensland (PPQ) told me it's a strand of marijuana, so that's why they've deemed it inappropriate,' Indica said. Indica says her mother gave her the name after hearing it somewhere years before she was born. 'She loved it for years, and then when she finally had me, she named me the name she loved.' Neither of them had any idea the name was also linked to a subspecies of the cannabis plant. 'I think the majority of Australia would probably be the same. They wouldn't even know what it meant. 'It's just someone's unusual name.' Now, Indica is calling on the department to reverse the decision. 'I'm not trying to offend anyone. It's just my name, my legal name, on my birth certificate.' However, the government isn't budging. For all the latest science and technology news - download the app direct to your phone. Indica is calling on the department to reverse the decision. Picture: A Current Affair The Department of Transport and Main Roads said all personalised plate requests are assessed against strict criteria set by PPQ, and 'plates that do not meet the criteria are not approved for sale.' The policy is regularly updated to 'reflect current community and social norms' and to align with Queenslanders' expectations. The department added: 'This particular plate combination at the time was deemed inappropriate in relation to its interpretation as promotion of illegal drugs or criminal activity.' Indica isn't alone in having her request denied. Across Australia, thousands of number plates are rejected each year for toeing the line on what's considered offensive, inappropriate, or dangerous. In Western Australia, plates referencing drugs, alcohol, road safety concerns, discriminatory or offensive language, and government acronyms like ANZAC or RAAF are banned. Some rejected plates include CRMNL (crime reference), T3QUILA (alcohol), ADHD12 (mental health), ANILATR (deemed unsafe), and XIXIXIXIX (too difficult to read). WA car enthusiast Ian Atkinson received a complaint from a disability workforce member about his plate SPAKATAK in February 2022. Atkinson said the plates, which came with the car he bought two months earlier, cost about $600. 'When I bought it, I had no idea that it would offend anybody,' he told the ABC. 'It just depends on someone's interpretation.' The plate was approved in 2011 but would not pass today's stricter guidelines. He also tried to get HQQNIGAN (a play on Hoonigan), but that was also rejected because officials feared it might incite road rage. Failure to return cancelled plates can result in a penalty up to $22,000 and possible jail time. Picture: X In New South Wales, plates have been deemed even more controversial. After a Sydney motorist was spotted in Feb 2024, with plates reading OCT7TH, an apparent reference to the October 7 Hamas terror attacks in Israel, Transport for NSW ordered the plates to be surrendered. The driver claimed the plates were 'missing.' Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said: 'No one will buy his excuse.' Authorities warned failure to return cancelled plates could result in a $2,000 fine, or up to $22,000 and possible jail time if a false statutory declaration is submitted. NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen said: 'The NSW Government has zero tolerance for hate speech. 'We are not going to tolerate hatred and intolerance being spread in the community.' Other recalled plates in NSW included 88SEIG (linked to Nazi codes) and NAAZI4, despite the owner claiming, like Indica, that it was related to their name. However, it seems some unusual plates have slipped through the net. In October 2024, a Perth driver was accused of 'belittling the poor' after their luxury Mercedes, with the plate CENTRLINK, was photographed. The car was believed to have retailed for over $150,000. 'I very much doubt the owner of this Merc is on Centrelink,' wrote the person who uploaded the photo. The owner sparked significant public debate but in the end was not fined or required to surrender the plates. Plate rage isn't unique to Australia, in the UK John and Jackie Cooke, were left fuming after their personalised plate N14GAS, a nod to their football club, Bristol Rovers, was recalled in Jan 2025 after nearly 30 years. Some Aussie drivers got away scot-free with their risky license plates. Picture: Reddit The plate stands for 'Number one for the Gas', the club's nickname, and was originally suggested by Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) staff in 1997. But concerns it could be misconstrued as a slur led to the plate being revoked. Jackie said: 'In 27 years, no-one has ever complained about this registration number being offensive.' Between 2022 and 2023, around 1,000 personalised plate applications in Western Australia were knocked back for being too offensive. Meanwhile, in Queensland, PPQ rejected 3,901 combinations in 2023 alone. Some of the banned contenders include GEN3CID, SAUC3D, RAMP4GE, BUYAGRAM and F4K3T4X1 (referring to a well-known porn site). Whether it's your legal name, a tongue-in-cheek joke, or your favourite sports team, if it's going on a plate, expect scrutiny. And in Indica's case, you can be named after a party plant your whole life and still be told it's too controversial for your bumper. Originally published as 'Inappropriate': QLD mum left reeling as her name is banned from Aussie number plates
Herald Sun
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Herald Sun
Administrator blasts CFMEU over potentially illegal protest across Brisbane CBD
CFMEU's wild Qld history Editor: Public hissy fit beyond a joke CFMEU administrator Mark Irving has ordered members involved in a protest that shut down Brisbane CBD this morning to 'return to work' amid fears it could last for days. Surprise CFMEU protests have sprung up across Brisbane city in response to the High Court's refusing to overturn the militant union's federal government takeover. Hundreds of union members are gathered at multiple sites, blocking intersections and causing major traffic delays. Mr Irving KC has since directed all members to halt the potentially illegal protest and return to work. 'The High Court decision is final,' he said. 'I have advised staff and members that any action this morning is likely to be unlawful industrial action, and I have directed them to return to work. 'I urge everyone to stay calm and focus on getting on with the job. It is time for all members, delegates and staff to work together to return the Union to membership control.' It is understood the CFMEU plans to strike for several days. The Courier-Mail has been told workers walked off the job across all building sites in the city including 360 Queen St, Waterfront Place at Eagle Street and the Performing Arts Centre. There is a clause in CFMEU enterprise agreements that allows members to partake in surprise strike action for two-hours without prior notice. However, under the current administration, Mr Irving would have needed to authorise this type of action. The protest activity is therefore unlawful and not protected under the Fair Work Act. Individual employees can now deduct a minimum of four hours of pay for each member who has participated in the strike. If unlawful strike action continues for days, consequences for members will be at the discretion of employers. Property Council of Australia executive director Jess Caire said Queensland could not afford extended unprotected strike action. 'Unprotected industrial action is leaving workers unpaid, bringing construction, including major projects and residential sites to a standstill, causing a massive loss of momentum and ultimately delaying getting roofs over Queenslanders' heads at a time we can least afford it,' she said. A CFMEU source has refuted claims that the protests were organised by ousted leaders Michael Ravbar and Jade Ingham. 'What those trying to link this to the removed leadership fail to grasp is that the CFMEU has always been a member-led union,' he said. 'That's the point missed by the ALP and the ACTU and exactly why the administration has been so fraught — you can't just remove or replace leaders and expect to seize control of the union and pretend to members that you can represent them.' He said members wanted to see the administration dismantled and the 21 sacked leaders, including Ravbar and Ingham, returned. 'The members are the union and right now, they're angry, they've had enough,' he said. 'Their elected representatives have now tried every proper channel to resolve this. 'Now the members are demanding their return and I suspect industry will now be picking up the tab for Labor's failed policy. But that's on them.' Mr Ingham told the crowd the High Court decision did not come as a surprise. 'We know that when we took that legal part of the campaign, it was always going to be an uphill battle,' he said. 'We decided it was a fight that we needed to have anyway…We've got to fight on all the fronts.' More than 200 CFMEU members were seen marching on Queen Street in the Brisbane city, while 500 protesters were in Bowen Hills. Major delays had also been reported across Fortitude Valley. Police had diverted traffic and confirmed Campbell Street, O'Connell Terrace and Hamilton Place were closed. Work on the state's largest infrastructure project Cross River Rail has been affected. CFMEU-aligned workers have walked off the job to join the mammoth protest. It comes after the former CFMEU boss Michael Ravbar lost a High Court appeal to overturn the forced administration of the militant union following an eight-month legal challenge. The decision was slammed by Mr Ravbar, but celebrated by the state government, with a statement saying the decision had validated pausing BPIC on state infrastructure projects. The protest against the administration has been orchestrated from the inside. Members are standing with Mr Ravbar. It is not yet clear how long the protest will last. Individual worksites will determine no pay conditions for the pop up strike. The administration became aware of the protests about 7am Thursday. Union members chanted 'stand up, fight back', 'we'll never be defeated' and 'Our union, fight back.' Queensland Police Acting Commissioner Shane Chelepy said authorities were aware of the pop-up protests. 'The police will be in attendance and are in attendance here. It's about two things for us,' he said. 'It's about respecting everyone's right to protest, whether it's a pop up or a planned protest, and we'll facilitate that to occur safely, but it's also about keeping the community safe at the same time and minimising the disruption on them. 'And my message to people this morning, commuters, people moving around the Valley, is be aware that this is occurring, be aware that we're trying to minimise that disruption, but this morning, we're going to need a little bit of patience. 'We're going to have a bit of a few delays on the road.' Mr Ravbar has been contacted for comment. Originally published as Administrator blasts CFMEU over potentially illegal protest across Brisbane CBD Read related topics: CFMEU
The Guardian
13-03-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
David Crisafulli came out of Cyclone Alfred looking like a leader. His real danger lies within the LNP
There was something different about David Crisafulli – even if it wasn't immediately clear what had changed – as the Queensland premier addressed the state about the looming threat from Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Leading through a natural disaster is a rite of passage for a Queensland leader. There's also little anyone can do to prepare. It's a brutal 'learn on the job' experience that requires difficult calls with imperfect information. Handled the right way – with calm and sincerity, the right ratios of strength and compassion – the experience can define a premier. Floundering politicians have walked out of the briefing room at the emergency services complex at Kedron as beloved leaders. Anna Bligh's popularity climbed 35 points after the 2011 Brisbane floods. Her tearful 'we are Queenslanders' address is still talked about by, as she put it then, 'the people they breed tough north of the border'. Crisafulli appears to have a natural effect in these situations that his predecessor, Steven Miles, only found too late in last year's nothing-to-lose election state campaign. Miles's first task as premier was to lead the response to Tropical Cyclone Jasper in north Queensland. There was little to fault in that response, but the lack of emotion or animation meant there was little to remember about it either. As Tropical Cyclone Alfred approached, Crisafulli had a few missteps. His comments that people should stock up on canned food and bottled water might have contributed to some of the panic buying in the early part of last week, when even Heinz and San Pellegrino were stripped from the shelves. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email And the response itself left questions about the state's disaster management. People in Hervey Bay say they were not prepared for flooding that hit the town. Residents near Brisbane's suburban creeks were sent 'emergency alerts' by police about potential flash flooding on Monday morning, several hours after the creek heights had peaked. While the premier's office has sought to portray his approach as a break from Covid-era edicts – a champion of devolved decision-making and personal responsibility – the reality is more nuanced. The government closed the schools on Thursday and then gave those able the green light to reopen on Monday. The idea this is radically different to past approaches is simply untrue. Regardless, Crisafulli is a premier with an enhanced personal brand after Alfred. He has been lauded for having a rare characteristic prized by leaders – the ability to speak with authority and authenticity at the same time. But there was also something else that contributed to the sense that Crisafulli had a strong week. Something that wasn't clear until Wednesday, when parliament resumed, and the premier's sidekick, the deputy premier, Jarrod Bleijie, returned to his hip. Bleijie is becoming increasingly influential in the LNP's first Queensland government in a decade. He is a politician with a compulsive fighting instinct and comes across as brash. In parliament this week, Bleijie stood up and made truck honking noises. The deputy premier also has close control over the LNP's parliamentary strategy, which has at times appeared to focus on gleefully battering political opponents rather than governing with anything resembling maturity. Behind the scenes, moderates say the deputy premier's instincts risk running the government into unnecessary trouble. The partnership between Crisafulli and Bleijie is central to harmony between the LNP's once-warring factions. Crisafulli's closest allies are moderates (though he stays out of much of the internal politicking). Insiders say Bleijie and his allies are instigating policy fights the government would be better advised to avoid. Crisafulli key to re-election in 2028 is to show the public – especially Brisbane voters who have been wary of the LNP since Campbell Newman – a different sort of conservative government. And it has not gone unnoticed, especially within LNP ranks, that Crisafulli has amplified his personal appeal this week with what is being viewed as mature management of the emergency response, with his attack dog mostly absent from his side.
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Push for more point to point speeding cameras as millions face new driver crackdown
Road safety experts are urgently calling for action to curb the rising death toll on roads in Australia, pushing for stronger measures including increased police patrols, mandatory roadside drug testing after crashes, and expanded use of point-to-point speed cameras in high-risk areas. The Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RAQ) said the vast majority of the 303 deaths that occurred on the state's roads last year were preventable. The last time Queensland's road toll exceeded 300 was in 2009, with 2025 already "tracking for an even worse total", the group warned. The authority argued several strategies must be implemented in response, which are of particular importance given that so far this year, almost one fatality has occurred every day on the state's roads. RACQ wants to see the installation of more point-to-point speed cameras in high-risk crash zones, which deter speeding by recoding the average speed of motorists over a stretch of road. It also wants to see the state government immediately boost police presence on the roads, in addition to mandatory roadside drug testing after all crashes. Point-to-point speed cameras, also known as average speed cameras, measure a vehicle's speed over a set distance rather than at a single location. They work by recording the time a vehicle passes two fixed points along a road and calculating its average speed between them. If the vehicle's average speed exceeds the legal limit for that stretch of road, the driver receives a fine. These cameras are particularly effective in reducing speeding over long distances, discouraging drivers from simply slowing down for traditional fixed cameras and then speeding up again. They are commonly used in high-risk crash zones, highways and tunnels to improve road safety. In NSW, their use is set to be expanded in the near future. In addition to the cameras, RACQ is also pushing for expanded hooning laws to cover a broader range of reckless speeding, drink-driving and drug-driving offences, leading to offenders' vehicles being impounded or immobilised for 30 to 90 days. General Manager of Advocacy Joshua Cooney said the reforms are desperately needed to combat Queenslanders' "worsening" attitudes toward road safety, arguing that extreme driving and deliberate rule breaking was on the rise. "Speeding, drink driving and drug driving are the main killers on our roads, and we need strong and urgent law reform to quickly curb these alarming trends and dramatically improve our road safety culture," he warned. "Increasing fines clearly has not worked, so we must rethink enforcement and deterrents for drivers breaking the rules. Motorists need to know that if they do the wrong thing, they will be caught and will face significant consequences. "There must be more focus on law and order on our roads." Before Covid-19, road fatalities were on a downward trend. Had that continued, the annual toll would be closer to 200 lives lost. However, at the current trajectory, we are on track for another alarmingly high road toll in 2025, possibly reaching around 350 deaths, Cooney said. Urgent warning over deadly trend on Aussie roads Older drivers 'exposed' on Aussie roads after major shift Major change to speed cameras as drivers told to expect 'letters' Across the country, governments are facing mounting pressure to take bold action to reduce national road fatalities, as data revealed the toll has been rising in recent years at a pace not seen since 1966. Research conducted by the the federal Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE) showed that 1,300 people died on Australian roads in 2024 — up from 1,258 in 2023. It's reflective of a four-year period of surging deaths our roads, which has not occurred since before seatbelts were made mandatory in the '60s. An alarming 359 people died in the three months to the end of December last year. This grim statistic made 2024 the deadliest year on Australian roads since 2012, which also recorded 1,300 fatalities. The data further revealed that last year's road toll was 18.5 per cent higher than in 2021, the year a 10-year plan to halve road deaths was launched. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
