> Analysing DNA from seawater samples of 48 reefs, researchers have mapped the microbiome of the Great Barrier Reef, documenting more than 360,000 distinct viruses as well as more than 500 new bacterial species not previously known to science.
> A Brisbane woman has given birth to identical quadruplet daughters in what doctors have described as one of the rarest births in the world. > > Jenitar Na'amoana and her partner Jortham's four babies were delivered by caesarean at 28 weeks and four days gestation last week at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. > > Emily, Harriet, Alexa, and Catherine are healthy but are being cared for in a neonatal intensive care unit.
> Of 78 people interviewed for the report, 99 per cent said they couldn't afford to buy enough food with their current allowance. > > On top of that, 68 per cent said they rarely or never had access to fresh fruit, vegetables and meat, and 82 per cent said they didn't have easy access to free, clean drinking water.
> [The] Australian Consumer Communications Action Network (ACCAN) is calling for the federal government to introduce mandatory domestic mobile roaming. > > [...] > > Domestic mobile roaming is the ability for your mobile phone to automatically connect to mobile infrastructure that provides the strongest connection – no matter which company you pay your bills to.
> * A new report by the Grattan Institute says the pharmacy lobby is "calling the shots" at the expense of taxpayers. > * The Pharmacy Guild of Australia says it has a track record of championing affordable medicine, and the report ignores realities. > * The Grattan Institute says pharmacy funding needs to be overhauled.
> * The University of Newcastle will trial an atmospheric water harvesting unit in Western Australia's Wheatbelt next year. > * Researchers say capturing water from the air could become a new source for regions of Australia with water supply challenges. > * If the trial is successful, the university will consider deployment to other remote regions and scaling the plant to produce as much as 10,000 litres a day.
> * An "unbelievable" rain season has attracted birds rarely seen in the Channel Country. > * Hundreds of thousands of birds have flocked inland to often-dry wetlands in Queensland and South Australia. > * Ecologists are monitoring the wide range of species.
> * Telstra's mobile network has suffered a major nationwide outage, affecting millions of customers and causing delays to public transport networks. > * Some regional train services in NSW and Victoria have been suspended, and taxi passengers are reporting they are unable to complete payments. > * Telstra says it is looking into the issue and will share an update once it is fixed.