Three dead, 60 ill in flu outbreak at Cairns aged care facility and other top stories.

• Three dead, 60 ill in flu outbreak at Cairns aged care facility

  Three dead, 60 ill in flu outbreak at Cairns aged care facility By Kristy Sexton-McGrath Updated February 29, 2016 10:27:24 Three residents in a far north Queensland aged care facility have died during a flu outbreak.Another 36 residents and 24 staff at Mercy Place in the Cairns suburb of Westcourt have fallen ill with respiratory symptoms since February 14.The majority of residents and staff were swabbed for common viruses with a significant proportion testing po..

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• Rare Disease Day: Hundreds gather for annual fundraising event in ...

  

  Rare Disease Day: Hundreds gather for annual fundraising event in Cairns Posted February 29, 2016 12:44:36 In a show of support for those living with rare diseases, hundreds of people gathered in Cairns over the weekend to take part in the annual Rare Disease Fun Run fundraising event.More than two million Australians are thought to be affected by rare diseases, of which up to 20 per cent are children.One of those children, Meagan Cross's daughter, was the catalyst fo..

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• A two-year-old Cairns boy has dehydration after being locked in a car

  

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• Far North Queensland MPs wary over light rail proposal

  

  Mayor Bob Manning unveiled his vision for a Cairns Light Rail network in the lead up to local government elections.A $1 BILLION light rail proposal for Cairns has drawn more questions than answers from two Far Northern MPs.Both the Member for Cairns, Rob Pyne, and Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt said they would be willing to discuss priority projects with the winner of March’s council election.But the Member for Cairns said the immediate announcement of the policy had made him question whether ..

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• Property tax changes to affect teachers, nurses and admin staff

  

  Illustration by artist Tom Jellett of negative gearing an investment property. PICTURE: TOM JELLETTNEGATIVE gearing tax changes will most likely affect middle and lower income earners including teachers, clerical staff, nurses and sales assistants, a new report has found. Numbers crunched by the Australia Taxation Office show the biggest users of negative gearing – which allows investors to claim a tax deduction when their property expenses exceed the rental income – earn about $80,000 a year.Th..

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Light rail rates high in Cairns council race .	BBC missed chances to stop Savile: report .
Search continues for British tourist swept away at Josephine Falls ... .	Cairns MP Rob Pyne avoids vote on controversial lockouts Bill .