TWO members of an outlaw motorcycle gang have been jailed for their involvement in the bloody Gold Coast "Ballroom Blitz" brawl, in which three people were shot and two others stabbed.

CREDIT Union Australia (CUA) will follow the big four banks in passing on the full 25 basis point cut to its standard variable mortgage rate.

A QUEENSLAND court has overturned the conviction of a woman jailed for raping her eight-year-old daughter.

QUEENSLAND Health Minister Stephen Robertson says he's concerned criticism of the state's health system has become a "national sport", after it was revealed an outback hospital sourced patient meals from a service station.

CONVICTED tax cheat Glenn Wheatley is managing rock bands from his luxurious Melbourne mansion while on home detention.

UP to 60,000 southeast Queenslanders could be affected by power billing errors, says the state's Mines and Energy Minister Geoff Wilson.

THREE men have been charged after allegedly threatening motorists with replica machine guns north of Cairns.

TWO men have been injured while attempting to change a tractor tyre when it came off its wheel with explosive force.

A CLASS action has been launched against the Federal Government on behalf of companies that suffered massive losses after the collapse of Pan Pharmaceuticals.

A "COWARDLY" and "desperate" robber is targeting women working alone in small businesses in Melbourne, police say.

A MELBOURNE mother has been found not guilty of forcibly removing her baby's fingernails by reason of mental impairment.

A BLACKOUT plunged the Royal Adelaide Show into darkness for almost half an hour, leaving frightened showgoers trapped on rides.

A FIVE-YEAR-OLD boy has been sexually assaulted by another student in a toilet block during his first day at school.

AFTER two deaths in 10 days, BHP Billiton has suspended operations at its iron ore operations in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

CHINA'S top aluminium producer, Chinalco, has set up a wholly-owned subsidiary in Tibet to explore and smelt mineral resources on the rooftop of the world.

THE share market has slumped more than 2pc, led by the banks, after US stocks dropped on concerns about the economy.

OIL traded slightly lower today in a market torn between the pressures of falling demand and worries over storms lurking in the Atlantic Ocean, analysts said.

MANY big name, debt-riddled companies have lost spots in the S&P/ASX indices after Standard & Poor's quarterly reshuffle.

THE Australian dollar was weaker at noon, down US1.6c on yesterday's local close as the prospects of a slowing global economy inspired a flight to risk aversion.

FEDERAL Environment Minister Peter Garrett has remained true to his pre-political career as an environmental lobbyist by stopping a proposed $5.3billion coal, rail and port development in central Queensland.