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Pfizer Acquires Brisbane-based Diagnostics Tech Company ResApp Health

Did you know that Pfizer, one of the world’s largest COVID-19 vaccine makers, has acquired Brisbane-based ResApp Health, the developer of a smartphone application that can accurately diagnose the infection?

Dr Tony Keating, the managing director of ResApp Health, said that this $100-million deal with the pharmaceutical giant will accelerate plans to commercialise the smartphone app to help families manage COVID-19 better.

On the other hand, Pfizer’s chief digital officer, Lidia Fonseca, said the partnership will boost the company’s efforts to “pave a new era for digital health.”

Pfizer and ResApp Health will also collaborate on creating and launching other products to fight COVID-19.

$RAP announces that it has entered into a binding scheme implementation deed with Pfizer Australia Holdings Pty Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of leading biopharmaceutical company @pfizer at an acquisition price of A$0.115 per share.

Learn more: https://t.co/aH1nMIkjGS #ASX pic.twitter.com/Q0iOcrKQLI
— ResApp Health (@resapphealth) April 11, 2022

Prior to the sale, ResApp just completed its pilot clinical trial of a new cough audio-based algorithm among 741 patients in India and the U.S. The company said that the technology logged a 92 per cent sensitivity for detecting the virus. UQ Associate Professor Udantha Abeyratne developed the technology, which uses audio recordings on the smartphone to diagnose the severity of the respiratory disease.

ResApp Health will also be useful in the healthcare and office setting, aged care facilities, schools, sports and entertainment venues, and for screening travellers.

$RAP announces positive results for a new novel cough audio-based COVID-19 screening test that only requires a smartphone. $RAP will initially target use in settings where frequent COVID-19 testing is required & plans to accelerate commercialisation. https://t.co/fQrI6KNmTG pic.twitter.com/YhKC0m8HKZ
— ResApp Health (@resapphealth) March 21, 2022

“The WHO have recently warned that the pandemic is not over, that health systems globally continue to strain under the current caseload and that we should be prepared for the potential of more dangerous variants to emerge,” Mr Keating said.

“We intend to accelerate commercialisation by immediately engaging with regulators globally and we have already commenced discussions with global health and technology companies with the goal of rapidly bringing this product to market.”

Meet Lilian Cooper And Josephine Bedford, Notable Women Who Once Lived In Kangaroo Point

Did you know that the Old St Mary’s, the location of St Vincent’s Private Hospital in Kangaroo Point was once home to Lilian Cooper, QLD’s first female registered medical practitioner and Josephine Bedford, noted philantropist and family welfare advocate?

Read: ‘Harrow’: Popular Australian TV Show Highlights Kangaroo Point, Other Brisbane Locations

Dr Cooper and Ms Bedford were both born in England in 1861. Both women lived in Chatham, a town located in North Kent in Southeast England, before migrating to Brisbane.

In 1891, Dr Cooper and Ms Bedford arrived in Brisbane, where the former started her professional career shortly after completing her education at the London School of Medicine for Women.

St Mary’s rectory c1930 (Photo credit: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland)

After living in South Brisbane for a few years, the two bought the house adjacent to St Mary’s in 1926 where they spent the remaining years of their lives.

Conquering Gender Bias in Medicine

Dr Lilian Cooper c1898 (Photo credit: John Oxley Library, State Library Queensland)

At the time, being a female doctor came with many challenges. Dr Cooper had to stand up to preconceived notions from men of her profession and the innate mistrust on the part of the public generally as to a woman’s ability in the field of medicine and surgery.

She was appointed to the staff of the Children’s Hospital and the new Mater Misericordiae Hospital at South Brisbane, an association which was ongoing for the rest of her professional life.

She assisted Dr Booth at his practice prior to setting up her own at The Mansions on George Street. Back then, she would make house calls in her horse and sulky but she later managed to have her own vehicle.

Life As A Philanthropist

Meanwhile, her lifelong companion, Josephine Bedford or Miss Bedford, did not have professional ambitions but spent most of her life organising charitable work.

Ms Bedford (Photo credit: John Oxley Library, State Library Queensland)

She was a councillor and representative at the inception of the National Council of Women in 1904, where they discussed important social issues and was an ideal platform for both women to pursue the social justice agenda in which they believed so passionately.

After the first world war, they returned to Brisbane in 1918, picking up where they left off. Ms Bedford became a Founder of the Creche and Kindergarten (C&K) Association and in 1920 she was elected to the National Council of Women.

On the other hand, Dr Cooper became a Foundation Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and Founder of the Queensland Medical Women’s Society.

Recognising the women’s outstanding service, each of them received an Order of St Sava from the King of Serbia.

Dr Cooper and Ms Bedford’s gravestones at Toowong Cemetery, Brisbane, 2008. (Photo credit: State Library of Queensland)

Dr Cooper died in her own home on 18 August 1947 and was buried in Toowong cemetery. Following her death, Ms Bedford offered their home to the Anglican Church.

Later on, the Catholic Sisters of Charity agreed to convert the house into a hospice for the aged and dying. It has evolved into the Mount Olivet Hospital, or the St Vincent’s Private Hospital as it is known today.

15-Storey Development Beside Shafston House Unpopular with Kangaroo Point Locals

Plans to develop a 15-storey residential development beside Shafston House, Brisbane’s third oldest heritage home, have become unpopular with Kangaroo Point locals.

The proposal for the revamp, from Burgundy Group Property Development Pty Ltd, was filed in January 2022 (DA A005933994) but has since been met with hundreds of submissions opposing the plans. The application is not subjected to a public notification since the location of Shafston House is code assessable.

However, residents, including members of the Kangaroo Point and Districts Historical Society have filed their comments in the said application. According to Christa Gerard from the heritage group, the 15-storey plan “would dwarf the beautiful historic house and dominate the site.”

Burgundy Group Property Development Pty Ltd bought Shafston House in one of the biggest auctions in late 2020. The group said it will work with Council to restore the heritage-listed property to its former glory.

Photo Credit: Kangaroo Point and Districts Historical Society

Apart from the 15-storey residential tower, the developer has detailed future uses for the property:

Shaftson House proper as a luxury private residence
Orderlies building as communal recreation facilities
Wards building for residential dwellings
Postal Depot building as ancillary space for the residential dwellings in the estate
Northern riverhomes
Communal recreation area to the north-west of Shafston House proper

“The proposed development ruins the remarkable and historical property. It is hideous and will overshadow Shafston house. The property should not be zoned for development up to 15 stories. The land is heritage protected but the development makes a mockery of that. For one of the oldest and most significant houses in Brisbane to be developed into apartments is embarrassing,” one submission stated.

“Shaftson House is a much-respected and treasured piece of our colonial history. This development would be a shockingly distasteful and irreversible blight on an important landmark, and sets a precedent for more of our city’s heritage to be crammed away into the recesses between buildings such as the one described in this proposal,” another local said.

On 11 April 2022, the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) notified the developer of a couple of preliminary approvals for Material Change of Use for future Multiple Dwelling on the site of a Heritage Place and Filling and/or Excavation within the Coastal hazard and the waterway corridor overlays.

However, SARA has extended the assessment period for May 2022 for the following requests:

Building work for a Multiple dwelling on the site of a Heritage place and
within the Waterway corridor overlay
Multiple Dwelling on the site of a Heritage Place
Operational work on the site of a Heritage Place involving changes to
landscaping or natural features

Earlier, SARA has also notified the developer that it cannot support the future plans for Shafston House as it “does not clearly articulate the intent or relevant impacts of these proposed uses on the significant natural and built elements across the Queensland heritage place.”

Kangaroo Point Green Bridge Project Commences, Receives Additional Funding Support

Work on the proposed Kangaroo Point Green Bridge has already started and the project is slated to receive an additional $190.2 million in funds as a priority initiative.

Demolition of the roundabout on Edward and Alice Streets commenced in early 2022. Construction by the river has also started and mooring areas for the sailboats and yachts have been closed off.

The new green bridge is expected to be completed in late 2023.

Kangaroo Point Green Bridge — *Photo Credit: Artist’s Impression/BCC*

Additional funds for the project will be made available through a newly inked SEQ City Deal worth $1.8 billion.

“The SEQ City Deal will provide the platform for SEQ to become one region that is connected locally and competing globally.

“This connectivity will drive productivity for our businesses, improve the liveability of our communities and lift the global competitiveness of our region.

The bridge will be named in honour of the Olympic Games as it has been seen as the element that will define Brisbane prior to the 2032 Olympics.

“When people around the world start considering coming to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, I am sure one of the drawcards will be images of this spectacular pedestrian bridge,” Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said.

“Not only will pictures of the Kangaroo Point Green Bridge help convince people to venture to our corner of the world, but it will also be a critical piece of infrastructure during the games, helping spectators get to the Gabba Stadium.

“For Brisbane residents, this bridge will deliver a link that people have talked about for years while improving connectivity and being a destination in its own right.”

Meanwhile, also included in the landmark SEQ City Deal are the following projects:

The SEQ City Deal will be implemented in late 2022 between the Commonwealth of Australia, the State Government of Queensland, and the Council of Mayors of South East Queensland with connecting infrastructure as the priority.

Coles Express Myer Center Steps up to Reduce Chroming Activities

Photo Credit: u/circuitbreaker53 / Reddit

Wondering why Coles Express Myer Center and other Coles stores, along with several other retailers across Brisbane, have locked away their aerosol deodorants? The move to put these products behind glass in a locked display cabinet is meant to thwart chroming incidents among youths.

What is chroming?

Chroming is a form of substance abuse involving the inhalation of solvents such as deodorants and other household products. Such practice is more prevalent among young people and teenagers, primarily because these abused products are easily accessible and can be purchased over the counter.

Chroming can be addictive, pose long-term effects and can even be fatal. In 2019-20, 115 people were admitted in hospitals due to chroming compared to 98 in 2018-19; 63 of those were aged 19 and below compared to 45 from prior period.

Currently, chroming is not an illegal practice in Queensland.

Last year, Woolworths and Coles stepped up to help reduce the prevalence of inhalant abuse among youth in the Northern Territory by storing away their deodorant spray under lock and key. Since then, customers need to ask for assistance from a sales staff if they wish to buy the product.

And now, Brisbane businesses are following suit. A Coles Express Myer Center customer took notice and shared to social media a photo of aerosol deodorants inside a locked glass display cabinet.

Coles Express Myer Center city… now these eshay mall rats will be smelly everywhere from brisbane

Coles explained their decision is their way of helping minimise the misuse of aerosol products which causes harm, particularly to young people. They justified the move by citing the Northern Territory supermarkets’ decision to lock away aerosol deodorants which resulted in a dramatic reduction of chroming.

For support services concerning alcohol and other drug abuse call 1800 177 833. For emergency medical assistance call triple zero (000).

Interpreter Training Boost Program Launched at the Queensland Multicultural Centre in Kangaroo Point

Interested in a career as an interpreter? About 120 spots will soon be filled following the launch of the interpreter training boost program at the Queensland Multicultural Centre in Kangaroo Point.

This is open for people who want to undertake interpreter training in new and emerging languages and will ultimately provide better communication for Queensland’s multicultural communities. Those who are familiar with in-demand languages such as Arabic, Chin languages, Farsi, Hmong, Karenni, Kinyarwanda/Rwanda, Kirundi/ Nyarwandwa/ Rundi, Kiswahili and Kurdish may become part of the program.

Applications will close by 21 March 2022.

TAFE will conduct a 12-week online Interpreting Skills course endorsed by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI), whilst a 20-week English Language Bridging Course will also be offered to interested participants who may need to complete the next round of Interpreting Skills course.

The Queensland Government has invested $730,000 in these programs, in partnership with TAFE, 2M Language Services and the NAATI, to provide jobs for much-needed interpreters.

“Interpreters are very important for those Queenslanders who are not proficient in English. There is no doubt we need more interpreters, across a wide range of languages and I would encourage anyone considering a career as an interpreter to find out more,” Minister for Multicultural Affairs Leanne Linard MP said during the launch at the Queensland Multicultural Centre.

Photo Credit: 2M Language Services/Facebook

“While this training is about jobs, it is also about delivering better services to our multicultural communities and ensuring they have the most up-to-date information as we move through this global pandemic,” she added.

“We need to ensure everyone can access services and information in an equitable and timely manner. We hope to see up to 120 Queenslanders gain jobs as a direct result of undertaking this training.”

“The collaboration between government, private sector, and training organisations are the first of its kind in Australia,” Mark Painting, NAATI CEO, said.

“NAATI looks forward to working with all the stakeholders and hopes to see this type of initiative replicated in other states.”

To apply or to learn more, visit 2M Language Services or email interpreterboost@2m.com.au

Flood Victims in Brisbane, Including Kangaroo Point, May Get Over $1,000 Disaster Assistance

Disaster assistance will be extended to victims of the Queensland flooding crisis, including residents of Kangaroo Point and the rest of Brisbane. Affected locals may get more than $1,000 as compensation for losses because of the disaster.

AGDRP for Families, DRA for Businesses

Brisbane and 16 other local governments in Queensland have been covered under the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Allowance (AGDRP), where the adults will be entitled to $1,000 and $400 for children. This is a one-off payment for residents who “have suffered a significant loss, including a severely damaged or destroyed home or serious injury.”

Small businesses, employees, and farmers may also claim for payment Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA), covering “a maximum of 13 weeks payment from the date you have or will have a loss of income as a direct result of a disaster.” The DRA is taxable and is set at a rate equivalent to Jobseeker Payment or Youth Allowance. Thus, those already receiving other forms of income support from the government are not eligible for DRA.

Effective 1 March 2022, applications for AGDRP or DRA will open online through Services Australia or locals may also phone 180 22 66 for further assistance. Couples may claim for the payment but will need to apply separately.

Apply for Disaster Assistance

Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA)

Councils, on the other hand, will receive additional assistance through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA). The DRFA will be activated by Queensland Government, per Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

“This extension of DRFA assistance to those seven local government authorities will help with their response, clean-up and then reconstruction efforts once floodwaters recede and impact assessments can be undertaken,” Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience, Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie said.

“We have seen some devastating scenes across South East Queensland but these affected communities can be assured the Australian and Queensland Governments will work together as we identify what additional assistance will be needed.”

To learn more about the DRFA, visit the official site.

Download Self Recovery App

Residents are encouraged to download the Self Recovery App for additional information on grant applications, including Emergency Hardship Assistance. The Self Recovery App is an online portal that also provides referrals for community organisations and other government agencies.

Locals who have poor internet access, on the other hand, may phone Community Recovery Hotline of 1800 173 349 for other resources or 13QGOV (13 74 68) for housing assistance.

Hundreds Of Employees Impacted By Dockside Marina Eviction Order

Photo credit: Dockside Marina/Google Maps

Hundreds of jobs are at risk after a dozen of small businesses in Kangaroo Point’s Dockside Marina have been told to vacate the marina berths due to ‘leasing irregularities.’

Read: ‘Harrow’: Popular Australian TV Show Highlights Kangaroo Point, Other Brisbane Locations

The eviction notice comes from the State Government, which states that businesses, such as Prawnster, Brisbane Jet Skis, GoBoat and Yot Club only have until 4 March 2022 to find a new location. Otherwise, they could risk closing for good, with around 400 staff losing their jobs.

The Dockside Marina is leased by the Queensland Government to private companies, under an ongoing lease. However, the first condition of the lease is that it would only be used for residential boats, but there is a commercial vessel serving out of the Marina.

Wayne Miller, owner and operator at Aquarius Charters, launched a Change.org petition in hopes of saving the hospitality industry in Brisbane River.

Photo credit: Dockside Marina/Google Maps

“Being evicted with nowhere to go is not something we want to face after surviving the onslaught of Covid. Staff will lose their jobs and personal bankruptcy looms,” Miller stated.

“With the Olympics on our doorstep visitors to Brisbane will be crying out for river venues. Every other city supports their marine hospitality industry except Brisbane and we have the best river in all the cities,” he added.

Shadow Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Pat Weir, who met with small business owners and their staff earlier in February, said Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and her Resources Minister should act now as these businesses are already going through a difficult time.

“They need to either fix the leasing issue by amending one clause, allowing these operators continuity of trade, like they have done for over 17 years. Or they must find another suitable location for these operators to relocate to,” Mr Weir said.

Gabba Ward councillor Jonathan Sri, whose electorate takes in the marina, highlighted that if commercial activities at the Dockside Marina are formalised, this will likely lead to higher rents being charged for the berths, which in turn would lead to residential boat tenants being displaced in favour of more restaurant and party boats.

‘Harrow’: Popular Australian TV Show Highlights Kangaroo Point, Other Brisbane Locations

Since 2017, Kangaroo Point and other locations in Brisbane have served as the backdrop for the popular Australian TV series, “Harrow,” led by Welsh actor Ioan Gruffudd. The show, now in its fourth season, is the first drama production from ABC Studios International and Disney Media Distribution.

The home-grown episodic thriller, seen across the globe through various platforms and on ABC, is a forensic drama revolving around Dr. Daniel Harrow, a forensic pathologist working for the fictional Queensland Institute of Forensic Medicine. His laboratory is supposedly within the heritage-listed Brisbane Dental Hospital and College on Turbot Street in the city.

In the early seasons of “Harrow,” the show depicted the doctor’s character as living in Kangaroo Point in a sailboat moored somewhere along the Kangaroo Point riverwalk. The actual sailboat is actually called Tiamo, owned by Phillip Smart, a businessman from the Sunshine Coast. For over a decade, Mr Smart has kept Tiamo moored in Kangaroo Point because it has the best views in Brisbane and there are plenty of things happening around his deck.

Kangaroo Point is a major location in the series, with the show taking advantage of the Story Bridge in many of its shots. Other familiar local sites include St. Mary’s and the Story Bridge Hotel.

Most Australian crime dramas are usually set in Sydney or Melbourne thus making “Harrow” an exceptional production for picking Brisbane as its location.

“The development and filming of Harrow in Queensland is a great coup for our state and will drive Queensland’s ongoing momentum for making and attracting quality local and international productions,” said Screen Queensland CEO Tracey Vieira after Hoodlum, the Brisbane-based production, secured the series in 2017.

The show has also been filmed in the CBD, New Farm, Bowen Hills, South Bank, Fortitude Valley, Ashgrove, Yeerongpilly, Coorparoo, Yeronga, Annerley, Chelmer, East Brisbane, Hamilton, Indooroopilly, the Gold Coast and several regional Queensland areas.

The Brisbane locations in “Harrow” aren’t the only standouts as the production has also included many local references, from day-to-day life in Brisbane to the flora and fauna of the Queensland wildlife.

“Harrow” is Mr Gruffudd’s longest-running TV show. ABC has yet to confirm the fourth season following its third season run in early 2021. Presumably, the pandemic has delayed the return of production in Brisbane.

The show also stars Ella Newton, Hunter Page-Lochard, Darren Gilshenan, Jolene Anderson, and Damien Garvey.

Free Parking! Brisbane Turns Off Parking Meters to Help Businesses Bounce Bank

Around 7,869 parking meters across Brisbane, including Kangaroo Point, have been turned off temporarily so that motorists may take advantage of free parking when they visit various establishments to conduct their businesses.

Two major carparks in the city, specifically the Wickham Terrace and King George Square in the city, are also offering parking at discounted rates.

Council launched the free parking service in Brisbane beginning Wednesday, 9 Feb. 2022, which will be in place indefinitely. The discounted parking rates at Wickham Terrace and King George Square, on the other hand, will be good until the end of February.

This is in addition to the 15-minute free parking rule that applies in car spaces in Brisbane, including Kangaroo Point.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner timed the turning off of parking meters during the re-opening of the new school term to attract more people to Brisbane’s major business and shopping centres. The mayor said that this will ensure establishments can survive and continue to employ staff members, which in turn will help the economy recover from the pandemic.

Mr Schrinner hopes that the people will be encouraged to go out, venture in a bit of retail therapy, or dine at restaurants. However, Cr Andrew Wines of the Infrastructure Committee, said that street parking will continue to have its limits thus motorists cannot overstay and parking officers will be checking these limits.

Per the Council, “In a 2P Meter 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday to Friday zone, customers can park for a maximum time of up to two hours then must remove their vehicle from the zone. Customers that overstay the parking limit may receive a fine.”

Download the Parking Guide to Brisbane to find useful information about paid parking, parking restrictions, special use parking and other issues.