There is no greater thrill for a birdwatcher than to catch a glimpse, no matter how fleeting, of a bird on the threatened or endangered list.

Springfield local Peter Gelding is now the talk of ornithological circles after capturing a near perfect photo of a rare Regent Honeyeater at Spring Lake just off the Centenary Highway.

Bird watchers from all over are now converging on the area hoping to spot the bird and Peter tells Mark he simply could not believe his luck.

Coles Express has been singled out by the RACQ as charging the highest prices on average for unleaded petrol in southeast Queensland.

The motoring organisation surveyed prices across June and found Coles Express was about 3-cents-a-litre more expensive than the next highest retailers Caltex, BP and Freedom.

Renee Smith from the RACQ tells Mark it is the small independent operators saving motorists money and more drivers need to get behind them to send the big chains a message.

Women at Queensland’s Numinbah Correctional Centre are about to take the lead training assistance dogs for Australia’s war veterans.

Under the Defence Community Dogs program launched today inmates will take responsibility for 14 dogs a year.

The dogs will be taught general obedience by the prisoners before undergoing specialist training to help veterans with PTSD.

Queensland Corrective Services deputy commissioner Andy Beck tells Mark the research shows that prison programs involving dogs can have a positive impact on prisoners.

The Palaszczuk Government has reached a $190 million class action in a suit brought by indigenous Queenslanders and their descendants over stolen wages.

From the late 1800s until the late 1960s anyone who employed an indigenous person had to pay wages to the state which then managed it on behalf of the worker.

The case was brought by Cairns man Hans Pearson, who like many indigeous workers only ever saw a small fraction of their money or none at all.

Special counsel John Bottoms from Bottoms English Law ran the case and tells Mark the settlement is historic in every sense.

The Deagon Racecourse is pretty much the poor cousin of Brisbane’s racing infrastructure but it is set for a much needed and long overdue redevelopment.

The plan is to turn it into a Training Centre with stabling for more than 200 horses.

It could also include an equine hospital and swimming pool, short-stay accommodation and an education centre for apprentice jockeys and stable hands.

The planning process is expected to start later this year and Racing Queensland CEO Brendan Parnell tells Mark the potential of the site goes well beyond just racing.

There are things people will tell their hairdresser or barber that they might never confide in family or close friends.

Sometimes those secrets involve very serious problems such as domestic violence or abuse that a stylist really is not qualified to offer friendly advice on.

Sonia Colvin is the founder of a Bribie Island based charity Hairdressers with Hearts which works to give hairdressers and barbers with the skills to link clients with services that might help.

Under mounting pressure from seniors and pensioner groups the Morrison Government is finally expected to announce this week that it will cut the Deeming Rate for the first time in 4 years.

The Deeming Rate prescribes that part pensioners with $50,000 in the bank are earning 3.25 per cent on their money, despite the fact the best available term deposit rate is just over 2 per cent.

Ian Yates from Council on the Ageing tells Mark while any reduction will be welcome what really needs to happen is for decisions on the deeming rate to be handed to an independent agency.

The State Opposition is demanding Queensland follow the lead of Tasmania and New South Wales and address what’s known as the “mistake of fact” defence in rape cases.

In simple terms the defence allows the accused to argue they reasonably and honestly but mistakenly believed the complainant consented to sex.

Opposition leader Deb Frecklington claims it is allowing rapists to walk free in some cases.

The Queensland Law Society supports a review by the Law Reform Commission but society president Bill Potts tells Mark it is not quite as cut and dried as some people think.

Looking for something to do this weekend Olympia has some great suggestions, brought to you by The Good Feet Store.

The Country to Country concerts have been thrilling country music fans in the UK and Europe since 2013 and now it is headed to Australia.

Brisbane and Sydney will host some of the biggest stars in the world including Tim McGraw, Kelsea Ballerini and Midland.

One of Australia’s most popular country stars Travis Collins is also on the bill and the seven time Golden Guitar winner tells Mark he’s looking forward to getting his music in front of such a huge audience.