Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll’s favourite holiday memories are seeing the joy in her children’s faces as they unwrap presents, but now she tells Brisbane Times she spends her break watching corny holiday movies with her daughter...

Not looking forward to the days of air rage.

A tropical low moving across far north Queensland that threatens to dump 300 millimetres of rain in 24 hours could also dampen spirits in Brisbane on New Year’s Eve.

Supporters have defended the $120-million upgrade to the speed monitoring network after the number of fines issued to motorists almost doubled year-on-year.

We knew at some point we would need to increase testing, yet somehow we now find ourselves surprised and in crisis mode.

As interstate travel requirements change around the country, the WA Premier still wants other states and territories to keep providing pre-departure COVID-19 PCR tests for the small number of people able to travel into his state.

Lord mayor Sally Capp has confirmed the drone swarm will no longer be held on Friday due to COVID-related freight and logistics challenges.

As Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant warned of rising infection numbers, Health Minister Brad Hazzard criticised “the worried well” for clogging testing queues.

As 2020 drew to a close, many Victorians wished each other a better 2021. But after another gruelling year, we are less certain about what this new year will bring.

Victoria’s Health Minister said that while Wednesday’s case numbers may be a “shock” to the public, they were ultimately expected.

Organisers say the “Sydney tradition” of camping out by Circular Quay from 6am to get a front-row seat for the famous fireworks display won’t be allowed.

Some of our best photos of the year and top stories by The Age photographers 2021, the year in pictures.

The Ashes may be in the bag, but tearing my husband and son away from the fourth Test will be a challenge.

Police have released composite images of two men accused of dangling a teenager from the window of a high-rise building in Fitzroy before sexually assaulting her in 1982.

Ashley was appointed MBE for her services to the transgender community.

The Mess Hall event, which was attended by a COVID-positive backpacker known as Case 1133, has now resulted in 11 community transmission cases, with one more case linked to the event recorded on Thursday.

Police are on the hunt for a man who climbed a wall close to the family home in Ellenbrook where a seven-year-old girl was sexually assaulted in her own bed.

NSW Health is taking steps to limit COVID-19 testing that is not clinically urgent, as the Chief Health Officer concluded they “probably aren’t ... getting to all the cases”.

But once we stop the rapid growth in COVID, there may be merit in allowing moderate to high case numbers of Omicron to continue.

The beginning of 2020 and 2021 were both hailed as exciting events, it would be nice if 2022 could just come in quietly and not make any sudden moves.

Most of the state will be under “severe heatwave” conditions from New Year’s Eve through to January 2.

The new resort will also see the Gov’s Sports Bar replaced with a new 250-person, a 70-seat café, gelato bar, a wellness centre, 156 bicycle parking spaces and two new pool areas including a bar and sunbathing terrace.

Chief Health Officer John Gerrard says the good news for Queensland is no cases in the state’s intensive care units.

Western Australia will soon lift its ban on rapid antigen tests as concerns grow over the impacts isolating workers could have in the state when the quick to spread Omicron variant arrives in the state.

The Health Minister said the state government had yet to figure out how the tests would be doled out but authorities were looking to ensure they were handed out in the most “effective and workable way”.

Queensland will ditch PCR tests for rapid antigen tests from January 1.

It’s just two days until Sydney will ring in the New Year but many of the city’s tourism and hospitality providers are struggling to stay open.

Activists want to keep Israeli academics, artists and dancers away from others lest their basic humanity be discovered.

Paddleboarding has provided us with an antidote of sorts to COVID.

Once again, universities have suffered at the hands of political interference.

Colonialism established a structure of violence that continues down the generations.

Australia’s chief health officers are considering reducing the isolation period for people who test positive to COVID-19 following recent moves by health agencies in the US and the UK to shorten isolation requirements.

The Sydney Anglican Diocese said Steph Lentz was dismissed because she believed Christians should be able to enter same-sex relationships.

Universities have struggled to prosecute allegations of research misconduct, and scientists are calling for an independent body to oversee investigations.

Dominic Perrottet is encouraging revellers to join the New Year’s Eve fireworks festivities. Is he out of his mind?

Three days out from 1984 and Big Brother is watching.

Trivia buffs: test your knowledge with today’s interactive superquiz and target.

He’s the man who rose from poverty-stricken China to western stardom as one of the world’s best ballet dancers. Queensland Ballet’s artistic director Li Cunxin tells Brisbane Times of his summer highlights. 

Gold Coast company Hough Pharma has signed off on a four-fold increase in rapid antigen tests imported from China.

Should have used the happy sails.

She’d already solo hiked thousands of kilometres up Australia’s east coast, but Sacha Wynter’s biggest challenge was yet to come at Queensland’s border.

A long-touted plan to divert floodwaters inland from the tropical north is being considered by the Queensland government.

Meanwhile, the number of cases linked to a music festival have not been released, despite the event being a close contact site over three days.

Polling this week has cast a spotlight on one of the most vexed areas of election analysis: the personal approval enjoyed by individual politicians.

There are still 46 close contacts from the Perth cluster who have not been tested, down from 86, as businesses impacted by New Year’s Eve event cancellations call for a better compensation program than previous lockdown grants.

Dozens of Gippsland residents felt the 2.9 magnitude quake on Tuesday afternoon, but emergency services say there were no reports of damage.

A battle with cancer ended Marrickville councillor Emanuel Tsardoulias’s life of public service. Now his wife, Zoi, will carry his mantle as she takes a seat on the Inner West Council.

Police confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that Eli and Hannah Jones had been found safe and well - almost 22 hours after they left an address in Kains Flat on Monday for a walk.

Melbourne’s hospitality venues are hoping to avoid the rash of cancellations that marred the lead up to Christmas, but say COVID is exacerbating staff shortages.

Most people aged 65 and under are now advised to recover from the virus at home without medical involvement.