The health minister has left a cloud over Queensland’s free flu vaccine program, saying continued increases in flu cases and low vaccine uptake this year was “very concerning”.Speaking from Greenslopes yesterday, Tim Nicholls said about 90 per cent of the more than 3600 influenza hospitalisations recorded this year were for people who had not received a vaccine.LoadingAbout 6.13 million Queenslanders have been vaccinated for influenza since March, about 34,000 fewer than 2024 – and more than 400,000 fewer than three years ago – with Queensland Health reporting at the same time a 16 per cent increase in case numbers from the same time last year.“We’ve made public announcements about [the free vaccine program], it runs on our public health messages, it runs on social media … it’s been a very substantial news story,” Nicholls said.“There really is no reason why someone is not aware that there is a free flu vaccine available … there is no reason not to get the free flu vaccine – it does no good in a bottle, it only does any good if it’s in your arm.”Nicholls said the state was “always happy” to review the $25 million vaccination campaign, but said he would wait until the end of flu season.“It’s not too late to get the free flu vaccine, it is available, [and] the investment has been made in it.”Latest postsLatest postsA mother says her heart has been “ripped to shreds” after witnessing a fiery crash that killed her fiance and two young children on a remote highway.Renee Jenkins was in a vehicle travelling behind a car carrying her partner Shaun Ranger and kids Baylee, 7, and six-year-old Chandler when tragedy struck in central Queensland.Ranger, the two children and another male passenger were killed when their Holden Commodore collided head-on with a Toyota Hilux ute carrying two people in the Central Highlands on Sunday.Shaun Ranger and his children Baylee and Chandler.Credit: GoFundMeThe family was returning from a camping trip when the vehicles crashed west of Rockhampton on the Capricorn Highway, with both erupting in flames.“I do know that she was at the scene while our officers responded and obviously she’s been devastated by this news,” Inspector Ben Wiltshire said of Jenkins.It capped a horror period on Queensland roads in which 10 people died in three days.Ms Jenkins told ABC News her heart had been “ripped to shreds” as she paid tribute to her partner and children.She said her daughter Baylee was a “ray of sunshine” and described son Chandler as “gentle and loving”.“I love them so deeply and just want them to come home, but I know they can’t,” she said.A GoFundMe campaign for the family has been set up by friend Chantel Semple, has raised more than $46,000.The other vehicle’s two passengers were taken to hospital. A 27-year-old man was flown to Brisbane with life-threatening injuries while another man, 28, was taken to Rockhampton Hospital where he is in a stable condition.AAPVoters are lukewarm to any surprise reforms from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, clearly oppose change to the GST and want the Coalition to work more closely with the government to reach consensus on new policies rather than oppose them outright.The exclusive survey of more than 2300 people also shows Australians want the government to address issues around health and housing, with two in five prepared to make some sort of personal sacrifice to improve the nation.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has an increased majority, but voters are lukewarm towards any substantial reforms.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen/Monique WestermannThe poll, conducted by Resolve Strategic for this masthead, shows 36 per cent of those polled believe the government should use its record majority in the House of Representatives to undertake “major reforms”. But 32 per cent are opposed to such a move and believe it should stick to its mandate, while 32 per cent are unsure. Anthony Albanese has dismissed a suggestion that his ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, should explain to the Trump administration the prime minister’s intimate meeting with Xi Jinping, details of which were revealed in this masthead.Host of the ABC’s 7.30 program Sarah Ferguson spent the first portion of her interview with Albanese on Monday night asking about last week’s lunch in Beijing.Donald Trump loomed large over the meeting between Xi and Albanese.Credit: Michael HowardThis masthead reported on Monday the pair discussed their upbringing and global outlook in a humour-filled discussion the Australian prime minister said had fostered “an element of trust”.Asked if US officials had raised any questions about closer relations between Albanese and China’s paramount leader, Albanese said “No”.Here’s a section of the exchange:Ferguson: “Can I come back to that question of trust? Because I do think it’s an unusual word that you’ve used, and I want to know what you think that that word means, apart from having a slightly advanced, developed relationship with him. Would he, for example, take a phone call from you in the event of a crisis blowing up over Taiwan to discourage him from invading or blockading Taiwan?”LoadingAlbanese: “Well, that’s a hypothetical which I’m not going to go into. But I have said before that anything that he has said to me has been fulfilled. There hasn’t been any breaches of personal commitments that he has given to me. That doesn’t mean he’s agreed with everything that I’ve put forward – far from it. But I’d rather that than someone on an international level saying, ‘Yep, we can do all that’, and then doing the opposite.”Ferguson: “So you trust him that, when he says something, he’s going to keep his word?”Albanese: “I have no reason to point to any breach that has occurred up to this point.”Ferguson: “That’s about the past, what about the future?”Albanese: “Well, all I can do is talk about the past. I can just talk about facts rather than going forward – we don’t know what it will bring. We know there are significant differences. China and Australia have different political systems. We have different values. We have our alliance with the United States which is very important.” Advertisement The health minister has left a cloud over Queensland’s free flu vaccine program, saying continued increases in flu cases and low vaccine uptake this year was “very concerning”.Speaking from Greenslopes yesterday, Tim Nicholls said about 90 per cent of the more than 3600 influenza hospitalisations recorded this year were for people who had not received a vaccine.LoadingAbout 6.13 million Queenslanders have been vaccinated for influenza since March, about 34,000 fewer than 2024 – and more than 400,000 fewer than three years ago – with Queensland Health reporting at the same time a 16 per cent increase in case numbers from the same time last year.“We’ve made public announcements about [the free vaccine program], it runs on our public health messages, it runs on social media … it’s been a very substantial news story,” Nicholls said.“There really is no reason why someone is not aware that there is a free flu vaccine available … there is no reason not to get the free flu vaccine – it does no good in a bottle, it only does any good if it’s in your arm.”Nicholls said the state was “always happy” to review the $25 million vaccination campaign, but said he would wait until the end of flu season.“It’s not too late to get the free flu vaccine, it is available, [and] the investment has been made in it.”The forecast for Brisbane today spells a cool day with a chance of a shower or two.A top temperature of 22 degrees is expected, with much the same for the rest of the week. But while today is about a 50-50 chance of rain, tomorrow is almost guaranteed to be wet.Here’s how the week ahead is looking:Here’s what’s making news further afield this morning:Voters are lukewarm to any surprise reforms from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, clearly oppose change to the GST and want the Coalition to work more closely with the government to reach consensus on new policies rather than oppose them outright, a survey has revealed.Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has assured her colleagues the Liberal Party can only improve on its disastrous showing at the May federal election.The Greens co-founder booted from the party at the weekend has hit back, accusing the organisation of becoming “too weird and unlikeable” and urging the federal leader to intervene.Justin Flowers.Credit: Justin McManusJustin Flowers has $300,000 in the bank and he can’t get a home loan. The 52-year-old, who runs his own graphic design business, had bought and sold a few properties, upsizing to accommodate his family of four. But he divorced, and he is now single and renting without hope he can repurchase.As her newspaper prepared to publish details of a bawdy birthday card Donald Trump allegedly wrote to Jeffrey Epstein, Emma Tucker’s phone rang. The British editor then stood her ground in face of a furious US president.And political and international editor Peter Hartcher writes that Trump’s original White House strategist Steve Bannon still insists the “deep state” runs the world. And while Bannon has many questions, he has few answers. Advertisement Good morning, and welcome to Brisbane Times’ live news coverage for Tuesday, July 22. Today should be cloudy, with a top temperature of 22 degrees.In this morning’s local headlines:Complications with a “once in a generation” under-river infrastructure project are forcing officials to dump millions of litres of raw sewage and stormwater directly into the Brisbane River.A man has been jailed after a Queensland grandmother was killed and her daughter seriously injured when the stolen car he was driving crashed into theirs car at high speed and he fled.A banned e-scooter and e-bike company has returned to Brisbane streets – but not as you might expect, as the global micromobility hire company merges with one of its key competitors.Purple scooters are returning to Brisbane streets after ousted Beam Mobility merged with Neuron Mobility.Credit: Neuron MobilityQueensland authorities say they will investigate multiple reported crocodile sightings on the Sunshine Coast, hundreds of kilometres south of Queensland’s “croc country”.Fresh off his maiden starting appearance in Wallabies colours in defeat to the British and Irish Lions, Tom Lynagh will brace for a future in which he is pitted against his brother in an international club clash.And New Zealand Warriors chief executive Cameron George insists the club’s move to forge an outreach into south-east Queensland is not a poaching raid of the Broncos’ heartland, as he plots to engage with a host of Kiwi rugby league greats.