WEATHER FORECAST
Cairns: 21-29C max, 40% chance of rain
Port Douglas: 22-28C max, 40% chance of rain
Mareeba: 17-28C max, 20% chance of rain
Innisfail: 20-28C max, 40% rain

TODAY'S TOP STORIES

TOP COP CLEARED
The region’s most senior police officer has been cleared following an investigation into the death of a 37-year-old man in February last year.
Acting Deputy Commissioner Paul Taylor was driving into the Cairns police station when he accidentally ran over Longreach man Ryan Savage, who was allegedly drunk and passed out at the bottom of the station driveway.
A spokesman for the Coroners Court of Queensland said the report was delivered in chambers, and that no further details would be released, noting that State Coroner had determined it was not in the public interest for the findings to be published.

CYCLONE TALK BLOWN OFF
It was the talk of many a barbecue this long weekend, but cyclone speculation has been dashed by the BoM. A tropical low is developing near the Solomon Islands, and though the system will further develop over the week, meteorologists say any impact on TNQ is unlikely.
The cyclone season for the far north officially ended on Sunday.
Meanwhile, BoM researchers say the cold snap that brought out many a woolly blanket over the weekend is coming to an end, with overnight temperatures are expected to return to normal this week with a 23C minimum.

NUMBER OF CHILDREN REMOVED FROM ICE-USING FAMILIES ON THE RISE
New figures released by the Queensland government have revealed that more than 70 children in the far north were removed from their ice-taking parents in 2016.
The figures show that 60 per cent of the children, removed by Child Safety, were aged under five.
Almost 8400 calls were made in 2016 to the region’s Department of Child Safety, a jump from 7869 in 2015, while notifications to the department were up from 1472 in 2015 to 1518 in 2016.
Mandatory drug testing for parents trying to keep their children was introduced late last year, though police say ice use in the region continues to increase.

STATE OF ORIGIN TO COME TO NQ?
The Queensland Rugby League will urge the NRL to consider Townsville as a venue for State of Origin games once its new 25,000-seat stadium opens in 2020.
If the move gets the go-ahead, it would make Townsville the fifth city to host a State of Origin match, and the second venue in Queensland.