Information leaking out over the weekend that legitimate firearm dealers across Queensland have been directed to close immediately, without any explanation, has left primary producers, feral pest controllers, macropod harvesters and dealers stunned and outraged.

It will be a tussle to the finish for several mayoral hopefuls in North Queensland, with preliminary counting in the local government elections now underway.

SunRice now faces a worrying freeze on exports from its backup operations in Vietnam which currently supply Australia and overseas markets