Government takes shine to lights out

Red tape a negative for film industry

Unclaimed funds right on the money

Minister shocked at electric price rise

Recycle plans not past use-by date

Train data shows CityRail on track

Report says bullies don’t beef enough

• 37 per cent of people sexually harassed at work were women compared to the 19 per cent men;
• Most (77 per cent) of those sexually harassed at work were harassed by more senior staff;
• Of the respondents who reported being bullied, 64 per cent were female and 60 per cent male; and
• Most of them (74 per cent) said they were bullied by a more senior person.

Parenting resource is motherhood issue

Police book in to Leadership Centre

New booklet dumps on illegal dumpers

Festival of light a bright idea

Union goes for doctor after cancer scare

Offenders show young dogs new tricks

Beach sails into surfing history

Best employers are ladies’ choice

• improving women's economic outcomes and financial independence;
• ensuring women’s voices are heard at all levels of decision-making; and,
• reducing violence against women.

Women’s Awards Not Secret Business

• Penny Holloway, General Manager, North Sydney Council (Metropolitan)
• Leanne Barnes, Group Manager of Customer Service and Community Development, Bega Valley Shire Council (Regional/ Rural)

• Councillor Tania Mihailuk, Mayor, Bankstown City Council (Metropolitan)
• Councillor Sue Whelan, Queanbeyan City Council (Regional/Rural)


25 March, 2009
Fulbright scholarships here
The State is to invest $250,000 to establish the first NSW Fulbright Scholarship, according to Premier, Nathan Rees.
   Mr Rees said the new scholarship, valued at $50,000, would enable a talented NSW resident to benefit from US study and travel.
   He said nominations for the first scholarship would open in June this year.

Smith stood down
The Chief Executive of Sydney Ferries, Rear Admiral Geoff Smith, has been stood aside while issues relating to the use of a Government issued credit card are considered by the Independent Commission Against Corruption .
   Minister for Transport, David Campbell said he had asked that Rear Admiral Smith bestood aside while the matter was investigated.
   “David Callahan will act in the position of CEO of Sydney Ferries,” Mr Campbell said.
   Mr Callahan is the Deputy Director General of NSW Procurement at the Department of Commerce and a former senior manager with the State Transit Authority.
Holiday fun with DSR
NSW Sport and Recreation will be holding fun and active school holiday camps for kids.
   The Adventure Camp at Lake Burrendong port and Recreational Centre includes activities such as rock climbing, grass skiing, mountain biking and canoeing.
   Bookings for programs in week one of the holidays are due by 30 March, and bookings for the second week are due by 6 April.
   Further information was available from www.dsr.nsw.gov.au or by phoning 13 13 02.

Redistribution begins
Enrolment quotas for NSW have been set as the first step towards redistributing the State’s federal electoral boundaries.
   Electoral Commissioner, Ed Killesteyn, said the quota for NSW was 94,353, and was determined by dividing the number of electors enrolled in the State by the number of House of Representatives seats it would be entitled to at the next federal election.
   Mr Killesteyn said a Redistribution Committee would soon be formed to begin creating electoral boundaries with similar numbers of electors for the State.

School awards launched
A national awards program for Australian schools has been launched to encourage best practice in school/community partnerships.
   Schools First was developed by the National Australia Bank, Australia Cares, Australian Council for Educational Research and Foundation for Young Australians.
   A series of community and school workshops will run throughout Australia until application for the awards open in July.

Stroller warning
The Office of Fair Trading has warned parents to check their strollers and highchairs following the voluntary recall of Mother’s choice Riviera high lo highchairs and the Peg Perego Skate combined pram and stroller.
   The highchairs were recalled when it was discovered several parts could come lose and pose as a choking hazard, while the prams were recalled after reports the steel pins on each side of the bassinet had fallen out making it possible for the child to fall out of the pram.
   Further information was available from www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au

Culinary school le magnifique
Minister for Education and Trading, Verity Firth, has signed a 10-year contract with French culinary identity, Andre Cointreau, to ensure TAFE NSW’s Northern Sydney Institute could continue to partner with the Le cordon Blue school.
   The culinary school at the TAFE attracts over 700 enrolments a year, with students coming from across the nation and overseas.
   Ms Firth said the contract would reinforce the State’s reputation as a provider of world class hospitality training.

Fiefighters recognised
NSW Rural Fire Service volunteers have been recognised for their bravery during the Londonderry bushfire in January 2009.
   Minister for Emergency Services, Steve Whan, met with volunteers from the Londonderry Rural Fire Brigade to thank them for their efforts and to present them with a $10,000 grant.
   The grant will be used to help with the purchase of equipment for the Brigade station.

Reading challenge opens
NSW students have been invited to register for the Premier’s Reading Challenge for 2009.
   Premier, Nathan Rees, said the challenge encouraged children to read, discuss, debate and enjoy books as part of Australia’s biggest book club for kids.
   The challenge was open to students from kindergarten to year nine, with more information available from www.schools.nsw.edu.au

More selective places
Six-hundred and thirty additional places are to be provided in 2010 for students wishing to attend selective schools.
   Minister for Education and Training, Verity Firth, wished students sitting the entrance exam the best of luck, saying they were completing for 4,152 positions State-wide.
   Ms Firth said 30 new ‘virtual’ places would be available for rural and regional access students.


18 March, 2009


New arrangements apply for jobs site

New arrangements have been announced for using the Government recruitment website jobs.nsw
   The Department of Commerce, which manages the site is to continue with the interim procedures for advertising vacant positions for the time being while a new site is developed.
   Director General of Commerce, Graeme Head said the existing site, which was the target of a security breach in December last year, would not be reinstated.
   Mr Head said the Government had released a tender for a new site last year and was confident the new site would be up and running by the end of 2009.
   “Given that any reinstatement of the existing system would only be short-term, we have decided to continue with the interim arrangements put in place following the unauthorised access,” he said.
   “This will ensure that taxpayers don't pay to rebuild a site that will only be operating for a relatively short period of time.”
   Mr Head said while the new site was being delivered, users could use alternative websites such as seek.com.au, mycareer.com.au and careerone.com.au to apply for NSW Government jobs.
   He said after the security breach last year, in which the website was unlawfully accessed and site users sent unauthorised emails, the Government had initiated an investigation.
   “The focus now is on the new site which will have greatly improved functionality and its design will incorporate the findings of the independent investigation in to last year's unauthorised access,” Mr Head said.


18 March, 2009


New energy strategy is switched on

The next step in the Government’s energy reform strategy has been announced to stimulate investment in the State’s electricity industry.
   Premier, Nathan Rees announced the initiative saying it was a major step towards ensuring a reliable supply of power, which was the key to a strong economic future for the State.
   Mr Rees said the new reforms underpinned future job creation and were “fundamental for the NSW economy, families and businesses.”
   “We must make decisions now that will help our State’s long term economic future by encouraging investment in new electricity supplies,” he said.
   “That’s why we are getting on with the job of delivering the framework for these important reforms.”
   Mr Rees said the reforms included maintaining public ownership of electricity assets; transferring the electricity retailing operations of EnergyAustralia, Integral Energy and Country Energy to the private sector; selling potential development sites for new power stations; and maintaining retail price regulation until at least 2013.
   He said the Government was committed to providing employees in the retailing operations with protection and transfer payments as previously announced.
   “Those who wish to remain employed with State-owned electricity infrastructure companies will be entitled to remain in public employment,” Mr Rees said.
   He said new private investment in power stations would allow the Government to concentrate its financial resources on frontline services such as health, education and transport.
   Minister for Finance, Joe Tripodi, said the Government’s reform package retained previous commitments while respecting the community’s position on electricity reform.
   “This package gets the balance right,” Mr Tripodi said.
   “The NSW Government’s electricity reforms underpin the State’s long term economic future while maintaining ownership of the generation companies in public hands.”
   He released the NSW Energy Reform Strategy – Defining an Industry Framework, which contained details and options for the structuring of the ‘Gentrader’ proposal.
   Mr Tripodi said the proposal would see private sector operators take over the electricity trading rights of Government owned power stations.
   He said the drafting of Gentrader contracts had begun and work on the separation of the retail and distribution businesses was well progressed.
   He said development applications for sites to be sold were also underway.
   According to Mr Tripodi the Government was ready to begin a market testing phase to discuss the proposals with parties interested in purchasing the retailers and development sites and/or participating in the Gentrader process.
   “The Government’s plans represent a unique opportunity for electricity market participants to acquire a strategic presence in Australia’s largest and most important electricity market and key players have already publicly declared their interest in this process,” Mr Tripodi said.
   He said the Government expected to complete the transactions by the end of 2009, subject to financial market conditions.
   The reform strategy was available for download from www.nsw.gov.au/energy


18 March, 2009


Prisoner transfer causes a stir

The Department of Corrective Services relocated 107 low-security prisoners from Cessnock Correctional Centre on the weekend without prior notice to prison officers or the prisoners themselves.
   The Centre’s prison officers were locked out of the facility when they arrived for work the morning after.
   Corrective Services Commissioner, Ron Woodham was quoted in the media as saying the movement of inmates – which took place late at night - was designed to reduce the population of the Centre in readiness for its privatisation later this year.
   However the timing and secrecy of the move was criticised by the Public Service Association which opposes the privatisation of the Centre.
   According to the PSA’s John Cahill, a meeting of the prison officers resolved to impose an overtime ban in other jails and highlighted the community safety concerns of moving prisoners.
   The officers have sought a meeting with the Minister for Corrective services, John Robertson, to discuss the issue.
   Mr Cahill called on the Minister to play a personal role in the issue
   “It is disappointing that since he became Minister, Mr Robertson has yet to meet a
prison officer,” Mr Cahill said.
   “Now is the time for him to get involved and convince his workforce he
is prepared to lead.”
   The Opposition’s Shadow Minister for Justice, Greg Smith was also critical of the prisoner move saying it created a “dangerous cocktail for both prisoners and staff.”
   Mr Smith also called for the Minister to intervene.
   The PSA is to stage a “Stop the Cell-Off Rally” on 2 April at Parliament House where a march from Hyde Park will commence at 10.30am.


18 March, 2009


Compo compendium is good insurance

The Australian Safety and Compensation Council has released its 16th Annual Compendium of Workers' Compensation Statistics report.
   Council Chairman, Bill Scales said the 2006-07 Compendium provided a detailed analysis of compensated work-related injury and disease among employees in Australia.
   Mr Scales said preliminary data in the Compendium showed in 2006-07 there were 236 compensated fatalities and 132,055 serious workers’ compensation claims in Australia.
   “This equates to 2.5 fatalities per 100,000 employees and 14 serious workers’ compensation claims per 1,000 employees,” he said.
   “Even one work-related death is one too many,” Mr Scales said.
   “However as a nation we are continuing to reduce workplace fatalities.”
   He said the number of workplace fatalities fell from 320 to 254 during 200-01 to 2005-06, a drop of 21 per cent.
   “In this period, incidence rates also fell by 29 per cent, from 4 fatalities per 100,000 employees down to 2.8,” he said.
   Mr Scales urged workers and managers to be continually vigilant with workplace safety.
   “We all have a responsibility for safety in our workplaces,” he said.
   “And with a continued focus by workers, employers and Governments we can continue to reduce death, injury and disease in Australian workplaces.”
   Mr Scales said the Compendium revealed that 73 per cent of serious claims involved injury while the remaining 27 per cent were disease related.
   He said the most common injury (accounting for 41 per cent) leading to a serious claim was sprains and strains of joints and muscles.
   According to the Compendium, men accounted for 68 per cent of all serious workers’ compensation claims with incidence rates almost twice that of females.
   Mr Scales said all industries recorded falls in incidence rates over the period, though the wholesale trade industry only recorded a 1 per cent decrease.
   He said the electricity, gas and water supply industry recorded the greatest percentage improvement with rates falling 43 per cent.
   The construction industry recorded the highest number of fatalities (50) followed by the transport and storage industry (45).
   The most common cause of death was vehicle accidents, causing one third of the 236 fatalities.
   Thirty-one deaths occurred due to long term contact with chemicals or substances.
   The Compendiumwas available from www.ascc.gov.au


18 March, 2009


Education Foundation lays the groundwork

A new Foundation to support public education has been launched by the Minister for Education and Training, Verity Firth.
   Ms Firth said the not-for-profit Public Education Foundation would help students reach their full potential and ensure they all had the same opportunities at school.
   “The Public Education Foundation will help ensure that every student, regardless of their background, needs or circumstances, can make the most of their education,” Ms Firth said.
   “It will achieve this by establishing links with industry, commerce and the community to fund scholarships that will enable individual students to maximise their educational outcomes.”
   She said the scholarships would be awarded to students who, for reasons such as financial hardship, might not have access to a wide range of opportunities.
   “The scholarships will focus on a range of different subject areas and will provide students, as well as teachers, with various resources to improve learning outcomes, such as equipment, mentoring and educational extension programs,” she said.
   “Through the Foundation, the community will be able to donate money to public education and by doing so invest in the education of thousands of students across the State.”
   Ms Firth said the first round of scholarships to be made available through the Foundation would be the Stellar Astronomy Scholarship for Girls.
   She said up to 10 scholarships would be awarded to Year 10 public school girls who wanted to study Physics in 2009 and would include a telescope and lessons in astronomy.
   She said the State Government would match the scholarships dollar for dollar.
   “I am confident these scholarships will help stir an interest and passion in science – a subject in which girls in our secondary schools are underrepresented,” she said.
   “Primary school teachers are also set to benefit with the announcement of scholarships from the Henry Parkes Foundation.”
   Ms Firth said the scholarships from the Henry Parkes Foundation would allow teachers to study Civics and Citizenship Education.
   “I commend the Public Education Foundation on these initiatives and its support for public education in NSW,” she said.


18 March, 2009


Health hollers out on whooping cough

NSW Health has issued a call for new parents, grandparents and adults who care for infants to become vaccinated against whooping cough.
   Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerry Chant, said free vaccinations were available from General Practitioners.
   Dr Chant said public health officers were encouraging all new parents and GPs to get involved to vaccinate all infants under one and all adults who cared for them.
   The announcement came following an increase in the number of cases reported and the death of a four-week old baby girl from whooping cough on 10 March.
   The NSW Vaccine Centre said that as of 13 March, 16,650 doses of vaccine had been distributed and 51,384 were scheduled to be distributed by 17 March.
   Dr Chant said NSW Health had 200,000 doses of additional whooping cough vaccine available and had sufficient doses in stock at the State Vaccine Centre to meet GP demand.
   “In January and February 2009 there have been 3,356 cases reported compared to 448 cases at the same time last year – that’s more than seven times more cases than we might expect to see,” she said.
   NSW Health Director of Communicable Diseases, Dr Jeremy McAnulty, said the illness was serious and that carers should look out for runny noses, tiredness, mild fevers and bouts of coughing that could be followed by vomiting.
   “Whooping cough is easily spread to other people by droplets from coughing,” Dr McAnulty said.
   “Someone with whooping cough will be able to spread it to other people for up to three weeks after onset, unless they are treated with particular antibiotics.
   “So it is important that people are treated early to stop the spread of the disease.”
   NSW Health has recommended all children be given the combination vaccine to protect against six conditions including whooping cough, a vaccine usually given at two, four and six months of age.
   Following the current outbreak, parents and GPs have been asked to bring the first dose forward to six weeks of age to provide earlier protection.


18 March, 2009


No flies on DPI pests website

The Department of Primary Industries has launched a new website to keep farmers and the community up-to-date on the latest developments in detecting and preventing pests, animal diseases and weeds from gaining a foothold in NSW.
   Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald, said the site focused on biosecurity and how it protects the economy, human health and the environment from the impacts of pests, diseases and weeds.
   Mr Macdonald said the site offered people information on how to monitor, report and protect farms from the main pest and disease threats in NSW.
   “They will find advice on the best strategies and measures to secure their animals, crops and property against the incursion of pests and diseases,” he said.
   Director of Animal and Plant Biosecurity at DPI, Dr Bruce Christie, said biosecurity measures included simple practices aimed at keeping diseases off farms.
   “Keeping farm fencing secure to stop straying animals and checking animals for disease before introducing them to a healthy herd are good biosecurity practices that are promoted on the site,” Dr Christie said.
   “A more informed public means we are in a much better position to control pests and diseases quickly if and when they emerge.”
   He said the internet had played an important part providing horse owners and the public with information during the 2007-08 equine influenza outbreak in NSW.
   “Thousands of people used the web to get the latest advice, zoning maps and up-to-date news throughout the EI crisis - which helped to stop the spread and eradicate the disease in record time,” Dr Christie said.
   The new biosecurity website includes sections on animal, aquatic and plant biosecurity and links to related websites.
   It outlines the role of livestock producers and property owners, as well as the DPI and the NSW Livestock Health and Pest Authorities
   Dr Christie said private veterinarians, livestock transporters, agents, saleyard and abattoir staff and educational organisations played a key role during a disease outbreak.
   He said they relied on up-to-date and accurate information in order to contribute to control and eradication strategies.
   “The internet is one of the major communication tools for keeping these important groups informed,” he said.
   The website urges people to report unusual animal disease signs to 1800 675 888 or suspect exotic plant pests or diseases to 1800 084 881.
   Visit www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biodiversity for further information.


18 March, 2009


Police Force women are in the pink

The role of women in the NSW Police Force has been acknowledged as of “growing importance” by the Minister for Police, Tony Kelly.
   Mr Kelly made the statement during International Women’s Day celebrations marking the economic, political and social achievements of women.
   “Women make up almost 35 per cent of the NSW Police Force as a whole, both as police and administrative officers,” Mr Kelly said.
   “It’s great to see that the position of women in the NSW Police force has expanded right to the top of the senior ranks.”  
   He said it was encouraging to note the number of female police officers had increased from 15.5 per cent of the force in 1997 to the current figure of 26.4 per cent.
   “Even more significant is the increasing number of women gaining seniority through promotion, as sergeants, commissioned officers and in the senior executive,” he said.
   “Currently there are three female Assistant Commissioners, two of whom have acted in the role as Deputy Commissioners for a period earlier this year - this is an historic first.
   “These appointments show that any young women entering the NSW Police Force can aspire to the top job.”
   Mr Kelly said in 1997 there were 88 female sergeants, five female inspectors and one female superintendent.
   He said now, there were almost 500 female sergeants, 71 inspectors and 11 superintendents.
   “Importantly, these increases exist not just in raw numbers, but as a proportion of
supervisory and managerial positions as a whole,” Mr Kelly said.
   He said 17per cent of sergeants 10 per cent of inspectors, 8 per cent of superintendents and 15 per cent of the senior executive were women.


18 March, 2009


RTA gets handle on bicycle booklet

A new handbook covering the A to Z of bicycle riding has been published online by the Roads and Traffic Authority.
   Minister for Roads, Michael Daley, said the RTA had produced A handbook for bicycle riders,to keep cyclists up to date and to encourage more people to take up cycling.
   Mr Daley said the handbook was suitable for all cyclists, whether they were beginners or experienced riders.
   “This is a comprehensive resource which covers everything about bikes, like buying a bike and how to look after it, what to wear when riding, how to repair a puncture and road rules for cyclists,” he said.
   “Riding a bike is a great way to get fit, commute and look after the environment which is why more and more people are turning to two wheels.”
   Mr Daley said Australians had bought 1.2 million bicycles in 2008, the ninth consecutive year bike sales had outstripped car sales.
   “With more people taking up cycling, it’s important they get the right information to make their riding experience as safe and enjoyable as possible,” he said.
   “Last year, average weekday use of the Anzac Bridge cycleway increased by more than 15 per cent from 2007, while average weekday use of the Sydney Harbour Bridge cycleway increased by seven per cent.”
   Chief Executive Officer of Bicycle NSW, Alex Unwin welcomed the online handbook.
   “This initiative will be of particular value in helping those wishing to join the increasing numbers of people getting out and riding a bike to work, school or for a social spin with family and friends,” Mr Unwin said.
   Mr Daley said the Government’s new BikePlan for NSW, launched in 2008, was complemented by the new handbook.
   “We’re encouraging people to leave the car at home for short trips that are just a few kilometres in length and ride instead,” he said.
   “The RTA’s new cycling handbook supports these initiatives and provides information in an easy-to-read format even if you’re completely new to cycling, there’s lots of useful information.
   “For example, there are tips on how to correctly fit your helmet - you can reduce your risk of a head injury in a crash by up to 60 per cent if you wear a correctly-fitted approved helmet.”
   Mr Daley said the resource could be accessed from www.rta.nsw.gov.au


18 March, 2009


Pre-school partners have grown up plans

A new partnership between the State Government and the Commonwealth is to see a $279 million investment in NSW pre-schools over the next five years.
   Minister for Community Services, Linda Burney, said the funding would be provided through the National Partnership Agreement on Early Childhood Education.
   Ms Burney said the funding would be delivered over the next five years and would help the State promote access to preschool education,
   “We have made a serious commitment to early childhood education and for each year of the Partnership, we will invest over $160 million annually in our preschools,” she said.
   “We all know how critical quality early childhood education and care is for every child’s development, and this new funding will help make a difference to thousands of children across the State, especially those from disadvantaged families.”
   Ms Burney said Commonwealth’s investment was designed to deliver universal access to early learning preschool programs for children in the year before they started school.
   “This new funding will help make early childhood education more affordable and accessible for families across NSW,” she said.
   The National Partnership Agreement on Early Childhood Education would see a $955 million Commonwealth funding investment in early childhood education across Australia to promote universal access to preschool for all children by 2013.


18 March, 2009


Inland tourism lands awards scheme

The role played by regional tourism operators in the development of inland NSW is to be acknowledged again this year in the 2009 CountryLink Inland Tourism Awards.
   Officially launched by Tourism Minister, Jodi McKay, the awards recognise the jobs and investment opportunities created by the tourism operators in the four regional tourism areas of Riverina, New England North West, Central NSW, and Outback NSW.
   Ms McKay encouraged tourism businesses, events, marketing organisations, clubs and individuals aiming for excellence in their industry to apply before the 15 May deadline.
   She said the tourism industry was extremely important to inland NSW, with regional NSW earning over $8.3 billion from tourism during the past financial year.
   “Tourism provides more than 158,000 direct jobs across the State, with almost half of those in regional areas,” Ms McKay said.
   She said it was important the local industry continued to work with the Government to attract visitors and enhance the tourism experience.
   “Tourism is not immune to the tough economic times and these Awards are critical to foster and celebrate growth and success in the sector,” Ms McKay said.
   Transport Minister, David Campbell, said he was pleased CountryLink was sponsoring the event.
   Mr Campbell said CountryLink provided an important service to inland NSW and a significant contribution to regional tourism.
   He said recent Government upgrades to CountryLink’s fleet had made travel to regional areas even more attractive to visitors.
   Ms McKay said entrants to the Awards were made up of tourism businesses, events, marketing organisations, clubs and individuals all aiming for excellence in their industry.
   She said winners would gain finalist status upon entering the NSW State Tourism Awards and, if successful, go onto the National Tourism Awards.
   In 2008 entrants from the Inland NSW Awards received four golds, five silvers and three bronze awards at the NSW State Tourism Awards.
   Further information was available from www.inlandtourismawards.com.au


18 March, 2009


TAFE onboard for Airservices training

Airservices Australia has invested $2.8 million in a new training course at the NSW TAFE’s Riverina Institute to teach students the skills needed to maintain Australia’s high-tech air traffic control equipment.
   The first intake of 18 trainees is to complete a two-year Diploma of Electrical Engineering to allow them to work as technical engineers with Airservices Australia upon graduation.
   Head Teacher of Electro-technology at Riverina Institute, John Bond, said students would develop a strong grounding in electro-technology theory and practice.
   Mr Bond said the Institute had customised the course to ensure students had underpinning knowledge and industry standard practical skills that they could apply to a range of settings.
   He said the course included a trade-specific curriculum developed to ensure students received practical training.
   Two highly-experienced instructors from Airservices will partner with Riverina Institute teachers to help the trainees with the technology.
   Chief Executive Officer of Airservices, Greg Russell, said the organization was committed to developing regional skills and ensuring the future of Australia’s air navigation system.
   Mr Russell said over the next five years, up to one-third of Airservices’ technical maintenance staff were expected to retire.
   “This partnership with TAFE, the Regional Development Board and the Wagga Wagga City Council ensures we can meet that challenge and provide regional training opportunities at the same time,” he said.
   Mr Russell said Airservices would cover all training costs for trainees, who would also gain work experience with Airservices throughout their course.
   “They will learn about communications, surveillance, navigation aids and data systems and how to maintain the world’s best aviation equipment,” he said.
   Mr Russell said Airservices expected to see between 18 and 36 people undertake the program every year for the next five years.
   “Our goal is to ensure Airservices has the highly skilled staff essential to the future implementation and maintenance of aviation technology,” he said.
   The first intake of students was selected from over 100 applicants around Australia.
   Successful candidate, Saurabh Jhorar of Armidale said while there was “a lot of information to take in” the course was a great opportunity to learn while completing practical work.
   The course was designed by Riverina Institute trainers and will be delivered at the Wagga Wagga Campus.


18 March, 2009


DNA study unravels crime statistics

A joint evaluation by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research and the School of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of New South Wales has examined the impact of DNA testing on the clear-up rate of serious crimes.
   The new research suggests the clear up rates for a number of offences improved but not in the conviction rate at Court.  
   Director of BOCSAR, Dr Don Weatherburn said the results should be interpreted with caution.
   Dr Weatherburn said the clear up and charge rates improved for some offences but declined for others following the introduction of mandatory DNA testing of NSW prison inmates in 2001.
   “Other factors not measured in our research may have swamped or accentuated the change in crime clear-up, charge and conviction rates following the advent of DNA testing,” he said.
   Dr Weatherburn said the introduction of mandatory DNA testing did not “by itself prove that the advent of DNA testing caused the change” in clear up rates.
   “Follow up research examining individual cases is needed to see whether there are better outcomes for cases where DNA evidence is available than for comparable cases where it is not,” he said.
   The study looked at whether the introduction of DNA testing had increased the crime clear up rate and if it had, which crime categories had improved.  
   It also explored whether the DNA testing increased the ratio of charges laid to crimes reported and for which categories, and whether it had increased the proportion of charges laid resulting in convictions.
   Dr Weatherburn said researchers looked at trends in eight different crime categories from January 1995 to June 2007.
   He said the eight categories were assault, sexual assault, robbery with a firearm, robbery without a weapon and with a non-firearm weapon (combined), break and enter dwelling, break and enter non-dwelling, motor vehicle theft and stealing from a motor vehicle.
   Dr Weatherburn said after a time delay following the introduction of the DNA testing, there was consistent evidence of an improvement in the clear up, charge and charge to clear up rates for four of the categories (robbery with a firearm, robbery without a firearm, break and enter dwelling and break and enter non-dwelling).
   He said for sexual assault, historical downward trends ceased approximately 18 months after the introduction of mandatory DNA testing.
   The results for assault were mixed, with the clear up rate falling after the introduction of DNA testing but the charge rate and charge to clear-up rates improved.
   The study found there was no consistent pattern in the clear up and charge rates for motor vehicle theft or stealing from a motor vehicle and there was no evidence that the advent of DNA testing improved the conviction rate for any offence at Court.


18 March, 2009


Court to enforce Off-road licences

A proposed crackdown on disqualified drivers would see them unable to drive while appealing against their sentences, Attorney General, John Hatzistergos has announced.
   Mr Hatzistergos said an amendment before NSW Parliament would change the laws that currently allow motorists convicted of serious driving offences to drive while their appeals are pending.
   “We don’t want drivers, who have had their licences taken away for serious offences, being able to get back in their cars,” he said.
   “It is important that the safety of the community is not compromised while these appeals work their way through the Courts.”
   Mr Hatzistergos said the amendment to the Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act would apply to drivers who had their licences disqualified or suspended for crimes including street racing, excessive speeding and mid- and high-range drink driving.
   He said the proposed amendment would mean drivers would not be given back their licence at the time they lodged an appeal.
   “If and when an appeal is successful, the driver would then be able to get their licence back,” Mr Hatzistergos said.


18 March, 2009


Telephone warning dials right number

Indigenous Australians have been warned to be careful signing up for mobile phone and broadband internet contracts.
   Minister for Fair Trading, Virginia Judge, issued the warning on the eve of the 2009 National Consumer Congress in Adelaide, saying many people found themselves caught with significant debts after signing mobile phone and internet contracts.
   “Many Indigenous Australians suffer a distinct disadvantage, living in remote and rural locations without easy and economical access to information about their consumer rights and responsibilities,” Ms Judge said.
   “Consumers need to fully understand the costs for mobile phone downloads including ring tones and music and the cost of dialling 1900 phone numbers.”
   She said it was easy to end up with a large debt or bad credit history if people didn’t understand exactly what they were signing up to.
   “Premium mobile service costs, high pressure sales tactics and mobile and broadband coverage in rural and isolated areas also need to be considered,” she said.
   “Trade is only fair when all consumers have equal protection and access to information and advice.”
   Ms Judge said all Australian States and Territories were signatories to a five-year National Indigenous Consumer Strategy, Taking Action Gaining Trust.
   “The strategy commits us to improving Indigenous Australians’ knowledge of their rights and obligations under consumer protection laws and ensures equal access to consumer protection programs,” she said.
   Ms Judge urged consumers to seek advice if they did not understand any aspect of their contract.
   Further information about telecommunications and Indigenous-specific consumer protection was available from www.nics.org.au, www.accc.gov.au or www.tio.com.au


18 March, 2009


Comments building on homeowner law change

Public comment has been invited on proposed new laws for the home building industry and those governing land conveyancing in NSW.
   Minister for Fair Trading, Virginia Judge, said the protections applied to home owners by the Home Building Act 1989 and the Conveyancers Licensing Act 2003 would be reviewed to ensure they reflected the current market.
   Ms Judge said the Home Building Act protected consumers by requiring builders and tradespeople to hold licences and have proper contracts and insurance.
   She said the Conveyancers Act provided consumers with up-front disclosure of costs, greater scrutiny of trust accounts, annual auditing and a compensation fund levy to cover losses of trust account money.
   She encouraged everyone to have their say.
   “The more public input, the better our laws will be,” Ms Judge said.
   “This is a great opportunity for people to influence a review of important laws that affect thousands of home owners and building industry workers.”
   She said the Office of Fair Trading had developed online surveys to help people contribute to the changes.
   “The surveys have been designed so that home owners as well as licensees in the NSW home building industry can participate in the review by giving us feedback,” she said.
   Ms Judge said five surveys had been tailored to capture a broad range of views, three for the home building industry laws and two for the conveyancing review.
   She said the surveys would help the Office of Fair Trading improve legislation.
   “The surveys are anonymous and take less than 15 minutes to complete.”
   “Questions cover topics including nature of the work done, contracts, information provided, project costs and payment details, project schedules, problems and disputes, plans and specifications and variations.”
   She said the two conveyancing surveys would be available online until 9 April, while the three home building surveys would be available until 14 April.
   Ms Judge said section 173 of The Conveyancers Licensing Act 2003 stated the Act must be reviewed five years after implementation to ensure its policy objectives remained vaild.
   “I will be tabling a report on the outcome of the review in the Parliament by 28 May,” she said.


18 March, 2009
Freeze survey
A survey to establish the impact on women of the current Public Service staffing freeze is to be conducted by the Public Service Association.
   The PSA decided at its February meeting to develop and distribute the survey to determine whether the freeze discriminates against women.
   More information is available from the PSA’s Women’s Industrial Officer, Maria Cirillo, on (02) 9220 0906.

Truck rego on line
Heavy vehicle operators are now able to renew their registration online according to the Minister for Roads, Michael Daley.
   Mr Daley said the heavy vehicle registrations could be processed on the Roads and Traffic Authority’s website, www.myRTA.com
   He said the reduction in red tape would allow operators to spend more time at work.

New firefighters welcomed
Twenty new firefighters and a black Labrador have been welcomed to the State’s firefighting ranks.
   Premier, Nathan Rees, congratulated the new recruits, saying they would join the frontline as members of “one of the world’s best trained and equipped urban fire and rescue services.”
   The recruits were joined by two-year-old Labrador, Winna, who was previously trained in drug detection but will now act as an accelerant detector dog to help the brigade investigate suspicious fires.

300th rainwater rebate
Minister for Water, Phil Costa and Member for Oatley, Kevin Green, have presented the three-hundredth school in greater Sydney with a rainwater tank rebate.
   Mr Costa, said the rebate program had been running since 2004 and was helping schools save over 44 million litres of water a year.
   He said the program also helped students develop responsible attitudes towards sustainable water use.

PSA prepares for AGM
The Public Service Association of NSW is to hold its 2009 Annual Conference on 28/29 May at its Clarence Street, Sydney, headquarters.
   Elections for workplace representatives to the AGM are being arranged with nominations forms available on the PSA website.
   Delegates attending the Conference are entitled to two days leave and the PSA covers accommodation and some other costs for attendees who have to travel.
   More information is available from www.psa.labor.net.au

Firefighting championships begin
The first round of the 2009 NSW Fire Brigades Firefighter Championships has been hosted by the Glen Innes Fire Brigade.
   Over 100 firefighters took part in 13 fire and rescue related events to test their speed, skills and teamwork.
   There will be seven more rounds of competition, with Delroy Fire Brigade in the Central West of NSW to host the next round on 2 to 3 May.

GreenPower growing
NSW has sold more GreenPower than any other State with the number of Australians purchasing GreenPower continuing to climb, according to its latest quarterly figures.
   Minister for Energy, Ian Macdonald, said sales in NSW from October to December 2008 were the highest in any jurisdiction at 126,420 megawatt hours, an increase of 14 per cent on the same period in 2007.
   Mr Macdonald said over 236,800 electricity customers had switched to clean, green, renewable energy accredited by GreenPower.
   Further information was available from www.greenpower.gov.au

APRA reports on super
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has released its Annual Superannuation Bulletin, which found total superannuation assets fell by $25.1 billion (2.1 per cent) over the financial year ending 30 June 2008.
   APRA found small funds with less than five members were the only funds to experience an increase in assets with 6.7 per cent growth.
   Contributions to all superannuation entities totalled $120.4 billion for the year, with employers contributing $69.4 billion and members contributing $49.8 billion.

Conservation framework adopted
A plan to provide a framework for conservation in the Lower Hunter region has been adopted by the State Government.
   Deputy Premier and Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, Carmel Tebbutt said the final Lower Hunter Regional Conservation Plan would focus on conservation for the next 25 years by identifying biodiversity areas.
   Ms Tebbutt said the plan proposed mechanisms such as biobanking, voluntary conservation agreements, protective covenants and other similar mechanisms as the focus for conserving the region.

Forum for Goulburn
An economic development forum is to be held in Goulburn to look at how to boost the economies of communities in the State’s South-east.
   Minister for Regional Development, Phil Costa, announced the forum saying it would involve participants from Local Government, business and community groups, Chambers of Commerce and the State Government.
   It will be held from 31 March to 1 April, with further information and registration available at www.business.nsw.gov.au/regional

Ticketing closer
Three entities have qualified for the next stage of the procurement process to deliver an electronic transport ticketing system for Sydney.
   Minister for Transport, David Campbell, said The Glide Consortium, the Pearl Consortium and Scheidt and Bachmann would be given the opportunity to provide their proposals to the Government.

Darwin lecture in Gardens
A public lecture on the legacy and scientific theory of Charles Darwin is to be held at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney this month.
   Award-winning author and university lecturer, Jim Endersby will deliver the lecture, Darwin’s Greenhouse: soot, steam and passion flowers, looking at the theory of natural selection on 24 March.
   Further information was available by contacting (02) 9231 8134.


11 March, 2009


Education grows into child safety plans

The Department of Education and Training is to play an important role in the Government’s response to the Wood report into child protection, announcing a number of new initiatives to support teachers, principals and school communities in bolstering child protection measures.
   Minister for Education and Training, Verity Firth, made the announcement saying it was clear from Commissioner Wood’s report that the wellbeing and welfare of children and young people was the responsibility of all the community, including Government Departments.
   Ms Firth said teachers and principals were often the first to see the impact on young people when families struggled to cope or students were at risk.
   “We will work with our teachers and principals to make sure they have new resources and clearer avenues to assist with suspected child protection matters,” she said.
   Ms Firth said a new Child Wellbeing Unit would be established to give teachers and government school staff access to experts.
   “Teachers will have access to expert advice on how to handle these cases, and the
Department will establish new links with welfare and health agencies to enable earlier referrals where needed.”
   “The Unit will also work to update the mandatory child protection training delivered to every departmental staff member.”
   Ms Firth said the Department would help identify families that needed support and link them up with services and Agencies such as NSW Health and welfare groups before the situation reached a “point of crisis.”
   “This means more children and young people in need will be supported at the local level by government agencies and non government services,” she said.
   Ms Firth said the Department would employ more Home School Liaison Officers (HSLOs) to focus on habitual non-attendance as a form of child neglect, and enhance student reporting to allow HSLOs to provide earlier interventions.
   She said the Education Department would also provide a specially trained team of officers to work with children who had to be placed in out of home care and to ensure they were provided with individual learning plans, developed by the child’s school.
   “These new measures will be in addition to the extensive range of initiatives already being undertaken in schools and school regions across NSW,” Ms Firth said.
   “I will be speaking with teacher, principal and parent representatives in the coming days to ensure all our best efforts are mustered to make these new resources as effective as they can be.”


11 March, 2009


Mature response to child report

The Government’s response to the Wood Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services in NSW has been received positively by the Public Service Association.
   The PSA said the response was a “positive first step” for the Department of Community Services, but called for more to be done to ensure information was shared with other relevant Agencies and Departments.
   General Assistant Secretary of PSA, Steve Turner, said information sharing would need to be well coordinated as the establishment of six Child Wellbeing Units would increase the reporting of less serious child protection cases to a range of Agencies and Departments.
   “If this is not centrally coordinated in an efficient manner through the new IT system first, cracks will begin to form,” Mr Turner said.
   He said there were also concerns that unless “great care is taken in implementing the Government's initiatives, children may not be properly assessed.”
   Mr Turner said the Government’s additional $230 million of funding for child services could go a long way towards increased resources for at-risk children and employing more staff.
   “The Association stands by its initial position that there is an urgent need to increase staff and resources available to DoCS, and that any Departmental reforms should only be implemented after very careful and thorough evaluation,” Mr Turner said.
   “We accept that the Government has carefully trawled through Justice Wood's report and seriously considered each recommendation, and not made any rash decisions to outsource vital activities from DoCS.”
   He said while an increase to qualified DoCS staff was welcome, the Government still needed to address funding and enrolments in relevant TAFE courses.


11 March, 2009


New works plan is capital idea

Capital works projects carried out by NSW Government Departments and Agencies are to be deemed to comply with the Commonwealth Government’s National Code of Practice for the Construction Industry and its Australian Government Implementation Guidelines.
   The Commonwealth has changed the application of its Code and Guidelines to include entities in State and Territory industrial relations jurisdictions.
   The change has been notified to NSW agencies in a Ministerial Memorandum from the Premier, Nathan Rees, setting out the rules and regulations covering the new arrangements.
   Mr Rees said entities operating under State and Territory industrial relations jurisdictions would be considered to be complying with the Code and Guidelines if they were in compliance with their legal obligations as stated in relevant legislation, applicable Court and Tribunal orders, decisions, directions and industrial instruments.
   “The Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations will continue to provide written assessments, on request, of entities’ Code and Guideline compliance,” he said.
   Mr Rees said on-site behaviours of entities not subjected to Federal workplace relations jurisdictions would have to comply with all requirements contained in their industrial instruments and with the elements of the Code and Guidelines that did not conflict with their legal obligations.
   He said Bilateral Commonwealth/State Code Monitoring Groups (BCMGs) would be established to monitor compliance arrangements and refer matters to the Code Monitoring Group (CMG).
   Mr Rees said BCMGs would encompass all Commonwealth funded projects undertaken in each State/Territory and resolve any administrative issues associated with implementing the Code’s requirement that ‘Breaches of the Code in one jurisdiction will be regarded as a relevant factor by other jurisdictions when considering the suitability of parties for government projects’.
   “Agencies operating under the Commonwealth Government’s Code and Guidelines may need to advise the relevant Commonwealth Agency that any work performed under the NSW industrial relations jurisdiction should be considered to be in compliance with the Code and Guidelines,” Mr Rees said.
   Further information was available by contacting the NSW Office of Industrial Relations.
   The Ministerial Memorandum could be accessed at www.dpc.nsw.gov.au


11 March, 2009


Builders nail down new bushfire code

The Australian Building Codes Board has unanimously agreed to adopt new national bushfire standards for residential buildings.
   The new standard would replace a 1999 Standard referred to in the Building Code of Australia.
   The ABCB is a joint initiative of all levels of Government in Australia with the building industry and through its national Building Code of Australia requires residential buildings in bushfire-prone areas to be constructed in such a way that the risk of catching fire from a bushfire is minimized.
   The new standard ‘AS 3959-2009’ aligns construction requirements more closely to the assessed level of bushfire exposure for new building work and introduces a science-based method for assessing the potential level of bushfire attack at a building site.
   Chairman of the ABCB, Graham Huxley confirmed the Board's intent to have the stringency of the new standard set at the highest option considered in a recently developed Regulatory Impact Statement.
   Mr Huxley said the RIS found that the strictest option would provide a positive net benefit and be more cost effective than current arrangements.
   The final RIS is available on the board's website at www.abcb.gov.au
   Mr Huxley has written to the Standards Australia asking that the new standard be published as soon as possible.
   The ABCB also welcomed the Victorian Government's recent announcement that a Royal Commission would inquire into all aspects of that State’s recent bushfires, including questions relating to improving fire safety of housing and other buildings, and materials used in construction.
   Mr Huxley said while the Board recognised that construction standards for new houses are important, it also accepted that they were only one factor in addressing bushfire risks.
   “Other actions can be very important and a holistic approach to bushfire risk is essential,” Mr Huxley said.
   He said examples of other strategies included planning controls, vegetation management, community education, evacuation procedures and emergency response.
   A formal change to the national Code was not expected to be made until 2010 but Mr Huxley said the ABCB was ready to assist any State or Territory Government that wanted to adopt the new standard prior to the change.


11 March, 2009


Health suffers from unhealthy audit

The Auditor-General has released his latest report into the financial wellbeing of a number of Government Agencies, paying particular attention to Health.
   The Volume One Report for 2009 was presented to Parliament by the Auditor General, Peter Achterstraat, and covered Health, Forestry and Primary Industries.
   Mr Achterstraat said he was concerned about the amount of money owed to creditors by the Health Department.
   “The amount that is owed by the Department of Health to its creditors has almost doubled in one year,” he said.
   “This is a real concern to those small businesses working with the Department and especially those working with hospitals.”
   Mr Achterstraat said Health owed trade creditors $312 million at 30 June 2008, which was almost double the $174 million owed on 30 June 2007.
   He said over $75 million to be paid to creditors was at least 45 days overdue.
   Mr Achterstraat said there were also a number of concerns over the management of trust funds.
   “I am concerned about the $320 million held in trusts and special purpose accounts,” he said.
   “They need to make better use of these funds. In some cases these funds have been there for a long time and the Department is not clear what they can be used for.”
   Mr Achterstraat said some funds had been used to subsidise over-expenditure in other areas.”
   He said despite making recommendations a year ago that three area health services review the condition of fully depreciated assets still in use, the reviews were still to take place.
   The Auditor recommended the Health Department pay creditors on time and review all trusts and other special accounts immediately.
   “The NSW Department of Health spends over $13.0 billion annually, they must have sound financial processes to make best use of these funds,” he said.


11 March, 2009


Review sinks teeth into shark protection

The recent spate of shark attacks in Sydney has prompted the State Government to publicise the steps it was taking to review its beach protection program under the shark meshing scheme which has been in place for 72 years.
   Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald said the Government was looking at a range of new scientifically-based measures as part of its review of the NSW Shark Meshing (Bather Protection) Program.
   Mr Macdonald said the program had been successful over the past 72 years, with only one fatality recorded on a netted beach, compared to one a year before it was implemented.
   “The recent series of shark attacks in the Sydney area has caused community concern and it should be known the Government is taking action,” he said.
   Mr Macdonald said the review had been underway for some time and included such measures as researching common pathways used by white sharks to identify high risk periods and spots, research into shark population and attack trends and monitoring shark net locations by GPS.
   He said the Government would also review shark attack data and the effectiveness of fishing gear technology to control sharks, improve shark identification methods by creating a library of DNA samples and initiate a new tagging program for captured white sharks.
   Mr Macdonald said an annual evaluation of the shark meshing program would take place, with an annual performance report being published for the first time, including the list of shark attacks for the whole of NSW since 1990.
   He rejected calls for aerial patrols over beaches, saying the 2006 Shark Summit found the method was not the most effective way to increase beach safety.
   “This is for a number of reasons - identification of species (even telling whether things are sharks or just a big fish) is difficult from a plane,” Mr Macdonald said.
   “In bad light – when sharks are particularly active - and at dawn and dusk (when all three recent attacks in the Sydney area occurred), visibility is poor from a plane - also if the water is choppy or dirty.”
   He said he would meet with lifesaver groups to discuss further practical review and safety options.
   “When swimmers are in the ocean they are in the sharks’ territory and should exercise caution, don’t swim at dawn and dusk, try and stay in groups and swim between the flags,” Mr Macdonald said.
   He said the results of the review, which is the first to be made public since 1972, would be released by the end of March.


11 March, 2009


Demerit changes score points

Changes to the motorists’ demerit points scheme have been announced.
   Minister for Roads, Michael Daley announced the new arrangements which he said would make the system fairer for motorists and safer for all who used NSW roads.
   Mr Daley said lower level speeding offences would now be defined in 10 kilometre per hour bands rather than 15km/h bands to better reflect advice about road safety.
   “Drivers have expressed their frustration at the high number of points lost for only doing a few kilometres over the speed limit,” he said.
   “There is no such thing as safe speeding, but we acknowledge the system could be fairer which is why we are lowering the number of points for the lowest range speeding offences.”
   Mr Daley said the lowest range offence, driving up to 10 km/h over the limit, would now only incur one demerit point rather than three and a fine of $81.
   “We believe that people can inadvertently drift a few kilometres over the speed limit and that’s why we’ve set the new range at 10kmh,” he said.  
   “But make no mistake, if you are doing more than 10kmh over the limit you are either not paying attention or you are deliberately speeding, and there is simply no excuse.”
   Mr Daley said people who travelled over 10km/h over the limit would find themselves facing harsher penalties.
   “If drivers start to speed at excessive levels then they can expect to have the book thrown at them,” he said.
   “We have to be fair, but at the same time we need to protect people.”
   Mr Daley said drivers travelling at 10 km/h over the speed limit were four times more likely to be involved in an accident involving injuries.  
   “At 20kmh, this risk increases by 16 times which is clearly unacceptable,” he said.
   “That’s why we’ve adjusted the brackets to include an 11 – 20km/h band and a 21 – 30km/h band to make sure people driving at these reckless speeds are penalised appropriately.
   Mr Daley said the changes would also affect P1 and P2 licence holders.
   “A zero tolerance on speeding for P1 licence holders is proving successful which is why demerit points for speeding up to 30 km/h over the speed limit will stay the same,” he said.
   “But the message doesn’t seem to be getting through to P2 drivers so to address speeding among this group, we’re increasing demerit points for speeding up to 30 km/h over the limit from three points to four.”
   Mr Daley urged motorists to stick to the speed limit to avoid losing demerit points and to ensure road safety.


11 March, 2009


Probate Judges get will power

New laws have come into force empowering Judges to limit the legal costs of cases involving disputes over wills.
   Attorney General, John Hatzistergos, said the new laws would stop lawyers running up excessive charges as legal costs in family will disputes were often clocked up to tens of thousands of dollars.
   Mr Hatzistergos said the laws would build on the 2006 Succession Act and require the Courts to refer all family provision claims to mediation, except in special circumstances.
   “Costs can wipe out a large portion of a deceased person’s estate, leaving family members and dependents with very little,” Mr Hatzistergos said.
   He said the laws would enhance the Court’s power to enable it to curb the use of expensive expert witnesses, costly medical reports and allow them to cut costs by determining simple cases without a hearing.
   He said they would help control lawyers who, according to the Supreme Court, had billed clients over $30,000 for one-day cases and over $100,000 for more complex ones.
   Mr Hatzistergos said in a case in 2005, known as Sherborne Estate, the combined legal costs for three adult children were $605,000 – which the judge said was more money than the children had hoped to get from the will.
   “The case was so outrageous the judge described it as a ‘dark stain on the administration of justice’ and compared it to the Charles Dickens’ novel Bleak House,” Mr Hatzistergos said.
   He said a case involving three infant children had led to a $171,000 bill when disputes between the children’s mother and their deceased father’s defacto wife were drawn out.
   Mr Hatzistergos said the new laws were prepared in consultation with the Bar Association, the NSW Law Society, the Supreme Court and other stakeholders.


11 March, 2009


ABC points finger at digital date

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has confirmed it will switch on its digital radio service in July.
   The ABC announced it would not meet the 1 May start-up date due to a delay in funding confirmation. The 1 May date had already been extended from 1 January.
   Acting Director of ABC Radio, Kate Dundas, said the ABC was working with the Special Broadcasting Service and the commercial sector to manage any potential interference issues when the service was rolled out to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth.
   Ms Dundas said from 1 July, ABC Radio would offer its five current analogue services - ABC Local Radio stations, ABC Radio National, ABC Classic FM, ABC NewsRadio and triple j, plus its three music services currently on the internet - dig Music, Jazz and Country to the five cities in digital.
   “We are keen for these digital radio offerings to be media rich services that take advantage of a new medium,” she said.
   “We’ll take some time to see how our first eight services are received in the market following the July launch.”
   Ms Dundas said the ABC was keen to look at audience preferences and to provide high quality services to the public.
   “Following the outcome of the ABC’s overall triennial funding submission, we will be in a clearer position to progressively look at the kind of additional digital radio services we can put to air,” she said.
   “The mix of future offerings to be developed would play to ABC Radio’s programming and content strengths.”
   ABC Radio is expected to join SBS and the commercial radio sector in a major listener event to be held in early August once full services are available in all markets.


11 March, 2009


Banana imports are slippery slope

A decision by the Federal Government’s biosecurity watchdog to allow Philippine bananas to be imported into Australia has been questioned by NSW Primary Industries Minister, Ian Macdonald.
   Mr Macdonald called on the Commonwealth to “take special oversight” of the role Biosecurity Australia played in the decision to approve the proposed importation.
   “The last thing we want to see is an exotic disease slip past our border and cause major disruption and a potential economic catastrophe for the State’s $60 million banana industry,” Mr Macdonald said.
   “The Philippines is known to be home to a range of pest and diseases that affect bananas that are exotic to Australia.”
   He said any Import Risk Assessment needed to put the future of the industry first and be based on “solid science.”
   “We saw the cost equine influenza (EI) had on our horse industries; we don’t want another episode like that,” he said.
   Mr Macdonald warned of pests and diseases such as Black Sigatoka fungus, Moko bacteria and Banana Freckle fungus that are known to exist in the Philippines.
   “Our banana industry has a history that tracks back to the late 1800s which these diseases have the potential to decimate,” he said.
   “Biosecurity Australia this week gave the green light to importation of bananas from the Philippines after lengthy analysis, but this doesn’t negate the fact that this product still represents a serious risk and many of our 300 plus banana growers are very nervous.”
   Mr Macdonald said some part of the industry were not convinced the decision would not open up the gates for a “flood of cheap, disease ridden fruit” into the Australian banana market.
   “The State’s banana growers deserve to know in no uncertain terms on what conditions these bananas can be imported and when is the first lot expected to hit our shores,” he said.


11 March, 2009


Scholarships keep teachers at school

Two hundred and thirty scholarships have been awarded to train new teachers for the State’s schools.
   Minister for Education and Training, Verity Firth announced the successful winners of the Teacher Education Scholarships, saying they would boost the number of trained teachers in public schools and ensure the availability of quality teachers at schools that needed them most.
   Ms Firth said the scholarships aimed to attract the “best and brightest” teaching students to public schools.
   “Teachers are the lifeblood of our schools, helping to inspire, motivate and inform a new generation of Australians,” she said.
   “Each year, the program attracts quality applicants from a range of sources, including HSC students, university students and people wanting to change to a more rewarding career.”
   Ms Firth said scholarship winners were guaranteed a job in a NSW Government school after finishing their education.
   “The scholarship holders are generally appointed to schools in western or south-western Sydney or non-coastal rural areas of NSW,” she said.
   Applicants were interviewed and assessed according to their academic performance, teaching subject area, location they wished to teach in and their personal qualities and commitment to teaching.
   Ms Firth said the program also helped increase the educational opportunities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people wishing to become teachers.
   “For the 2009 program, there are 61 scholarships for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to train in any secondary subject area, or in primary education,” she said.
   “The remaining scholarships are for the secondary key learning areas of mathematics, science, English or technological and applied studies.”
   Ms Firth said scholarships could run for up to five years and included payment of HECS-HELP fees and an additional $1,500 per year.
   The scholarships are part of the teach.NSW teacher-recruitment program and have been awarded every year since 2002.
   Further information was available from www.teach.nsw.edu.au or by calling 1300 301 435.


11 March, 2009


Licensing resource let out of bottle

A new, online resource showing the impact of licensed venues and alcohol consumption on local communities has been unveiled by the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing.
   The new resource is made up of comprehensive reports that show the impact of licensed venues and alcohol consumption on local communities across the State.
   Gaming Minister Kevin Greene said the new service would guide decisions on applications for new liquor licenses.
   Mr Greene said the free community profiles were being compiled for every Local Government Area in NSW.
   “This is about pulling together information from across Government Agencies on alcohol-related crime, population and demographics, licensed venues, health and transport and putting them into one easy to read place,” he said.
   “This also means residents, Councils and Police can easily use the website to make informed submissions on any proposed licensed venues in their local area.”
   Mr Greene said the website would be useful for those wanting to build a licensed venue and would cut red tape for small businesses and the community.
   “The information is a valuable tool for the Casino, Liquor and Gaming Control Authority when it’s considering applications for new liquor licences,” he said.
   “That’s because no new hotel, club, bar or bottle shop will be built in a place where the overall social impact is found to be detrimental to the well-being of the local or broader community.”
   Mr Greene said the online resource had a number of uses for authorities.
   “When deciding on proposals, the Government will also use the site to gauge the impact of existing licensed venues and the potential consequences of new liquor licences,” he said.
   “The reports also compare each LGA against State averages and similar LGAs for licensed venue numbers and alcohol-related crime.”
   Mr Greene said most reports were already online with the remainder to be uploaded soon.
   Further information was available from www.olgr.nsw.gov.au


11 March, 2009


Minister scrubs up for bush battle

The expected effectiveness of a new organisation being set up to enhance the delivery of positive outcomes for local communities has been defended by the Minister for Regional Development, Phil Costa.
   Mr Costa said the new Federal/State initiative would lead to a more efficient one-stop-shop process to respond to communities at the local level.
   He said Local Government would also play a significant role in the Regional Development Australia organisation.
   “The new committees to be implemented on 1 July this year will benefit communities by providing a more focused approach to regional development in NSW,” Mr Costa said.
   “Despite the naysaying I believe the proven track records and combined expertise of the former Area Consultative Committees and the State Regional Development Boards will stimulate even more investment and job growth in the State.”
   He said the Commonwealth and the State were committing the same amount of resources and support to the new organisation as the previous entities.
   “Regional NSW will benefit from having one organisation with the resources of two – this is not about cutting costs, but streamlining processes so vital development projects can get under way even faster,” Mr Costa said.
   “In addition, once the new chairs, deputies and committees are appointed, it’s their job at the local level to decide which people will be the most qualified and experienced to support the work of the new committees.”
   He said the State Government was creating and expanding economic activity in regional Australia to ensure it could weather the global economic downturn.
   Mr Costa said the organisation would see all levels of Government working in partnership to benefit local communities and “get the job done.”
   Expressions of interest for membership of the new Committees have been invited, and interim chairs and deputy chairs have been appointed to guide the transition process.


11 March, 2009


Information flows in Snowy River report

The first report of an independent committee examining the adequacy of environmental water flows into the Snowy River has been presented to Water Minister, Phil Costa.
   Mr Costa welcomed the report from the Snowy Scientific Committee saying the effectiveness of environmental flows was one of the first matters it was asked to examine.
   “Some aspects of the report show what we already know - that the severe ongoing drought has greatly diminished our ability to deliver the environmental flows the Snowy
River needs, which unfortunately is the case for many other rivers in the Southern Basin as well,” Mr Costa said.
   He said the Government had purchased about half the water licences needed to meet the target of returning 21 per cent of the average annual flows by 2012, but couldn’t release all the water due to the drought.
   “This is because the proportion of water allocated to these entitlements has been very low,” he said.
   “We’ve had to share what little water has been available between towns, farmers, industry and the environment.”
   Mr Costa said a share of the available water had been allocated to the Snowy River every year, consistent with the environmental flows program.
   “We’ll continue to make the water savings agreed to under the program, but until the drought breaks, the volume of water that can actually be released into the river will remain below the target,” he said.
   Mr Costa said the recommendations made by the Committee would be explored by the Government.
   “The Committee recommends some changes to environmental flow water releases to better mimic natural river flow patterns and help with channel maintenance and pools,” he said.
   “The NSW Government will work with Snowy Hydro to see if these changes can be made and to investigate the role of inflows from the Mowamba River.”
   Mr Costa said the Government would look at extending its water quality monitoring program and at providing flexibility to release environmental flows to complement natural flow events.
   The report and the Department of Water and Energy’s response were available from www.dwe.nsw.gov.au


11 March, 2009


Water buyback not awash with money

Water Minister, Phil Costa has called for the costs of the water buyback scheme in the Murray-Darling Basin to be shared with other States.
   Mr Costa told a group of water industry leaders that it was “crucial” for effective water trading in the Basin that the playing field among affected States be levelled.
   “We support strategic water buyback as part of a reform agenda designed to preserve the river system and protect the nation’s food bowl,” Mr Costa said.
   “NSW has led the way with water reform that has created a stronger, more open market.”
   He said he believed a fair and equitable water trading system across the Basin was needed to ensure responsible water buyback.
   “Under the current trade rules operating in each State, NSW is likely to attract the bulk of water buyback because we are ahead of the pack.”
   He said sharing information with other States would allow them to “catch up” and provide equal trading across the nation.
   “There is a win-win solution,” he said.
   “We would be happy to work with the other States and share our experiences.”
   Mr Costa said involving other States would give Australia a more flexible water trading and management system.


11 March, 2009


Defence recruits on right course

The Australian Defence Force has launched one of its first Pre Recruitment Courses for indigenous recruits at its Army establishment in Newcastle.
   Federal Minister for Defence, Science and Personnel, Warren Snowdon, said the Course was one of the early initiatives to be rolled out from the Australian Defence Force (ADF) Indigenous Employment Strategy.
   “The 20 Indigenous trainees now start an eight week course that will help them not only prepare for an ADF career, but will serve them in any future venture,” Mr Snowdon said.
   He said trainers would visit Defence establishments in Newcastle, Singleton, Sydney,
Canberra and Wagga Wagga to teach participants motivation, discipline, physical fitness, good communication and the skills needed to live away from home.
   Commonwealth Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin, said one of the highlights of the course was the five day Indigenous Leadership Program in Canberra to help develop participants’ strengths and communication skills.
   Ms Macklin said the course was part of the Commonwealth’s commitment to halving the employment gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within a decade.
   The national Minister for Employment Participation, Brendan O’Connor, said the first course had taken place in Townsville, Queensland, last year and had been a great success.
   “Two participants from the original course are now Army recruits currently training at Kapooka and another seven are in the recruiting process,” Mr O’Connor said.
   “I am confident that the Newcastle IPRC will result in similar positive employment results.”
   The Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Defence provided over $300,000 towards the eight week course.


11 March, 2009
Commonwealth congratulated
The Queen has congratulated the Commonwealth of Nations on its 60th anniversary.
   Queen Elizabeth said the Commonwealth was “a family of nations and peoples” that believe in freedom, democracy and human rights; equality and equity; development and prosperity.
   “As the Commonwealth celebrates its sixtieth birthday, its governments, communities and we as individuals should welcome that achievement,” she said.

Prison staff walk out
Prison staff across the State have taken part in an overtime ban to protest against plans to privatise State jails and alleged “attacks” on their integrity.
   A spokesperson for the Prison Officers’ Vocational Branch of the Public Service Association said officers were hitting back against accusations they were “chasing overtime”, when in reality staff levels were low and overtime was needed.
   Officers from Long Bay Correctional Centre, Parklea, Grafton, Parramatta and other jails took part in the protests.

Pagers for emergencies
Emergency Services communications on the Far North Coast are to be boosted by a new $310,000 high-tech pager network.
   Minister for Emergency Services, Steve Whan, said the new Emergency Alert pager service took seconds to deliver messages to volunteers and would improve emergency response times.
   “The system allows messages to be sent not only to pagers but also the mobile phones of volunteers recorded on the system,” Mr Whan said.

Child checks upgraded
Changes to the Juvenile Justice and Working With Children Checks are to be implemented following Justice Wood’s Inquiry into Child Protection Services in NSW.
   Under the changes, adults who provide personal care to children or are involved in mentoring programs for disadvantaged children will be subjected to Working With Children Checks.
   The checks will now also include foster carers, family day care providers, licensees of child care services and students involved in practical training placements at the Department of Community Services.

Chinese sign on for science
The State Government and China have signed an agreement to collaborate on joint scientific research projects including the development of traditional Chinese medicine.
   The China-NSW Collaborative Research Program will bring together NSW and Chinese scientists in research areas including biotechnology and proteomics medicine.
   The Memorandum of Understanding was supported by the Department of State and Regional Development and China’s Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Taxis running hot
A performance report into the taxi industry has found in the last quarter, Sydney taxi networks recorded 92.3 per cent of pick ups within 15 minutes which was above the desired standard of 85%.
   The report found 97.1 per cent of calls were answered within 2 minutes (compared to the standard of 85 %) but that only 74.5 per cent of wheelchair accessible pickups occurred within 15 minutes, compared to the expected standard of 85%.
   According to Transport Minister, David Campbell, this is the first time the taxi score card, which focused on customer service, response times and disability access, had been released publicly.
   The full results were available from www.transport.nsw.gov.au

Parks Service in tree boost
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service has teamed up with carbon emissions abatement organisation, Greenfleet, to plant 400,000 native trees at Lake Jindabyne.
   The Kalkite Waters area on the eastern edge of Kosciuszko National Park will be replanted after the 600 hectare area was cleared and grazed prior to its inclusion to the Park.
   The program, scheduled to begin in Spring, will take a month to complete and aims to bring the area back to a more natural ecosystem and encourage native plant and animal life.

Landlines disconnected
Increased numbers of young Australians have chosen not to connect a fixed phone line when moving out of home, according to a report by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
   The Australian household consumers’ take-up and use of voice communication services report found many youths aged 18 to 24 were abandoning the traditional phone, preferring to rely on mobile phone technology.
   Further information was available from www.acma.gov.au

Model laws on the way
New legislation will protect child models up to the age of 16, according to the Minister for Community Services, Linda Burney.
   Ms Burney said the toughened regulations followed last year’s outcry over the participation of a 14-year-old girl in Sydney’s Fashion Week.
   She said the laws had been changed to include children up to 16 rather than 15 and banned “the casting of a child in a role or situation that is inappropriate for his or her age, maturity, emotional or psychological development.”


4 March, 2009


Treasury appointee is right on the money

Acting Secretary of the Treasury, Michael Schur has been appointed to the position.
   Mr Schur replaces John Pierce who resigned last year and is now Secretary of the Commonwealth Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism.
   He starts in the position immediately after acting in it since late last year.
   NSW Treasurer, Eric Roozendaal, welcomed Mr Schur to the position, saying he would be a “key player” in helping the Government manage the economic crisis and stimulate investment in the State.
   “This is a crucial job as NSW, like the rest of the world, grapples with the global financial crisis,” Mr Roozendaal said.
   Mr Schur joined NSW Treasury in 2006 as the Deputy Secretary, Office of Infrastructure Management.
   In this role, he had responsibility for private finance projects, physical asset management policy and the Government’s property portfolio.
   Mr Schur focused on economic policy and financial management reform and infrastructure strategy development and implementation.
   Prior to joining the NSW Treasury he spent five years at the World Bank, advising governments in Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa on infrastructure reforms for the transport, water, health and electricity sectors.
   Mr Schur has also worked as an advisor to the South African Ministry of Finance.
   He received the British Government’s Helen Suzman Leadership Fellowship, a scholarship for postgraduate study in the United Kingdom for recognition of his leadership in the field of economic development.
   Mr Schur has a Masters Degree in Economics from the University of London and post- and under-graduate degrees from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa.


4 March, 2009


Court decision finds asbestos guilty

Asbestos has been discovered at the Westmead Coroner’s Court.
   The asbestos fibres were detected in a secure file storage area of the Court and in an isolated component of the air conditioning system serving the storage area.
   The Attorney-General’s Department has urged any staff who worked at the Coroner’s Court between 1997 and 2009 to contact it on (02) 8688 7571 or (02) 8688 8438 and has appointed retired Public Servant, Vernon Dalton, to conduct an independent investigation into the history of asbestos on the site, the extent of any potential exposure and the effectiveness of asbestos auditing, monitoring and response programs.
   The Department is currently in the process of notifying past and present employees who may have worked in the affected section of the building.
   The storage area and associated air conditioning system were added to the Coroner’s Court in 1997.
   The Department said it would arrange free medical health examinations for people who had potential exposure to the asbestos.
   It has notified WorkCover, NSW Department of Health and is consulting with the Dust Diseases Board.
   Westmead Coroner’s Court has been closed until the asbestos has been investigated and addressed.


4 March, 2009


Film Office develops new funding models

The NSW Film and Television Office has overhauled its development programs, proposing to adopt a new focus on early concept development instead of the traditional draft-by-draft funding.
   Chief Executive of FTO, Tania Chambers announced the change saying it was designed to deliver stronger projects and healthier businesses to the NSW screen industry.
   Ms Chambers said the redesign would position the FTO’s development funding early to use them to leverage additional funds from other sources for NSW companies.
   She said the plan also aimed to stimulate and support NSW companies to embrace new platforms.
   “The FTO and the NSW screen industry have identified that the screen financing landscape has changed dramatically both internationally and within Australia,” Ms Chambers said.
   “At the same time, new platforms and audience viewing patterns mean that old notions of program development need challenging.”
   She said the FTO was proposing three new development funding programs: The Early Research and Development Fund, the Advanced Development and Marketing Fund and the Slingshot Program.
   Director of Creative and Enterprise Development for FTO, Megan Simpson Huberman, said the Early Research and Development Fund would allocate around 70 per cent of the FTO’s project development funding to early concept development to enhance story engagement, interactivity and leveraging.
   “The costs of early development have until now been mostly carried by the producer or writer alone,” Ms Simpson Huberman said.
   “If we can support NSW producers and writers with funding and feedback at this stage, from pitch, outline, or concept to treatment or draft, it is hoped that their ideas can be strengthened and be more competitive in seeking additional funding partners.”
   Ms Chambers said the Advanced Development and Marketing fund represented around 30 per cent of the FTO’s project development funding.
   She said it would provide funding for the later development stages of projects.
   “Both development funds will be exceptionally flexible, open to individuals or teams, with no eligibility barriers, and flexible application requirements,” Ms Chambers said.   “FTO’s goal is to partner with NSW companies and practitioners to discover great ideas, rather than support the skilled execution of less distinctive ideas.”
   She said the Slingshot Program was a suite of professional development opportunities to enable companies to offer training and support to practitioners.
   Ms Chambers said it included the NSW Production Attachments Scheme; the Emerging Film Fund Producer Extension Scheme; targeted funded attachments and mentorships for cross skilling in areas of digital media, creative development, directing, writing and producing; continued the FTO DFX traineeship program; and the Festival Travel Scheme.
   She said feedback would be welcomed until the end of March as the programs were expected to be implemented from mid April.


4 March, 2009


Electricity prices in the spotlight

The City of Sydney has reacted angrily to steep increases in electricity prices saying they would impact on public safety.
   Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, said the 150 per cent price rise in network distribution charges paid by the City and other Councils for street lighting were “outrageous.”
   Ms Moore said the cost increases and penalties for inefficient lighting had been advocated in a draft determination from the Commonwealth’s Australian Energy Regulator (AER).
   “Not only are the increases covering the next five years a massive impost, we face the prospect of paying even more because we are utilising a more greenhouse gas efficient style of street lighting,” she said.
   “This is because under the current policy, Local Councils are not able to access the discount mechanism if they use Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting rather than fluorescent lighting...in other words we are being penalised for taking the initiative on environmental sustainability.”
   Ms Moore said the City had lodged a submission with the AER calling for proposals in its latest draft to be overturned and altered.
   It labelled sections of the draft as “lacking in vision” and “a recipe for doubling electricity prices.”
   “Street lighting is a vital community service that can reduce night time accidents and crime,” Ms Moore said.
   “It is not a service that can be compromised.”
   The City’s submission to AER said the draft proposals would pave the way for higher electricity costs for consumers; hinder Council’s development of sustainable energy plans and attempts to reach emission reduction targets, encourage the use of outdated energy production and risk community safety.
   Ms Moore said the City had installed and owned and maintained 40 per cent of street lighting across the Local Government Area with the balance owned and maintained by Energy Australia.
   She said to meet its commitments to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions the City was undertaking a six month trial of new LED street lighting technology.
   “This technology has the potential to reduce energy use in street lighting by 50 per cent, significantly cut maintenance costs and provide improved lighting conditions,” she said.
   The City pays Energy Australia over $4 million a year for street lighting services.


4 March, 2009


Part-time workers in full-time need

One in five part-time workers in Australia wanted to work longer hours and were available to do so according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
   The ABS found there were 655,100 underemployed workers across Australia, who were available to work additional hours but unable to find them.
   The Bureau said 92 per cent of the underemployed workers were employed part-time while the remainders were full-time workers who worked less than 35 hours a week due to economic reasons such as being stood down or having insufficient work.
   It said while there were more underemployed part-time women (389,800) than underemployed part-time men (213,900), the incidence of underemployment among part-time workers was higher for men (25 per cent) than for women (18 per cent).
   Just over half (51 per cent) of the underemployed part-time workers would prefer to work full-time hours (35 hours or more a week).
   The ABS said 45 per cent of underemployed part-time workers were actively looking for additional work by asking current employers for more work, contacting prospective employers and looking in newspapers.
   It reported those who took steps to find extra hours of work were most often told there were ‘no vacancies in that line of work’.
   Women were more likely to report ‘unsuitable hours’ as their main difficulty than men (13 per cent compared to 6 per cent).   Further information on the study was available in Underemployed Workers, Australia, 2008 located at www.abs.gov.au


4 March, 2009


Fingerprint units provide nice touch

NSW police have been issued with new, state-of the art, mobile fingerprinting units.
   Minister for Police, Tony Kelly said the new devices would allow the police to take fingerprints in the field and would help them with frontline policing.
   He said 500 portable units would be distributed to Local Area Commands across the State.
   “These devices are portable and light for officers in the field and will allow them to verify the identity of an offender when they are issuing a Field Court Attendance Notice (FCAN) or a Criminal Infringement Notice (CIN),” he said.
   “Our police will now be able access the National Automated Fingerprint Identification
System (NAFIS) which will allow them to check an offender’s criminal record within 90 seconds of taking fingerprints.”
   Mr Kelly said the $5.1 million project had already allowed officers from Holroyd, Parramatta, Penrith, Blacktown, Mid North Coast, Monaro and Brisbane Water Local Area Commands to use the units in the field.
   “Police have already reported that the units have been used successfully at a music festival at Eastern Creek,” he said.
   “Police now have over 4 million fingerprint records from across Australia at their fingertips in the field.”
   Mr Kelly said the Government would continue to support police as they did a “magnificent job in tackling crime.”


4 March, 2009


Fingerprint units provide nice touch

NSW police have been issued with new, state-of the art, mobile fingerprinting units.
   Minister for Police, Tony Kelly said the new devices would allow the police to take fingerprints in the field and would help them with frontline policing.
   He said 500 portable units would be distributed to Local Area Commands across the State.
   “These devices are portable and light for officers in the field and will allow them to verify the identity of an offender when they are issuing a Field Court Attendance Notice (FCAN) or a Criminal Infringement Notice (CIN),” he said.
   “Our police will now be able access the National Automated Fingerprint Identification
System (NAFIS) which will allow them to check an offender’s criminal record within 90 seconds of taking fingerprints.”
   Mr Kelly said the $5.1 million project had already allowed officers from Holroyd, Parramatta, Penrith, Blacktown, Mid North Coast, Monaro and Brisbane Water Local Area Commands to use the units in the field.
   “Police have already reported that the units have been used successfully at a music festival at Eastern Creek,” he said.
   “Police now have over 4 million fingerprint records from across Australia at their fingertips in the field.”
   Mr Kelly said the Government would continue to support police as they did a “magnificent job in tackling crime.”


4 March, 2009


Transgender call crosses soft line

The Anti-Discrimination Board has supported a call for people to be understanding of transgender women whose courses of change have not been completed.
   The Board said there had been unfortunate incidents in the past when pre-operative transgender women have presented at shelters and been treated as men.
   “This is understandable, since many women who use shelter services have been mistreated by men and may be unwilling to share space with anyone who seems ‘masculine’,” a statement the Board sponsored said.
   “It is also true that some transgendered women find it difficult to ‘pass’ as women, particularly in the early stages of their transition.”
   It said, however that transgendered women often found themselves in need of shelter and it was unreasonable, if they had moved into the new gender role full-time, to expect them to share male space.
   “We ask that you try and think yourself into the position of those who wish desperately to live as women - so desperately that they often give up everything to attain this change,” the statement said.
   “Try and accept that these women are not a threat to your safety or security and will not risk their own accommodation needs or cause deliberate offence by intruding on your privacy or imposing an unwanted presence on you socially.”
   The statement said that in the past some female clients of shelters thought pre-operative transgender women using shelters were men masquerading as women, and therefore not entitled to share shelter space.
   “Transgendered women, however, could also be victims and have often been abandoned by their families (marital and parental) and persecuted by society in a variety of ways,” it said.
   “Many lose their jobs, their homes and their friends when they realise that they have no option but to transition to the female gender role.”
   The Board urged shelter residents to be friendly, polite and compassionate towards transgendered women, saying they had “real social problems to overcome” and were “in no way responsible for their condition.”
   It also urged transgendered people to extend the same courtesy to non-gendered clients.
   “Treat others as you would wish to be treated,” the statement said.


4 March, 2009


Sex assaults found to be hard cases

The Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) has found that a drop in the proportion of sexual assault incidents recorded by NSW Police between 1995 and 2006 was largely due to changes in the number of cases in which police laid criminal charges.
   The Bureau reported that between 1995 and 2009 the proportion of incidents recorded by the Police as ‘cleared’ or ‘partially cleared’ within 360 days fell from 63 per cent to 28 per cent.
   It said the majority of the fall occurred before 2002, with clear up rates for sexual assault remaining fairly steady since then.
   BOSCAR looked at three possible reasons for the decrease: changes in the time taken by Police to solve sexual assault crimes; changes in the definition of ‘cleared’; and changes in the number and proportion of cases where Police lay criminal charges.
   It said of the three possibilities, considerable evidence was found to support the third.
   “In 2000, legal proceedings were initiated against a suspected offender in 26.6 per cent of sexual assault cases,” BOSCAR said in a statement.
   “By 2006, this had fallen to 15 per cent.”
   The Bureau said several factors appeared to have contributed to the drop in the number and proportion of cases where police were able to lay criminal charges.
   “Firstly, there has been an increase in the proportion of cases where the victim knows the offender,” it said.
   “Secondly, there has been an increase in the proportion of cases where the victim declines to give evidence against the accused person.
   “Thirdly, there were statistically significant falls in the proportions of incidents involving physical injury, weapon use and co-occurring offences.”
   BOSCAR said each of these factors had reduced the chances of prosecution and consequently the capacity of Police to clear the offence.
   Director of the Bureau, Dr Don Weatherburn, said clear-up rates for sexual assault were also affected by factors other than Police performance.
   “Most people think of sexual assault as an offence committed by predatory strangers,” Dr Weatherburn said.
   “In nine out of 10 cases of sexual assault reported to NSW Police, however, the victim and offender already know each other.
   “In many cases they are partners or former partners.”
   He said the capacity of the Police to lay charges and clear the offence in these circumstances depended on whether the victim was willing to give evidence and whether there was any corroborating evidence, such as injury to the victim.
   “Our report suggests that the main reason for the decline in the clear up rate for sexual assault since the mid 1990s is a change in the profile of sexual assaults coming to the attention of police,” Dr Weatherburn said.


4 March, 2009


Venues drink to safety ratings

A discussion paper has been released examining a proposed new safety rating scheme for NSW licensed premises.
   Minister for Gaming and Racing, Kevin Greene, said the proposed safety system was the next step in measures to address community concerns about alcohol-related violence and anti-social behaviour.
   Mr Greene said the system would give patrons a transparent guide to safety standards at different venues.
   “This will be a user-friendly system highlighting safety standards at venues so patrons know the score when deciding on their choice of venue for a night out,” he said.
   “After working with the industry over summer we now want to hear from the community, patrons, licensees, venue staff and industry peak bodies.”
   Mr Greene said the paper detailed a range of safety options open for discussion.
   “We are looking at things like the types of venues a scheme should apply to, ratings criteria, systems ensuring it stays current and how it’s promoted to patrons,” he said.
   “We know this is not the ultimate fix when it comes to stopping alcohol related violence but we certainly believe a system like this will help turn the tide.
   “Of course, this is not a system that should ever be developed or run in isolation and that’s why it’s important for the liquor industry to work together with consumer representatives and Government on the project.”
   Mr Greene said other schemes such as those used to rate hotel rooms, restaurants, music, films and the energy efficiency of electrical appliances had offered starting point for the development of the rating system for licensed venues.
   “Increased patronage at licensed venues with a high rating will encourage others to follow suit and adopt best safety practices to remain competitive,” he said.
   “We will listen to the views of everyone. It is very important that we hear people’s ideas on the usefulness of a safety rating system and their preferred model.”
   Mr Greene said submissions would be accepted until 31 March, and that the discussion paper was available from www.dasr.nsw.gov.au


4 March, 2009


Business to balance new book club

Business operators in the inner Sydney area are being urged to join a new Small Business Book Club being set up by the State Government.
   Minister for Small Business, Steve Whan said the co-author of a small business development book would be talking with business operators at libraries in Glebe and Concord on 5 and 12 March.
   Mr Whan said   the Government was working with local libraries to help businesses manage the global economic downturn.
   “Small business operators are one of the largest consumers of business development books in Australia as a means for furthering their management knowledge,” he said.
   “The libraries of NSW are a great source of timely information for small business operators. They provide handy access to the internet as well as a wide range of research facilities.”
   Mr Whan said the Small Business Book Club was a partnership with the NSW Department of State and Regional Development and the libraries of the City of Sydney and the City of Canada Bay.
   He said co-author of The Invisible Entrepreneur, Louise Woodbury, would speak on 5 March at Glebe Library from 6.00 pm to 7.30 pm and at the Concord Library on 12 March from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm.
   Mr Whan said both sessions were free, but that bookings were essential.
   He said further information was available from www.smallbiz.nsw.gov.au/bookclub or by emailing library@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au or business@canadabay.nsw.gov.au


4 March, 2009


Bus factory enroute to supply Sydney

Work has started on a new $18 million bus building plant in the Hunter valley that is to deliver state-of-the-art buses for Sydney.
   Minister for Transport, David Campbell, said while the plant was being constructed, work on the buses would commence at a temporary factory.
   Mr Campbell said the Government had awarded a $112 million contract to Volgren and Volvo in December 2008, expediting the delivery of 150 articulated buses.
   “This bus building plant will be a boost for the Hunter and means delivery can be cut in half from three years to just 18 months,” he said.
   Mr Campbell said the new plant would provide jobs for around 250 people in the Hunter, and would begin rolling out buses by late 2010 for full use by mid-2011.
   “The Volvo chassis for the buses will be imported from Europe, with the body designed, engineered and built by Volgren in Tomago,” he said.
   “The 150 bendy buses will be a significant addition to State Transit’s fleet and will be put into service on some of the busiest road corridors in central Sydney and outer metropolitan suburbs.”
   Minister for the Hunter, Jodi McKay, said the new plant was “great news” and would keep industry in the Hunter on the move.
   “Our region has a proud history of building transport infrastructure and buses, as well as train carriages, and I’m pleased to see this continuing,” Ms McKay said.
   “With the potential to create up to 250 new jobs and increase the supply of skilled workers in the region, this plant will give an important boost to the NSW economy as well as the Hunter community.”
   Mr Campbell said the Government had also announced an additional 300 buses for Sydney to help meet continued growth in patronage.


4 March, 2009


Training partnership is top of the class

A new partnership with the Commonwealth Government has been announced that promises to boost the number of training places in NSW by up to 175,000.  
   Announced jointly by the Premier, Nathan Rees and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, the Productivity Places National Partnership is expected to cost around $620 million.
   Ms Gillard said the partnership would offer traineeships to job seekers, school leavers and under-skilled workers to help build up a skilled workforce in the State.
   She emphasised the importance of raising the skill level of people outside the workforce and ensuring that training was responsive to the needs of businesses and industry.
   “What we know from past economic downturns is that people stop training,” Ms Gillard said.
   “When the economy then grows, everybody is crying out for skilled labour.”
   She said the partnership aimed to break that cycle by investing in skills acquisition for workers.
   “The Productivity Places Program will provide the support job seekers need to enter the labour market with qualifications in demand,” Ms Gillard said.
   Mr Rees said NSW would contribute $200 million to the project, which, combined with the Commonwealth’s contribution, would increase the number of training places by 12 per cent over the next four years.
   “We need to act urgently to provide training and job opportunities to help the most vulnerable weather the global economic downturn,” he said.
   “Training programs will be tailored so we can provide highly skilled workers for businesses and regions that need them the most.”
   Mr Rees said the training offered would include electricians, tool makers, welders, sheet metal workers, panel beaters, child care workers, butchers, hairdressers and carpenters.
   “Under this plan, apprenticeships will be boosted by 20 per cent, with an extra 28,000 places by 2012,” he said.
   “This is great news for young people and school leavers who are particularly vulnerable in times of rising unemployment.”
   Mr Rees said the Government would do all it could to reduce the number of people facing unemployment over the next few years.
   “We do not want to see an economic crisis turn into a human crisis,” he said.
   “We need to build up a skilled workforce and be well positioned to take advantage of opportunities as we come out of the downturn.”
   The partnership followed a recent announcement by Mr Rees to provide an additional 6,000 new Government apprenticeships and cadetships over the next four years.


4 March, 2009


Renewable energy gets green light

A three-point plan to promote investment in renewable energy in NSW has been unveiled by the Premier, Nathan Rees.
   Speaking at the recent Jobs Summit, Mr Rees said the plan would make it easier to establish clean, renewable energy projects in NSW and attract green investment and create green jobs.
   “The expansion of the Commonwealth’s Renewable Energy Target to 20 per cent of Australia’s electricity supply by 2020 will drive major new investment in the generation of renewable energy,” Mr Rees said.
   “NSW is doing the work now to ensure we are well-placed to capture a significant share of this investment, representing a huge economic opportunity for the State, particularly in regional areas.”
   Mr Rees said the measures aim to unlock investment opportunities and to unblock bottlenecks to see investment flow and jobs created.
   “With natural resources to generate wind, solar and hydro energy in abundance, we are well placed to drive investment in a sustainable, renewable energy future and to drive investment in green jobs,” he said.
   Mr Rees said a key part of the plan was the creation of new Renewable Energy Precincts for wind energy.
   “These precincts will be the locations for the State’s future wind power investment.”
   He said all development proposals within the precincts would be subject to streamlined planning and approvals processes and faster approval times.
   He said the Government had identified five areas in NSW with the greatest potential for wind power: the NSW/ACT Cross Border Region; Central Tableland; New England Tableland; Upper Hunter; and the South Coast.
   Mr Rees said renewable energy projects generating over 30 megawatts of power would benefit from “critical infrastructure” status, which would speed up the planning and building processes.
   “We will lower the threshold for critical infrastructure under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act from 250 megawatts to 30 megawatts for renewable energy generation facilities within identified renewable energy precincts,” he said.
   “This means that green, renewable energy projects will benefit from the same priority planning consideration as other important infrastructure, vital to the state, such as major road or hospital upgrades.”
   Mr Rees said project managers would be appointed to improve relations between Government and industry.
   “Working in the Department of Planning, these dedicated project managers will work side-by-side with renewable energy investors from concept stage to commissioning and generation,” he said.
   Mr Rees said the project managers would also co-ordinate Agencies to work and consult with local communities to gain support for investments in wind energy projects.
   “We know there are community sensitivities to be considered in projects such as these,” he said.  
   “Working more closely on these important projects is about local buy-in and ownership – getting the strong local input to the process.”


4 March, 2009


Deaf Court resource gets good hearing

A web-based resource for deaf people attending Court has been welcomed by the Attorney General John Hatzistergos.
   Mr Hatzistergos congratulated the Deaf Society of NSW on their launch of Going to Court.
   “I am delighted that the Deaf Society has launched this web-tool which makes it easier for the deaf community to get the information they need,” he said.
   Mr Hatzistergos said the resource included short instructional films offering information on the law and the Court system in Australian sign language, AUSLAN, with the equivalent information presented in plain English
   “People who are deaf should not be denied access to justice,” he said.
   “It is important they have access to information about the Court system in their own language.”
   Mr Hatzistergos said the short films covered where to get legal advice, where to find a lawyer, help preparing for Court, help for women living with domestic violence, legal help with divorce, and definitions of legal terms.
   He said the website development followed a demographic study by the Deaf Society which found there was a need to improve access to public services, including the justice system, for the deaf community.
   Mr Hatzistergos said part of the website included a modified version of a 25 minute film the Attorney General's Department produced five years ago for people with disabilities called So You Have To Go To Court!
   To access the resource, visit www.deafsocietynsw.org.au


4 March, 2009


Boating campaign is plain sailing

NSW Maritime has launched a new boating safety campaign featuring former Australian test cricketer Matthew Hayden.
   Minister for Ports and Waterways, Joe Tripodi announced the campaign saying it would cost $200,000 and run to the end of the boating season at Easter.
   Mr Tripodi said the campaign, Keep Your Eye on the Ball, targeted boat skippers and reminded them to keep a proper lookout and to a safe speed when on the waterways.
   “The safety awareness campaign stresses one of the fundamental boating messages of keeping a good lookout at all times,” he said.
   “Matthew is a keen boater who understands the importance of safety and skippers being responsible at all times for the lives of all on board.”
   Mr Tripodi said Mr Hayden had donated his time to the campaign, which was an extension of a National Marine Safety Committee project to improve boating safety.
   Mr Hayden said just as ‘keeping your eye on the ball’ was important in cricket, keeping a good lookout on the water was vital for safe boating.
   “Things can change in an instant, another boat can come out of nowhere, a wave can swamp you and suddenly you can be in real trouble,” he said.
   “You need to read navigation beacons correctly and be aware of other boats in half light or where you can’t see because you are blinded by sun or salt on the window.”
   Mr Tripodi said NSW Maritime figures indicated 42 per cent of boating incidents over the past three years involved grounding and collisions.
   He said these figures highlighted the need for skippers to keep a proper look out.
   “That is especially relevant now, with the increased amount of debris in our waterways as a result of the recent flooding in NSW,” Mr Tripodi said.


4 March, 2009
Prison officers protest
Hundreds of Prison Officers from Goulburn Correctional Centre walked off the job to protest against plans to privatise two of the State’s prisons.
   The Public Service Association of NSW said the officers were worried the privatisation of Cessnock and Parklea prisons and believed they were “just the tip of the iceberg” and other prisons would follow.
   Further rallies were planned for Grafton this month.

PSA opposes Pillar sale
The Public Service Association of NSW, South Coast Labour Council and Unions NSW have voiced their opposition to the Government’s plan to privatise Pillar Administration, the administrator of the State Government superannuation schemes.
   They said the move would have adverse affects on super fund members, decrease service quality, and affect workers in the Illawarra who relied on Pillar jobs for employment and security.
   The organisations have sent a petition asking Parliamentarians to stop the sale.

Apprentices sign up
One hundred and sixty-eight new apprentices have joined EnergyAustralia to be trained as electrical mechanics, line workers, cable jointers, motor mechanics and fitter and machinists.
   The first year apprentices were aged between 16 and 48 and included 82 electrical mechanics, 65 lineworkers, 16 cable jointers, 4 motor mechanics and 1 fitter and machinist.
   They joined over 470 apprentices already in training at EnergyAustralia.

Firearms amnesty
NSW Police have launched a three month firearms amnesty and education campaign to encourage people with unregistered firearms to hand them in without facing penalties.
   The campaign, Taking the Gun out of the Equation, challenges people to decide if they need their firearm or wanted guns in their house.
   The campaign will help Police keep track of guns and keep them off the street.
   It ends on 31 May.

Commissioner drops fees
The Office of the Protective Commissioner is to reduce its charges following a review of its fee structure by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal.
   The Protective Commissioner is responsible for making financial decisions for the most vulnerable members of the community.
   IPART recommended the Office reduce its annual cap on management fees, cap the 4 per cent annual income fee for privately managed clients at $2,000 and remove the 50 per cent threshold test for pension income for privately managed clients.

Tipstaff job offered
The Supreme Court of NSW has invited applications for the position of Tipstaff to the President of the NSW Court of Appeal, Justice Allsop.
   The one year appointment is set to commence in late January, 2010, with applicants continuing as Researcher the following year.
   Applications close 31 March, with further information available by emailing anna_garsia@courts.nsw.gov.au

More time for fake licences
 Teenagers on their provisional drivers licence will have to keep their ‘Ps’ for an extra six months if caught using a fake ID to get into a licensed venue or to buy alcohol.
   The initiative, which came into effect on 1 March, is aimed at tackling antisocial drinking and alcohol related violence.
   The new measure will apply to teenagers over 14 years of age, regardless of whether they had a drivers licence at the time of the offence.
   The additional six months would be added on receipt of their licence.

Inspectors win LSL payments
Workplace Inspectors have recovered over $269,000 for NSW staff who were not paid the correct long service leave in 2008.
   Figures from the Office of Industrial Relations showed it resolved 70 complaints in 2008 regarding long service leave remuneration.
   Minister for Industrial Relations, John Hatzistergos, reminded employers to be aware of their staff’s rights and legal obligations.

Health college to bridge gap
A new Aboriginal Health College has been opened in Little Bay in Sydney to help bridge the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous health outcomes.
   The College is being run by the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW and will train Aboriginal health staff to work in NSW.
   The Government provided $7.9 million of funding towards the project.

Transporter offends
A NSW Court has ordered a major Victorian transport company to improve its practices after declaring it was a persistent offender.
   The Court found the company, which registered its vehicles in the Federal Interstate Registration Scheme, was guilty of 29 overloading offences.
   The Court order has demonstrated that registration under the scheme does not excuse companies from complying with road safety laws.

Employment checks
Inspectors from the Office of Industrial Relations have visited around 130 businesses in the Illawarra to ensure they were complying with their responsibilities as employers.
   The inspectors provided employers with information and advice on workplace rights and obligations under NSW industrial law, such as pay rates, conditions of employment, leave entitlements and employment records.